Smarm

:If you are looking for the fanzine of this title see Smarm (Sentinel zine).
Smarm refers to a fanwork genre in which two or more characters are emotionally expressive, warm, and caring with each other.Fannish Definitions, by Kitty at KatSpace, 2007. (Accessed August 2008) 
While at times it has been used with different shades of nuance, in its purest form smarm has no sexual content; it is particular to what are more commonly known as gen fanworks. This is not to say that the characters in a smarm fic will not touch; a declaration of smarm is an indication of the author's intent for the touching not to be interpreted as sexual.
It's possible that schmoop is used as the equivalent of smarm in slash stories. The "emotionally expressive, warm, and caring" parts are the main literary feature of smarm, as opposed to the will-they-or-won't-they and actual sex parts that are more likely in romantic first time stories.
While present in many fandoms such as Stargate SG-1, smarm is very prevalent in The Sentinel fandom. From the Cascade Library fiction guidelines: 
== History of Smarm in Fandom==
One very early use of the term in fandom was in the Starsky & Hutch letterzine S and H. In 1979, a fan speculates as to "Where are all the lay-Starsky and lay-Hutch stories? "lay-Starsky and lay-Hutch stories" in this context means Starsky or Hutch having a physical intimate relationship with women, NOT with each other. : 
A Star Wars fan in 1981 comments on "smarm": 
One fan's comment shows a 1982 awareness of the changing fannish use of the term: 
Another fan explains in 1982: 
A fan in 1983 complains about the use: 
From a fan in 1988:
A fan in 1989 uses the term in a modern way: 
A 1993 use: 
In 1998: 
A fan in 2000 comments on the term and its original negative use: 
==Kitty Woldow's Explanations==
Kitty Woldow claims to have coined the smarm in its current fannish sense, one that became popular in the fandom The Sentinel.
===1990=== 
===1991===
 
===2002=== 
 
==How Smarm Differs from Slash==
From Kitty Woldow (2002), 
From Martha (unknown date): 
In 1998, hobbes, explained how she and another fan added "romantic friendship" to the Xena fandom: 
A fan in 2012 talked about smarm: 
==Some Fans Like It==
==Some Fans Don't Like It==
==Smarm in Different Fandoms==
Xenaverse: In the Xenaverse the term smarm was not used, but stories of a similar nature were sometimes referred to as "romantic friendship".The Romantic Friendship Index defined it as a friendship so close that it resembles a romantic liason. The friends are both affectionate and attentive to one another and much rather spend time with each other than others. But this is not a sexual relationship. (Accessed 17 October 2008)
Stargate SG-1: In Stargate: SG-1 fandom, "smarm" was sometimes used to refer to the "comfort" of hurt/comfort in all fic, whether gen or ship.Smarm :: Stories containing schmoozy comfort and/or gratuitous character bonding." --as defined on the Versaphile SG-1 Rec-Å-Thon (now defunct; present reference links to the Internet Archive, accessed 1/2009)
The Sentinel: Romantic expression in smarm grew to the point that it was difficult to separate a gen story from a slash one in The Sentinel fandom, where smarm stories could include heavy petting, and french kissing, but would assert that this was meant in a non-sexual way. Smarm became the equivalent of a PWP, complete with romantic language, but always ostensibly gen.
In 1999, a fan wrote: 
==Examples of Smarm: The Sentinel==
Note: These are all excerpts from gen stories.
From The Sentinel story Last Request by Carole, "Simon tried unsuccessfully to stifle his grin as he noticed the contact between the two men even in their sleep. Jim's hand was buried in the younger man's curls. Blair's hand tightly clutched the bottom edge of Jim's sweater. Was it a partner thing? A friendship thing? A Sentinel/Guide thing? Simon smiled. Whatever it was... it was a good thing."
From "The Sentinel" story Sentinel 101 by Susan Foster: "Blair started to pull away, but his sentinel was not about to let him do that. Jim pulled his guide into his arms; for a moment the younger man struggled against his hold; then his body went limp and he began to sob as if his very heart would break. Nestled against his sentinel's chest, face pushed into the older man's neck, Blair began to speak; his words so quiet only a sentinel could hear. Jim made himself keep calm and whispered soft words of encouragement when the voice faltered, made reassuring sounds as he was told about the harrowing ordeal the man in his arms had suffered."
From Crash and Burn by Audrey Lynne: "I love you, too, Blair. And that isn't going to change. Whatever else changes -- that's gonna be the same. You're my compass. You guide me, in more ways than one. And, Chief? I want to be your safe harbor -- the place you go when things get bad."
In Sentinel Con. by Shedoc, Jim has bad dreams, and Blair makes him hot chocolate, tucks him into bed, tells him a story, and then there is some gen bed sharing. "Blair wondered why he hadn't woken and stilled as he realized his Sentinel was lying beside him, head resting up against Blair's shoulder, hand on Blair's arm. Jim had turned his body in to Blair's and Blair sighed. Obviously the subconscious had taken over and Jim had climbed into bed for protection last night."
In Sculptor of Souls by JET: "He burrows his head under my chin and snuggles close, his arms winding around my waist, his hands gently rubbing my back in soothing circles of warmth. I rest my face on his soft curls, savoring the precious life pressing tightly against me. My heart lurches with overwhelming emotion. When did I grow to love this young man so much? Finally, I respond to Blair's unanswered question, an uncontrollable catch in my voice. 'No, Chief, no regrets. Never.' His arms tighten around me, and Blair's head nestles even closer over my heart. Exactly where he has always belonged."
==Meta==
* Kitty's Smarm Ratings for QL Zines by Kitty Woldow (1991)
* Smarm, Warm Fuzzies, and Friendship: A Somewhat Irreverent and Rambling Essay by Becky (1999)
* Cascade Library Interview with Martha (has much about smarm) (1999)
* The Death of Smarm by Lucy Gillam at The Fanfic Symposium (1999)
* by Kitty Woldow (late 1990s? early 2000s?)
* Cry, the Beloved Smarm by Renae at The Fanfic Symposium (2000)
* The Origin, History, and Correct Definition and Use of the Fannish Term "Smarm" by Kitty Woldow (2002)
* Evolution (or lack there of) of the definition of smarm by partly bouncy (2007)
* I wanna know what love is; I want you to show me., thefourthvine (2007)
==Notes & References==
===Notes===
===References===
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