First I mean no offense to Margaret Levine Young; I find her presence
here both gracious and reasonable.
I also think it must be stressed from time to time how different are the
natures of the various lists represented here. I have a small family of
some 450 members (15% discount on introductory merchandise for all who
join by Oct 1!), and among that group are some dedicated writers, and
there is much more demanded of them than in a discussion group. They
must produce copy out of their own chronicles, and the Nosh runs in a
daily magazine, so it isn't something that can be tossed off in a moment
or two (as I'm doing here).
Consequently, I am perhaps a bit more welcoming of those who contribute
and more forgiving of their foibles than I might be were I the host of a
popular topic like, say, Sex in Taxis, with a turnaway expert audience
and brisk traffic.
My own experience, some years ago.
Someone new came on NerdNosh, which is a group forum for diary or
journal writers ($50 per year, free T-shirt included, chance to win a
Buick!). Her story was all about the trials and tribulations of the
overweight woman in our supermodel society etc etc etc. She weighed
over 400 pounds, and seemed proud of that as a personal statement of
some weird sort. Then came the tagline; she was selling yoga tapes for
fat folk.
I told her it wasn't allowed, and she was ready for me. She strung a
list of about four other writers who carried sigs in their stories which
might win them profit if anyone followed the leads. She allowed us to
clarify our policy.
First came rank. Are members treated differently? You bet they are.
Someone who has been around a long time and done much for the operation
simply has more presence, more license, than any tourist just flitting
by. (In fact, I'm glad to see that premise clearly stated by the
list-manager's list manager; if a stranger had wandered in with a
topical book for sale, I suspect I would have had no need to start this
discussion.)
I agree the policy of this unit is reasonable and proper for my own
concerns as well. I don't number myself among the attack-dog atavists
I've read here; on NerdNosh, an author might clearly detail her
publishing history if she likes. And the Nosh itself has been
reproduced in print, and we've gleefully pointed that out. Writing is
what we do, and there is no jihad against the almighty dollar on the
Nosh.
Sex in Taxis?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Tim Bowden)
"The reason you can never go home again
is because you can never leave." - Timocrates
