Ok

[den]

I have been invited to leave Elfwood. My post on the Elfwood community page has been removed, but this is the comment from halwyn, one of the Elfwood community admins (or something like that)

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Sheesh. Ever thought of replying to their email? Oh wait - I've told you this at least once, maybe twice.

But you don't want answers, you just want to bitch.

Leaving might be the very best thing you could do for the Elfwood community.

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The email I recived in the removal notice is from a daemon at enforcement@yahoogroups.com. It says to use the complaints form on the Elfwood, but that form has gone and is replaced by this:

Update Jan 2002: The ERB can't take any reports right now as they are actively doing a gallery sweep anyway

I had a week to appeal, but they are too busy to read it. I have to send an email, but there is no way to send it.

I received a series of emails this morning to say 5 stories are to be removed. Included in that is Mavrik, my first dragon story. I think they objected to the phrase "Bugger off."

I don't regret my cash donation to Elfwood. Thomas does a wonderful job and I don't mind paying for the web space.

Now I have been invited to leave. So I will.

I'll leave my Z47 gallery up but no one looks at that, anyway.

I am in the process of re-writing my stories and placing them on Epilogue.

Update

I finally got through by email, and one of the ERB members wrote back to say that I can edit the stories and upload when the extranet is up. It is obvious that writing in colloquial Australian is a Bad Thing. I will not change my style to make it bland, or American, just to suit wowsers and children.

Comments

Doublespeak

[charles.livejournal.com]

How's this for a bit of doublespeak from the ERB page?

The ERB does not deal in censorship. If an artwork or story was removed, it was in violation of the Rules.

Re: Doublespeak

[bearblue.livejournal.com]

What rules would that be?

Am sorry to hear all of this is happening. Censorship sucks big time. :(

[arcturax.livejournal.com]

Yuck, what a pissy thing to do to someone :( Obviously some people up at Elfwood could give less of a shit about their artists and writers...

While its not exactly well known, I'd be willing to host your stuff, censorship free of course, on furtropolis.com :)

Re: Doublespeak

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

My stories contain Graphic Obscenities.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

It's sorted. The stories are going up on Epilogue with no problems.

Re: Doublespeak

[charles.livejournal.com]

The rules (http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/erb/rules.html) do not seem to mention rules against "naughty words".

Quoting....

Your Stories/Poems

Likewise, Wyvern's Library is for a certain theme (Refer to Elfwood Area & Material Definitions).

• There must be a minimum of two (2) stories/poems fitting the theme of the library. (Refer to Elfwood Area & Material Definitions)
  
• All written work must be original and written by you, the account holder.
  
• Fan fiction of any sort is strictly prohibited.
  
• Plagiarizing is a serious offense and a very good reason for the ERB to shut down your library.
  
• If for some reason, you need or wish to include an excerpt of someone else's work, be sure this falls under the fair use stipulation, or obtain permission first and credit appropriately.
  
• Contents that are slanderous or offensive are not allowed.
  
• Erotica or stories/poems depicting graphic sex are not permitted. Wyvern's Library, like the rest of Elfwood, is an all-ages site.
  
  
  

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Thats pathetic.. I don't want to read stuff that has been censored down to turn of phrase :(

[hopeforyou.livejournal.com]

It is obvious that writing in colloquial Australian is a Bad Thing. I will not change my style to make it bland, or American, just to suit wowsers and children.

Here, here! You tell them!

As a student of the world classroom, I'd rather read something written that captures the local flavor and color of the language, and experience what I read through the eyes of the author.

They dismissed your work for "Bugger all". Don't those silly drongos know that few people take that phrase literally in reference to buggery? It's like "Screw it all"...no-one would consider that offensive in American articles except the more conservative folks who find offense in anything.

Oops...I said "drongo"...wonder what will happen to me now?

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Oops...I said "drongo"...wonder what will happen to me now?

You will now be thrown to the bogans.

Re: Doublespeak

[bearblue.livejournal.com]

*shaking head*

[hopeforyou.livejournal.com]

Nooooooooo! Anything but that! I'd have to fend them off with a 12 Step meeting and Monster Truck Rally tickets. As if the ockers around Cairns weren't bad enough, mate!

[baxil.livejournal.com]

Apparently the ERB's idea of fantasy includes the time-honored idea that nobody ever goes to the bathroom, or knows any words stronger than "fudge".

To sum up the situation in two words: "Screw that." I'm sorry to hear that you're catching flak for your writing -- only someone both humorless and with no sense of perspective could decide to remove an entire story based on one word, and a relatively mild one at that -- but I support your decision to leave, and don't think I'll be recommending or patronizing Elfwood myself unless I hear the situation's changed. I know you've already got a new home for your stories, but let me know if there's anything I can do.