Examples of Rules of Kinkmemes and Unstated Kinkmeme Etiquette
DaredevilKink and AvengerKink have the best rules for people knew to kinkmemes. I recommend reading them. http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/, http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/14949.html.
Rules tend to be split into three sections: General, Prompts, and Fills.
I’m going to start with Prompts and Fills because it’s the simplest section to summarize.
Prompts will establish: If RPF is allowed If cross overs are allowed If cross posting (posting the same prompt on two kinkmemes) is allowed. How to formate the subject line of a prompt post (Does the kinkmeme want names to be alphabetized? What types of prompts are allowed.
Fills will establish: Where to announce fills What types of fills are allowed A reminder to use the [FILL] thing in the subject of the post
General Rules:
Something establishing if anonymous commenting is mandatory.
Rules for if trigger warning is mandatory and if so how to do it.
Rules about how to handle wank or disagreements that are specific to this kinkmeme.
DLDR, Don’t like something then don’t read it. It also means if you don’t like something don’t tell anyone how much you don’t like it. And definitely don’t tell the people who do like it how sick / gross / annoying / other needlessly negative thing they are for liking it.
YKINMKATO, this goes along with DLDR and seems pretty self explanatory. It may also be worded as “Don’t Kink Shame” or “Don’t Yuck Someone’s Yum”. Kink critical discussions go on the discussions post, not in the comments of someone’s prompt.
Some variation on don’t be a dick.
Negativity kills kinkmemes, so there will almost always be a stated rule against it in somewhere.
There will also be explanations about how to warn for spoilers and how video and images should be handled. That is should they be linked to from off site or imbedded.
Kinkmeme Etiquette
Now, some of this may actually be stated in the rules, but in case it isn’t this is what you should assume unless stated otherwise.
Rec-ing is allowed. As already covered, recing is an important part in the life of a kinkmeme, especially for big fandoms with lots of participants where it’s more likely someone hasn’t seen the fic in question. Even if you’ve already read the rec someone who hasn’t but liked the prompt may not have. If you must say something about a rec you didn’t want go with, “Yeah, I already saw that one. I was hoping for something more / different.”
Linking to another fic in the body of a prompt, such as “I read [link] and really liked x. I was hoping someone would write another fic where x happens.” This is important to give credit to the author of the original fic for the idea you liked about it. It also allows people lurking on the kinkmeme who like the prompt to be able to read the fic in question. It is also important if anyone wants to fill the prompt, so they can get an idea of what’s already been done and how to do something different.
Re: Hey! Project! (Part 2)
DaredevilKink and AvengerKink have the best rules for people knew to kinkmemes. I recommend reading them. http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/, http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/14949.html.
Rules tend to be split into three sections: General, Prompts, and Fills.
I’m going to start with Prompts and Fills because it’s the simplest section to summarize.
Prompts will establish:
If RPF is allowed
If cross overs are allowed
If cross posting (posting the same prompt on two kinkmemes) is allowed.
How to formate the subject line of a prompt post (Does the kinkmeme want names to be alphabetized?
What types of prompts are allowed.
Fills will establish:
Where to announce fills
What types of fills are allowed
A reminder to use the [FILL] thing in the subject of the post
General Rules:
Something establishing if anonymous commenting is mandatory.
Rules for if trigger warning is mandatory and if so how to do it.
Rules about how to handle wank or disagreements that are specific to this kinkmeme.
DLDR, Don’t like something then don’t read it. It also means if you don’t like something don’t tell anyone how much you don’t like it. And definitely don’t tell the people who do like it how sick / gross / annoying / other needlessly negative thing they are for liking it.
YKINMKATO, this goes along with DLDR and seems pretty self explanatory. It may also be worded as “Don’t Kink Shame” or “Don’t Yuck Someone’s Yum”. Kink critical discussions go on the discussions post, not in the comments of someone’s prompt.
Some variation on don’t be a dick.
Negativity kills kinkmemes, so there will almost always be a stated rule against it in somewhere.
There will also be explanations about how to warn for spoilers and how video and images should be handled. That is should they be linked to from off site or imbedded.
Kinkmeme Etiquette
Now, some of this may actually be stated in the rules, but in case it isn’t this is what you should assume unless stated otherwise.
Rec-ing is allowed. As already covered, recing is an important part in the life of a kinkmeme, especially for big fandoms with lots of participants where it’s more likely someone hasn’t seen the fic in question.
Even if you’ve already read the rec someone who hasn’t but liked the prompt may not have.
If you must say something about a rec you didn’t want go with, “Yeah, I already saw that one. I was hoping for something more / different.”
Linking to another fic in the body of a prompt, such as “I read [link] and really liked x. I was hoping someone would write another fic where x happens.”
This is important to give credit to the author of the original fic for the idea you liked about it.
It also allows people lurking on the kinkmeme who like the prompt to be able to read the fic in question.
It is also important if anyone wants to fill the prompt, so they can get an idea of what’s already been done and how to do something different.