![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sulwenI love fandom. I love it in the general sense, the basic idea of people with a common interest coming together in the spirit of community and creativity. I've been in many fandoms over the past 10+ years, and I've seen a lot. I've seen talent and joy, love and support. I've also seen drama and wank and hatefulness. It's always going to be a mixed bag - that's just life. But I do think that there are some basic truths to what we do that apply to everyone, and sometimes people need to be reminded.
I don't profess to be in charge of anything, and what I say here is my opinion alone. Take it or leave it as you see fit.
You will also notice that fandom, for me, is ALWAYS about fic at heart. Adam fandom seems to be quite an anomaly in this respect, and some of what I've seen there is what inspired me to make this post.
*
On Language
Definitions can vary widely depending on who you ask. Here's how I define some of the most common fandom terms.
RPS - Real person slash, in contrast to FPS (fictional person slash).
Ship - to say "I ship it" is basically to say "I like it" or "I'm a fan of it." It's stating a preference - nothing else. I ship Adam/Tommy and House/Wilson and Jack/Ianto and many, many others. Basically, I'm differentiating between something I generally like to read and something I generally don't. For example, I don't ship Dean/Castiel. I will still read it if it's by an author I truly love, but it's not something I'll seek out.
OTP - generally stands for "one true pairing." This is just a stronger version of shipping. My Supernatural OTP is Sam/Dean. I strongly prefer to read this pairing above any other. It still doesn't mean that other fic is out of the question, though. My Harry Potter OTP is Snape/Hermione, but I've read hundreds of thousands of words of other pairings and truly enjoyed doing it. It's when something really jumps out and grabs at you above all the other options.
Tinhatting - a term which, as far as I know, applies only to RPS (a subject I'll be discussing further later on). Feelings toward this term seem to vary widely across fandoms. I first heard the term applied to Jared/Jensen shippers in the Supernatural fandom, and it was generally used quite positively. It was pretty much applied to ALL J2 shippers, not just the ones who "really believed." It was a tongue-in-cheek term, one that we used to poke fun at ourselves. We would joke about shining up our tinhats and such, and it was fun, funny. In Adam fandom, the term is used quite differently. A tinhatter to them is always a "true believer," someone who has gone beyond the realm of fantasy and fiction and started focusing more on their conception of reality - what they want to be real. Their happiness is suddenly tied up in what actually happens in real life, instead of the fun of playing with what-ifs.
I know a lot of people who either verge into tinhatter territory or are fully there. It's not my place to tell them they can't be invested in real life or hope for a certain outcome. But to them, I say one thing: you're going to be disappointed more often than not. By tinhatting any specific pairing to an extreme level, you're just setting yourself up for heartbreak. Better by far, in my opinion, to put yourself in a position to be as happy as you possibly can. If you're extremely loyal to an OTP, that's perfectly fine - just express those feelings through creative endeavors rather than trying to force your fantasy upon reality.
That's not to say that reality isn't important. I'll squee just as hard over a new picture or quote or vid as the next fangirl. But it's NOT because I'm taking it as "evidence." I'm not looking for what it "means." I see that new bit of canon and get excited because of the stories that can come from it - how it can feed the fantasy. These bits of reality should be the wellspring of inspiration from which we draw - nothing more, and nothing less.
**Please see the comments for more on the origin of tinhatting! Thanks, guys, for helping me round out this definition.
Canon - the source material. For most fandoms, canon is a TV show, movie, book, or video game. In RPS fandoms, canon is what we know about the people in question. For example, the fact that Adam was on American Idol is canon. It really happened.
Fanon - tropes that the fandom at large tends to agree on, but may or may not be true. For example, in Supernatural fandom, the exceptional size of Jared Padalecki's genitalia is fanon.
*
What NOT to do
These mostly apply to RPS, though some of them can be related to fiction-based fandoms as well.
- Don't get too invested. Try and keep some perspective. Who Adam's currently dating seems to fade in importance when you think about the protests in Egypt or the brutal murder of Uganda's leading gay rights activist. And always remember, fandom is supposed to be fun. If it's not, you're doing something wrong.
- Don't involve the people you're shipping in fandom. Tweeting Adam links to fanfiction or requests to make out with your chosen person is extremely rude and tasteless, and can end up being hurtful. Imagine if someone started tweeting you and asking you for a sex tape or telling you who they thought you should date. Wouldn't you be pissed?
- Don't forget that these are real people you're talking about. They have lives and concerns of their own. They don't exist purely for your pleasure. Treat them with some respect.
- Don't bash other people for what they choose to ship. Fandom is a lot more fun when we live and let live. No one is forcing you to read anything you don't want to. The back button is right there - use it.
- Don't give other people control over your fandom experience. Find people you get along with and stick with them. Use the block and unfollow buttons on Twitter, and be smart about managing your LJ friends list. If there's not a community that suits your needs, make one. All the power is in your hands. Use it.
- Don't wait around for someone else to satisfy your personal needs. Pissed off that there isn't more Adam gen? Tired of the same old pairings? Write something! Leading by example is much more productive than sitting around whining about it.
- Don't limit yourself to one fandom. Explore! While you're being bored during downtime in one fandom, something exciting and fun could be happening in another. Besides, more fandoms equals more fic!
*
A Quick Note On RPS
I have always believed that writing about real people is no different than writing about fictional characters, and I'll tell you why.
My characterization is based on public persona - what these people choose to show the world. I learned about Adam by reading his Twitter and watching interviews. That is all information freely given, and more than that, it's a role he plays, as we all do (and celebrities doubly so). That character is who I'm writing about. How could I possibly be writing about the "real" Adam? I don't know him. It would be more accurate to call him "an original character based on Adam."
This is why it doesn't bother me a bit to read or write fanfiction about real life couples. I have no idea what they do with each other in private. If I want to take inspiration from what I do know about them, fine. I honestly don't believe it's any different from shipping two people who are not a couple or two fictional characters. However, I don't judge those who do find it unappealing. To each their own!
*
About Subject Matter
I know a few people who believe there are things who shouldn't be written about. It's their opinion and they absolutely have the right to it. However, as a writer, this idea offends me at a very basic level.
Exploitation is one thing. But to say that a concept should NEVER be fictionalized is a huge problem for me. Should we pretend that sexual abuse and AIDS and homophobia and death don't exist? As a writer, I find all those things interesting - what effect do they have on human psychology and behavior? How do we, as a species and as individuals, overcome the worst parts of human nature?
I understand triggers. Believe me, I do. And I'll come down hard on anyone who doesn't properly warn for potential triggers. It's only fair to give your reader the option NOT to read. But that doesn't mean those concepts shouldn't be explored at all.
I know a lot of people who read fanfiction for fun and escapism. Most of the time, I'm reading for the sex and romance too. But that's not ALL fanfiction can be. I've read fanfiction that made me cry, and fanfiction that made me think, and fanfiction that inspired me to make positive changes in my own life. I've read fic that's helped me deal with the dark places in my own past.
Because it is free and unfiltered, fanfic has all the potential of published fiction and more. Some of the best writing I've ever read has been fanfiction. That's why I don't believe in limiting subject matter - ever.
*
In Conclusion
I doubt anyone is going to agree with me on every point, and that's to be expected. However, I hope that anyone who reads this can at least find something thought-provoking. Feel free to link this post wherever you see fit. I welcome discussion in the comments, as well. As you can tell, I spend a lot of time thinking about these things, and I'm always happy to talk about them.
More than anything else, I believe in a free and open community, where everyone can read and write and discuss what they like in peace.
I don't profess to be in charge of anything, and what I say here is my opinion alone. Take it or leave it as you see fit.
You will also notice that fandom, for me, is ALWAYS about fic at heart. Adam fandom seems to be quite an anomaly in this respect, and some of what I've seen there is what inspired me to make this post.
*
On Language
Definitions can vary widely depending on who you ask. Here's how I define some of the most common fandom terms.
RPS - Real person slash, in contrast to FPS (fictional person slash).
Ship - to say "I ship it" is basically to say "I like it" or "I'm a fan of it." It's stating a preference - nothing else. I ship Adam/Tommy and House/Wilson and Jack/Ianto and many, many others. Basically, I'm differentiating between something I generally like to read and something I generally don't. For example, I don't ship Dean/Castiel. I will still read it if it's by an author I truly love, but it's not something I'll seek out.
OTP - generally stands for "one true pairing." This is just a stronger version of shipping. My Supernatural OTP is Sam/Dean. I strongly prefer to read this pairing above any other. It still doesn't mean that other fic is out of the question, though. My Harry Potter OTP is Snape/Hermione, but I've read hundreds of thousands of words of other pairings and truly enjoyed doing it. It's when something really jumps out and grabs at you above all the other options.
Tinhatting - a term which, as far as I know, applies only to RPS (a subject I'll be discussing further later on). Feelings toward this term seem to vary widely across fandoms. I first heard the term applied to Jared/Jensen shippers in the Supernatural fandom, and it was generally used quite positively. It was pretty much applied to ALL J2 shippers, not just the ones who "really believed." It was a tongue-in-cheek term, one that we used to poke fun at ourselves. We would joke about shining up our tinhats and such, and it was fun, funny. In Adam fandom, the term is used quite differently. A tinhatter to them is always a "true believer," someone who has gone beyond the realm of fantasy and fiction and started focusing more on their conception of reality - what they want to be real. Their happiness is suddenly tied up in what actually happens in real life, instead of the fun of playing with what-ifs.
I know a lot of people who either verge into tinhatter territory or are fully there. It's not my place to tell them they can't be invested in real life or hope for a certain outcome. But to them, I say one thing: you're going to be disappointed more often than not. By tinhatting any specific pairing to an extreme level, you're just setting yourself up for heartbreak. Better by far, in my opinion, to put yourself in a position to be as happy as you possibly can. If you're extremely loyal to an OTP, that's perfectly fine - just express those feelings through creative endeavors rather than trying to force your fantasy upon reality.
That's not to say that reality isn't important. I'll squee just as hard over a new picture or quote or vid as the next fangirl. But it's NOT because I'm taking it as "evidence." I'm not looking for what it "means." I see that new bit of canon and get excited because of the stories that can come from it - how it can feed the fantasy. These bits of reality should be the wellspring of inspiration from which we draw - nothing more, and nothing less.
**Please see the comments for more on the origin of tinhatting! Thanks, guys, for helping me round out this definition.
Canon - the source material. For most fandoms, canon is a TV show, movie, book, or video game. In RPS fandoms, canon is what we know about the people in question. For example, the fact that Adam was on American Idol is canon. It really happened.
Fanon - tropes that the fandom at large tends to agree on, but may or may not be true. For example, in Supernatural fandom, the exceptional size of Jared Padalecki's genitalia is fanon.
*
What NOT to do
These mostly apply to RPS, though some of them can be related to fiction-based fandoms as well.
- Don't get too invested. Try and keep some perspective. Who Adam's currently dating seems to fade in importance when you think about the protests in Egypt or the brutal murder of Uganda's leading gay rights activist. And always remember, fandom is supposed to be fun. If it's not, you're doing something wrong.
- Don't involve the people you're shipping in fandom. Tweeting Adam links to fanfiction or requests to make out with your chosen person is extremely rude and tasteless, and can end up being hurtful. Imagine if someone started tweeting you and asking you for a sex tape or telling you who they thought you should date. Wouldn't you be pissed?
- Don't forget that these are real people you're talking about. They have lives and concerns of their own. They don't exist purely for your pleasure. Treat them with some respect.
- Don't bash other people for what they choose to ship. Fandom is a lot more fun when we live and let live. No one is forcing you to read anything you don't want to. The back button is right there - use it.
- Don't give other people control over your fandom experience. Find people you get along with and stick with them. Use the block and unfollow buttons on Twitter, and be smart about managing your LJ friends list. If there's not a community that suits your needs, make one. All the power is in your hands. Use it.
- Don't wait around for someone else to satisfy your personal needs. Pissed off that there isn't more Adam gen? Tired of the same old pairings? Write something! Leading by example is much more productive than sitting around whining about it.
- Don't limit yourself to one fandom. Explore! While you're being bored during downtime in one fandom, something exciting and fun could be happening in another. Besides, more fandoms equals more fic!
*
A Quick Note On RPS
I have always believed that writing about real people is no different than writing about fictional characters, and I'll tell you why.
My characterization is based on public persona - what these people choose to show the world. I learned about Adam by reading his Twitter and watching interviews. That is all information freely given, and more than that, it's a role he plays, as we all do (and celebrities doubly so). That character is who I'm writing about. How could I possibly be writing about the "real" Adam? I don't know him. It would be more accurate to call him "an original character based on Adam."
This is why it doesn't bother me a bit to read or write fanfiction about real life couples. I have no idea what they do with each other in private. If I want to take inspiration from what I do know about them, fine. I honestly don't believe it's any different from shipping two people who are not a couple or two fictional characters. However, I don't judge those who do find it unappealing. To each their own!
*
About Subject Matter
I know a few people who believe there are things who shouldn't be written about. It's their opinion and they absolutely have the right to it. However, as a writer, this idea offends me at a very basic level.
Exploitation is one thing. But to say that a concept should NEVER be fictionalized is a huge problem for me. Should we pretend that sexual abuse and AIDS and homophobia and death don't exist? As a writer, I find all those things interesting - what effect do they have on human psychology and behavior? How do we, as a species and as individuals, overcome the worst parts of human nature?
I understand triggers. Believe me, I do. And I'll come down hard on anyone who doesn't properly warn for potential triggers. It's only fair to give your reader the option NOT to read. But that doesn't mean those concepts shouldn't be explored at all.
I know a lot of people who read fanfiction for fun and escapism. Most of the time, I'm reading for the sex and romance too. But that's not ALL fanfiction can be. I've read fanfiction that made me cry, and fanfiction that made me think, and fanfiction that inspired me to make positive changes in my own life. I've read fic that's helped me deal with the dark places in my own past.
Because it is free and unfiltered, fanfic has all the potential of published fiction and more. Some of the best writing I've ever read has been fanfiction. That's why I don't believe in limiting subject matter - ever.
*
In Conclusion
I doubt anyone is going to agree with me on every point, and that's to be expected. However, I hope that anyone who reads this can at least find something thought-provoking. Feel free to link this post wherever you see fit. I welcome discussion in the comments, as well. As you can tell, I spend a lot of time thinking about these things, and I'm always happy to talk about them.
More than anything else, I believe in a free and open community, where everyone can read and write and discuss what they like in peace.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:27 pm (UTC)The only thing that worries me is all tinhatting = people believing it's all real. I always assume people are joking or it's done tongue in cheek O.o I guess I just assume no one is quite THAT delusional lol. How would you differentiate between speculation done in a lighthearted manner and those that seriously believe it all means something?
no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:34 pm (UTC)What seems to end up happening is that we all get lumped in to one group, no matter how rational or how crazy, and I take offense at that. It's a problem.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:39 pm (UTC)I actually do agree with most/all of this. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:55 am (UTC)Great break down of what 'fandom' can do or not do for ya.
Date: 2011-02-05 10:43 pm (UTC)Today a young fan in my feed said she has more contact with strangers on twitter than with her real life friends. That's the only danger I see in any online 'social networking' activity - loneliness.
Shipping and reading are in your head. Bare feet on earth or rocks, someone's hand ruffling your head when they walk by, stars looking back at you while you evaluate the meaning of 'countless' - these activities make your cells sing. You become a composer and not just a listener of life.
That being said, I stan like a fucking bought one!
Re: Great break down of what 'fandom' can do or not do for ya.
Date: 2011-02-06 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:45 pm (UTC)And as for whether Tinhatting happens in non-RPS fandoms, two words: Gundam. Wing. It might not be called Tinhatting, but whoa. People still have scars from that fandom. On the other hand, I still have a handful of besties from that fandom, though, and there were and are more lovely people than hurtful ones, but there were some scary people, too. RP was very big in GW, and I think that might have pushed a few people over the line.
I see OTPs a little stronger than you describe them, I think. I see a OTP as a pairing that is, first, totally plausible without warping canon because of either subtext or because it /is/ canon. And second, that because of the strength of the attraction of the two characters, it's hard to see them with anyone else. I think Sirius/Remus in HP may be a OTP; Snape/Lupin isn't, though I loved writing it. Zechs and Duo will always be my true Gundam Wing love, but they are definitely NOT an OTP (except in my little head, of course). Jack/Ianto aren't, at least from Jack's perspective. They may be canon, but Ianto was not, alas, Jack's One True Love. (And yes, I am still bitter about Ianto's death. Curse Russell T. Davies. Curse him, I say!)
Two other things that left me nodding: "Don't give other people control over your fandom experience." See, now, that's sane.
And finally: "And always remember, fandom is supposed to be fun. If it's not, you're doing something wrong."
Sing it, sister.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:28 am (UTC)I think RP can definitely push things to a new level of intensity. I've never done it myself, but I know it does put people at a big risk of being hurt.
I have no idea if other RPS writers see things as I do - I have a feeling that a lot of people don't think this deep about it, to be honest. It would be interesting to ask! :)
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:53 pm (UTC)(Cute example for "fanon." Would you say, then, that the exceptional size of Adam's genitalia is "canon?" LOL)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:29 am (UTC)LOL, I would be really tempted to call that canon, considering some of the pictures we have! ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:55 pm (UTC)Thinking is good. Sharing is even better. :D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 10:57 pm (UTC)Nice to see that someone else views the RPS characters the way I do - their onstage persona and not who they are as "real" people. That's what enabled me to write RPS in the first place.
Anyway, well said.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 11:16 pm (UTC)thought that would ever come to pass.
I had to pull my self off twitter, because twitter has ceased to be fun, seeing people shipping a certain pair, who swore up and down it was real, to dump such pair to ship another and then make fun of the people that were shipping the pair they were originally. O.o LOL, if that made sense. Very sad. I didn't need to be jabbed by those barbs, so I made it easy. I miss talking to some people, but there's too much to weed through to get to the good stuff. Some of it's ugly, and I don't get the hate that comes with it too.
Shipping should be fun, so I thank you for pointing that out. That
should be the number one rule. If it's not fun, reevaluate.
I'm glad to see what tinhatting is all about. I've seen people use
it to make fun of others, so that term doesn't have good meaning for me.
And you're right. Some of the best stories I have ever read have been fanfiction, and all it's variations. Canon, canon!au, au!au. I haven't bought many books or efiles in years, because there is a plethora of fanfic out there in so many fandoms it's crazy!!
I have over 600 LJ notices in my email file just for Tommy and Adam
fic with more links coming in everyday. I'm set for life with reading material.
Thank you for making this post. Muchly appreciated.
Hugs to you...
@bethmeister88 on twitter. I may get back to playing there again!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 11:32 pm (UTC)I especially loved "And always remember, fandom is supposed to be fun. If it's not, you're doing something wrong." That was beautiful. I make it a rule to never take my fandoms too seriously. I have serious discussions, I analyse things, I talk about what this one specific thing means (mostly in my fictional fandoms)... but I'm a part of fandom because it keeps me smiling. I think that can sometimes be a problem, because people will say things and, because I read everything in a sort of tongue-in-cheek, joking manner, I won't usually take them seriously. I sometimes wonder if people ever think that I'm seriously shipping people (such as Adam and Tommy) because I'll say things that somebody could read as me being serious, when I'll mean them in a kind of fun way. Does that make sense?
I think another important thing about fandoms, like you said, is being able to filter. I'm very good at ignoring things that I don't like, and, like you advised, pressing the back button. If there's Ron bashing when I'm reading Harry/Draco fic, I'm out of there, but I don't go yell at the author for writing about it.
Basically, my motto is live and let live and to each his own, and, of course, hakuna matata.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:41 am (UTC)I feel like this ALL THE TIME. For a while, I thought about seriously censoring myself, because I didn't want to have to put a disclaimer of "I'm just having fun" after everything I said. Eventually I just decided that people could think what they wanted - call me a Tommybert, call me a tinhatter, call me what you want. I'm gonna do what I enjoy.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 11:36 pm (UTC)I didn't realize "tin-hatting" is seen as people who truly believe there is an actual relationship. When I was on TLL shining my space ship I never considered that people saw us as cray. LOL However, I don't deny that there's a very tiny spot way deep in my heart that wishes my ship could be real someday. Maybe I am cray.
I understand the point you're making when you say "Don't give other people control over your fandom experience. Find people you get along with and stick with them. Use the block and unfollow buttons on Twitter..." That's not too difficult when it comes to comms, but I've found it extremely difficult on Twitter. There are people I adore who do NOT want to hear about certain ships, so the choice has come down to either offending & being unfollowed by them, or harshing my own flail. I guess we have to decide for ourselves what is more important, but no matter what, Twitter is going to affect my fandom experience no matter how I handle it.
Thank you for your thoughtful post! <3
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:48 am (UTC)I don't think there's anything wrong with wishing, thinking "oh wouldn't it be nice if..." from time to time. That doesn't make you crazy. But it's easy to take that too far, particularly when other people start coming into the picture.
It is hard on Twitter. I hate unfollowing people. You're right - you just have to find a balance. I know a lot of people use filters on Tweetdeck, and that can be a solution too.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 11:44 pm (UTC)I also think it's good to explore the not so nice things that people do to and say about each other. People are affected and while generally fanfiction seems to be about happy endings, the conflicts and bad things overcome by characters make a story much better in my opinion. No pain, no gain.
I'm tired too of what's happening in the fandoms and forums, and on twitter. People are being ridiculous and quite mean. I think they're too invested in their OTP, way too invested. This is supposed to be fun but it's ceased being fun. I also don't appreciate places that tell me what I'm not allowed to talk about. Adios amigos!
Rambling, sorry but thank you for some great thoughts. This stuff really should be discussed. It might be enlightening for many people.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-05 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 12:56 am (UTC)