Snowflake challenge: 5, 6

[antuhsa]

Challenge 5: Interact with someone new

I've interacted with a few people in my fandom who were new to me, and joined a new Discord server. However, I feel like this challenge is a work in progress throughout the whole Snowflake challenge, so while I did the challenge, I'm not done with it yet.

Challenge 6: Make a list of things you wish existed in your fandom

It took me a while to think of something, because I'm actually quite happy with what's already there. The HP fandom is so big, and my favourite ship (Harry/Snape) is one of the most popular pairings in it, so I don't feel as if I truly miss anything. I can still think of a few things I'd like to see more of, however.

- More fannish arts and crafts, and I'd especially like to see more comics. I've only come across a few fancomics over the years, but I loved all of them, so definitely wouldn't mind seeing more!
- More rec lists! It seems as if long, detailed rec lists are a thing of the past, but I found them very helpful and used them extensively when I was new to my ship. I still use the old rec lists, but they only have older fics in them. Those older fics are still great, honestly, but I'd love to see rec lists with more recent fics too. 
- More fics that show why Snape/Harry absolutely wouldn't work, ever. It is a bit of a ridiculous ship after all, one that would never happen in canon, and I love it when writers acknowledge that. I've read a few fics in which Snape and Harry tried to make a relationship work, but had to break up because they discovered they weren't that compatible after all, or because Snape's feelings for Lilly got in the way, and I've devoured every single one of them. I can understand why it's a niche, because neither people who ship Snarry nor people who don't would be excited to write fics like that, but I still wish there were more. 

Comments

[paulamcg]

Yes, I’ve enjoyed interaction on DW this past month when – first thanks to st_aurafina’s friending meme, then thanks to Snowflake – I’ve got to add new people, to see varying contents on my Reading feed, and even to talk more to those with whom I feel I share something essential in common. Still, I feel it’s a pity that our fanworks are primarily not right here on our journals or on DW communities in the way they used to be on our LJ accounts and on LJ communities. Our fanworks are obviously the core of our participation in fandom, and I’d like to see more discussion on them. Now it’s another step to go to AO3, and any potential discussion there doesn’t come to the attention of our DW friends.

Now I’ve been intending to take the step and comment on your gorgeous bookbinding fanwork.

I really hope you can soon get started with writing that fic. I can’t help thinking that you have it all figured out quite fully enough. Some details are bound to change in any case during the writing process. But, of course, you know best what is the right approach for you.

I haven’t got a Tumblr account either. (It wouldn’t be necessary for submitting a fic to that fest.) Oh yes, Reddit… Thank you for reminding me. But I’m not sure that seeing Wolfstar fans would make me more inspired to write my stories (story).

My first fic didn’t actually start as a short story but as a first installment of Chapter One for a novel-length story , because (back then I’d read only one short Chapter One for a Harry’s-sixth-year fic, and) that’s what I thought fanfic was supposed to be – like JKR’s novels. I just boldly published it, and for a long time I didn’t know more than my Remus knew at any point what was going to happen next, but it all miraculously worked out.

And I’ve thought I’m some kind of a perfectionist, too – a different one from you, obviously! I’ve never written outlines (except once a very rough list of issues I needed to wrap up in the final chapters of the novel) or character charts. I just write slowly (although now less slowly than fifteen years ago) and polish my text painstakingly, but hardly ever make big changes after completing a scene.

Oh, I’d never write anything like those dislikes you mention. And my fic is all rather sad, angsty and/ or bittersweet. Perhaps you’d like to have a look at the chronologically first piece (so far, and with the exception of some memories included in the novel) of the story, a 2800-word Sirius-pov fic, written last February. A Stranded Wizard If Ever There Was One is about Sirius running away from home, and there’s implied reference to childhood sexual abuse. Or you could choose anything else on my AO3.

[antuhsa]

Sorry for my later response, I've been very busy recently and will be for a while :/. Either way, I'm very impressed by the amount of fics you've written! And all of them in English too! English isn't my native language either, so I know how hard it can be to write in it, which makes me extra impressed when another non-native speaker is able to use it so well.

Yay, I'm happy to hear we have a similar taste! Thanks so much for the rec. I'm looking forwards to reading your fic when I have a bit more time again! I've added it to my 'marked for later' list on AO3, so it will be right there when RL becomes a little less demanding. Take care!

[paulamcg]

Hello again! I postponed my further comment since I knew you’d continue to be busy. Meanwhile I’ve submitted my Golden Age fic and two fics for Remus Lupin Fest. And surprised myself by writing two small Snupin pieces (which you can find in my recent DW posts. But I'd love to see you on my AO3, too, someday!)

But now I’ve just thought about our conversation here, because while talking to delphi I suddenly started developing an idea of a DW community for bringing some of our fanwork and discussion on it right here to share.

(I’m linking to but also copying my suggestion.) https://paulamcg.dreamwidth.org/11230.html?thread=83678#cmt83678
I’m starting to get wild ideas. I don’t crave for a big community. Perhaps if there are ten or just five people who still write (also) HP fic and would like reciprocal reading and commenting, they could form a Minerva’s… no… All Owls’ Fic Club. A DW community where a member could post a (not too long, perhaps shorter than 6000-word, or 3000-word?) HP fic once a month, and there would be one or two fics every week for everyone to review and discuss in comments. The reviews could be copied and posted on AO3, too, if that’s where the writer preferred to collect all feedback. That would be closer to the interaction on my first fandom home, a small forum, where we read any genres and about any characters, than those LJ communities which were dedicated to particular characters or pairings. … Of course, some people could post and comment more seldom, and they could also post older work, anything that they’d still like to have feedback on, and if it’s a small, closed community, why not also snippets of longer WiPs so as to get concrit or ideas. Perhaps I’ll make a post about this soon.

Thank you for this, too: extra impressed when another non-native speaker is able to use it so well. Starting my Remus’s story in autumn 2003 made me into a fiction writer – in English, and since then I’ve actually not found it hard to use this language. I’ve felt that it’s perhaps an advantage that I’m aware of choosing my words with care and love, and of developing my individual fiction voice. And I’ve met several non-native speakers who stand out as excellent writers.