A Short Survey for Fanfic Readers and Writers, Esp Within the FFXII Fandom

[mariagoner]

Here are just a few survey questions about reading and writing fanfic (especially within the FFXII fandom) that I’d like to toss out at my f-list and any kind people who might have wandered by. I'm merely asking these questions out of curiosity so you needn't worry about ending up in, say, a thesis paper anytime soon. ;) And please feel free to

Comments

[mithrigil]

9. Do you have a favorite writer within the FFXII? Who is it?

I do not. I think we're a solid community and there are many authors whose work I trust. And even the authors whose style I like the most have things that I don't like about their writing. So I have no favorite author, but am fishing in a small pond of very large sturgeon.

...Actually, I might. mullenkamp and moonsheen. But they are very very small, for large sturgeons. ::smiles:: This is probably because they do the whole "I am the Ivalice your Ivalice you shall have no other Ivalices before me" thing. But when I read FFXII fic, what I really WANT is the FFXII-FFT-VS progression and the complete world.

10. Do you have a least favorite? Have you ever expressed than opinion to anyone?

The thing is, I avoid the communities that produce the fic I would dislike. I've discerned which authors I don't want to read, and so I don't read them. Summaries are very useful for this.

11. Do you feel as though there is a definite and popular “in group” within the fandom, consisting of the fandom's BNFs? If so, do you feel included within their circle or outside of it?

No. I think there are hubs--you're one of them, Maria--around which people with similar likes congregate. People in this fandom like multiple topics and genres.

12. Are there any ships or kinks that are popular within the fandom that you hate? Have you ever expressed this opinion? If so, why not?

I do not read anything that pairs Ashe with Vaan--I see this as an inherent flaw in the author's characterization--and shy away from Basch/Penelo for the same reason. Ashe/Balthier I will only read if it is recommended to me, or by an author I already trust. Same with Vayne/Drace, Basch/Balthier. And even then, those relationships tend not to ring. And I will not read Ronsencest, no matter who writes it.

As for kinks, I have yet to find one I don't like as long as it makes sense for the characters. I'm more apt to be squicked by bad use of a kink than by a kink itself.

13. Are there any ships or kinks that you wish were more popular? Have you tried to make that the case?

I wish people were more into gen and analysis and violence and academic pretension. I've tried to fill some of these gaps and I've found people who get it and like it, but I still think people aren't reading fanfic with my kind of writing in mind. So I'll just keep writing it and hope that people stumble on it.

14. Have you ever witnessed a personal conflict within the FFXII fandom? If so, what was it?

...nope?

15. Are you comfortable with the size of the fandom? Do you ever wish it was larger/more popular or smaller/less popular?

I think the fandom is at a comfortable size right now. We have good authors and regular reviewers. I wish more FFT and VS people would start sneaking into things. I would rather fandom enrichment rather than fandom expansion right now.

16. What do you think of the move to IJ that many people within the FFXII fandom have undertaken? Are you comfortable with the move or do you find it troublesome?

I've been mostly fine with the schism. I post to both places and read things at both places.

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