Fanfic as a a training ground

[matilda36]

It's now more than 3 years that I am involved in fandom.
I started as a fan of a band posting on a forum, then progressed to moderate that forum. In the same period I discovered fanfiction. During my tenure as mod I organised a small fanfic writers'group for that fandom, and while I made mistakes due to my inexperience with fandom and related wank, I enjoyed the experience of writing.
Wank in the fandom made me stop writing, but I became an avid reader of fanfic. (I can say that at some point in my life fanfic and Anais'Dr Jackson's Diaries kept me sane).
Recently I started to become more actively involved: wrote some stuff for an SG1 site, and thanks to Sexymermaid and the magnificent folks at darker_spike and their "Be a good pet, comment" campaign, started leaving feedback.
I have also been thinking about writing again, and I have some meta coming up soon, but I just wanted to share a thought that came to me after reading this post by butterfly on su_herald rec: http://www.livejournal.com/users/butterfly/1052641.html
The thought is that with all the meta, reccing, feedback and diffusion work going on in fanfic, I do think that this is the best playground possible for somebody who wants to write. I know of a number of fanficcers gone professional, and I think that the strains, constraints, facilitations and facilities of fanfiction and fandom have surely helped to make them better writers. Much more than most "creative writing" courses, I think.
More later, but if somebody has some thoughts and experience on this, I'd like to hear.

Comments

[jans-intentions.livejournal.com]

Interesting to read that link. I don't actually read meta discussions as much as I used to. A lot of the time they are pretty negative and I got off fandom a bit when I got back from Sacramento and had to wade through being mocked and people hitting my lj and stuff.

Its why my work is rarely linked now anywhere but DS so what she said about people finding her is a wise way to go about it. You may get less fb, but it will be from people with something intelligent to say who have adapted to your world/your rules and know a bit more about you. Rather than going to a community and saying: here I am, follow my link even if you don't know me and feel free to flame me because I'm so desperate for love I'll take even that.

I hope you do start writing again and bring it to Ds if its appropriate.

I actually came to fandom from professional writing and I want to again take it there, so it is a good place to tell stories I love and hone up.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I will try to reply in an intelligent manner soon, since I do adore writing discussion. But since my brain is mushy right now and I am at work, I need some time to think.

[matilda36.livejournal.com]

These are the negative sides of fandom: People think that the Internet is an hiding place where let out to play their baser instincts (and where to behave like a hyena pack like they did to you acceptable) while it is not, but if you find the right place, like d_s, things are much better.
Also a lot of what people calls "meta" is in reality flames or shipwars written using big words. But I come from an academic background, and I think there are so many unexplored issues in canon that could be useful to writers that I still believe in it.
BTW, one of the meta pieces I have been working on is on Spike's linguistic choices in its historical and sociological context. It would be totally flame and ship free (I wanted to put some comments on how Spike's choices in terms of language affect his relationships with Giles and Wes, but I can leave these bits out without problem), so I was wondering if it would be welcome (previous approval) on d_s.
If you think it's too geeky or not appropriate I would not feel bad.

[jans-intentions.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see some meta like that on DS. You could link it to your lj if you wanted 'outside' folks too. Frimmy, for one, or Deborahmm would probably find that very interesting.

I look forward to seeing it!

jan

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I used to love to meta. But I think you're right. Most times it just gets negative and sucks the fun write out of the discussion. Then where are we?

btw, way back you posted some sonh lyrics for a fic. I am still planning on writing one. I'm just a littl backed up, as you can see :)