bad fangirl blues

[jlh]

You guys ever get the feeling of fandom: you're doing it wrong? Not about other people but about yourself?

Comments

[alwayswondered]

All the time. I'm a lurker and consumer; I produce nothing and leave no trace. I don't really "do" fandom at all. I feel like that's doing it wrong on an epic scale. But I don't think there's really a right way to do fandom. If you're enjoying yourself and not spoiling anyone else's enjoyment, you're not doing it wrong.

[wishfulclicking]

I've felt something similar. I know that I've really withdrawn from my previous fandom and I'm lightly dipping my toes in a new one when it comes to meeting other people. I barely produce anything but I do leave comments so I feel that is enough (and really, I've lurked for years so this is progress).

[allchildren]

Usually.

[ignaz]

No, I'm pretty sure I'm permanently awesome.

[jlh]

I don't really think of you as a lurker, but this may be because I read your DW!

You're not the only one to say that if I'm having fun and not ruining others' fun I'm fine, and I guess I don't think about fandom that way, in terms of my own personal enjoyment. I think of my responsibility to my fandoms mostly? What I can do to increase interest in smaller things that I like, or decrease fail? But then that leads to being a much more mainstream fangirl and I think at the end of the day I'm too serious, and at the same time too incapable of writing that kind of short angsty fic to be that fangirl.

When I have better perspective, I realize that there are other people in fandom who are like me and I can frame what I'm doing as serving them, who are underserved.

I think I need a "trampled by the fangirl hoarde" icon!

Thanks for the perspective!

[jlh]

Comments is a lot! I have two good pals from HP fandom who were mostly known for their reviews. And I know that I definitely judge the success or failure of a post by comments, not number of, but some vs. none. So it's a lot!

I just lost perspective yesterday, and got trampled by the fangirl hoardes. I'm more solidly on my feet today. But thank you so much for the perspective!

[wishfulclicking]

We all can lose perspective sometimes; just days ago my friend had to give me a verbal shakedown before I went into a tailspin.

I'm glad you're more solidly on your feet now.

[jlh]

See, I wish I could do that! ♥

[jlh]

Someone said to me in the LJ entry "what is doing it right" and what amazed me is how well I was able to articulate it. And I'm not sure if doing it right is really narrow, because so many people do it, or whateverthehell.

BUT I do know that I lost perspective yesterday and they also serve who only stand and wait, etc.