Our Rhyme and Reason

[strina]

FYI:

This started because we are both lazy, and overachievers. We're complicated people.

I joined rec50 because I love sharing. I wade through a lot of drek, so when I find something I like, I kind of want everybody to like it. But I discovered that picking my 50 stories was a lot more fun than writing the recs. So much goes into writing the recs: how much can I say without spoiling the story? what should I warn for? how many ways can I say "this is awesome" without repeating myself?

So I thought it'd be a lot easier to list 50 stories I recommend, instead. And - three years and 100+ lists later - here we are.

How To:

1. Join the comm.

You have to be a member to post, and if you're a member, please do at least one list.

2. Pick a theme.

Be creative! List your 50 favorite femslash stories, 50 favorite pwps, 50 favorite stories that include the word "schpadoinkle", whatever. It'd be awesome if, unless you're in a rare fandom, you got more specific than just "50 Stargate Atlantis Fics", but it's totally your call.

3. Make your list.

It should, obviously, be a list of 50 works you'd recommend. You can choose one of the tables of prompts we have here, mix'n'match two or more tables, make your own table, or not use a table at all. As long as the end result is a list of 50 stories/whatever on your chosen theme, we're not picky. (ETA: The table itself can actually be your theme, if you like. Still not picky!)

As to the format of your list: you have to include fanwork title, fandom, and a link to the work, and it has to be in the format of a 50-item list. Other than that, include as much or as little as you feel necessary.

4. Post it.

Please post your list here, and not just in your own journal. Crossposting is totally fine, just also post it here.

Oh, and people who title their lists get extra super-special karmic brownie points. It makes the masterlist so much neater.

4. Enjoy the warm glow of accomplishment.

Yes, this is totally easier than rec50. But it's still finding 50 good stories, and anyone who's ever spent any amount of time on ff.net knows how hard that can be. So yay, you!

Keep in Mind:

1. All lists must be complete. You don't have 50, wait until you do to post it.

2. You can post as many lists as you'd like, but we ask that you reuse stories as little as possible. If you're doing "50 Must-Reads for H/D Shippers" and "Magical Love Bond: My Favorite Cliche" (either of which I would love to read, BTW), you can totally put Unthinkable Thoughts on both lists. But if you also put it on your next five lists, that's not cool.

3. You can put as many WiPs as you like, as long as you label them.

4. More than one person can do the same theme, as long as they don't list the same fanworks. At least 20 of your recommended works have to be different, or the list may be taken down. Be good sports.

5. You can collaborate on lists! If two people make a list, you can choose to make a list of 50 or 75, but the list must be 50 or 75, nothing in between, and joint lists must include both contributors' names.

6. We welcome everybody here. Het, femslash, slash, gen, kink, vanilla, media fandoms, RPF, original fiction - all welcome as long as you label things. If you slap a generic list of warnings at the top of your list, it's all good (although if someone asks for specifics, it'd be polite to clarify).

6b. Also, we're set up for fiction, but if someone wanted to rec art/vids/podfic instead, that's cool, too. But no meta recs, icon recs, or blanket creator recs - specific works that tell a story, that's where we're drawing the line.

7. Once or twice a year, we will have a minilist challenge. When we do, the rules change! There will be a limited window of time! Put "minilist" in your subject line (ex: "Minilist: Libido Ergo Sum")! You do not have to have 50 stories; you must have 10, 15, 20, or 30 stories! There is no collaborating on minilists, sorry. Basically, it is your chance to post on that weirdly specific theme that's been driving you crazy, or pimp that distressingly rare fandom-of-your-heart.

8. And finally: An example list is here.