I've been thinking about that access, and my thoughts are still largely inchoate (well, they nearly always are even at the best of times) but it seems to me that when writers had a community of feedback and support, they tended to mark themselves off as Schools. Bloomsbury, Wilde's gang, certain clusters around Dickens, Lewis, etc. Ditto over here. Algonquin, Dashiel Hammet and their group, Stein and the ex-pats in Paris.
Here's the thing: they became exclusive. I see--I think I see--less exclusivity on the Internet because fans can and do interact, too. You really have to be active to exclude people. Not sure about drawing any conclusions, all tentative.
I think the key here is that fans are pretty well self selected, all things being equal (something interesting to say, interesting fic, fun interactives, good social skills) but with the Algonquin and others, you could not join and leave at will. Part of the careful mystique was the exclusivity: the Algonquinites likes being seen publicly cutting one another down, but woe betide if you dared to talk to any of them, much less sit down. Your only worth was as audience.
Of course, some fan groups have been like that, too. Some have said that rasfic on Usenet was like that at its height--a closed circle, constantly awarding one another's clever remarks with Rasfic awards, nut largely ignoring the posts of those not considered 'in'. I didn't follow it long enough to test the truth of that.
But fandom does seem to have as one of its central and unwritten assumptions that no fan's vision can be as authoritative as the canon.
You go tell those H/Hr shippers that. I'll be waiting here with the fire extinguisher! <3
But yes. Interesting thoughts.
I as reader and I as writer function differently. As a writer, a handful of people see my stuff - Rebecca, Heather, you, Hannah, whomever I'm dating at the time. I guard my treasures jealously. I have chosen not enter the larger dialogue. As a reader, yes, I am out there. And I was out there as a writer at one point, when I was in fandom. But I've gotten to the point where it doesn't matter to me whether anyone reads what I write or not; I write for me alone.
I don't know if that's quite what you mean to address. And surely, there are downsides to choosing to insulate oneself from the larger world; I am not saying that I have the right idea. Too, I may someday open up the salon to others.
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Here's the thing: they became exclusive. I see--I think I see--less exclusivity on the Internet because fans can and do interact, too. You really have to be active to exclude people. Not sure about drawing any conclusions, all tentative.
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Of course, some fan groups have been like that, too. Some have said that rasfic on Usenet was like that at its height--a closed circle, constantly awarding one another's clever remarks with Rasfic awards, nut largely ignoring the posts of those not considered 'in'. I didn't follow it long enough to test the truth of that.
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You go tell those H/Hr shippers that. I'll be waiting here with the fire extinguisher! <3
But yes. Interesting thoughts.
I as reader and I as writer function differently. As a writer, a handful of people see my stuff - Rebecca, Heather, you, Hannah, whomever I'm dating at the time. I guard my treasures jealously. I have chosen not enter the larger dialogue. As a reader, yes, I am out there. And I was out there as a writer at one point, when I was in fandom. But I've gotten to the point where it doesn't matter to me whether anyone reads what I write or not; I write for me alone.
I don't know if that's quite what you mean to address. And surely, there are downsides to choosing to insulate oneself from the larger world; I am not saying that I have the right idea. Too, I may someday open up the salon to others.
Reply
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