On Fanlore and Squee

[stultiloquentia]

Here's the thing: I want to play with Fanlore. Specifically, I want to run around adding links to more rec and master lists than anybody could possibly want, and citations of specific stories that I think are good illustrations of trope x, and author blurbs! "Author X is influential in this corner of fandom, and here's what she's known for, and here's her website."

But I'm embarrassed!

I'm not afraid of being biased, because that's hopeless; of course I'm going to be biased; I'm a FANGIRL. But I'm afraid of looking like I'm just sucking up, scurrying around kissing the velvet slippers of my favourite BNFs. I already maintain a recs site in which I fawn with perfect complacence, so it's a dumb hang-up, really.

But I think it's Fanlore's big problem right now: people are afraid to add stuff, because they might do it wrong, and accidentally let loose a squee or something. Oh noes.

I have a proposal.

How about we declare it Shameless Fangirl Week at Fanlore (I am open to catchier titles), and go out and persuade everybody to pick one fan -- reccer, mod, maker of good things -- who helped shape their own fannish experience, and give them a page. Doesn't have to be comprehensive. Needn't even contain adjectives, if you still fear being flogged by a ghostly Salmon of Objectivity. Just needs to be a start.

Fanlore can still get down with its judicious overviews of Major Trends and Prominent Figures. But can we make it a crazy, Willy Wonka-esque Clearinghouse of Goodies, too?

Comments

[elf]

I am terrified of having an entry on Otherkin, because they might show up to correct it. (You think fandom wank gets bad? Imagine that level of bickering, plus a swarm of people who think they are half-angel-half-werejaguar, yegods I wish I were making up that example.)

If the Otherkin community just stuck to those who believed they were elves, dragons, vampires or fairies of various sorts (or mix-n-match blends thereof, don't ask), they definitely shouldn't have an entry. Since they are also prone to pulling their species claims from fandoms--Drow elves, star-vampires, Pernese dragons--and often call non-otherkin "muggles," there's at least some fandom connection.

Note where the Pagan Hierarchy Chart puts Otherkin. It's accurate. (The whole chart is frighteningly accurate.)

Otherkin are much more a Pagan fringe group than a fannish one. And I'm sure we'd all like to keep it that way. However, they exist, and they show up on the edges of fandom every now & then. They are more common in fandoms that have powerful, magical sentient creatures, especially gaming fandoms. I'm sure there are some WoW Otherkin, about which I very much do not wish to know the details.

[(Anonymous)]

As far as I've observed, the otherkin are actually quite civil in correcting false information about their subculture. :) They're also more prone to calling non-otherkin "mundanes" instead of "muggles" - that's a Harry Potter thing.

You are correct in that they're Pagan oriented rather than fan based. Most stick to themselves and their own when it comes to discussing otherkin, however some have been known to garner attention through (rather blatantly) intentional means.