#fandom in academic fields

[electromignion]

Jeremy Bradshaw portrait 🥳

Sorry for the art hiatus folks!!! I’ve been kinda overwhelmed with uni and I’m in an internship rn and still have to write my masters thesis and assignments (but I only have one left to do and I made my dossier about Bridgewater so it’s okay (nobody is surprised))

I felt the urge to draw to celebrate the Misha panel shenanigans meaning the announcement of early development of a potential Bridgewater adaptation 🥹 (do I really need a reason to do Bridgewater related art?? Nope but still this is sth to celebrate) I don’t have many art supplies so I’m still using acrylic brush markers!! 🫶 (I’ll do a Bridgewater art dump bc I still drew characters from the show though I didn’t post on this app) + little hc being: Olivia bought to Jeremy the “queer cryptid vibes” pin

[dwreader]

when your favorite fic writers disagree with your extremely wrong characterization preferences so you throw a temper tantrum online and write a heavily plagiarized troll fic anonymously and then create a bunch of burner anon accounts to give yourself kudos and complimentary comments that you respond to as if they are real people and not you on 76 different vpn settings like a totally normal not crazy person nope just absolutely normal behavior nothing to see here folks

[brasideios]

The Portmanteau Theory

Whenever I see someone getting angry and upset about someone else’s interpretation of a piece of media, I wish that I could pass this idea on to them to think about:

Any piece of media, in English studies terms, is a text. A painting is a text. An advertisement is a text. A novel is a text. A fanfic is a text. A video game is a text. Anything that carries messages, stories, meanings is a text.

There was a theorist, Mikhael Bahktin (a personal fave of mine) who developed the idea of the portmanteau as a way of conceptualising how a creator and viewer approach a text.

Basically, people think of a text like a portmanteau (suitcase/trunk).

They think that a creator of a text has a series of messages or meanings that they can put into a text which the viewer of that text can then take out of the portmanteau complete.

In this view, a text would be something fixed; it can reach the viewer complete with its messages unadulterated - and this would mean that there’s a correct meaning that is easily taken from that text and it is always the same, and exactly what the author intended.

However, Bahktin (if I remember correctly) emphasised that this view of texts is false, because a text in reality isn’t a portmanteau.

An author doesn’t control the meanings they may insert into their text - one of the instances in which the phrase, the author is dead (another theorist said this - Deridas, I think?) is actually true.

A creator has ideas of their own about what they want to say, but they can’t foresee how the viewer of the text is going to understand what they see.

The most obvious example I can think of is romance writers who inadvertently write abusive relationships as romantic, or with glaring misogyny throughout. (I have been watching a long list of reviews of Colleen Hoover’s books - and good gods).

Consequently - without a portmanteau in which to convey fixed meanings, a text is always and forever open to interpretation, and there is no correct interpretation of that text, only multiple interpretations. As many interpretations as there are readers.

To get upset because your interpretation of any given text isn’t agreed with by everyone who engages with it means that you’re viewing that text as a portmanteau - but it isn’t.

That’s just not how texts work.

That’s the beauty of texts - and it seems to me, the source of a lot of fandom angst.

[silent-words]

Uploading a fic to AO3 is like submitting an academic paper. After you wrote the text itself, you should specify the field of study (fandom), provide annotation (summary) and key words (tags). And then you wait with baited breath for peer reviews (kudos and comments).

[renthony]

On "Consuming Content"

Every now and then a post crosses my feed that follows the vein of, "you have to do things other than consume media or else you'll be a dumb person who doesn't know anything about how the real world works and does nothing but pointless fandom stuff."

I hate those posts for three major reasons, not counting the inherent ableism and classism of "you must have approved Smart People hobbies or else you're worthless" rhetoric:

You don't know what people do or talk about outside of what you see on their social media. Responding to fandom communities on a fandom-driven website as if all these people are one-note cardboard cutouts of people is asinine. In many cases this genre of post feels like repackaged 2012 tumblr "not like other girls" and hipster discourse. Yes, yes, you think you're better than everyone else on this website because your hobbies are less mainstream, more morally pure, and have greater intellectual merit, we get it.

What do you even mean by consuming content? As someone who purposely avoids using the phrase "consuming content" because I find the term too vague to be useful, please be more specific. Are you including every single form of media engagement and art enjoyment? Are you just talking about mainstream TV and film? What about novels? Plays and scripts? Nonfiction books and instruction manuals? Do you mean to imply that going to a book club is a worthless non-hobby? Are you including academic reading? Are you including going to the art museum? Going to the theatre, concerts, or other performances? Taped liveshows? Watching sports events on TV? Are you including news media? Are you including YouTube tutorials about how to do various tasks, crafts, or other hobbies? Are you including trade magazines? Are you including industry publications in various fields? What constitutes "content," and what constitutes "consuming" in this discourse? Define it. "Consuming content" is a nothing phrase that people use to mean multiple different things depending on what they, personally, judge as valid media. It's a buzzword at best, and when the same buzzword can be used to describe both "idly scrolling social media" and "reading and discussing a book," it's a meaningless phrase.

As an artist and author, if engaging with media is bad and worthless, am I supposed to conclude that making it is equally worthless? If "consuming content" is a bad, lazy, worthless, fake hobby, what makes creating art a worthwhile pursuit? If I am constantly being told as an artist that engaging with media isn't a worthwhile pursuit in its own right, and the people who want to engage with my art are just brainless fandom losers, what incentive do I have to make that art anymore? Furthermore, to everyone reading this paragraph and thinking, "that's not what content creation is," I refer you to bullet #2: If the phrase "make content" can be used to mean "low-effort posts made to advertise cheap and useless products" as well as "being a novelist" or "getting a gig as a writer on a TV show," it's a meaningless phrase.

None of that is even getting into issues such as the way influencers are preyed on by both brands and targeted harassment from trolls. Influencer culture has major issues, but boiling those issues down to "stupid vapid young people who are too lazy to make real art or get real jobs" (which is a mindset I see frequently online) is unhelpful. So many people pursue influencer deals because they're living in poverty but are skilled at various social media and advertising related tasks, and just like any worker, they're being exploited because they need to eat. Labor rights for influencers are a huge topic that entertainment industry unions have been actively discussing and working toward. (Related links for further info: [x] [x] [x] [x])

"Consuming content is not a hobby" is a worthless statement unless you define what you mean by both "consuming" and "content." Quite frankly, you also need to define "hobby," because if you're putting requirements on what is and isn't allowed to be a "real" hobby, you mostly just seem like you're moving goalposts and defining "worthwhile hobby" as "hobby I, personally, think is good." Use more specific language to articulate your actual problems with the entertainment industry, the art world, influencer culture, or whatever else you're actually upset by.

Media and fandom can involve any number of enriching, satisfying hobbies that take up a perfectly acceptable and healthy space in someone's life. If you aren't into it, go find hobbies you do like and stop policing how other people spend their precious free time in this nightmare hellscape of a world.

[pumpkinpaix]

You have questions! We might have answers.

What is this collection?

As Maria puts it: this collection is a critical look at some of the things that we, the editors, think have made CQL such a hit around the world. Of course, part of that success comes from the webnovel MDZS and the show CQL themselves—we love the characters, the mystery, and the drama, who doesn’t?! However, the authors in our book also look at topics like translating danmei (both officially and unofficially), adapting danmei for new audiences, and interacting with fandoms and fanworks. The larger argument of the book is that all of these things played a huge role in CQL’s visibility and success, and we wanted to start making those moving pieces visible, especially for audiences who mainly watched CQL in translation.

You keep using the word “academic”—what does that mean, exactly? 

Maria: Ok, not to get pedantic here, but this actually touches on some things that I’m really excited about for the book. Traditionally, academic work is written by people who have a deep expertise in the subject (signified by having a PhD and doing specific kinds of research), and then the work itself is peer-reviewed (i.e., sent to other experts in the field for them to evaluate whether it’s sound, original, and interesting enough to publish, without knowing who wrote it). And both of these things are true about our book—our authors have deep knowledge and the book was peer reviewed—but also. We specifically asked for chapters from younger scholars and from fans who also have deep knowledge about topics that academia doesn’t always know or value enough, and we include an interview from the fan-translator K. who did the Exiled Rebels translation. So the hope is that: this book is academic, and also—more!

Who are you? 

Yue studies adaptation, fantasy, and popular culture texts using a feminist lens. She wrote an early, influential article about danmei adaptations and also has a book about feminist adaptations of Chinese fantasy.

Maria studies fanworks, contemporary fantasy, and genre literature. She’s scrambling to finish her dissertation right now.

How were the chapter spotlights chosen?

Voluntarily! The concept of a small social media promo was kicked around by some of the contributors and those interested in the idea filled out a short interview with what they wanted to share. We'll be posting about 2 introductions and 2 spotlights a day for the next week or so!

Who's running this social media campaign anyway?

Not the publishers! A few enthusiastic collection contributors got together and, with the assistance of the editors, have put this promotion together. We do not in any way represent Peter Lang in an official capacity! We just worked hard and wanted to share. :)

Are you making any money off of royalties from this book? 

LOL not even remotely

What about this promotion?

also no. alas

Where can I find this book? 

You can find our listing on Peter Lang’s website here. As for other retailers, a quick search should turn us up!  

How can I access this book if I cannot buy it from Peter Lang / [book retailer of choice]?

As collection editors and contributors who signed a legal agreement with Peter Lang, we have granted Peter Lang exclusive right and license to edit, adapt, publish, reproduce, distribute, display, and store our contributions, and we must cooperate fully with the Publisher if the Publisher believes a third party is infringing or is likely to infringe copyright in the contribution. 

That being said, these are academic papers, which means that contributors may make copies of the contribution for classroom teaching use! (These copies may not be included in course pack material for onward sale by libraries and institutions). Of course, any linking, collection or aggregation of chapters from the same volume is strictly prohibited.

(FAQ may be updated periodically!) (all posts on Catching Chen Qing Ling)

[10yrratiolover]

giving my thoughts and ideas on Ratio's character stories

I wouldn't call this much of an analysis but we'll see how it goes

Starting out with his first character story, most of it is Professor Rond's recommendation letter.

I'd like to start by sharing my thoughts about Ratio and Rond first before actually getting into dissecting the letter itself.

So, firstly, I'd like to mention that (to my knowledge) we have never heard of or from Ratio's parents. I find that ironic considering what a big shot he is, I doubt that his parents would ever willingly shut up about their son.

Reading that Rond had a 'significant influence on Ratio's upbringing' particularly stands out to me because, at least at the time of the original letter being written, Ratio was in secondary school (Grade 9-12, though some of the wording in the letter lead me to believe he was likely on the lower end of that range).

Now, a high school teacher having a 'significant influence' on someone's upbringing isn't necessarily uncommon, nor are old teachers proud of their past students becoming extremely successful. However these points, alongside the fact that Ratio's parents are nowhere to be seen in canon, lead me to believe that there was some sort of familial relationship between them, especially seeing Rond's reaction to being asked about Ratio as well as how he had kept the original letter.

Moving on to the actual letter.

Grade skipping is a pretty common practice where I'm from, as it allows learning at the appropriate/needed level (ignoring the fact that the school system is in shambles).

However, the way this is phrased is as if Rond were trying to convince him to be able to skip grades. If he were in grade 11 or 12 I feel like it would not have been phrased this way, which is what leads me to believe he was likely younger, possibly fresh out of middle school.

The highlight on creativity is just because it makes me smile honestly, also it ties into one of my earlier posts about how I think Ratio would adore the subject of art.

I would like to return to my point of Rond being a potential parental figure to Ratio, seeing as he seems to know his daily routine well enough to confidently write about it in his letter of recommendation.

On to his second character story, which is mostly online posts in a thread-like format.

It wasn't until his eighth doctoral degree that he was awarded with First Class Honors, also since he is the first person to receive such in two amber eras it means he was likely the only one on stage at that time.

It also states that at the time he was already a prominent figure in society, which doesn't surprise me given the accomplishments listed by Rond in the letter despite him being in high school at the time it was written. However, he would most likely be an adult by the time he finished his eighth doctorate.

No real comment on this I found it funny that they put etc instead of continuing to list fields.

I also just find these funny and wanted to share them, but the disagreement on the last comment shows how much people admire him. I feel like that's a topic that's rather watered down in the fandom, but people genuinely admire Ratio a lot and there's plenty of reason for them to.

full-time university teachers tend to teach about 5 courses per academic year, meaning Ratio has been teaching for about 10 years.

Moving onto the third story, which is a statement from a former assistant of his about his desire to join the genius society.

I find this to be an interesting point, it seems like joining the Genius Society would be an obvious next step for a man with so many accomplishments but it's stated not once, but twice that he has never spoken about the subject (to the public at least).

I am a believer in the theory that Ratio hasn't been allowed into the Genius Society due to his humanity/compassion and his desire to spread knowledge to everyone, and I feel like this specification that he's never spoken about the topic could add to this theory.

This paragraph never fails to break my heart, but I do want to talk about the mention of an anti-planetary weapon. I feel like this Anti-planetary weapon that he spent years perfecting was a final attempt at proving to Nous that he wasn't too compassionate or too humane to receive their gaze. I remember reading about this idea more in detail elsewhere and if I can find the analyzation then I'll link it here.

Also, I feel like deep down he always knew that he wouldn't be accepted into the Genius Society, but this day, as Margaret states, was the day he finally realized it, or, fully swallowed that pill.

I find these comments to be interesting as well since they specify the narrow-mindedness of the society however, there is this comment from the Data Bank;

This comment I admittedly stumbled across when looking for something else, but I feel like it perfectly encapsulates Ratio's entire dilemma with the Genius Society, maybe not to Ratio himself but it certainly applies to everyone who comments on his achievements being worthy of Nous' approval.

I am also quite curious about who exactly wrote the 'Decoding Dr. Ratio' that we have read from in all of his character stories. They seem to have a lot of connections for someone who would typically be seen as just another paparazzi or media interviewer, I'm surprised the people listed in his stories would agree to an interview.

Onto his final story, which is about his personality and methods of sharing knowledge.

I mentioned this comment in my character notes post but I find it extremely charming that Ratio remains the same and refuses to change himself or his personality to satisfy those around him.

It is also commented in his second character story by a previous professor of his that his honesty and straightforwardness were a 'Breath of fresh air' at the University.

I love the implication that either; nobody in the entire room had any questions (unlikely), or that they were simply too scared to ask them.

I also find the comment that 'Whenever someone agrees with me, I feel like I must be wrong.' Perhaps he's gotten used to being the only one thinking the way he is or the possibility that people only agree with him so they sound intelligent themselves and weren't truly listening or understanding.

I find these comments interesting as well, a majority of the fandom mischaracterizes Ratio as mean or rude although he literally explains his viewpoints where anyone can access it (which does honestly prove his point about how knowledge is not for everyone.)

[kiyosbrokenmirror]

Drv3 the only fandom in which two people who are literally the best in their scientific/academic fields get treated as if they are dumb children because *check notes*

They are naive and idealistic! Woaw good job. Fandom good job.

[thedwarrowscholar]

"Of Fans and Scholars"

🎓 A Note Before We Begin

This post was sparked by a recent conversation — a friendly and supportive exchange with a Tolkien-studies academic I’m collaborating with on a project (whom I won’t name, as none of this is meant personally). During our chat, they mentioned something in passing: “but that’s just fan postulating.” It wasn’t directed at me, nor was it meant unkindly. Yet it stayed with me — not because it was harsh, but because it reminded me how easily the academic world can, often unintentionally, slip into gatekeeping. And how quickly the word fan can be used to diminish rather than describe.

And as the queue is finally more manageable than it has been in many months (dare I say, years), I thought to write a few lines on the matter — some musings, not in bitterness, but in reflection. And with hope for how the line between fan and academic might one day blur in all the right ways.

🎒 What’s in a Title?

I don’t have a degree in Tolkien studies. I didn’t walk the academic path. Life steered me elsewhere — those options were never really on the menu — and frankly, I have no regrets.

I’ve spent over thirty years studying the Dwarves of Arda in every conceivable way. Not broadly across the Legendarium, but deeply — obsessively — into one corner of it. And as someone who collects trivia that never leaves their brain, I dare say I know a thing or two about these bearded creatures.

So when I hear the word fan, I try to embrace it, not shy away. Because I am a fan — a fan who writes, cross-references, reconstructs, teaches, and shares. A fan who aims to build bridges between what Tolkien wrote and what others dream in its wake.

But it’s that little word just — just a fan — that more academics might reflect on. The word fan can enrich, but just can so easily be used to dismiss.

🎓 Why Some Academics Seemingly Look Down on Fandom Contributions

To be clear, most academics are not gatekeepers. Many are kind, generous, and open to dialogue. But patterns do exist — and they’re worth naming.

🏛 Professional Conditioning Academia teaches scholars to value peer-reviewed, institutionally sanctioned work. If it’s not published in a journal or presented at a conference, it’s seen as less serious — even when it’s more insightful than some published work.

🏆 Protecting Prestige Tolkien studies is a small field. Some scholars carve careers out of narrow areas of expertise. When a fan without credentials publishes a piece that reaches more people — or offers a fresh insight — it can feel threatening. Not necessarily intellectually, but socially. So they lean on tone and credentials as shields.

📐 Assumptions About Method There’s a common belief that fans are emotional, subjective, or casual in their engagement. While some are, many aren’t. In fact, I’ve found fan essays are often more rigorous and linguistically aware than their academic counterparts. But if it's posted on a blog, Tumblr, or forum? It’s often dismissed without a second glance.

🗣️ Tone and Power Imbalance Academics often speak declaratively: “this is what it means.” Fans more often speak collaboratively: “could it mean this?” That tonal difference — authoritative vs. exploratory — can feel condescending, even when unintended.

🛠 The Irony…

Tolkien himself was, in many ways, a fan too.

He drew from ancient and medieval myth — Beowulf, the Kalevala, the Eddas — and reimagined them through his own linguistic and philosophical lens. What he created wasn’t just academic — it was deeply personal. Myth-making driven by passion, not publication.

In a 1951 letter, he described creating “a body of more or less connected legend… which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country.” By then Middle-earth was alive on the page, but the soul of it remained devotion — not dissertation.

His languages too began not with a fixed blueprint, but curiosity. While he applied philological rigour, many of his tongues grew organically — scraps in margins, evolving ideas. It was world-building through love.

Today, that process — if not bearing Tolkien’s name — might be ridiculed as fan-fiction, overreach, or headcanon.

🌟 Fans Illuminate, Not Compete

Some hear “fan” and think “lesser.” But that’s not the role fan-scholars play. They’re not rivals — they’re windows.

A Tumblr post about the symbolism of Durin’s Crown might inspire an academic paper on Tolkien’s constellations. A linguistic deep dive into Neo-Khuzdul — often dismissed for not being canon — might provoke serious inquiry into how constructed languages evolve after an author’s death.

This doesn’t threaten scholarship — it expands it.

Yes, we must distinguish what Tolkien wrote from what is interpretation, invention, or reconstruction. That line matters. But one does not cancel the other. Creativity need not come at the expense of rigour — and vice versa.

⚒️ What I’ve Learned

I’ve written thousands of words on Dwarves. Studied everything I could find. Tracked terms through decades of drafts, letters, footnotes. Corrected myself. Rewritten. Built. Trashed. Began again.

Not for a title. Not for a citation count. But because it matters to me.

Am I a fan? A scholar? Something in between? Honestly, why does it matter?

The name “Dwarrow Scholar” was chosen carefully. Not to claim authority — but to honour an older meaning of scholar: Not expert. Not professor. But student. A learner. One who studies.

That’s what I hope to be — in every post, every translation, every overly-long Khuzdul footnote. Someone who shares love through learning. Someone who, through obsession, patience, and a little stubbornness, can help one small corner of Arda shine a little brighter.

Not to close the door — but to open a window. For fans. For scholars. For all who care enough to read this far.

So yes — I’m a fan. Gladly. A fan-scholar, if you will. Not standing apart from the conversation, but hoping to be part of it — and maybe, in some small way, helping it grow.

If that means I’m “just” a fan, then let that “just” carry the weight of years of study, joy, and shared discovery. Because being a fan — curious, dedicated, and collaborative — has never been a lesser thing.

And if we’re lucky, maybe the walls between titles can give way to shared purpose.

Ever at your service, The Dwarrow Scholar

[raenegade-accio]

⋆˙⟡ Wren Zhang / INFJ / 28 February ⋆˙⟡

It’s almost been two years since I got my hands on Hogwarts Legacy and brought Wren into the HL fandom, figure she’s long overdue a new introduction; don’t be shy to say hi 🫶

A few more details about my little bi nugget below the cut 💙

She’s the only one in her family with freckles; another distinguished trait is a small pale birthmark in her left iris. Though born into a modest house of scholars and musicians, Wren wasn’t particularly bright as a young girl; it worried her parents seeing she didn’t inherit either of their revered geniuses so efforts were made to instil as much knowledge and dexterity as they could when young Wren struggled academically. It wasn’t till Wren was whisked away to Hogwarts, her brilliant mind is “finally brought out of the fog.” Safe to say she was positively flummoxed when sorted to Ravenclaw.

Favoured subjects include Herbology, Care for Magical Creatures, and Potions. While she loves flourishing her wand as much as the next witch, Wren has a soft spot for all of the more practical and hands-on magic. Fitting as she later becomes a Healer at St. Mungos, even considering to enter a considerably more dangerous field of Curse Breakers.

Wren can talk to animals, as in she speaks to them and they almost always respond in earnest - from beasts to critters, ordinary or magical creatures alike. Whether this is a strange mutation roused in her youth by the then-dormant Ancient Magic or an unusual form of Legilimency, she isn’t sure. She has a ragdoll cat, Eglantine (affectionately nicknamed Egg) brought from home, and a niffler, Chaurli - or Charlie after learning it’s actually a girl - accidentally bred in the castle. Naturally, she talks to both of them everyday.

While great on a broom, Wren isn’t that fond of participating in Quidditch, much more content in navigating the air without the constraints of the Pitch or supporting and cheering from the stands for one certain cantankerous Captain she’s come to love deeply.

She’s a huge foodie. Wren finds snacking as more enjoyable a pastime than most; munching on an apple in the common room, or having pumpkin pasties while waiting classes to start, she’s always nibbling on something even when not really hungry.

Wren sadly struggles with severe pyrophpbia. It stemmed from a period of her life when the city she lived was ravaged by riots and arsons on account of the political and religious climate at the time. She has since somewhat overcome it, but still makes an effort to keep a distance from most fireplaces and avoid using any spells that potentially may set things ablaze.

[secretly-historic]

IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE ARE SAPPHIC AND WERE PERSONALLY VICTIMIZED BY THE CW’S THE 100 SEASON 3 IN 2016 PLEASE READ

i know i have very few followers so i am tagging this to hell amd back and it would mean the world to me if people could spread this!!

did you get into this random sci fi show as an impressionable sapphic or then-sapphic-identifying teen? did you find your fandom community online in places like tumblr? were you a Way Too Online Clexa shipper? do you have vivid memory of one fateful night in March of 2016 where your little baby heart was sent to the moon and then stomped on within an entire fifteen minute window? did you then turn on your phone to watch an entire community imploding in real time?

i am a current history grad student in Washington, DC, and i recently was notified of an interdisciplinary panel opportunity in which i’d be able to turn one of my quasi-intellectual passions into something Big and Academic and possibly Influential To The Field. the theme of the conference is change; how our historical subjects understood it, dealt with it, lived through it, etc. or, it can be anything that might have some big observation to how we deal with change ourselves as academics

my proposal is still in the baby stages, but i want to use this particular moment in pop culture in two ways: first, obviously, is as a case study of a really revolutionary moment in queer representation. we had a sci fi show with, after a few season one growing pains, really complex and kind of amazing female character writing and an element of queerness that defied tropes by being strangely post-structuralist, only for that to come crashing down in one horrid writing decision. the overnight turn in the fan-creator relationship was something so severe and shocking to me, even at 14.

second, if we wanna get all discipline-jargony about it, studying it from a historical angle at some kind (yes i know it was only nine years ago bear with me here) could lead to some really important things about how we do social history in a digital age. i find that most “digital history” conversation tends to be about digitizing sources for access or distribution, but we are very much at a point where our sources are being /created/ in digital and online spaces, and there’s simply not the same level of comfort or readily available knowledge of how to navigate through an internet-created archive.

if you read this far, thank you. at this point, i’m simply trying to find people who experienced this moment firsthand like i did. i’m still trying to develop specific sets of questions to survey, possibly to workshop some research methodology with an “oral” historical source base. if you are interested in being somehow part of this source base, please reach out to me ASAP! i cannot promise that anything substantial will come out of it within the next few weeks (a girl has to get through my own finals and my students’ finals first), but it’ll at least give me a list of people to reach out to when the time comes<3

if you read to the end, thank you. here’s a cat pic as a reward. his name is winston

[hurglewurm]

old men yaoi. no this isn't any fandom, these are prominent academics in my field (and the field adjacent). the two in the comic hated each other a lot but those are real quotes or paraphrases that they said about each other. i will not apologize

[okthatsgreat]

rewording a post i made a while ago just bc it was a bit nonsensical but something that definitely needs to be examined in the danganronpa fandom is how a lot of characters seem to be interpreted through one single lens of intelligence. does that make sense. like in order for a character to be “smart” in this fandom they SPECIFICALLY need to be book smart and well spoken, regardless of their talents. we gotta shape up guys .. examining other types of intelligence is FASCINATING and really highlights each characters strengths and weaknesses, and this especially applies to emotional intelligence.

like is byakuya smart? absolutely. but is he emotionally intelligent? fuck no!!!! and aoi used that against him in chapter four!!!!!!!! and even though she is misguided as all hell, tenko has the ability to understand her opponent mid-battle and use that to determine how she continues the fight (likely something other fighting ultimates do as well!!!) which is crazy. mikan is able to read facial expressions well, even if she IMMEDIATELY misinterprets this as something she personally did wrong lol. these characters navigate through the killing game differently and in some cases survive because of it, and if you want something interesting to write on it’s definitely something to be examined!!!

also straight up sometimes the fandom interprets characters who don’t speak super formally/are optimistic as dumb too which is so strange. more of the “buff” talents like mondo and fuyuhiko need to understand battle tactics and serious team management/planning in order to get anywhere in their field, but are pushed aside quite a bit because theyre these super gruff macho characters that swear a bunch. sonia as well because she's a fish out of water type of character. and yes he isn’t very well spoken and is very trusting but gonta is an actual scientist guys… i could make a whole separate post about this weird trend of pessimism being seen as smart and optimism as stupid but yeah seriously

anyways all this to say, when writing for a “dumb” character take a step back and ask just what makes them dumb in your eyes. is it because they aren’t considered academic or a scholar?? is it because they’re a “happier” character that might not be as well-spoken?? theres nuance there and this obviously doesn't apply to all of them, like clearly akane isnt super good with emotions or smarts in general, but even THEN her spacial awareness and heightened sense of perception is something that is often under-utilised in fics!! it provides a whole lot of depth to remember that a lot of danganronpa characters are very talented and well versed in other forms of intelligence than what might be most obvious !!!!!

[the-witchhunter]

I’ve had an interesting thought swimming around my head that I swear I’ve been meaning to write

You know what would be an interesting combination of characters?

Jazz and Harvey Dent/TwoFace

Specifically a Dent just getting back on his feet, released from Arkham and trying to learn how to exist in the world with his condition

I’m thinking a reveal gone wrong, Danny has disappeared to ancients know where, so Jazz cuts ties and Stays with her Uncle Dent, or maybe her bio dad if that’s more your game. Just an soaking wet and miserable Jazz showing up at his crappy apartment saying she’s his daughter or niece and him resisting the urge to flip a coin because he has enough on his plate as is, only to let her in telling her they’ll talk about it in the morning and point her to the shower so she can clean up and dry off

Why do I think this would be an interesting combo?

Jazz’s interest in psychology. A lot of times, as a fandom we depict her as an expert, and in a future timeline where she went to school and has been practicing psychology maybe, but default Jazz? She’s not an expert

Jazz wants to be a brain surgeon, psychology is an interest of hers but her understanding is very limited. She quotes Freud and Jung and has some amount of academic knowledge of the field, but she clearly doesn’t understand that psychoanalyzing friends and family and offering unwanted psychiatric advice is actually rude and something she shouldn’t do. She lacks understanding of actual therapy and is clumsy in applying her knowledge to people she knows

And I find putting her in proximity of someone with DID and probably PTSD would really be an eye opening experience for her

Because Dent might humor her, TwoFace will call her out. They both have hung around Harley to know enough to tell her, “maybe don’t take Freud so seriously” because man does everything go back to sex with Freud, and maybe quoting a guy that says she wants to boink her dad is not as strong of a point as she thinks it is

And the thing is, Harvey would likely still be receiving therapy as an outpatient, potentially taking meds to help deal with his conditions, likely a mood stabilizer or anxiety med to manage PTSD symptoms, so she’s front seat of him learning to live as a regular person in Gotham with his condition. She’s gonna see his good days, his bad days, the side effects of his medication, and it’s going to change her idea of what psychology is. It’s not just quoting things at people, it’s not just saying “this is good for people” but she’d see what it being put into practice would look like

Maybe that’ll push her away from the subject. Maybe it’ll make her more inclined to study, to learn not just about it as an abstract but how to actually apply it to help people. Learning about actual therapy practices. Maybe living first hand with mental illness would be the push to switch from neurosurgery to clinical psychology in her future plans

Also I just think that Dent would be empathetic and do what he could to help her, meanwhile TwoFace would help her cut loose a little, get a little chaotic and have some fun

You can’t tell me there’s not something fun about her and “Uncle Two-y” having a night on the town that only results in a little property damage. Relax Harv, they didn’t do anything too illegal, because they didn’t get caught or nothing

[beanarie]

fic writer asks: 23, 29, 30!

(Yes, I am angling for a pic of Reggie!)

also including questions from other darling folks @nzchance @queermccoy @eidetictelekinetic @emphasisonthehomo thank you! ☺️

(6) When do you title your fics? Before you write them? As you write them? While posting to AO3 and that “Work Title” field is staring at you?

hm, sometimes a title clicks a chapter or two into writing, usually from my chill vibes playlist, but all too often i have a finished fic in front of me and i'm like "...shit" then i've got the ao3 post in one tab and wikiquote in the other. that happened with "an awful and dreary blank" and "got my head check by a jumbo jet" came close.

(7) Navigate to your complete list of works on AO3. What are your top 5 Additional Tags?

hurt/comfort, whump, hurt [character name], emotional hurt/comfort, major character injury. i have a niche okay!

(9) The two fandoms you’ve written the most have been suddenly crossed with each other! What AU are you writing?

elementary/9-1-1 let's gooo. i flipped a coin to decide which cast gets home court advantage and elementary won, so bucktommy are in new york for this thing going on with knicks (playoffs? idk). buck spies something going on outside the garden, jumps in to save the victim, and he succeeds, but the victim is weird and hostile to him in front of a hundred witnesses, and buck gets taken in for questioning the next day when the victim turns up dead.

sherlock & joan take an interest in the case because bell tells them about how their prime suspect is a puppy of a guy with a decorated history as an la firefighter. bell knows about some of this because tommy came to the precinct like what the fuck are you people doing this man flays himself when he hurts someone's feelings, he's not a murderer. joan looks at the victim's pocket square and clocks him as a diplomat from luxembourg or where tf ever, setting off an academic lecture about thread content from sherlock to bell that makes him roll his eyes. joanlock go down a rabbit hole while buck stays at the brownstone (the hotel banned him for being a possible murderer) and babysits arthur.

(12) Do you write in order, jump around the draft, or a mix? Something else?

i've seen my style described as dessert first. i virtually never write in order.

(21) Without getting into any discourse, just thinking as a writer approaching characters, would you ever write about your NOTP? If you did, do you think that would change how you feel about it? (If you’ve done this, how did it go?)

not as a main focus, but i've incorporated canon notps to explore ripple effects on the characters i'm actually writing about, how joan felt about mycroft, what people think about tommy and abby, etc. it doesn't make me suddenly positive about the pairing, but forcing it to be part of the world and the history of the characters helps nudge it into being more of a neutral thing.

(22) Do you have a fixed writing routine, or do you write when you have time? Is there a time of day when you prefer to write?

my routine is chaos. ideas flow through my brain and dry up so quickly that i basically just keep the app open on my phone constantly. for "the safety that's evaded me" i had a rough plan and for the first two weeks i was able to limit myself to a short burst once a day, closing the app when i had a scene or a decent chunk of one down. that was nice. i didn't fuss quite as much about editing and making it perfect.

(23) What is your #1 distraction when you’re trying to write? If it’s a pet, post a pic

herself regifer wrecks (no angling required. i will send you photos any time❤️)

(29) Have you ever actually remembered one of those 3am “I’ll remember it in the morning” ideas?

once or twice! usually when i write it down though it's choppy and doesn't flow anywhere near as perfectly as it did in my head. love brains!

(30) Finish this sentence with your fandom’s variation(s): No beta, we die like _________

i've seen "like buck did for 3 minutes and 17 seconds" but i propose "like bobby did. no really. i'm sad too but firedad is in the ground"

[arceus-insanity]

My Hero Academia vs Assassination Classroom: Becoming Teachers

Now I recently saw a post going on about how people dislike Deku becoming a teacher in chapter 430. And another user chalked it up to Westerners' disrespect for teachers vs Japan's great revere for them, plus shipping discourse

And while I feel that those definitely don't help, I do feel that that isn't the balk of why a lot of us hate it. It also reads as one of those elitist takes in fandom where they are talking down to those who don't agree with them

Now I'm a Westerner, and I hate Deku becoming a teacher. It's not because I don't respect teachers, and when it happened in Assassination Classroom I was all for Nagisa Shiota becoming a teacher. I would have preferred to see him and/ or Karma become assassins but I was still satisfied with how it ended. So why is that? Especially because we know Hori was a fan of Assassination Classroom, prototype Bakugou was based on Karma for crying out loud.

Achieved vs Happenstance

A big part of it is framing, everyone in 1A, 1B, and basically everyone else explicitly want to be heroes, or at least something adjacent to it. That's why they are in the hero course, and Izuku Midoriya especially has a one-track mind for heroes until the surprise reveal. He was constantly told no, pick something else, for a decade but was still hyper-focused on being a hero leading up to the show. Nor do we see or otherwise learn that he has other developing interests. There's a ton of fanfics and headcanons of him helping his classmates with school work or even just their quirks, but there's nothing in canon. The only character who does anything like that is Momo Yaoyorozu. The vast majority of 1A and once again especially Izuku Midoriya are only interested in being heroes. Izuku is also the only one who didn't become a hero (until years later) despite the need for them totally going down and them being paid per arrest.

Meanwhile, no one in 3E the end class, chose to be an assassin, Kuro Sensei just decided that he was going to teach that class, and the world needed him dead. A lot of students explicitly have other interests and none of them have a personal interest in being an assassin past killing Kuro Sensei. Yes, Nagisa Shiota is shown throughout to be surprisingly good at assassination work, and he is explicitly given an offer to join the world as an assassin. But when he gets the offer he asks himself do I really want to do this. We also learn via the little girl who suggests the career to him in the first place, that he has been tutoring her. We also get to see how he takes the uniqueness and skills from 3E into his teaching job.

So in short the premise of Assassination Classroom is much better suited to have it's characters enter very different fields to begin with.

Better Focus on Academics

Yes, My Hero Academia takes place largely in a school, but they don't put any focus on the school part. Whenever they're doing something in class it's either big combat test or self-directed training. And in the later seasons, more and more time got taken up by the big-name pro-hero fights. The two teachers we see the most of, both have bad teacher tags on Ao3 and I have seen numerous takedowns of their teaching skills accurately citing the series.

Assassination Classroom however has school and studying as a constant theme throughout the series. We see 1E being taught both standard school stuff, and learning various assassination techniques to achieve their goal. Kuro Sensei also makes it very clear that if they are just going to bank their futures on killing him and winning the money, then he sees no point in staying around for them to do it.

Getting it Regardless vs Earning Respect

One ongoing issue I have with MHA is that I largely got into the series because I thought that it was going to criticize societal issues. Instead, it ended up doing a 180. Now this mostly applies to the pro-hero worship, largely because once again there is barely any time dedicated to the actual academic part of the show. But with both the teachers and pro heroes their failures and shit behaviours aren't treated as reasons to lose respect, making any respect for them empty. This also leans into the very real issue of roles that come with unconditional respect, will attract people who will abuse it.

Meanwhile, 3E came into the show without this innate revere for teachers, because their past teachers especially in their school have actively screwed them over at every turn. Karma is even elated at the idea of killing a teacher after his last one betrayed him. Nagisa Shiota was being very blatantly abused at home, and Kuro Sensei is the first teacher to stand up for him. The teachers of 3E have to earn the students' trust and respect. When Bitch Sensei treats them like shit when she first joins, the students return the favour, she has to apologize for her poor behaviour for the class to give her a second chance. So when it ends with the students having a deep connection to their teachers and a renewed appreciation for school it's because that respect was fucking earned. Also, the principal who created this system set up 3E to be abused and sabotaged them every chance he got, got fired for his shit leadership aka actions have consequences. They also didn't feel the need to excuse the bullies shit behaviour either

So in one setting, we have authority figures constantly being shit but being revered anyway. And the other, where the respect has been lost and needs to be earned back, thus the respect they get has a much stronger foundation.

Side notes

Deku sucks at explaining, I've said it both on my main and AU blog, but Deku is horrible at explaining. One of the main aspects of teaching, and he sucks at it because he overcomplicates and goes off on tangents, plus mumbling. If it was just his thought process, it would be a mildly annoying but harmless habit, but he does it when talking to people

Also, Assassination Classroom has a way less bloated cast, allowing us to actually get closer to the characters.