Fandom Love

[misanagi]

I don't have much experience in different fandoms. When I started to write fanfiction it was Rurouni Kenshin and then I moved to GW. I've read stuff in other fandoms and occasionally drabbled but the only fandoms I've been really in were those two.

When I was in RK things mostly happened in fanfiction.net. Of course there were tons of other archives but the main fans interaction was in ff.net. I got to meet some people there but I thin with the exception of peach_ponta I don't talk to anyone of them anymore.

Then came GW.

I lurked a long time, reading ff.net fics, various archives and rec sites, and pretty much anything I could get my hands of. I remember reading Missing Pieces on ff.net and leaving a review, which darthanne very nicely replied with a mail. The sig of that mail had links to various mailing lists, one in particular that promised to defend Quatre's balls. And that's how I started joining MLs.

So now we get to the main point of these ramblings. The lists allowed me to meet lots and lots of people and interact with them. I sent feedback and people were always so nice when they replied. The authors I had admired secretly for so long and that intimidated me like hell were completely friendly.

I remember posting my first fic. It was the first chapter of Share my Thoughts (first version), filled with mistakes and with a little note that asked if anyone was willing to beta for me. It took me months in RK to find a beta and in GW, within minutes, I had two offers.

It's been a couple of years since then and I've witnessed pairing wars, character bashings, trolls, many discussions and seen how a little thing can become a fandom wide feud. I've been irritated, bithchy and sad. I've mocked fics I think are bad and refused to read the ones I know will make me twitch. I've heard a lot of people complain about the fandom and I'm sure I've done it too.

And still, I love this fandom.

My f-list is composed mainly of wonderful people I've met through the fandom. Some are still there, some have moved out, some came back and visit now and then. Again, I don't know many other fandoms to compare but GW has some of the better authors I've read (and this include published ones). There's a fic for ever taste in GW… hell, more than one! You have everything, which of course means that you have the things you don't like too but you have the ones you love also.

So this post is about fandom love. It's to remember the many things GW fandom has given me: friends, hours on entertainment, a place to share my writing and lots of love. The good things in this fandom, for me, vastly outweigh the negative. *hugs fandom*

So, in honor of that, I'm sharing a happy fandom memory with you:

Long ago, when I was a newby and alleyprowler was starting Never Turn your Back on the Sea, I wrote her some feedback in which I threatened to sing Tomorrow from Little Orphan Annie very of key to her until she posted more (yes, I'm greedy like that). hexadecimal00 apparently liked the idea and offered to join in with her piccolo, and just for the hell of it she volunteered darthanne to play the violin. Thus the Evil Annie band was formed! *evil laugh*

And because I'm curious, is there any happy fandom memory you would like to share? Pretty please?

Comments

[razberrycreme.livejournal.com]

Happy fandom memory? Meeting you? :D ♥

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

*glomps you silly* That's a very happy memory for me too! ♥

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

I think the most obvious happy memory for me is the one that just happened recently. Having so many people I'm friends with observe my 5-year anniversary at Moments of Rapture was incredible. To know that people cared that much touches me still.

I should pick a less obvious one, too. Although it's a sad story (a deathfic, in fact), I've always loved KM's Recorded Reminders. (I still say it's my sentimental favorite GW fic, ever.) KM knew how much I loved that story, so one year for Christmas, she sent me her original, handwritten copy of it. I now have it in with all my other treasured GW items. She totally made my Christmas that year. ^_^

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

This is one of the things I love most about the fandom. people are so thoughtful towards each other. It always makes me smile. Both your memories are wonderful! Thank you for sharing them ^_^

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* This is exactly why I love this fandom, quirks and warts and all. While I've had some moments that make me want to pound my head on the desk over all I've had good experiences and met some wonderful people.

I remember posting letting go which was the first relationship study I ever wrote and expecting to be flamed into oblivion esp since I blamed it on you and Windsor. In my mind it wasn't even close to what it could/should be, but at the time it was the best I knew how to do. The response was overwhelmingly positive and that gave me the courage to branch out into more ambitious projects.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Relationship study *giggles*

I love being blamed for wonderful fics like yours! I love your writing lots and lots so I'm really glad you felt encouraged to write more. It would have been very sad if you hadn't. *hugs you*

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

I think I can probably blame about half of what I've written on you. At least the chapter fics. *points to Aladdin*

*hugs back*

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Is it bad that I'm not sorry at all? *grins*

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

I can honestly say I'm not surprised. :P

[just-ruth.livejournal.com]

I admit I've had my share of snarks and snarls.

One of my best memories? How about three?
1. Going to Seattle ostensibly to go to the World Viola Conference (only to discover we had to have bought tickets in advance) but in reality meeting the amazing quetz (Jack: "I think that's your friend, Ruth - what the hell is that on his head? *It was a Zechs helmet and wig*) and having a whirlwind tour of the city then getting a chance to squish and natter and sit in a whirlpool with ashkitty

2. Going to Hershey PA for their Christmas light display and meeting sentairick, shira and chistinev, eating in the Red Robin and sitting in the lobby of the hotel talking until almost midnight. Marirose was embaressed to stand up for goodbye hugs because Rick's hilarious imitation of Aisha Clanclan (Outlaw Star)had her laughing so hard she wet her pants.

3. darthanne startling me by writing me a wonderful note about "The Shattered Lands" my 26-chapter epic that I was convinced only three people had ever read and was archived only because I asked ashkitty(one of the three that ever read it on GWFF mailing list)if she minded putting it up on the now defunct "Desolation Angels." She kept pace with me through various mailing lists and managed to get my enthusiasm back when it had taken a serious beating.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh three memories! *bounces*

It's so wonderful that you got to meet people in RL and have great memories with them too.

Having someone be positive about your work is always wonderful and darthanne is great for that. *hugs her* And let me use this moment to say again how much I love The Shattered Lands. I'm still in awe if your writing abilities!

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

You want GW fandom memories specifically, yis?

I came to GW a little over two years ago, led here by friends in another fandom who had left GW but thought I'd like it. I don't like to partake of fanworks without some familiarity with the canon text, so I bought a bootleg of the series on eBay and had a marathon viewing when it arrived. As predicted by my friends, I fell in love with Trowa/Quatre pretty much from the first moment they laid eyes on each other. My friends were 1x2x1, 13x5, and 13x6 fans - so no help there on the recs. Thus I began thrashing about the internet looking for "3x4 fic" and "trowa quatre fic". I wasn't sure how active the fandom was, since the series had been out and over for awhile, but I did find one comm on lj that appeared to be active: gw500. I posted my first fic with the expectation that no one would read it or comment; I was just happy to have a place to put it.

IIRC, two people did comment: twilightsrain and windsorblue. So, as dorky as that may sound, that's my first happy fandom memory. *lil muskrit grin* I kept posting to gw500, and slowly started to get to know names, friending people and being friended in return. I was shy and cautious, and for awhile couldn't quite bring myself to talk to anyone.

I went to Y-Con that year roomming by myself, not knowing anyone who would be there. That is, I knew the names of some people who were going because everyone was talking about it in LJ, but I didn't actually know anyone. The first morning, I was in the dealers room looking through boxes of doujinshi. At this one table, there were several boxes of GW. I finished the one I was looking through and patiently waited for the woman at the next one to finish, so we could trade places. As we maneuvered around each other, she looked down at my name tag, and then up at my face - "Jenn? The Jenn Abides?" I know I looked completely blank when I affirmed my identity, because honestly, I didn't think anyone would know who I was. "It's me!" the woman grinned, pulling her name tag where I could read it, "Windsor!" She was kind enough to sort of take me in, and I wound up meeting all sorts of wonderful people I never would have met otherwise. Mostly I remember meeting suzume_sparrow, paikan, and ponderosa121, but there were and are others. ♥ That number grew last year, and I hope it will grow even more this year. I have even promised to try not to run away from the GW meet & greet like I did last year. ;p

Yay fandom, indeed!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Your memories make me smile so much! I'm really happy your friends directed you to GW! *clings to you* Your meeting with Windsor in RL is just too cool! I'm trying not to be too jealous of all you guys going to Y-con. Meeting all of you in person would be wonderful. I'm sure you'll meet lots of people this year and have a ton of fun! ♥

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

I so wish you could come, too. Not that meeting people in person is necessarily better; there's just a different quality to it. But you will be with us in spirit, for whatever it's worth! ♥

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* Thank you! Maybe another time, who knows?

[windsorblue.livejournal.com]

♥!! I was so happy to stumble into you that day and I still am! *snoogles*

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

*snoogles madly with tail thumping!*

[phoenikoi.livejournal.com]

I don't have a specific memory to share, but GW fandom is definitely a special place for me. I'd left some time ago, then came quietly back with Reaching for Tomorrow out of a vague sort of nostalgia. I definitely didn't expect my fic to be so well-received, which encouraged me to write more, faster. People were still kind even when I wasn't writing. It felt safe; I could come and go without worry. And yet, because I found so many lovely people upon returning, I don't think I'll really leave again although I may draw back a little at times.

I tend to lose momentum on long fics, but I'm pretty determined to finish Reaching for Tomorrow for all those people who read it, and for you. However long it takes! :)

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

I'm really happy that you aren't gone. You can always drift, of course, and we'll be here when you decide to come back ^_^

And thank you so much for finishing Reaching for Tomorrow! You don't know how much I love that fic! (or maybe you do) *hugs you lots*

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

*smiles*

I think it's becoming friends with people who wrotes fics that I liked. There are so many who have an lj, and sometimes I come across names of people, whose fics I haven't read in a while, but that I still remember (this happened yesterday, with a 1x4x1 author... it seems so long ago that I had read their fics). Especially as so many people migrated to lj.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Meeting new friends is always wonderful, and I have GW to thank for most of my online friends. LJ isgreat way to get to know people better so I love finding people here too ^_^

[okaasan59.livejournal.com]

*shares the love*

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

♥!

[wickedgameff.livejournal.com]

i have lots of happy memories.

1) i started out fanfic writing in the Labyrinth fandom. it was within this fandom that i got my first ever archive request. someone at a website called "Love Without The Sunlight" wanted to archive my story "The Truth of a Lie". (btw - i still think that story is almost better than anything GW i've ever written. a lot of me was poured into that story). i still remember when i got the email requesting to archive it. one of the proudest moments of my life.

2) original erotica was where i got my writing start overall. i love writing sex. but a very happy memory was my first review where someone stated that they got so hot reading my story that they actually had to leave work for the day because my writing made them too horny to work. best thing about this? it was a woman who said it.

3) the first award nomination i ever got for a GW story was for "The Reason I Won't Be Coming" earlier this year. I cried when I got the email saying my fic had been nominated.

4) I won 3rd place in a contest for a short original fiction earlier this year. It was the first award I had ever won for an original fic.

5) When I got on LJ I felt so damned dumb because i didn't know how to make icons or how to get ahold of them. i asked very nicely if someone could help me and you sent me 3 icons to help me on my way. i was so....flattered that i actually took the computer over to my hubby and said, "look! isn't she nice? her name's misanagi and she's a wonderful writer and icon maker and she took the time to make me three icons!"

only three more, i promise!

6) LW was the first person to ask me for archiving permission for my GW stories. Up until then you could only read them on the mass archive sites. I was so proud to see my name there that I stared at it for like, 10 minutes. She's the only person that's ever asked me for permission to archive my GW stories besides Sharon wanting them for her Gift Fiction section.

7) When I got my very first fan art that I didn't ask for. I was so flattered I could have burst. i think there's only two i have ever been surprised with (or didn't request myself).

8) When I sent in my long MOR entry. I checked and re-checked and then I emailed it to Sharon. When i hit the send button i gasped and said, "oh my god. i did it. i entered a MOR contest." i had read every fic on the site at that point and i was beyond proud of myself.

ummm.......too much? sorry if it is. i am just incredibly happy in this fandom.

[mellonemrys.livejournal.com]

This is fun! <3

Well I think it's safe to say that GW is my first, favourite and longest lasting fandom. I also had many firsts in this fandom...like reading my first lemon in 7th grade and being very mad it wasn't marked as such! (But hey, 3x4 love is long lasting, right?) I wrote my first, very very bad fic for GW. It was crack and a script fic, but hell, it was still amusing. It also was from that fic that I started an inside joke with my firends about how Trowa LOVES Endless Waltz...(Which we succeded in memorizing it and tormenting everyone at an anime night at a local library when they played it X3)

I think it was also the first fandom in which I ever bought and merc for too, a lone pencil board...which then merged to the first two soundtracks, two more pencil boards, palying cards, one of the art books, taped copies of the movie and cd copies of the Japanese series.

My first shonen-ai pairing (yes 3x4) and my first real spurt in fanfiction wirting also was due to the GW fandom. I even did a book report on the manga...this is oh sad I am ^_^;; Oh and I drew my first and only mecha pic of Wing Zero's head! XD I will never ever get rid of that, since it took me hours to do and it's conviniantly on foam-core!

Anyhow, GW is what I call my fall-back fandom. I can always come back to it and find new and interesting stuff. And it keeps getting better and better all along the way!

GW Fan Since: 2001

[dentelle-noir.livejournal.com]

I'm probably a little late posting to all this, but I HAVE too!
I lurked for a VERY long time, it seems like such a short time ago that I even started to comment on things and a VERY short time since I actually POSTED my first GW Fic.

My happiest fandom memories have got to be that first time when that one favourite author reviews your story! Dear GOD I think i had a cornea (This was Prysm for me: Broken Warriors) and After that, I think I just got much more confident in my writing and began to post.

Next happiest was when another author sent me an E-mail to thank me, and I quote "SOO MUCH for Reviewing my story! I LOVE Wilderness, and I just can't believe you liked _______! Thank you so much!" That was a creepy moment, since it was only like a MONTH since I had done the exact same thing to one of MY favourite authors.... And the World turns... I got another one of those e-mails just a few days ago actually.... (looks around paranoid, waiting to wake up)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_x_rae_x_/]

I got into Gundam Wing when I returned to the U.S. from an overseas tour with my parents *my dad was in the Army.* I was at a new school with people I had never met before, and to attest to the niceness of the fandom 2 girls told me about the show.
I had seen anime before, namely Pokemon and Dragon Ball, but wasn't all the interested. I remember learning what a lemon first was, and how my friends said they were going to hell for showing my yaoi. 1x2x1 has always been my favorite pairing.
When I moved from that place, yet another GW fan gave me my first model, Deathscythe Hell, my favorite Gundam. Since then, I have bought an assembled 6 more models.
I remember the first long fanfic I read. It was called No Need for Kids, and I instantly fell in love and never looked back. 10 chapters, with a 10 chapter sequel...Now if only I could find it again.
I've been into other anime since then, but not into the fics. And as of today, Gundam Wing is really the only one I'll pay any attention to; I'm too busy to do anything else, and if I have to choose one anime, this is it.

<3

Fan since 2002.

[heeroisnottoast.livejournal.com]

In the summer of 2001 a girl I used to be friends with, along with Dentelle Noir, introduced me to GW...and yaoi. I remember looking at this 1x2 picture by Kitsune and going "omg, those are boys? They both look like girls!!" But it wasn't long after that that I was shown the whole GW series and movie, and introduced to the fanfiction (and fell in love with Heero and Duo).

I had started writing fanfic before...a long time ago, in 1996 when I was 11 (Backstreet Boys fanfic, I say it proud yet with a blushing smirk on my face). So, I had been writing for a long time. I adopted the pen name Nobara and wrote for GW, Dragonball Z and eventually Harry Potter. But before I wrote I lurked forever, reading and reading and reading and reading and writing VERY little. I eventually found LW and Smells Like Teen Spirit, and that story renewed my writing vigor. I decided to finally become active in the fandom, and began writing more.

I'm always so late on jumping on the bandwagon that I thought for sure (when I finally joined LJ) that the fandom was dead. It's so alive it's amazing. But when I joined LJ all the user names I wanted were taken so (not even thinking because in hindsight it wasn't that smart) I took the name heeroisnottoast because Dentelle Noir and I LOVE Yamato's site. I started working on Yin and Yang but decided that Nobara had too much baggage, so I changed my pen name to Cobalt 27 and started posting Yin and Yang...

And LW (my fandom idol and goddess) asked to archive my story on her site. When I got the comment for that, I fangirled for an hour. That's my most memorable moment. All the reviews I've ever received have always made me feel like I've accomplished something, but when she asked to archive my fic I thought that it was time to put an end to my 5 year lurking and really start being active in the fandom. So, even though I'm not really new, I'm still new...and I know I'll have so many more wonderful memories.

[crystal-cave.livejournal.com]

any happy fandom memory

Let me think about that...realising that there are people out there who actually have the same weird sense of humour like me? *giggle*

Seriously: I'm simply amazed at the variety of ideas and stories in the GW-fandom. It's never dull and there's something for every taste - so I don't have a specific happy memory, but more of a happy (and ongoing) experience.

:)