I think we are talking at cross purposes. I certainly took away from your first comment that you were talking about organising stories for all of the people who pinch hit, not just those that had volunteered to pinch hit but who hadn't signed up for the original exchange.
However, that being said, and while I appreciate the offer, after Santa Madness last year - where we had a 'Pinch Hitter Appreciation Post' that listed out the prompts submitted by pinch hitters, and, from what I remember, made it clear which ones didn't have a story - we only had one person who had submitted a story who hadn't received one and, as I said in my previous comment, this was the pinch hitter who didn't, when asked, submit any prompts for Santa Madness so there was nothing to offer out to writers.
Claire and I will have to have a chat about whether we run Santa Madness this year or not - and I can't see why we wouldn't, but it's the one thing we haven't talked about yet so I don't want to commit us just in case she's 'oh, hell, no!' ::g:: - and if so, I think we'll be covered again. I honestly do not see how you could do anything over and above what we're already doing because, as it's an anonymous exchange, no one knows who the pinch hitters are until after the 1 Jan reveal - it's intended to be that way, so that they have as much of a chance of having guesses made about their stories as anyone else ::g:: Given that, it's going to be a wee bit difficult for you to organise a story for them when you don't know who they are and won't until 1 January.
If you want to organise something in January, when the list does have names attached (and we do make it clear, on the list, which stories are pinch hits so you'll be able to tell who the pinch hitters are at that point), then go for it and I'll cheer you on. With pom poms if necessary.
But in terms of organising official stories for pinch hitters who volunteer but who didn't originally sign up, or additional stories for those who volunteer but who already have one, I'm afraid my view is still that people volunteer to pinch hit because they are generous enough to gift something without any expectation of reward, and I don't want to do anything to change the tone of that offer. Plus, where people do offer to pinch hit but didn't sign up originally, the kind of feedback we get is that yay, they now get to play as well, not that yay, they now get a story, too.
To be perfectly blunt, if it was a choice between giving the pinch hit to someone already signed up or giving it to someone new who hadn't signed up, and then having to organise a pinch hit for them as well, then why would we go for the option of organising two pinch hits rather than just one? (And I know you've volunteered to do that, and I do appreciate it for all I'm shooting down your ideas ::g::, but we're back to the sticking point that it's an anonymous exchange and we would have to break that anonymity to share some information with you.) At the moment, it's first come, first served regardless of the position of the person volunteering, and that seems to be the fairest option.
I realise that some people miss the sign ups for whatever reason, but they can always sign up next time or take part in Santa Madness if we run it, which I'm pretty sure - checking with Claire aside - we will.
So while I appreciate your enthusiasm and the offer, and, as I said, feel more than free to make January Pinch Hit Appreciation Month, I honestly think the way it runs currently is likely to have fewer issues.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-09-26 03:00 pm (UTC)However, that being said, and while I appreciate the offer, after Santa Madness last year - where we had a 'Pinch Hitter Appreciation Post' that listed out the prompts submitted by pinch hitters, and, from what I remember, made it clear which ones didn't have a story - we only had one person who had submitted a story who hadn't received one and, as I said in my previous comment, this was the pinch hitter who didn't, when asked, submit any prompts for Santa Madness so there was nothing to offer out to writers.
Claire and I will have to have a chat about whether we run Santa Madness this year or not - and I can't see why we wouldn't, but it's the one thing we haven't talked about yet so I don't want to commit us just in case she's 'oh, hell, no!' ::g:: - and if so, I think we'll be covered again. I honestly do not see how you could do anything over and above what we're already doing because, as it's an anonymous exchange, no one knows who the pinch hitters are until after the 1 Jan reveal - it's intended to be that way, so that they have as much of a chance of having guesses made about their stories as anyone else ::g:: Given that, it's going to be a wee bit difficult for you to organise a story for them when you don't know who they are and won't until 1 January.
If you want to organise something in January, when the list does have names attached (and we do make it clear, on the list, which stories are pinch hits so you'll be able to tell who the pinch hitters are at that point), then go for it and I'll cheer you on. With pom poms if necessary.
But in terms of organising official stories for pinch hitters who volunteer but who didn't originally sign up, or additional stories for those who volunteer but who already have one, I'm afraid my view is still that people volunteer to pinch hit because they are generous enough to gift something without any expectation of reward, and I don't want to do anything to change the tone of that offer. Plus, where people do offer to pinch hit but didn't sign up originally, the kind of feedback we get is that yay, they now get to play as well, not that yay, they now get a story, too.
To be perfectly blunt, if it was a choice between giving the pinch hit to someone already signed up or giving it to someone new who hadn't signed up, and then having to organise a pinch hit for them as well, then why would we go for the option of organising two pinch hits rather than just one? (And I know you've volunteered to do that, and I do appreciate it for all I'm shooting down your ideas ::g::, but we're back to the sticking point that it's an anonymous exchange and we would have to break that anonymity to share some information with you.) At the moment, it's first come, first served regardless of the position of the person volunteering, and that seems to be the fairest option.
I realise that some people miss the sign ups for whatever reason, but they can always sign up next time or take part in Santa Madness if we run it, which I'm pretty sure - checking with Claire aside - we will.
So while I appreciate your enthusiasm and the offer, and, as I said, feel more than free to make January Pinch Hit Appreciation Month, I honestly think the way it runs currently is likely to have fewer issues.