Link dump

[clevermanka]

How Not To Care What Other People Think Of You.

What The Fuck Is Going On In Ukraine Right Now. A friend of mine who lives there posted this amazing video on his FB.

He has a lot to say about protesters working with the (fascist, neo-Nazi) Ultas, but I'm waiting on an OK from him to share things from his FB post since he's already vulnerable as an American living in Kiev.

I'm not saying Steven Moffat isn't a talented writer. I'm just saying he's a massive douchebag.

Have a truthbomb about how society views/values girls and women.

Comments

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

I was reading this article yesterday and thinking about how the people creating TV seem to want it both ways: the devotion (and buying power) of the fans while maintaining the ability to tell them to STFU. No, I don't think creators should bow to the whims and wishes of fandom but I do think they need to stop sneering at them.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/01/sherlock-fandom/?cid=co17563594

In the comments to the article you get the usual "fanfic is written by teen girls" and as usual it's supposed to be a put down. Um, sure some of the fanfic out there is not that great, and maybe that's the stuff written by teens (I can't tell unless the author reveals her/himself), but as a teen I was writing bad poetry and short stories that were based around my internal fantasies that spun out from the TV and books I was consuming. I think it's a natural way for beginning writers of any age to try things out, and I would think for more established writers it's a way for them kick back and just have some fun. OH NO! NOT THE FUN!

I also like this from a comment at this write up of the preview kerfuffle*:
http://www.london-reviews.co.uk/2013/12/15/sherlock-season-3-preview-bfi-empty-hearse/

. . . fanfic is *transformative* – in other words, we play with the characters and ask “what if?” (from commenter UN Tweed)

* I'm with the commenter who says the actors should have played the diva and refused to read the fanfic when they realized what was up*

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ben and Martin would have been completely in the right to refuse to read it. Caitlin Moran is a douchebag.

I'm going to reply to this more tomorrow when I have a moment because I have a lot to say about this.

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

*waits patiently*

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Okay, so here goes:

I get so angry when people make the fanfic/teen girl disparagement because you know what? Teenage girls are fucking FIERCE (http://fygirlcrush.tumblr.com/post/61909850505) and deserve more respect than they are given in our society. And yes, exactly, it's an entirely natural way to develop writing skills and there's a really good article written by a successful fantasy writer who tried his hand at fanfic and discovered that (surprise) IT IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT from the arduous task of writing "real" fiction (I wish I could find the essay he wrote about it, but I can't remember his name, damn it). And that's all I'm going to say about the comments to that article because seriously, fuck reading the comments to pretty much anything on the internet outside of LJ.

I've come to the conclusion that it's best to keep fandom and source separate. There are the few exceptions (Orlando Jones, I am looking at you), but it just seems to backfire more often than not and the potential gains are not worth the pain and embarrassment of when it goes wrong. I thought Supernatural was the exception to this, but recent happenings between the writers/producers and certain of the actors/fans caused me to revise my opinion and now I think it's just best if the two stay completely separate. Sad and unfortunate? Yes. But that doesn't make it less true.

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

I get so angry when people make the fanfic/teen girl disparagement because you know what?

I was bitching (on FB and maybe LJ) about the use of fangirl* as a negative and limited term for very involved fans. I see it as lazy shorthand for "committed, enthusiastic fans that non-fans/mainstream media think are ridiculous and hoHO! if we make it feminine that naturally means it's negative!". I'm all, hello! There are fan guys, and fanboth, and fan-neither, and who gives a crap if they are super excited and demonstrative as long as they are not hurting themselves or others! I decided to use the term fansquee for super involved fans, or moments of overwhelming fannishness, that squeeing feeling inside.

But yes, I'm with you on teen girls!

I had to look up Orlando Jones. Interesting. If an actor or producer of creative content naturally enjoys being a part of fandom that seems like a great thing (and, for them, probably a smart marketing move as well). I think if it's forced, or becomes too much of an in joke, the creative endeavor will lose it's authenticity.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the explanation bit about Ukraine. The whole situation came as a surprise to me, and I do keep an eye on the news!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

As with anything else (HELLO ARAB SPRING) unless/until this thing reaches critical mass, the news media is going to keep it hush-hush and continue to feed us updates on Justin Bieber.

Because we wouldn't want people to think that revolution is possible.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Yes.
I take it you saw the bit on the interruption of the NSA interview to report on Bieber's arrest? (http://politicalhotwire.com/current-events/99753-msnbc-interrupts-congresswoman-cover-%91breaking%92-bieber-news.html)

Here locally, we just don't get news at all, like how K-10 was shut down both ways due to a massive brush fire last night!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I take it you saw the bit on the interruption of the NSA interview to report on Bieber's arrest?

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

Every time I so much as see Steven Moffat's name, I want to fly to his house and punch him a lot.

I was a lot better about not caring what other people thought of me when I was young. I need to meditate on what my friend Robin said about me, and how I being an outcast feel more like being an outlaw.

Now, I will devote some time to understanding the situation in Ukraine.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

being an outcast feel more like being an outlaw.

I love this.

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

It should say that "I made being an outcast feel more like being an outlaw." I took that as pretty high praise.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

You just made me remember I wrote fanfic when I was in high school. I'd never even heard of such a thing, back then. I just wrote the stories to entertain myself and my friend. In my stories, I teamed up with Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling's The Cuban Assassin to fight crime, and save my friend from fates worse than death. I wish I still had those stories!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

On FB a friend was talking about watching Confessions of a Wallflower and how they go to Rocky Horror. We were waxing nostalgic and I told her I'd recently had the realization that our dressing up for RHPS was cosplay but we didn't have the word for it then.

I love that you shared your stories with your friends. I was too shy about my writing to do that.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! I never wrote anything down, but my friends and I made up stories about us meeting Duran Duran all the time. Totally band fanfic, only oral instead of written.

It was awesome.

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

I just read the I don't care what other people think of me article. (I know I've told you this before) in 3rd grade I was in the lunch line listening to my inner monologue thinking what are all these kids thinking about me? Then it hit me, they aren't they are thinking the same thing! And rarely are any of us thinking about only ourselves. But so often we are worried others are judging us, when really, they are only worried about how they are judged. And life got a whole lot easier for me from there.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yep. And those people who are judging can just go fuck themselves. Life's too short.