#nor am i discouraging people from creating fan content because it is FAN CONTENT and you can express yourself

[pikp0kcas3]

The Hazbin Hotel fandom’s issue with accepting aromanticism and asexuality

Now that it is officially Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, I want to talk about this!

I find that, as an aroace myself, I am constantly grasping at good representation and coming up empty— it usually ends up in one of two ways.

One: the character is portrayed as emotionless, cold, and robotic in nature. It’s the question aromantic and/or asexual people are often asked: “Are you heartless?” The answer is no, of course, but general media makes it out to be the opposite.

Or two: Their lack of attraction is seen as something to “fix” because they “haven’t found the right one yet”, and they end up with a partner as a “happy ending”.

It frustrates me greatly because of how little people actually see aromanticism or asexuality as a true part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

So when I watched Hazbin Hotel, and I found out about Alastor being aroace, I was over the moon. I was on cloud nine. I also saw how his voice actor has looked up the term as an attempt to learn about aroaces, which makes me OVERJOYED?? Amir is truly a blessing, and I love that he’s proud to embody a character that’s part of our community. It’s so beautiful to finally have a proper character, a fan favorite at that, who just so happens to be aroace— and that’s another thing I love about this.

It’s never explicitly stated in the show (though it is stated in interviews), but it’s rather clear when you’re watching, isn’t it? Alastor’s aversion to any sort of sexual advancement, coupled with Rosie’s blatant “I know you’re an ace in the hole” comment sort of spell out his asexuality pretty clearly, as well as what side of the spectrum he falls upon. In addition, his Valentine’s day card was strictly platonic, which caters to his aromantic side. It feels so validating to finally be represented, to finally have a character in media who shares the same lack of interest in romance and sex as I do.

When I entered the fandom to look for more content, I kind of expected to see the same respect for Alastor’s orientation there too. But that… wasn’t the case? I am fully aware that aromanticism and asexuality are both spectrums— of course, aromantic and/or asexual people can enter those kinds of relationships. I’m not denying that and they belong in the community as much as anyone else on the spectrum.

But, the more I see the same line again and again and again, the more it feels like an excuse to just ship what you want.

Usually I don’t mind shipping? I’m often a firm believer in people shipping what they like as long as it’s harmless and they don’t go crazy over it. I also know for a fact that Viv doesn’t have a problem with people shipping her characters. They are fictional, after all.

But in this case, people are ignoring the very thing that makes Alastor a part of the aroace community! People are ignoring his lack of romantic or sexual attraction!

Is this not the same as changing a gay character’s orientation to suit a straight ship? If not, how so? I’m told that we are a part of this community, so why aren’t we being treated like it? Why is it so hard to accept the people on the end of the spectrum who aren’t interested?

Something I’ve been noticing throughout my life is that society has not exactly progressed very much on the idea of accepting asexual or aromantic identities. Maybe we have, a little, since the old days— but hell, people in “the old days”, which in truth wasn’t very long ago, believed that asexuality was a medical condition to be “fixed” by taking the right medication or having sex. That’s a pretty low bar to clear. And on the romance side, you’re seen as a “late bloomer” or “boring” if you don’t express interest. These days, being friends with someone is treated like a gateway to them possibly becoming a lover. Not getting married, not going on dates, not wanting a partner— it’s all treated like a crime when it’s not.

Maybe I’m selfish, or sensitive, or I’m butthurt over nothing, or I’m making it all about me. Maybe I’m gatekeeping or whatever the term is. But please, please, please, I just want an aroace character like me who simply is not interested in sex or romance.

And I want fandom to respect that. I admire the creations that fans make— the art, the animatics, the writing and the character analysis. And I want people to keep creating because creation is indeed a beautiful thing.

But I really would like people to treat aroace identities like they’re important. Like it’s more than just a spectrum to get wiggle room to wrangle in another ship.

[iamanartichoke]

(This post was inspired by a recent post by @kayura-sanada​ that I was going to reblog, but my own addition became so long and, frankly, off-topic to the original post’s content that I figured it was fairer to create my own post. But theOP I’m referring to can be found here and is a good read.)

Okay, so: this is a wonderful analysis of Tony Stark, @kayura-sanada​, and I agree that it’s concerning seeing this written by a psychologist (although I think there has to be a little wiggle room in the fact that said psychologist is basing their diagnosis on their own interpretation, and - I would hope - it would probably change if Tony Stark were a real person who was their patient. I gotta hope that).

I agree with all of your overall points regarding Tony, but I wanted to reblog this specifically because this post is such a perfect example of a larger problem within fandom and fandom wank. The problem is that fictional characters can be interpreted any way you want, sure, but there’s a line between supporting your interpretation with evidence from the source, and supporting your interpretation with stuff you just kinda made up. There is a right and a wrong interpretation. 

Here’s what I saw happen with this post: your response to the OP is lengthy because it dissects the OP bit-by-bit; it responds to the claims made in those bits with evidence from the films that supports a completely opposite interpretation of the character. And the response you got largely ignores all of that evidence and analysis in favor of a surface-deep response about open interpretations and how it’s “all just fiction anyway.”

And I see the same pattern repeat itself over and over in fandom:

“Character A is Trait B and that’s why they do Actions C, D, and E.”

“Actually, character A is more Trait F, and examples of Trait F are shown in Action G, H, and I.”

“Okay, but when they do Action H, they’re responding to Event J, but with Actions C and E, they clearly demonstrate Trait B, along with Trait K and L.”

“Well, but, saying they are/have Trait K is kind of a reach, and when they did Action H it was out of character, because in the same situation in previous films, they responded to Event J in a different way. For example, .....” (long post)

“I’m not reading all of that, it’s open to interpretation, and it’s just fiction anyway.”

Later, rinse, repeat.

And it’s like, look, yes, you can interpret the characters however you want. Fandom is supposed to be a fun, engaging space where fans are inspired to create new works and discuss all aspects of the source. Headcanons exists because of open character interpretation. Shipping exists because of open character interpretation. Rarepairs and alternate universes and ‘there was only one bed!’ and lots of tropes exist because of open character interpretation. 

Without that open freedom to engage with the source/characters in whatever way makes you happy, fandom wouldn’t be what it is, and I would never want to discourage that. 

That all said, it is possible that someone’s interpretation is wrong. That the way they imagine the character or the way they’re interpreting the character’s words and actions is a contrast to what’s really supposed to be going on in the scene or with the overall arc. The wrongness can come from any number of things - interpreation being colored by personal experience, preferences, projection, whatever.

In the case above, the psychiatrist is viewing Tony Stark through a lens of what they already decided the character is: a case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They took that lens and picked out (vague) examples of how the character portrays those traits.

This is fine. If that person wants to think Tony is a narcissist and that’s how they want to engage with the character and subsequent works (pretending that this was a meta post instead of a published article), then that’s their prerogative.

But upon closer analysis, the original interpretation kinda falls apart. The contrasting analysis takes a deeper look at the material and says, I don’t think what you’re saying is going on here is actually what’s going on here, and this is why.

But people don’t want to be told they’re wrong, especially in a fandom space, especially with something they hold dear to them (as interpretations can be intensely personal, and I know this). When the two interpretations clash, and one interpretation doesn’t really hold up to closer analysis, then suddenly, being critical of the source equates to disliking the source, and analysis is reduced to people just being negative and wanting to find things wrong with the source. Disagreeing with someone’s interpretation is taken as a personal attack. People get offended personally. The discussion devolves into ugly rhetoric, insults, or simply dismissiveness (”that’s nice but whatever,” “it’s just fiction,” etc).

And you might say, well, if you think someone’s interpretation is wrong, why are you trying to rain on their parade? Why are you trying to prove them wrong? Let people enjoy things! Let people fandom how they want! Let people write and create and be inspired in their own way!

To which I say, absolutely! Please, continue to enjoy the Thing and your interpretation of it. Continue to create through the lens of that interpretation. Create what makes you happy, fandom however you want to. I am a big proponent of “fandom and let fandom.” What other people like and dislike makes very little difference to me, and I’m certainly not under any illusion that everyone must see things the way that I see them or else they are Doing it Wrong. Nor do I take it personally if someone doesn’t agree with my take. 

None of that is my point. My point is that it becomes an issue that splinters and fractures fandom spaces when criticism and discussion are discouraged, when long analysis posts are mocked, when threads are hijacked, when it gets to a point where disagreeing with someone’s take on a Thing cancels them - to you - as a person. Because you miss out. You miss out on discussion, and on engaging with creative fanworks, and widening your fandom circle.

Instead, the circle just narrows, and there’s an underlying sense of hostility that colors every interaction you have. And it makes it not fun for anyone.

People need to be more open to the idea that there is, in fact, a right and a wrong side to most arguments. They need to be willing to defend their argument in a way that holds up and, if they don’t want to defend their interpretation, that’s fine - more power to you - but they need to then stop making fun of and being generally shitty to those who disagree.

People need to stop pretending that analysis and critical thinking don’t matter. They need to stop pretending that “fiction” is this vague concept that has no bearing on the real world and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Fiction shapes our world, and art imitates life. Being unable to think critically about fiction indicates a larger issue of being unable to think critically about the things that do matter in the real world, like science and poltiics. 

Just look at what this country has become. Each side believes it is the correct side, the “winning” side, but one of them is supported with verifiable facts and evidence and one isn’t, and when the one that isn’t is confronted with the fact that they are wrong, they either dismiss the argument entirely or go and find “alternative facts” from unreliable sources they can point to and say, see? A, B, C, D, and E may say I’m wrong, but F says I’m right, so fuck you.

I’m certainly not saying that fandom should be taken as seriously as politics, but I am saying that if people were more amenable to changing their minds or even just recognizing that criticism isn’t an attack and it’s not personal if someone dislikes a Thing that you feel passionate about - or vice versa - then maybe we’d have a better fandom space for all to enjoy. 

And I do try not to be a hypocrite. I am open to changing my mind on positions I’ve taken in fandom - if the analysis and the evidence convince me that there’s another way to look at it. If someone is telling me I’m wrong, and they tell me why it’s wrong (yes, in detail), then I’m more than happy to take a second look. Maybe it will change my mind; maybe it will simply be something I’m cognizant of while I continue to enjoy the material in the way that’s most fun for me. Either way, I’m not trying to hold fandom as a whole to any kind of standard I wouldn’t also expect myself to meet. 

That being said, this post is 90% me venting. Ironically, I don’t expect this to change anyone’s mind. I’m not saying there’s any one solution that will work for everybody or even that everyone sees a problem that needs solving. I’m just saying that I don’t enjoy fandom as much as I used to, and this particular pattern of "wank” (for lack of a better word) is the reason why. 

[waitingfortheendtocome]

Rant

Alright, this might come off as random but I’ve notice this happening to some fanfiction writers/content creators I follow, support and who’s work I love as I’m sure you all do as well. This might not happen to everyone and it might be nothing or a coincidence but either way I feel the need to get it out to see if is just me or is really is something and if it is I’m saying it now that it is wrong. Despite how I don’t post my fanfics on here I do write them and I would be really upset and dishearten if it happens to me so I felt like I should at least write a rant about it.

What I’m getting at is that I noticed some users randomized among the fandoms who actually take other users original fanfiction story ideas and change them up a bit and make it as their own and to add insult to injury those that do it don’t give credit they could easily say ‘I read this fanfiction by this user loved it got inspiration from it deciding to make my own version of that’ would be enough also they end up getting more notes than the ones who came up with that original idea for that Fanfic story. I know for a fact all of you who create these amazing fanfic stories check or at least know that the idea you have isn’t being repeated by someone else so you can create something new and special that nobody else have seen and read.

I know a few who have checked to find no one else have done it write an amazing fanfic post it get a few hundred notes a day or a few hours later someone else wrote something eerily similar the author notes nearly the same, even the beginning the same and the majority exactly or similar and they end up getting more views. Worse part the original fanfic writers who has had this happen to them can’t say anything about it even if it’s happened to them multiple times because than the ones who are doing it or even the fans of those copies will call them petty saying ‘no I did not do it’ or ‘is just a coincidence just because you wrote something similar doesn’t mean you made it first or that I stole it’.

As fanfiction writers we have to support each other, like each others work, comment and share them which is very important. It’ll encourage them let them know you love their content. Most important of all if you took inspiration from someone else’s work when you and they know they came up with that idea first given how they are writing a story around that idea give them credit or give them a shout out let your readers know that your idea is based of someone else’s fanfiction. Not just that but if you’re taking inspiration from someone else's work ask them if they can use some of the ideas that they wrote to make your own story that doesn’t mean you’re going to make a cloned copy of it of curse. Is like me asking a friend to copy their essay the tell me sure just change somethings don’t make it obvious you copied my essay and I only change a few small things here and there but over all is the exact same thing. We have to support each other in every way possible taking each others content isn’t the way to do it.

Note I’m not saying this happens to everyone nor am I saying everyone does it because not everyone is doing it only a few users among Tumblr here and there that do it but I’ve noticed it happening to a few people I’ve even asked and it has happened they don’t say anything because of the reasons above, not wanting to seem petty or not wanting to make themselves look bad or like they are jealous. When as I said I read a lot of amazing original fanfics here and I know everyone makes sure their story is unique and original and they notice someone else writing something exactly the same that’s almost too identical than we have a problem just because they don’t call those few that do it out on it doesn’t mean they are okay with it. Not only that but this heavily hurts and discourage good content creators who will feel discouraged enough that they’ll eventually decide to stop making content and sharing their hard work with their fans because their ideas are being taken from them and not given credit or shout outs for it nor are permission being asked.

Please take care everyone and lets support each other also give credit where is due and comment on the stories you do read :) Love you guys I don’t want anyone’s stories taken all of you are talented and work hard on those stories.

I apologize in advance if I have any grammatical errors I was essentially throwing my thoughts on paper about something this since it bothered me a bit.

[kihyunswrath]

About boycotting Starship

Ok so there’s been a lot of discussion about boycotting Starship and since this is clearly a very sensitive topic, I decided to write my own post instead of replying to other posts. Before I even start, let me make this clear: I personally haven’t stopped supporting Monsta X, but I am waiting to see what happens in the near future, especially in the aftermath of their visit to the US, and I’ll make my decision then depending on what Starship decides to do or how it starts looking for the remaining members and their mental health. Or if we have, at that point or some time later, heard about Wonho. But since there has been a plenty of people listing all kinds of reasons as to why Monbebes shouldn’t start boycotting Starship and how that’s a stupid thing to do apparently, I will have to respond to some of those claims, in an attempt to clarify this entire discussion. 

1) First of all, there is not a single Monbebe in this fandom who isn’t here specifically because they have loved and supported Monsta X. I want to make this absolutely clear. Let’s stop this discourse about “real and fake fans” at once, before it even starts. Do not engage in that way of thinking even inside your own head, because it does not get us anywhere. Aside from stopping other fans from actually hurting/harassing idols, absolutely none of us get to say what kind of actions, emotions, opinions and reactions are somehow more correct than others. You do not get to shame anyone for being unsure or unwilling to proceed in the ways you see fit. 

2) Fans absolutely can protest against Starship by boycotting them if they so choose. If their reasoning is not completely based on lies, rumors or misinformation, their motives still don’t have to be something you agree with because in the end: it’s their freely given and taken money, attention, love, time and energy. It’s not yours to give or take. People’s feelings about this issue should be respected, and if they decide to walk away from Monsta X because they do not accept the ways Starship is managing their groups, they should be able to do so without being told they’re stupid, irresponsible or impatient, or even personally responsible for ruining idol careers. They do not have to keep giving money to companies who they think are acting unethically, immorally and unfairly, not even because some of the workers within the company are also people they happen to like. They do not have to trust that Starship’s silence is going to lead to anything good. They do not have a responsibility to keep supporting Monsta X, and Monsta X doesn’t somehow deserve their money or time. Fans should be giving things to Monsta X freely, only because they want to, and that’s it. Fans are also allowed to change their opinion later on and start supporting Monsta X again if they find out that Starship was planning to make Wonho come back after all, because again, it’s their money and their time.

3) Like I’ve been saying many times, there are way too many things about this entire issue we can’t be sure of, and not all of them have anything to do with lawsuits or lengthy legal battles we can’t have statements of yet. One of those things we don’t know is whether Monsta X members even want to continue their careers anymore. There’s no way for us to find that out, because Starship has not only forced them to continue with their schedules without resting, but also banned them from talking about the entire thing and made them pretend Wonho was never a member of the group. There’s a big chance at least some of the members would love to call it quits right here just because of those reasons, let alone because of how much they miss Wonho, but honestly? Just the fact that they are not allowed to talk about their feelings concerning this entire mess is a big, red fucking flag. So if some fans show their dissatisfaction to Starship’s silencing tactics by deciding not to support them any longer, that’s not a bad thing in itself.

4) I’ve heard comments that say boycotting Monsta X would make the boys disposable in the eyes of Starship, and I just want to say that they very much  were proven to be disposable already. That’s exactly why people have been protesting in the first place. Why else did Starship let Boyfriend literally wither away before finally, after years of waiting and silence, made the disbanding announcement earlier this year? They were once really successful too? Why else did Starship force Monsta X members continue with their comeback shows and then made them record stuff and attend other schedules immediately afterwards, instead of letting them recover for a while? Why did Starship kick Wonho out, even from the dormitory, in a matter of days, instead of putting him into a hiatus, waiting it out or starting a legal battle for him under their own name? It’s because Monsta X members, just like any other idols and trainees under Starship, are disposable. The goal for the people choosing to boycott Starship wouldn’t be only to make them realize how valuable Wonho was to them, but to not give financial support to a horrible company that chooses to treat both its workers and fans like disposable people, and if it led to Starship collapsing entirely, or just them disbanding Monsta X because they didn’t give a shit about them in the first place, that might the best possible outcome instead of the worst. If Starship only cares about money and shows that to their extremely popular and well liked group by dropping them immediately after their sales decrease, it for sure means Monsta X members should not stay with them and that they deserve a much more competent agency. Getting out of Starship would set the members free to try other things. It would make it possible for them to create jobs for themselves, get hired under other agencies or even establish a small company just for themselves. Sure, we are not entitled to make such a decision for them nor do we know if they actually want to leave from Starship. It’s true that this is most likely their best money-making position they will ever have. But fans are still allowed to be worried of the fact that the money and time they spent on Monsta X was not actually going to the right hands, and might have been hurting the members more than it was ever helping them. That’s, again, their decision to make.

5) People, no matter how you think about this issue, please do not make it sound like people turning away from Monsta X are somehow depriving them of their money. That’s not how this works. It’s not our responsibility to maintain their lifestyle. We are not their employers, nor do we have a work contract with them. We have been willingly, voluntarily funding and voting for them simply because we loved the content they created, uploaded and published, not because they somehow deserved our money. Just because they have been working hard to please their fans, doesn’t mean we owe them something in return. Also, this is not about starving people who will die unless we donate them money, this is about relatively well-off people who are receiving things from fans as gifts. Monsta X members without doubt will do just fine in the future too, either as ot7 or as separate individuals, as celebrities or people with private lives and private careers, and it isn’t useful to make it sound like they would thrive only if every single Monbebe forcefully paid for their bills until forever and let Starship gain most of that money (statistically most of the kpop agencies get way more than half of the earnings their groups make) and become so greedy that they’d want to pressure the members to renew their contracts. 

6) Having said all that, I want to emphasize that even if you personally advocate for turning away from Starship, you also shouldn’t make people feel ashamed for choosing to stay, and you should definitely also consider other viewpoints, or simply wait for more news to come up. I think it’s important that we have different discussions about this matter and share our thoughts, because that’s the best way for everybody to form their opinions, battle against misinformation and decide things for themselves. It’s also totally fine to change your opinion after more information comes up. I know these two weeks have been extra stressful and having to see fans clash against each other because we haven’t gotten answers to any of our questions must be scary, but do not become too discouraged. Nothing has happened yet. People trying their best to understand this entire situation and having differing views on how to proceed from here is not the end of the world, it’s just a sign that we have all come to a turning point and that we have all realized how much work needs to be done before kpop idols can have full autonomy, worker rights, freedom of expression and actual protection from harassment and bullying. 

Us discussing is a good thing, and I am still proud of every Monbebe for standing up, demanding answers and becoming a part of a societal and cultural shift. I am still proud of your efforts to understand this situation and sharing your thoughts and engaging in activism for not just Wonho, but other idols as well. I am still proud of you all reaching out and finding community in each other. And even though I said earlier people might have legitimate reasons to think their money went to the hands of a cruel, thoughtless and capitalist company and therefore consider backing off for a while, there is still absolutely nothing wrong with thinking that you still want to support Monsta X members financially, as long as it lasts. 

We all want Wonho back, and we all want good things to happen to every single member of Monsta X. All those things can still happen, no matter what we will decide to do in the meantime. And no matter what, our love and empathy for all of them will carry through all these struggles and bring them to a better time, whether that will be in or outside of Starship. And we can also quite safely assume their friendship and love for one another is so strong that we will witness them gathering together again and again, even twenty years from now. 

[p-and-p-admin]

Interview given to The Severus Snape and Hermione Granger Shipping Fan Group.  (sharing here Admin approved)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/199718373383293/

Hello Subversa and welcome to Behind the Quill, thank-you for letting us get to know you a little better.

Many of our members will be familiar with your stories which include This Time, Improbable Felicity and of course, The Love You Take.

Okay, let’s jump right in.

What's the story behind your pen name?

My tagline on LiveJournal was Subversive Subversions, and that kind of says it all about me. I like to stir the pot

Which Harry Potter character do you identify with the most?

I identify most with Hermione, the book-loving swot. Oddly enough, on the various Sorting tests I’ve taken, I always Sort into Ravenclaw. (Until I took the Pottermore test, where I Sorted into Slytherin; I blame years of living in Snape’s head).

Do you have a favourite genre to read? 

I grew up reading voraciously. My first genre of choice was romance. As an adult, I began reading thriller/suspense books, and I really didn’t come back to reading romance until I began writing fanfic.

Do you have a favourite "classic" novel?

It would be a toss-up between Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Jane Eyre. I see shades of SSHG in them all.

At what age did you start writing?

I took my first run at writing when I was eight years old. My parents, however, discouraged the idea of me being a writer, and even though I started a number of stories over the years, I never finished one until I began writing fanfic in my forties.

How did you get into writing fanfiction?

It was in April 2005, while I was impatiently waiting for HBP to be published. I was noodling around the Internet and I stumbled over Mugglenet. As I was gobbling up all the content, I found a link to their fanfiction.

I perused the genres, and under romance, I found the pairings. When I saw SSHG, I was horrified. So of course, I had to read something.

I read The Long Wait by ancientgirl, and I couldn’t stop. I was completely enchanted, and I thought to myself, “I could do this.” So I started writing Master of Enchantment.

I have to say that Potterverse, and specifically the SSHG fandom, became my obsession and occupied all my thoughts for several years. I pretty much read nothing but fanfic and did continual re-reads of the HP series during that time--this from a woman who previously read 3 novels a week.

What's the best theme you've ever come across in a fic? Is it a theme represented in your own works?

JKR may not know it, but her greatest creation is Severus Snape, the antagonistic protagonist.

I have always been driven by Snape’s plight. It is the theme I am most drawn to in stories I read. Over and over again through my years of active fanfic writing, I tried to give him redemption and the happiness he deserves.

What fandoms are you involved in other than Harry Potter?

I watched the birth and rise of the Sherlock BBC fandom on LiveJournal, and I saw a number of friends go over to that particular dark side. I read some of the fic, but was never tempted to write it.

As a favour to a friend, I wrote a Twilight fanfic story for a gift exchange on LiveJournal (it was awful).

So, Potterverse is really my only fandom.

If you could make one change to canon, what would it be? Do you have a favourite piece of fanon?

I basically hated book 7. The whole Deathly Hallows thing felt like something JKR introduced out of thin air. I hated the interminable camping trip. I hated the epilogue (except for “and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew”) and the idea that you must marry the person you crushed on in high school.

Mostly, of course, I hated the death of Snape.

So my change would be to have Snape survive, be vindicated in the eyes of the world, and live to earn the happiness he had never known before.

My favourite fanon thing is the myriad ways we have of making Snape survive Nagini’s attack.

Do you listen to music when you write or do you prefer quiet?

I always listen to music. Every piece I have ever written has its own soundtrack. I have piles of CDs from the time before I had an iPod, with the name of the current story I was writing scrawled on it in Sharpie. The longer pieces had soundtracks that evolved over the course of the story. There are songs that still pierce me with the memories of what I felt when I wrote. Music is an integral part of my process.

What are your favourite fanfictions of all time?

Wow. This is a hard question. I’m sure that any list I create will be missing an important story. Nevertheless, here are some, in no particular order:

Care of Magical Creatures

She Was Beautiful to Him

Guard... Check... Mate

Second Life

Big Name Death Eater

Marry a Choice

The Absinthe of Reason

I'll Never Take Advantage

Irresistible

The Bookshop

The Price of Madness

King of Swords

Denial

No Loyalty in the Moonlight

You Can't Have One Without The Other

The Language of Flowers

Are you a plotter or a pantser? How does that affect your writing process?

I am a total pantser. It means I can write myself into a corner and have to write myself out again.

What is your writing genre of choice?

Forever and always, romance. Often with a side of erotica.

Which of your stories are you most proud of? Why?

Transcendent Quality of Remembrance, because there were two timelines running and it was an intricate plot device. It is also one of the most heart-wrenching stories I’ve ever written.

Did it unfold as you imagined it or did you find the unexpected cropped up as you wrote? What did you learn from writing it?

I have to admit, the unexpected always crops up as I write. I’m one of those people who believe without apology in my Muse.

As for what I learned, I found that writing the entire story before trying to post it meant the story would hang together better without me having to write myself out of a corner. I probably went back and changed the first chapter seven or eight times due to developments in the plot.

How personal is the story to you, and do you think that made it harder or easier to write?

Everything I write is intensely personal to me. I am immersed in my story, and I feel every emotion. It is the only way I have ever written. I don’t think I could write something I didn’t feel. So it’s neither easier nor harder. It is what it is.

What books or authors have influenced you? How do you think that shows in your writing?

Georgette Heyer, who wrote a large number of Regency romances, was and is a huge influence on my writing. I think I absorbed her turns of phrase and plot devices and romantic hero figures through my skin. It absolutely shows in my writing.

Do people in your everyday life know you write fanfiction?

Not my coworkers or family outside of my husband and children. My best friend knows I write fanfic.

How true for you is the notion of "writing for yourself"?

For me, it’s the only way I can do it. I have to be consumed by the basic idea and let it live in me as I write. I write the stories I want to read about the subjects that fascinate and inspire me.

How important is it for you to interact with your audience? How do you engage with them? Just at the point of publishing? Through social media?

During my active fanfic writing years, I was immersed with my audience. At that time, SSHG Fandom pretty much lived in LiveJournal, and I was active there every day. I was not very good at answering reviews, but I tended to put author’s notes before and/or after chapters as a way of engaging with my readers.

What is the best advice you've received about writing?

To write the story I want to read. To fall in love with my protagonist.

What do you do when you hit writer's block?

Walk away from the computer and pick up a pen and pad of paper.

Has anything in real life trickled down into your writing?

Many, many things about my romance with my husband were fodder for the romances I’ve written.

Do you have any stories in the works? Can you give us a teaser?

I am striving to complete my first novel of original fiction. It’s the beginning of a trilogy. All have been written (first draft), and the first has been to a professional editor. I’m striving to complete a draft with her suggestions.

It’s about a swotty girl and her teacher. (shock)

They live in a magical world with conflict. (further shock)

There is lots of sex with a BDSM twist.

The protagonist is (in my heart) Severus Snape in disguise. He has his own brand of physical unattractiveness and a mesmerizing presence.

Any words of encouragement to other writers?

Write what’s in your heart. Use a good beta reader. Take constructive criticism in the spirit it is offered. Ignore trolls.

Thanks so much for giving us your time.

[the-irish-mayhem]

Okay so I just realized reasons that makes me really hate the Marvel killing characters for cheap shock value. One, it's for cheap shock value. Two, we are not given any time to mourn or come to terms with the deaths, it's all onto the next explosion. Three, since so many people have fake deaths/come back from death, I'm left in a cycle of waiting/hoping for my favs to come because it MIGHT happen. Four, it's always my favs that stay dead. Five, it is rarely if ever necessary for plot.

Another reason I hate the marvel deaths is this isn't the shit I signed up for? I started Marvel because they were fun and exciting and sure you worried but in the end you knew none of the main characters would die. Plus it really feels lile they're killing off people because they don't want to deal with them anymore and it feels like a big FU to the people who loved those characters.

Sorry about the anonymous ranting. Marvel got me through some tough times so to see what it's become is just devastating to me.

Of the deaths they had in this movie, I actually thought they weren’t as much for cheap shock value as it just showed a.... lack of imagination, I suppose. Plot-wise and emotional trauma-wise, yeah. I get why they chose to kill Nat and Tony. They didn’t want the team coming out unscathed because that would undoubtedly create “unrealistic!” cries from the fanboys, and as a storyteller you want to create stakes so that your audience gets invested; for this movie, everyone went in nervous about who was going to die. But I think it kind of goes to show a larger pattern in movies as a whole that the threat of death is becoming the go-to for audience investment in the stakes of the plot. I wish we could reframe it somehow so that the stakes could be something a little less doom and gloom.

Oh yeah, the “bringing people back to life” has absolutely fucked up my ability to properly mourn things in movies. Like, in Infinity War, I never really got sad about the people who died because I was like “they’re literally all gonna be brought back anyway.” And they killed my boy Heimdall and I never got to properly feel sad for him!!

The “not the shit you signed up for” gets me too, because these movies are supposed to be ultimately, as you said, fun and exciting. It sucks a lot of joy out of the viewing experience when you try to not get attached to too many characters because they might die. It’s a strange kind of exhaustion, in a way. And if you do get attached and they die, it’s like losing a friend.

Rant away, my friend. As you can see from my blog title, I am no stranger to rants, nor do I discourage others from ranting. When something can be as frustrating as Marvel, it’s therapeutic to get it all out there.

Ultimately, these characters are stories. They aren’t dead because there’s probably another comic coming out with them in it next month. There’s going to be at least a few fanfics written starring them. With the MCU deaths, it’s like.... those characters are now being released to the fans from their canon obligations. This is how I’ve been coping with both Natasha’s death. She’s not gone. I’m still in the middle of writing my version of her origin story. Dozens, hundreds of authors out there have her in their sights, and there’s going to be so much Natasha content in the wake of this. It’s the same with Tony. You bet there’s gonna be hundreds of Endgame fix-its just waiting to fill the void canon left behind, where he lives out the rest of his days in his cabin with Pepper, raising Morgan and having Uncle Happy and Uncle Rhodey come visit. Sure, those things didn’t happen in the MCU, but since it’s fiction, well. How can we say it never did?

[dragonprincefan]

A Note from the Mod

Hey TDP Fans!

We’re just under 1 week to the SDCC panel to promote and introduce The Dragon Prince.

It’s really REALLY exciting to see all of the enthusiasm for the upcoming show. It’s wonderful, and I’m glad y’all are looking forward to it as much as I am. I have a great love of epic fantasy stories with elves and dragons and I’m a long time fan of several of the staff members working on it, so I trust them to do good work, and that’s the source of my early interest.

I do want to make a quick couple of notes about tempering that excitement though. I’ve seen a couple of slightly prickly posts in the tag and I don’t want to single any specific one out, but I do want to address the concerns they’re trying to get at.

Please keep in mind that we don’t know much of anything about the show yet. We have one concept art promotional poster, a brief one sentence summary of the basic plot, and a tag line of “Destiny is a book you write yourself!” Remember, concept art often differs significantly from the final product. One of the things I want everyone to be ready for is that what we’ve seen so far and the animation may be noticeably different.

A lot of us, myself included, are having fun making some tentative fanart and theories based on the tiny amount of information we have. It’s all in good fun and meant to keep the excitement going until the show premieres (hopefully in September). I think we’re all trying to be positive and promote the show this great cast and crew has put together. That’s a sweet thing.

It’s important not to take any of this early stuff too seriously though. The art is specifically described as being concept art. We haven’t seen faces, names, pronouns*, how the characters are connected to each other, nor any real hint of what thier personalities are.

Keep that in mind. Fanart could be completely off the final product. Theories are based not on the actual content of the show, but based upon our experience with other narratives/art and what that past experience and tropes make us expect might be the directions of this new story. But a show with a tagline focused on writing your own destiny may break a lot of the expected tropes of the genre. We just don’t know, and at this point everything is speculation.

I even see some shipping talk already, which admittedly baffles me as we have no idea of the character personalities or interpersonal relationships are yet, but hey as long as you have fun and don’t hurt anyone, you do you. I do not want to discourage shiping in the least! I’m a multishipper myself. I will point out at this stage that while non binary characters and other LGBTQA+ representation would be wonderful, nothing in the officially released information has promised it will be included here. We’ll have to wait and see.

Also remember that stories are more than shipping. Shipping is a fun and optional part of fandom, and what (if anything) becomes canon is not the end all be all of what makes shipping enjoyable. If all you’re looking at in a narrative is romantic pairs, you might be missing out on the heart of the story actually being told and that would be sad both for you and for the storytellers. 

What I’m saying is be excited, but also be flexible. Have fun.

You can enjoy and be a fan of multiple shows at once. They don’t have to compete with each other or be used to degrade each other. If it turns out this show isn’t your cup of tea, that’s fine. Not everything is going to appeal to everyone, and you’re not required to stick with something you’re not enjoying. (If it turns out this show isn’t my cup of tea, I will turn these accounts over to a new mod who is passionate about the show.)

I hope you love it, because I want to see this cast and crew succeed at telling a story people love.

But please, don’t let your early excitement cause you to create rigid expectations when we really have no information yet. That’s not fair to you, and not fair to the cast and crew.

Let’s Fly! ~ EG

[trulyyourstrina]

Surviving Wattpad

I think for the course of my years on Wattpad, I still don’t get how people ever think of asking me for advice. I’m not the best person to get advice from, but I do my best to answer them. So to help others, I’ve decided to put this up on tumblr (and also because I’m getting sick and tired of retyping this every time somebody messages me for tips).

*This was originally posted for Wattpad Block Party - Winter Edition II

Hello everyone, it’s Trina (or better known as yourstrulytrina) coming at you for another Wattpad Block Party post.

Last year I did an interview with my books’ wonderful heartthrobs and I came this year to give you a few pieces of advice.

Honestly, I was running through so many ideas on what to do, but then when I took a good look at my inbox, a frequent topic that people send me is about Wattpad and writing itself.

Let’s keep this casual, alright? Because you and I know pretty well that I’m not a professional.

From newbies asking how to start their writing to oldies who are trying to get their story out there – I’ve talked to them all. So let me share you some pieces of advice as I tell you a little story about my own journey here on one of the best sites I’ve discovered.

I started my Wattpad account at the ripe age of fourteen. It wasn’t my first time posting stories on the internet, but I don’t believe those sites had such a big writing/reading community as the wonderful WP. For me, that was already a big leap and at 1am, four hours after I made my account, I uploaded my first ever story here – Falling For The Opposite.

I was terribly nervous yet I think the exhaustion from that day overcame my senses and made me do it. The morning after, I questioned my decisions, but I told myself that the damage was already done so I had no other choice but to continue with it.

And to this day, I believe that that was the best thing I have ever done.

The thing is, I kept overthinking the possibilities that may come from that single upload. I could be shamed and judged by the masses, yet when I gained the courage to do it, I opened a new kind of door for myself. I always tell people, stop thinking that this and that may happen – your actions will have their consequences, but they will also have a reward.

If you keep thinking about the bad, how in the world will the good come in?

Now that we’ve done part one, we head on to the second part of this whole adventure – getting the readers.

On my second day of Wattpad, I branched out. No, I didn’t blatantly asked people to read, nor did I post an ad in other people’s story (speaking of which, don’t advertise like that, it’s extremely rude; think for a moment, how would you like it if some other person plastered their face over yours?). I talked to them, befriended them, and because of that, they piqued an interest and went over to my profile, gave my story a read, and they kind of liked it enough to stick around for the updates.

Remember this, you can’t get overnight fame. I started out with five readers, and I was so happy with them. Those readers had their own friends and fans so of course, my story got passed around until it was slowly starting to grow.

Of course, not everyone liked the story and boy, did they tell it to me straight. Did I get discouraged? Nope. Why? Because I used their words as criticism and it pushed to me to improve my writing.

And remember, you cannot please everyone.

Don’t allow them to say you’re a horrible author, because I don’t believe that. I always say, every author is a good one, they just need the right readers to acknowledge it.

Step three, keeping the readers.

Alright, now you got some people coming to your book to read the chapters. How can you make them stay for updates?

Well, first things first it to treat them nicely. Don’t be rude to them, don’t threaten them, don’t play the victim card, but always thank them and show your appreciation. This is one lesson I wished I knew back then when I was starting out.

May it be five reads or a million, don’t neglect them. Apologize if you missed an update or if you took too long, answer their messages to you, and tell them how important they are.

And if you think for a second that they’re unimportant, please reevaluate your thoughts. They give you insights, they give you motivation, and I know they’re one of the reasons you’re still in this site.

I always tell my readers that I love them, from every update to every announcement. Why? Because I sincerely do. They’re the reason why I keep doing this, they lift me up when I’m down and they’re there to celebrate with me if something good happens.

The biggest weapon you have in this site are the loyalty of your readers.

Next part, keeping up with the updates.

Update, for the love of everyone, update. You may be nice, but you can only hold the people’s attention for so long. Give them what they want and what they came for – a story. Keep them consistent, but don’t update too often that people will get bored.

And I know, I’m hypocritical for saying this. In my defense, this is how I started.

My suggestion, the minimal amount of time in between updates is three days. Keep them wanting, but keep them satisfied.

Maximum? Well, just don’t take six months (ehem.)

One piece of advice, before I end this division – be contented. Be happy with ten reads and be happy with a million reads. It will help your emotions and mentality about writing. If you’re always aiming for such a high read count, then you might get discouraged. If you’re easily contented, then you’re so happy with just a small amount that you want to keep pushing and that’s what’s important.

Another topic most people are always so worried about is the writing process.

I’m no professional in the sense of grammar and spelling (this chapter is a very good example of that), but I can give a thing or two in story progression.

Introductions. Perhaps the most important part of the story. This is when you start the whole journey and how well this goes will determine how many readers will stick around to read the rest.

Give an overview of what’s to come. Who are your main characters? Where is it happening? What’s the theme in the book? Stuff like those are what’s needed in the introduction, or as others call it, the first chapter. For me though, I termed this as a Prologue or Introduction but it all differs from the way you want to portray it. Most stories doesn’t contain a prologue and that’s alright – the difference is that introduction/prologue is your description bank, it’s where you basically recall flashbacks, introduce people to the readers, and of course, trying to give an insight of your plot.

Again, most writers forego it and instead goes straight ahead to the first chapter. If your story can hold up without a prologue then by all means, go to the first chapter.

Body Chapters. Here are the parts that are in between the intro and the end. This is what we call the development. I, myself, am guilty with filler chapters. Some days, I just can’t think of anything, and filler chapters are good for drama breaks (a breather for some readers). Though, remember that a book can’t be all filler chapters.

This is what makes up your book so stick with your plot and find a way to go through the alphabet, because you can’t just go from A to Z in one snap. You can’t have the character introduced on the first chapter, get married on the second, and die in the third. Unless you’re writing a short story, of course, but you still need to create the spine and body.

How long should chapters be? It depends on each person but I think a standard among Wattpad writers and authors in general is at least 2,000-2,500 words if you’re writing a regular novel. Long enough to get everything that needs to be said in there but short enough for the reader to keep turning the pages.

The End.  This could be as emotional as you want it to be. This is what you need to make in order to give a lasting impression to your readers. It could be the bridge to a sequel or a closure to a story. Any way you want it to be, just make sure it wraps up everything that needs to be wrapped up with the book.

Perhaps you may ask the question: What happened now with me in terms of Wattpad after I did these things?

First, I’m writing for y’all in the Wattpad Block Party, which is an amazing feat in itself. I got an amazing group of readers that’s so special to me. I’m still writing three years later and I’ve met so many wonderful writers and admins of Wattpad. And perhaps the greatest thing ever – that story that I uploaded during one in the morning on that fateful day is currently published and can be bought in actual bookstores.

You don’t have to follow these, they’re simply advice. Some techniques that may work well for me may not work for you, and I encourage you to do your best.

So once again, thank you Miss Kelly for inviting me for another Block Party and to you guys for sticking around. I shall see you all soon!

Good luck and happy writing.

[datheetjoella]

QUESTIONS GALORE (SORRY, I AM A CURIOUS KITTEN 🐱): 6, 17, 19, 23, 30, 31, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 51😊💕

Thank you for sending me questions, Anon! Don’t worry if there are many, I’m glad you’re interested, haha ^^

Fanfiction Questions

6.List your OTP from each fandom you’ve been involved in.

Honestly, the only OTP I have is MakoHaru and I’m really not involved in any other fandoms than Free! but I can give you some other shows and series that I’m not really that invested in besides just watching them but like some ships that are in them, for example:

- Reina x Kumiko (Hibike! Euphonium)- Otaa x Tanaka (Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge)- Takeo x Rinko (Ore Monogatari)

17. Who was your first OTP and are they still your favourite?

MakoHaru was my first OTP and they’re definitely still my favourite. I’ve had ships before them but those weren’t really OTPs because I definitely didn’t feel as strongly for them as I do for MakoHaru.

19. Is there a ship which you wished you could get behind, but you just don’t feel them?

No, I don’t actually have ships like that. I like what I like and I’m very content with that.

23. Name a fic you’ve written that you’re especially fond of & explain why you like it.

In a way, I’m fond of all of my fics because I spent time creating the story and working on it so the plot really had time to grow on me, but I think “Strength” is still a little special. Yesterday was actually its 2 year anniversary of when I posted the first chapter, and though you wouldn’t say it since there are only 5 chapters out currently, I really love writing this story. It’s intended to be such an emotional rollercoaster and I just love imagining and visualising everything that has happened and what is yet to come. I also really like that I’m the only person in the world who knows how it’s going to end; of course, every other fic is like that too but in this case especially it’s really satisfying. So I hope that the people who read it think it’s a little special too and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster until the end!

30. What inspires you to write?

MakoHaru does. It sounds really cliché but it’s true, when I’m thinking about them I just get the urge to write everything out, different universes and scenarios and all of that. If it weren’t for MakoHaru, I doubt I would have ever started to write and then I would have never found out how much I enjoy it, so for that I’m eternally grateful to them.

31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

There are so many nice things that people have said that it’s hard to pick because I love every comment and reaction, but the ones where people say that my fics are one of their favourites and that they’re memorable and stuff like that is really the best and that really makes my day.

39. What is you greatest strength as a writer?

I always find this really hard to answer because I don’t want to sound like I’m tooting my own horn, but going off of what readers have said to me, it’s the way I write Makoto and Haru’s relationship. I’ve been told that it feels loving and real and I really appreciate that, since their relationship is centric of pretty much all my fics.

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

I’m actually not reading anything right now. I’m trying to focus on my own writing and I’ll pretty much only read a fic if one of my friends posts one, which are almost always one-shots or two-shots so that’s not currently reading. Sorry!

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

Okay I just want to say, there are so many authors who are amazing and just because I don’t mention them doesn’t mean they’re not great, alright? Also, in no particular order, they’re all great.

- saltyaf- tunamayo- KireinaAme- Gariell- uchiuchi

45. What is your all time favourite fanfic?

I don’t have an all time favourite fic, because there are so many amazing fics that I really, really couldn’t choose. But there’s one fic that I always go back to if I want something short and full of feels, and that fic is Retrograde by SpartanSiren.

46. If someone was to read one of your fanfics, which fic would you recommend to them and why?

That’s a really hard question because I know that different people like different things. I would like everyone to read Strength, but I know that there are many people who don’t like or can’t handle that type of angst. If you want loads of fluff with only a little bit of angst, you could read Ray of Sunshine (though I’m also a little hesitant because I’m really not a fan anymore of the first, like 30 chapters of that fic since it’s been so long since I wrote them.) If you want something that feels light-hearted yet still a tiny bit of tension and angst, then you could try my latest fic From Pauper to Prince. If you don’t want to read something that’s quick and finished, then you can try one of my one-shots depending on which one you like best.

So really, it’s hard to say which fic I would recommend because I would want everyone to enjoy my fics and that would be impossible if they like light-hearted things and I recommend them something that is full of angst, and vice versa.

51. Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go!

Okay I don’t mean offense to anyone when I say this nor am I calling out anyone in particular, but many readers are not appreciative enough of the fics they get to read. I’m not specifically talking about my own readers per se, but I can only use my own experiences as an example. The hits to comments ratio is ridiculous for most fics and I too wish that I would get more comments. I obviously appreciate every comment I do get and I’m really grateful of them and the people who left them, but it’s just so disappointing to watch the hits count go up and up while the kudos and comments stay the same. That really gives me the feeling that people don’t like my work and that is really discouraging. If I post a chapter that I spent a lot of time pouring my heart and soul into it and I get zero comments, sometimes I really feel like I should just stop writing because no one cares anyway. Obviously I continue to write because I also write for myself but it’s just really discouraging. Especially when people say “oh I like your fics” or something and then never reblog my posts about them or leave me a comment, because that does give me the feeling that I’m only a provider for entertainment without getting anything in return. And then sometimes when you do get a comment, it’s nothing but “Finally, update soon” or something like that. Like obviously I’m glad that you like my fic enough to want me to update soon but it makes me feel like some people don’t realise how much time and effort goes into writing these fics, especially since many authors have a job and/or go to school during the day and find every bit of spare time they have to write these fics. 

I know that many writers feel like this and I know many have stopped writing because of the lack of response and I really don’t want that to happen to anyone else. So please, if you love a fic, please let the author know. I know it’s difficult for some people but I promise you that even just a “this was so cute” or “I love this” can really make an author’s day and validate their work. Support your fandom’s fanfiction writers because one day they might have had enough of not getting any response and feel so discouraged that they stop forever.

Alright, rant over, sorry about that. I do really appreciate everyone who reads my fics so thank you and I hope you’ll enjoy my fics in the future as well!

Thank you for asking these questions, Anon! :)

Fanfiction Questions

[f-imaginings]

Didn’t think I’d have to do this but I’ve got people coming to me left and right over this nonsense, conveying threats to have my work reported and pulled down blah blah blah, so let me summarize my case publicly and let you all make up your own minds. 

I’ll start by saying truthfully that I’ve never read TNP. I don’t generally read fics with non-con in them bc of bad past experiences, but from reading the prologue when researching what i supposedly plagiarized the writing seemed really good and enjoyable, with interesting themes and references. I’m sure its a lovely fic and people who enjoy it should as it stands on its own merits. 

I also haven’t plagarised anything. There is a lot of he said she said happening over that so I’ll just present the facts I have and let people make up their own minds. So far there’s just been one side of the story very loudly being told. I’ll say my piece here and people can make up their own minds. 

So I’ve never read their story. I’ve been getting some nasty harrassment though claiming I plagarised it to write my own story, which is Knowing Me, Knowing You on ao3. It’s a Billford fic, and it’s inspired by abba lyrics, Gravity Falls the series, and Journal Number 3. 

Two days ago I got this anonymous comment on my fanfic. 

This anonymous poster spammed the comments in the fic in many chapters, and also felt the need to tell everyone who regularly comments on my fic by replying to their comment how shitty my writing is and that it’s plagarising this other fic I’ve never read. 

The link to the full comments thread is here if people want to read and do their own sleuthing. 

The comments rather spitefully tell me how my writing is terrible, how I’m scum, how unoriginal I am ect. I’ll let you all read it and make up your own minds about whether this is fair to say or not. 

I then decided to go speak to the author of this fic i had supposedly plagarised, because I thought it was a misunderstanding, or that a follower of theirs who was very zealous had took it upon themselves to go rogue and harass other writers who (these are the similarities as far as they’ve been explained to me) write Billford, and have written about a human Bill helping Stanford with the portal. 

Here is my conversation with the author of TNP, screenshotted, so you can read that and make up your own mind about it too. 

It was quite startling for me to have been spoken to like this when I went amicably to a fellow writer hoping to solve a situation that was groundless and unnecessary. I was called a liar, and passive aggressive for having approached the author directly with the situation seeking a resolution. 

In an ideal world I would like an apology for this behavior, but I won’t hold my breath, I’m just here to state my case and clear my name. 

This is my fanfiction. It’s 163243 words long as of it’s last update. I started writing it on the last day of January 2017, and since then it has inspired me boundlessly. I get a lot of joy out of writing it, which is clear to see when you look at how quickly I’ve been churning out these words in this small space of time. Three months have gone by and I’m on 18 chapters and it’s been wonderful to write, I’ve had some lovely reviews from folks, and these have been the first negative reviews I have seen for it. 

I asked people who have read both of the works, my own and TNP, what the similarities were that led the author to believe I had plagarised. 

What I heard as feedback was:

Similarities

Both Billford pairing fanfics

Both involving human Bill

To do with building the portal

Differences: 

Storyline

Plot

Character design. My human Bill is black. He’s black, with gold eyes, yellow hair, and gold binding tattoos sewn into his skin. I’ve been told their Bill is italian??? Not sure where the similarities are there. 

Dynamic between Bill and Ford (TNP apparently has Bill and Ford sharing the nicknames darling and kitten. Rest assured, through the entirety of my 160,000 word fanfic not once do my Bill or Ford ever call each other anything even remotely resembling ‘darling’ or ‘kitten’ they are more likely to call each other a pain in the ass in my fic) 

World building

Characters (mine contains plenty of Fiddleford, Wendy’s mum, who I have called Willow Oakwood bc a lumberjack falls in love with her, Lazy Susan, Keyhole and Amorphous Shape, the paradox buddies, Pyronica and Kryptos on the front lines, Argos Panoptes, Raha Diniero ect) 

Sexual content (TNP contains rape and sexual harassment, my work is a slow burn of epic proportions, they only kissed for the first time in my last chapter, and Bill is averse to being touched by Stanford at first. My work also is entirely consensual as I can’t write non-con due to personal experiences)

Key events (my story involves events such as hunting down the gobblewonker with a harpoon, nearly being devoured by the island head monster, going on a double date with lazy suzan and wendy’s mum and raising the undead, giving birth to the summerween trickster, stealing treasure from Quentin Trembley’s grave, a heist at the Cryptix Noire Warping Black Market’s, and Fiddleford’s wife Patricia telling baby Tate to stop crying) 

Writing style (My writing is more light hearted, I make lots of jokes because I want to enjoy my own story. I’m told TNP is more serious)

Direction (I do not know where TNP is going, having never read it, but I know my story is going to follow along with canon up to the betrayal, after it, following Ford through the portal, and back out for Weirdmageddon) 

Having completed four years of university studying English literature, I’m very aware of how serious plagiarism is, and how seriously allegations of plagiarism need to be taken. If someone’s poured their effort into creating a work, they deserve to be credited for that work, and if a work was created in reference to something else it’s respectful to cite your references. So here are the works I have referenced in order to create this fic. 

- Hirsch, A, 2016, Journal 3; Gravity Falls, Disney Press, LA. - Gravity Falls, complete series, 2016, DVD, Disney XD, created by Hirsch, A, et al. - Abba’s complete back catalogue. 

I’ve also referenced several Wikipedia pages; the page on black markets, on hyperpyrexia, on Leonardo Da Vinci, on stethoscopes, on Argos Panoptes in Greek Mythology, and the page listing the different planets and races in the entire Star Trek series. I’ve relied on the Gravity Falls wikia to help me maintain accuracy with character names, places, details about the Shack and so on. 

I haven’t referenced, nor have I read The Ninth Paradigm. I would have tentatively liked to from reading the synopsis, but I have decided I won’t be reading it any time soon following the conversation I had with the author of the fanfic, which has soured me somewhat from consuming their content.

I work full time, 38 hour work weeks, and run a second job on the side. Something I don’t have time for is drama. I’m quite frankly surprised I even have the time to dedicate to writing this fanfic of mine, but I do, because I love Gravity Falls, I am excited about the story I’m writing, I get to laugh at my own jokes when I’m writing, I get to entertain myself, and in posting this here, hopefully entertain others.

I’m not writing this to impress anyone with my prose or build this fic into anything more than it is, it’s just a bit of fun set to Abba lyrics, inspired by Dipper in the shower singing Disco Girl aka Dancing Queen.

If I were a younger writer, or if I were less confident in myself, this kind of harassment, both in the comments here on ao3, and the conversation I had with the author of TNP when I looked to resolve the situation, would have been incredibly damaging. If I were a younger writer, being harassed, I would find the fandom uninviting, toxic, incredibly discouraging and unhealthy.

Billford as a pairing has a small enough fandom as is, looking through the tag on tumblr, there are anti-shippers adding to that environment of harassment. Adding to that environment of harassment within the fandom can only be damaging. I believe fandoms should encourage writers and content producers, that fandom should be a community where you support one another, and the base content you all enjoyed that brought you all together.

Gravity Falls fans are smart. They followed a quirky, clever, coded show from start to finish and loved every bit of it. I’m presenting the above information here so that you can all make your own minds up about this issue. I think that’s fair.

That’s all I have to say about this issue.

[wolven0ne-universe]

The Difference Between Canon and Head Canon, Made Easy

A lot of people in a lot of different fandoms, LOVE declaring things canon, but often play fast and loose with the actual definition of the word. To that end, I’ll offer a quick reminder to those of you who read this. Canon: Something that can be definitively confirmed by the source material. In this case, the source material must come from the actual creator of the original content. An example of this is that if you’re talking Undertale, you must be able to cite dialogue or events from the game in order to establish it as canon. There are exceptions to this. For example, if a character is shown to be unreliable, through lies, contradictions, or over hyperbolic statements, it becomes more difficult to establish their words as definitive canon. Head-Canon: Any speculation over events, motivations, or lore that cannot be confirmed by the source material. For example, using Undertale as another example. If somebody states that Flowey’s age is, let’s say 36, that’s head-canon by default. The reason for this is simple, there’s not enough in game to go on. It’s never stated that Flowey has been resetting time for thirty-six years, nor how long each reset lasted, or exactly how many resets there have been. Any attempt at discerning how long this character has been resetting would need to rely on speculation that cannot be confirmed by dialog within the game. It doesn’t matter how good a person thinks their speculation is if it cannot be confirmed unequivocally by information found directly within the game. Similarly, any theory that even partially relies on assumptions that are not supported by the game, are equally not confirmed canon.

Alright, Well Why Is This Important?

This is important for two reasons. The first is because words have a meaning. If you’re using the word, “confirmed canon,” when you’re referring to things that cannot actually be confirmed to be canon, the word loses that meaning.

The more immediately important reason not to confuse these things, however, Is because jerks love trying to impose their interpretation of a property on to others by insisting their views are canon. This sort of behavior can get nasty and actively drive people out of fandoms. As such, it should be discouraged whenever possible.

This is not to say that you can never correct a person when they’ve got some detail of a stories lore wrong. However, you need to be very careful when you do this. On top of that, even when somebody is wrong on the lore, it isn’t right to call them out on it in every situation.

This is particularly true of people making fanworks. Often, fanworks diverge from canon dramatically, and the people making them will often admit that. As such, when a person isn’t trying to stick close to canon it doesn’t serve any purpose to badger them about it.

Final Note

Popularity within the fandom does not give a person license to decide what is and isn’t canon. Even lore experts within a fandom are not the final arbiters of what is canon.

The only people that can decide something is official canon, is the person or persons that created the story that spawned the fandom in the first place. In other words, I cannot decide what is canon, NoChocolate cannot decide what is canon, Camilla cannot, Lynxgriffin cannot, and so on and so forth.

Using Undertale as an example one last time, the only person that can definitely say something is canon is Toby Fox. No matter how popular the fanwork, the creators of that fanwork cannot unilaterally decide something to be official canon.

If they say they can decide that, then they’ve officially grown too big for their britches. To borrow an old-man term.

PS

No, I am not calling anyone out. I am not here to pick a fight. I’m only saying this because having a solid definition of what is canon and what is head-canon is in everyone’s best interest. I absolutely hate seeing fandoms going to war over the interpretation of some character. Similarly, I hate seeing the creators of fan-content attacked for using interpretations someone doesn’t approve of.

If possible, I’d prefer to avoid all of that as much as humanly possible.

[iamanartichoke]

I am literally about to cry here that people are wanting to blame Tom...that...I don't even have the words...I'm sad, angry, and disappointed...it feels like people who are so ready to blame him shouldn't be fans... I don't want to say that so strongly though because I know at some point they must have loved him and Loki too...but if they no longer like what Disney/Marvel, and MAYBE Tom (executive producer doesn't necessarily hold much weight) is doing with the character, then maybe they should simply faze out of the fandom, or that section of the fandom, or stick with the older stuff...or at least don't be hating on others who are happy about it....I don't know how to avoid the hate on my dash and it's making me very sad (understatement)

So - for one thing, I’m really sorry that you’re feeling upset; I know what it’s like to see posts on your dash that get to you and send you down a spiral. I really do get it and sympathize. I recommend filtering tags to the best of your ability and unfollowing/blocking people who are posting things that bring you down.

But I feel like this ask is a double-edged sword, smh. I don’t know how to answer it bc I get what you mean but I think there’s two different issues being addressed here - one being that people shouldn’t be blaming Tom personally for his creative role (which I absolutely agree with) and the second being that people shouldn’t be in this fandom space/call themselves fans of Tom/Loki if they’re not happy about the show (which I absolutely do not agree with). 

First of all, yes - I’ve been consistently saying this over the past couple of days: regardless of how you feel about the series, it’s not okay to cross the line into blaming Tom personally if that blame leaves the fandom space and progresses into harassment of actual people (esp. Tom). I am not saying I’ve seen anyone do that, nor do I think anyone I know/am friends with here would do that. I am just saying that when you start assigning personal blame, it has the potential to get sticky so better to just keep your feelings focused on the material itself (whether that be the writing, directing, or acting choices made).  

HOWEVER. I really don’t think it’s fair to say that if people don’t like the show, or what it may do to the character, or Tom’s contributions to it, that they don’t belong in this fandom space anymore and/or shouldn’t participate, or should just stick to “the old stuff.” It’s really not fair at all; that’s exactly the kind of rhetoric that should be avoided bc it implies that the only way to be a “real” fan or a “true” fan is to feel happy, excited, etc about new content and developments, as opposed to feeling disappointed, negative, or upset bc it seems that the canon is going in a direction that no longer aligns with what drew the person to the character in the first place. 

People need to realize that you can be critical of things and still enjoy them. You can also be critical of things bc you don’t enjoy how it’s progressed, but you still care deeply about the original material. You can connect to a character and feel protective of that character and want to engage with that character and still feel like the current canon of that character isn’t your cup of tea. And, yes, you can disagree with Tom’s interpretations and choices when it comes to how he’s portraying Loki (whether it be in his acting choices or his creative contributions or both). You're allowed to think for yourself.  

I really dislike the implication that being a fan = 100% loving everything about it, and being critical = 100% being a hating anti who shouldn’t even be here.

But I see it all the time. 98% of the “positive” posts regarding the show right now include some kind of shade thrown at the other side - ie, “omg stop whining,” or “how can you hate it without even seeing it? Trailers are misleading!” (interesting how that never works the opposite way, though - how can you love it without even seeing it? I digress.) to “Tom’s in control here, this is his Loki, and if you don’t like it then maybe you don’t actually understand the real Loki and should stick to fanfiction or better yet just leave.” 

^^ Obviously I’m paraphrasing, but my point is that the people who are unhappy are clearly and appropriately tagging their disappointment posts, and are not going around hating on anyone who’s excited, and the same cannot be said for the other side. I can only speak for my own experiences but I have seen ‘negativity’ consistently tagged, and kept to posts where the discussion is among like-minded people, and I have also seen the above vagueposting as well as unprompted posts like “lol guess what’s being complained about today” as well as the so-called positive people hopping onto negative posts in order to tell people to shut up and stop complaining before we’ve even seen the finished product. 

So. My point in all of this is - 1) I discourage people from personally blaming Tom bc fandom and social media have created this weird culture where hate campaigns against celebs are launched all the time, and it’s not okay, but 2) that doesn’t mean that the criticism, disappointment, and/or negativity shouldn’t exist at all, or shouldn’t be discussed, and 3) it is not anyone’s right to say who belongs in fandom and who doesn’t because the last time I checked, fandom was for everybody and if we could all just stop being assholes and play nicely with one another like the good lord intended, none of this would even be an issue. 

[fume-knight-of-shovelry]

On Toxicity, Shipping, Creator Interactions and the Future of the Overwatch Community

This is a follow-up to my previous post.

Under the cut due to length.

I’ve never been one to write long posts on fandoms or fan interactions, but I just need to respond to some of what’s been going on recently. I’m obviously biased in favor of certain things, but have done my best to remain objective here.

My previous post was not directed at any one ship. I tagged it as pharmercy and gency (And I’m not going to slash the names, not because I want to invade anyone’s space, but because this is the kind of thing all shippers should be aware of) because those are the two biggest ships that are related to this conflict, but it applies to everyone.

If someone’s ship is invalidated by canon, that does not mean that they need to or should stop shipping it or otherwise stop making content for it. Certain specific exceptions exist for certain fandoms that I won’t go into here.

The nature of fan creations is that, whether they’re art, writing, shitposts or porn, the vast, vast majority of such things will never have any basis in canon, much less be acknowledged by the creators, even the stuff that’s in-character or otherwise resembles the original work closely. That shouldn’t stop people from having fun with stuff that isn’t canon, or stuff that’s implicitly but not explicitly canon. Even for people that aren’t super intensely into a ship or something can still use areas they’re interested in to further their art/writing/let’s playing/editing/etc.

On the flipside, it also means these people shouldn’t attack the creators for their storytelling decisions and pretend they know better than the creators do. In most cases, this builds up to unhealthy and unrealistic amounts of fan entitlement, which leads to increasingly hostile relationships with the creators. This ends with developers backing away from fan interactions, which leaves everyone worse off and further divides the fandom, and even if they don’t get driven away, you don’t want to discourage them from listening to their fans (which, unsurprisingly, is what happens when they get abuse hurled at them).

Nor does this mean that the people whose ships are validated by canon should be rude to people whose ships aren’t. Don’t gloat, brag, or otherwise be a jerk about your ship “winning”; framing ships as “winning” or “losing is inherently unhealthy and contributes to an unsustainable inter-ship environment, because it creates the illusion that “there can be only one”. While a ship getting canon support is awesome, it’s not necessarily a benchmark that shuts out other ships.

Also, these people shouldn’t turn it into validation of their every desires. The opposite of rage against developer’s design decisions is feeling that, because one ship/desire got made part of the original work, you’re owed everything else you want becoming canon. This is an entirely different kind of entitlement to the one listed above, but still reliant on a the same flawed, “I’m owed something” principles.

Plus, just because something got made/didn’t get made canon does not mean it was in response to fan demand. Depending on how tight-lipped the development team is, it can be impossible to know what was planned before something took off in the fandom and what wasn’t, and even if the decisions were made after a pairing/headcanon got popular does not mean the choice was made to address that. Fans have powerful voices in engaging with creators, but this power is often exaggerated.

I’m writing this for a variety of reasons (and I rarely spend this much time on something fandom-related). Primarily because the current state of multiple fandoms is so inherently unworkable that they can’t survive.

I’m mostly addressing this to Overwatch, because it’s my biggest media investment right now, but this applies to every combative following; Dragon Age in particular comes to mind.

Overwatch’s community can be phenomenal, producing out the funniest, saddest, and cutest content I’ve ever seen, especially around a game whose story is unfortunately sparse, its lore infrequently updated, and its characters ill-established given how initially interesting they all are.

(No, I am not targeting the writing team; they’re doing a good job. I’m addressing the pace of new information, the establishment of characters past their personalities, and the questions that have gone unanswered for a little too long.)

But it’s also so stiflingly toxic, divided, and high-strung that it feels like we can’t go a day without a new controversy erupting and igniting new fractures between parties. We’ve been at an unsustainable boiling point for almost a year. If things don’t change, the community is going to tear itself to pieces.

At this point, Overwatch’s fandom, like too many other fandoms, is proving to be an outright negative experience for me and many others for a wide variety of reasons. I’m still going to be part of it because I adore the game and have found or deepened my bonds to my best friends through it, but I just can’t picture a good future with the current level of conflict.

Something needs to change. Probably many things.

A few places to start:

1. Harassment. Not only is it rude, invasive, and potentially dangerous, it’s going to do the exact opposite of convincing people to agree with you. It’s just not a good idea. Don’t do it. And sometimes, harassment isn’t as obvious as people think it is. Especially towards prominent fan creators, well-meaning communication can be harassment. Be careful.

2. Differing opinions and stakes. This is not political debate. We are not debating basic human rights, healthcare, gun control or one of a billion other issues approaching that level of importance. We all love this game, or at least the story and characters. Try and focus on what we have in common while keeping what makes us unique, rather than attacking others for differences. You’ll find that, more often than not, differing opinions can coexist. Very few viewpoints, especially in something as comparatively trivial as fandom/communities are mutually exclusive with another viewpoint. And if someone disagrees with you, odds are they aren’t dismissing your worth as a human being, intentionally discriminating against you, or otherwise attacking you as a person. If they are...

3. Walking away. Oftentimes, in tandem with the two points above, the best course is to back off. If someone’s consistently or harshly toxic, block them and try not to engage with them. The game and the community are meant to be fun. If they’re getting stressful in any of the hundreds of ways that these things can be, take a break, block the offenders if needed, and come back later. Engage with the content you want, but don’t let it consume you. On that note...

4. Moderation. I won’t make any judgements about people’s time and energy reserves, but I simply can’t afford to engage in the kind of total concentration on fandom that the most toxic community members seem to exhibit. Don’t make aspirations towards deriving the majority of your identity from fandom; it’s a place for fun, but everyone has other things they also need to do.

5. Communication. This ties a bit into point #2 above, but I couldn’t find a way to fit it in. Try your best to reach out to people you’re having trouble with; you don’t need to make friends with everyone you disagree with (and oftentimes, this will not be a healthy friendship; I have experience in this regard), but polite and punctual contact goes a very long way towards keeping situations from escalating, feelings from getting hurt, and drama from erupting. And even if you don’t make friends, keeping emotional wounds from festering will help in the long run.

6. Tagging. This is more specific to tumblr and twitter, but do your best to not cross over into other people’s lanes. Not much more to say in this regard.

There’s probably more I can say, or more I can add, but I’m out of energy to put more in this list at the moment.

I don’t expect this to turn the fandom around. But if it helps anyone, or at least provides something to consider, I’ll consider my time and energy well-spent. And I know there are things I need to do myself to help with this.

I will tag it with a few ships, again, not to be rude or to spread hate (I certainly hope that’s not the impression anyone gets with this, and any kind of hate or harassment is not my intention), but to maximize its visibility, since I think messages like this need to be spread as far across the community as possible.