Fandom Wank Uncut

Issue 1: SGA and McShep

*seethes*

So, I know people have complained about this before but... *grinds teeth*  THERE IS MORE TO SGA SLASH THAN MCKAY/SHEPPARD!!!!

I know it, you know it (you're on my Flist, so I feel secure in saying that), and I'm sure some other people know it too (and good for them, come friend me please if you fit this category). What has really annoyed me over the last week is how some people seem to take it for completely granted that if a SGA fic is slash, it's automatically McShep, because, apparently other pairings don't exist. Or if they do, they don't particularly matter. 

Now, I'm not really opposed to McShep per se - I've read and enjoyed many a fine fic with that pairing. It's the monopoly of the pairing, and the superiority complex portrayed by some of the McShep devotees, that really annoys me. This isn't meant to slag of everyone who thinks of them as their OTP, I know most of the fandom is open-minded and tolerant and at least tries not to ram their pairing down other people's throats if it's not wanted. But then there are some who, unintentionally and without malice I'm sure (I hope), just disregard everything else.

Here are some examples I've actually encountered: (I won't go naming names or linking pages, least this descends into a flame war when all I want to do is have a little self-indulged session of fandom masturbation)

• People apparently unable to enjoy McKay/Hewlett kissing pictures from SGA and elsewhere without whining someone to photoshop Sheppard/Flanigan's head in place of whoever his partner is.
  


• Award nominations places listing two categories for slash: McShep and Other and when you go to the Other page, there is no further indication as to which of the myriad "Other" pairings the story concentrates on (because, maybe it doesn't matter).


• Posts at various fic-finder communities that don't list the pairing in the request, leaving it to the reader to somehow deduce from the text that yes, this might be a McShep story they are searching, like somehow that should be an obvious and unquestioned fact. Alternatively (and this pisses me even more), people put something like "pairing: mcshep - well, d'uh, what else :-) lol".

What else? Well, I don't know? How about McKay/Beckett, Mckay/Zelenka, Sheppard/Beckett, Sheppard/Dex, Sheppard/Zelenka, McKay/Dex, Lorne/Parrish, Lorne/McKay, Lorne/Sheppard etc. Not to mention all the other combinations. Or the delicious femme-slash SGA also offers.

ARGH! Broaden your horizons people, you're missing out.

Right, now that I got that out of my system...

***

You thought I was going to shut up, didn't you? Fat chance...

Issue 2: Writers not answering feedback

The second grievance is a more general one. Lately, I've discovered I have little tolerance for writers who don't answer their feedback. I'm not taking anything personally, this is regardless of whether I myself have left a comment or not.

Seeing a story with unanswered comments is really pushing some buttons. It just seems so... callous? Unappreciative? I know there are extenuating circumstances, like if there are six pages of comments, perhaps the writer simply doesn't have the time (but, dude, if I ever got six pages of comments on something, I would make the time) or if the story is on a comm or on a journal that is on hiatus the writer may not have even noticed.

(Let me just point out that the below is not a dig towards any particular story or author, just general observations)

Sometimes I read a "big" story by a BNF. A fic that has been recced everywhere, been read by most and pretty much uniformally adored. And sometimes those stories are really good and deserve the fame and glory heaped on them. And then I click on the comments page, only to see page after page of positive feedback and none of it answered. Or worst, only the select few, by the writer's bestest friends, answered. Suddenly, my willingness to leave a comment drops significantly. Does the writer even read them? Well, yes, the probably do, BUT HOW CAN I KNOW? Perhaps they don't care. Perhaps they feel they are such a big star in fandom already that they don't need to bother answering "fan mail".  Perhaps they secretly laugh at me for fan-girling on their story. Why would they want to know about me or what I thought or... And that is the point I usually slink away silently, desperately clutching my own modest Flist and my little comms to my bosom like a security blanket.

If I send fan mail to a big published author/actor/celebrity, I wouldn't really even expect a reply. But if I give feedback on an on-line community to someone who, just like me, writes this stuff for fun and self-development? I'm sorry, but I do at least expect a polite "thank you". Maybe that's petty and unreasonable of me but that's how I feel.

I am, however, more than willing to discuss this (and McShep-monopoly of SGA) with others. What do you think? Am I over reacting? Please, let me know your opinions. All comments will be answered...

Fandom Wank Uncut

Issue 1: SGA and McShep

*seethes*

So, I know people have complained about this before but... *grinds teeth*  THERE IS MORE TO SGA SLASH THAN MCKAY/SHEPPARD!!!!

I know it, you know it (you're on my Flist, so I feel secure in saying that), and I'm sure some other people know it too (and good for them, come friend me please if you fit this category). What has really annoyed me over the last week is how some people seem to take it for completely granted that if a SGA fic is slash, it's automatically McShep, because, apparently other pairings don't exist. Or if they do, they don't particularly matter. 

Now, I'm not really opposed to McShep per se - I've read and enjoyed many a fine fic with that pairing. It's the monopoly of the pairing, and the superiority complex portrayed by some of the McShep devotees, that really annoys me. This isn't meant to slag of everyone who thinks of them as their OTP, I know most of the fandom is open-minded and tolerant and at least tries not to ram their pairing down other people's throats if it's not wanted. But then there are some who, unintentionally and without malice I'm sure (I hope), just disregard everything else.

Here are some examples I've actually encountered: (I won't go naming names or linking pages, least this descends into a flame war when all I want to do is have a little self-indulged session of fandom masturbation)

• People apparently unable to enjoy McKay/Hewlett kissing pictures from SGA and elsewhere without whining someone to photoshop Sheppard/Flanigan's head in place of whoever his partner is.
  


• Award nominations places listing two categories for slash: McShep and Other and when you go to the Other page, there is no further indication as to which of the myriad "Other" pairings the story concentrates on (because, maybe it doesn't matter).


• Posts at various fic-finder communities that don't list the pairing in the request, leaving it to the reader to somehow deduce from the text that yes, this might be a McShep story they are searching, like somehow that should be an obvious and unquestioned fact. Alternatively (and this pisses me even more), people put something like "pairing: mcshep - well, d'uh, what else :-) lol".

What else? Well, I don't know? How about McKay/Beckett, Mckay/Zelenka, Sheppard/Beckett, Sheppard/Dex, Sheppard/Zelenka, McKay/Dex, Lorne/Parrish, Lorne/McKay, Lorne/Sheppard etc. Not to mention all the other combinations. Or the delicious femme-slash SGA also offers.

ARGH! Broaden your horizons people, you're missing out.

Right, now that I got that out of my system...

***

You thought I was going to shut up, didn't you? Fat chance...

Issue 2: Writers not answering feedback

The second grievance is a more general one. Lately, I've discovered I have little tolerance for writers who don't answer their feedback. I'm not taking anything personally, this is regardless of whether I myself have left a comment or not.

Seeing a story with unanswered comments is really pushing some buttons. It just seems so... callous? Unappreciative? I know there are extenuating circumstances, like if there are six pages of comments, perhaps the writer simply doesn't have the time (but, dude, if I ever got six pages of comments on something, I would make the time) or if the story is on a comm or on a journal that is on hiatus the writer may not have even noticed.

(Let me just point out that the below is not a dig towards any particular story or author, just general observations)

Sometimes I read a "big" story by a BNF. A fic that has been recced everywhere, been read by most and pretty much uniformally adored. And sometimes those stories are really good and deserve the fame and glory heaped on them. And then I click on the comments page, only to see page after page of positive feedback and none of it answered. Or worst, only the select few, by the writer's bestest friends, answered. Suddenly, my willingness to leave a comment drops significantly. Does the writer even read them? Well, yes, the probably do, BUT HOW CAN I KNOW? Perhaps they don't care. Perhaps they feel they are such a big star in fandom already that they don't need to bother answering "fan mail".  Perhaps they secretly laugh at me for fan-girling on their story. Why would they want to know about me or what I thought or... And that is the point I usually slink away silently, desperately clutching my own modest Flist and my little comms to my bosom like a security blanket.

If I send fan mail to a big published author/actor/celebrity, I wouldn't really even expect a reply. But if I give feedback on an on-line community to someone who, just like me, writes this stuff for fun and self-development? I'm sorry, but I do at least expect a polite "thank you". Maybe that's petty and unreasonable of me but that's how I feel.

I am, however, more than willing to discuss this (and McShep-monopoly of SGA) with others. What do you think? Am I over reacting? Please, let me know your opinions. All comments will be answered...