More on FB

Jintian had some really positive comments about being a newbie in the Trek fandom and I loved seeing what she had to say - it's been so long for me, that I can barely remember what it was like being new to a fandom (I don't really count "Gladiator" as a 'new' fandom since it was such a brief and fleeting moment). My entry into the ASC-Trek world was not as smooth as it could have been, but it's definitely something I've always had at the back of my mind. Posting my first story, I got an irate note from someone about mislabeling my subject line (forgot the series code). Ah well, live and learn, right? The good thing about this experience is, to quote a friend, I got 'adopted' by a veteran writer who not only reposted my story for my correctly, but also answered the gazillion questions I had. Keep in mind that this was back in 1997 - I had no idea what was going on or what I was even doing writing fanfiction, but it helped to have a 'friendly face' guiding me through the process, teaching me the intricacies of how to post without everything running together (an unfortunate Deja trait) or how to get rid of smart quotes. Not to mention - FB. The writer is no longer active in Trek unfortunately, but I will always remember her as being someone sweet enough to come to the rescue when I was not altogether with it for a variety of reasons (and some people will argue that I'm still not 'with it', but that's another story entirely).

So yes, I am musing about my obligation to newbie writers - do I have one? Is it my job to make sure they stay around? I don't know. Do I know what it's like to be greeted with indifference? Yes. But I'm not sure that that means showering people with praise indiscriminately just to make sure that they stay around. It's definitely one of those gray areas, not sure what to do about it. But I can say, ASC has not been very alive as of late and the influx of new writers only helps, does not hinder. It makes more sense to offer support rather than indifference to those who have talent. We'll see. I don't really have an answer to this question, except for the fact that 'adoption' was probably the main reason I'm still a Trek writer.

And here's a brief response to Victoria which I wrote quite a while ago but never got around to posting:

Victoria says:

This is definitely true. As in the discussion about feedback, I've found that stories I thought were amazing [both my own and by others] don't always get the same amount of feedback as stories I thought were of lesser quality.

I agree whole-heartedly here. I've seen wonderful stories just fall by the wayside and I can't help but look at other stories and the amount of FB they get and wonder at it. But again, it's a matter of taste for the reader. What appeals to me (usually something soft, fluffy and angsty ;-)) doesn't necessarily appeal to someone else. Quality slash may not get much of a reaction from me compared to quality het. At any rate, it's a matter of taste and that's one of the reasons why I think it's so important to write what you want to write. What is popular in Trek, for example, may not appeal to me as a writer and I'm not even referring to quality in this particular case. I'm not an animal person so even though stories about animals are wildly popular, it would feel unnatural to me as a writer to put forth a story that has a dog as its main protogonist. And frankly, my attempt at it would probably be horrible, compared to someone who does indeed like dogs and wants to write about that. But is it obvious to me that stories with animals in it are the way to go in order to get that kind of FB? Maybe, but it wouldn't feel right to me. I'd rather leave that job to someone who knows what she is doing.

Victoria says:

I have to say, I do have a higher satisfaction rate with my work than some writers I've spoken with. Yes, there are some stories I'd like to disown

I can't think of a single story I regret writing. Yes, there are some I really think could use rewriting and that are obviously naiive in certain ways because I didn't know what the heck I was doing getting into this fanfic business, but in general, I'm satisfied. And unlike Victoria, I do have one or two that make me cringe ;-) but I leave them up only because it's a reminder of where I've been, where I've come, and still how far I have to go. And where I go, incidentally, is my own determination. As we've said on zendom before, "If a story is posted and no one FBs, does the story exist?" For the author, yes, for the audience perhaps not. Does it matter? I go back to author satisfaction - you write what makes you happy and that's really all that matters.

And to be honest, it's been a long time since I've gotten absolutely no FB on a story, but I do remember the days when I did post and then wondered if there were people uut there reading. Does that mean that every story I post will always be like that, that FB is guaranteed? It's not guaranteed, not at all, nor should it be a requirement to write. If that is the case, I'd think the path to BOFQ is a heck of a lot shorter and more linear.

Victoria says:

Seriously, though, if a story makes me happy, in the end, that's all I can ask for, and I have hope that eventually, other people will see what I see in my work and value it as well.

I completely agree. If you yourself can find the inherent value, then that's all that really matters. After all, we don't get paid to write fanfic (rather, we could have to pay ourselves if sued), we aren't guaranteed FB or recs or "required reading" status, so what does that really leave?