Not My GAFilk Review

[billroper]

I haven't written my long discussion of GAFilk yet.

But here's one that came in through the Filker group on Facebook.

Comments

[hms42]

Thank you for the link.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

This person seems to have felt left out of GaFilk in the past.

I wonder if we could make GaFilk more welcoming to people just entering the GaFilk um, "group."

New Filker Acceptance

[w. scott snyder (from livejournal.com)]

I read this too. In my experience, this has been a perceived "problem" with the filk community for years, and is not confined to any single convention or gathering. My first filk con was OVFF in... 1996? I think. The main open filk circle was so chaotic and cut-throat, and nobody knew me from Adam, and I had a very similar experience to this writer.

Part of it is the performer not being afraid to jump in. And part of it is people in the circle making sure to listen. I also notice that it's the folks who have been around the longest who are more likely to invite a new performer to play, or make sure no one is being left out. My personal opinion is that too many people show up at a circle to be heard, rather than to listen. And in any filk/folk circle type situation, you have to be prepared to listen 10 times more than you are heard.

Anyway - all that is to say - we, as members of the community, should do all we can do encourage new people... and that is done on a personal, individual level.

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

I read the post and feel as if I should apologize to the poster, but I'm wondering if I was one of the people who actually engaged her while s/he was in the dealer's room. I try interacting with everyone who comes by my tables, but I'm not perfect.