Just a Goddamn Hobby

[inamac]

I haven’t been posting much here (and linking to LJ) because I’ve been using my other DW account to blog yarn-wrangling stuff and haven’t wanted to keep switching accounts (and passwords). But I have been watching the latest manifestation of mundane invasion into fanfic space with interest.

The main link is waldorph tumblr

Comments

[shiv5468]

Jesus that's just rude and patronising and downright unethical.

[lil_shepherd]

As the student 'project leaders' who were running the course (apparently this is a thing at Berkley) were effectively told on AO3 and, because two of the most popular blogs on Tumblr effectively posted their internet identities and the identity of their supervisor (now taken down, though not with any apology), they all now know exactly what it is like to receive unsolicited criticism!

What made it worse was that the stories picked out were explicit, contained a number of kinks, and one, at least, could be regarded as underage.

[shiv5468]

I saw the guidelines for reviews.....

Rolls eyes.

I get fed up of academia thinking it can come and point and sneer at the odd people writing fanfiction. Only fandom is allowed to do that, and some drive by review doesn't make you part of fandom.

I wonder if you could put a note on the bottom of your fics denying permission for their use

[inamac]

I suppose you could. But the important thing is that anyone intending to use your fic should *ask* (it is, after all, your copyright).

Both Lil and I refused permission to Henry Jenkins when he asked for permission to use certain fics in his 'Textual Poachers' study. And that was pre-internet.

[shiv5468]

Yeah but fair use applies doesn't it?

I have been used in a couple of studies including direct quotes on some issues because they were done by I fandom people I knew but this is a very poor show.

I

[blamebrampton]

Brilliant post.

[inamac]

Thanks. My other analogy was a football one: you don't rush up to kids kicking a ball around in the park and criticise their technique. Nor do you assume that they all aspire to play for a First Division Club - some may want to do something useful to society - like being doctors or scientists.

[vaysh]

Thank you for the clear words in your post.

[inamac]

I get so annoyed at the mundane assumption that we do this as 'practice writing' and are all anxious to be 'properly published'. I had hoped that I'd be able to retire this icon (which relates to an earlier clusterfuck) but it keeps being needed.

[vaysh]

I gave a talk last year on fanfiction, and the organiser suggested for the title: "Readers who secretly want to be super-authors". *headdesk*
Needless to say, this is not the title we used.

[fredbassett]

Bloody hell, that's pretty disgusting. Their supervisors should know better, but clearly didn't. I hope their eyes have been opened now!

[inamac]

Oh they have! It's worth looking up the 'Delilah' fic on Waldorph's AO3 account - zie has graciously left it up and open so that the whole thing is available as a forum for discussion on the subject. Which is, in fact, very civilised - yay for fandom!

[fredbassett]

Bloody hell, what a trainwreck of stupidity on behalf of the so-called academics. The author and her supporters were most gracious!