When it first premiered, the idea of a website that allowed you to (essentially) self-publish (rather than going through an archivist), as well as offer what (at least promised to be) a far-ranging, and frankly huge fandom database of fanfiction (including obscure fandoms that previously hadn't seen much in the way of archives because there were too few people and not many had the skills or space *too* archive) was an incredibly cool idea.
The execution sucked, and with truly opening publishing you get all levels of skill, which I think was off-putting to many truly gifted writers (though there are some gems hidden, I'm sure). But it was a start. Blogging has really revolutionized the way that fanfiction is shared now, though. Even in the last 3 years I've noticed a huge shift, and I'm sure it'll change again. While there's certainly a place for the kind of fan publications you're talking about, I think that internet publishing reaches a broader fanbase, and is more accessible to many who otherwise wouldn't get to experience such things. Unfortunately, we don't have a culture as open to the symbiosis of consumption and creation of media as Japan's.
The initial comment itself actually references an icon I saw on redblaze's LJ which made me think "omg, I remember *Gossamer*. I really am (in internet fandom terms) old."
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 08:03 pm (UTC)The execution sucked, and with truly opening publishing you get all levels of skill, which I think was off-putting to many truly gifted writers (though there are some gems hidden, I'm sure). But it was a start. Blogging has really revolutionized the way that fanfiction is shared now, though. Even in the last 3 years I've noticed a huge shift, and I'm sure it'll change again. While there's certainly a place for the kind of fan publications you're talking about, I think that internet publishing reaches a broader fanbase, and is more accessible to many who otherwise wouldn't get to experience such things. Unfortunately, we don't have a culture as open to the symbiosis of consumption and creation of media as Japan's.
The initial comment itself actually references an icon I saw on