Ten years in [internet] fandom
Ten years ago today I created my first fanfiction.net account and posted my first on-line fanfiction.*
I've been looking forward to writing a reminisce since last year, but now that I'm here I've decided that what I want to say is "thank you" to a few people:
- first to M. (aka Akai and Musouka). I don't even remember which board brought us in contact (pojo? Shadow Realm? Kyokou Geemu?), but your mentorship guided me in my early noob days as an anime and manga fan and introduced me to many things I still enjoy ... and if that wasn't enough, many (if not most) of my early stories came into being as the result of long IM chants with you. ~ I don't know if you'll ever see this post, but if you do, know that you're very much missed (and still very much appreciated).
- to Rroselavy, who not only has remained a story sounding-board long after our fandoms diverged, but who has been throughout a good friend and an all-around inspiring and awesome human being.
These have been others, too: Sofia, who let me see that there were others who approached writing "these silly stories" with the same seriousness of craft, and who for a while made me happy to be a Saint Seiya fan; the denizens of KG and the FFN Contest forum, who really extended the sense of a welcoming community; JackofNone, who was the catalyst for finally igniting a long-simmering fandom into actual works; Rua, who gave me both the structure and the encouragement to expand my repertoire; excellent betas such as Crazy Toffee, Dark Rabbit, ACE329, and samsarapine; excellent comrades-in-squee such as Icey and wandavon, and finally loyal reviewers such as scorpioyue ( who has sent me comments on almost every story I've ever written).
Not that all has been sunshine and kittens and peppermint ice cream: there's certainly been chunks of burnout and disappointment and less-than-civil behavior, but after some thought I've realized that ultimately none of the negative stuff deserves any brain-space or words. Not only have I had a blast writing close to 200 pieces (in over a quarter of -a-million words), I've I met some truly extraordinary people along the way, and no amount of fandom snarky wank (or is it wanky snark?) can take that -- or my enjoyment of the source material -- away.
And for that, all the CAPSLOCK in the world could not adequately express my fangirly joy.
.
.
.
ETA Snarky Postscript: I will admit, there are a number of people I've wanted to flip the bird or out as enema nozzles over the years, but I asked myself, Why waste energy on such people? ... and the answer was, Why indeed. ~ So for any of those people who continue to stalk my journal - no, I didn't forgive, I didn't forget, but I choose to pass. You're not worth it.
------------------------
* I was fannish in college too, but that was in the pre-internet fandom '70s: printed fanzines and conventions and driving hours to hang out in person, oh my.
This entry was originally posted at http://silverr.dreamwidth.org/43087.html.
I've been looking forward to writing a reminisce since last year, but now that I'm here I've decided that what I want to say is "thank you" to a few people:
- first to M. (aka Akai and Musouka). I don't even remember which board brought us in contact (pojo? Shadow Realm? Kyokou Geemu?), but your mentorship guided me in my early noob days as an anime and manga fan and introduced me to many things I still enjoy ... and if that wasn't enough, many (if not most) of my early stories came into being as the result of long IM chants with you. ~ I don't know if you'll ever see this post, but if you do, know that you're very much missed (and still very much appreciated).
- to Rroselavy, who not only has remained a story sounding-board long after our fandoms diverged, but who has been throughout a good friend and an all-around inspiring and awesome human being.
These have been others, too: Sofia, who let me see that there were others who approached writing "these silly stories" with the same seriousness of craft, and who for a while made me happy to be a Saint Seiya fan; the denizens of KG and the FFN Contest forum, who really extended the sense of a welcoming community; JackofNone, who was the catalyst for finally igniting a long-simmering fandom into actual works; Rua, who gave me both the structure and the encouragement to expand my repertoire; excellent betas such as Crazy Toffee, Dark Rabbit, ACE329, and samsarapine; excellent comrades-in-squee such as Icey and wandavon, and finally loyal reviewers such as scorpioyue ( who has sent me comments on almost every story I've ever written).
Not that all has been sunshine and kittens and peppermint ice cream: there's certainly been chunks of burnout and disappointment and less-than-civil behavior, but after some thought I've realized that ultimately none of the negative stuff deserves any brain-space or words. Not only have I had a blast writing close to 200 pieces (in over a quarter of -a-million words), I've I met some truly extraordinary people along the way, and no amount of fandom snarky wank (or is it wanky snark?) can take that -- or my enjoyment of the source material -- away.
And for that, all the CAPSLOCK in the world could not adequately express my fangirly joy.
.
.
.
ETA Snarky Postscript: I will admit, there are a number of people I've wanted to flip the bird or out as enema nozzles over the years, but I asked myself, Why waste energy on such people? ... and the answer was, Why indeed. ~ So for any of those people who continue to stalk my journal - no, I didn't forgive, I didn't forget, but I choose to pass. You're not worth it.
------------------------
* I was fannish in college too, but that was in the pre-internet fandom '70s: printed fanzines and conventions and driving hours to hang out in person, oh my.
This entry was originally posted at http://silverr.dreamwidth.org/43087.html.