The Noble Robot posted something in the "Supporting" Guilds thread:
http://www.mystonline.com/forums/viewto ... 323#206323
I want to reply, but I'm moving the reply here, because this is about membership rather than about guild supporters. (I agree with what TNR said about supporters: there should be absolutely no stigma.)
Quote:
I find that in those conversations, everyone wants to be called a "writer," whether they do something for the guild or not. This is especially true of people who are extremely enthusiastic about the guild and willing to put their ideas for ages forward, but unable (or more probably, unwilling) to learn the skills required to create ages. These explorers (rightly) want some recognition for their enthusiasm... and they really, really want to be called "writers."
This I can understand, but I think it's totally unfair to those who torture themselves to learn how to create ages, textures, music, etc to have to share the title with people who, while no less valuable, don't have the same skills and simply want the title for everyone. I try, but I can't help but think, and hope it's not an unfair assessment, that while most of these people argue for this on the basis of "democracy" and fairness, they simply want the title for themselves (fiery abyss, I would).
Okay, I want people who contribute ideas to be called "Writers". I want everyone whose goal is a new Age to be called "a Writer". But I don't say that because of democracy or fairness. (You all get to decide whether I'm motivated by greed or pride.) I say it because I think it will make a better Guild -- by which I mean, it will get more Ages written.
You want the title "Writer" to be valuable, and you worry that people who are unworthy of the title will lust after it. Probably true. But a title is only valuable when we *make* it valuable; by proclaiming it, by making it hard to get, by being proud *of* it.
When you create a treasure, you are creating a need to protect it. In this case, that means rules to decide who is worthy of the title "writer"; it means penalties for misusing it. And you are creating a desire to steal the treasure. That is, people will use personal friendships to slide past the rules; they'll lie about their skills, or cheat on whatever tests you come up with. (And you'll certainly need tests -- why, if you don't demand proof, *anybody* could say he's a Writer!)
And *none of this energy is about writing Ages.* None of it. It has exactly nothing to do with the Guild's goal, which is getting Ages written. The more the Guild focusses on who is a Writer, the less the Guild is about Writing.
(...second post follows...)