A Scribe's Rant

This has simply been building for a while. I am going to stop writing for Mernac and stop ignoring my own writing. Tis time I stop allowing the irritation and anger gained from the multitude of immature behavior (in my opinion) that is occuring at Mernac. (Quont, I'm certain you, of all people, understand this.)

What behavior am I talking about, you may ask. Well, let's begin with the "find it out on your own" attitude that seems to be prevalent. Then there is the "it's my job so butt out" attitude that others have. I'm tired of dealing with a site that is attempting to become a professional workplace where there is no interest in sharing knowledge or accept help from others.

Tell me this: in a real-world job place, if you are supposed to train someone or someone comes asking for help, would you tell that person to "find it out on your own"? NO. And I can honestly say that THAT attitude is looked down upon by every single supervisor I have EVER had. Including a company director. Sorry, but that attitude isn't going to do anything but kill the business and make the person look scared that if he/she shares the info he/she may loose his/her job. I have only two words for those types of people: GROW UP.


Now, let's move on to the second attitude I pointed out. The “I'm doing it, so butt out” attitude. Not everyone can do everything and no one is omniscient. If you're offered help, be mature and accept it. Don't be snotty or snooty and think you are above everyone else. I've yet to work somewhere where that attitude works well. Quite the opposite: I've seen business fail because of that. So take the hand that is offered or at least listen to it. You never know who may have better connections or have that little piece of knowledge that will help.

And then we come to the site itself. I've been with it for a year. I've been a beta tester and I've been a part of it with writing and artwork. It's a great site and, needless to say, my artwork has improved over the past year due to the suggestions, compliments, and encouragement I've received from the people at the site. However, I have yet to see anything other than moneytary contests of the grab-and-go variety. The artists that enter, don't even allow the writers of the site the use of their artwork. Is that what we want for Mernac? A site where people can simply come, create a portfolio, then vanish without contributing to the site? How is that going to help make Mernac something that people will want to pay for??? Subscription ideas are ok, but they need more work and I honestly can't see the site making any money anytime soon.

Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone, but that's how I see it. And, if you look from an objective view, you may just see that as well. What does Mernac have that no other site does? What is there that would make people want to subscribe/order/etc the stories? Other than Quont's stories, I see nothing. The site is confusing and hard to navigate. And as for getting stories from the site published, well, there's a lot of copyright issues that would probably deter a lot of publishers.

Why, you may ask. Here is why: We're writing in a realm Rick created with characters we've created branched off from his writing. Mernac and the saplings are HIS property and, yes, they are technically under copyright protection under his name. The characters, places, etc. we have created are our own property, not his. See the problem? I do. Hence why Wizards of the Coast does not accept anything but original stories: nothing from Mernac, except what Rick has written (if that), could be submitted to them. Including the d20 items. (Yes, if you know how and have the guts, you can approach them for your own stuff even though they don't have an open call for it.)

So there you have it. The reasons behind why I am backing off on Mernac-type stuff; writing AND artwork. If/when this changes, I may return in full-force. Maybe. But it all depends on if people are going to stop acting like children and start being mature enough to share information and knowledge. Until then, I will do my disciple-duties and if/when I become a god, then I will do what is required of that. Other than that, I have my own duties to my own family and writing.

You can still catch me in Email and PM's, if you so choose.