beautifulfic-deactivated2015091:
Thank you, hun! This is really sweet of you to ask. Obviously, I don’t have all the answers, but I think what the quiet people can do is speak up, just a little bit.
It doesn’t have to be much. If your favourite artist or writer or whatever puts something up on tumblr, like it and reblog. That’s like a double whammy of love, and you don’t have to say a word. You could drop them a little message just to say thank you or loved it. Some will reply, others won’t, but either way I bet they’ll appreciate it!
If they’re posting on a site where comments are easy, again just a couple of words gets the support across. if you’re worried about sounding repetitive or something (don’t be worried, all praise = good) then try picking something that you really, really liked. Is the colour of Sherlock’s eyes particularly stunning in the picture? Is there a line in a chapter you love beyond all others (I LOVE it when people who pick out favourite lines – it shows, to me, that they’re really engaged with the fics.)
Basically, when it comes down to making fandom a lovely place, a key thing to remember is respect. Even if you don’t like what someone is saying, or creating, or whatever, you (this is a nebulous “you” not a direct “you”) need to remember that they’re entitled to feel that way or create that thing. Ask yourself:
Do I really need to challenge this person about this thing, or can I let is pass?
If you can let it pass, do. Sometimes it seems like people create conflict in fandom for the fun of it, which is unfortunate, because often the community is used as a place of refuge and arguments make it feel like a warzone instead.
By all means, enter into debate, but keep it polite and respectful. Don’t just say “You’re wrong and stupid!” bring your evidence to the table, and lay it out in an unemotional way. Debate’s not about choosing right and wrong. it’s about viewing a topic from every angle and gaining a better understanding of it as a community. It can be hard not to get angry over things your passionate about. Don’t kill the passion, not by any means, but bring the respect.
I think open conversation and discussion of flaws and points of view is phenomenally important. It enables us to educate ourselves and refine our world view, but lately such efforts have quickly evolved into petty squabbling and hateful comments. Bit not good.
Also (and this is a personal thing for me and might not bother other creators), there is a time and a place for commentary on the show and its creators, and that place is on your own blog (the time is up to you.) It’s not in the comments of my fic when I’ve just posted a new chapter, or that piece of art someone’s just put up on tumblr, or even that in-passing comment they just made.
Finally, I don’t want to be told I’m “better than most of the shit fic on this archive” or “Should take Moffat’s place because he’s crap.”
That might be your opinion, but it is fundamentally divisive, and it’s really not flattering. Comparisons are odious.
Those creators are as deserving of respect as anyone else, and it makes me feel guilty by association being on the receiving end of that kind of comment, and only enhances hte negative fandom vibes.
I hope all that sort of outlines what you can and can’t do. The tl;dr version is: share the love, silence the hate, show the respect.
If you do that, then it’ll be sunshine, rainbows, and open, honest and educated debate all the way!
(The you throughout ALL of this is hte nebulous you, btw. It’s not the you you. The you you probably knows all this already and is, by the way, looking very sharp and keen and intelligent today. Go youl)
