Who Run the World? Fangirls

We’ve all been there. We read a story and it lives so obsessively in our brains that we can’t get it out. Before you know it we’ve joined Tumblr with a URL like dracoisking.tumblr.com. It’s a slippery slope of obsessively following your favorite actors/authors on social media to googling Twilight fanfic and fanart. Then one day you have an answer on how to fix all the bad parts of your favorite story and when you are done you look up and realize you are a fanfic writer. We all have fangirl roots and it’s important to embrace those things that set you apart from others. So here is a list of some of the Literally, Darling staff’s fangirl roots.

Lindsey – Stargate SG-1

My first experience with a fandom was when my mom and I were obsessed with Stargate SG-1. Since my internet use was in a family common room I didn’t search out fanfiction, but I did take advantage of people’s artistic ability and kept some of my fanart in a binder that I kept through high school. I spent hours researching astrophysics trying to teach myself how to build a stable wormhole to travel the universe. I VOLUNTARILY researched PHYSICS because of TV. I mean I retained exactly none of that knowledge, but still, I tried.

Kim – Twilight

I got into Twilight the summer before I started college. During the fall of my freshman year, I eased my way into a LiveJournal community (lion_lamb) and met so many incredible people from across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. Once I finished reading the series, I got lost down the rabbit hole of Twilight fanfiction (and yes, I read “Master Of The Universe” aka Fifty Shades of Grey). But I remember really loving one called “Wide Awake”– like, I loved it so much that I actually saved each chapter as a PDF for myself (and eventually printed a copy that still sits in a binder on my bookshelf). I know Twilight gets a bad rap, but because of the people I met along the way–many of whom I have kept in touch with through other social media sites since, I wouldn’t change a single thing about joining its fandom. One friend and I began vlogging back and forth and eventually met in real life back in 2011 when I studied abroad in Australia. When I returned there in 2014, she took me in like family and I plan to do the same when she visits me in Chicago next year! And I’m actually currently reading a published version of a Twilight fic (“Clipped Wings & Inked Armour”) called Clipped Wings because I found a copy of it for $5 at Barnes & Noble. So I guess I’ll never leave the Twilight fandom!

Katie – Sherlock

I became utterly obsessed with the BBC’s Sherlock a few years ago and fell down the Tumblr rabbit hole. It was there I stumbled across my first Johnlock fic,  “Alone on the Water” which happens to be the single most gut wrenching and depressing Sherlock fic in the fandom. I ended up sending it to everyone I knew who watched the show, regardless of whether they read fic and more or less had a huge group cry over it. Thanks again to Tumblr, I’ve come across some fantastic fanworks over the years,such as my favorite fan video ever, an awesome Reichenbach mashup video to AWOLNATION’S “Sail.” And if we’re being brutally honest, I will confess I wrote a Twilight horror story after I read the series about Edward killing everyone who got close to Bella until she went batshit insane and scared even him. I found it very satisfying, yet terrifying. I gave myself nightmares for a month and haven’t touched creative fiction writing since.

Madi – Marvel

The Marvel fangirl life chose me because my sister is a diehard fan. Since she can’t drive I took her to the Avengers movie four years ago and I was frustrated because I did not understand any of the back stories. Thus began the movie marathon which would change my life, and I emerged a fangirl after watching the backlog of films. I haven’t missed a new release since. They are the highlight of my year and I have my favourite Captain America/Peggy Carter fan art saved on my phone. Honestly this fandom gives me such joy, particularly because I share it with my sister. I buy her the merch, saw her win the ultimate Thor prize pack and I now own the pop vinyls.

Haley – Smallville

Smallville. I still remember sitting in the middle of the den staring at the TV and sobbing when Clark got hit by the kryptonite bullet. I recorded that episode on a GD VHS tape. Also worth noting that Lindsey and I were the OG binge-watchers–Smallville for days. Later on, it was Doctor Who. Next thing you know I was running a Doctor Who fan Instagram and singing the instrumental parts of the theme song with Dad. (He does the “dun dun dun dun” part and I go “doo-wee-oooooo.”) This wasn’t an original category but OMG, the Jonas Brothers. Can provide photographic evidence of what my room looked like in 2008. So. Many. Posters.

Harry Potter

Hope

When I was 12 I had an embarrassingly popular Harry Potter fic about the Weasley kids having a massive prank war. I also definitely wrote a Fred Weasley funeral fic like every other person emotionally damaged by that f*cking book.

Maggie

Harry Potter! I got hooked early and have been obsessed ever since. I haven’t read fanfiction in a while, but right now my friend Thraen is writing a story from the perspective of Draco Malfoy’s son, Scorpius, and it is absolute perfection! Check it out.