#this is not even getting into some of the SMALLER fandoms

[madamemiz]

sad: falling out of a hyperfixation

tragic: watching your beloved friends and mutuals fall out of the hyperfixation while you're still in it

[spacecasehobbit]

After seeing yet another popular tumblr post with thousands of reblogs bemoaning the state of comments on fanfics these days - more specifically, the supposed lack of commenting these days, as opposed to The Good Old Days - I have decided that this is in fact a hill I am willing to die on. I'm making a separate post about it rather than reblogging the latest iteration, though. This is hardly the first time I've seen these types of discussions, and my issue is with the mindset in general, not any of the specific people who hold it.

In the most recent version, the entire post with all its various arguments and assertions was plenty frustrating across the board, but it included one line in particular that cut beautifully to the heart of my issue with this type of discussion. The line in question:

"fanfic authors now are treated like content mills, and not like valued members of a creative community who thrive on interaction."

Once I read this bit, I had to stop, take a few deep breaths, and then go make my own post before I imploded over the sheer level of NOPE this line inspired. And okay. The thing is... I want to say this as gently and kindly as I possibly can, but I need to be real blunt for a minute, too.

That line I quoted sounds like a wannabe social media influencer.

It sounds like a person who thinks fandom is - or should be - comprised of fanfiction writers, aka Valued Content Creators, and their respective communities of readers, aka Content Consumers, a strictly distinct group from fic writers, for whom they create fanfiction content and who in turn pay them back with attention and validation in the form of comments and praise.

It does not sound like a fanfiction author who enjoys the creative hobby of writing stories based on characters and worlds from existing stories, engaging in their hobby within a community of other likeminded creators of fan content.

Frankly, fandom has always been worst when it starts obsessing over Big Name Fans who wind up treated like elite fandom social influencers, instead of hobbyists engaging in a fun hobby together based on mutual interests. A shift towards the idea that every fanfic writer should be effectively a social media influencer whose community consists of fans reading the content they oh-so-lovingly create (but only if they get enough positive attention from passive consumers, presumably readers who don't write their own fic or expect comments back from the author in return) sounds like an absolutely awful direction for fandom to take.

I don't want fanfiction and fandom spaces to turn into another social media space full of Our Valued Content Creators, all fighting to build the largest "community" of passive consumers turned devoted followers.

Again, that sounds frankly fucking awful.

The people who only read fanfiction are not your fanfiction community, because they are not engaging in the shared community hobby of writing fanfiction. Your fanfiction community is, perhaps, the other people who are also writing their own fanfiction based on someone else's original work.

So perhaps if comments really are declining on fics these days, instead of asking why passive readers aren't heaping praise on every fic they read and making sure it all happens where the Valued Creator can hear it, you should ask yourself how many other fanfics you've commented on recently, and then go comment on another one if you're still feeling down about your own work.

Or, I dunno, find a fic author you admire and send them a message on tumblr, if you've already commented on all of their fics that you read and enjoyed.

Or start your own discord for likeminded fans, or find a way to set up your own fandom forums centered on your personal fandom interests and invite other fic authors to come join.

Or, like, anything that involves reaching out to the actual community of hobbyists you can reasonably consider to be a community you are actually a part of.

Aka, other fanfiction writers.

[potahun]

it’s when one of my art pieces gets reblogged by one or a few blogs with a big following, and then suddenly hits 500+ notes or more (from exponential reblogging) that i remember the tumblr userbase is actually quite big, like…

im so used to ppl not reblogging things anymore so that the notes on art are often just the 50ish ppl who find it in the fandom tag and click “like”, that i forget that actually, yeah the fandom is actually way bigger than i can see

and of course, it reaching a larger circle means i get to see comments in tags from users that i dont generally see and it’s usually fun and lovely (enrichment for enclosure etc) not even delving into the benefits of wider exposure for professional artists since im not one but that goes without saying. even as a hobbyist artist, it’s just enriching to see the occasional feedback from a tumblr user youve never seen

and thats why, friends, reblogging remains useful and nice for creators even if u dont add tags urself

[sukugo]

everytime sukugo gets called a crack ship i suffer +10 damage

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

I read Hussie's author notes and they were so disappointing. He dismisses Eridan and gamzee as one-dimensional nastyboys, he claims Rose and Dave's true arc was to refuse their quests and they just needed to stop feeling guilty about it, and he says karkat's final frog didn't even matter and he was just worrying over nothing. There's so much potential clearly written in and he just throws it all away bc lol. Your analysis is so much more nuanced has so much more thought put into it both with regards to who these characters are as people and the role they serve in the plot. I'd take your ideas over what hussie thinks is canon any day of the week.

this is super funny to me because i absolutely take what hussie says into account like all the time HAHAHA

Like genuinely I go back to their formspring/tumblr/forum/book notes all the time to see how on-track i am with my analyses. If you like whatever bullshit i'm talking about, then you like hussie's writing!

[lilbirdblu]

I think my biggest gripe with twitter is that the best thing about it is also simultaneously the worst thing about it:

the ease of access to information and how quickly it can spread

On one hand, it's great for spreading news/bringing awareness to issues, allowing creatives to be discovered, befriending people from anywhere in the world, innocuous memes and photos going viral, etc. Things can quickly take off within the blink of an eye which is awesome... when the information is accurate and/or it's not causing any undue harm to anyone

But that's the thing: misinformation can and is often easily spread just as quickly, which is dangerous

And, Im not sure if I'll be able to explain this as eloquently as Id like, but a more personal view/gripe I have is that, because of how quickly anything can spread, people have become so accustomed to a constant feed that updates at a high rate, that if something takes time or is a slow process, then they begin to demand updates, constant communication and get unruly [at best] if their wants are not met. People have learned that if they're "loud" enough, they will get what they want. Can being loud be beneficial? Absolutely. But I think it can also be harmful.

If that want is not met, it often leads to more aggressive thoughts/ideas/etc being spread at that same rapid speed which creates a very hostile environment to be in. This isn't to say that communities--namely fandoms--should never be informed of anything, but rather, that there is a severe lack of patience, empathy, and willingness to understand that I think is concerning.

That's not to mention the black-and-white thinking and lack of nuance but that's a conversation for another day.

[thefanciestborrower]

Man,,,I’m so tired

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

just learned that people are like legitimately pissed that mackenyu buffed up for season 2 ???

[technovillain]

i dont like participating in big fandoms because they make me feel like a hashtag loser. only small fandoms can make me feel like a hashtag winner.

[floralovebot]

:(

[bl00dh0rs3]

more monkey thoughts. Dont look at me im just trying to explain/figure out More reasons why they (moreso LEMH) make me go crazy (again)

OKAY Full disclosure. this was spurred by some posts ive seen floating around and they are Objectively correct and i agree with them, but the wordage they use is what bothers me and makes me think--its about the general and growing frustration and dismay over LEMH's portrayal and like... increased Importance in LMK, at the expense of like, literally all the other characters new and old.

Again, objectively that is INCREDIBLY true and i feel it 200%!!!! Its frustrating because they just yoinked aspects of SWK's relationships with characters like DBK from the original JTTW and Shoved them on LEMH like theyre Tropes that can be shifted around without consequence--it seems fine and interesting when you first watch LMK with no context or background knowledge, but after knowing what his ACTUAL deal was in the book, looking back on LMK makes what they are doing with LEMH feel lazy and Genuinely poorly researched, rather than an intentional divergence from the original story--because as a general rule of thumb, even if the fans dont Like what you changed, you still want the things in your story to be done On Purpose, like you at least Tried to put effort into it! Its about showing the audience that you think they deserve a narrative that was crafted with Care, not just slapped together and thrown out for a quick Hype/Cash grab, yk???

Anyway So THATS the thing, and thats all cool!!! My issue (and i cannot stress this enough this is Me being Silly and Obsessed with the Six Eared Macaque im a chronic blorbo haver there is no Cure) is that those posts Also tend to talk about LEMH as though... he is a boring character. As though he's just kind of "eh". Or at least thats how my Admittedly biased eyes read them--no beef! Its just gotten me to thinking and now i want to try to write out What im thinking and Why, bc thats a helpful thing to do when you're struggling to figure in your head, obvs obvs

And im of course willing to admit that Yes, in the original text, he is just kind of There! He serves his purpose (aiding in SWK's character development) and then he dies and he doesn't come back again! Hes kind of a metaphor but hes also just an annoying guy! Hes not presented as anything special! I get that that is what is Canon, and thats theres no way to really like... read anything deep into it. Bc theres literally nothing there.

But my problem is that i cannot let characters like that just Be. Especially if the premise of said character could be absolutely FASCINATING if you take it all Completely seriously and At face value--if you try to see whatever is going on for them through their eyes, their minds. Its like.... You can buy a shirt from the store as is, and some might be fine Wearing it as is--while other's might see that shirt and decide it needs a bit of hemming and perhaps some embroidery on the sleeves. Altering it does not change the fact that the original design is what it is--thats just One altered shirt that one person is wearing and perhaps lending to a friend or two, yk???

I love metaphors l. Sorry that dragged on, back to monkey--

To me? LEMH exists in a nebulous state of inevitable connection with SWK--because i like to take the "LEMH is SWK's ~dark side~" thing seriously. In my eyes, they are literally the same person, the same qi, split into two bodies.

There are stories that exist today that explore this idea, characters with this kind of relationship--and i find them incredibly compelling! Because i adore stories that play with the question of what makes a person a person. What seperates you from your maker/origins? What is your purpose in life when you are intrinsically connected to another person, at your very core? Does that mean you exist For them? Do they exist for you? How does thinking that way affect a person, mentally and emotionally? How does it affect these characters, specifically, in conjunction with their personalities and the lives theyd led up until the point they knew about this connection? Have they always known about this connection? Only one of them?

How much more drastic would it affect you if you were essentially a nobody--and the person you are connected to is a public figure? Like Sun Wukong?

Id go crazy. Id go fucking insane? Can you imagine. Its about the potential!!!!! The potential of what knowing something like that would do to someone!!! Im losing the words im apologize i need to calm down--im Not done yet.

What i am getting at here.... is that LEMH would likely work Best as a character who's metaphorical aspects are taken Very Literally--especially so if the story also decides to lean into the idea of his hearing reaching through to the past and future, in any way. He is a character that would thrive on being portrayed in a way that allows him to be a bit Meta, if that makes sense

Yes, you Could just let him be a silly monkey who decided to start shit with SWK for giggles one day--that can absolutely have its merits! But that does not satisfy me, and that is why i am so passionate about him. I want to take my little guy so so fucking seriously because i think it would be SO fucking cool. And a very useful and convenient way to explore ideas about relationships with The Self--since in my eyes, that is what his relationship would be with SWK.

AND ALL THIS STUFF ABSOLUTELY HAS ANOTHER SIDE TO IT, HOW IT ALL COULD AFFECT SWK ON HIS SIDE??? LIKE HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT i dont know if i want this post to be That long so i might stop here and come back later to talk abt it from SWKs side in a rb or something--

anyway point is. I thank LMK for introducing me to the Six Eared Macaque, but upon further analysis the way they did him is actually pretty garbo, and im biding my time for till someone introduces me to or Makes a version of him that takes him to his full potential. thats all thanks for coming to my TED talk, get out of my house please

[embracedthevoid]

👑

[didsomeonesayventus]

@littlemissdash​ no but like for real it does feel overwhelming and honestly the more merch you add the more it detracts from like. the main point of the project? and also potentially adds more “failure points” that would cause delays? Merch artists do wonderful work for sure but I feel like side merch to projects has gotten so out of hand

[winged-mammal]

I mean, sure, but why bother posting anything online if that's the case? we're fooling ourselves if we say we put the thing we ostensibly wrote 'for ourselves' online purely to be nice so someone else can maybe enjoy it and go on with their day without so much as a wave hello. it's not a matter of feeling entitled, it's just that we're humans! everyone knows that feels bad!

also, reading the notes on this post is a fucking wild ride because it continues to drive home the stark difference between my niche little femslash fandoms and the absolutely mind boggling breadth of m/m. I thought I read a lot, but y'all are really out here reading hundreds of fics a month?? how?????

but mostly the reason I'm bothering to reblog comment at all is because of this comment I saw in the notes:

like....... is there anyone else involved in this process who also have lives and limited free time? 🤔🤔🤔 whose part in the process perhaps takes up even more of that limited free time than reading does? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 christ.

ao3 needs a “notify me when this is finished” button. different from subscribing. i don’t have the patience for single chapter updates but what i DO have is object impermanence. i want to forget this fic exists and weeks later get hit with an email notification and ignore everything around me to immediately read 50k in one sitting

[fidenciocryptidcreechur]

Wow haha

Life really is so much better when you block stuff you don't like and don't need to worry about

Coming across fandom interpretations and au's that give me the ick and with a simple press of a button i don't have to see it

No worries

It's great

You're allowed your opinion, it can be as wrong and terrible or just off cuff as you want, I'm just gonna block it because I don't like it

I don't even gotta say shit to them either and they won't ever really know

I go back to having fun and forget about it

YAHOO

[orcelito]

Ok I'm to the point of listening to iwatex's OST on spotify. I think this is terminal