Spoilers in topic titles

[Commonmind]

I sometimes send my friends and family here to the forum to read conversations on the books which I've introduced them to. Being a huge fan of the series and understanding how thought-provoking Martin's work can be I like to direct them to folks (you guys...and girls) who hold opinions which are different from my own. However, I've had quite a few people complain to me that they've had elements of the story ruined for them simply by browsing the topics present on the first few pages.

Please remember in your rabid fandom that this is a Martin forum (not specifically a forum built around plot discussion of ASoIaF) and that there are individuals who may happen across the forum (or are directed here) whom are not finished with the series up to its current iteration and that topic titles such as "so-and-so's death" or even topics insinuating a death or major plot-twist can ruin the experience of reading the books - which is the reason we all love Martin to begin with.

Thanks

[KiwiBird]

When affc just come out, the tiltes where full of warnings, however after all this time, its kinda difficult to make them complete spoilerfree. Not too mantion the fact that you 'd have to put up a spoiler warning all the time, wich is nigh impossible.

[Commonmind]

There are oodles of fan-based forums out there for material from all sources which make a fair stab at excluding spoilers from their topic-titles and do a bang-up job of it. It isn't an unreasonable request and in the end I think you'll find it will generate more interest in the forums and thus inspire more fruitful conversations about the series we've all come to love - which is the very reason we're here, is it not?

Again, this is a Martin forum (Martin, the author) and although the majority of the topics focus on the ASoIaF books and their respective plots, not everyone who is happening across them for the first time is privy to that knowledge and it's unfair of us to assume otherwise - and, accordingly, to act otherwise.

I want to make it clear this isn't a demand, simply a friendly request that everyone try to be courteous to fellow readers who've not experienced the series in its entirety (not that any of us have /wink)

[Qhorin Halfhand]

Originally Posted by Commonmind

There are oodles of fan-based forums out there for material from all sources which make a fair stab at excluding spoilers from their topic-titles and do a bang-up job of it. It isn't an unreasonable request and in the end I think you'll find it will generate more interest in the forums and thus inspire more fruitful conversations about the series we've all come to love - which is the very reason we're here, is it not?

Again, this is a Martin forum (Martin, the author) and although the majority of the topics focus on the ASoIaF books and their respective plots, not everyone who is happening across them for the first time is privy to that knowledge and it's unfair of us to assume otherwise - and, accordingly, to act otherwise.

I want to make it clear this isn't a demand, simply a friendly request that everyone try to be courteous to fellow readers who've not experienced the series in its entirety (not that any of us have /wink)

There's a limit though. If someone wanted to make a thread about a certain characters death or marriage or something, you can't be expected to make a thread called "That thing that happens to [character name] that is really important."

I haven't been here long but it seems like fans come here for in-depth discussion about the plots of the books and so on. I know that's why I came here and I was drawn in by threads that looked interesting and in-depth. If you have to edit out all details of the discussion, you'll never draw anyone in.

[Hilarious Joke]

I don't think you're being completely fair Qhorin. I think if you wanted to talk about the death of character Y and you titled the thread "About Y *SPOILER*", I think all the people who you would want to discuss Y's death would still look at the topic, and the people who weren't up to it yet wouldn't have the story ruined for them.

It doesn't seem much effort to avoid taking away from that great experience we all had when we read ASOIAF, not knowing what was coming.

Additionally, a lot of people on these forums come on here to discuss books before they've read them (recommendations, what the author is like, etc.), a lot come on to discuss the books as they read them, and a lot of people come on to discuss books after they've finished. The site tries to accomodate for everyone. You don't have to edit all details out of the discussion, you just have to signpost that the discussion is for people who have finished the books.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for a moderator or Brian or whoever to make a section especially for those discussions, but until then I think commonmind's request is a reasonable one.

[Qhorin Halfhand]

Originally Posted by Hilarious Joke

I don't think you're being completely fair Qhorin. I think if you wanted to talk about the death of character Y and you titled the thread "About Y *SPOILER*", I think all the people who you would want to discuss Y's death would still look at the topic, and the people who weren't up to it yet wouldn't have the story ruined for them.

It doesn't seem much effort to avoid taking away from that great experience we all had when we read ASOIAF, not knowing what was coming.

Additionally, a lot of people on these forums come on here to discuss books before they've read them (recommendations, what the author is like, etc.), a lot come on to discuss the books as they read them, and a lot of people come on to discuss books after they've finished. The site tries to accomodate for everyone. You don't have to edit all details out of the discussion, you just have to signpost that the discussion is for people who have finished the books.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for a moderator or Brian or whoever to make a section especially for those discussions, but until then I think commonmind's request is a reasonable one.

I think its reasonable and personally I wouldn't make a thread title very explicit but I still think there is a limit. I'm less likely to click a thread called "About Brienne *spoiler*" than a thread called (AND THIS IS A SPOILER FOLKS)








"Is Brienne going to die on the noose?" or something similar. You need to include some details in your thread topics or all topics will just have character names!

[Hilarious Joke]

But I think that's unfair to the people who haven't read it yet! I was annoyed personally that I couldn't go on the ASOIAF forums on here while I was reading it because of spoilers (which I found out about the hard way). I think its worth the minor inconvenience of having to click on the topic to find out what the thread is about.

Besides in your example, when you said Brienne spoiler I had a pretty good idea that it was going to be about her death.

[Commonmind]

Originally Posted by Qhorin Halfhand

There's a limit though. If someone wanted to make a thread about a certain characters death or marriage or something, you can't be expected to make a thread called "That thing that happens to [character name] that is really important."

I haven't been here long but it seems like fans come here for in-depth discussion about the plots of the books and so on. I know that's why I came here and I was drawn in by threads that looked interesting and in-depth. If you have to edit out all details of the discussion, you'll never draw anyone in.

These types of discussions are the very reason I was drawn to these forums myself, so I definitely agree with you there. However, there's absolutely no reason a topic-title should contain the plot spoiler of which it is discussing and there are so many different ways it can be labeled (beyond your example) in order to draw the attention of readers while remaining courteous to those who aren't yet familiar with that particular part of the story.

[YOSSARIAN]

I agree that thread titles should not include spoilers. We don't want to ruin the experience for the few posters that haven't finished all the books. Most everyone here is clever enough to think of an alluring title without including spoilers. However, I think the discussions within the threads should happen naturally, without the posters having to worry that they are spoiling someone's ASOIAF experience. The burden is placed upon the minority who haven't completed the reading; basically, if you start reading something unfamilar,-STOP READING.