PSA: Requesting access to f-locked fic

[netlagd.livejournal.com]

With the permission of the lovely Mods for this community vlredreign and court1429, I am posting this PSA.

Pardon if this is something you already know.

When requesting an author friend you so you may read their f-locked fic, please enable *your* account email so we may write you back. Sometimes there are problems with your account which result in us not friending you - year of birth not showing, empty journal, whatever.

Thanks!

Comments

[wouldbedorothy.livejournal.com]

I don't write fanfiction and, believe me, writing about my RL would bore anybody to tears.

You say that in your bio, which is good. I tend to be a bit leery of *completely* empty journals (nothing on info page either except maybe birth year), but what you have is I think enough to show you're a real person here for genuine reasons, lol. I'd suggest just doing ONE journal entry saying something similar... you know, that you're just here to read fic and that you're not a spam robot :)

[mysid.livejournal.com]

And sometimes an empty journal is created by someone to get up to mischief. Most people who f-lock their fics do so in fear of having their LJ's deleted and purged the next time that LiveJournal decides to cave in to the morality police. An empty journal could belong to someone who created it just to seek out "porn", report it to LJ, and get the writer's account deleted. It's happened.

An occasional LJ entry, especially one that lets us know who you are and how you feel about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of smutty happiness" goes a long way to reassure the writer that you can be entrusted to read their babies.

[netlagd.livejournal.com]

Empty journals can mean a host of things.
I want to know that there is a person on the other end.
This can be done by filling out your account profile.

But an entirely empty journal, with no contact information, not date of birth information, no friends, no entries, no icons and no way to contact the person throws up a flag for the reasons given above.

Add an entry that says "I'm here for the fanfic." or something of that nature, please.

[wjsc99.livejournal.com]

Great question, betemb! I've wondered the same thing. I'm still frequently confused by LJ, so it's great to see some responses here that make sense. Thanks!

[court1429.livejournal.com]

Also, if someone's LJ isn't flocked, or at least their fic's not locked, you can friend them and see their posts without them friending you back to be mutual friends. If that makes sense.

When I was new to LJ and reading fic, I friended a ton of authors whose LJs were unlocked (and who didn't friend me back) so I could make sure to see any new fic they posted.

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

Hey, J, you gotta fix my username in your post. I FREAKED just now, finding out that there was actually another person with the name Red Reign!! I've had this name since...2004, I think, and seeing someone else with the same name and the SAME SPELLING is just...whoa. lol

[netlagd.livejournal.com]

fixed - you know, I looked at that when I posted it and said to myself that it didn't look right

All I can say was that I must not have been overly awake when I wrote it.

SORRY!

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

You're forgiven. lol