The Science of Phonaesthetics

professorfangirl:

An anon asked: “Do you think your students read your blog? I am not one but I am curious how you feel about being maybe somewhat exposed.”

Boy, it’s sooo interesting you would ask this question today, because yesterday I had colleagues come in to both of my classes as guest speakers, and in both I talked about being a fanfic writer—and, yes, a writer of slashfic. It wasn’t nearly as weird as I thought it would be. But it sure got me thinking, so this response will be long, and I’m making it rebloggable so that I can find out what other people think.

In direct answer to your question, sure, I know some students know of my blog. The line I take, repeatedly, is that it’s officially off limits, and should be treated as part of my private life. However, social media means that the lines between public and private are really blurred nowadays, especially in forums that don’t use real names. So I tell students that if they find my blog, I can’t stop them reading it, but especially where fics are concerned I’m not talking about it in class, or to anyone who’s currently a student.

I want to be really clear: I am not ashamed of what I do here. But as a professor I’m in a position of power over students: I grade them. Like it or not, if they’ve read my slash they’ll know things about me that will make that process really loaded. I went to a private college that had one rule for all social behavior: anything that interfered with other people’s learning is right out. The only thing you could get in trouble for was making it hard for someone to learn. Reading the kind of things I write may fuck with students to the point that it’s hard to be in my class. I understand and honor that, and I let them know that’s my motivation in keeping my blog private. This way, if they do find their way to the blog and are freaked out, then I’m not the one that made it hard for them to learn (and if their heads explode they can damn well do their own mopping up).

I’ll say it again: I am not ashamed of being a fangirl. Shame is deadly poisonous, especially where sexuality is concerned. So when I talked about it in classes yesterday, I laid out my position:

1) fandom is a important cultural force that deserves respect and serious consideration;

2) fanfiction and fanart are important artistic movements that deserve respect and critical attention; and

3) erotic writing—slashfic— is a legitmate genre that deserves respect and serious literary analysis, and the best erotic writing is happening in fandom. The fact that most fanfic is slash does not take away from its serious cultural and artistic value.

As a matter of fact, fandom is creating a genre of erotic writing that hasn’t existed before, and that is beautiful and valuable and smart as all fucking get-out. The slashfic I’ve read is one of the most powerful and productive tools I’ve seen for looking at sexuality, psychology, and social dynamics.

(Sounds all Brainy McBrainenstein, right? Professor von Pedant, Countess Pretensia. But talking that way in front of colleagues worked: at the end of one class, the other prof, a published novelist, asked about team-teaching a course in—“What did you call it, Liz? Transformative Art?” Aw. Yis.)

I’m lucky to be in a position, personally and professionally, where I can be out about these things. (Not everyone’s so lucky, and it’s NOT cowardice to be careful of that. People pay different prices, and no one can calculate those costs but you.) I figured this out early on; my AO3 account has my actual name, fer chrissakes. In the end, when I’m able to be fully out, I think it could be really good for students to know someone who’s a slashfic writer and a respected professional, someone who might contradict their prejudices about fans. It’d be wonderful to be, dare I say it, a role model. Because, for the third time, I am not ashamed of what we do. I’m not embarrassed about my pleasures. And I look forward to the day when none of us will have to pay a social price for saying so.

“I am not ashamed of what we do. I’m not embarrassed about my pleasures. And I look forward to the day when none of us will have to pay a social price for saying so.”

Well said, as always, Professor.

<3

transformativeworks:

Today is the final day of the OTW’s April 2013 membership drive, and we’re thrilled to announce that it’s already a record-breaking success!

Since April 3, the first day of the drive, we’ve received more than 1,879 donations totaling more than US$48,508. That blows the record from the April 2012 drive (when we received 1,276 donations totaling US$38,379.50) out of the water.

We’re immensely grateful to everyone who has supported the drive so far. Thank you for sharing testimonials, reblogging and retweeting, and, of course, for your generous donations. This success is thanks to you.

If you haven’t participated in the drive yet, there’s still time to show your support! The drive will continue through the end of the day on April 9 so please donate today to be part of the drive. However, if this time isn’t a good one for you financially, you can also donate throughout the year to keep the OTW and its projects thriving into the future.

 

 Help share the love! Please reblog this post and share with your followers.

mazarin221b:

GDI, Birds to a Lighthouse undoes me every fucking time, without fail. *SOBS*

GOD yes, this. Simply the best. Birds was the first canon Holmes fic I ever encountered, and nothing’s measured up since, and I doubt anything ever will. I’ve still only managed to get a few thousand words recorded since I decided to do it last year…sigh. I’ll get there by the time the world ends :)

sophinisba:

Friendly reminder that if you are someone who creates fanworks, you can help make fandom less stressful and more fun for podfic artists, visual artists, and other people in your community by posting a transformative works policy (blanket yes, blanket no, or anything in between).  

If it would make you happy to have other fans create things based on your works, please say so on your profile pages.

If you are generally open to the idea but would like people to check in with you or follow certain conditions, please say so.

If you do not want people to record your fics or play with your fanworks in other ways, please say so.

If you’re hesitating because it feels presumptuous, please consider doing it anyway for the benefit of your fellow fans!

Further reading:

• Blanket Permission to Podfic at Fanlore
• permission to record? *\o/* at amplificathon
• I want 15 minutes of your time. Seriously, this is important. by akamine-chan
• Blanket permission again by sophinisba

afrogeekgoddess:

Does anyone have copies of the two podfics that six_two_four did of saathi1013’s Lorem Ipsum stories? Six’s links are broken (and they haven’t updated their journal in 1.5 years), and saathi1013 doesn’t have them either.

Signal boost: Anyone out there have a copy?

Cheers,

Cellar Door

Update: located!