nyuuzyou/wikis huggingface dataset:
Why Should I Encourage People to Write Darkover Stories?

Why Should I Encourage People to Write Darkover Stories? is the title used here on Fanlore for the essay by Marion Zimmer Bradley that makes up the very lengthy editorial to the zine Starstone #2. The title comes from a line early in the essay and hopefully is a helpful and descriptive one.
==Topics Discussed==
* the dead end of Star Trek fanfic writing
* making the leap from amateur to pro writing
* "And finally I have an odd belief that I am not so much the inventor as the DISCOVERER of Darkover. If I have made it so real to others that they wish to write about it, who am I to stand at the gates like an angel with a flaming sword and refuse them the right to build fahtasies in my garden"
* how everyone sees Darkover in their own mind
* "I envy you YOUR Darkover which I can never see or know. And I am grateful to you for turning around and sharing YOUR Darkover with me as I have shared mine with you; for letting me see, reflected in YOUR stories, reflected in the mirror of your words, a little of the picture I have created in your mind."
==The Essay==
==References==
Category:Darkover Meta
Category:1978 Meta
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:Pro Author Meta
Why Slash

Like the proverbial salmon swimming upstream, there often comes a time in every meta fan's life when they feel compelled to return to the Ultimate Question: but why slash?cathexys at metabib: 
Fans sometimes refer to this perennial wondering as "why slash" or "the why slash debate" and answers are as varied as fen.
The persistence of the "why slash?" debate, while no equivalent existential soul-searching exists for "why het?" (rather than specific ship manifestos for favorite pairings), reflects the idea that being a slasher is a question of identity and self-definition for some slash readers, rather than just a reading and/or pairing preference in a fandom.
==Some Fan Comments==
===1995===
 
===1997===
===1999===
==Example Meta Essays==
Also, see Timeline of Slash Meta.
===1990===
* Why Slash? (1990 essay) by [C A]
===1997===
* What's all this, then? by The Divine Adoratrice (1997)
* Right - why slash? by Susan Legge (1997)
* Why gay stories? (not a complaint), discussion at alt.startrek.creative (1997)
===1998===
* Zoe Rayne's Slash Theory (1998)
===1999===
* Why I Write Slash by Kass (1999)
* Understanding Slash Challenge with 39 responses. (May 1999)
===2001===
* Women and Slash - Why, why, why? by Julad (2001)
===2002===
* Goes to Motive by Betty Plotnick (2002)
* Slash and Hurt/Comfort by Jessica Ruth (2002)
===2003=== 
* Some Thoughts on Femslash by Kadorienne (January 2003)
* What *is* slash? (2003 essay by Flamingo) (April 2003)
* enlarging the borders of imagination by fabularasa (May 2003)
* Why disliking slash is not homophobic by Aja (May 2003)
* Why I Write Slash (essay by Ivy Blossom) (August 2003)
* An Open Letter to the Anti-Slash People by The Brat Queen (September 2003)
* The Cost of the Erection: Slash and Gayness by by Executrix (September 2003)
* The Erotic versus the Realistic: Sex in Slash Fiction by Morgan )0( (September 2003)
* What is Slash? by The Brat Queen (November 2003)
===2004===
* The Fanfic Symposium: Why do I Like Slash? Plain Answers from a Het Woman by Dark Twin. (2004)
* Must. Not. Comment. by Helen Raven (2004)
===2005===
* The Joy of Slash: Why do women want it? by Melissa Pittman (2005)
* , by lunabee (2005)
===2010===
* Girls who are boys who like boys to be girls... by FayJay (2010)
===2011===
* sex, and slash sex scenes by Shoshanna. Essay on the writer's initial discovery of and views on slash as the (sole) genre that integrates people's lives in the bedroom with their lives outside it. (April 2011)
===2018===
* The Who Does Matter by yourlibrarian, written as a response to another post (since deleted) and this Fanlore article's line at the time "while no equivalent existential soul-searching exists for "why het". 
===2020===
* Why I Write Slash from a brief preface by Shadowsplay (23 April 2020)
==Other Examples==
* :Category:Perspectives on Fans
* :Category:Slash Meta
* Timeline of Slash Meta
* Writing ‘Slash’ Fan Fiction: Power, Desire and Eye-Candy in a Never Ending Romance
==References==
Category:Glossary Category:Discussion Category:Slash Fandom Category:Slash Meta
Why Slash? (1990 essay)

Why Slash? is an essay that was printed in the May 1990 issue of the Starsky & Hutch apazine, Tell Me Something I Don't Know!.
While the essay was in a Starsky & Hutch publication, it encompasses many fandoms. 
The introduction: "I found my file on Why Slash again.So, here goes: WHY SLASH? I am very free in my generalizations and my use of "obviously", and I state a lot of things I haven't the faintest shred of evidence for. That is just my way of putting things. This is more free-associative
reasoning than my belief in a ultimate truth on the matter."
==Some Topics Discussed==
* females emphasize more with characters, want them to feel more, shows impact woman emotionally more than men
* slash and fanfiction
* male buddy shows
* misogyny in fanworks
* lack of appealing female characters on television and movie screens
* wanting to do heroic things, identifying with the hero
==From the Essay==
==Fan Comments==
==References==
Category:Slash Meta
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:1990 Meta
Category:Starsky & Hutch Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Why Slash? (essay by kira-nerys)

Why Slash? is a 2000 essay by kira-nerys. It was posted to kira-nerys' website Lady Kardasi's Domain.
It is accompanied by a single piece of fanart.
thumb|left|from the essay page, the artist may by the essay's author
The essay may have inspired its author to post 2000 Slash Questionnaire.
For some context, see Timeline of Slash Meta.
==The Essay==
==Fan Comments==
==References==
Category:Slash Meta
Category:2000 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Why Spike as Rapist Feels Like Character Rape to Me or, Seeing Red Over Seeing Red

Why Spike as Rapist Feels Like Character Rape to Me or, Seeing Red Over Seeing Red is an essay by Gwyneth Rhys.
==Author Descriptions==
* "Essentially a screed e-mail I sent to a friend on why I hated seeing a great bad guy wonderful character turned into a lowlife rapist scum as a plot device." Why Spike as Rapist Feels Like Character Rape to Me or, Seeing Red Over Seeing Red 
*"I wrote this as an e-mail to my friend Olivia, who'd just seen Seeing Red down in Australia. She shared my attitude of "what the fuck?" This isn't a polished essay with nicely aligned points and coherent thoughts; in fact, I realize it's rather incoherent in a way, but that's how I feel. This is basically a screed, I guess, an impassioned screed and one I wrote only recently because I haven't been able to bring myself to rewatch or talk about the episode since it aired." Why Spike as Rapist Feels Like Character Rape to Me or, Seeing Red Over Seeing Red 
==Excerpts==
 
==References==
Category:Buffyverse Meta
Category:2002 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Why Star Trek?

Why Star Trek? is a 1976 essay by Leslie Fish.
It was printed in Stardate #10.
==Some Topics Discussed==
* Gene Roddenberry knows how to pick good actors
* the show had good production values and the fans recognize this
* Roddenberry knew how to tap into science fiction and find good writers
* Starfleet and Star Trek exist in a military that is liberal and more relatable/attractive
* Star Trek presents an optimistic future
* Space: 1999 gets kicked around twice
==From the Essay==
Category:1976 Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:Star Trek TOS Meta
Why Study Fan Archives: An Interview with Abigail De Kosnik

Why Study Fan Archives: An Interview with Abigail De Kosnik was conducted in 2016 by Henry Jenkins for the blog Confessions of an Aca-Fan.
The interview's focus is on the historical and cultural importance of fan archives, fan activism, digital culture, and popular memory, and the book Rogue Archives: Digital Cultural Memory and Media Fandom.
The interviews referred to in the interview: Fan Fiction Oral History Project.
==Links==
*part one
* part two
* part three
==Excerpt==
==References==
Category:2016 Fan Interviews
Why Trek Fic generally is pretty hot stuff

Why Trek Fic generally is pretty hot stuff is a 1999 post by Laura Hale at alt.startrek.creative.
==Topics Discussed==
* tie-in books vs fanfiction
* betas
* why Trek fanfiction is better than other fandoms' fiction
* a dig at an unnamed fandom
* pimping another project Hale was involved in, GAFT
* some fannish flattering of BNFs
* mentoring
* lack of fannish culture and interest among younger fans
* the laziness that younger fans and their computers illustrate
* the quality of Paris/Torres stories
* Hale's personal distance from an age group she is very close to
* a plug by a fan for her tie-in Trek novel site
==Excerpts from the Original Post==
==Excerpts from the Comments==
[Lisa Marie C]: 
[Kat Hughes]: 
[Loretta M. M] 
[J. Winter]: 
[Ruth Stout]: 
==References==
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:Star Trek Meta
Category:Star Trek VOY
Category:1999 Meta
Category:Meta on Usenet
Why Warnings Suck

Why Warnings Suck is a 2001 essay by Laura Jacquez Valentine. 
"Originally posted to FCA-L in response to someone saying that they wanted warnings because they didn't want to be "blindsided", and then clarified and updated when the bi-annual warnings flamewar rolled around again. Edited together from multiple posts and for clarity." It is at listen to me! listen to me! essays.
 
==Excerpts==
 
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:2001 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Category:Labels & Warnings Meta
Why We Believe K/S is Canon (A Refutation Essay)

Why We Believe K/S is Canon (A Refutation Essay) is an essay by daslieblingsfach that was posted on The Kirk/Spock Fanfiction Archive.
It was written in response to Why k/s is not canon to me (and why I don't mind).
==Excerpts==
 
==Reactions and Reviews==
==References==
Category:Star Trek TOS K/S Meta
Category:2010 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Why a Human Should Not Desire to Become Vulcan

Why a Human Should Not Desire to Become Vulcan is a 1974 essay by Jacqueline Lichtenberg.
It was printed in Mind-Meld v.2 n.2.
==Context: The Kraith Focus in Early Issues of "Mind-Meld"==
 
The topic of Kraith was the focus during the first year's Mind-Meld issues, and that universe's creator, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, was a member and frequent contributor. 
That is, until a flurry of fan responses likely deflated her enthusiasm, and Lichtenberg encouraged fans to move on from emulating Kraith, at least in this fan club and its publication. From her last contribution to "Mind-Meld": "SEV should adopt some NEW ideals, not Kraith Vulcan ideals," thus withdrawing her attention and support.
Some of Lichtenberg's contributions and fan comments in early issues of "Mind-Meld":
* Lichtenberg's comments in v.2 n.1, March 1975 which was a response to the editor's comments in v.1 n.2, October 1974 
* Why a Human Should Not Desire to Become Vulcan by Lichtenberg (dated February 1974, printed April 1975)
* I have been unable to determine whether or not the Council wishes to adopt Lichtenberg's philosophy as pertains to Vulcans as it is. by Carmen Dexter (v.2 n.5, August 1975). Dexter's letter also addressed Lichtenberg's controversial author's preface to Kraith Collected #1
* I think that it is important for Jacqueline Lichtenberg, as the creator of the series, to hear from those who are KRAITH fans, who enjoy the works, but can still see their faults. by Amy Falkowitz (v.2 n.7, October 1975)
* Darkover and Kraith by Amy Falkowitz (v.2 n.7, October 1975)
* I WISH I could figure out some way to make people understand that I do not hold Kraith to be some sort of ultimate truth. by Licthenberg (her final comment) (v.2 n.8, December 1975)
Lichtenberg's last contribution to this newsletter was in December 1975. She, however, remained on the membership roster until at least March 1979.
==Lichtenberg Mined Fan Comments for Use Elsewhere==
Lichtenberg straight up told fans she might use their comments to this essay, and similar comments, in both her future fan publications and her for-profit publications. 
Fans likely had mixed reactions. Some were eager for validation and visibility and were happy to provide permission for Lichtenberg, and some were likely turned off at being utilized.
Lichtenberg's comments in Mind-Meld v.2 n.2 to fans regarding "Why a Human Should Not Desire to Become Vulcan":
==Some Topics Discussed in the Essay==
* Gene Roddenberry based Vulcans' "ethical system" after his own philosophy, his personal ideals 
* racial memory, emotions, and a lot of rationalizing
* "It is no secret that I consider myself half-Vulcan & half Darkovan, and the Kraith series is a strong parallel to the Darkover series deliberately."
==From the Essay==
 
==References==
Category:1974 Meta
Category:Meta in Print
 
Category:Star Trek Meta
Why a Star Trek Fanzine?

Why a Star Trek Fanzine? is a 1975 essay by Danielle Dabbs.
It was printed in Introduction to Star Trek Fanzines, a primer for new fans interested in Star Trek: TOS fanfiction where it has small illos by Alicia Austin.
==Some Topics Discussed==
* mentions that many fans learned about zines from being mentioned in David Gerrold's book, The Making of Star Trek
* fans were hungry for more Trek content
* James Blish's books were okay, but didn't provide what fans really wanted, nor did Star Trek: The Animated Series
* Spockanalia as a trailblazer
* the 25th Worldcon in 1967 was one of the earliest cons to have Star Trek content
* it was young people and students who propelled the first zines, as they had the time and were very literate
* mentions the effect of fans of science fiction on Star Trek fandom, how it was a money maker and increased attendance to have Star Trek programming
* fans were interested in the minutia of the Trek universe: did the the crew have coffee breaks, when did Kirk brush his teeth, whatever happened to Janice Rand?..., and fanfiction could provide that
* there's lots of name-dropping for specific stories and fan-created universes, which today would be like going viral on the socials
** zines: Spockanalia, ST Phile, Plak-Tow, T-Negative, Triskelion, Galileo 7, Overload, Star Trek Concordance, Eridani Triad, Impulse, Communication the Hard Way (this last one was referred to as "STW's Zine Publishing Information Booklet) 
** individual stories: The Yeoman's Captain by Ruth Berman in T-Negative #11, Let Me Count The Ways by Judith Brownlee in Eridani Triad #2, Miranda by S.L. Anderson in Impulse #1, The Misfit by Sharon Emily in Showcase #1, Murder Trip by Theodore B. Peak in Grup #2
** universes: Kraith, Alternate Universe Four, Epilogue, Federation and Empire
* description of the work that goes into fanzines, how fans are not paid, how zines don't make money: "Who works on Star Trek fanzines? The editor's FRIENDS."
* description of printing options: mimeo, offset, and ditto
* there are three kinds of zine: fiction zines (with fiction, art, poetry), club zines, and newszines
* the limits and appeal of genre writing
* the popularity of Sarek/Amanda stories, some quotes and examples
* discussion of alien romance
* "a great deal of ST fiction is written by women, about women, for women."
==From the Essay==
==References==
Category:1975 Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:Zine Meta
Category:Star Trek Meta
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Why and How WISH is Ending

Why and How WISH is Ending is 1982 open letter written by Sonni Cooper.
It was printed in The Center Seat v.2 n.6.
Many fans found it insulting and imperious.
The topic of the letter is the reason for the cessation of William Shatner Fan Fellowship.
The club had been floundering due to issues with organization, adulteration, anger over access to celebrities, and more. Many of these comments can be found in 1981 and 1982 issues of Interstat. 
==Some Topics Discussed==
* how the duties of running a fan club and producing a newsletter are too much work, take up your personal time, cut into your social life, and costs too much money
* fans can be ungrateful and demanding
* Bill Shatner had cut his participation in the club and this meant less goodies for the fans: "As careful as we were not to infringe on Bill's personal life, Bill feels the club has become an intrusion and wants to draw back from it. Without his constant input and cooperation we just couldn't so do our job properly."
* some fans require professional counseling as they are too needy, plus some are suicidal
* "I must admit that among the STAR TREK characters, Captain Kirk probably attracts the most stable group of fans. He represents authority and stability and appeals to people who generally respect both."
* a lot of hubris: "Why don't I turn the club over to another person? Simply because Bill and I have a very special relationship, that of friends, and he doesn't want anyone else to handle a club for him."
* 
==From the Letter==
==Susan M. Stephenson's Addition==
Susan M. Stephenson worked with Sonni Cooper in running the club. She added her letter to the same issue that Sonni's appeared:
==Fan Comments==
===February 1992===
 
==References==
Category:1982 Open Letters
Category:Star Trek Open Letters
Why are the slashier tv shows so rarely slashed?

Why are the slashier tv shows so rarely slashed? is an essay by Clio.
==Part of a Series==
* Why are the slashier tv shows so rarely slashed? by Clio
* Feminizing Men: A Male POV by LuckyD
* Feminizing Vs Effeminate by Clio
* Suddenly Gay?!? by Clio
* We Have Seen the Enemy and She is Us by Lefey
* The Muse's Bitch by Clio
* Oww..oww..Stop that! It Hurts!! by Clio
* How to Write Bad Fanfic in 10 Easy Steps by Snarkybitch
* 4 Characters in Search of a Plot -- Slash Version by Snarkybitch
==Excerpts==
Category:Slash Meta
Category:2000s Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Why are you here?

Why are you here? (technically: "Why are you here (rastb5)?") is a 1995 post by J. Michael Straczynski at rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated and reposted at "The Worlds of JMS." 
It was written in response to a fan named rastb5.
==The Post==
==His Follow-Up==
A short time later, JMS wrote a follow-up post: 
==An Addendum==
A short time later, JMS included: 
==References==
Category:Babylon 5 Meta
Category:1995 Meta
Category:Meta on Usenet
Why are you my remedy?

Why are you my remedy? is a fan vid by sheryloh for the pairing Betty Ross and Bruce Banner from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It features clips solely from The Incredible Hulk film even with The Avengers (2012) clips available.
As of August 2, 2013, the video has more than 2,100 views.
==Vidder's notes==
:" 'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need.
:I just really really wanted to use this cover, and their relationship fits it so well *__* I think the last time I properly vidded this fandom was 2 years ago too, so it feels about time. Hope you all enjoy! :)"
==Comments==
==References==
Category:Hulk
Category:2013 Vids
Category:Het Vids
Why bother writing in a fandom if you want the characters to be significantly different?

Why bother writing in a fandom if you want the characters to be significantly different? is a 2003 post by Eshva.
The topic is writing canon, fanon, and original fiction.
==From the Post==
==Excerpts from the Comments==
==References==
 
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:2003 Meta
Category:Meta on Journal Sites
Why disliking slash is not homophobic

Why disliking slash is not homophobic is a 2003 essay by Aja. 
It is part of a 2002-04 series of essays. See About Writing.
==Some Topics Discussed==
* slash
* "there's no such thing as someone who dislikes slash - just someone who hasn't found the right pairing yet! ;)"
==Excerpts==
 
==References==
 
Category:2003 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Category:Slash Meta
Why do I Like Slash? Plain Answers from a Het Woman

Why do I Like Slash? Plain Answers from a Het Woman is a very long essay by Dark Twin.
 
It is part of the Fanfic Symposium series.
The essay was also posted to the author's own journal on October 9 with the title "Why I like slash. Tough question, plain answers." There are many comments by fans on the essay there. 
==Excerpts==
==Reactions and Reviews==
===At the Fanfic Symposium Post===
===At the Author's Livejournal Post===
Why I like slash. Tough question, plain answers.; archive link page 1; archive link page 2
==References==
 
Category:Slash Meta
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Category:Het Meta 
Category:2004 Meta
Category:Meta on Fansites
Why do I not write in the so-called Lucas SW universe?

Why do I not write in the so-called Lucas SW universe? is a 1979 essay by Nikki White.
It was printed as part of the editorial in the first issue of White's long-running zine series, Multiverse.
The editorials in the zine were all called "Corellian Omnibus." The title of the essay page here on Fanlore is a sentence within the essay.
==Some Topics Discussed== 
* book fandoms and film fandoms are different
* in 1979, there was not enough canon for fans to use in their fanworks, so therefore most things had to be their original universes
* canon, and while the term is not used, head canon
* George Lucas' authorial intent is paramount
* don't write about open canon 
* how fanfic can be boring when everyone makes up the same stuff, and while it is not specifically used, this is a reference to fanon
==Introduction==
The editorial begins with: 
==From the Essay==
==References==
Category:Star Wars Meta
Category:1979 Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:Fanfiction Meta
Why do fangirls always make them gay?

Why do fangirls always make them gay? is a tumblr essay by euclase in response to readers wondering why fans write slash. It garnered a series of reblogs with some posts adding additional commentary. Excerpts are included below. By July 8, 2014 the post has gathered over 8,155 notes (meaning people have either liked or reblogged the post, often with their own comments). One track of the discussion, as of that date, can be found here. Note: tumblr discussions are difficult to track and summarize because each comment creates its own seperate sets of comments which often do not intersect. Because of this in some cases, additional text may be quoted in order to help frame the debate and give the comments more context.
==The Essay==
==Responses/Reactions==
amberfeather writes:
euclase responds:
teland continues:
schreberpants agrees:
meridiangrimm finds her voice:
Tumblr writer deepfriedsjw, who has since disappeared, argues that slash is the same as men fantasizing about 2 women having sex:
twodefenestrate responds to deepfriedsjw's argument. An excerpt is below, read the much longer essay here:
A few fans began to draw parallels to yaoi. my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation writes: 
See Slash vs. Gay#Yaoi vs. Gay for more on the Japanese depiction of gay boys and men in shojo manga -- written by women for a predominantly female audience.
vesryn writes: 
Some comments were critical of the original essay. Here, lifeofjardini wonders:
In this exchange sethshead and hairspring debate the role of slash vs. gay-male culture:
and in response hairspring writes:
voroxpete writes about the difficulties of finding a respectful relationship, no matter the orientation:
Which echoes workfornow earlier post:
Others, like defenestration-and-more worry that slash contains the seeds of internalized misogyny:
lokeanrampant writes that slash offers her a different kind of liberation:
roseapprentice talks about how slash has reshaped her understanding of romance fiction:
sarahtonin42 points to the dearth of female characters in fiction and media:
kherron20 summarizes her perspective of why she likes slash more simply:
==References==
Category:Slash Meta
Category:2014 Meta
Category:Meta on Tumblr
Why do femslash?

Why do femslash? is an essay by animimares. It was posted to the livejournal community hp_girlslash and received 96 comments. 
==The Post==
==Comments to the Essay==
[eska_rina]: 
[miduhyo]: 
[snarkylightning]: 
[pit_chick666]: 
[transcending]: 
[ kannaophelia ]: 
Category:Femslash Meta 
Category:2006 Meta
Category:Meta on Journal Sites