Something I found

[alexcat]

This was very true in the Tolkien fandom when i got into it 20 years ago. It was all BNFs or nothing.

*

FROM tumblr

tedrakitty

drrockbell

Fandom: God there’s like NO content anymore. I wish we could get more art and fanfics :(((

Someone: Hey, I can’t draw anything digitally, because I can’t afford a tablet, but here’s a pen on paper drawing that I spent a lot of time and hard work on. Also, I took a shot at my first fanfic and I’d really like some feedback or at least some kudos if you enjoyed it :)

Fandom: Oh... yeah sorry no... not you. We actually meant writers that are already well known and popular to produce MORE content... I mean, if a popular blog shares your work then maybe. And we don’t really like pen to paper art. We just don’t think it’s professional or even looks good :/

humanedspresso

This is why I try to reblog things that have little notes - the fandom NEEDS new people, or it dies, but the OLD people are there to support the new creators! New creators will leave and forget if the fandom doesn't welcome them, because they feel left out. We should remember that all great artists and writers, even the famous ones in big name fandoms, they all started from nothing.

If you don't want a fandom to die feed the sparks that come anew, don't blow on the old burnt ashes hoping they'll start again.

Source: drrockbell

Comments

[shipperslist]

Oh, yeah.

The same could be said about some fandoms that bemoan the lack of ace representation and/or gen fic. And then when they get it, the same moaners ignore it and go read the explicit smut. *sigh* People.

[alexcat]

That is an odd thing... but true. I write a lot of both, but I get better numbers at Ao3 from the smut. BUT at least in the Tolkien fandom, there was a definite snobbery from the all genfic writers and they ran the fandom.

[shipperslist]

Well... I come from destiel background where the best way to get attention is to write an explicit multichapter fic and post it chapter by chapter. And destiel isn't the only one but the one I'm most familiar with this phenomenon. And it's just plain stupid.

[alexcat]

That seems to be true somewhat in the MCU Stony and Stucky fandom as well.

[shipperslist]

Somewhat, yeah. 😕

[keiliss]

This. I remember being the person writing a not popular pairing, yep.

[alexcat]

I've always loved odd pairings and I still do. There was quite a bit of hate for Legolas/Gimli and I would ask them if they'd actually READ Tolkien - Those two were as close as it comes to a canon pairing.

[nverland]

Someone that I used to read, that was fairly popular at the time,loved to bemoan the death of the fandom we followed. While littler people, like me, were still cranking out fic, or art, but we didn't count. Sad they can't see past the end of their own popularity.

[alexcat]

I was always prolific but not terribly popular. I guess its a good thing we write for our own enjoyment mostly

[erulissedances]

Unfortunately, so very true. To produce in any fandom requires a thick skin because you're going to get blasted at one time or another.

- Erulisse (one L)

[alexcat]

True and I'm not sure it matters what you write either!