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penpusherI am a writer. I arrived at LiveJournal in March of 2001 having just published a book and my original intent was to find ways to help promote that book. I had success in discussing the concepts, but I don't think I sold more than a handful of copies based on anything that was said in those conversations.
Apparently, in the summer of 2006, "LJ Idol" was created. It was described by its creator as "a writing rollercoaster with iffy brakes" but also it was something of a psychological test. Or, maybe it didn't begin like that, but in one of those early seasons, it evolved (or devolved) into that.
Even though I was a writer from the very beginning of my LiveJournal experience, and even though I had writers on my journal from the beginning, I had never heard of "LJ Idol" until the ninth season of its existence. And I got around the old El Jay pretty frequently! I just somehow never crossed paths with anyone who participated until I arrived at season 9.
In a way, maybe that was a good thing (for me). It seems as though earlier years featured a lot of bad blood between and amongst the competitors and maybe the host of the game was a bit more "evil" when it came to it. By the time I arrived on the scene, everyone had mellowed and it was just a competition about telling good stories.
In that Ninth Season, I had no real idea how to play the game, so it truly was a learning experience. I didn't really promote, or even know to promote the competition with my regular journal readers, basically just posting my assignments with no real sense of what or how people might particiapate. The fact is, to win, you need votes, both from your fellow contestants and from other readers, who are willing to look at what's going on and vote for the people whose material they liked the best during any given week. I never once told anyone to go vote for my work, that year, at all.
I got as far as Week 30 (out of 43) that first go, solely on the strength of the votes from my fellow competitors. My reaction was to sulkily dump out, licking my wounds over the fact that I didn't get farther the very first time I tried! I even admitted the following year I was a blockhead for that and I was immensely sorry my ego didn't let me participate more fully during the conclusion of that year... with special apologies tohalfshellvenus, who was very much contending to win it all and who was an early and kind supporter of what I was attempting!
But I went to school on that season, and I figured out some important elements of the game, not the least of which is being there for the other writers. Reading, giving good feedback (It is never "criticism," because that's not what happens at all during the season), and talking in the green rooms during off times are all crucial elements in being a part of this game, but MORE ACCURATELY, it's being a part of this COMMUNITY, that is the heart of what happens during the process.
And in that Tenth season, I came back with those lessons in mind and I was fortunate enough to get to the final week, and I finished second in my second ever attempt to play.
In the meanwhile, since that year, a whole lot had changed both for LiveJournal and for me. SUP, the holding company that bought LJ from SixApart in the mid 2000s merged the Western and the Cyrillic sides into one Russian controlled entity, I wanted to get away from LJ, personally, because of that, and I sorta moved to Dreamwidth. But blogging had been slowly spiraling downward (really since 2005 or so), with the masses having moved on to what was then called twitter, tumblr, instagram, and YouTube for the vlogging. Even my journaling days had dwindled.
This year, I felt a tiny bit of a resurgence. And I came back to my journal to start writing again in July 2026, for no other reason than because I wanted to do it, for me.
And, with the return of LJ Idol, which is now a slight misnomer, since it's happening here on DW, and the synergistic fact that it's a landmark season (and ten years since my last direct involvement) I decided to give it one more go.
TL;DR Version - I will be a contestant in the 20th season of LJ Idol. I hope you'll be around for the fun!
Note: If you are interested in becoming a participant (and you should be)
THIS is a PROPER description about what LJ Idol actually is: FAQ
And THIS is the Sign Up Sheet for the season: LJ Idol: 20 Years Sign Up Sheet
Doing my civic duty, because communities thrive when more people are in them.
Apparently, in the summer of 2006, "LJ Idol" was created. It was described by its creator as "a writing rollercoaster with iffy brakes" but also it was something of a psychological test. Or, maybe it didn't begin like that, but in one of those early seasons, it evolved (or devolved) into that.
Even though I was a writer from the very beginning of my LiveJournal experience, and even though I had writers on my journal from the beginning, I had never heard of "LJ Idol" until the ninth season of its existence. And I got around the old El Jay pretty frequently! I just somehow never crossed paths with anyone who participated until I arrived at season 9.
In a way, maybe that was a good thing (for me). It seems as though earlier years featured a lot of bad blood between and amongst the competitors and maybe the host of the game was a bit more "evil" when it came to it. By the time I arrived on the scene, everyone had mellowed and it was just a competition about telling good stories.
In that Ninth Season, I had no real idea how to play the game, so it truly was a learning experience. I didn't really promote, or even know to promote the competition with my regular journal readers, basically just posting my assignments with no real sense of what or how people might particiapate. The fact is, to win, you need votes, both from your fellow contestants and from other readers, who are willing to look at what's going on and vote for the people whose material they liked the best during any given week. I never once told anyone to go vote for my work, that year, at all.
I got as far as Week 30 (out of 43) that first go, solely on the strength of the votes from my fellow competitors. My reaction was to sulkily dump out, licking my wounds over the fact that I didn't get farther the very first time I tried! I even admitted the following year I was a blockhead for that and I was immensely sorry my ego didn't let me participate more fully during the conclusion of that year... with special apologies to
halfshellvenus, who was very much contending to win it all and who was an early and kind supporter of what I was attempting!But I went to school on that season, and I figured out some important elements of the game, not the least of which is being there for the other writers. Reading, giving good feedback (It is never "criticism," because that's not what happens at all during the season), and talking in the green rooms during off times are all crucial elements in being a part of this game, but MORE ACCURATELY, it's being a part of this COMMUNITY, that is the heart of what happens during the process.
And in that Tenth season, I came back with those lessons in mind and I was fortunate enough to get to the final week, and I finished second in my second ever attempt to play.
In the meanwhile, since that year, a whole lot had changed both for LiveJournal and for me. SUP, the holding company that bought LJ from SixApart in the mid 2000s merged the Western and the Cyrillic sides into one Russian controlled entity, I wanted to get away from LJ, personally, because of that, and I sorta moved to Dreamwidth. But blogging had been slowly spiraling downward (really since 2005 or so), with the masses having moved on to what was then called twitter, tumblr, instagram, and YouTube for the vlogging. Even my journaling days had dwindled.
This year, I felt a tiny bit of a resurgence. And I came back to my journal to start writing again in July 2026, for no other reason than because I wanted to do it, for me.
And, with the return of LJ Idol, which is now a slight misnomer, since it's happening here on DW, and the synergistic fact that it's a landmark season (and ten years since my last direct involvement) I decided to give it one more go.
TL;DR Version - I will be a contestant in the 20th season of LJ Idol. I hope you'll be around for the fun!
Note: If you are interested in becoming a participant (and you should be)
THIS is a PROPER description about what LJ Idol actually is: FAQ
And THIS is the Sign Up Sheet for the season: LJ Idol: 20 Years Sign Up Sheet
Doing my civic duty, because communities thrive when more people are in them.
no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 12:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 12:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 06:27 pm (UTC)It's hard to explain to new (and potential) people why the Idol community is such a big and wonderful part of the game, and it isn't always evident even the first season in. But it's what keeps drawing people back. And finishing second is amazing and very hard to pull off! Though you've always had the talent. :D
I'm so glad you're back!
no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 08:36 pm (UTC)But, you're right... it is the community of writers that make the experience special and when you start to immerse yourself in their worlds, that part becomes a lot clearer. It's hardly about the competition, since, actually, what are we competing against? It's about the understanding of the process and the appreciation of those that manage to do something both worthy and entertaining that we connect and enjoy.
I think this should be a very special season.
no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 07:10 pm (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2026-08-28 08:45 pm (UTC)Thanks for stopping over here to say hi again, and reading my Idol tale!
no subject
Date: 2026-09-02 12:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-02 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-03 01:07 am (UTC)