Suggestions wanted for a fanfic panel at WisCon

[sasha_feather]

I'd like to propose a panel for WisCon that is a fanfic deep dive: panelists will discuss 3-4 works of fanfiction. These will be listed in the description so that everyone can read them ahead of time.

What are your suggestions for what to include? I'm thinking popular fandoms such as Due South, Harry Potter, MCU, etc.; and some diversity in the length and type of work.

My one suggestion so far is Known Associates, by thingswithwings, which is an epic fic focusing on gender-queer Steve Rogers.

(feel free to share this post).

eta: big bonus points for stories that have podfic versions!

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

One way to invite new-to-fic folks in might be to focus on fics set in WisCon-adjacent universes. The ~150 fics that have built on Ursula K Le Guin's concept of sedoretu[1], for example.


[1] Polyamorous marriage system with two genders and two moeties

[sasha_feather]

I love this idea. Is there one in particular you like? Today I'm wondering if we should include only stories that have pod-ficced versions, for greater accessibility.

[jesse_the_k]

I'll admit my brain just can't handle sedoretu, so I have no informed opinion.

Yoon Ha Lee writes fic and welcomes fic in his universe -- no recs because I've yet to read Machineries of Empire.

+1 to podficced versions, although the DRM-freedom of fanfic makes it easier to access through assistive techs.

[sasha_feather]

Hm, maybe a fic based on The Dispossessed or the left hand of darkness would be better, then.

[sylvaine]

How about Swung by Serafim by flamethrower? Although admittedly it's also a Very Fucking Long one.

[sasha_feather]

Oooh, this one is new to me. What do you like about it?

[sylvaine]

I apologise for the ridiculously belated reply, and hope it's not too late for the panel/you can still get some other use out of it.

In a way this feels a bit like a test run for the author's longer WIP, but not in a bad away at all. It's a comfort read for me and I'll often have it running on text-to-speech in the background while I do other stuff. I'm very wary of positive portrayals of Severus Snape and of Snape/Harry, but this fic does a good job of making me believe in this version of Snape within the context of this universe. I really like the premise of "take away all of Harry's memories of the last 10 years" because I feel like that's the only way to get past the mutual loathing xD it's got some very fun worldbuilding and incredibly satisfying post-War changes, not like canon where everything stays the fucking same. These characters actually take the opportunity to make some good changes while they can. I think it's also a rather effective look at how Snape's spying might work, and the toll it takes.

[sasha_feather]

Thanks! This comment is a good reminder for me to come back and work on this panel proposal, and read some of the fic recced here. I did start "Swung by Serafim" but did not finish it; my reading energy is limited. It's cool to hear your thoughts on it.

Suggestions

[brainwane]

The very short Star Trek fic "The First Time" by afrai is political, queer, intersectional, moving. And it's been podficced.

Dar Williams songfic/The West Wing: "A Great and Gruesome Height" by jaegecko is sweet, queer, and accessible (in my opinion) to people who know neither the song nor the fandom.

In a sense, one type of fanfiction is unfinished, and I think it's potentially interesting to discuss the agony of loving a WIP. If you're ok with unfinished works, the very political "Amends, or Truth and Reconciliation" Harry Potter post-canon fic by Vera Rozalsky, or the slowburn psychological observation that is "fools who run their mouths off", a modern Hamilton AU by scioscribe, may be of interest.

Re: Suggestions

[sasha_feather]

Thank you so much! I will check these out. I feel like the WiP issue could be a whole separate panel. Maybe including unfinished book series, etc.

[revolutionaryjo]

Steve Rogers: PR Disaster by idiopathicsmile, which is great on multiple fronts. Short and sweet at around 4k. MCU of course, so pretty accessible to anyone who's seen at least 1 Captain America movie. Gen, so no risk of hitting anyone's NoTP. All ages appropriate I believe. There's both my podfic version and one recorded by GirlwithSwordandBow.

I put out a call recently on Twitter for recs for fic that improves and/or comments on the text it's working with (I'm also doing a panel but different con, different focus) and several people brought up PR Disaster, so. Not just a self rec. :)

Actually if you're interested in perusing that list there's currently 50+ recs in the thread over here. Feel free to look through! Some really good stuff in there.

Some highlights I haven't read yet but am excited to check out:

Promise of the पुरवाई by Dhobi ki Kutti. Described to me as "Racebent take on Mary Poppins, through a post-Colonial lens."

The First Time by afrai. Described to me as a "commentary fic about who gets to be on the Enterprise."

Deduction, Translation, and Other Domestic Arts by tei. I hadn't heard of 221B Baker Tower before but I looked it up and it's so cool! A bunch of fic exists under this tag on AO3. This one in particular was recced to me as being particularly though.

Edit: Ugh, sorry for the multiple edits. HTML is failing me this evening.

[sasha_feather]

Thank you so much!! I am going to check all of these out.

[brainwane]

Oooh, seconding "Steve Rogers: PR Disaster" and "Promise of the पुरवाई" and "The First Time"! I love all those!

[sophinisba]

Lunch and Other Obscenities by Rheanna (with podfic by me) is an excellent fic about the friendship between Uhura and Gaila, with emphasis on cultural differences including sexual cultures.

[sasha_feather]

This sounds absolutely perfect! thank you!

[brainwane]

Seconding this! I love that fic!!!