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On in-person fannishness
Jun. 11th, 2008 09:14 amOr, more thoughts brought up by this weekend's MoCCA fest.
( Backstage is just not for me. )
I think what I've ended up saying here is, I don't feel comfortable interacting with people in a way that doesn't seem organic, or that approaches being a fan when I think of myself as a friend. I don't want to participate in other people's industry events (which is how I increasingly think of MoCCA, which may be unfair) partially because I don't want to feel like I'm in the way of important networking. Also, I feel like I'm saying, "hey! I am now claiming a personal connection, which makes me feel special!" which is probably why I stopped talking about internet-famous friends in my LJ—after all, how is saying, "she's my friend" any different than saying "I am an important fan for reals" when you're talking about someone like that?
So no, I don't want to meet Ryan Seacrest. I don't have anything to say to him, and he certainly doesn't have anything to say to me, or anything he wants to hear from me, so I really don't get the point. Heck, I barely want to meet historians whom I admire, and that actually is my industry!
And if you're a friend who has a thing—a writer with a signing or reading, an artist with a table, a musician or theater person with a show—don't be surprised if I say to you later that I attended but didn't approach you, didn't stand in the line or go backstage. It just doesn't feel like my place.
( Backstage is just not for me. )
I think what I've ended up saying here is, I don't feel comfortable interacting with people in a way that doesn't seem organic, or that approaches being a fan when I think of myself as a friend. I don't want to participate in other people's industry events (which is how I increasingly think of MoCCA, which may be unfair) partially because I don't want to feel like I'm in the way of important networking. Also, I feel like I'm saying, "hey! I am now claiming a personal connection, which makes me feel special!" which is probably why I stopped talking about internet-famous friends in my LJ—after all, how is saying, "she's my friend" any different than saying "I am an important fan for reals" when you're talking about someone like that?
So no, I don't want to meet Ryan Seacrest. I don't have anything to say to him, and he certainly doesn't have anything to say to me, or anything he wants to hear from me, so I really don't get the point. Heck, I barely want to meet historians whom I admire, and that actually is my industry!
And if you're a friend who has a thing—a writer with a signing or reading, an artist with a table, a musician or theater person with a show—don't be surprised if I say to you later that I attended but didn't approach you, didn't stand in the line or go backstage. It just doesn't feel like my place.
