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reenkaYou know, this is really odd-- kind of mind-boggling, even-- for me to admit, but: just because I don't -identify- myself with any social group or time period, (early lj) HP fandom included, it doesn't mean I'm not actually included.
I mean, it annoys me so much when people say stuff like 'but why do you care about ancient history, you losers' partly for idealistic 'but history is important, asshole!!' sort of reasons, yeah, but the main reason is-- the main reason is that it's my history too. I was part of that fandom-- I was there, I knew these people, they knew (at least of) me, and I felt... I guess I felt I belonged. So it matters because I was enough of a loser to get involved and stay involved up till now, even though I haven't really 'moved on' in the sense of joining another fandom -or- really participating in the HP fandom as it stands. In that sense, I -myself- am a pointless remnant the same way some pointless story about old-time BNFs is.
I mean, I reread Bec's 'H(x)/D(x) = x^3 sec(x)' even though I couldn't care less about whatever 'goodfic' is going around H/D circles now, say-- and it means so much more to me than 'just a fic', because I read it back before I had a coherent idea of 'oh, it's intelli' or a 100% solid grasp of the H/D cliches it mentioned-- I read it raw and starry-eyed, not yet inured to the 'tricks' of fanfic or sharp little references to snarling boysex against a wall. And that sort of thing never seems to leave me. Now, I can almost tell what the 'real' fic looks like, trying to cut away my ancient bias like an appendix, but it won't... quite... go. I think it's still a good fic, but if you look at it now, you won't understand it, I think, what it -felt- like to read it for a style-whorish H/D-obsessed fangirl in 2002, because it was basically written the -very month- I started reading HP & H/D.
I mean, in the end, it was coincidence-- I just -happened- to have my first contact with H/D be![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
eleveninches'/Durendal's website, and I just -happened- to read her generous links page to Aja & Ivy & Rhysenn & Penelope (the Veelas & various H/D + intelli associates, et al) immediately afterwards because Durendal was a Veela. So I saw-- I imprinted-- I fangirled. That's basically how it went.
And I ask myself now-- honestly-- would I care if this was some wank history about the Buffy fandom or even HP history I hadn't participated in, like something actually recent or from 2000/HP4GU-era? Probably not, you know? I wouldn't care how exciting/shocking the wank is, how the truth finally came out, whatever-- it only matters 'cause it ifluenced the course of what was once my fandom. My turf, y'know? Even though now that seems kind of funny and sad.
I mean, it annoys me so much when people say stuff like 'but why do you care about ancient history, you losers' partly for idealistic 'but history is important, asshole!!' sort of reasons, yeah, but the main reason is-- the main reason is that it's my history too. I was part of that fandom-- I was there, I knew these people, they knew (at least of) me, and I felt... I guess I felt I belonged. So it matters because I was enough of a loser to get involved and stay involved up till now, even though I haven't really 'moved on' in the sense of joining another fandom -or- really participating in the HP fandom as it stands. In that sense, I -myself- am a pointless remnant the same way some pointless story about old-time BNFs is.
I mean, I reread Bec's 'H(x)/D(x) = x^3 sec(x)' even though I couldn't care less about whatever 'goodfic' is going around H/D circles now, say-- and it means so much more to me than 'just a fic', because I read it back before I had a coherent idea of 'oh, it's intelli' or a 100% solid grasp of the H/D cliches it mentioned-- I read it raw and starry-eyed, not yet inured to the 'tricks' of fanfic or sharp little references to snarling boysex against a wall. And that sort of thing never seems to leave me. Now, I can almost tell what the 'real' fic looks like, trying to cut away my ancient bias like an appendix, but it won't... quite... go. I think it's still a good fic, but if you look at it now, you won't understand it, I think, what it -felt- like to read it for a style-whorish H/D-obsessed fangirl in 2002, because it was basically written the -very month- I started reading HP & H/D.
I mean, in the end, it was coincidence-- I just -happened- to have my first contact with H/D be
eleveninches'/Durendal's website, and I just -happened- to read her generous links page to Aja & Ivy & Rhysenn & Penelope (the Veelas & various H/D + intelli associates, et al) immediately afterwards because Durendal was a Veela. So I saw-- I imprinted-- I fangirled. That's basically how it went.And I ask myself now-- honestly-- would I care if this was some wank history about the Buffy fandom or even HP history I hadn't participated in, like something actually recent or from 2000/HP4GU-era? Probably not, you know? I wouldn't care how exciting/shocking the wank is, how the truth finally came out, whatever-- it only matters 'cause it ifluenced the course of what was once my fandom. My turf, y'know? Even though now that seems kind of funny and sad.
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Date: 2006-06-20 07:33 pm (UTC)It's true that mistful & amanuensis never stooped to those levels, but they also were the 'second wave' of writers, that came something like 2+ years after Aja & Ivy, y'know? The other thing is that they hung out with different people-- amanuensis hung out with the Snape & pron crowd, who were more -literally- wanky, and copperbadge was more affiliated with S/R, not that they ever had a big BNF gig like H/D did. So it's largely about the cliques of shippers and role-players, with Draco and early het/gen people becoming H/D or Draco/someone people dominating. It's true that Maya was the true exception to the rule-- she actually -was- in the clique (ie, friendly with Cassie, Aja, etc) and in the shippy/Draco segment of fandom, but non-wanky. In her case, partly it's that she never really took fandom seriously, never 'got involved' outside of chatting & writing fics, and also she was/is so amusing, she could become wildly popular just by breathing. Though that's my not-entirely-unbiased opinion :>
So yeah, a lot of people were famous for fics in fandom without being wanky BNFs, but that's 'cause they weren't -really- at the center. I mean, you have to have written a certain -kind- of fic (H/D or before that, H/Hr 'cause all the smarties at the FA cliques didn't like R/Hr-- that's for those boring Sugar Quillers), plus you had to have written it at the right time, when fandom was small enough. Back in the day, everyone read the 'new fic', especially if a friend recced it, and you -could- conceivably follow nearly every H/D WIP of note. So I do think it was about the fics, actually, because even -I-, what with my measley little shortfics that didn't pander much & lack of WIPs-- even I got noticed then way more than I would now. And by noticed I don't mean 'comments' but rather 'people knowing my name'-- 'cause it's like, people could give you more comments now in the comms or wherever (whereas back then, in '02, even BNFs got something like 10 comments on lj), what with all the newsletters, but people actually knowing you for your fic these days-- not so likely.
It's true that there are similar types of stories elsewhere, because I know of at least -several- similar sagas within that -same period- in HP alone :)) It really was a whole load of inbred wank, really :>
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Date: 2006-06-20 07:48 pm (UTC)Yes, I suppose I mean 'quality' of fic, not 'fic', but then one has to assume that nowadays a lot of quality fic gets missed and maybe that's just not true. Maybe there is a limited amount you can do with all of this and it's been exhausted now.
The whole 'involvement' issue is kinda scary. I could see myself getting too involved if I wasn't so forcibly grounded in RL issues; my college course never lets up on pressure and RL wank.
I always did think it was funny that S/R shippers never had a real BNF. Perhaps because honestly, the ship has so little scope -- what with one of the partners being dead and in the majority out of commission. Hmm. Obvs, the WIPs make or break authors, but nowadays people are shy of reading them.
What to do, what to do? I reckon I should move on to House fic, because I should surely have an advantage there -- in the medical terminology, I mean. :) But I'm so comfy in this fandom. I don't want to write proper stuff, because I tried and OMG, it was complete self-insertion! I totally couldn't divorce myself enough ... perhaps the next Pirates film will whip up some interest.
Cabin fever, perhaps? ;)
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Date: 2006-06-20 09:39 pm (UTC)There's a grain of truth to that, in that it does seem like most of the stuff being written today has all been done before. But nobody is really putting a lot of effort into it, anyways. It's much easier to write a "draco is a goth veela who cuts himself and runs off into the sunset with harry who has cigarette burns and was raped by vernon at the age of two and a half only to be rescued from the evil clutches of dumbledore by snape" fic than a thoughtful exploration of canon. Unfortunately. I mean, look at how low the Bing Bang turnout was.
OK< I'll stop spamming
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Date: 2006-06-20 10:36 pm (UTC)Not to be snarky, but in the interest of discussion, what exactly do you mean by 'thoughtful exploration of canon'? Personally (and I can't make a point without bringing myself/my writing into it, I'm self-centred like that), I do take trouble with my fics and have never written about cutting, burning, raping or veelas. I try to avoid fandom cliches, points of great irritation to discerning readers etc, but mostly I just write what I want.
The point I want to make is that for me, fanfic was about supplying the relationships lacking in canon. JK is an adventure fantasy writer, not a romantic novelist. However, I read the books from a romance reader POV. There was never enough romance for me; so my fic is always about relationships. I don't think I'm alone in that. So, by 'canon exploration', do you mean 'The life and times of Mundungus Fletcher' or 'more carefully crafted fics along the lines of ___ in the time of ___"?
Er?
It's late, I may be making a mountain out of a molehill here. :)
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Date: 2006-06-20 10:55 pm (UTC)So, by 'canon exploration', do you mean 'The life and times of Mundungus Fletcher' or 'more carefully crafted fics along the lines of ___ in the time of ___"?
Well, both really, as long as it's well-written. I don't think that fics have to be some sort of extension of meta, if that's how you understood my use of "exploration". I just meant that that whether they build on canon (like relationship fics, or future fics, or whatever) or reinterpret it (like AUs and mindfuck fics), good fics should still be *based* on canon, and not toss it out at the author's convenience, you know?
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Date: 2006-06-20 09:30 pm (UTC)I think you're rihgt about this, in that there were fewer fics being written back then and people paid more attention to them. But people also paid more attention to *quality*, too. The stuff that's being churned out by many 'popular' authors these days simply screams PLEBE, but there's no one to point it out anymore. For example, I still remember the first line of one of your fics - "All Hallow's Eve and even the ghosts are subdued." - and that was because they were well-written, if unpolished.
But there was more to it, too. People knew your name because of the brilliant reviews you left, and in such a characteristic style :D There was a lot more interaction and squeeing and *love* for the fics being written than there is now. Most of the stuff written today is so out of character, you could exchange "Harry" and "Draco" for "Bob" and "Dylan" and there would be no difference - and nobody cares. Fics are becoming popular based on certain content that appeals to the masses, not on originality or style. And really, when you think about it, there aren't many people actively writing in H/D fandom today who could be called BNFs - furiosity, maybe, or jennavere, and I'm sure there are hordes of fans who haven't even heard of them.
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Date: 2006-06-20 09:51 pm (UTC)It probably -was- about the reviews, come to think of it~:)) I actually forgot(!) how obsessively I feedbacked everyone. Well, it's in my nature to ramble on about the things I'm interested in :>
Ah well, the truth is, the 'big' fics were never actually all that IC or great in an objective sense (like with Bec's fic-- I can't even tell you how 'good' it is in real terms). We were just more geekily invested... now it seems more like inertia. And the fact is, there are no 'big' fantasy/sci-fi shows like Buffy or X-Files or Star Trek to grab our attention, so all the fandoms seem fractured and pointless 'cause basically TV sucks and people have become mercenary and it seems like they'll just watch any old thing. Plus more (non-genre, 'normal' aka dumb) people are online/on lj/discovering fandom in general now. Heh.
Oh well, good thing I'm not fannish by nature & can always go back to solitarily reading good fantasy books that people still actually do produce :>
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Date: 2006-06-20 10:17 pm (UTC)Yeah, I've lost count of how many people I've heard wonder what the big deal was with IP or the DT - although Maya's stuff remains universally popular :D But like I said below, a lot of those fics *were* very good.
Bec's fic, for example, never makes me want to cringe the way some of the older stuff does when I reread it. It's actually one of the fics I plan to rec one day (in the distantdistant future), when I finally get off my fat ass and type up the Fics I Have Loved post I've been planning for years now. Like that line, "seventh year seventeen year-olds, NC-us", that was *genius*. (I think that's how it goes. I'm trying to make the point that it's engraved in my memory, but it'll be hilarious if I got it wrong :D I don't want to cheat and look it up, though.) Anyway, that line is fandom in a fucking poetic nutshell. It hasn't lost any power since it was written.
Oh well, good thing I'm not fannish by nature & can always go back to solitarily reading good fantasy books that people still actually do produce :>
That's what I thought, too! Until I read THIS (http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com/cgi-bin/mag.cgi?do=columns&vol=carol_pinchefsky&article=008):
However, [Jane S.] Fancher [a SF/fantasy author] also sees fan fiction as a potential threat, and not just because of copyright abuse. She believes readership of novels may be declining in part because of time spent reading on the Internet. "Look how much fan fiction is being written. There are only so many readers with only so much time to read. Our careers might well be on the line because of it."
It's a lose-lose situation! aaaaahhh!