[into the fray again]

[reenka]

I've been thinking recently about the balance between 'fandom love' and 'fandom snark', and how I think there needs to be a balance of both to have a satisfying fandom experience (at least for me). I can't really imagine enjoying being in a fandom just to bitch (or even just to squee), though I'm aware a number of people do just that. Perhaps I'm just not a constant enough person; all I know is that when things go out of balance in the snark direction, as in, everything I see is a source for mockery, I feel like I'm doing something wrong. (Though blind adulation and worship with a disregard for flaws in terms of canon -or- fanfic just plain freak me the hell out.)

    And it's funny how fandom's divided between people who're willing to snark about canon -or- fanfic but generally not both. I guess it bothers me because people forget that we don't necessarily enjoy things because they're good, so in some ways going on about how something's 'not good' or doesn't make sense or is silly is actually just-- beside the point when it comes to why it's popular or why other people like it. Not that I'm saying ranting is bad ('cause clearly I do it a lot), but rather the sort of ranting that is prescriptive or judgmental over fandom or the worth of a text is just... uh... stupid. Basically, you can say what a text is lacking or what you don't like or the issues you see, but if you forget for a moment that this is just from your standpoint, you're just blathering on uselessly about like, next to nothing. Because you're the one who makes this piece of fiction important in the first place; no one else. So in that sense, it's as inane as squeeing.
    (Of course, once one starts going on about people caring too much about inconsequential things, I'd be here all day; here's where that whole relativism thing comes in handy, just to keep your sanity & a bit of respect for people.)

However, I think I'm going to cry or tear my hair out or... something if I see one more person has rewritten HBP as H/D, whether an oh-so-cute-and-original 'missing scene' or the whole shebang. And I realize it's not important or consequential or objective; it's just my history in fandom and my personal needs from the pairing and my investment in canon that makes me react like this, but what can I do? The only difference between me and the fandom-snark addicts is that I really don't enjoy it. At all.


I mean, it wouldn't be so bad, if it wasn't... well, a plague of everyone & their brother doing it. I was just randomly on a multifandom archive site and the first fic summary that caught my eye was interesting... until I realized it was yet another rewrite. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't just that I thought people thought HBP would've been tons better if Harry & Draco were shagging (which... well, no, actually, as in, that makes no sense, actually, hello), but that I feel like people think they really were (as good as) shagging. Just add the actual, what, "missing scene" and there you go. Instant shagging. And then calling H/Hr shippers delusional just isn't so funny anymore, somehow. Hem hem!
    I think this is the sort of thing that makes me want to write Harry/Ginny forever & ever, amen. But no, I'm not -quite- that bitter. Yet. Better quit while I'm ahead, anyway.

Though I think a lot of this is just that I'm so tired and on my last nerve with fandom-- my very last nerve, to the point where it's not that I -hate- this stuff but that it just... tires me & I don't like it enough to even rant about it for very long or try and change it. Like, when I try to read Sirius/Remus fluff and it's OOC and omg, what is Remus doing referring casually to his 'wolf self' and how he liked being in the Forbidden Forest while in it, and-- well, it doesn't bother me -that- much. It's just funny, kinda, and somewhat annoying 'cause I want to read plotty IC MWPP porn, dammit, and why aren't people catering to my whims? But yeah, I'm not too invested. With H/D, it's been like... I could strangle small fluffy animals sometimes. Not good.

I'm not sure what my point was, except I wanted to rant a bit about the HBP!H/D phenomenon. And earlier tonight, I was all happy imagining HBP!Draco/Hermione, of all things-- hey, I could almost see it, so maybe I'm a hypocrite. I think the solution is to stock up on my fandom love and, um, go read my Gundam Wing fic....
    Though really-- fanart is my Fandom Love at this point. Today, it was leelastarsky's Ron and Draco portraits-- so spot-on and oh -Ron-, with that tiny smile and that look in his eyes, he just makes me want to hug him. And Draco's little smirk!! Eeeeeeeeee :D

Comments

[addictedkitten.livejournal.com]

Wait, HBP...wasn't H/D?

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Exceptions are made for people whose porn I'd like :>

[addictedkitten.livejournal.com]

Haha dude, the porn I'm writing in other fandoms is just so much better. I didn't realize what a hack I was (BDSM excepted) until I started writing fic where the characterization was more fun to write than the porn.

You need to take some time off teh HP, man.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hee! Icon ♥ :D
*sigh* I'm -trying- to take time off teh HP, it's just, um, I don't have any other fandom (that is, I read in GW a bit and I read manga/yaoi a lot, but I have no urge to be in -fandom- for those), and all my flist & people I know are either in HP or in fandoms I don't watch/read (like, well, I don't watch TV), and so I sort of... stick around -.-

Though even glancing at your popslash stuff, I can tell you enjoy writing it more/have more of a feel for it ^^; I mean, ideally, characterization is what makes the porn fun. Or something :)) Le sigh. So like, if I took time off, it'd be time off teh internets & lj in general, not just HP ^^;

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean about the H/D HBP rewrites. Unless the author is really good or the summary sounds especially original I tend to skip them. My big fear is that the post-HBP fics may turn out just as dull. I don't know about you, but H and D dashing around after horcruxes doesn't get me excited - I foresee a load of badly-plotted adventure fics, none of which can possibly be as good as Book 7. Sorry to sound cynical - I'm not in a good mood today.

However - OT but - I *was* happy yesterday because I read that KabeyK fic you recc'ed. It was wonderful, so thanks for the tip. I looked on my private favourites list to see if I could send you any return recs, but I only turned up a couple of Marauders fics and they're so well-known you've probably read them already. But just in case:

Seven Things That Didn't Happen On Valentine's Day At Hogwarts, Or Maybe They Did - Glitterati
http://glitterati.illuminatedtext.com/writing/hp/seventhings.html

No Secrets Better Kept - Nimori
http://www.livejournal.com/community/mwppfqf/22034.html

Thing - Waxjism/Cimorene
http://www.waxjism.org/fork.html

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I only -wish- I skipped all of them the way I skip say, uh, Lucius/Snape non-con or something similar that I'm not interested in. I guess it's either that I'm masochistic (which I am) or addicted (which I sort of am)-- but it's also that there's -so many- of those around these days. And I'm not too excited about H&D dashing around looking for horcruxes either-- or, alternately, Harry looking after poor hurt Draco or whatever (the other popular alternative). *sigh*

Not that I don't like a bit of adventure in my H/D (like Eclipse), but I'd just prefer to leave the horcruxes and Voldy in general to JKR. Of course, if one writes believable post-canon fics, they sort of -have- to deal with Voldemort, arg. But still, fandom is, as usual, predictably uncreative. Heheh, and I'm pretty much this cynical and more every day, so you've nothing to worry about :>

I'm so glad you liked the KabeyK fic :D :D! In retrospect, the longfic sounds like it'd be up your alley, with the um, boyishness and general development, eheheh.

I've heard of all of those, but only read Prufrock's (Glitterati's just the site-name), and that's one of my favoritest R/S fics EVAR-- actually, all her writing is, though most of it's much angstier. Thanks muchly >:D Heheh, though `Thing' is here (http://www.waxjism.org/pickle/stories/thing.html), as I've just checked :D

[lykaios.livejournal.com]

very interesting read. and the part about not necessarily enjoying something BECAUSE it is good? oh, so true.

i really do hate how some people confuse their ranting with the word of god, or attempts to uh, instigate change. i...go through periods where i bitch a lot, yes, but i'm not trying to change anything. s'called venting! you just need to get it OUT; you don't care what happens after that. and i hope i make it clear when i am ranting that this is only my very humble opinion.

but it seems like a lot of people do not trouble themselves with that distinction. i can't and probably wouldn't point out anything specific (unless it was REALLY DAMNED FUNNY); it's just this general impression i get.

i'm probably seeing too much into it, though. and anyway this is nothing new, just me rambling. vaguely.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Well, um, I wouldn't say any of my opinions are actually humble, ahahah, so much as not intended to tell people what to do. Um. That is, I believe I'm right, generally, until proven wrong, but this doesn't mean I care what someone else thinks :)) In the end, I just get frustrated with both the Cult of Nice where everyone's in fandom to -enjoy- and hold hands and encourage each other, and I also get frustrated with the Cult of Mock, where people basically want attention and have nothing better to do than wank/rant/bitch about stupid little things from a children's book, hello, because there's not enough stuff in it that -they- want, omg.

But yeah, I just do it to vent. Because like, if I didn't vent, I probably -would- graduate to harassing small fuzzy animals :>
I used to sometimes -almost- think I wanted to instigate change, but I was always sane enough to realize a) no one cares; b) no one listens; c) the whole idea of getting all obsessed with getting people to change how they wank is just too disturbing for words :))

I mean, I'm just as guilty of being annoyed that people don't seem to care whether what they like is good or not... I think in the end, I'm pissed not because of that but because some fellow ranters aren't aware enough to share the burden of my cynicism :>

[notrafficlights.livejournal.com]

And it's funny how fandom's divided between people who're willing to snark about canon -or- fanfic but generally not both. I guess it bothers me because people forget that we don't necessarily enjoy things because they're good, so in some ways going on about how something's 'not good' or doesn't make sense or is silly is actually just-- beside the point when it comes to why it's popular or why other people like it.

Well, not really. I think a lot of professional snarkers (if there's such a thing) realise that they snark because they love, and they love because they snark, to a certain degree. So it's not necessarily reliant on something being not-good. I mean, I could snark at Serenity if I felt like it, and probably will after my third viewing, but I still love it, and would snark BECAUSE I love it.

something if I see one more person has rewritten HBP as H/D, whether an oh-so-cute-and-original 'missing scene' or the whole shebang.

XD Bwuahahahaha. Now who's shoulding on the fandom?

but that I feel like people think they really were (as good as) shagging.

Next you'll be telling me Bruce Wayne isn't gay.

Your het-shipping references scare me. *cowers*

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I think there are different kinds of snarkers-- like... um, there's the geeky nit-picky kind that pick because it's fun and the kind that pick because they've got a chip on their shoulder. I don't mind the snarking but rather the actual negativity sometimes, I guess, and even that is fine as long as people don't think they're right just because they snark or something. I dunno. This is one of those things I should probably illustrate with examples (as in, 'see, so-and-so is like this and so-and-so is like that', except, um... *coughs* wanky). Speaking personally, I myself tend to snark mainly when something annoys me enough to at least bring out my sarcasm-- I mean, I realize some people are just negative and sarcastic by nature, whereas for me it comes and goes depending on mood (that's what I meant about not being constant).

...Shoulding...?? Oh, shoulding. Heh. I was ranting with all those caveats just to explain that I realize I'm being stupid and petty and/or not fully objective but can't help myself-- that was the point of the whole prelude. However, it a) still annoys me; b) still doesn't make it IC (as in, 'well, of course it's IC, it's HBP!H/D, that's like a free ride, isn't it').

Bruce Wayne isn't gay, he wants Catwoman :>
Also, I don't ship D/Hr-- well, I mean, I don't hate it like I hate H/Hr, but I don't ship it... it's like, sometimes I like the porn, once in a blue moon (especially Lightbringer's `Hate' and ones where he is really obsessed with shagging Potter's best friend/girlfriend/whatever). D/Hr as a romantic idea disturbs me. Though I can see meaningless D/Hr smut actually happening in HBP more than I can see H/D smut, because, well, 1) Ginny; 2) Draco had bigger things on his mind and didn't seem to care about Potter if Potter left him alone; 3) Harry barely cared that much when Draco was bleeding and unconscious, I don't think he would've been interested enough in Draco-the-person to shag him anytime soon.

I wouldn't be so militant, but separating fanon & canon and text & subtext is -really- important to me in the wake of HBP; if anything because if I -don't- separate, I start to feel madness creeping upon me in the manner of H/Hr shippers. And if there's one thing in the universe I will NEVER be, it's a tinhat. I'd write Harry deathfics first.

[notrafficlights.livejournal.com]

Bruce Wayne isn't gay, he wants Catwoman :>

You mean he wants DICK *rimshot*. XD Dude, if Nightwing isn't up for buttsex, then there is no such thing as gay. CAMPEST. COMIC. BOOK. HERO. EVER.

I don't mind the snarking but rather the actual negativity sometimes, I guess, and even that is fine as long as people don't think they're right just because they snark or something.

Of course not. They snark because they're right XD.

Actually, I was more scared of your H/Ginny threats. And personally, Your reason # 1) just makes H/D more canon. He spends more time obsessing over Malfoy than making out with the Sue. What does that tell you? XD

I wouldn't be so militant, but separating fanon & canon and text & subtext is -really- important to me in the wake of HBP

Noooooooo. If I keep them separate I will turn into this burning spout of bile and snark and bitterness! MUST MIX SUBTEXT AND CANON CAN'T HANDLE TEH SUCK WILL SEND ME INSANE! I guess it depends on whether you thought HBP was good or bad. For me, it's the latter, and the only way I can swallow it is by pretending it pretty much was just one big ol' fanfic.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hee, I don't actually follow Nightwing (I read/watch everything-but-the-comics when it comes to Batman-- I mean, I've even read the novelizations of the comics), but I can well believe it, since I know it has a huge following :> I sort of can never decide between Dick/Bruce and Bruce/Selina ^^; I usually don't go for the hero/sidekick thing and more for the hero/adversary thing, but they -are- cute together. In my head. Sorta. But Batman/Catwoman is like, archetypally my ideal (it's really too bad the Joker isn't hot).

Haha, I've written H/G, y'know-- at first just because I liked the idea of bitter-and-homicidal!Ginny, and I have a dark-n-dusty mind sometimes. Y'know, I was so sure I'd never kill Harry, but I actually had Ginny kill Harry -twice-, ahahahahaha. This was before I read canon, of course, but it's too late now, I've got a soft spot for Ginny after writing her so many times. Though I like her best with Pansy. And... my # 1) is just proof Harry's just -that- oblivious and really slow. Like, it took him awhile to go from RARG YOU NO TOUCHY MY WOMAN!!1 to 'oh. this means I like her, huh'-- so yeah, I mean, it's Harry we're talking about. I feel the need to somehow defend his, er, manhood or something, I'm not sure o_0

I think I just believe in that separation in the interests of objectivity, which has to disregard bias and therefore it doesn't matter whether or not canon sucks. Also, before I actually read most of canon, from my first impression of most of book 1 and part of book 2, I pretty much hated HP & I was okay for a year :> It's not impossible to enjoy fic without mixing it with one's take on canon :> I mean, I enjoyed fic -more- when I didn't care about canon, but hating canon in and of itself shouldn't necessarily hurt anything as long as you remember what's canon & what isn't. It's perfectly fine to not like HP-- I mean, I don't like Gundam Wing like, at all (haven't even watched most of it) and I don't really even care, I mean, I know enough to dig the fic and that's all I want...

[notrafficlights.livejournal.com]

(I read/watch everything-but-the-comics when it comes to Batman-- I mean, I've even read the novelizations of the comics)

You're (http://superdickery.com/seduction/4.html) so (http://superdickery.com/seduction/1.html) missing (http://superdickery.com/seduction/7.html) out (http://superdickery.com/seduction/17.html). No (http://superdickery.com/seduction/5.html) really (http://superdickery.com/seduction/39.html).

This was before I read canon, of course,

I love the way you put that...

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

...at first I read that first one as "Now what can you accomplish by breaking off that loose bowel..." (and then the bit about lubrication, and...um....)
*facepalm*

[therealw.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. The best h/d HBP rewrite I've read so far has mpreg in it . What does that tell us, really?

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Heh, I know exactly which one you mean-- I felt similarly, though um, I only skimmed it ^^; It's good to know I'm not alone, 'cause sometimes I feel in my bitterness, I just blow these things all out of proportion. -.-

[therealw.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's not bitterness. Post-HBP h/d has been... lacking, to put it mildly. I think for me it was an even bigger disappointment because I was all 'can't wait to see what writers do with the new canon' and what they've done is... well, close to nothing. And, as much as I hate saying it, that fic's worth more than 'skimming'. ;)