(no subject)

[turps]

I started to write in The Sentinel fandom. Back then some people would lament how the fandom was dying a death, that things weren't as good now that certain writers had left the fandom and the golden age was over. That used to piss me off so much. I was writing and posting stories, as were many other people. To be told that the fandom wasn't as good now was incredibly frustrating. Those so called golden days were over, those old skool writers had moved on, that was fact. That didn't mean the fandom was on its last legs. New people were coming in, talented new people who brought in new ideas and new stories.

I've seen this sentiment echoed in popslash a lot lately. That the fandom is dying a death and I still get annoyed. Earlier this week I saw a post on friendsfriends where someone was expressing surprise that popslash was alive, and it's just; to me it's never been dead. Sure, it's slowed down and things have changed. Some wonderful writers have left, and believe me, if I could I'd bribe them myself to come back and write, but that doesn't mean it's dead. Right now I have a load of tabs open with stories to read. The 100/25/first sentence comms are active. I read about people plotting stories, posting stories, talking about stories. It's not just stories either, there's source material there too. Sure, reduced to what it was, but it's still there. I mean, a few weekends ago I sat with a roomful of other fans and discussed JC and his kite, a few days ago laughed at Lance's big surprise. They're little things but they still get discussed, and I know there's always someone there to share my squee.

In comments to my post yesterday, pensnest said For a 'fading' fandom, this is a lively place. and I so agree with her. I know it's changed, but fandom does change, that's a fact. It ebbs and flows, people leave, people arrive and you know, that's not a bad thing. There's some damn good writers in this fandom, writers that are still producing stories that I and other people will love. There's still pop fans who fly that sparkly flag high, and to me, that means this fandom is anything but dead.

In other news, Corey's sick. He's spent the last day or so stretched out on the couch moaning pitifully. Every so often I'll hear the sad cry, Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam, come sit next to me, so I do, and watch more cartoons. To be fair he is ill, he spent most of last night throwing up and looks half dead today. The MiL called last night and when told he was ill informed me that my niece came out in spots so they thought she had either chicken pox or measles. Which, thanks for telling me when it happened, I mean, we'd spent all day Sunday with her. So yeah, hopefully he's feeling better in the morning. I mean, being sick in the school holidays is of the suck.

Now, a little bit pimping. There's another poll up at sparklyukfans. If you've ever thought about heading to the UK and spending time with us popslashers over here, well now's the time to help make plans. It'll be fun, and you too will be able to get into such in jokes as varnished frogs and lava lamps. No, don't run away, this is a good thing. Promise!

Related to that. Welcome a new pairing to the Lamp stable as Pen has written Lance/Lamp. Not Chris' lamp though, cos Lamp is a one man type of lamp, except when he isn't the whore of a lamp that he is. No, this is Lance/Lamp, because Lance has a lamp too, it's canon, we saw it. So go read some LaLa, you know you want to.

Comments

[glendaglamazon.livejournal.com]

Damn straight, babe! (um, I may have just signed up for that 25 thing. I have written a total of 6 stories in my life--and four of those were drabbles, which aren't allowed in this thing! I am an insane crazy person who is touched in the head and a little off.)

[castalie.livejournal.com]

You tell 'em, sis! Lovely post about those so called 'dead' fandom - just because it's different doesn't mean it's dead! Each time someone mentions TS' death I want to kick something *nods*

Poor Corey, being sick during the holidays? Does suck beyond the telling of it...

And hee your Sparkly mini-con sounds so MUCH FUN! I want one too!

[clear-my-eyes.livejournal.com]

So go read some LaLa, you know you want to.

Going to read...

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

LaLa?

Good lord. That might be the worst pairing name ever. It brings to mind the sound of Ashlee Simpson trying to sing. o_O

[bayouskye.livejournal.com]

I hope Corey starts feeling better soon! Being sick is never a good time, but being sick during school breaks sucks even more!

Lampfic! *laughs and cries*

And, I hate when fandoms that I am involved with get like that. I am still pretty new to the sparkly and I think it's quite active considering what they give us to work with. ;)

But, the other fandom I am in is pretty much stagnant at the moment. I do what I can to keep my board/group up and active, but I swear it's like pulling teeth to get new people interested or even the old ones that are still in it to do/say anything....

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

Have I ever told you how much I love you? I remember those Sentinel days, when just because Ces and Merry had quit writing there, the fandom was dying. The trick is to welcome the new folks with open arms and open minds. That's what keeps a fandom alive.

One reason I signed up for slashfic25 is because everyone is so excited about it, and there's no way I'm not being a part of that. And omg I just saw that jae signed up, claiming Timberlake. How can this fandom be dying?

To paraphrase TS's "damp, not dead," I say "different, not dead."

LaLa-y'all are crazy, you know that?

*hugs* to Corey.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

An insane name for an insane pairing I'd say ;)

To me it just reminds me of teletubbies, I don't know the song. But looking at Pen's comments I'd say a lot of people don't have that luxury *g*

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Go you for signing up!

The 25 comm is creating a lovely buzz and the more people I see join the happier I am. So I don't think you're an insane crazy person at all!

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

Also, I wasn't done.

The other day in comments somewhere someone said it's hard to write NSYNC anymore because the source material is gone, and so is the audience. What crap.

With the Remix, I don't have time to read all the new fic right now, plus, let's not forget BSB.

Of course, it helps to be open to more than one pairing. :)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Each time someone mentions TS' death I want to kick something *nods*

I'll join you with the kicking because it's so annoying. I get that people want the old writers to stay, I mean, they wrote good stuff, stories that still delight years later. But think of how many stories have been posted in the last few years. Great stories every bit as good as those posted in the so called golden years. Fandom is fluid, and that's great as it stops things getting stale. New writers, new ideas, news stories. Even standing on the edges as I do I know TS fandom is alive and kicking, that's obvious from each post I see, each new story, the fact that 852 Prospect is still the best damn archive out there.

And I'm preaching to the choir here I know, it's just, I get so frustrated with the posts of doom. You're so right, different doesn't mean dead at all.

He's all pathetic, it's really quiet sad. But he'll bounce back soon I bet, it's just a shame to lose these days of holidays.

The sparkly mini con will rock! You need to get the French posse to arrange a europe wide con!

[turps33.livejournal.com]

It's worth the read, as long as you don't mind reading the good crack anyway ;)

[yami-tai.livejournal.com]

I think all fandoms that have been around for a while go through that 'the best days are behind us' mentality. Like you, I find it infuriating because it belittles the writers who are currently active in the fandom and robs them of their motivation.

*hugs for Corey* Being sick sucks but at least he has his mam to watch cartoons with ^_^!

[simply-fly-away.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor Corey. Jessie's nursery is currently infected with chicken pox, I've become a little paranoid about it. I know it's best they get it when they're young but... my babies can't have chicken pox, man. I hope he's feeling better, hon.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

Fandom's always been a come and go. People leave and people come and to say that a fandom is dead just because certain people have moved to other fandoms is not fair to the people still enjoying the fandom.

[turloughishere.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear, hear! My sentiments exactly, except that you've put it far more eloquent than I ever could :-) I want to stand up and shout, "Popslash is dying you say, but what about me? What about everyone else who still writes and reads and enjoys popslash? Is there something wrong with us? Why doesn't our activity count?"

Poor Corey, being sick during the holidays really sucks!! I really hope he gets better asap!

[pensnest]

It's a sparkly euro-con, even though we hijacked turps33's community - so come on over and join in!

[pensnest]

Well said! This *really* doesn't feel like a moribund fandom to me. So what if 'fresh' canon is a bit thin on the ground, for the moment? There'll be new music from Justin and JC (and, we hope, Chris) soon, and Joey is quietly getting on with his acting career, and Lance... is Lance, and who knows what he'll do next, and we love him dearly for it. In any case, who needs new canon? I have stories *queuing up* in my head. And yay! for everyone who's signing up for the new 25 challenge, yay! for more stories and more community as a result.

Also, heh, thanks for the pimpage.

Best wishes to Corey - especially if it turns out he has chicken pox or measles. :-(

Gotta have a group icon for this comment, so...

[castalie.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely offer - if I'd been in the popslash fandom or any bandslash fandom, I might have joined you actually :-)

[castalie.livejournal.com]

The trick is to welcome the new folks with open arms and open minds. That's what keeps a fandom alive.

Exactly! The new blood keeps a fandom alive, I always thought a fandom should cherish the new comers because, without them, it would suffocate and die, I think.

To paraphrase TS's "damp, not dead," I say "different, not dead."

*high fives*

[stellamira]

Well, pop fandom is not dead, but fact is that there are fewer and fewer writers, and I'm very scared that those few might leave as well. I guess it's because I saw so many leaving already that I sometimes forget there are people who are coming, too.

I hope Corey is going to be okay.

[silveryscrape.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Rock on!

Some writers need a constant infusion of canon to come up with ideas, and some don't. Having more of the latter than the former these days does not make us a "dying" fandom. It's just, ya know, different. It's not as huge a fandom as it was when I got here, but it's just as lively.

[ephemera-pop.livejournal.com]

I guess maybe there's less of an influx of new people who fell cannon-first-then-slash right now, but maybe being in the UK where there never was that 24/7 nsync exposure of the general populace, we don't notice it so much? But we aint dead, no sir. D.E.D. ocasionally, but very much alive and kicking.

[rikes]

I don't think the popslash fandom is dying, it's just moving somewhere. Most people just don't know out where this "somewhere" exactly is. :)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

You're right, and that's a good way to look at things. It is moving, but that's inevitable, and really, one heck of a ride to be on.

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

*high fives you back*

[turps33.livejournal.com]

You could be right. We've never had that 24/7 exposure so maybe don't feel that loss as much. All I know is I'm still very much invested in both Nsync as a group and popslash.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I get so sick of the doomsayers. Like you said, fresh canon's thin on the ground but it's still there, things are still happening.

It makes me wonder what these people would do in a media based fandom. I mean, in some cases shows with one season spawn a fandom that has thousands of stories and still keep going. It's just so frustrating when I love this fandom so much, am active in this fandom and people keep saying how bad it is now.

No worries about the pimpage. I like to pimp ;)

Hmmmm, a crotch group icon is of the good!

[turps33.livejournal.com]

That's an understandable fear. I know since I've been here a load of writers have left. Writers I want to grab by the ankle and pull back in.

Saying that though, I don't think there'll ever be no writers left at all, there's still a big active group with more newcomers all the time. If you try and remember that it's not so scary.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I had to say something because I kept seeing all these posts and comments about the so called dead fandom and didn't agree at all.

The fandom is different, people have moved on but others have moved in, which is what fandom has always been about.

I see things happening all the time, discussion, stories, creation of new communities, and while I see that no way can I think the fandom is dead.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

It wasn't chicken pox but a nasty viral infection that attacked his ears, throat and chest. We had to take him to the er last night as the rash was getting worse all the time. Sadly all we can do is keep on with the fluids and painkillers until it's over.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. Fandom's always been fluid, more people need to remember that.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I'd love to shout that too. It's like we're being dismissed and that's so wrong. This fandom is still so busy with new things happening often. Dead? Not a chance.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

He seems to be a little better today, just a little though. This is dragging on and on :(

I think popslash is active too, compared to what it was it's different sure, but no way is it inactive. People really need to be in a fandom like your other one, then they'd see what inactive really is.

[bayouskye.livejournal.com]

People really need to be in a fandom like your other one, then they'd see what inactive really is.

*sighs*

Yes, unfortunately, it's a very good example.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

:)

The trick is to welcome the new folks with open arms and open minds. That's what keeps a fandom alive.

Exactly. Writers move on, that's a fact, but someone new will always come along and plug that gap. I remember the wails of woe about Merry and Ces leaving too, but look at TS fandom now. It's still thriving, and I firmly believe popslash will keep on thriving too.

The buzz about slashfic25 is so good. People talking about pairings and prompts, and man yes, I saw Jae's joined. A total squee moment for sure. Dying? No way.

Hee, LaLa has to be the best pairing name ever! ;)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I can't believe that anyone could think there's no source material or audience. That's just, wow. Like you I've too much to read right now, and it's not like Nsync have disapeared totally. Look at all the choey pics that surfaced just today, and that's just one example. Plus, like you said, BSB are very public at the moment. No source material or audience. Yeah right.

I do agree it helps to enjoy more than one pairing though. I'm lucky that I enjoy every Chris pairing out there, and have even been known to stray into no Chris lands ;)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Like you, I find it infuriating because it belittles the writers who are currently active in the fandom and robs them of their motivation.

Exactly. It's so discouraging when you're writing and posting as people mourn for the old days. They need to learn fandom is fluid, always going on.

Being sick does suck, but yeah, he has me and cartoon network for company *g*

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

IIRC, it was Zaen who said it, and she's strictly JuC. While I certainly have my favorite pairings, I'll read them all, and none of them make me go 'ew,' so I'm lucky.

It helps to relax about things a litte bit, too, and be content with what we've got right now, and grateful for what we used to have, and hopeful for what me might have in the future. /Pollyanna>