Important Announcement

[twigged.livejournal.com]

After 10 years and nearly 25,000 recs, it is with mixed feelings that I announce crack_van's permanent closure in January 2014.

I know that this community has different meaning and purpose for many of our members, but I have always tried to stay true to its original purpose, of providing an easy introduction to new fandoms. This has become increasingly challenging with the migration of fandom to other platforms: many of the largest and most active new fandoms have limited visibility on LJ, and a good number of even our longest running fandoms have empty or near empty sign up sheets month after month.

This has not been an easy decision; over the past couple of years I've considered revamping the community in various ways, moving to another platform, etc., but ultimately I think any such change would only result in more fragmentation.

I want to thank everyone who has participated in any way over the past decade, especially those who have recced again and again, and pimped this community to others in their fandoms. There are too many of you to try to name individually, but your dedication has not gone unnoticed by anyone who frequents this community.

I would also like to thank my co-mods, past and present, stopawhile and arsenicjade. I could not have asked for better partners and friends.

Comments

[ariss-tenoh.livejournal.com]

Thank you and everyone else for the hard work you've put into this community. However, I really wish you wouldn't close the comm precisely because fandom is fragmented. At least with the crack van here, it was a good resource for those who are not on tumblr or wherever else they went.

[nishatalitha.livejournal.com]

I'm really sad to hear this; I have been introduced to some fantastic fics through CrackVan over the years as well as new fandoms. I will really miss it being around. I do understand the reasons though.

Thank you and all the reccers for the hard work you've put into this.

[fathomlessspite]

So sorry to hear this, I've delved into so many new fandoms because of recs I've seen on here. It's definitely my go to place for new fic to read and will definiteyl be missed!

[isagel.livejournal.com]

Crack Van has been a very important part of my fandom experience, even if less so in later years (I found the comm difficult to deal with once it grew too large and unwieldy to easily search through), and I've loved pimping my fandoms to others here, I've loved reccing stories, and I've loved reading other people's recs. I still have my Crack Van t-shirt. I'm immensely glad that Crack Van has been here, and I'm sad to see it go. But also thankful that the comm will always be here.

Thank you, Shaggy, for keeping the van moving all these years! You have been an amazing driver. <33333333

[twigged.livejournal.com]

♥

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Thanks for a decade of wonderful recs. This is truly an irreplaceable fandom resource.

[yukisa.livejournal.com]

Oh no! This is soooo sad!

I've found so many amazing storys through this site and also many fandoms I now enjoy :-(

But anyway, thanks for all the hard work!!!!

Just on a curiouse site: Which are the platforms where more is going on now?

[twigged.livejournal.com]

The migration to Insane Journal and Dreamwidth a few years ago split up the old LJ media fanbase quite a bit, and Tumblr and Twitter are getting a lot of fannish activity as well. My current fandom blew up in early 2012 and is almost exclusively on Twitter/Tumblr, with fic being posted on AO3. There's not a lot of meta discussion, though, of the sort that would have happened on LJ.

[andeincascade.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your hard work and dedication; this comm been an important resource for me over the years as I fell into new fandoms.

Love and gratitude to the mods and all who recced here. ♥

[honoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful years of recs!

[nickygabriel]

Thank you for all the years and fandoms!

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

As one who's been here since the early days, I must say I am entirely unmixed in my sadness, but I understand the reasons. Thank you to mods past and present for all your dedication and energy,

Let's go out with a bang!

[twigged.livejournal.com]

If we'd had 1/2 a dozen more reccers with your dedication we could probably have run forever. :) Thanks for all your support over the years.

[leethet.livejournal.com]

I'm very sorry to hear this as this is my go-to comm for fiction old and new, and has been for years. Thank you, all of you, mods and contributors, for what you've done.

Will you pin this post at the top of the journal? I think it's important

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

And other fans will want to say thank you.

[twigged.livejournal.com]

Done.

[meri-oddities.livejournal.com]

Thank you for all the work you've put in for all these years. This has been a great comm. I'm sorry to see this go.

[melagan.livejournal.com]

This is and has been a magnificent ride. I really just can't say anymore right now because while I understand, It's like watching a legend retire.

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all of your hard work.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Bye, Crack Van...I'll miss you!

(it's telling that I heard the news on twitter. *sigh*)

[twigged.livejournal.com]

*double sigh* :)

[morelindo.livejournal.com]

Very saddening, but understandable. I've only been watching this for a year and I have discovered so much, thank you for everything you have done with this comm. You've created something truly wonderful.

All the best to you.

[matrixrefugee.livejournal.com]

Oh no! If this comm is shuttered, we'll be losing a great source for finding new and excellent fics. I mean, the archives are great, but there's always new fics coming out that beg to be shared and links on the archives sometimes break. Please, don't close the comm. Isn't there someone who can take up the torch? Anyone? :: Looks around:: Come on people, we can't let the fleet of vans just rust in the garage.

[turlough]

Thank you so much for all your hard work over the years!!

[stargatesg1971.livejournal.com]

This is really sad news. This is a great resource for many fandoms. Thank you very much for all the hard work and effort you've put in over the years, it's been very much appreciated. And thanks for keeping the journal online so that both new and old fans will still be able to look through its archive and feast on the treasures provided. Crackvan will be missed.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thank you for everything! For all the hard work and for the idea. The comm has enabled me to dip my toes into unknown fandoms (some of which have become trusted friends) as well as finding new recs for the ones I am already active in. Ten years is a long time - I've been following you for eight and it's been a great ride! And I'm so glad you won't be deleting this wonderful resource!

[iadorespike]

Thank you so much for all the time and effort that's gone in to this wonderful comm. I'm sad to see it end, but at least it'll still be here as a resource.

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

Thank you to all the mods and all the reccers, for all the dedicated, loyal service to fandom. The van has been such an amazing resource; thank you for keeping the community alive all these years, and thanks for keeping it open after it stops rolling, so that it can continue to serve as a fan resource.

My profound gratitude.

[missmollyetc.livejournal.com]

Thank you for everything! This has always been one of the most important resources in my fannish life. <3

[pr-scatterbrain.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for all your hard work. Crack-van introduced me to so many fandoms, and in consequence to so many people who would become my friends. It was a pleasure to rec rpf and bandom a few years back.

Crack-van will be missed.