willietheplaidjacket:

educatedinyellow:

thetimemoves:

fangirl-says:

thebyrchentwigges:

Writing a fic ‘late’ in a fandom is OK.

What is ‘late in a fandom’? It’s after the first heady flush of media excitement. Six months after the standalone movie or book comes out, a year or more after the series ends.

We get inspired by late canon: the behind-the-scenes book, the deleted scenes, a revealing creator interview. We get inspired by fanon and meta. We get talking to that one – one! – person who likes our ideas.

Sometimes a fic even needs to be written late in the fandom. After thinking and creative ferment, worldbuilding and character development. ‘Late to the fandom’ is a good time to take risks. To do the dark AU, focus on the minor character from stage left. It’s also a good time to offer up tropetastic fun.

Whatever you do, you will get readers who appreciate that you are writing. Because for every writer considering writing ‘late’ there’s a hundred fandom members wanting some fresh content.

Writing a fic ‘late’ in a fandom is OK.

Thank the old gods and new for those still writing (or just starting to write!) late in fandoms (looking at you, BBC Sherlock fandom). It’s not only okay, it’s life-giving and we love you for it and hope you NEVER STOP.

And a special shout-out to those who wrote fantastic fic years ago and still respond to comments on AO3 by those of us who are always late to the party (even if you don’t necessarily write in that fandom anymore)! You also are giving me life!

I love everything about this. I’ve been in Sherlock fandom since the first hiatus but I only started writing fic after S4 and worried a tiny bit that I was too late. Nope, I wasn’t. Fandom might look a bit different these days, but we’re still here and still enthusiastic for new stories and that’s been so encouraging. Sometimes I wish I had done this earlier, but for me it’s been better late than never!

I wandered into Supernatural fandom in Season *13.* It’s never too late 🙂

I wandered into the A-Team fandom 20 years after it was cancelled. I never understood the mentality of being ‘too late’ to a fandom to contribute. It’s the late comers who keep it going, keep it fresh and interesting and offer new perspectives as well as reigniting the old excitement. There’s no expiration date on enjoying something.