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you are strong enough to survive the fall

@accidental-rambler / accidental-rambler.tumblr.com

kate, 32 | books, multifandom mess and writing endeavors | attempts at writing: accidentalrambler (FF.net) ; accidentalrambler (ao3) | drabble requests: CLOSED
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reminded

can’t criticize plastic surgery as an institution because it’s none of your business if a woman wants to “fix” her insecurities. can’t criticize the makeup industry or beauty standards because some women feel good when they shave and wear makeup. can’t bring up the challenges women face in the workplace because some women want to be stay at home wives instead of working. everything a woman does is automatically feminist and we shouldn’t stop to think about the context surrounding her actions because that would be misogynistic. here’s what i had for girl dinner. according to my girl math the barbie movie was a revolutionary piece of feminist media. i may not show it but i feel the life slowly draining from me day by day.

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holygnocchi

On "Reviewing" Fan Fiction

A gentle note, that fan fiction is written as a hobby, as stress relief, as a coping mechanism, as a creative outlet, as writing practice, and for fun. Fan fic writers do not have a team of professional editors behind them, they do not earn money. And therefore, "reviews" do not have a place in our discussions around fan fiction.

"Rating" fan fiction is akin to being given a handmade gift from a friend and then sending a "thank you" note filled with your critiques. It's a gift, something shared out of mutual passion for a fandom and its characters.

"But what about if it was a glowing 5⭐ review?!!"

Recommending fan fic is appreciated and encouraged! My personal platform is almost entirely fan fic recommendations and I've made some of my best fandom friends through this space.

But "reviewing" them as we would traditionally published books, that are a commodity, is in conflict with the gift economy and community-ethos of Fandom. If you're giving star ratings (even glowing ones) it perpetuates the message that this is the way to approach fan fiction, and sets the stage for the 4 stars ...3 stars....and DNF "reviews."

Fandom is community, not commodity.

Writers are readers. Readers are writers. Your favorite writer is alongside you in these fandom spaces, looking for the same escape you are. Please always consider the frustration and hurt caused by seeing someone "review" their hobby.

Of course, as readers we want to critically engage with what we read. I encourage new fan fiction readers to connect with others and keep the negative or critical discussions to private spaces. Fan fiction serves many purposes, of which reader entertainment is only one. There's a reason the fan fic motto, across fandoms, is Don't Like; Don't Read.

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[[Disclaimer: This conversation can go through 20 levels of nuance, but for brevity let it be known this post is not saying we turn a blind eye and stay silent about hate speech or uncritically examined depictions of harmful behaviors. Nor should we ever refrain from warning people about possible triggering content]]

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jackabelle73

Shoutout to all the people who work tirelessly to keep their fandoms going, even after canon has ended. Kudos to the mods who organize rewatches, fic challenges, and other fandom events. High fives to the people who keep posting new art, fic, meta, and headcanons. A collective pat on the back for the people who like, reblog, and comment on the new fanworks and remember the older works as well.

If you’re on Tumblr reading this, chances are good that you fall into one of these categories. So shoutout to YOU, and to all of us.

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