Snowflake Challenge: 6

[keiliss]

Day 6
In your own space, share a book/song/movie/tv show/fanwork/etc that changed your life. Something that impacted on your consciousness in a way that left its mark on your soul. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

I did a mental run through of books and movies I love that have changed my way of looking at certain things, but I have to come back to Lord of the Rings. Not because it is the best book I ever read, not because it changed my world view or opened my eyes to a new way of thinking or any of that. But it's had a major impact on my life because the books led to the movies, which led to this fandom, which led to me discovering elf slash and a community of people many of whom have become friends as surely as anyone I know offline (and in some cases, closer and dearer than most of those).

And it's the space where I started posting fiction where others could read it instead of writing for my own amusement (no discipline, drop things when they're boring, ignore the plot holes, skip whole sections of story to get to the good bits *g*). Many hundreds of thousands of words later and many, many hours, and I can't deny the shape of my leisure time looks nothing like it did ten years ago. In a good way!

So yes, I guess JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings really did change my life.

Days 7 and 8

Comments

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

And it's the space where I started posting fiction where others could read it instead of writing for my own amusement (no discipline, drop things when they're boring, ignore the plot holes, skip whole sections of story to get to the good bits *g*)

You too? I never finished anything until I started writing fanfic!

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

LOL *waves* The hardest part of writing fan fiction was learning to keep going through the 'between' bits - I never bothered with those. And I don't think I ever finished anything either.

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

The hardest part of writing fan fiction was learning to keep going through the 'between' bits

*waves back!*
I hear you! It's always so tempting just to go to the bit you really want to write - instant gratification! Fanfic taught me a lot of discipline, in fact!

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

It took a while but I finally saw that you pick up bits of the story and threads you never imagined in those in between bits. Doesn't make it easier *g*, but at least I mind it a bit less now. Still take a deep, deep breath before plunging in to 'the most boring journey in the history of fiction' or whatever it is I'm trying to avoid.

I love that icon!

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Still take a deep, deep breath before plunging in to 'the most boring journey in the history of fiction' or whatever it is I'm trying to avoid.

Your readers don't see it as boring, though!

That icon is Van when he was in the Harad :D

[ilye-elf.livejournal.com]

Standalones mean you can skip to the bits you want to write, right? I am starting to see the method in your madness ;-)

One of the things that brought me back to fandom was answering a similar question a few months back. I realised just how much I missed the very dear friends, words and hours, that I'd found, devoted and lost. I probably wouldn't have a job as a writer if I hadn't started writing LOTR fanfiction. And I definitely wouldn't be with my partner (sometimes answering questions about how we met can be interesting - it's hard to explain that I emailed her with feedback on her slash fiction and it went from there!)

Tolkien made more than one world in the end, didn't he?

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Yes he did.

You got me, yes. Standalones are wonderful - have an idea of all that background detail but never actually need to write it *g*.

I've been enjoying these snowflake things because it's got me to really think about being part of fandom, and all the good things and all the ways it impacts on my life. It's taught me a lot more about people than you'd expect in an online situation - I don't think anyone who hasn't had the experience realises how much we become part of one another's lives. (though meeting over slash feedback --- heh. What do you say, writer's forum?)

Which is a roundabout way of saying I'm glad you're back, dearest.

[ilye-elf.livejournal.com]

See, all that gnashing of teeth over the ficlets but really, you love them ;-)

Fandom is quite an intimate thing really, isn't it? Especially, strangely, in something as vast as Tolkien, because everyone has a niche they're most comfortable in and that tends to attract a similar kind of person with a taste for those characters.

Somewhere I have a photo of a group of us from the old LJ days at the LOTR convention in London, circa 2003/4. Must dig that out. Eni, Sildil and Tux are in it and a few others.

(The position statement is "online book group" *g* And thank you, love. I'm glad to see you too.)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

You're right, it's a very specific shared interest that brings a circle of people together within a fandom and from there, real friendships get a chance to grow, and because they started off based in something that doesn't get shared much offline, it gives them an extra strength and dimension.

And ohhh I remember you showing me that photograph!

[elfscribe5.livejournal.com]

*raises hand* Me too. Yay!

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

And you've managed the leap from this to original fiction, too, which is so exciting.

*hugs you*

[elfscribe5.livejournal.com]

Heh, well I haven't managed it yet. I'm hopeful though.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

You will!

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I never wrote for public consumption until I was brave enough to post fanfic of my own doing and it's still a bit frightening to open myself up that much. But I love writing, and I love putting my characters into the universe that Tolkien created. His land was so richly conceived that it allows all of us to romp freely in the multitude of nooks and crannies. It's truly been a blessing and has helped my own courage as I turn to writing my own o-fic in addition to staying within the Tolkien fandom. Slow bits are OK - slow dancing with the right partner can be the hottest thing out there - LOL.

- Erulisse (one L)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

It's a little awe inspiring that one man's vision of a world could inspire so much magic and leave space for such vastly differing visions of it. And oh wow, I remember the first fic I posted. Back then everyone was on the Yahoo groups, and I pasted it all in carefully and spent forever just looking at the 'post' button, too terrified to touch it, LOL. Even now, I still hesitate a moment at the end. I think it's like acting -- you need that little taste of blind terror.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I still have that terror. I just grit my teeth and post. I would probably be much better if I used a beta more often, but I hate to bother Susan since she actually makes her living at editing. I do bother her when it's a bigger story because her insights are so valuable, but I hate to waste her time with the little things.

So I know I post things that could be better and I keep working on self-editing and developing a very critical eye. I've gotten better over the past few years :-)

It is rumored that Barbra Streisand has serious stage fright and that's one of the reasons she rarely performs any more. If I had that kind of talent, maybe I'd be OK with that little taste of blind terror. As it is, I still hesitate a lot before posting and I have a large backlog of pieces that haven't been put onto my general archives because of my hesitancy in bringing them out into the larger world.

- Erulisse (one L)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

You know, I like getting advice on smaller pieces, because often that's where the biggest lessons are learned.

I never ask Red to beta something under 2,000 words, but she'll give short pieces a quick read through to catch things like holes, bits that don't quite make sense, padding... all the stuff I might miss because hey, it looks right! Tonight she pointed out a word that jarred (she was right) and made a suggestion about the summary (for want of a better word). It took five minutes of her life, but it's great for the confidence to know someone's actively looked for flaws. Dunno if you have anyone who could do that on a regular basis, but I find it really helps with the confidence.

And I don't care who it is, no one writes anything that couldn't do with a serious tweak or two six months down the line so be easy on yourself about that. It's the nature of the beast, lol.

I'd heard that about Streisand, though it's something to blink at. After all that success -- well, actors say stage fright keeps them focused and hungry *g*.

*hugs*

[aglarien1.livejournal.com]

So many of us followed the same path because of Lord of the Rings. It's sure led to a great group of friends.

*hugs*

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

It's been a great journey so far and I am truly blessed in the friends I've found along the way.

*hugs tight*

[chaotic-binky.livejournal.com]

I would choose Lord of the Rings for the very same reasons you did.

Reading Tolkien enabled me to block the horribleness of my teen years and meant that I did not have to sit and watch telly with my family - I would read it and then start again. Even if I had never gone into the fandom the book would have had a very special place in my heart simply because of that.

LotR brought so much more into my life. I became part of the fandom and made friends. Remember Blue? I was able to whine about him in a safe place and feel supported by my fan friends - that meant a lot. I really appreciate being in a group of like-minded people who are nice to one another :)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

I remember you working your way through that with us, yes. It's a strange but true fact that often the friends you can trust the most are the ones you find online. I think for many of us it's been a case of finding our way into the community for the fandom experience but staying for the friendships.

*hugs you*