Fansplaining

In Episode 127, "A Fan of Fandom," Elizabeth and Flourish get (too?) meta answering a listener letter about the term "fan of fandom," which Flourish had previously dismissed as "cute." They discuss the ways different communities use the terms "fan" and "fandom," the role of affect in their fannish lives, and whether approaching all media with a fannish lens might lead to more inclusive fan spaces—and more diverse media.

In Episode 126, "Social Media Fic," Elizabeth and Flourish welcome Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, culture journalist and Elizabeth's collaborator on "The Rec Center," back to the podcast to talk about how fanfic has expanded across Twitter. Topics covered include the fuzzy lines between fiction and roleplay, changing norms around pseudonymity, and generational shifts around fanworks and ephemerality.

In Episode 125, Flourish and Elizabeth discuss the state of fan conventions in 2020, whether they've been canceled, moved online, or, in a few cases, are supposedly going forward (DragonCon, what are you doing???). What's lost in the transition from IRL to remote—and what can fans potentially gain? They also answer a listener question about, uh, other listeners' questions!

In Episode 124, "Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 7," Elizabeth and Flourish dig into a new pile of listener questions and comments. Topics covered include fan reactions when male versus female actors talk about shipping, whether spec scripts count as fanfiction, what to say to friends who disrespect fic, and how the podcast gets made.

In Episode 123, "Reread, Rewatch, Replay," Elizabeth and Flourish think about that most ubiquitous of comfort activities—returning to old favorite books, shows, films, games, and fics. Topics covered include the specific pleasures of re-experiencing narratives, how repeat consumption is an inherent part of fan culture, the different things people seek out when rereading fic, and how moments of collective trauma influence art and culture.

In very self-isolated Episode 122, "Wash Your Hands and Read Some Fic," Elizabeth and Flourish share the results of a mini-survey about people's fiction habits in times of crisis—the personal, the global, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Are people more interested in fluff or angst? Do they seek escapism or catharsis? Is this a good time—or the worst time—to watch Contagion? They also read a message from the co-chair of the AO3 Technical Support and Feedback Committee on some of the reasons the Archive doesn't have a mobile app.

In Episode 121, Flourish and Elizabeth revisit the themes of an earlier episode about fanfiction and money in the wake of the recent brouhaha about apps like Fanfic Pocket Archive Library. They talk to fanfic author and copyright law professor Earlgreytea68 about "the AO3 App Wars," digging into topics like the basics of U.S. copyright law, the AO3's non-monetization policies, and the legal, moral, and ethical dimensions of who is (and who should be) permitted to make money from fanfic.

In Episode 120, Flourish and Elizabeth welcome back one of their earliest guests, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, to talk about her book about race, fantasy, fandom (and more!), The Dark Fantastic. Topics covered include what Ebony's work as a reading professor entails, the themes of the book, Barnes & Noble's "diverse book cover" controversy, and what to do with the problematic canon of children's literature. They also discuss a listener's response to the last episode, about whether Oscar Isaac really can be said to "ship" Finnpoe.

In Episode 119, "Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 6," Flourish and Elizabeth tackle a new stack of listener questions and comments. Topics covered include actors' shipping preferences, #OwnVoices in profic and in fanfic, what counts as "canon," why we get stuck in fandoms we no longer like, and Flourish's true feelings about fictional demons.

In Episode 118, "The Craft of Writing (Fanfiction)," Flourish and Elizabeth interview Betts, a fic writer and professional writing instructor, about how different writing practices can inform each other on a craft level. They discuss how fanfic utterly altered Betts's career path, what role it plays in her classroom, the effects of changing norms around fic critique and feedback, and why many people in fandom spaces are reticent to engage with literary fiction (and why they should give it a try).