Sound Bytes

Posted by Susan in Sound Bytes with SusanAshlea | 2 comments

I have been in the Twilight fandom for a little over a year. I’m basing this on an approximation of when I first discovered Twilight Fanfiction, which was in January of 2009. It’s been a roller coaster ride since, as I have gone from fanfiction reader and reviewer, to writer and beta, to fansite staff member, to website co-owner in that span of time.  I have met some people I don’t think my life would be nearly as rich without, and made some friendships that will last a lifetime.  Every day I am meeting new people across the globe, as well as discovering new music, movies, books, and actors/actresses to appreciate. I am positive I wouldn’t have had many of the experiences in the past year had it not been for the Twilight fandom. In fact, one of my very best friends and I have known each other for 20 years, but we didn’t become close until we discovered our mutual love for Twilight during choir practice at church one night.

While I am not nearly as seasoned in the fandom as so many others, I have been involved for long enough to witness some truly wonderful things.  The Fandom Gives Back and MsKathy’s Twifans for Haiti Compilation are two prime examples.  I know that there are many other grassroots efforts out there that have been using their basis in the Twi-fandom to help spread awareness of other issues around the globe as well.  It’s amazing what we can do collectively as a fandom when we put our minds to it.

Something else I have noticed about the Twilight fandom is the abundance of resources we have at our fingertips. There are writers blogs, readers blogs, recommendation blogs, news blogs, fansites for the various actors, character blogs…the list goes on and on.  There are new ones popping up each day.  On each of these blogs, you almost always find an “affiliate” section, in which that blog lists the other sites in the fandom that they support, and likewise who support them.  The friendships and fandom support each of these affiliates give a blog is immeasurable.  Take this site, for example: some of our affiliates, such as Altered Lions & Sacrificial Lambs, Twilight Awards, Twilight Crafts, Open Book Society and Project Team Beta have gone out of their way to develop a relationship with us here at MVF and help us spread the word about our blog posts, contests, challenges and giveaways, and we are delighted to do the same for them. (To see a full list of our affiliates, please click here. There are some wonderful sites on this list!)  When I see things like this in the fandom, it makes me smile. It makes me happy to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. It makes me proud to call myself a Twilight fan.

Unfortunately, with any large group of people, there is always some negative behavior as well.

I am pretty naive when it comes to some of the bigger issues. I have an extremely utopian point of view. Personally, I don’t see why we can’t all just get along, hold hands and share a Coca-Cola, especially when it comes to the fandom. We are all here for the same reason; why is there a need for hostility in any medium of the fandom?

Now, before you label me as someone who doesn’t get it, please hear me out. I understand that we don’t all get along. I understand that we might have different opinions or views on an issue, and I understand that there are probably going to be some arguments. It happens; we’re human. We aren’t perfect. What I don’t understand, however, is why people as a whole can’t seem to find a little bit of common ground to focus on in their endeavors. Take actor/actress fansites, for example.  They exist for one reason and one reason alone: to promote and support the actor/actress in question.  There are countless fansites that exist for Rob Pattinson, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, Kristin Stewart to name a few. Almost every actor in the Twilight universe has at least one or two fansites that are run by dedicated fans who volunteer their time in order to make other people aware of their favorite actor or actress. So, why do some of these sites develop a rivalry?

I get that not everyone is going to like each other. One site might have had a disagreement with another, this person doesn’t get along with that person, or whatever. It happens online just like it happens in the real world. Unfortunately the people who end up suffering the most are the fans, especially when something major happens and there is very little in the way of explanation. It isn’t fair to the fans or the actors or actresses. I don’t see where it benefits either party to have fansites that exist in the name of promotion and support to be squabbling with each other.  So many of the Twilight Saga actors have put themselves out there, made themselves accessible to the fans, and have been highly interactive with them. They take time out of their work schedule and personal lives to attend conventions so they have the chance to meet and greet their fans. When things like this happen, it only casts everyone in a negative light when the intention was to connect actors and actresses with their fans in a fun and safe way.

When the goal of a fansite, Facebook page, or Twitter group is for promotion and support, how is it supportive to be arguing with other like-minded sites? How does that make the website administrators look? How is that beneficial to the fans? How does that NOT put an actor or actress in an awkward position?

I’m not going to pretend that I haven’t had my fair share of frustrations. Running a website is hard work; sometimes it can be tedious and monotonous. It doesn’t matter how large or small a website is, it takes time and dedication. It is frustrating when things don’t happen the way you want or you have a disagreement with another site. I will admit there are times when I want to bang my head against the wall because things just aren’t going my way.  But at the end of the day, we all seem to share a common goal, whether it’s to talk about fanfic, discuss the upcoming films, or giggle over how cute one of the actors is.  Regardless of the reason, we are dedicated to getting the word out there. So, why can’t we all just buckle down, find our common ground, and go with it? Because when all is said and done, it’s the fans we are doing this for.  So why should they be the ones to suffer?

Until next time…

Have a blessed day!