Collaborative Theming Guidelines

The Project works around a consensus principle. A theme definition or story annotation should be written clearly and argued so that any member of the community who reflects on the matter can be expected to understand it and agree. It falls on the other members to keep an open mind and make an effort to understand before disagreeing. It falls on the themer to argue their case clearly. If, nonetheless, the discussion reaches an impasse there are a few different ways forward.

Regarding story annotations, the best one is often to generalize the theme. For example, people may disagree regarding whether or not the idea the horrors of war is featured in a story yet would both agree that the topic of war itself was there. Or if not war, then at least some sort of international issue. Or if not that, at least some sort of theme about society.

Regarding theme definitions, the onus is first and foremost on the author to write a definition that is coherent, understandable, and that contains reasonably objective conditions for in what stories it applies. Even so, a promulgation of themes that are duplicates, minor variations, too specific, too broadly applicable etc. is not in the long term interest of the community. It therefore also falls on the author to argue why the inclusion of the new theme improves on the LTO overall. At the same time the community should strive to allow individual themers to include that which may interest them. There is no short answer for how to resolve disagreement, but a reference to the Rules of Thumb as described in the What is a Theme? section is in order.