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

[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.