A love letter for the Doctor Who fandom

[drakyndra]

Doctor Who fandom really is a thing apart, isn't it?


I mean, I'm only (relatively) new, even if I have gone and thrown myself into it whole-heartedly, and even I can feel the weight of the past - not just the stories, but the fandom itself. It has anecdotes and rivalries and disputes and grudges going back decades.

And more than that, I don't think I have ever seen a fandom in which the line between fan and creator has been so heavily blurred.

You should have seen the look on my face when I first headed into the OG, and found posts by the actual writers of the show. It's just...amazing. That the people who make something like this can be so closely tied to the people who most enjoy it (and, of course, it's harshest critics).

The interactions between fan and creator is non-existant, almost. When the writers are fans and among fans, when you can chat away to someone who's work you admire so much and it is no big deal...

Perhaps it's just the fandoms I come from, the way they are so big and distant, and the idea of meeting the people involved is almost impossible, except under certain circumstances. Particularly for someone who lives on an entirely different continent to most of the people I fangirl.

But Doctor Who fandom...

It still makes me giddy at times.

It still makes me gape.

It still makes my jaw drop, and want to laugh at the sheer, insane, brilliance of it all.

Just this afternoon, I headed over to the OG, just to see what the current news and throughts were. I wasn't feeling my best, I felt like a distraction for a while.

And, I got that little pop-up, you know the one, telling me I had a Private Message.

From Rob Shearman.

Yeah, that Rob Shearman.

Now, I know some people on my flist have some issues with Dalek, and it isn't exactly on the top of their episode rankings. But that was the episode that made me go from, "Yeah, I like this show, I'm looking forward to next week," to "Sweet Jesus, someone get me the rest of the episodes NOW!"

So, as you can expect, I was somewhat surprised by this situation.

Anyway, I go and read through the PM - He's a nice bloke. Rather funny, too - and he mentions that he was just messing around with one of those Blog Search thingies, and he entered his own name. And my LJ came up (I linked to a post he made at the OG in my last Links List).

And so he came and had a look at the post. He read my livejournal post.

Let me repeat that for clarity: ROB SHEARMAN READ MY LIVEJOURNAL POST.

And it wasn't just a quick glance at what I said about him, either (though he mentions being very flattered that I recommended a post of his as entertaining). He found some of the fanfic I linked to very funny (Should I add "The Writer's Choice" or something to my next Links List. "Used by people from the actual production team"?)

And not just that, then he goes on to mention things that weren't even in that Links List. Chatting about the colour pink, and how people don't wear hats as much anymore.

Things that he could have only picked up on my interest in from other posts of mine. From the pink thing, I'd guess it's most likely the introduction post I link to in my userinfo.

Let me hammer that point in, yet again: ROB SHEARMAN HAS BEEN READING MY LIVEJOURNAL. And commenting about it.

I mean, I'm the girl who had a minor squeegasm when a fanfiction writer who I am a big fan of friended me back. So an actual writer of the actual canon not only sends me a message, but has been reading my LJ...

There are no words for that sort of thing.

And I am just sitting here, and I can't understand this. How is this happening? How is this real? The people who make the things you love, they don't do that, they are distant and far away, and untouchable.

They don't send you messages chatting about tiny, irrelevent things you mention on your LJ.

This fandom, it's too good to be true, it's surreal. This does not happen in the real world.

And it just happened to me.

I don't care how stupid and petty and wanky Doctor Who fandom can get, the fact that it has this potential, that it brings this possibility, that it takes the unreal and makes it real...

That is something to be cherished.

Thank you, Doctor Who. You've got me for life.

Comments

[misscam.livejournal.com]

He.... read fanfic from yours links list? The links lists I've been on?

...

...!

I know what you mean about no words.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Well, no specific fics were mentioned, but the phrase "best and funniest fanfic" comes up.

But that just boggled my mind.

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

I'm having just about the same reaction! ;)

[sarah531.livejournal.com]

Now that is JUST PLAIN AWESOME. *bounces*

(So if Rob Shearman is reading this- can I say Dalek rocked? XD )

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

It truly, truly is.

I'm writing a response to the PM, and I might just mention this post. So hopefully your message will get across.

[yattara.livejournal.com]

I am Yattara's complete and utter speechlesness. In a good way. I mean, dudette!

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

I know. I mean, it's three in the morning, I have classes tomorrow, and I can't sleep because I am just buzzing.

[xwingace]

That's awesome.

I must admit to being curious about what fanfic he read now, but also to wondering how that would work. Will there be trouble if ever those ideas showed up in an actual Dr Who story, *or* we will now never know how those concepts would work out if the production team made them, because it'd already been done before. Not that it's likely that there would be problems from the fan writers, but still.

Terry Pratchett is, in many ways, almost as approachable if you go through Usenet. But he has been known to *change plots* if someone came up with speculation or ideas too close to something he was working on but hadn't yet published. For that reason also, he shuns DW fanfiction. (Doesn't forbid it, mind, he just doesn't want it posted anywhere he can see)

XWA
mostly a half-empty kind of person

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

I suppose it depends on the type of fanfic read - plotty stuff might cause problems, but episode reflections and character studies and that sort of thing wouldn't normally be that bad, would they? I can see how there might be problems with people working in an entirely text medium, but an awful lot of television stories are in the performance, and of course the visuals. Besides, we don't know if Shearman is down to write any more episodes.

And I had heard that about Pterry - I've got one or two Discworld fic writers scattered among my flist, and at least one chatted with him about it at a meet up a few years back. And I can understand his perspective entirely.

- Draky, the eternal optimist.

[cedara]

*giggles*

This is exactly why I love the internet.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

Oh, I chatted with him on OG once, he's awesome. He was pleased to hear that I was catching up on the old series and reminded me that nothing but Dalek is canon. *g*

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

What was it he telled us the Dalek was called? Derek?

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it weirds me out, to the point where I kind of... stop talking about bits of DW by people I have in any way spoked to on the internets. *flail*

I think my most terrifying moment so far was discovering that, err, the Wankpocalypse Bingo card became known to RTD. WHAT THE SHAGGING FUCK, WORLD? O_O I know the chain of people involved, so it's not THAT scary. BUT STILL.

[xwingace]

I've no *real* desire to register at OG. But stuff like this makes me feel like I'm missing a lot...

XWA

[melata-fic.livejournal.com]

That is brilliant. *beams*

Although, thing is? The writers and so on are fans themselves. For the most part.

That's why there is this contact.

(And how much do I love it? I love it like the Doctor loves Rose.)

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

It is, it is indeed.

And I think it's because this has to be one of the only fandoms where this could possibly happen - in which other fandom, can you end up with long term fans running the joint?

[van.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's sort of awesome and sort of creepy. I think I might die of embarrassment if one of the creators read my fics or journals. Unless of course, s/he was like, "This is brilliant! Please come work for us!" and then I would happily pack up to move to London or Wales or wherever. Because that would be a dream.

So, okay, I'm mostly jealous. What is OG?

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

It is awesome in that sort surreal way, yes.

OG is Outpost Gallifrey. It's the main Doctor Who fansite and forum, and tonnes of people involved in the production, especially the writers, are members of it.

[--kali--.livejournal.com]

Our fandom really is the best. Yay!

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Go us!

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's just brilliant!

Why do I suddenly feel the overwhelming desire to go and register over at OG? :)

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Gee, I wonder why...

And I can understand why people don't like Dalek. But dude, it has a Dalek going on a wild killing spree. How could I not love that?

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

Rob is one of my fave people, hands down. I am *thisclose* to actually going to Worldcon for a day, just for hugs.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

*glowers from her distinctly con-lacking place in Australia*

Stop making me jealous, dammit!

[breo-saighit.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's amazingly...amazing. :O

Yays for the internets! Sometimes it comes through and makes the near impossible possible and provides pr0n to enterain us along the way.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Amazingly amazing is a pretty good summary of it.

And the internet is awesome. I love the internet.

[sparklechick268.livejournal.com]

OMG!!!!!!!!!
That's just...
I have no words to describe it.
You lucky thing!
*hugs*

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

No words indeed. Hurrah for insanely cool things happening!

[yuxonomei.livejournal.com]

I think I'd just die or something if that had happened to me ^_^

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

I think I did die. I am now commenting on this FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE!

...

_{Totally wasn't looking for an opportunity to say that}

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

*blinks* That's just... grah, my thesaurus is out of reach but 'fantastic', 'awesome', 'amazing' or anything similar just don't cut it, frankly. It's a whole part of Doctor Who I just forget a lot of the time - that the people involved in it 'at the sharp end' (as t'were) are fans along with the rest of us.

Wow. Just fab. :D

I don't care how stupid and petty and wanky Doctor Who fandom can get, the fact that it has this potential, that it brings this possibility, that it takes the unreal and makes it real...

That is something to be cherished.
Aboslutely. And very well put.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

*decides 'aboslutely' is one of her best typos ever*

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

this is so awesome! *squees*

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

It truly is. *squees also*

[ex-architect873.livejournal.com]

Came via who_daily linkage, and your (enviable!) experience reminds me of my own with the makers of this little Canadian show (Our Hero, lasted two short seasons). The writers of that show put their hearts into it - and then they went around and put their hearts into showering the fans with time and anecdotes. Although Our Hero is obscure and Doctor Who is...not, it goes to show what can happen when it's not just a job. Gotta love people like that! I never cease to wonder/appreciate why they bother, both in my little Our Hero fandom and Doctor Who. So cool. =)

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

You have gotta love it when the fandom can get so up close and personal like that. It is just plain cool. *loves*

[ogarisia.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about getting 'up close and personal' with Who folks via OG. I've had PM conversations with Rob Shearman a few times, mostly about my daughter and her becoming a Who fan because of 'Dalek'. He actually signed a Dalek pic (with a jagged Daleky-looking cartoon bubble around it) "EXTERMINATE THE AMANDA BEING!" and his name at Chicago TARDIS 2005, and we weren't even there, another OG Mod gave him the pic. I am so looking forward to actually meeting him on my own at Gally '07 in LA.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Argh! Stop taunting me with your cons I cannot attend!

But that was very sweet of him to do that for your daughter. And your daughter has very good taste - Daleks are love.

OMGDW!

[git-the-goddess.livejournal.com]

I've so got to join OG!

...as soon as I figure out how...

Re: OMGDW!

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

It's not hard, you just need to make sure you have a non web-based email address.

[bellanut.livejournal.com]

I was wondering what the OG is? I'm new to the fandom, and I'm just not getting my fill here on LJ ;)

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

Outpost Gallifrey (http://www.gallifreyone.com/forum/index.php)

:)

[kathianta.livejournal.com]

Oh, just - wow.
I do love it when unbelievably amazing things happen; just makes you all warm and fuzzy inside!
I <3 this fandom!

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

I think "wow" and "warm and fuzzy" pretty much sum this all up.

♥ for Doctor Who, indeed.

[firebrand164.livejournal.com]

Well said. This reminds me of when a bunch of fans went to see John Barrowman in panto last December, and they took a "Captain of the Innuendo Squad" shirt for him, and he actually knew about it beforehand from reading the LJ posts of communities I post in. So wish I could've been there. So I know the fantastically wonderfully amazingly brilliantly incredibly surreal feeling. And it is pretty damn cool.

Here via who_daily, by the way.

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have been in that group (Curse you, continental drift. *shakes fist*). But completely surreal and cool pretty much sums it up, yes.