OK, let's see, rant...rant...rant...

[leethet]

OK, I'll do a "my biggest pet peeve" about the world of fanfic. Not about fanfic itself, the actual stories, but the world surrounding them...
It's this: Lighten up, people! It's fanfic! It'll never make you rich or famous, the groundwork was done by someone else, and you're supposed to be having fun! Don't get so damned worked up when people say slash sucks, gen sucks, smarm sucks, your fic sucks, your friend's fic sucks, your reading taste sucks, zines suck, online fic sucks...I've heard ALL of these and the best reaction to have (I'm really not telling people what to do -- don't believe in that, really -- just voicing a viewpoint) is "Hey, you're entitled to your opinion" and then FORGET about them. Do not let yourself become upset over what strangers think about fanfic! It's supposed to be FUN! Whee! Write it, read it, wallow in it, avoid the negative folks -- or mock them! Mocking them is fun and you don't spend a lot of time in a bad emotional place over people you'll NEVER meet, regarding a subject that is lightness and fluff personified.

There. That was an adequate first rant, eh? :)
There's even a contradiction in terms for people to rip me apart over! "Er...you're RANTING that people RANT too much???" Helloooo...

Comments

[lyrebird.livejournal.com]

Don't get so damned worked up when people say slash sucks, gen sucks, smarm sucks, your fic sucks, your friend's fic sucks, your reading taste sucks, zines suck, online fic sucks...

The wording of the opinion affects how I will react. A straight out statement is really impossible to argue with. In that case I agree with you: there is no point in discussing it further.

But if someone implies, for example, that writing slash doesn't use any intelligence, then I am going to reply. I cannot just sit and let a stupid statement like that slide by. It's just plain wrong. And I think it needs to be addressed.

As for being worked up...being rich or famous has *nothing* to do with it. It's about emotional investment. Some people are hardcore fans and are very passionate about what they do. It goes beyond 'fun'. It becomes a passion, an obsession. For some it's about sharing of fantasies, and connecting with others. For others it may just be about squeeing over pretty boys. Each group may snark about the seriousness/frivolity of the other, but surely we all should be allowed to experience fandom as we see fit?

I guess my experiences in fandom have coloured my perceptions. I can't really lighten up, not after being publicly flamed and privately threatened as I was when I was listmod for an old MfU list. It was no fun at all then. And putting a zine together...formatting in Word is not my idea of fun either.

I do this because I'm insane. "Fun" is too inadequate a word to describe it.

[dinahmt.livejournal.com]

That was a splendid rant, Lee! And of course you are quite right - fandom should be fun and to many of us it is just that. However, I do think there are people out there who have a great emotional investment in it. Some take it very seriously and some take themselves very seriously. If you've put a huge effort into, say, putting together a zine, then someone comes along and rubbishes it, you are bound to feel aggrieved. The same if you've spent weeks perfecting a slash story, putting all your effort into getting it all just right, then someone airily dismisses the entire genre as superficial, you might be tempted to tell them otherwise.

Yes, fanfic is fun to play with but for some people it is more serious than that. But I'm with you. My feet are firmly in the fun camp and I'd like to keep it that way.

[vysila.livejournal.com]

Very adequate first rant indeed. See, you're getting the hang of this consarned LJ thingie. ;)