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BLTS:
Guidelines & Explanations
What Is The BLTS?
The BLTS (Better Living through TrekStories formerly TrekSmut) is a Star Trek
fanfiction only list, no chat.
The BLTS, begun by Taffy, was first created back in the days of
alt.startrek.creative.erotica -- before that list became the moderated list we
now know. In the bad old days, ASCE suffered from spam overload (to put it
mildly!) and the BLTS was conceived as a way of mirroring the newsgroup so
that subscribers could have their erotica served to them spam-free. When
ASCE became ASCEM (alt.startrek.erotica.moderated), BLTS continued as a
partial mirror for ASCEM/ASC as well as a place for first-time writers to try the
waters before posting to the wide world of ASCE/ASCEM.
Later, stories from the various Trekfic mailing lists were solicited (CPSG,
for example or PTFever), followed by those found on fanfiction.net and now,
LiveJournal as well.
The BLTS has also always been a home for authors who posted only to the
BLTS list and no where else.
Yes, your hard-working list owner/webmistress ceaselessly trolls the NET
looking for Trek fanfiction just so you don't have to. One of us, after all,
should have a life.
What follows is a list of rules for the BLTS designed in the hope of creating a
tolerant list-life as well as an explanation for How This Whole Thing Works.
Please take time to read everything carefully!
1) What Is the BLTS?
The BLTS, as already stated, is a mailing list whose focus has always been
on erotic and/or relationship stories from all five Trek incarnations (TOS, TNG,
DS9, VOY, ENT and TAS -- the animated show ) as well as from the various
movies and books. If it's Trek and it has, at its center,
a relationship/erotica focus, the BLTS will accept/post it.
The stories not only come in a variety of Treks, but in a variety of pairings as
well. Everything from het (Commander William Riker and Counselor Deanna
Troi, for example) to slash (Lieutenant Tom Paris and Ensign Harry Kim
of Voyager, for another example) to everything and anything in between
(Lieutenants Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres and Ensign Harry Kim
of Voyager, for example or Captain James T. Kirk, Commander Spock and
Commander/Doctor McCoy from the Original Show, for yet another example.)
The stories come in a variety of codes and ratings as well. Again, everything
from the lightest and sweetest of G to PG rated stories to the more hard-core
NC-17 for the true connoisseur of whips and chains. Vanilla. Non-vanilla.
Chocolate. Buttered Pecan with strawberries. whipped cream and an Ensign
or two on top. Leather. Bondage. Romance. Marriage. Unrequited lust and/or
longing. Babies. Rape. If an author can write/dream/imagine/envision it, the
BLTS will post/archive it with some exceptions. (for that those exceptions,
please see below).
All stories are coded not only as to the Trekverse and the pairing/pairings, but
with other codes such as CD (character death) or sexual situations (BDSM,
for example). There is also a CodeFAQ which, if you feel at all unsure of what
any or all of these codes mean, you should also read.
2) Feedback:
Is it really necessary to remind everyone they need to send feedback to our
authors? I thought/hope not. If the author can take the time to write despite a
hopefully full Real Life, then you, the reader with also a hopefully full Real Life,
can at least find the time to say, at the very least -- Read it, liked it, thank you.
Why is this so important? Well, if I may remind you -- feedback is the only
payment an author receives. If a story long labored over with love and affection
is posted only to be greeted by a deafening silence -- why then the author
might just not only burst into tears, tear out their hair and kick the family dog,
but might not ever write again.
And we wouldn't want that, would we?
While we are on the subject of feedback, please do not base any of your
criticism/feedback on the grounds of 'that's just sick!' or
'Tom's one true love is Chakotay! Not B'Elanna!' (or
vice versa). This list, after all, began as an erotica mailing list. Because of this,
all stories (again with a few exceptions. See below) that the list receives will
be posted. So that we are all on the same page, what this means is that no
story will be excluded on the basis of sexual content or pairing. The codes and
summaries and warnings are provided for a reason. Heed them and everyone
will (hopefully) be able to read happily well within their own personal comfort
zone.
3) Flames.
Not necessary. A bad thing. Do not do it. While constructive criticism is
usually welcomed, and positive feedback generally lusted after, flames are not.
Flames are the aforementioned 'That's sick' or 'God that
was awful, I hope you never post again' or even 'hate songfic. Why
are you writing this crap', as examples. As your mother probably once
said, if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at
all.
4) Posting Stories:
Anyone who is a member of the BLTS can post a story. The posts are,
however, moderated and will not be approved/sent to the group until the owner
is satisfied that all rules and guidelines have been met.
In general, the BLTS asks one formats their stories according to the guidelines
used by ASC or ASCEM.
All stories should be in text format only (extensions .txt .tex) and length should
be not more than eight pages. If your story is over eight pages, please break it
into segments of the appropriate length.
Stories can be posted anonymously. If you do wish to post your story
anonymously, please be sure to state this clearly. Feedback can be collected
and then forwarded on to you.
BLTS will accept drafts of stories providing they are clearly marked as such.
(WIP, or Work in Progress)
No story will be rejected because of content, sexual or otherwise with the
following exceptions: No story will be posted if the list owner deems it to
be child porn. Child porn is defined here as an eroticized sex act between
a minor child and an adult, whether or not the act is consensual. A minor child
is arbitrarily defined as being under the age of 18.
No story will be posted that glorifies rape or non-consensual sex.
Rape fics/non-cons fics are welcome but they must have a point and that point
must not be 'Rape is great! Look what I can get away with!' There
must be consequences. The same goes for gratuitous torture scenes.
Stories can be sent to the BLTS in one of two ways. One is to have a story
sent directly to the BLTS. The address for such submissions is
blts12@comcast.net
The second is to include somewhere in your disclaimer permission to post
your story to the BLTS. This option should be used if your story is also being
posted elsewhere such as ASC, ASCEM or one of the many fanfic mailing
lists. The listowner would be most grateful to any author who does
this.
5) Where The Stories Come From:
No, Virginia. The stories do not come from Santa Claus.
Stories posted to the BLTS are from five different sources. One is from the
two creative newsgroups (ASC and ASCEM). The second is from the various
Trekfic mailing lists such as JetC or CPSG. The third is directly from the
author and posted only to the BLTS and to the author's website. The
fourth is fanfiction.net with the fifth being from the various LiveJournal
communities.
You do not need to be a member of the list in order to have a story posted.
This is not an automated list; the listowner needs to both approve and send all
messages.
6) Distribution of Stories:
Do not put any of these stories anywhere else on the web. Do not post them
anywhere else without permission. Do not forward them. Do not post them
elsewhere and say they were written by you. Do not sell them. Any list
member found guilty of any of these actions will be dropped from the
list. Control over where their stories are posted is a big concern of many
of the authors and we really need to prove to them that we are
trustworthy.
7) Posting Frequency:
Posts to the BLTS are (barring RL disasters) once a week, usually on
Saturday night. If necessary, in order to play catch-up, a second send will
occur on Sunday night.
8) The Archive
Yes, we now have an archive, located at:
www.squidge.org/blts/index.html
It is a work in progress. It will always be a work in progress. It is not
automated. It is done the old-fashioned way, by hand. The webmistress has
tried to make it as user-friendly and cross-browser friendly as possible.
The archive will eventually also include nearly every story that used to be
found on R'rain's. The archive (barring fire, famine, flood, ferret
and/or daschund emergencies) is updated weekly.
All stories on the archive are in .txt format. There is simply not enough time in
the day to htmlize them.
Suggestions and offers of help are welcome.
Linking to the archive is fine. Encouraged even.
9) Important Addresses to Remember
BLTS List Web Page,
hosted by Google Groups.
This is where you go to subscribe, unsubscribe and otherwise manage your
account.
The BLTS Web Page
This is where our archive is located.
For story submissions, to remove yourself from the list, to report a change of
address or for any other problems or questions related to the BLTS:
blts12@comcast.net
And, please, remember to put BLTS in the subject line.
Thank you.
anne in
chicago (Adoptive Mom to the BLTS)
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