leaving LJ Idol

If you do find a group like that, I really hope you'll post about it; I'd never have entered LJ Idol because of the competitive aspect, but that sounds potentially really good. Though they tend to stagnate, those I've seen, usually because people have varied and picky ideas of what's a 'good prompt' (if I hadn't realised that already, LJ Idol would have shown that). Perhaps one with both the 'link your entries' and 'participate regularly' aspects of LJ Idol would be useful, though it's hard to know how it should/would work.

And yeah, the fiction and impersonal 'journal' entries disappointed me a lot. I never participated in LJ Idol as a contestant, but I started reading because of several personal entries and hoped there would be more than there were. I felt that there was a tendency towards 'public' writing, technically good and sometimes almost 'moralistic', complete in a way a normal journal entry isn't and with some kind of 'message', but without much soul. I suppose that's natural in a judged competition, but still, it disappointed me.

I totally agree with you! If I find anything I will let you know ;-)

You added me, yay! I was going to add you but you got there first. See, I'm going to be on LJ all the time from now on, since now I have a non-silly LJ name which, unsurprisingly, makes me much more attracted to the whole LJ thing. So expect to see a lot more of me! Off to do your let me get to know you meme now :)
(sorry for this being entirely irrelevant to your post, by the way)

omg, hurray! I'm so glad you're actually using LJ now. maybe we can convince Ben to do it too :D

YAY NICK!!! :D :D :D and yay for doing my super-awesome survey! :D

So basically, you want a writing competition like LJ Idol without the voting. right?

no, a journaling GROUP. not a competition. Like a class, where everyone strives for their personal best rather than to be better than someone else. Voting might be helpful for that, if it there was no impetus to 'win' and everyone simply voted for the entries that they thought were better than the person's previous efforts, or something to that effect. People would probably still get competitive if there was voting though, so it may be less than possible.

I just fundamentally disagree with individual competition, and so LJ idol slowly lost its charm as it became more 'competitive.' I guess I wanted it to be something other than it was.

I totally understand why you're leaving, but I'll definitely miss reading your entries for idol.

I would like to keep you added; I always enjoy your journal! But I understand if you don't want to :)

aww! I'm flattered that you'd miss them!

I enjoy your journal too! keepin' ya ;-D

I second what Phoenix said, if you find such a community, would you make sure to share? I'm not turned off by the competition, since I knew that's what I signed up for, and I'm able to mostly ignore it, but I totally see how it can be frustrating. I'd definitely be interested in joining up in a community, or helping get one started.

If I find one, I'll let you know! I was thinking of starting one but I am kept busy enough with my current modding. ;-)

I didn't care for the lj idol posts for some reason. I think it had to do with them putting boundaries on you. It seemed the posts were a little forced because you had to write on what they told you to write about. I don't know. Just my two cents.

yeah, I noticed a change in my tone that I didn't like that much.

*puts your two cents in a jar*

I don't know of any communities, but I was thinking of starting a general writing prompt/writing challenge in my LJ once a week that would be just for fun. I don't think I'll be able to start it until after I'm out of LJ Idol (starting my own gaming back up and everything else just doesn't give me the time to do it right now). If you want to still stick around my journal, you should see when it starts up.

I'm sorry to see you leaving Idol, but I do understand your reasoning. *hugs* Good luck.

thanks for caring! I didn't realize that so many would miss me ;-) If you do start up that prompt, I will definitely check it out!

*hugs back* thanks!

Wow. Really sorry to see you leaving, but I can understand.

The competitive element certainly isn't for everyone. It's kind of funny (to me anyway) because a friend of mine actually started up a writing group that was based on the same ideas that you expressed, wanting the prompts but not the pressure of the competition. It went ok for a few weeks and then no one really did anything. Which is a shame, but as the seasons go on, I'm finding there almost needs to be a competitive edge to get people actually motivated to sit down and pound something out that they wouldn't have come up with without "an assigned topic" and a deadline with the bottom of the pack nipping at their heels.
Just my experience anyway.

Good luck with everything and you will definitely be missed. I've personally recommended you to a couple people, so hopefully they have come around to read your entries or will in the future!

I feel so special to get a comment from you! :D

yeah, that's the sad thing, I don't like the competitiveness but I don't see it working without it. *sigh*

thanks for recommending me, I'm flattered!

I'm sorry to see you drop out, but I can understand your reasoning. Personally, I'm determined to last as long as I can - they're going to have to boot me out with size 12 steel-toed boots before I'd voluntarily drop, lol!

I'm not sure about the "dishonest vote-getting tactics" that you're referring to, but I tend to be oblivious to the undercover stuff, since I don't pay as much attention to it, but it seems like the same sort of thing that happens with any sort of election - LJ Idol, political, or otherwise.

Personally, I love the short fiction angle - maybe not so much as a weekly topic, but it's nice to have the option ever now and then, and it makes sense to have it. After all, on American Idol they have different singing prompts each week - country, Top 50, the 1960's, etc - the winner has to be good at all styles - or be savvy enough to choose a song that they CAN legitimately do - so it makes sense to me that the LJ Idol should be able to write decent fiction in addition to personal essays. Just my .02 cents on the subject, anyway.

anyway, I've been your friend since before LJ Idol, and I plan on keeping you on my Flist, just so you know. *Hugs*

*hugs back* I wish you the best of luck!

It may just be a personal prejudice -- I hate reading anything non-personal on the computer. I don't know what it is, but I like my fiction on paper! heh :D

I felt very much the same way, which was what led to my early dropping out of the race to be "the best." I loved sitting down to compose an entry on a given topic, really pouring my heart into it and finding out so much about my fellow contestants, but when it came time to receive feedback I felt like people were less concerned with the personal aspect of what I had shared and more concerned with whether or not the entry merited another week in the competition. And I felt myself getting competative about it too, which wasn't at all why I entered it in the first place. I had to take my leave.

If you find a place like the one you mentioned, or if you get the desire to start one yourself, please do let me know. I would love to be a part of it. I've been a part of some communities in the past that encouraged open writing, but never on a similar topic and never with too much interaction from others.

I was very impressed that you left because you could have definitely gotten into the top 10, if not won! But I'm also glad to have you 'all to myself' hee hee ;-)

if I find one I will let you know!

While LJ Idol brought me here, it's not what kept me. I find you a fascinating, cool person LJ Idol or not, so I'll be sticking around if thats okay.

Even if you haven't actually added me back. :)

awesome!

yeah, I try to keep a small friends list. I've never had it get so large before! it's not a slight on you, just a time-management thing. ;-)

W00T!! heey you should call me soon, i need to talk to you about travel plans ♥

♥ ♥ will do!

I love you my bebeeeeeeeh ♥

I love you tooooooooooooo! :D