I already pointed this out on my LJ, but this might be of interest to some out there:

Ladies Big Bang - it's a multi-fandom BB that is open not just to fic and 2D art but to meta, recs, 3D art, crafts, etc.

There's some stuff in the archives there that looks interesting.

So last night I started reading that semi-famous fan novel Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness (which is partly famous because the writer has been deeply involved in some of the most famous fandom wanks ever to be wanked). I wanted to read it because it tells the story of what happened at Hogwarts in that last year while Harry et al. were on the run.

But really what it is, is the story of how Neville is Better Than Harry, No Really, and Hotter and Tougher too. Neville does pushups! Neville gets a girlfriend who's got a better body than Ginny! Neville gives orders!

It's a very fannish story, but it comes from a perspective off-kilter from my own fannish experiences. For one thing, everyone's straight. And Snape is Entirely Evil--there's no indication here of his promise to protect the students. And the writer manipulates the canon just enough to make it seem as though Neville and Ginny were able to figure out not only what Harry was looking for, but when to expect him to return to Hogwarts.

At the risk of sounding gender-essentialist, it feels like a very fanboy kind of novel.

Can't say great things about the prose or pacing, although it's written competently enough. And there is a nice attempt to include magic from sources other than England, thus giving Padma and Seamus things to do (although very stereotypical things).

I was going to say I wonder why it's so popular, but I think I've answered my own question: it's very fannish, with a lot of emphasis on Neville's emotional state, and Neville is pretty much a classic canonical Marty Stu for this writer.

How are you defining "fannish" there, Consuela? Just out of curiosity.

For the purposes of this discussion, I would define it as: self-indulgent. Too much emo, too many speeches about fighting the good fight, not enough complexity or ambiguity.

It's not a porny story, but it's clearly written to mash some fannish buttons.

It's sort of "The Zeppo" times a thousand, in which Xander ends up a better Slayer than Buffy is.

Oh, that makes sense. Thanks!

Crossover

Specifically, Barbara Gordon/Miss Parker(Pretender). In French.

When a fic starts with "With a flutter of silent noise" it's very considerate because you know there's no point reading much further.

When a fic starts with "With a flutter of silent noise" it's very considerate because you know there's no point reading much further.

Sadly, this is inappropriate feedback to the author. But it's completely true.

Or the author needs to hit the mute button. Sometimes I think there should be noise, but it's silent and it's because of the mute button. ::nods::

That's right.

Damn, that silent noise - it gets you everytime with its stealthiness.

What's sad is that the author was probably so proud of how evocative that line was.

A beta who is not afraid to call one out on such things is a godsend.