Fanfic malaise?

[valis2]

It seems to me (though I could be spectacularly wrong) that commenting is down. I think a lot of people aren't writing right now, but even moreso...not reading. Or maybe...not commenting. The comments for the dark!fic challenge I was part of seem to be fewer than normal; I also had bookmarked a few fairytale HP stories from a month ago to read, and as I was reading them yesterday, I noticed that none of them had a single comment. Wow.

I think we're all ready for new canon. I think it can't come quickly enough at this point; I'm ready for the breathless babbling that accompanies it! hee!

Comments

[minisinoo.livejournal.com]

Hmm, interesting. I was in X-Men for 6 years, and that's another fandom that would have long gaps between canon entries. Noticed the same tendency, especially just before a new movie was released. It was almost as if the tide had gone out in prep for the tidal wave. (The reaction to X-Men 3 was mostly howls of fury, but otherwise ...)

Once the canon is actually closed, I'll be curious to see what happens. Most fandoms do seem to fade, if never die entirely, or at least those who existed/grew a lot while canon was open. There are fandoms out there which seem to have grown largely POST canon, and that's a completely different animal, I think.

I've got two AUs, both long, and I'm curious to see the reactions post Book 7. I'm about to release the 2nd novella in a novella series before book 7, if I can possibly manage it. Probably right before, as my British beta is swamped with RL. That AU is quite radical, however, and whatever happens in Book 7 won't affect it, so it could go on long after.

The other AU is a very close weaving with book canon, with one significant twist: what if Cedric Diggory hadn't died in the graveyard? How would that have altered dynamics in Harry's 5th year with Umbridge, etc. When I finished the original novel, I specifically said I wouldn't even start on the sequel until Book 7 was out. Because it's a novel, and will take a while to complete -- and assuming the whole thing isn't completely blown out of the water by the canon death of Hermione (which I'm not expected, but you never know) -- I wonder how many people will actually stick with it, to see it completed. I know that people WILL stick with a novel, even if they've left the fandom (happened before with my X-Men novels), but not everyone does. Doesn't mean I won't write it/finish it, mind.

So, random observations. (g) Not sure how significant they are except to say that I've seen this same pattern with X-Men movie fandom.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

(The reaction to X-Men 3 was mostly howls of fury, but otherwise ...)

Oh, I can only imagine what that was like. I had such high hopes for that movie, but after Singer left, I was a little frightened to see what would happen.

And then about a week ago I watched the deleted scenes.

Horrible.

Thank goodness they weren't included; they were uniformly useless, and some of them were simply ridiculous. I think there were only one or two which should have stayed in the film. Okay, enough ranting.

I've got two AUs, both long, and I'm curious to see the reactions post Book 7.

My ginormous bloated epic was started after book 5, and has already been made AU; I'm definitely going to finish it, but as it gets farther and farther away from canon, I'll be interested in the reactions as well.

I know that people WILL stick with a novel, even if they've left the fandom (happened before with my X-Men novels), but not everyone does.

Oh, that's fascinating. I once did an entry about being in an active fandom when canon closed (I've never been in one, and wanted to hear what it was like), and I had a lot of very interesting responses. I'm always wondering what it will be like...and now I'll finally know.

I keep meaning to friend you, and have done so just now, huzzah.