Fanlib and why it is a bad, bad idea

[astoryandasong]

Warning: It's 5:45 am where I am. I'm tired, I have an exam in less than four hours and I am snarky.

Oh dear. 
That was my first thought when I heard about Fanlib. Oh dear. Having read through the various posts linked on meta_fandom and various other ljs, my reaction hasn't changed. Oh dear Fanlib, you have fucked yourselves up but good. 

Now this is my opinion and not everyone will agree, that's okay. But in my opinion the biggest two fandoms going right now in fanfiction are SGA and SPN. That is where it's happening, at least in the lj portions of fandom.  Now to put it bluntly, lj is basically the locus for most fanfiction going round. Forget yahoo groups or other mailing lists (but ah, the memories) or even sometimes author websites and archives. Lj is where most people play nowadays. I'm not sure if it's a good thing (I love my lj, but I loved those lists too) but I think that its true. FF.net is mostly a joke in fandom, a cautionary tale of what not to do. I mean, when was the last time YOU went to FF.net and clicked on a decent fic? Plus, no NC-17, which drives a lot of the older fans away. Archives are still going, but most of the really popular authors with the stratosphere hit counts post in Lj as well.  Now why would you in your right mind go and piss off lj fandom? You  wouldn't.  
The fanlib CEO's tired little rant and weaselly avoidance of any reply to fannish issues has made sure that Lj fandom is going to piss on fanlib every opportunity it gets. Sure, the meta_fandom section of Lj might be small, but who doesn't have at least one bigger name author on their f-list- and those authors are currently gathering kindling for the woodpile while other fans look around shiftily for a lighter and some kerosene.  

Sadly though, I have the feeling that Fanlib may still get bigger.  There are a lot of fourteen year olds looking for a place to put their OMG PLEASE REVIEW THIS MARY SUE <3 XD XD fic. It saddens me a little to think that it could be that portion of fandom to get publicity and possibly get us into Very Big Trouble, with capitals C&D.

Comments

[lq.livejournal.com]

I've found a few decent fics on FFN. Granted they were all in the TV Show section and I go to the other sections just to laugh my ass off.

But yeah, I've noticed that there are fewer fan archives and I am leary of LJ ones for the same reason of FFN: NO FREAKING QUALITY CONTROL!!!

I'm all for young people learning to cut their teeth in fanfics, but when other people just give them soggy bread to chew on, they go around thinking how zOMG GREAT! their botched literary abortions are. The rest of us are left with stomachs sore either from laughing so hard in derision or from vomiting in shear disgust.

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

The reason I loved those mailing lists was that everyone was on there together. The great, the good and the terrifyingly awful. I have such fond memories of those lists, especially the Richie/Methos list. I was 14 when I joined, I'm now 22.
I think ff.net has its purpose- we all have to start somewhere. The thing is I personally would find it very hard to improve myself on ff.net. I've found some fic there that was full of potential. I once found a story I got really excited over and left a comment basically saying that- but pointed out a couple of spelling mistakes and offered to beta in the future because I had enjoyed it so much. I got told to shut up basically. That was the end of my ff.net experience.

[lastscorpion.livejournal.com]

I once found a story I got really excited over and left a comment basically saying that- but pointed out a couple of spelling mistakes

I did that once, too! The girl (she turned out to be in high school, so I felt really old) got me to beta-read the remaining chapters of her story, and then a year or so later she beta'd one of mine. So sometimes it works out fine.

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

I love it when fandom uses its powers for good.

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

Meh. I have a different view.

Back when I looked at fan archives and such, it seemed to me like I was always wading through crap!fic to find good stuff anyway, so the only difference I've noticed is scale. LJ has more crap, because it has more users. That's all.

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

That's fair enough.
I've just found it easier to find things I like through Lj. Also I find it easier to leave feedback etc.

[okelay.livejournal.com]

i do believe there's good fic to be found in FFN (i know several fantastic authors who also archive there) but in general it does suck.
and the quality at fanlib isnt better.

probably because their biggest audience are indeed people who are new to fanfic.

i think lj's pretty big when it comes to fic and fandom.
even if you do spend time in forums and stuff, you come to lj too
ive always considered it a kind of fandom haven

so pissing it off it's a very bad idea

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

Yeah it's like 'want some candy, little fan?' Lj can serve all your neeeeeeddddsss bwahaha!
A few people have pointed that out- the fact that they seem to be luring newbies into their den of fannish iniquity (and not the good kind of iniquity). I think part of my reaction to this has been due to that fact. They're taking advantage of people without experience in a way.

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

LJ is a networking heaven, the whole Friends List setup is one hell of an effective grapevine that spreads news damn fast in fandom.

As you say, the meta-fandom may be small, but every one of them has flists, who all have flists as well, and some of them are on even bigger meta-fandom communities, like fanficrants and the more fandom specific khfanficrants, where I first heard of Fanlib.

LJ fandom is big, and we hold a hell of a lot of power because of our size.

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I don't think fanlib had any idea really of what they were getting into. I don't think they realised that we would be so protective of our space.

I have to stay away from fanficrants- it's bad for me. The last time I went there my flatmate had to tell me to step away from the computer slowly...I am both easily annoyed and amused.

[missscarlett.livejournal.com]

There ARE goodfics and highly talented authors who use FF.net. You just have to dig a little deeper to find them. A good trick is browsing the favourites list of authors you like; they often have a good standard when it comes to what kind of quality they go for and I've discovered many great authors and amazing fics this way.

FF.net certainly has me banging my head against the walls most days, but I do have a fondness for the site. It's easy to use and still has higher traffic than anywhere else. For all it's many flaws, I think it would be a sad day if FF.net ever shut its doors for good. The main reason I get so frustrated with the site is because the idea of the site itself is genius. It's just poorly run. With a team of people who CARED and had COMMON SENSE in charge, FF.net could be absolutely breathtaking.

[astoryandasong.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I never go there unless someone points something out to me. Though in some of the smaller fandoms I lurk in like Kyou Kara Maou I have to go there or I don't get my fix. The little rec lists they have going are quite useful.

I used to use it more, I admit, and I toyed with posting there. I agree with you that it would be sad if it closed- I used to go there before I lost patience with it. I have so little time to read that I can't spend time hunting for good fic there.