Is FictionAlley really a worthy charity?

[inverarity]

I have mixed feelings about FictionAlley's application for a $25,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh challenge.

I know that they've been put in a tough spot financially, and it would be sad to see FA disappear. (Though I barely visit the forums anymore... too many trolls.)

When I remember to, I do go through FA's affiliate link to buy stuff from Amazon. But I'm not sure I can really get behind a push to vote for them as "most worthy charity." Let's face it, they're in competition with animal shelters, school music and arts, libraries, and other charities that to my mind are a little more worthy of $25K.

I don't think the FA folks are selfish or immoral for applying for this grant, and I wish them luck. I hate it when people start listing hierarchies of need and saying "This cause is clearly less worthy than that one." It's not like donating money for animal shelters and donating money for starving children is mutually exclusive, or else we should all choose the one worthiest cause in the world and donate money only to that one until the problem goes away.

Still, I'm having a hard time seeing a fan fiction site as a charitable cause.

I might feel differently if they really were fulfilling their educational mission ... to help writers improve their writing skills. But it's not like they are running workshops or online classes. They haven't even updated their homepage in forever.

(Yeah, I know, that's because they've got no money. But with $25K, are we really going to see FA suddenly become a hotbed community for aspiring young writers?)

ETA: They got wanked by people thinking the same thing, but less charitably.

ETA 2: Now I am regretting saying anything. I didn't realize the whole damn Internet was going to explode with rage at Fiction Alley. C'mon, people. Someone at one of the wank threads said "This is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen in my forty-three years on the planet." Seriously? Seriously?

Comments

[swissmarg]

I'm staying out of the wank because it makes me sad. I just think if people have 10 other causes they'd rather vote for, go for it. If they'd be sad to see FictionAlley shut down and have an extra vote, what does it hurt? That's all.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Word.
This.
(What is the newest slang way of saying that I wholly agree? Even though I have history with FA.)

[swissmarg]

*like*

Thanks, Fabio.

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

I understand. Like I said, I'm not angry or upset at FA, I was just a bit dubious about the idea. I certainly didn't expect the Internet Rage Machine to be unleashed over it. :(

[lonewolf-eburg.livejournal.com]

Ah, so it was a charity contest? I thought it's some advertisement affiliate "paying-for-viewing" program or something. If it's a charity thingy, it's definitely slimy - whatever FA is, it's not a "charity".

[(Anonymous)]

FictionAlley is in no way deserving of a charitable donation by anyone other than a frequent visitor. It's essentially a poorly-run database of stories existing in a quiet, rarely-visited corner of the internet, and simply because it's older doesn't mean it's worth saving.

[(Anonymous)]

~DarkSov

[kerneyhead.livejournal.com]

Reading the comments, I actually feel sorry for Fiction Alley and I wonder if the sacrificed goodwill will doom them. Obviously, they made a misstep. Calling it a misstep is like describing Hiroshima as just another explosion. I think that captures the level of PR disaster this has been.

That said, as anyone that has ever made a really big mistake knows, I hope they survive.