#moonbeam predilections

[nepf-ufrj]

Entrevista com Moonbeam Predilections, criadora do Fanfiction Terminology.

Moonbeam Predilections é uma figura importante na comunidade de fanfiction, estando presente e participando ativamente em todos os eventos significativos na trajetória da fanfic desde a década de 90, quando fanfic saiu do papel e passou a mostrar presença na internet. Ela foi a criadora do Fanfiction Terminology, um glossário de terminologia da comunidade de fanfiction que muitos novatos e até veteranos nesse meio recorrem quando precisam de ajuda. É grátis e o uso para pesquisas e estudos é liberado. O NEPF conseguiu uma entrevista com ela sobre sua história com a fanfic e quais são os aspectos importantes na definição da fanfiction.

Glossário disponível no fim do post.

English version here!

#1 - Como você primeiro entrou no mundo da fanfic?

Meu primeiro fandom foi “Arquivo X”. Eu era uma ávida fã do programa desde a sua estreia em 1993, assistindo-o fielmente todas as noites de sexta-feira. Eu não sabia disso na época, mas também estava shippando fielmente Mulder/Scully. Em 1995, meu pai conectou a internet ao computador da família. Eu quase sempre tive um computador em casa, pois meu pai os usava para trabalhar, então imediatamente mergulhei nisso e fui cambaleando pelo modelo da internet discada. Meus primeiros três dias online foram passados ​​em uma sala de bate-papo - onde prontamente me envolvi na minha primeira sessão de wank, ha! - antes que alguém mencionasse a listagem de e-mails de “Arquivo X”. Isso, é claro, despertou meu interesse e então eu digitei os comandos do DOS (demoraria algumas semanas até que tivéssemos nosso primeiro navegador de internet com interface gráfica do usuário, o Netscape sendo bastante novo na época) para conferir.

No começo eu só lia histórias. Depois de um tempo, comecei a comentar de volta para os autores. Eu fiz amigos. Eventualmente, tentei escrever minha própria história. Era 1996, eu era adolescente. Eu, é claro, escrevi uma fic de Mary Sue. Um dos meus novos amigos se ofereceu para ler a versão beta e postar a história para mim na lista de e-mail. Essa amiga já era o que chamaríamos de uma 'velhota’ hoje. Ela era ativa em fandoms desde a década de 1970 e sabia o que estava fazendo. Mas ela teve tempo para pacientemente introduzir uma jovem novata. Dentro de alguns meses, eu estava postando por conta própria (e felizmente deixei de lado a fic de Mary Sue) e recebi meu próprio feedback. Foi incrível e maravilhoso!

Depois de mais alguns meses, e lendo alguns crossovers, comecei a procurar outros fandoms de programas de TV que eu gostava de assistir. “Os Gárgulas”, “Maldição Eterna”, “Highlander - O Guerreiro Imortal”, “SeaQuest”, “Kung Fu: a Lenda Continua” e “A Sentinela”, tinham fandoms prósperos que chamaram minha atenção. Foi “A Sentinela” que foi minha introdução à slash fic, e eu adorei! “A Sentinela” continua sendo um dos meus fandoms mais lidos, comigo procurando ou voltando para ler sobre Jim e Blair repetidamente.

Aquela primeira amiga que me introduziu no fandom adolescente? Ela ainda é minha amiga hoje. Nós nunca nos conhecemos pessoalmente (eu sou canadense e ela é australiana) e perdemos contato por anos até finalmente nos reencontrarmos quando nossos caminhos nos fandoms se cruzaram, mas nossa amizade ainda é forte. É o meu relacionamento mais longo fora da minha família. No momento, não compartilhamos nenhum fandom, mas isso não importa. Ainda falamos sobre fandom, ainda recomendamos fics uma para a outra e ainda oferecemos como beta uma para a outra. Fanfiction foi, é, e, provavelmente, sempre será uma grande parte da minha vida diária, e sou muito grata por isso.

#2 - Na sua perspectiva, qual é a definição do termo fanfiction? Por exemplo, fanfiction deve ser escrita apenas por um fã, ou um crítico também poderia escrever fanfiction?

Fanfiction é um trabalho novo e transformador escrito e derivado de uma fonte original do canon, como um programa de televisão, livro ou até a vida real. É baseado nos personagens, conceitos e construção de mundo da fonte original do canon, mas conta uma nova história. Não afeta a fonte original do canon, mas se desenvolve e cresce em algo único a partir dessa base.

Enquanto nos referimos ao termo Fanfiction para significar ficção criada por fãs, e muitos de nós que participam dela nos chamam de fãs da fonte canon, ser fã não significa aceitação cega. De fato, muitos trabalhos de fãs são sobre ‘consertar’ (fix it) coisas que ocorreram no canon com as quais encontramos problemas. Então, sim, um crítico pode absolutamente escrever fanfiction. Um crítico, afinal, deve se importar o suficiente com a fonte canon em primeiro lugar para criticá-la, então eles também não são tecnicamente fãs?

#3 - As inúmeras versões e continuações de algo como "Sherlock Holmes" ou "A Ilíada" seriam consideradas fanfictions? Por que ou por que não?

Sim, absolutamente! Provavelmente existem muito poucas histórias verdadeiramente originais por aí. A maioria das ideias da humanidade são baseadas em histórias anteriores, alteradas e adaptadas através das narrativas. Textos religiosos, mitologias, grandes clássicos como Shakespeare entram no inconsciente coletivo da sociedade e formam a base de nossa cultura. Quase tudo poderia ser descrito como fanfic de uma história anterior, se visto de uma certa perspectiva. A diferença é puramente escopo, tempo e quão culturalmente influente a história foi.

#4 - A fanfic deve ser sem fins lucrativos? Por que ou por que não?

Sim e não. Depende de quem está escrevendo, para ser honesto. Uma mulher comum escrevendo em seu computador sobre seus personagens favoritos por prazer? Deus, não ouse tentar pedir dinheiro ou você será processado à falência. Mesmo sem buscar ativamente o ganho monetário, nós, pessoas normais, sempre corremos o risco de ficar do lado ruim de algum criador descontente ou detentor de direitos autorais. E a maioria de nós não pode pagar os advogados para se defender. Declarar todos os fanworks como sem fins lucrativos é muitas vezes necessário apenas para a segurança e sobrevivência do fandom como um todo.

Mas se um profissional ou famoso decide criar algo como uma fanfic, uma reviravolta em uma história antiga? Não tem problema, eles podem até publicar para fazer uma fortuna! Na verdade, a maioria sim! Você tem visto a maioria dos filmes de hoje? Basicamente todos os reboots e remakes... essencialmente fanfiction. Mas por serem criados profissionalmente, são culturalmente aceitáveis, ​​e, portanto, não definidos como fanfiction. Mesmo quando a escrita é terrível em comparação, quem escreve é ​​o que lhe dá legitimidade.

#5 - Qual foi sua motivação para criar "Terminologia de Fanfiction"?

No começo, meu site era apenas minhas histórias postadas. Em seguida, adicionei outras páginas, como registros de arquivos e registros de histórias, e comecei a receber perguntas dos leitores sobre o significado das palavras que usei. Então eu fiz um glossário básico, apenas alguns termos simplesmente definidos. As perguntas continuaram, aumentando em número até chegarem regularmente. ( ajuda que meu site apareça rapidamente nos resultados de pesquisa do Google.). Foi meio orgânico a maneira como a página de terminologia de fanfiction cresceu, não tanto projetada deliberadamente. Pouco a pouco, uma sugestão ou pergunta de cada vez, dezenas de outros termos foram adicionados ou editados até que eu mesma procurei os termos pedidos para tentar cobrir tudo o que consegui pensar. No início dos anos 2010, mais ou menos, estava bastante completo. Apenas um punhado de novos termos foram adicionados nos últimos anos, e, em sua maioria, são termos recém-evoluídos que simplesmente não existiam dez anos atrás.

#6 - Por que você acredita que existe um preconceito tão grande contra fanfiction?

Duas razões me vêm à mente, na minha opinião. Primeiro, a visão mainstream que as pessoas têm de que fanfiction é apenas pornografia amadora mal escrita, inconsciente ou indiferente de todos os outros gêneros e trabalhos incríveis que existem. E dois, esse fandom é predominantemente um passatempo da perspectiva feminina e, portanto, não vale tanto quanto os trabalhos criados pelas esferas dominadas pelos homens de Hollywood ou pela indústria editorial tradicional - bem como, por exemplo, romances “Arlequins” que são vistos com menos prestígio do que outros gêneros, embora muitos sejam tão ou mais profundamente pesquisados ​​e bem escritos quanto sua competição masculina.

Como ou se podemos combater qualquer um desses equívocos, eu não sei. Mas duvido que algum dia escaparemos do preconceito contra nós, até que o façamos. Felizmente, mesmo a exploração mais superficial da maioria dos fandoms revela a verdadeira riqueza e profundidade que oferecemos e, para aqueles dispostos a tentar, pode fazer toda a diferença.

#7 - Quais plataformas você usa para ler fanfics? Do seu tempo na comunidade, quais mudanças e migrações você testemunhou de uma plataforma para outra (por exemplo: após a revisão das diretrizes do tumblr)?

Eu leio principalmente no AO3 (Archive of Our Own) hoje em dia, porque não há muitas outras fontes restantes. Eu sou um veterano e vi muitas migrações à medida que o fandom evolui, os sites se dissolvem e o tempo passa.

Quando eu comecei no início dos anos 1990, eu lia e postava fanfics em listas de discussão, que eram basicamente apenas e-mails de grupo para distribuição. Eventualmente, fãs deligentes reuniram os trabalhos dessas listas em arquivos específicos de fandoms, como Gossamer (“Arquivo X”), ou arquivos multifandom, como Fanfiction.net. Alguns eram arquivos com curadoria administrados por proprietários ou moderadores, cujas regras podiam mudar (como o FFN que proibia trabalhos explícitos), outros se tornaram automatizados para permitir que os escritores postassem diretamente nos próprios arquivos.

Então veio a tendência de cada autor fazer seu próprio site em casa. Os sites teriam links em 'webrings' para facilitar sua localização. Muitos sites foram feitos em hosts gratuitos, como o Geocities (ou eu mesmo no Angelfire, heh), o que foi ótimo até o fechamento abrupto do Geocities. Isso levou a exclusão em massa e perda de obras. A Wayback Machine no Internet Archive foi crucial para a manutenção de registros de muitas histórias antigas e perdidas, mas nem mesmo ela conseguiu recuperar tudo. Fazer crossposting em várias plataformas também garantiu a sobrevivência e rapidamente se tornou a norma.

Então veio o surgimento de blogs como o Livejournal no início dos anos 2000. O fandom foi dominado pelo Livejournal, por provavelmente 10 anos ou mais, e comunidades inteiras se desenvolveram em todos os lugares dentro dele. Crossposting para arquivos de fandoms ainda ocorriam, mas os próprios fãs nunca haviam tido interações tão íntimas entre autor e leitor como no formato de blog focado em comentários do Livejournal. Os fandoms prosperaram! Então, inevitavelmente, a plataforma passou por desafios (Strikethough, 2007) e foi vendida para novos proprietários. O Fandom foi expulso. Mas do formato gratuito de LJ surgiram Dreamwidth e outros clones, um refúgio seguro para o fandom. Até que finalmente algumas pessoas espertas disseram “o diabo com isso, por que deveríamos viver de acordo com seus caprichos? Vamos fazer nosso próprio espaço!” E pronto, nasceu o AO3.

Ele demorou para se tornar a potência que é hoje. Outras plataformas vieram e se foram. Alguns fãs tentaram o Tumblr depois do LiveJournal, apenas para acabarem sendo censurados. Outros tentaram sites como o Wattpad, que ganha dinheiro em cima dos fandoms. Aqueles de nós que usaram os favoritos do Delicious lutaram para mover nossos milhares e milhares de recs na Great Delicious Migration de 2011, com muitos encontrando um lar entre o então minúsculo Pinboard, quando seu proprietário nos deu boas-vindas explicitamente –. (tenho um grande respeito por Maciej Ceglowski, que nos convidou a dizer a ele quais características nós do fandom mais queríamos, nos assistiu com admiração enquanto criamos coletivamente o documento do Google do DOOOM!, codificado por cores e indexado! Em dois dias, fez o possível para acomodar nossas necessidades baseadas em fanfics. O Pinboard ainda é meu recurso de fandom preferido para recomendações de novas histórias.)

#8 - Você considera fanfiction literatura? Por que ou por que não?

Esta é a bibliotecária em mim respondendo, porque o termo literatura na verdade tem um significado muito específico que, de fato, muito poucas obras de ficção se enquadram. A literatura é uma obra escrita com temas tão profundos que permanece relevante por décadas, séculos ou mesmo milênios. Há uma diferença muito grande entre literatura e ficção. A maioria dos livros publicados não se qualifica. James Patterson, por exemplo, apesar de ser um dos autores de ficção de maior sucesso que existe, nunca será considerado próximo da literatura. No entanto, Harry Potter já é reconhecido como um clássico e com seu efeito na cultura pode um dia alcançar o status de literatura.

A maioria das fanfics definitivamente não. Não dizendo que algumas fanfics não são tão bem escritas, ou até melhor escritas, do que algumas literaturas clássicas... mas a qualidade da retórica não é tudo que separa a ficção literária de outros gêneros, é a exploração universal da condição humana . A verdadeira literatura é, como um bibliotecário a define, comparativamente rara.

#9 - Na sua opinião, quais são algumas das qualidades e falhas da comunidade de fanfiction/fandom?

O próprio senso de comunidade é tanto sua melhor qualidade quanto sua maior falha.

Com isso quero dizer que os fandoms tendem a ser muito envolventes. Isso é ótimo, pois eles promovem fortes relacionamentos entre os membros e com a fonte canon. Sentimos essa sensação de pertencer a um fandom e nos alegramos com isso. Participar lendo/escrevendo fanfics apenas nos investe mais fundo na comunidade de fãs. Não estamos sozinhos, fazemos parte de algo maravilhoso. É gratificante e saudável, para alguns de nós a melhor interação social que precisaremos.

Infelizmente, essa mesma participação em uma comunidade de fãs também pode levar à queda. De facções dividindo fãs por pares ou outros interesses, a wanks, até mesmo investir demais em algo que eventualmente chegará ao fim. Quantos fãs você conhece que escolheram seu pseudônimo online de um fandom específico? Toneladas, é claro, mas para quantos esse nome ainda é relevante e não está desatualizado? Muito menos. Algumas pessoas precisam da validação da aprovação social, mas sempre haverá quem discorde ou simplesmente não goste de você/do seu trabalho. A crítica pode ser bem-vinda por alguns, mas há muitos outros que acham isso doloroso e podem revidar. O que acontece no fandom afeta a vida real de uma pessoa porque o fandom é uma parte, muitas vezes muito importante, de sua realidade. Sendo isso bom ou mau.

#10 - Como você acha que a fanfiction afetou a cultura popular e a mídia ao longo dos anos?

Honestamente, eu gostaria que os dois ficassem mais longe da fanfic. Inevitavelmente, mesmo quando a interação é feita de boa-fé, a cultura pop e a mídia acabam retratando negativamente as fanfics e os fandoms. Tornamo-nos uma piada, um alvo, ou vistos com desdém ou desgosto –. (por exemplo "Cinquenta Tons de Cinza", a fanfic terrivelmente ruim de Crepúsculo que inexplicavelmente alcançou renome mundial quando seu autor tirou os nomes originais e a publicou, isso não fez nenhum favor à fanfic como um todo. A mente da mídia popular vê como nada além de pornografia amadora. Algo de que talvez nunca nos recuperemos de verdade.)

A mídia não entende o fandom ou a paixão das pessoas envolvidas e raramente sabe como nos respeitar. Mesmo quando eles tentam inserir momentos de "fanservice" em seus conteúdos para o público, na maioria das vezes acaba sendo uma zombaria exagerada que me faz estremecer. A cultura pop também não está acima de explorar o fandom para obter lucro. Já aconteceu várias vezes e sempre deixa os fãs se sentindo usados, sem créditos e desrespeitados enquanto os Powers That Be ficam mais ricos com nossas ideias.

O fandom é uma força poderosa quando se reúne. Fãs mobilizados em direção a um objetivo podem afetar absolutamente o mundo real. Trouxemos de volta shows cancelados (o filme “Serenity - A luta pelo amanhã” da série de TV “Firefly” ignominiosamente cancelada), mudanças de enredo ou personagens e trazemos a tona jóias obscuras (como o “Star Trek” original) que teriam sido esquecidas pelo tempo na cultura pop mainstream. Mas raramente ganhamos respeito por isso. Afinal, somos apenas fãs malucos. E principalmente mulheres, o que infelizmente, neste mundo baseado no patriarcado, faz com que nossas contribuições valham menos por predefinição.

#11 - Do plágio ao trabalho original, onde você acredita que a fanfic se encontra? A presença de Universos Alternativos (UA) ou OCs (Personagem Original) torna a fanfiction mais um trabalho original do que propriamente fanfiction? Onde você acredita que a linha entre os dois é traçada?

Acredito que a característica definidora que separa a fanfic de uma obra original são os próprios personagens. Você pode pegar um conjunto de personagens e colocá-los na UA mais amplamente diferente, e enquanto os personagens permanecerem fiéis a sua caracterização, eles serão reconhecíveis e provavelmente criarão uma ótima história. Mas e se os personagens são escritos de tal forma que têm pouca semelhança com suas origens? Então, mesmo o ambiente mais reconhecível ainda parecerá que eu poderia estar lendo ficção original. E se os OCs são sua preferência, também pode tentar criar sua própria construção de mundo para evitar alegações de preguiça ou plágio. Os personagens são a parte mais difícil, eles são capazes de elevar ou destruir a estória.

Para sua informação, isso não quer dizer que OCs não tenham lugar na fanfiction. Não é verdade, algumas das melhores histórias desenvolveram personagens originais lindamente, mesmo em papéis principais de protagonistas. Mas os personagens canon incluídos precisam permanecer fiéis à caracterização original, não importa como. Personagens canon não fiéis ao original também podem ser OCs, mas geralmente são percebidos como piores.

#12 - Por último, quais são seus tropos ou gêneros de fanfics favoritos e por quê?

Bem, eu me descrevo como bi-ficcional (gen, het ou slash!) e multifandom (mais de 150 fandoms) por um motivo. Eu gosto de muitas coisas!

Eu profundamente amo crossover, mesmo quando não conheço todos os fandoms incluídos, porque eles oferecem as melhores perspectivas externas. Prefiro histórias de angst às engraçadas, e romances longos de slow burn à oneshots curtos. Eu adoro consequências realistas nos relacionamentos (nem tudo precisa ser Felizes para Sempre) e, especialmente, aprecio quando os personagens são competentes(BAMFs são incríveis!).

Ultimamente tenho gostado bastante da tendência das histórias do Omegaverse com dinâmicas Alpha/Beta/Omega. Gosto dos paralelos com nossa realidade patriarcal e dos desafios ao status quo dela. Os melhores Ômegas são aqueles que não se submetem ou cedem para serem oprimidos, que lutam por seus direitos. Mulheres como nós enfrentam muitos dos mesmos desafios, então as histórias A/B/O muitas vezes ressoam profundamente. (Os pares slash como um todo tendem a ser preferidos porque existem realmente poucas personagens femininas não caricaturais bem escritas em fontes canon, tornando os pares het que os fãs conseguem se identificar ​​​mais raros.)

Glossário:

Wank - debates online que acontecem repetidamente sem sinais de consenso.

DOS - lista de comandos do sistema operacional DOS da Microsoft.

Netscape - tipo de browser de internet.

Mary Sue - uma personagem perfeita e sem defeitos.

Slash fic - tipo de fanfic que contém um relacionamento amoroso homosexual. A versão feminina seria FemSlash.

Beta ou Beta Reader - pessoa que auxilia o escritor de fanfic lendo e corrigindo o texto antes de ser postado.

Canon - tudo que está presente ou é estabelecido no conteúdo original.

Fix it (consertar) - tags de fanfic que marcam histórias que possuem a tentativa de consertar algo que é considerado ‘errado’ na obra original. Ex: morte de um personagem.

Fanworks - todo e qualquer tipo de trabalho transformativo feito como uma exploração de um conteúdo original. Ex: fanfiction, fanvids, fanart e etc.

Mainstream - tendência ou moda dominante.

Arlequins - qualquer serie de romances e estórias simples sobre um casal hétero.

AO3 (archive of our own) - site arquival aberto sem fins lucrativos para fanfiction e outros fanworks, criado em 2008 pela Organization of Transformative Works.

Gossamer - Mais conhecido como The Gossamer Project (O Projeto Teia) foi um grupo arquival que, continha uma vasta coleção de fanfics da série “Arquivo X” na internet.

Multifandom - que faz parte ou contém diversos fandoms.

Fanfiction.net (FF) - maior site arquival de fanfiction do mundo, criado em 1998.

Webrings- ferramenta para otimização de busca, que organiza sites por tema, criando uma estrutura de interligação circular entre os sites.

Hosts - hospedeiros.

Geocities - site onde fica o The Internet Archive, criado em 1996, e descontinuado em 2009.

Wayback Machine - banco de dados do The Internet Archive que arquiva mais de 613 bilhões de páginas da internet desde 1996.

The Internet Archive (O Arquival da Internet) - livraria sem fins lucrativos de milhares de livros, filmes, softwares, músicas, websites e etc.

Crossposting - ato de postar a mesma coisa em diversas plataformas para aumentar sua visibilidade e evitar perda do conteúdo caso ocorra uma situação inesperada em algum site.

Live Journal - site onde usuários podem manter um blog, jornal ou diário, e interagir com outros usuários. Foi criado em 1999 e foi comumente utilizado para postagem de fanfiction.

Τhe Strikethrough - Evento ocorrido em 2007, quando o Live Journal apagou todos diários de usuários que continham palavras presentes em uma extensa lista. A censura foi vasta e apagou diversos conteúdos por razões aparentemente pequenas, como conter a palavra “crime” em uma história. Isso fez com que muitos de seus usuários procurassem uma nova plataforma para postar suas fanfics.

Dreamwidth - serviço de diários online baseado no código de serviço original do Live Journal, criado em 2009 por ex-funcionários do Live Journal e descontinuado em 2011.

Wattpad - plataforma que permite compartilhamento de histórias, comumente utilizado para postagem de fanfic.

Recs - abreviação da palavra “recomendações”.

Great Delicious Migration of 2011 - Delicious era um serviço que permitia favoritar, salvar e, principalmente, criar tags (marcar com certa palavra, forma comum de organizar fanfiction), sendo assim um conteúdo completamente controlado pelos usuários. Após a compra da empresa em 2011, usuários foram prejudicados pelas novas reformas e regras do site, optando por sairem do site em massa.

Pinboard - site que oferecia um serviço com o mesmo conceito que Delicious, porém cobrava ao redor de 25 dólares por ano de seus usuários.

Maciej Ceglowski - criador do Pinboard.

DOOOM!, The Giant Reference Document of DOOM! (O Gigante Documento de Referências de DOOM!) - Documento de diversas partes criado por fãs da série de videogames DOOM, contendo um glossário de referências e terminologia do mundo do jogo.

Fanservice (serviço para fa) - entregar algo aos fãs no conteúdo original priorizando apenas a vontade do fandom, desconsiderando se tal coisa se encaixa onde está inserido.

Powers that be - frase utilizada para indivíduos ou grupos que detém poder ou autoridade de alguma forma sobre algo.

Universo Alternativo - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que utilizam os personagens de um conteúdo original e os colocam em um mundo diferente do canon.

OC (original characters) - Original Characters (personagens originais), é a tag de fanfic que marca quando há uma inserção de um personagem novo não existente no canon.

Bifictional - palavra derivada da junção das palavras bisexual e fanfiction. Significa gostar de todos os tipos de categorias de romance em fanfic.

Gen - tag de fanfic que marca uma história que não conta em qualquer tipo de romance.

Het - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que contêm relacionamentos amorosos heterossexuais.

Slash - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que contêm relacionamentos amorosos lgbtqr+.

Crossover - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que contém a coincidência de personagens e mundos de diferentes conteúdos originais.

Angst - Angst (angústia) é a tag de fanfic que marca histórias que contém uma temática de tormento emocional ou físico.

Slow Burn - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que contém personagens do canon que se apaixonam gradualmente e naturalmente, normalmente levando um longo tempo para ficarem juntos.

Oneshots - tag que marca histórias escritas completamente antes da postagem, sem prequelas ou sequências, e formatadas em um único capítulo.

Consequências Realistas nos Relacionamentos - tag de fanfic que marca histórias que mostram consequências realistas das ações dos personagens do canon em um relacionamento.

Felizes para Sempre - mais conhecida atualmente por Happy Ending (Final Feliz) é a tag de fanfic que marca histórias com um final feliz ou satisfatório.

BAMF - abreviação de Bad Ass Mother Fucker (Filho da Mãe Foda) é a tag de fanfic que marca historias que contem um personagem que é particularmente impressionante, normalmente muito inteligente e difícil de derrotar.

Omegaverse ou/e Dinâmica Alpha/Beta/Omega - tags de fanfic que marcam histórias que contém a dinâmica onde personagens podem ser Alphas (pessoas dominantes, autoritárias e respeitadas), Betas (pessoas ordinárias, normalmente trabalhadores comuns) ou Ômegas (pessoas submissas, menoridade e inferiores). A tag é comumente utilizada como alegoria para a sociedade atual, porém espelhada na comunidade de lobisomens.

Ache o blog de Moonbeam aqui!

Ache The Fanfiction Terminology aqui!

#fanfic #entrevista #interview #research #fanfic research #moonbeam predilections #entrevistas

[sunschein]

ꄃ BUSINESS BUNDLE

business bundle is available with a price range of 12,000 IDR-50,000 IDR, depending on the amount of order.

ㅤㅤㅤ

✧ channel description:

constellations that are ambrosially spruced and enact plaudit in the cerebellums of stargazers. the moonbeam that seraphically amended into @bot and @archive liable for bequeathing jouissance to all psyches.

ㅤㅤㅤ

✧ pinned channel:

magnolious contemplations that are exigent to acquire—the quiescent zeniths of the constellations are bestowed with exuberance. beneath the paradisaic moonshine, the preeminent stargazers are languishing bourgeon nor inexorable chimeras. triumphant kismet is the corollary of metrical and pristine manifestations of the crux. the two caryatids of enlightenment languidly abrade, bludgeoned by the pneuma’s predilection for idyllic exhilaration. meticulously, the work of art that the dwellers of the celestial can solely obtain are bequeathed to those who are conscientious by the nymphs.

ㅤㅤㅤ

✧ regulations:

first. subscribing to our channel is fundamental so that purchasers don't miss any information regarding their orders, as well as a form of appreciation for our hard work in producing masterpieces for buyers.

second. payments are made in advance due to rampant fraud that occurs, and we also provide several payment methods, namely dana, gopay, shopeepay, ovo, and qris, with no additional cost.

third. processing time is one to four days, depending on the queue and how many orders we obtain. but we provide rush orders with an additional charge of 1,000 IDR.

fourth. filling in the order form must be as detailed as possible to avoid major revisions. we will send a preview first to make it easier if there are any revisions. moodboard results will be sent in the telegram files so that the photo quality is not reduced.

ㅤㅤㅤ

✧ help forward message:

an explicit beseech adjourns to our business colleagues to spread this encyclical on their channels, so that all stargazers can perceive the paradisaic constellations. heaps of grats! 💌

ㅤㅤㅤ

the sublimely spruced constellations bequeath the stargazers with stellar works of art, ceding them amply flummoxed. without further ado, @channel is ecstatically unlatching the vestibules on the twenty-ninth of may. the moonlit stargazers are pledged carnets to shepherd the work of art; a moodboard that was lacquered seraphically. nevertheless, it is obliged to comprehend the purveyed ordinances before amassing the sought-after mirth through our henchman, @bot.

ㅤㅤㅤ

✧ catalog:

with plenary candor, these paradisaical photos are indexed debonairly and meticulously—the moonbeam scintillates the frantic crux, dethroning it with ataraxia. masterpieces from top-tier dauber, proprietress of hands bequeathed by elysium are ambrosially collocated in the comment section below.

[jencala]

Fanfic Author Challenge

The challenge is to post segments from 4 of your favorite fics you have written. They can be as long or as short as you wish, and you may provide the readers with some insight on why you chose this fragment.

I know I was tagged by a couple of people but it’s been a while and I’m finally getting around to it.  Sorry!  And oh boy, this is hard to choose!

1. Of Masters and Slaves

Sirius didn’t speak for a moment, but held his mother’s unwavering stare. “I understand.   Mother .”

“Oh dear, I don’t think you truly do.” Walburga’s quiet laughter teetered on madness as she raised her wand and aimed it at her son. “I think you need another lesson to truly drive home the point. Crucio !”

Sirius crumpled to the floor, convulsing under the onslaught of the curse.  His muscles felt like they would burst into flames as the feeling of liquid fire raced through his veins, his limbs twisting as the sensation of his bones breaking and melting caused an inhuman scream to tear its’ way out of his throat.

Remus could only stand there, cemented to the ground as he watched— unable to do anything to help Sirius or stop the madwoman from torturing her own flesh and blood.  His hands curled into themselves, his nails drawing blood as he restrained himself from reaching for Sirius when every fiber of his being was telling him to move—to do something other than just stand there.

The Black matriarch finally released the spell and stood over her son, watching with a pleased quirk to her lips as Sirius still shook from the effects of the curse, tremors racking his body. “Very well then.  Have you learned your lesson today, Sirius?”

Sirius slowly opened his eyes, excruciating pain coursing through every cell of his body as he tried to focus on the imposing figure standing above him.  

“Ah, I see you need some reminding of what the lesson was about, so let me explain clearly.”  Walburga smiled almost pleasantly. “You see, I do believe you were under the mistaken impression that by allowing you to defile yourself with this beast it was a reward of some sort for agreeing to marry Bellatrix.  Oh no, my dear.”  Her chuckle struck fear deep in Remus’ heart. “You see, you will marry Bellatrix by month's end regardless of whatever creature warms your bed beforehand. It is dear Bella’s decision as to how she deals with your predilections after your vows. However, Fenrir will be coming to collect the beast for his own within a fortnight.”

Sirius struggled to speak. “Wh-what for?”

Walburga raised an eyebrow coolly. “Whyever should I have cared to find out?” She turned to leave, but stopped and leveled her still shaking son with a sneer. “Do clean yourself up, Sirius. It does not befit the current heir to our Most Noble House to lie on the floor like a common gutter rat.”  With that parting comment she swept from the room, head held high.  

Remus remained motionless for a moment, staring at the empty doorframe in shock.  At last, his motor skills returned as he rushed to where Sirius still lay prone on the floor.  He lifted Sirius’ head gently onto his lap.  “Are you alright?”

Sirius felt the tremors recede a bit at the gentle stroking of the fingers through his hair. “I w-won’t let him take you.”

Remus stared down at him incredulously. “That’s what you have to say? Your mother just tortured you and threatened to murder you and you’re worried about Greyback?”

Sirius licked his dry lips and nodded, savoring the feel of the fire in his muscles ebbing away slowly.  He flexed his legs slightly trying to regain some control of his limbs as they were still sporadically spasming.  “It’s not the first t-time she’s used that s-spell on me. I’ll be alright.”

This fic is really special to me and differs in style and story in how I normally write.  It was my first multi-chaptered fic and I am actually almost done with the next chapter of the story so yes, I promise I will be updating soon.  It was started originally as a response to @asktheboywholived‘s Empire prompt and I just love the world they prompted and the story I have created here.  It’s extremely angst-filled which is a challenge for me because I love our boys happy and fluffy with a HEA. I have the entire story arc done and it should be another ten chapters until the end. I hope you all enjoy what I have planned.

2.  Textually Yours

10:46 am: Moonbeam, have I told you how delicious you look in that jumper?

10:48 am: I'm in class. 10:48 am: And thanks *blushes*

10:49 am: I'm in lecture right now too 10:50 am: I can still daydream about how tasty you look in my favorite jumper

10:55 am: Can you possibly daydream to yourself? I really want to pass this course. 10:56 am: Why is it even your favourite? It has bobbles on it.

10:58 am: It's touching your skin right now 10:58 am: Like I wish I was 10:59 am: So it's my favorite **wink wonk**

11:01 am: Oh sweet jebus. 11:02 am: Padssssss, the lecturer is talking about character structure, I reallly need to pay attention 11:04 am: You aren't going to listen to me, but, you're my favourite :)

11:06 am: My lecturer is droning on about Masaccio and his use of light in his paintings 11:07 am: I'd much rather wax poetic about the way the light hits your skin 11:07 am: when you're lying naked in my bed

11:10 am: Well guess what idiot dropped his phone and now everyone is looking at him. 11:11 am: I'll give you a hint, he's in your favourite jumper

11:12 am: oh my poor Moon Pie, did I fluster you? 11:13 am: I can do many other things to you 11:13 am: that you'd like even more ;-)

11:15 am: Okay I'm intrigued now. What. What other things?

11:17 am: ah, my ever-studious Moony is intrigued? 11:17: am: I like when you think naughty 11:18 am: I'd start by taking that ridiculous jumper off 11:18 am: It's only my favorite when it's on you 11:19: am: I'd much rather see it on the floor

11:22 am: Holy.. I might have to take it off anyways. You're making me blush. And hot.

11:23 am: and I haven't even started… 11:24 am: I'd kiss those luscious lips first 11:24 am: then I'd run my hands down your chest and kiss your neck 11:25 am: you so like it when I nibble on your neck 11:25 am: you make the most wonderful sounds when i do

11:28 am: I have a ROB. 11:29 am: I cannot move.

11:30 am: What is a ROB?

11:32 am: Prongs teaches you nothing. Randomly Occurring Boner. I'm now stuck in this chair whether i like it or not

11:33 am: imagine if I was there to help you out with that 11:34 am: right now

I am a sucker for texting fics and I wrote this with my dear friend @josiemoone.  we had so much fun writing this together and I just love how sappy our boys are in this as well as how their relationship comes out.  it was just such a fun piece.

3. Saving Me

Rage coursed through his body, his thoughts whirling.  Wormtail’s alive.  The little bugger is still alive! As he read through the article, his fury intensified.  The boy in the picture, Ron Weasley, would be heading back to Hogwarts—presumably with his pet rat—straight to Harry.

Sirius's godson was in terrible danger, and there had to be a way to warn him, to help Harry, and get his revenge on Wormtail.

He threw the paper down and began to pace his cell.  He didn’t know how or why, but Peter Pettigrew, the reason he was in Azkaban and Lily and James were dead, was with the Weasley family.  Sirius just knew it was him.  He had to get to him somehow.  

Wormtail had to pay for his betrayal.  

And Sirius would be the one to make him pay—finally.

His mind finally clearing, he sensed the cold from the approaching dementors and unconsciously shifted to Padfoot.  They never bothered him in his Animagus form, and it had become instinct to retreat into it whenever he felt them near.  

Thoughts became simpler as a dog, and he suddenly struck upon the answer:  Sirius couldn’t escape from his prison, but Padfoot could.  

He waited until the Dementors passed, the screams of other prisoners ringing in his ears more acutely through his canine hearing. He ignored them to slide his emaciated form through the cell bars.  He supposed there was some merit now to the fact that prisoners were never fed enough.

Padfoot made his way through the labyrinth of corridors, ignoring the calls and sights of the other prisoners along his way, and he used his sense of smell to lead him to where he caught a whiff of the sea the strongest.  He found himself entering what looked to be a small office, most likely used by some of the human guards.  It was, thankfully, empty—luck on his side for once.  

The window at the back of the office was much larger than the tiny one at the top of his cell and though fitted with bars, was open and he could easily slip through them in his canine guise.  He did just that and found himself perched precariously on a wide ledge overlooking the dark, churning, sea about 50 meters below him.  

Sirius knew his chances were slim; it was a long way down and an even longer distance to swim to shore in a violent sea.  But what choice did he have?  Spend the rest of his days in a prison while the person who killed his family tried to finish the job with his godson or take a chance and try to help in whatever way he could?  

There was no prince coming to save him from his tower.  

It was up to Sirius to save himself.

Padfoot took a deep breath and jumped.

The moment he hit the water, it felt as if a thousand frozen needles were trying to pierce his skin.  The chill was excruciating, but he fought his way to the surface, gasping for breath.  After taking a moment to get his bearings, he started paddling his way in the direction he presumed the shoreline was.

It felt like hours, but it could have been mere minutes in his diminished state.  He swam as hard as he could, but he could feel his limbs losing what little strength they had.  His magic not strong enough to keep his canine form, he shifted back to human, fighting against the waves as fatigue drained every muscle in his body.  He tried to focus on getting to shore, to Harry, but his thoughts kept drifting to Remus.  

This fic was my first ever entry for a fest and it’s also the fic that’s closest to canon.  It details Sirius escaping from prison all the way to his seeing Remus for the first time in the Shrieking Shack and I loved delving into his psyche and exploring Wolfstar while still remaining in canon.  I love how I tell a bit of their story through flashbacks while Sirius almost drowns and how he questions his sanity and honestly at one point doesn’t care if he’s actually insane as long as he gets to keep his hallucination.

4. Drawn Together

Marlene spotted him first, a sly grin on her face as she greeted him.  “Back already, Re? Pretty-boy must not have been very good.”

Remus rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink, careful to avoid looking at Sirius.  “That’s none of your business, Marls.”

“We thought you’d left,”  Dorcas piped in, smiling at Remus.  “I’m glad you came back.”

“I just needed a bit of fresh air.”

He heard Sirius’ snort and finally looked at the other man, sitting on a stool across from him. He raised an eyebrow. “Alright there, Sirius?”

Sirius stared at him for a moment, his grey eyes cold. “I’m fine, just never heard a hook-up referred to as fresh air before.”

“I never said I hooked up, and even if I did, what business is it of yours?”

He watched Sirius take a long pull from his cider before he deigned to answer. “Oh, it’s definitely none of my business, I just thought you were hanging out with your friends and not working .”

“Excuse me?”  Remus’ eyes widened indignantly.  “ Working ?  Are you implying I’m a bloody prostitute?”

Sirius huffed a harsh laugh. “Oh, no, Remus, of course not. You don’t charge for your services.  Or wait—you do get paid for the column you put all your sexual escapades in, don’t you?”

Remus tried to fight his growing anger, but the sneer on Sirius’ face enraged him more. “You’re a fucking twat, Black.  A hypocritical one, at that. I seem to recall you’re getting paid for the artwork for my so-called sexual escapades !”

“Oh, that’s right!  Maybe I should thank the bloke who just got you off?” Sirius took another pull from his cider before slamming it down on the table, his eyes hard as flint as they met Remus’ and stood up. “Would you like to take me back to where you just fucked that bloke so I can get the details right for my piece?”

Remus ignored Marlene and Dorcas’ pleas for them to both calm down, and he stepped closer to Sirius. “You really are a bloody hypocrite, aren’t you?  I saw you getting some action on the dance floor before I left!”

“I was dancing not fucking some random bloke in a back room!”

Remus grinned maliciously. “Is that the problem, Sirius?  You wish it was you I was fucking back there, not a random bloke?”

He watched with satisfaction as Sirius’ eyes widened, nostrils flaring, before he pressed closer to Remus, his striking features twisted in anger. “Listen up, Lupin, and listen well.  I wouldn’t t-touch a slag like you with someone else’s cock, so get whatever idea you have about me fancying you out of that thick head.”

He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut with those words, but Remus refused to let Sirius see how his comment affected him.  “Oh, don’t worry your pretty little head, Black. The last thing I’d ever do is want to touch a sodding twat like yourself. I prefer real men who can satisfy me, not a bloody prude.”

He turned to Marlene and Dorcas before Sirius could respond and kissed them each on the cheek.  “It’s been lovely girls, but I’ve got to run. I’ll give you a call this week.”

Dorcas gave him a pleading look. “Re, please don’t leave.  I don’t know what’s gotten into Sirius— “

He held up a hand to cut her off. “It’s fine, Dorcas.  Sirius is just being the twat I knew he was. Don’t worry about it, it’s between him and me, nothing to do with you, love.”

Marlene hugged him.  “Remus, just don’t disappear on us, alright?”

He kissed the top of her head before stepping back. “No worries, love.  I really will call you this week.”

Remus forced a smile at his friends before turning back to Sirius.  “Black.” He turned to walk away, but Sirius called his name and he turned back. “What?”

Sirius smirked, pointing at the hem of Remus’ shirt. “You missed a spot.  Black lights are a bitch, aren’t they?”

Oh this story will forever hold a special place in my heart. This was my 2018 Wolfstar Big Bang fic and I stressed about it so much, but I got to work with @yumenouveau who is just such a fabulous artist and friend and it was an amazing if stressful experience.  I love the AU world I created and the sexual tension and snark between my favorite boys is endless.  It’s a slow burn and even as the writer there were times I just wanted to scream at them to just kiss already, but my boys were stubborn, Sirius especially, and I love how this fic turned out.  

I’m tagging @ami-talks, @shayalonnie, @captofthesswolfstar, @maraudererasmut, @moonllotus, @yumenouveau,

#my writing #my fave fics of my own #this was hard to choose #they're all special for various reasons #Wolfstar

[sosthemortalcoil]

Lucifer Extra (Sort of intended for Halloween)

While you all await the next update, here’s a little extra to hold you over. It features Lucifer and Daniel’s mother.

The words rushed from her lips in a frantic litany, the rosary beads clinking together as her hands shook. She was on her knees in front of the church, before the water-worn crucifixion hanging above the cracked altar. Sanctuary. Broken and forgotten as this one may be, she had to hope that it still meant something to her pursuer, that she could still take refuge here.

The clouds parted, and a bright beam of moonlight illuminated her pale form, her eyes widening and the words catching in her throat as she stilled. The clouds returned, and the light all but departed, the only remnant of it appearing in the red shadows cast by the remnants of stained glass in the shattered windows. 

Her numb lips mouthed the words as she was caught between fear of being irreverent and fear of being heard.

“No prayer can save you.” Tears escaped her and she closed her eyes as they rolled down her cheeks, her whole body trembling now. The Latin continued to flow, cracking and broken, but steady. “No matter how… old-school… you try to be, it is of no consequence to me.” He was amused, taking delight in her plight. Gritting her teeth, she slowly shuffled around so she could face the intruder. A faint glow from what she guessed was a cigar illuminated dark, unnatural eyes that gazed at her. Black and soulless, they bore into her.

“No! No, this is sacred ground, you cannot—” she clutched her rosary tighter in her hands, her knuckles whitening as she thrust the symbol of her faith towards the creature that sat, complacent, in its human form on a pew in nave.

A soft, rolling baritone chuckle emanated from the figure, and he leaned forward, uncrossing his long legs as he did so. “God won’t protect you, child.” The glow of his cigar cast sinister shadows on features that might otherwise be considered handsome. His son certainly had been.

She coughed as the acrid smoke hit her, her nose wrinkling at the combination of the cigar smoke, mildew, and blood from her scraped and scratched legs.

For all the fear she had of this creature, his words were gentle and soothing. While it was nigh impossible to determine where his gaze was with his pure black eyes, she felt him eyeing her round stomach. Instinctively she shrunk back onto her heels, hands still holding tight to the heirloom rosary moving to cradle her unborn child.

“But you have nothing to fear from me,” the figure continued, standing up. Logically, she knew he was only tall for a mortal, but to her fear-addled mind, he loomed over her like a skyscraper, and she could swear the shadows gathered around him like a pair of dark wings, cutting through the red painted on the floor by the errant moonlight.

“Diablo,” she spat, and he laughed again, the dim light at the end of his cigar blooming bright for a second.

“Please, I prefer Lucifer. Satan, if you must, but the other names are just so… generic.” He offered a hand to her, and she flung curses at him as if it would repel him. Praying hadn’t kept him out, and this was a holy place. Perhaps pure spite would drive him away.

Utterly unperturbed by her words, he dropped his hand. “Holy places can be desecrated,” he said conversationally, sweeping one arm around the rotting space. His cufflinks caught some of the stray beams of light coming in from the roof, the moonbeams painting him with an almost angelic touch. “Humans do that well enough on their own.” His eyes lingered behind her, on the broken altar and the crucified figure that hung in the dank space.

“This is a house of God!” she screeched at him, trying to find her righteous indignation at his trespass, trying to find anything to fuel her anger less her fear consume her.

“Was, my dear.” There was melancholy in those words, but she didn’t believe it for a moment. He was smooth and svelte, a monster hiding behind a pretty mask. “Once, perhaps, you would have found safety here.” He frowned, brow furrowing. “Why would you come here of all places? I can still smell the stench of death. Murder is a desecration, and no one purified this place after it occurred.”

The woman ignored his attempts at idle conversation, instead rallying what stray strands of courage she still had for one last retort. “If you are here to kill me, be done with it. I have had enough of you and your kin!” she shouted, her throat constricting as she held back more tears.

Lucifer had turned to survey the extent of the damage, but he still eyed her out of the corner of one eye. Her hair was a mess, waves and curls tossed about, mirroring the storm of her emotions. Her arms still cradled the swell where her unborn child rested, as if she could do ought to protect the small babe from him.

“I do not harm innocents,” he said airily, knowing that she would dismiss anything that sounded sincere from him. A devout woman faced with the quintessential boogeyman of her faith? He was lucky she had no idea how to channel any of the power running through her veins. He toed at the collapsed pew that leaned like a drunk on the floor across the aisle from where he had been sitting, lip curled in disdain.

“You are the Devil,” she said, voice ragged, exhaustion dripping off her words.

“That is one of the names I am sometimes called, yes,” he said, head tilting to one side as he turned back to examine the small and defiant woman. Among all this destruction she shone, even in her rags, skin dirtied by the mud and debris of the forest. 

“Why take refuge here?” he asked again, curiosity lacing his question. It made no sense to him. She had gotten away from the clutches of one of his particularly nasty offspring only to flee to what could have very well been a dead-end for her if anyone else had tracked her here.

The woman thought of spitting at his feet, and then reconsidered. “I used to come here with mis padres when I was young,” she finally acquiesced, one hand unconsciously rubbing her belly. “I thought… I forgot what he had done.”

Lucifer felt one corner of his mouth twitch up in a smile, but managed to stop himself from smiling fully. The clever girl had figured out what the police never had. “He did have a strange predilection for trying to live up to what he believed a satanspawn to be.” He paused, expression turning solemn as he regarded her small figure. “Didn’t want to barge into a proper sanctuary carrying a satanspawn, either,” Lucifer commented. The baleful glare he received from under her dark locks confirmed his theory.

“My child has done no wrong,” she snarled. Her head tilted as she replayed his words, frowning. “Did?” she queried, a faint note of hope in the question.

Sighing, Lucifer crouched down and produced a watch. The face was cracked, and dark streaks covered it, but as the woman flinched away, he knew she recognized it.

“Here.” He tossed it at her knees, covered by a tattered skirt. “He won’t be bothering you anymore.”

She stared at the watch, which was resting in a small puddle of light. Hesitantly she reached out and picked it up, glancing from it to him, suspicion filling her features. “Why?”

A harsh bark of laughter escaped Lucifer as he rocked back onto his heels. “He was a monster, and yet you judge me for destroying him? Oh, you humans are rich,” he said, but there was no humor in his tone.

“He was your son!” she cried, clenching at her stomach. Despite all that she knew the father of her child had done, the murder of the priest hardly even news worthy in comparison, it still galled her to think of any parent killing their child, and with so little compunction. 

“He was no true child of mine,” Lucifer hissed, and for a moment the woman was sure she would die. This was the first time any of her words had seemed to pierce his unflappable arrogance. The air grew dense, crushing her beneath it. The shadows lengthened, eating away at the light, and she could feel the cold rage pouring off of the figure standing in front of her.

After a beat the air settled, and she drew a shaky breath, sweaty hands reflexively moving down the beads of the rosary. “He was an idle experiment at best, and when he became too reckless and stupid with his cruelties, I dealt with him. I assure, his torment is only just beginning,” Lucifer continued neutrally, the shadows coming back to heel at his feet.

“Assessino.”

Lucifer shrugged in the face of her accusation. “Hardly the first human I’ve killed, my dear. And before you get too hypocritical, I’ll remind you that your god that you revere so much hardly has clean hands either.”

“Humans do not—“

“Angels do take God’s orders, and I know they have killed humans for God. So think again.” Lucifer’s tone was calm, but the steel underlying them was sharpened, waiting for her to stumble across his words and be cut down by them.

Silence fell, relative to their location. The distant highway sounds formed part of the ambient backdrop along with the counterpoint of the water dripping from the rotting rafters and the soft creaking that she had always associated with the age of this place, even when she had been little more than a child.

“Why are you here?” she demanded, even as one hand slowly reached out to pick up the broken watch, thumbing over the cracked surface, feeling a shard of crystal slice into the pad of her thumb.

“I don’t condone the killing of children, especially mere babes,” Lucifer said coldly, rising to his feet. This time she was certain he had wings, pitch black things that were folded up behind his shoulders. Not even the shadows could be that black.

“You protected your grandson.” There was a note of wonder and surprise in her words, and Lucifer scoffed. He might be the devil, but she was starting to remember that he had once been an angel too.

“I protected order. Your child’s father was becoming too noticeable, so I dealt with him. I did not do it for you, and do not ever presume to think that I care for you or the creature you are carrying.” Fire flared around the end of the cigar, an ember dropping to the ruined carpet. Where it hit, lines of angry red radiated out, running over the floors, the walls, and even the ceilings. Heat started to suffuse the place, the smell of sulfur nearly making her gag.

“Like you said, I’m the devil.” She might have been mistaken, but she could swear she saw sorrow on his handsome features for a moment before it was replaced by a sneer that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up. “So run girl. Run and live your pathetic mortal life, and hope that all your faith is enough to send you to Heaven, or you will not enjoy our next meeting.”

She scrambled to her feet, hesitating as he stood in the aisle. Her instincts were screaming for her to flee, that there was no chance if she tried to fight this creature. Lucifer grinned, teeth flashing bright as the roof creaked ominously, smoke starting to issue from the angry spiderwebs that lit the place with a malevolent light.

She ran, her bare and bloodied feet stinging as she shoved past the broken pews, trying to get as far away from him as possible. Behind her she heard hollow laughter as the heat grew more intense, like the fire was licking at her heels. She didn’t stop or look over her shoulders as she pelted down the deserted streets, past storefronts with metal grilles and barred windows. She didn’t stop until someone was shaking her, a flashlight being shone in her eyes.

“Miss, miss, are you alright?”

It took her a moment to get her mind to focus on the words, and she blinked. “No, no,” she moaned, collapsing against the arms that held her.

“Dispatch, we’ve got—“ the words faded as her frantic heartbeat drowned them out. She could see the puddle she was standing in between the officer’s arms. In the murky reflection, the sky was orange with the signs of fire.

Lucifer stood in the midst of the fire, musing quietly as he let his cigar drop, crushing it absentmindedly under one dress shoe. The flames knew better than to even singe him as he stood in the midst of the destruction, staring off into nothing. She had added insult to injury, giving him that look, like he might just be redeemable. But that would undermine his story, his purpose for existing. Better she fear him.

He rolled around her words in his mind, irritated by her last ones. His grandson. Hardly. That creature was not his, not truly. Perhaps it came into existence because of him, but it was not his child.

No, he had only one of those, and he had lost them. “Poor imitations…” he said aloud, before turning and striding down the aisle as the roof caved in behind him. He had lingered longer than he had thought, as there were already firefighters and other first responders outside. One yelled and pointed at him as he emerged from the inferno. Another started towards him, but stopped, face turning ashen.

He had no soot on him, and he walked straight-backed, no signs of smoke inhalation or any other injuries. And he had just walked out of a blazing building. The medic recovered, starting towards him again. “Sir, we need you to—“

He silenced them with a wave, not in the mood for more human driveling. He strode through the chaos with a dark calm that made everyone else edge away, a few who had their hands free signing a cross as he passed, the aura of evil that clung to him making them shudder.

Lucifer still had things to do before this night was truly through, he thought, hovering at the edge of the flashing emergency lights. Starting with those who had tried to groom the most recent of his deceased spawn as a potential contender. He rolled his neck from one side to the other, a predatory smile crossing his features. He intended to deliver their punishments personally.

[nepf-ufrj]

Interview with Moonbeam Predilections, the creator of The Fanfiction Terminology.

Moonbeam Predilections is an important figure in the fanfiction community, she has participated in the trajectory of fanfiction since the 90's, when fanfic left the paper and started to show its presence on the internet. She was the creator of Fanfiction Terminology, a glossary of terminology from the fanfiction community that many new fans, and even veterans of this world, turn to when they need to. It is free for use in research and studies. NEPF interviewed her about her history with fanfic and what are the important aspects to consider when defining fanfiction.

Glossary is available at the end of the post.

Versão em Português aqui!

#1 - How did you first get into the world of fanfic?

My very first fandom was The X-Files. I had been an avid fan of the show since the premiere in 1993, faithfully watching it every Friday night. I did not know it at the time, but I was also faithfully shipping Mulder/Scully as well. In 1995, my father got the internet hooked up to our family computer. I had nearly always had a computer in the house as my father used them for work, so immediately dived into stumbling my way around the dial-up modem. My first three days online were spent in a chat room - where I promptly got involved in my first wank session, ha! - before someone mentioned The X-Files mailing list. This of course peaked my interest and so I typed in the DOS commands (it would be a few weeks before we'd get our first graphic user interface internet browser, Netscape being quite new at the time) to check it out.

At first I only read stories. After a bit, I started commenting back to the authors. I made friends. Eventually I tried writing my own story. It was 1996, I was a teenager. I, of course, wrote a Mary Sue fic. One of my new friends offered to beta-read and post the story for me to the mailing list. That friend was already what we'd call an 'old timer' today. She'd been active in fandoms since the 1970s and knew what she was doing. But she took the time to patiently usher in a young newbie. Within a few months, I was posting on my own (and had thankfully moved on from the Mary Sue fic) and getting my own feedback. It was amazing and wonderful!

After a few more months and reading a few crossovers, I started looking for other fandoms of TV shows I enjoyed watching. Gargoyles, Forever Knight, Highlander, seaQuest, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and The Sentinel all had thriving fandoms that caught my attention. It was The Sentinel that was my introduction to slash fic though, and I adored it! TS remains one of my most read fandoms, with me seeking out or returning to read about Jim and Blair over and over again.

That first friend who ushered teenage me into fandom? She's still my friend today. We've never met in person (I'm Canadian and she's Australian) and we've lost contact for years at times until rediscovering each other as our fandom paths recross, but our friendship is still strong. It's my longest relationship outside of family. We don't currently share any fandoms at the moment, but that doesn't matter. We still talk about fandom, still recommend fics to each other, and still offer to beta for each other. Fanfiction was, is, and will likely always be a huge part of my daily life and I am very thankful for it.

#2 - From your perspective, what is the definition of the term fanfiction? For example, must fanfiction be written only by a fan, or can a critic also write it?

Fanfiction is a new transformative written work that is derived from an original canon source, such as a television show, book, or real life. It is based on the characters, concepts, and worldbuilding of the original canon source, but tells a different new story all its own. It does not effect the original canon source, but develops and grows into something unique from that base.

While we refer to the term Fanfiction to mean fan created fiction, and many of us who partake in it will call ourselves fans of the canon source, to be a fan does not mean blind acceptance. Indeed, many fanworks are about "fixing" things that occurred in canon that we find issues with. So yes, a critic can absolutely write fanfiction. A critic after all must care enough about the canon source in the first place to be critical of it, so aren't they also technically a fan?

#3 - Are the countless renditions and continuations of something like "Sherlock Holmes" or "The Iliad" considered fanfictions? Why or why not?

Yes, absolutely! There are probably very few truly original stories out there. Most of humanity's ideas are based on previous stories, changed and adapted through the tellings. Religious texts, mythologies, great classics like Shakespeare work their way into the collective unconscious of society and form the basis of our culture. Almost everything could be described as fanfiction of a previous story, if looked at from a certain perspective. The difference is purely scope. Time and how culturally influential the story was.

#4 - Must fanfiction be non-profitable? Why or why not?

Yes and no. It depends on who is writing it, to be honest. An ordinary woman writing on her computer about her favourite characters for pleasure? God, don't dare try to ask for money or you'll be sued into bankruptcy. Even without actively seeking monetary gain, us normal folk always run the risk of getting on the bad side of some disgruntled creator or copyright holder. And most of us can't afford the lawyers to defend ourselves. Declaring all fanworks as non-profit is often necessary just for the safety and survival of fandom as a whole.

But if a professional or famous person decides to create something like fanfic, a new twist to an old story? No problem, they can even publish to make a fortune! In fact, most do! Have you looked at many movies today? Basically all reboots and remakes... essentially fanfiction. But because they are professionally created, they are culturally acceptable and thus not defined as fanfiction. Even when the writing is terrible in comparison, *who* writes it is what gives it legitimacy.

#5 - What was your motivation to create "Fanfiction Terminology"?

In the beginning, my website was just my posted stories. Then I added in other pages like archive recs and story recs, whereupon I started getting questions from readers about what the words I used meant. So I made a basic glossary, just a few terms simply defined. The questions continued, even increased in number until they came regularly. (It helps that my site pops up quickly in Google Search results.) It was kind of organic the way the Fanfiction Terminology page grew as it did, not so much deliberately designed. Bit by bit, one suggestion or question at a time, dozens more terms got added or edited until I just sought out any missed terms myself to try and cover everything I could think of. By the early 2010s or so, it was fairly complete. Only a handful of new terms have been added in the last few years, and those mostly are newly evolved terms that simply didn't exist ten years ago.

#6 - Why do you believe there is such big prejudice against fanfiction?

Two reasons come to mind, in my opinion. One, the mainstream view people have that fanfiction is only badly written amateurish porn, unaware or uncaring of all the amazing other genres and works that exist. And two, that fandom is predominantly a past time of the female persuasion, and thus not as worthwhile as works created by the male-dominated spheres of Hollywood or the traditional publishing industry - much like, for example, how romance novels like Harlequins are viewed with less prestige than other genres even though many are as or more deeply researched and well written as their more macho competition.

How or if we can ever counter either of these misconceptions, I don't know. But I doubt we'll ever escape the prejudice against us until we do. Luckily, even the most cursory exploration into most fandoms reveals the true richness and depth we offer and for those willing to try can make all the difference.

#7 - What platforms do you use to read fanfiction? From your time in the community, what changes and what migrations have you witnessed from one platform to another (for example: after the tumblr guidelines revision)?

I mainly read on AO3 (Archive of Our Own) these days, because there aren't many other sources left. I'm an old timer and have seen many migrations as fandom evolves, sites dissolve, and time passes.

When I first started out in the early 1990s, I read and posted fanfiction on mailing lists, which were essentially just group emails for distribuition. Eventually, enterprising fans collated the works on those lists into fandom-specific archives like Gossamer (The X-Files) or multifandom archives like Fanfiction.net. Some were curated archives managed by owners or moderators, whose rules could change (like FFN banning explicit works), others became automated to allow writers to post directly to the archives themselves.

Then came the trend of every author making their own home website. Sites would link in 'webrings' to make finding them easier. Many sites were made on free hosts like Geocities (or myself on Angelfire, heh), which was great until Geocities was abruptly closed down. That led to massive deletions and loss of works. The Wayback Machine on the Internet Archive was crucial for record keeping of many old and lost stories, but even it couldn't capture everything. Crossposting across multiple platforms also ensured survival and quickly became the norm.

Then came the rise of the blogs like Livejournal in the early 2000s. Livejournal dominated fandom for probably 10 years or more, full communities developed everywhere within it. Crossposting to fandom archives still occurred, but the fans themselves had never before interacted so closely between author and reader as they did in the comment-focused blog format of LJ. The fandoms thrived! Then inevitably, the platform went through challenges (Strikethrough, 2007) and was sold to new owners. Fandom was driven away. But from LJ's free source code emerged Dreamwidth and other clones, safe haven for fandom to retreat to. Until finally some smart people said the heck with it, why should we live at their whims? Let's make our own space! And voila, the birth of AO3.

It took time to grow into the powerhouse it is today. Other platforms came and went. Some fans tried Tumblr after LJ, only to get censored. Others tried sites like Wattpad, which try to make money off them. Those of us who used Delicious bookmarks scrambled to move our thousands and thousands of recs in the Great Delicious Migration of 2011, with many finding a home among the then tiny Pinboard when its owner explicitly welcomed us. (I have huge respect for Maciej Ceglowski, who invited us to tell him what features we of fandom wanted most, watched us in awe as we collectively created the color-coded and indexed monster Google-document of DOOOM! in two days, and then actually did his best to accommodate our fanfic-based needs. Pinboard is still my preferred fandom resource for new story recommendations.)

#8 - Do you consider fanfiction literature? Why or why not?

This is the librarian in me answering this one, because the term literature actually has a very specific meaning that in fact very few fiction works ever fall into. Literature is a written work with such profound themes that it remains relevant for decades, centuries, or even millenia. There is a very big difference between literature and fiction. Most published books do not qualify. James Patterson, for example, while one of the most successful fiction authors in existence will never be considered close to literature. However, Harry Potter is already recognized as a classic and with its effect on culture may one day soon reach literature status.

Most fanfiction definitely does not. Not to say that some fanfic isn't as well written, or even better written, than some classic literature... but the quality of the rhetoric is not all that separates literary fiction from other genres, it's the universal exploration of the human condition. True literature is, as a librarian defines it, comparatively rare.

#9 - In your opinion, what are some of the qualities and flaws of the fanfiction/fandom community?

The sense of community itself is both its best quality and its biggest flaw.

By which I mean that fandoms can tend to be very insular. This is great, in that they foster strong relationships among members and with the canon source. We feel that sense of belonging to a fandom and rejoice in it. Participating by reading/writing fanfic just invests us deeper into the fandom community. We are not alone, but part of something wonderful. It's fulfilling and healthy, for some of us the best social interaction we'll ever need.

Unfortunately, that same membership in a fandom community can also lead to downfall. From factions dividing fans over pairings or other interests, the wank and flames, even to just overinvesting in something that'll eventually come to an end. How many fans do you know who picked their online pseudonym from a specific fandom? Tons, of course, but for how many is that name still relevant and not outdated? Far fewer. Some people need the validation of social approval, but there will always be those who disagree or just don't like you/your work. Criticism may be welcomed by some, but there are many others who find it hurtful and may lash out in return. What happens in fandom affects a person's real life because fandom is a, often very important, part of their reality. Good or bad.

#10 - How do you think fanfiction has affected popular culture and mainstream media throughout the years?

Honestly, I rather wish the two would stay farther away from fanfiction. Inevitably, even when the interaction is meant in good faith, pop culture and mainstream media only end up negatively portraying fanfiction and those of us in fandoms. We become a joke, a target, or viewed with disdain or disgust. ("Fifty Shades of Gray'', the terribly written bad Twilight fanfic that inexplicably attained world renown when its author stripped the names and published it, did fanfiction as a whole no favors. If anything, it has tainted us all under the same brush in the mainstream mind as nothing but amateur porn. Something we may not ever truly recover from.)

Mainstream media does not understand fandom or the passion of the people involved and so rarely knows how to respect us. Even when they try, inserting "fan service" moments into their media for the audience, most of the time it winds up being over the top mockery that makes me cringe. Nor is pop culture above exploiting fandom to make a profit. It's happened multiple times and always leaves the fans feeling used, uncredited, and disrespected while the Powers That Be get richer off of our ideas.

Fandom is a powerful force when it comes together. Fans mobilized toward a goal can absolutely affect the real world. We've brought back cancelled shows (the Serenity movie of the ignominiously cancelled Firefly tv series) , driven plot or character changes, and dragged obscure gems (like the original Star Trek) that would have been forgotten to time into the mainstream pop culture. But we rarely get respect for it. We are, after all, just crazy fans. And mostly female ones at that, which unfortunately in this patriarchal-based world makes our contributions worth less by default.

#11 - From plagiarism to original work, where do you believe fanfiction stands? Does the presence of Alternate Universes (AU) or OCs (original character) make fanfiction more of an original work than fanfiction itself? Where do you believe the line between the two is drawn?

I believe the defining characteristic separating fanfiction from an original work is the characters themselves. You can take a set of characters and drop them in even the most widely different AU, and as long as the characters stay in-character they will be recognizable and probably make for a great story. But if the characters are written such that they bear little resemblance to their origins? Then even the most recognizable environment will still feel like I might as well be reading original fiction. And if OCs are your preference, might as well try coming up with your own worldbuilding too as to avoid claims of laziness or plagiarism. The characters are the hardest part, they are what make or break the story.

FYI, this is not to say OCs have no place in fanfiction. Not true, some of the best stories have beautifully fleshed out original characters even in major protagonist roles. But the canon characters included need to remain in-character, no matter what. Out-of-character canon characters might as well be OCs, but are usually perceived as worse.

#12 - Lastly, what are your personal favourite fanfiction tropes or genres, and why?

Well, I describe myself as bifictional (gen, het, or slash!) and multifandomational (over 150+ fandoms) for a reason. I like a lot of things!

I love crossovers immensely, even when I don't know all the included fandoms, because they offer the best outside perspectives. I prefer angsty stories to funny ones, and slow burn novels to short oneshots. I adore realistic consequences in relationships (not everything need be Happily Ever After) and especially appreciate competency in characters (BAMFs are awesome!).

Lately I've quite enjoyed the trend of Omegaverse stories with Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics. I like the parallels to our patriarchal reality and the challenges to the status quo thereof. The best Omegas are the ones who don't submit or give in to be oppressed, who stand up for their rights. Women like us face many of the same challenges, so A/B/O stories often resonate deeply. (Slash pairings as a whole tend to be preferred because there are truly few well written non-caricature female characters in canon sources, making relatable het pairings more rare.)

Glossary:

Wank - repetitive online debates with no signs of consensus.

DOS - List of Microsoft DOS operating system commands.

Netscape - type of browser.

Mary Sue - perfect character, without flaws.

Slash fic - type of fanfic that contains a homosexual love relationship. The female version would be FemSlas.

Beta or Beta Reader - person who helps the fanfic writer by reading and correcting the text before it is posted.

Canon - everything that is present or established in the original content.

Fix it - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain an attempt to fix something that is considered 'wrong' in the original work. Example: death of a character.

Fanworks - Any and all transformative work done as an exploration of original content. Ex: fanfiction, fanvids, fanart and etc.

Mainstream - dominant trend or fashion.

Arlequins - any series of romantic novels of simple stories of straight couples.

AO3 (archive of our own) - non-profit open archive site for fanfiction and other fanworks, created in 2008 by the Organization of Transformative Works.

Gossamer - Better known as The Gossamer Project (The Web Project) was an archive group that, all combined, contained the vast majority of X-Files fanfics on the internet.

Multifandom - that is part of or contains several fandoms.

Fanfiction.net (FF) - The world's largest fanfiction archive site, created in 1998.

Webrings- search optimization tool, which organizes sites by theme, creating a circular interconnection structure between sites.

Geocities - site where The internet archive is located, created in 1996, and discontinued in 2009.

Wayback Machine - The Internet Archive's database that has archived over 613 billion web pages since 1996.

The Internet Archive - non-profit bookstore of thousands of books, movies, software, music, websites, etc.

Crossposting - the act of posting the same thing on different platforms to increase its visibility and avoid loss of content if an unexpected situation occurs on a site.

Live Journal - site where users can maintain a blog, journal or diary, and interact with other users. It was created in 1999 and was commonly used for fanfiction posting.

Τhe Strikethrough - An event that took place in 2007, when Live Journal deleted all user journals that contained words from an extensive list. Censorship was vast and deleted a lot of content for seemingly small reasons, such as containing the word “crime” in a story. This made many of its users look for a new platform to post their fanfics.

Dreamwidth - Online journaling service based on the original Live Journal service code, created in 2009 by former Live Journal employees and discontinued in 2011.

Wattpad - platform that allows sharing of stories, commonly used for fanfic posting.

Recs - abbreviation for the word “recommendations”.

Great Delicious Migration of 2011 - Delicious was a service that allowed you to bookmark, save and, above all, tag (mark with a certain word, a common way of organizing fanfiction) content in a completely controlled manner by users. After the company's purchase in 2011, users were hampered by the site's new reforms and rules, opting out of the site in a mass migration of sorts.

Pinboard - site that offered a service with the same concept as Delicious and charges around 25 dollars a year to the user.

Maciej Ceglowski - creator of Pinboard

DOOOM!, The Giant Reference Document of DOOM! - Multi-part document created by fans of the DOOM video game series, containing a glossary of references and terminology from the game world.

Fanservice - delivering something to fans in the original content, prioritizing only the fandom's will, regardless of whether such a thing fits where it’s inserted.

Powers that be - phrase used for individuals or groups that have power or authority in some way over something.

Alternate Universe - fanfic tag that marks stories that uses characters from an original content and places them in a world different from canon.

OC (original characters) - Original Characters is the fanfic tag that marks when there is an insertion of a new character that does not exist in canon.

Bifictional - word derived from the junction of the words bisexual and fanfiction. It means liking all sorts of romance categories in fanfic.

Gen - fanfic tag that marks a story that doesn't contain any kind of romance.

Het - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain heterosexual love relationships.

Slash - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain lgbt+ love relationships.

Crossover - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain the coincidence of characters and worlds from different original content.

Angst - Angst is the fanfic tag that marks stories that contain a theme of emotional or physical torment.

Slow Burn - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain canon characters who fall in love gradually and naturally, usually taking a long time to get together.

Oneshots - fanfic tag that marks stories written completely before posting, without prequels or sequels, and formatted in a single chapter.

Realistic Consequences on Relationships - fanfic tag that marks stories that show realistic consequences of canon characters' actions in a relationship.

Happily Ever After - better known today as Happy Ending, is the fanfic tag that marks stories with a happy or satisfying ending.

BAMF - short for Bad Ass Mother Fucker is the fanfic tag that marks stories that contain a character who is particularly impressive, usually smart and difficult to defeat.

Omegaverse or/and Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics - fanfic tag that marks stories that contain the dynamic where characters can be Alphas (dominant, authoritarian and respected people), Betas (ordinary people, usually common workers) or Omegas (submissive people, minorities and inferior). The tag is commonly used as an allegory for today's society, but mirrored in the werewolf community.

Find Moonbeam’s blog here!

Find The Fanfiction Terminology here!

#fanfic #interview #entrevista #research #fanfic research #moonbeam predilections #entrevistas