I think I have big news tomorrow

[cornerofmadness]

And it's not that I need to back track and redo that synopsis since it was more a blurb and I'm not happy with it (even though I sent the novel. I said let me redo that thing. It's embarrassing).

In the meantime no chocolate for me and my friends. I cannot find where they are selling the chocolate walk tickets. I tried a few places listed as sales points. That was news to them. So damn disorganized every time.

My hand is acting up. The nerve damage is bothering me, pins and needles and numbness to the elbow. Sigh.

Challenge #15

In your own space, opine on the future of fandom. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

I've read some other well thought out responses to this. They said it better than I could. Let me give my thoughts.

I've been actively part of fandom for forty years this year (my god). I started writing Star Trek/Star Wars in the late 70s. I joined my first holt in 1983, so Elfquest was my first attempt at fandom communities. Back then we had paper zines with our names and actual addresses in them (imagine that. We fear doxxing now back then we just gave that info to anyone).

I followed it from the paper days to fan forums, yahoo groups and 1001 individual websites. I had one myself with two friends of mine. From there I followed it to LJ/DW (and a few others like insane journal and dead journal for a time). I was all over FFN and now AO3.

I didn't follow onto tumblr because I didn't like how it worked to be honest (I heard Pillowfort works much the same). I wasn't really cut out for microblogging so my participation coned down to just posting my fic and doing my own thing but that isn't quite the same.

Yes I'm on Twitter with some fandom and probably onto Spill if that gets up and running. (Mastodon maybe but the way it treated the authors I know left a bad taste in my mouth) Discord too (or was, will be again I suppose)

So I guess what I'm saying fandom has always been fluid. It always will be. I will follow it more or less depending on my moods and the style of interaction. I will say I definitely preferred the DW/LJ style the best so far because it allows for a lot of interaction which is often good, occasionally not. I did like hiding out in ship specific sites (less drama that way) but what I enjoyed a lot and hope to keep seeing regardless of where fandoms go is the exchanges. Sometimes it's angsty but usually it's fun.

So that's my two cents.




Music Monday. This one is one I like (I go hot and cold on Citizen Soldier's stuff. they're ALL about mental health but some are more positive than others) This fit Malcolm Bright of Prodigal Son so much. I mentioned it on twitter and another fan made this. this is what I love about fandom.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[yelp]

Forty years, that's so impressive!! I enjoyed your recounting of how fandom has developed. The detail about the paper zines with everyone's name and address was especially "!!" for me, haha. And I agree, I hope that exchanges can continue, because they've been a lot of fun!

[cornerofmadness]

I know. I'm an old timer at this.

I am like 15-16 years old and sending my address out in public zines (luckily it was a p.o. box but still most weren't). You wouldn't do that at all these days which yeah a good thing really. And that was how it was until the early 00s

[vriddy]

That is so cool!! Love the perspective. I look forward to looking back at 40 years of fandom involvement, someday... :D

[cornerofmadness]

Thanks. Here's to forty years for you (and another couple decades for me too)

[under_the_silk_tree]

I like your point about fandom being fluid. I totally miss when LJ/DW was the place to be because there were comms where you could just hang out with like-minded fans and enjoy the discussions and fanworks. It will be interesting to see where it goes next.

[cornerofmadness]

Thanks. I do miss the heyday of LJ/DW because I like talking to other fans and that does seem to be a missing element in many other sites

[falkner]

When I was in elementary school, I had my full name and address published multiple times on a magazine dedicated to Japanese entertainment that run a dedicated "look for penpals!" section every issue... It sounds crazy to even think about it now. (But I did find multiple friends I exchanged letters with for years thanks to it; a box full of those letters is one of the few things I brought with me at every house move, even now to another country. There's just so many memories of a very different time!)

[cornerofmadness]

Wow that's even earlier than I started that. I did it in junior high. I got a lot of from Japan and England myself. Definitely many memories of a different time (and actually I have a few of those friends still today)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I've been actively part of fandom for forty years this year (my god).<<

I'm glad you are still around and sharing your experiences and contributing to fandom.

Re: Thoughts

[cornerofmadness]

thank you