Yuletide // "Panfandom"

[dagas_isa]

I plan on participating in Yuletide this year. If not the happy-happy squee-squee part of it, then at least the basic requesting some rare-fandom fic and writing some of my own. I have issues and with the way things were handled and the Anime/Manga/Game fan in me is a *touch* resentful of how we kind of got brushed off again.*

So I totally understand why some people are choosing not to participate this year, but I'm going to.

My reasons are as follows:
1. I want to participate in an exchange. Not just a challenge, but an actual writing fic for someone and getting fic written in return.
2. With the exception of Final Fantasy, none of the fandoms I really enjoy writing in is large enough to either a) have its own exchange or b) qualify in any other sort of "panfandom exchange" (I was considering remix_duello but at the time, the only story I had in a qualifying fandom didn't meet the word count requirement)
3. There are at least four fandoms nominated (more, but I'm fairly certain on my four**) that I would love to get more fic in.

Therefore, I'm trying it out this year, and seeing what happens.

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* You know, I really can't point to anything specific that anyone's said to me about my choice of fandoms being inferior to theirs, but that said. I feel like, as someone who really has little interest in most Western media fandoms, that there's a lot more that I somehow need to know through osmosis or that I'm expected to care about if I'd like to read meta/write meta, and that if I want anything I write to be taken seriously, then I should really hide my specific fandoms. Alice, Bob, and Carol it is.

I think there's also a sense that all these "panfandom" events/fests/etc. aren't really for me (as a fan of Anime/Manga/Games). Yeah, I think short of the fests that require the ability to write at least a few big fandoms to play, where maybe one or two aren't either English-language TV shows/movies or Harry Potter, I'm not explicitly excluded. But on the other hand, there's a distinct sense that no one wants what I write and no one is writing something for me.

Yeah, yeah, cry moar, I know.

I think as a fan of non-Western media, that Western media fen have pretty toys. I love meta. I love all the nifty events and excuses that exist to write fic. As a writer, I like AO3 as a place to store fiction. And it's not like they're exclusive to fans of Western Media. All fandoms are welcome, just some fandoms are more welcome than others.

And mostly, I do think that people who primarily like non-Western fandoms are forced to choose how they participate in capital "F" Fandom. Obviously, I've made mine to play with the toys with the knowledge that I'll likely be playing on my own. I'm fine with that. But I know others who see something like a fest or an exchange, and knowing how they're likely to be received, choose not to participate, even if they'd otherwise be ready to jump on board because other aspects of the challenge are appealing to them.

Anyway, that's my self-centered rambling on the subject.

(And yes, if tanzaku had been running this year, I would have jumped at it.)

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** Tentatively, Liar Game, BOSS, Final Fantasy XI, and Empowered.

Comments

[owlmoose]

Yeah. Pretty much everything you say above, about being in non-Western fandom. I *consume* lots of Western media, but I've almost never been inspired to be fannish about it the way I am about the Final Fantasy series. And so the few times I've tried to participate in panfandom events -- ficathons, meta discussions, etc. -- I've felt sidelined. Not excluded, so much, but Other.

But on the other hand, there's a distinct sense that no one wants what I write and no one is writing something for me.

Yes, exactly. So I retreat to my comfortable Final Fantasy/game fandom corner, and have mixed feelings about that, too.

[dagas_isa]

I also have a really hard time getting into western media. I mean I have at least two TV shows that I'm really digging this season, but I can't drum up the same desire to participate that I feel for the Final Fantasies, or some of my anime/manga forums. Plus, I think I'm a small-fandom fangirl at heart.

And so the few times I've tried to participate in panfandom events -- ficathons, meta discussions, etc. -- I've felt sidelined. Not excluded, so much, but Other.

Yes. Either kind of like an anomaly or a nice little "That's interesting, but not really, so let's move on..." *head pat*

[lassarina]

All of this. Yes.

And the sad thing is? When they let FF4/6/Tactics back in, I was so fucking excited for Yuletide this year and that was what turned me from "mehhhh" to "Totally, yes, doing this, thanks :D :D :D" And then this.

[cypher]

Yeah, all of this. I often feel like western-media fen will use the word "fandom" with no qualifiers to mean their sorts of fandom in particular -- usually with no malice at all! Just...it's the only kind of fandom on their radar.

This year, for the first time, I got up the nerve to ask if I could play in 3_ships even if none of the tv/movie fandoms on their big list were things I could do; the mod said it was fine, as long as I could recruit other people who'd have fandom overlap with me. I'm really happy to be able to play! But sometimes it's intimidating to have to ask.

[aldanise]

I noticed you asking that, by the way, and I'm ridiculously happy that you did the recruiting work. I'm looking forward so much to seeing gaming fic this year.

[alias_sqbr]

I'm mostly a fanartist, make a moderate amount of femslash, and often play in non-Western or otherwise "obscure" fandoms.

Yeah, I have issues with the not-entirely-inclusive way "fandom" defines itself :)

[aldanise]

Word.

I like the toys of English-language-media fandom, I like a lot of the styles, but dear sweet arghs is it frustrating to be (implicitly) told that outside of English media fandom is restricted to doujinshis in Japanese.

[birgitriddle]

I've discovered those "land" communities over at LJ and when I last checked (yeah it was a few months ago, but I can only really handle one at the moment) there seemed to be only one non-Western themed one that I was interested in (and if there were any that I wasn't interested in, I don't remember them, but they probably were part of the big fandoms or whatever). I've been tossing around an idea for a Final Fantasy one with one of my friends from the Sailor Moon one I'm in, but we've not really had the time to work on it. But I can see so many opportunities within non-Western fandoms for land communities too. :(

Errr, anyways, yes. I signed up for Yuletide too, but only two out of the ten that I offered for are non-Western fandoms (Final Fantasy IV and Magic Knight Rayearth). I would've signed up for more, but most I'm familiar, but not familiar enough to write it or have never seen/read it before. Earthian was a tempting one, but unfortunately I've only read part of the manga and the OVA (which I own) kinda...well, it definitely is not up to par with the manga. Witch Hunter Robin was another one I could've done, but again, didn't feel as familiar as I'd like to with the series seeing as I've only watched it once and the ending is somewhat confusing anyways.

I'm somewhat fortunate that I straddle the non-Western and Western fandoms in a way, but it still can be hard sometimes when I'm leaning toward non-Western stuff because my moods change.