Challenge #4:
In your own space, make a list of things that you wish existed in fandom or elsewhere, and/or that you'd like someone to create or do for you. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. A machine that will write my fics for me! :D Oh, wait, this is not the impossible wish list? Okay, for real then:
Book recs: I really want to get back into reading but I don't know where to start. I really like mysteries (not thrillers though) and the Jane Austen-type books (I also loved North & South).
Comic book recs! I would like to start getting into DC Comics this year but I'm a little confused on where to start or if there are online resources on where to access them. Clark, Lois, and Clark/Lois are my favorites.
More fics, fic recs, fanart/icons, fanvids, and/or fanvid recs for my favorite ships, especially the rarepairs (listed below):
Smallville: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lois/Oliver, Lois/Tess, Lois/Lana, Lana/Tess
Gilmore Girls: Lane/Dave
Ted Lasso: Sam/Jamie (though I would love Ted Lasso icons in general! Where do people get those?)
MCU: Sam/T'Challa, Sam/Erik Killmonger, Nebula/Rhodey
Better ways to interact with fandom people, especially to squee about ships and fic ideas together. Yes, I'm nostalgic for the peak LJ days. I do miss having a regular beta too. I like Tumblr, but it doesn't work that way, and I am not quite sure where the majority of people hang out on DW. Also, I have no idea how to use Discord. My fellow co-mods over at Rare Femslash Exchange probably know that by now.
Better tagging system on AO3. I wish people would learn that you don't have to tag every ship/character, especially the "past" relationships or ones that you're bashing. I wish we could get a primary and secondary ship filter. That would be cool but I'm not a coder so I have no idea how that would work.
More of a live and let live attitude. The block feature (something else I wished existed on AO3) exists. I wish people didn't feel the need to justify their ships. I hope people are writing what they like, even if it isn't the most popular thing. It is sad to see burn out over lack of interest.
In note to the above, more feedback! I know no one is "owed" comments, but if you like something, leave a quick note. The author will be grateful. And I do kinda wish comments were mandatory in exchanges, but that is a path I don't want to go down right now.![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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primary and secondary ship filter
I never used to think about this until someone mentioned it. Now I label my secondary pairings in the tags as 'background x/x' and say 'appearances' or 'cameo' by the characters who aren't front and center.
I hear you on 'live and let live' and more comments.
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Yes, same. I read about the idea on tumblr and I was really all for it. I think it is more helpful if you ship a rare pairing or a character that doesn't get a lot of attention. I think they call it the Bruce Banner Syndrome? I have learned to just tag 'implied relationships/background relationships' and go into details in the author's notes, but your way is good too.
It would create a lot less drama for sure!
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I'll also rec Will Thomas' Barker & LLewelyn series. It's very much "I've filed the numbers off Sherlock Holmes", and it's been a long time since I've read/reread them, so those are my caveats, but I remember enjoying them muchly.
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I like SH so I don't think I would mind. At the very least, I'm willing to give it a shot. Thanks so much for the rec!
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I completely agree about the "live and let live attitude"... not everything is for me, as a fan, but I'm not going to throw a tantrum because my fannish needs aren't being met by someone else's work, sigh... I also hope people are writing what they like to see in the world. <3
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Yup, I feel the same, or at least I've grown into feeling the same. I definitely think people should write what is missing- I get the wish of wanting someone else to write it but there is nothing wrong with writing for yourself and what you want to see. It's not like being a jerk to someone who isn't doing what you want is going to make them come around to what you like any more.
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If you like North & South have you also read Wives & Daughters? It's another by Elizabeth Gaskell and I personally like it a lot.
One day, as and when I ever get around to writing more Lane/Dave fic, I'll let you know. I have written them as a background pairing in a couple of my Rory/Jess fics, and in a couple of their own short one-shots, but I've never written anything lengthy about just them. I probably should.
Ugh, I miss the good old days on LJ too. I was big into Leverage when lots of other people over there were too and it was a crazy-fun time. I like DW and Twitter and AO3 and all, but it's not the same. I want a big family type situation of all people who love the same fandom(s), but alas, it doesn't happen. Tried Tumblr, couldn't get into it. Have no idea what Discord is about. (I suddenly feel old! lol)
AO3 tagging is a minefield. I tag every possible thing because I feel like I should, but I know some people believe in minimal tagging. Live and let live, I guess, but it means no-one is ever really happy because there's no proper system. As you say, it would be cool if you could have a main pairing listed, separate to any secondary pairings. I mean, why has no-one thought of this before?!
I know I shouldn't, but I do get PO-ed when people don't comment on exchange gifts. I mean, sometimes, I remind myself that these are human people with lives. Maybe they're sick, maybe there's been some tragedy in their life, maybe they just forgot to come back and comment because that happens too, but yeah, I admit to seething about it a little bit here and there. I think it's okay to be a little put out about it - we're human too, after all :)
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I have read Wives & Daughters! It was too bad she passed away before she gave it a proper ending. I was waiting for them to get together and I was so disappointed when I didn't get that.
Yes, please do! I have seen Lane/Dave, mostly as a side ship to Rory/Jess, and as much as I enjoy that, I would love to read fic that is just devoted to them and their relationship. I'm sure you would do a great job if you were ever so inclined. No pressure of course. :D
LJ was fun! I loved having to keep up with my flist and there be so much activity. Like you said, the other platforms are just not the same, especially since communities aren't as active here as they were on LJ, which was the best place to interact with other fans. Don't worry, I don't understand Discord either. For the longest time, I was under the belief it was like reddit but turns out it is more of a chat type social media, where there are different groups you can join or form your own. I use it on a limited basis so apologies for the poor explanation.
There will always be people who complain on how you tag, but I'm just thinking more of the ships/characters. I just feel like unless the ship or character plays a big role, it doesn't really feel all the necessary. I know not everyone shares that view and some people will be upset that you forgot to add 'mention of x or x/y ' but it also just clogs up the tags, especially if you like a less popular character or ship. And I'm sure people have thought of the primary/secondary ships (it wasn't my idea originally) but I don't know how easy it would be to implement. Maybe one day!
I think it's okay to get upset. Like you said, we are human. I know there are people who get busy or have genuine anxiety over it, but there are others who just are serial noncommenters who just don't seem to care and those are people I do judge.
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(I would rec you Coldfire but that's F/SF and might not be your jam.)
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Interaction with other fans is difficult these days. It seems like being publicly danish is giving the Algorithm the opportunity to spread your sake to the very people that want to harsh on it. DW had a community base, but even I don't have all that many communities to hang out in. I usually use things like snowflake and other things like it to go out and say hello to other places, and maybe we find people who want to make connections that way. Then again, snowflake is also how I usually talk a lot about fandom, and my regular journaling has almost none of that content.
I definitely would like to see the previous norms about not reading what you're not going to like (and that blocking is a mandatory function for any place that has social features) come back into prominence. And, AO3's tagging system is a really good example for me to point at, when I have my professional hat on, about the benefits and drawbacks of folksonomic systems. A primary and secondary system would be useful. The coding part of it would probably be doable fairly easily, it's the database migration that could be trickier, since that would be new data for seven million plus works to work with.
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You really sum up the situation really well. Other platforms just don't seem to have the same vibe. I definitely see that DW has some communities but the ones I've found don't seem to have the same level of engagement. Of course my main fandoms are closed and not as active but even the newer ones don't really seem to have any sort of community base and fans don't really seem to be inclined to start, probably preferring Twitter or Tumblr or even Discord/Reddit. This is my first time doing Snowflake and I do like the opportunity to go into other people's journals and have discussions, but also like you, this is the only time my journal will be filled with these type of posts. It's not my usual content either.
Seconded! People have discussed the negativity aspects of shipping as activism in better ways than I could but it is something that needs to go away. I like the tagging system because it is much more likely that you will be warned of things you don't want to read than you would've in the days of fic being posted to forums/FFN.
it's the database migration that could be trickier, since that would be new data for seven million plus works to work with.
Oh yeah, that's a good point. I am not sure how many people who go back and properly tag their stories either.
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A good tagging system will help, certainly, but it requires a lot of work to do the linkages behind it and syn tags to each other and to the taxonomy so that it's not an entire mess and people can actually use it to look for what they want (or don't).
Going back and tagging is one of those things that people are concerned about when it comes to saying new Archive warnings or other major structures, because then you have to make sensible default decisions and other kinds of things like that. That's not a reason not to do it, but it is important that it be part of the decision making.
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That's true, especially since AO3 has so many fics. And yes, the search function and the side bars and all would have to be altered to reflect the change. It is not something that can be done overnight and there probably would be changes I prefer be made before this one anyway.
Yup, and also a lot of people have orphaned fics and/or left fandom/AO3 behind. I remember going back to FFN after years of being out of fandom and realizing that they put in a 'pairing' option and I edited my fics to reflect that but it had been well over 5 years at that point.
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I just went through my Tumblr likes because I swore I liked a post about Lois Lane comic list and… tada! Perhaps this will help? It's not a rec list, but maybe the Tumblr might have a tag for recs. I wish I could give you a run I've read, but I haven't dived into any for Lois yet. The advice I always get when I ask about comics is to just dive in and go for it anywhere.
I think you can also read them for free at readcomiconline. Some of them are available for free!
Discord is a hit and miss. I personally use it for 1:1 with friends since it's very much like chat, but I find it overwhelming when it's on a server with a lot of people. If you like to IM the people you like to talk to 1:1, I'd recommend it! If you like being in group chats, I'd also recommend it. But you're not missing out on anything if you choose not to have it imo.
And since you so kindly offered to beta for me any time I needed it, I thought I would repay the favour! c:
+1000 to your last point.
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Oh, that is such a useful rec list! While I follow that tumblr account, I guess I hadn't come across that particular post. Thank you so much! I will make sure to bookmark it. And I appreciate the website you suggested too. Will for sure check it out.
For the longest time, I thought Discord was like reddit. So out of the loop lol I do like chats, so that is useful and how I communicate with my co-mods. It would be nice to keep in touch with more people that way, at least from time to time. Thanks for the explanation!
I appreciate the offer! Thanks! Definitely will consider hitting you up in the future. :D
Who knew commenting would be such a point of controversy? I wouldn't have expected it but maybe I should've.
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Who knew commenting would be such a point of controversy?
Maybe I come from a jaded part of fandom, but I think a lot of it comes from a lot of entitlement. I kind of have this perspective that people think they are owed comments, thus they deserve them, and if they don't get comments, then why should they comment on someone else's work? (I've seen a creator complain about not getting comments despite getting a healthy dose of 5-8 per chapter, yet they don't comment on the fics they read.)
I suspect it's also controversial because a lot of people complain about not getting comments, then that makes readers (and viewers? I don't know what we call it for fan artists) feel self-conscious because creators complain they don't get comments yet they get a few comments from the type of reader who says "This was great!" but their complaints disregard those loyal readers who do comment—just not to the creator's standards. (I guess it's entitlement and a lack of gratitude.)
I think it's a whole kettle of fish. It's interesting to look at from the outside, but frustrating as fork to be in the very centre of it.
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I get what you mean by the entitlement. Some people really do come off as Dudley, with his last year he had 37 presents, don't they? And it is a shame that people seem to believe that if they don't get comments, they shouldn't comment on anyone else's works or don't bother commenting even if they do. Lot of hypocrisy in fandom (and outside fandom too, to be fair).
That's the problem with saying anything too- you don't want to seem ungrateful for those who do comment but some people genuinely don't get much interaction and unless you write for yourself (I do but that comes with having started writing solely because barely anyone was writing Clark/Ollie and my brain went 'why not me'), you will end up feeling disheartened. With the insistence only a certain type of comment be good enough for some people though, it certainly isn't encouraging for newbies to take that next step to leave one.
Well said.