Fandom Meme Update

[aearwen2]

I've changed my mind: I do have a deep, dark, fandom secret. It occurred to me today, as I was finishing up my emails and workshop and LJ and FB readings so that I could (1) be free to do errands when JJ gets home; and (2) make a farewell supper for L&L, who depart for Oregon tomorrow; and finally (3) hopefully do some productive writing on at least one of my on-going WIPs. But it is more or less secret, because I've never copped to it before; and I wonder how many others are in the same boat.



My deep, dark fandom secret: The bulk of the LotR fan fiction that I follow is being written by people in one or the other of the online writer's workshops I belong to - The Lizard Council or In The Hall of Fire - or in here, on LJ. Between those first two places, I get to watch authors I have admired ever since finding this fandom post their non-final drafts for comment and constructive criticism; and in that way, I often have seen the entirety of a work long before the regular fan even knows the author has something new in the pipeline. Half of the time, the only folks I read on the archives are the ones I've watched in the workshops, beta'ed myself, or see post in here and want to leave a FFN review too.

There are a few - VERY few (I can count them on one hand) - fics or authors that I follow elsewhere. I browse the New Arrivals lists on FFN, OSA, HASA, SoA, and LOTRFF; and as a rule, find not much worth looking at from a first glance at blurbs. There's a heckuva lot of girl-falls-into-M-e lately, most of which is dreck. I'm honestly hoping that The Hobbit: The Movie/s will bring new life to the Tolkien fandom - even if most of those authors tend to write hobbit tales - because the bulk of the stuff being produced nowadays sux major sileage.

Of course, there are always those gems that one has to watch out carefully for – stories that show that the talent is still there. Unearthing those jewels from the layers upon layers of dreck and same-old-same-old is the only thing that keeps me checking those Just In lists.

But otherwise, with very few notable exceptions, the only consistently good fics are found here, on my friend's list, or in the two workshops.

I can't quite decide if that's sad, bad, or just a sign that I've finally become picky enough that I demand quality of the stories I am willing to spend my time reading. Either way, I'm a tough sell now.

And that's my secret.

Comments

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this says anything about you being picky. You only have so much hours in a day and well, you should read what you like. Imho of course!

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

When I first started reading fanfiction, it was as though I thought I had discovered an entire library full of unpublished manuscripts in my favorite story line. I would read virtually anything about X, Y or Z character. Becoming more selective is inevitable I fear. I do rely upon friends' fic recs more now, each with their own slightly different circle of favorite writers, to turn me on to new or previously unread works. Now my latest dilemna is meeting new writers and catching up on their past work (there is still a lot of your work I would like to read and have not yet). Reading vs. writing is a constant struggle for me. I don't read as much as I would like, or with as much attention. I sometimes rush through stories, because there are several I have not read and want to read or have promised to read . . . It never ends. Having too much to read is certainly better than having nothing to read, I suppose.

I am wondering about The Hobbit as well. Depends on how the films are handled what kind of fanfiction they might inspire.

Dark Secret

[(Anonymous)]

While I don't mind the occassional girl falls into ME story (I do have a few that I liked, not favorites, but liked on FF which I don't even go to anymore because of viruses), I too am very selective in what I read.

Your works, and NiRi, and DOT, and Wind Rider(she's on Lotrfanfiction and aka AideilWing(sp?)on FF) are my favs by far!! I am sure that I am forgetting the names of others, in fact, I know I am! I would have to refer to my little "black" book (it's really blue) to tell you the others, but am much afraid that it would fill up far too much space here!

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being "picky" or "particular"...I think many are this way, and don't admit it...it tells me that you are selective and just won't settle for anything less (like me!) and THAT, if anything makes me enjoy your works more...not sure how to explain that, other than maybe because we are on the same wavelength imho, that I know I am going to get the quality that I can't even begin to write and truly do appreciate it when I see it...


Hugs,
Vanime

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I'm very picky what I read too and tend nowadays to stick to favourite writers unless I hear on the grapevine that X Y or Z is good!