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Greetings and salutations, folks. Welcome to the 4th and biggest issue of HEROES yet! We just keep getting better and better! It amazes me! Look! Another exclamation point!
I'm done with that now. Well, this month's Monthly Rambling isn't me. nope, I stole it from the HEROES mailing-list which I highly recomend you all join (***WARNING***shameless plug ahead***WARNING***) because it's fun there. We discuss fanfic from all of the groups, what HEROES should and should not cover, we're even planning HEROES2k already! Ooooo...
Anyways, back to the Rambling, I noticed and made a point on the list of the fact that everyone seems to be bailing on various groups. I mean, look at the News & Rumors and you'll see alot of changes in the editors. Why is this? I mean, is it just the Summer months getting to folks?
I've only been in fanfic for 9 months or so, so for all I know it's normal. Another person (I think Barry Reese) pointed out that changes like this are always happening, only it looks bigger now that there's a central point to notice it (that's this here mag!).
Our good friend Neil Gow sat down and put some thought into this, though, and posted a great response to the list that I wanted to share with you all, so, without further ado, here's this month's Ramblin'.
Here are my top seven reasons for people to 'bail out' of fanfic (or anything else, to be honest..)
1. Politics
As fanfic groups model themselves more and more on 'proper' comic
companies, there is bound to be a stress between the creative and the organisational.
There is also a stress when writers cross from 'democractic' groups, to
ones with defined editors, owners and rules hierarchies. Certainly, one
of the lessons I think everyone could learn from Mv1 is that small is not
only beautiful, but a damn sight easier to manage 2. Loss of Interest
I think everyone has a shelf life for their fanfic 'career' before
they have to restock and recharge their batteries. Personally, I have written
over 60 issues in the last two years and I have made a conscious effort
to slow down! It may also just be that they have told their story and want
to move on?
3. Over-commitment
This is the killer on many projects. Too many people taking on too
many projects and then dropping them. If you take a fluffy approach of
saying " Well, it's just a hobby, so OK." your site is littered with half
finished titles. If you take a harder line, please return to {1} above... 4. Personal complications
Everyone has a personal life that is ALWAYS more important than their
fanfic hobby. I think that *most* people involved with this hobby have
a good handle on this, and this is the most readily accepted reason for
people to bow out. Illness, relocation, children, jobs, exams, relationship
breakdown ( or even better, relationship explosion - come on, lets think
some happy thought!?) all happen.
5. Barriers to Entry
Certainly, if you do leave a project, or want to move some of your
efforts to another one, there is nothing more disillusioning than being
stonewalled, constantly knocked back, or having an editorial response time
measured in Ice Ages!
6. Clash of Personalities
As a different thing from politics. There are times when two people
just cannot exist in the same community together and one of them has to
go. Usually this follows some list bust up. Sadly, this is the reason I
have seen the most, and it is the most regrettable in my eyes.
7. Employment by Marvel or DC ....
Well, like mother always says, end on a song!
Neil Gow
Very good points, and things we should all think about, no?
Well, enjoy the ish. We've got our largest News & Rumors column
ever (notebook couldn't hold it all!), Skyrocket delves into Women in Fanfic
while Chris Hatfield looks at the new wave of folks writing for MV1 and
chats with a bunch of them, James Pedrick looks at the future and past
groups of fanfic, Alex Cook rips open DCX, Erik Burnham sits down for a
talk and we look deep into the collective mind of Elseworld's Justin Blum
and Donald Pfeffer, as well as Silver Surfer #0 coming from the Cosmic
Powers fanfic group, 3 whole Reviews, the now 2 month old Previews section
and the brand spankin' new Classifieds! Whew!
Jason Kenney
MV1-International Branch Editor
Allegedly writing Crusaders again!
July 6th, 1999
