It's been quiet lately. Too quiet. And I don't mean in the "something awful's bound to happen" kind of way, I mean in the "where the heck is everybody?" kind of way. We're more than halfway through the month and I haven't set a Daily Deviation since Halloween. No one has sent me any suggestions! And while DDs aren't the be-all end-all, this is indicative of a more deep-rooted problem.
Look, I'm one of you, so I understand the ins and outs of this community. We're not as unified as, say, the general Lit community, for twofold reasons.
First off, we're not even a community so much as a modular collective. We're categorized by our fandoms--general Lit is accessible to all, but nine times out of ten, a fan fic speaks a language that only other fans can understand. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some of my favorite fanfictions are the ones that go hardcore geek.
Secondly, our pastime is not one that gets a lot of respect. Fan fiction has a bad reputation, and even I can't help feeling silly sometimes when I tell people that I write fan fiction. I'm not ashamed of it, but there is a stigma attached to it. And so we've all learned to sequester ourselves off and insulate ourselves amongst our own personal bubbles of friends. It goes against our conditioned nature to seek attention amongst the wider deviantART community. And when we do get it, we expose ourselves to scorn--almost every DD I've given has gotten the token "fanfiction sucks" message in the comments.
Changes are needed, but that's what I am here for. That's what I signed up to this position to help overcome. The general Lit community is constantly working to overcome the bigotry they face, and they've made great accomplishments in getting their own voice on this site. And they've earned it. Now it's our turn.
If we ever want to get out own voice, and the respect we're due, we need to earn it. I can't do that all on my own. At the end of the day, a CV's job is to encourage and coordinate the community, not carry it on his shoulders. I can help you, but you have to help me help you. If you find good fanfics, note them to me. If you have an idea for an event, note me. When I post activities, participate! (I posted a writing challenge in the lit forum and got only one fanfic out of it.)
I realize that my time as a fan fic CV is limited, and we can't build Rome in a day. But at the very least, I want to set a foundation for my successor. Fan Fiction is awesome, guys. Let's show people why, and have some fun while we're at it. Tell me what you want to see. Activities? Events? As writers, you should all know--communication is the key.
So! Let's have a fun little team-building exercise. Here's a fun little questionnaire you can fill out. feel free to give and much or as little information as you want. And come back and read the responses of your fellow authors! Who knows, you may find a new favorite writer amongst them.
- What's your name (actual or nickname, or just what you like to be called)?
- What is your quest?
- What is your favorite color?
- Where do you live?
- What's our age (general or specific)?
- What is your favorite book/movie/franchise to write about?
- What is your favorite genre to write in?
- Who is your favorite fanfic author?
- Who is your favorite "professional" author?
- How long have you been writing?
- What do you consider your biggest writing strength?
- What do you consider your biggest weakness?
- Name some of your other hobbies!
- What would you like to ask your fellow fanfiction writers? (Feel free to reply to their own questions!)
