The past dragging along behind us like a wrecking ball.

[clo_again]

I was just reading (read: procrastinating from writing) Versaphile's post about importing old fic to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/5644.

I'm massively anti-deleting fanfic - I feel that once something has been released to run wild on the internet, you have no idea really who's read it or what impact that had on them, even if it's yours, even if it has your name on it; once it's posted, it should stay available somewhere forever. On the flipside, I've always been firmly set on not importing my old fic to AO3 because most of it I feel needs more editing than I'm happy doing, or was written when I still had no clue what I was doing other than bashing out words in a vague succession of sense, or is frankly (imho) terrible. All my old stuff is sitting around on clofic or in a much neater indexed collection on Insanejournal and that's fine. It isn't as if I'm locking it in a drawer; if anyone wants it, my username is the same everywhere.

But then- reading Versaphile talk about archiving fandom history and how important it is made me think that's irresponsible. Likewise the level of outrage I went through listening to a podcast discussing tennis slash last year, with a panel of four tennis ficcers who flat out stated that tennis slash "started around 2007 with Nadal/Federer" (hahahahaha I guess we all hallucinated all that Roddick/Federer fic that happened 2004-onwards, or that there was at least one person writing Roddick/Ferrero before that which no longer exists because the original tennis fic comm got deleted) implies that maybe fandom history is already getting fuzzy. Like all the teenies on tumblr who keep LOLing at oldtimers for including disclaimers on fic and then can't believe it when the oldtimers turn around and tell them The Epic Saga of Anne Rice's Lawyers.

So I don't know. Maybe I should see how much editing some of the longer things would need so I can post them with only moderate-to-crippling shame.

-

(Also, HEY, HEY I'M STILL HERE, HAI LJ. It's my fourteenth LJ anniversay on October 8th. Every year I say I should do something and every year I wake up in November and go "...ah shit, maybe next year.")

Comments

[rionaleonhart]

Ooh, that's an interesting point about our responsibility to preserve history. I haven't posted any of my old works to AO3; the thought makes me feel a bit awkward (particularly as I've got a small handful of subscribers on there and I think subscription e-mails still get sent out for backdated works, so I'd have to upload everything at once to avoid spamming everyone with alerts). But I do feel it's important to keep writing backed up. Maybe I should at least collect together some of my older things and post them there.

(And hello! It's good to see you.)

[clo.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean about feeling awkward; I'm always a bit disappointed when an author I like posts something and it turns out to be a repost. But then, I don't look anywhere other than AO3 for new fic these days so if new people are coming in (especially to our relatively small fandoms) and only using AO3, maybe they'll appreciate it being more accessible? I think I'll pick at least a few longer things to repost and see how it works out (if I ever finish editing because oh dear, that's going to be a lot of editing.)

(:D I still check LJ nearly every day and you're one of the few people still active on my flist, which is continually appreciated! I really must start blogging more instead of tweeting everything.)

[nilhenwen.livejournal.com]

This is really interesting to read because I've been on Ao3 a lot recently and have started writing for a new fandom. It made me look at my Works list and think ... I've written so much more than 3 fics.
But I feel very much like you with this. There isn't a wild amount of fics I would want to move over as a lot of them aren't my best work. Most produced during a very active and prolific time but often quite artless. I don't know
Maybe I'll love some over and others not. For some reason I don't feel like my tennis fic fits well with the fictive already posted on Ao3.
It's a strange thing
Going to read he link too - love the idea of fandom history
Also LOL Federer/Nadal being the start. Obviously I missed something.

[clo.livejournal.com]

It is frustrating to watch the work count sitting in single figures, especially in smaller fandoms where every fic makes a difference. But like you say, most of my early fic isn't something I'd be happy posting now; there's no point spamming with reams of unedited works. At least if we did proper edits and rewrites before posting it makes it almost like new fic - but then, is it better spending that time writing new from scratch? It really doesn't seem to have an easy answer. (it's weird considering some of the stuff that gets posted there now but I worry a lot more about the standard of anything I post to AO3 than I did/do to my own journals).

It's like that Federer fan biography written by Roger's 'biggest fan'... who didn't start being his fan until 2007. (I realise this makes us the olds sitting on our porch and complaining about "kids these days..." But!! But!!! We were there! No one suffered those repeated Andy/Roger Wimbledon finals like we did! Honestly, kids these days with their Hawkeye and their 800+ AO3 fics, pfft. ;-) )

[nilhenwen.livejournal.com]

Haha! I know, exactly! I think the reason that Ao3 is different is because it doesn't just sit on your Profile or Comm, it goes into the Fic List melting pot for that fandom and because of that it seems a lot more exposed and representative of that fandom, as well as your own work.
I guess posting to fic comms was similar but because Ao3 is an archive it seems, like you said before, to be creating a solid history. It feels more like a permanent legacy when you post there.