- I do actually read meta quite often on twitter! Meta writers are writing long threads now, although that may not be your preferred way to consume it, and there are also a long of meta discussions in the discords I am in. (My friend tshirt, who is my favorite meta writer in cnovel fandom, does actually write essays & has also produced a meta zine. Here's my fave essay of theirs: https://bao3bei4.tumblr.com/post/653569900305154048/fan-language-the-victorian-imaginary-and-cnovel )
- having been involved with a fandom open source federated social media project a few years ago, I think it is unlikely we will see the kind of movement you are talking about. Fandom is simply too large to return to a version of online community that rests on the shoulders of a disproportionately IT-savvy community. Hobby IT doesn’t scale. There have also been changes to the law that make it harder for fandom platforms to host explicit content (FOSTA limiting the CDA 230 carve out, primarily). Fandom is one of many communities grappling with big questions around what digital citizenship and society looks like going forward.
- getting comments in CQL fandom just posting in the tag is hard. Unlike a Yuletide fandom or collection, there’s simply way too much stuff to dive in - I primarily get recs from friends and follow several bookmarkers. While there are many ways to drive more comments, I think it’s also worth considering how ao3 stats and kudos make it way more visible how many lurkers are reading your fic, when the getting the proportion of lurkers required intentional data gathering on LJ.
- the commercialization of fandom has a lot of different factors at play, but one is certainly the OTW’s vigorous defense of fair use law. the gift culture of old school fandom was deeply tied to very legit fear of legal reprisal. I learned about campbell vs acuff rose music and was citing it in fic disclaimers when I was 12 lmaooo, but now we have so much more protection in this regard. I am not wild about commercialization and I don’t like the vibes, but I don’t think it is like some deep corruption of what it means to be in community with each other.
- overall, I like new fandom. I love meeting people of all ages who are completely different fandom generations. last year, I started my little riso zine micropress, and I am making and selling physical fanzines with great enthusiasm. people still like oldschool fandom, too. I even have two occasional pen pals! It is possible to make a world where old and new coexist joyfully.
(sorry for editing this post THREE TIMES while trying to rec tshirt's essays to you)
no subject
- I do actually read meta quite often on twitter! Meta writers are writing long threads now, although that may not be your preferred way to consume it, and there are also a long of meta discussions in the discords I am in. (My friend tshirt, who is my favorite meta writer in cnovel fandom, does actually write essays & has also produced a meta zine. Here's my fave essay of theirs: https://bao3bei4.tumblr.com/post/653569900305154048/fan-language-the-victorian-imaginary-and-cnovel )
- having been involved with a fandom open source federated social media project a few years ago, I think it is unlikely we will see the kind of movement you are talking about. Fandom is simply too large to return to a version of online community that rests on the shoulders of a disproportionately IT-savvy community. Hobby IT doesn’t scale. There have also been changes to the law that make it harder for fandom platforms to host explicit content (FOSTA limiting the CDA 230 carve out, primarily). Fandom is one of many communities grappling with big questions around what digital citizenship and society looks like going forward.
- getting comments in CQL fandom just posting in the tag is hard. Unlike a Yuletide fandom or collection, there’s simply way too much stuff to dive in - I primarily get recs from friends and follow several bookmarkers. While there are many ways to drive more comments, I think it’s also worth considering how ao3 stats and kudos make it way more visible how many lurkers are reading your fic, when the getting the proportion of lurkers required intentional data gathering on LJ.
- the commercialization of fandom has a lot of different factors at play, but one is certainly the OTW’s vigorous defense of fair use law. the gift culture of old school fandom was deeply tied to very legit fear of legal reprisal. I learned about campbell vs acuff rose music and was citing it in fic disclaimers when I was 12 lmaooo, but now we have so much more protection in this regard. I am not wild about commercialization and I don’t like the vibes, but I don’t think it is like some deep corruption of what it means to be in community with each other.
- overall, I like new fandom. I love meeting people of all ages who are completely different fandom generations. last year, I started my little riso zine micropress, and I am making and selling physical fanzines with great enthusiasm. people still like oldschool fandom, too. I even have two occasional pen pals! It is possible to make a world where old and new coexist joyfully.
(sorry for editing this post THREE TIMES while trying to rec tshirt's essays to you)