snowflake challenge #2

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Challenge #2:
In your own space, talk about your fannish origin story.

I started reading fanfic on and off starting at 12/13 after I discovered a Sailor Moon fansite on accident. I started actually participating in fandom when in early 2007. I was watching Smallville (that's what the SV in my username stands for) and while I had other ships, I really fell hard for this rare pair, Clark Kent/Oliver Queen, after Justin Hartley had a minor role in the show for the first half of season 6. Only a few people were writing it (there was maybe less than 10 fics?) and I was so desperate for content that one day, I figured "maybe I'll write some". So I created a Livejournal, wrote my fic, and the rest is history. I liked other fandoms/ships but I was mostly mono fandom back then.

I was there for a few years, took a year break, and then was back for another couple of years. I drifted away from LJ/fandom/writing fic about a year about Smallville ended, having lost my motivation. I was into Tumblr RP for a while and mostly got away from fandom after that. I was reading fic now and then in the years that followed, but it took the pandemic to get me back into it. I was working from home and I suddenly felt the urge to start writing fic again. So I did and got onto Dreamwidth when it felt more comfortable than LJ and began to participate in fandom and later on exchanges. I've stuck around ever since. :)

Comments

[gingicat]

I love how so many of us fell into fandom just by browsing around looking for information.

I can see Clark Kent/Oliver Queen working in many offshoots of DC Comics fandom.

I'm glad you came back and have stuck around.

Thank you for participating!

[svgurl]

Right? I love all the accidental ways we discover it and each other. :D

I am not familiar with the comics and wasn't really with Green Arrow before Smallville, but their dynamic there worked for me. They actually wanted and couldn't get Batman so they went with Oliver and well, he caught my eye.

Thanks! I am happy to still be here.

Thank you for helping run it!

[gingicat]

Poor Oliver, everywhere he's just a second best to Batman. *g*

I didn't watch the original run of Smallville, but clearly I'm going to have to go look at it at some point.

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It's a tough life lol

The show has ten seasons and definitely has its ups and downs, but it was fun! And still probably has my favorite version of Lois & Clark's relationship (that being said, I never watched the Teri Hatcher/Dean Cain series). I'd love to hear what you think if you ever give it as shot. :D

[tjs_whatnot]

I love that fandom is a thing that is always there for you in any way that you're able to participate in it. I look back at the crazy amount of time I devoted to it in the beginning of my journey and I can't imagine being able to do it like that now, but oh how I sometimes wish I could. But, even the small pockets of time I've allowed myself have been delightful and a lifeline. ♥

[svgurl]

For sure. People have varying levels of time and involvement and it's all okay. I am the same way as you - I used to do so many things that I no longer have the time or energy for, and while I'm nostalgic for it, I'm still happy to be here in whatever way I can. The most important thing is to enjoy it to the best of our capabilities and I'm glad you're here/still having fun too. :D

[scintilla10]

Aww, not knowing much about Smallville, I don't think I realized your OTP was such a rarepair! You were dedicated - love that that's what drew you into participating. :D

My fannish energy has faded at times too. It's nice to be able to come back into fandom at different times in your life. <3

[svgurl]

Oh yeah, Smallville fandom was dominated by Clark/Lex (understandably the juggernaut, as they were two of the main characters since day 1, had the history and chemistry) and then the three major het ships for Clark, with some other pairings that got some attention. Oliver was only around for 6 episodes or so in s6 and even then people who shipped him tended to do so with another woman so it was rare, but they had my heart! I felt awkward at first but yeah, I was all in pretty quickly lol

I feel like that happens to a lot of people - that we have ups and downs. But I agree - it is nice to be able to come back and participate any way we can. <3

[vendettadays]

I love how universal fandom is when it comes to falling hard for a fandom/pairing, searching for as much as we can find, then when that's exhausted, we turn to "maybe I'll write some" :D It was lovely to read your origin story - thank you for sharing it!

[svgurl]

Wanting more does seem to be a common experience in people finding/participating in fandom, which is pretty cool. :D Thanks for checking it out! <3

[bradygirl_12]

Glad you stuck around! 😍

Fandom allows you to come and go. It's always there, just waiting for you to return. ☺️

[svgurl]

I'm glad you're still here too! ♥

It's true! It may look different than you left it, but definitely seems to be constant in some form. :D

[impala_chick]

Glad you're back in fandom! It's so cool how Smallville introduced so many people - me included - to online fandom.

[svgurl]

Thank you! I'm glad you're around as well. And for sure - it definitely seems to be a lot of people's early fandoms (along with the obvious others, like Supernatural/Harry Potter/Star Trek, etc). It was a really large fandom and I came late, but it was still big at the time, which is pretty cool. :D

[tinkaton]

Major props for you writing a rarepair first thing, I'm sure the other shippers were very happy you joined the fandom.

Glad you're back in the fandom zone now!

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People were very kind and welcoming and in retrospect, I appreciated it more now than I even did back then! And it never took off as more than a rare pair, but it was nice that other people did end up writing it too. :D

Thanks! I'm glad to be here still!