Geek Week â An Event at UFRJ that Achieved Significant Academic Recognition
After a year of meticulous planning, the research groups NEPF, NuPNE, and NUPLIJ â affiliated with the LaboratĂłrio da Palavra (Word Lab) and PACC (Advanced Program of Contemporary Culture) â collaborated to organize a week dedicated to geek studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The event, named Geek Week UFRJ, took place from October 21st to 25th, 2024, at the Faculty of Letters, located on the universityâs FundĂŁo campus, while also being made available online through Google Meet and Youtube.
The primary objective of Geek Week was to establish a safe and engaging space for intellectual discussions on topics related to pop culture, gaming, young adult and children's literature, and fanfiction. The event encouraged not only the academic research groups to share their perspectives but also provided an open forum for attendees to actively engage in discourse about widely consumed cultural phenomena.
Given that the subjects addressed during the eventâs panels and discussion sessions are not traditionally explored within academic research, Geek Week served as a crucial platform to highlight the significance of both formal and informal studies on pop culture. The participating research groups assumed the responsibility of documenting and disseminating their insights, combining their academic investigations with their experiences as enthusiasts and fans to foster deeper academic interest in these emerging fields.
Event Structure and Highlights
Each day of the event focused on a distinct thematic approach:
Day 1 â Theoretical Frameworks in Popular Literature
The first day was dedicated to theoretical discussions surrounding popular literature. A key highlight was the lecture "There Are No Ostriches in Fairy Tales" by Professor Francisco CĂąmelo, which provided an in-depth analysis of childrenâs literature and fairy tales from their origins to contemporary adaptations. The discussion explored how specific animal symbolism is employed in storytelling, emphasizing the absence of ostriches in fairy tale traditions while examining the inclusion of other bird species in these narratives.
Day 2 â Fandom Culture and Community Interpretations
The second day revolved around fandom studies, encompassing diverse fan communities. One of the most notable sessions was a lecture on the Furry fandom, led by LetĂcia Pimenta, General Coordinator and Administrator of NEPF. This presentation delved into the origins of the Furry community, the various ways it is interpreted, and the stereotypes and prejudices associated with it. Additionally, the lecture provided an overview of different Furry subcultures, offering a nuanced perspective on their development and representation in mainstream media.
Day 3 â Gender, Sexuality, and Representation in Media
With a focus on gender and sexuality, the third day of the event explored their portrayal in literature, gaming, and K-pop. One of the most thought-provoking panels was "Chapter 21: Sex, Fantasy, and Young Readers", presented by NUPLIJ and NEPF. This session critically analyzed the representation of sexuality in young adult and children's literature, drawing comparisons between different age groups and assessing the societal impact of such narratives on young audiences.
Day 4 â Horror Narratives and Their Literary Evolution
The fourth day examined horror fiction and its narrative techniques across literature and media. Engaging discussions included the role of horror in childrenâs literature, the construction of suspense in storytelling, and the use of zombies as a narrative trope. This segment of the event provided valuable insights into how horror elements are adapted across different literary forms and how they resonate with audiences.
Day 5 â Creative Workshops: Comics, The Sims, and Fanzines
The final day was dedicated to hands-on creative workshops, offering three distinct sessions:
Comics Workshop, led by NUPLIJ, focusing on visual storytelling techniques.
The Sims Workshop, facilitated by NuPNE, demonstrating narrative-building through simulation games.
Fanzine Workshop, hosted by NEPF, guiding participants through fanzine creation and self-publishing techniques.
These workshops were well-received, allowing students to explore their creativity and apply artistic and narrative-building skills. The fanzines produced during the event can be accessed online through a dedicated NEPF publication platform.
Impact and Academic Recognition
Geek Week UFRJ garnered significant engagement from both in-person and online audiences. Throughout the virtual sessions, over 50 participants attended simultaneously, actively engaging in discussions. Additionally, the total number of lecture views, including both live and recorded sessions, surpassed 1,000 views, marking an important milestone in legitimizing pop culture studies in Brazil. The lectures can be accessed through NEPF's Youtube channel.
The event also received official recognition from UFRJ, with the university dispatching reporters to cover the first day of discussions. Their coverage, published through ConexĂŁo UFRJ, emphasized the eventâs commitment to inclusivity, academic dialogue, and the free exchange of ideas.
A Commitment to Pop Culture Studies
NEPF firmly believes in the necessity of fostering spaces for knowledge exchange. Our mission is to bridge contemporary interests with academic and theoretical studies, ensuring that discussions on fandoms, literature, and digital culture receive the scholarly attention they deserve.
We sincerely hope that all participants felt welcomed and respected throughout the event, as our primary goal is to create an inclusive and enriching academic environment. This is only the beginningâmore events will follow, as fandom culture continues to evolve, and pop culture remains in constant motion.
O quarto dia teve como temåtica o Terror e as suas diversas abordagens nos campos literårios e narrativos. Tivemos muitos debates interessantes, como sobre o terror na literatura infantil e construção de narrativas incluindo zumbis e seus usos como trope.
[PT/BR] Durante a Geek Week 2024 conduzido pelos nĂșcleos NEPF, NUPLIJ (NĂșcleo de Pesquisas de Literatura Infanto-Juvenil) e o NuPNE (NĂșcleo de Pesquisas de Narrativas EletrĂŽnicas) tivemos uma oficina de Fanzines direcionada pela coordenadora e graduanda LetĂcia Pimenta, trazendo um pouco da histĂłria do surgimento das fanzines, seu crescimento no Brasil e da prĂĄtica das fanzines como terapia, expressĂŁo artĂstica e como um manisfesto.
Abaixo estĂŁo algumas zines feitas pelos participantes. Clique em "Leia Mais".
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[EN] During Geek Week 2024, conducted by the NEPF, NUPLIJ (Children's and Youth Literature Research Center) and NuPNE (Electronic Narratives Research Center) centers, we had a Fanzines workshop led by coordinator and graduate student LetĂcia Pimenta, who gave us a little history of the emergence of fanzines, their growth in Brazil and the practice of fanzines as therapy, artistic expression and as a protest.
Below are some of the fanzines made by the participants. Click on "Keep Reading".
[PT] Todas as fanzines aqui divulgadas foram feitas dia 25/10/2024, de forma presencial na Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro campus FundĂŁo e estĂŁo sendo divulgadas com autorização dĂȘs autores.
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[ENG] All the fanzines shared here were made on 25/10/2024, in person at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, FundĂŁo campus, and are being published with the permission of their authors.
Assim como a Tati, nós do NEPF temos como premissa levar a fanfic para todos os lugares, e as escolas são os locais onde mais devemos incentivar a leitura e o manuseio da nossa imaginação. Por isso, convidamos a Tati para responder algumas perguntas sobre a oficina e sobre qual a importùncia da fanfic para o desenvolvimento de futuros escritores.
Eu quem agradeço! Eu me chamo Tati Lopatiuk, tenho 39 anos e trabalho em publicidade. Nasci no ParanĂĄ, e aos 25 anos me mudei para SĂŁo Paulo, onde moro desde entĂŁo. Sou redatora por vocação, e atualmente trabalho como Gerente de ConteĂșdo em uma agĂȘncia multinacional. Sou casada hĂĄ 13 anos e tenho 3 gatos de estimação.
#4 - Soubemos que vocĂȘ produziu uma oficina de fanfics, qual foi o processo para essa oficina ocorrer e onde ela ocorreu? Nos dĂȘ detalhes!
Em setembro de 2018, ministrei uma oficina de fanfic para os alunos da Escola Estadual Prof. Mauro de Oliveira, na zona oeste da cidade de SĂŁo Paulo, durante o FLIMO - Festival LiterĂĄrio Mauro de Oliveira. O convite partiu da organização do evento, onde se buscava que os alunos pudessem expandir seus conhecimentos sobre literatura nĂŁo sĂł como leitores, mas como autores eles mesmos. A oficina teve cerca de trĂȘs horas de duração, e a partir do mote âescreva vocĂȘ mesmo o livro que vocĂȘ quer lerâ, trabalhei com os alunos o contexto histĂłrico do gĂȘnero, trazendo exemplos de fanfics famosas, inclusive aquelas que nem eram vistas como tal, trouxe algumas dicas de escrita, falamos sobre plataformas de publicação e, por fim, encerramos com um breve exercĂcio onde cada aluno escreveu uma sinopse longa da fanfic que pretendia escrever (ou jĂĄ estava escrevendo). Finalizamos lendo juntos essas sinopses e trazendo nossas percepçÔes sobre os pontos positivos e os pontos a melhorar nos projetos desses alunos.
#5 - Como foi a receptividade dos alunos com relação à oficina? E do corpo docente?
Foi uma turma muito calorosa, interessada e participativa. A oficina de fanfic foi a primeira a ter as vagas esgotadas assim que abriram as inscriçÔes, e muitos alunos me contaram que ânem acreditaramâ que a escola traria algo sobre o tema, que eles tinham como algo muito âsĂł delesâ. Todos os alunos fizeram o exercĂcio final proposto, saindo dali jĂĄ com um começo de livro, o que os deixou muito motivados e se sentindo valorizados. O corpo docente se mostrou muito satisfeito ao ver que âacertouâ ao acreditar no tema, tanto pelo alto nĂvel de adesĂŁo dos alunos como pela felicidade deles ao se verem tendo espaço para falar sobre seus sonhos e seus Ădolos.
#6 - VocĂȘ acha que essa experiĂȘncia impactou de alguma forma o ambiente escolar e a vida destes alunos?
Acredito que sim. Para mim, a principal sensação que percebi vindo deles foi de validação. O tema fanfic nĂŁo era novo para nenhum deles ali, pelo contrĂĄrio, eles quiseram participar justamente para pegar dicas para começar a produzir ou melhorar a produção jĂĄ em andamento. Senti que foi algo colaborativo, um momento em que criamos juntos, e isso fez com que se sentissem importantes. Afinal, era uma autora, adulta, falando com eles de igual para igual, trocando experiĂȘncias e mostrando que existe valor no que eles estavam fazendo. SaĂmos de lĂĄ todos muito felizes e inspirados.
#7 - E pra vocĂȘ, o que essa experiĂȘncia significou?
Interview with Tati Lopatiuk, creator of the Fanfic Workshop at FLIMO - Mauro de Oliveira Literary Festival 2018
Tati Lopatiuk is a publicist and writer that, in September 2018, held a Fanfics workshop at FLIMO - Mauro de Oliveira Literary Festival at the Professor Mauro de Oliveira State School in SĂŁo Paulo, where she managed, through this event, to open up space for fanfics in public schools.
Like Tati, we at NEPF have the premise of taking fanfic everywhere, and schools are the places where we should most encourage reading and using our imaginations. That's why we invited Tati to answer a few questions about the workshop and the importance of fanfic for the development of future writers.
VersĂŁo em portuguĂȘs aqui!
#1 - First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to take part in this interview, Tati! Tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from and what you work with.
Thank you! My name is Tati Lopatiuk, I'm 39 and I work in publicity. I was born in ParanĂĄ and moved to SĂŁo Paulo at the age of 25, where I've lived ever since. I'm a copywriter by vocation, and I currently work as a Content Manager at a multinational agency. I've been married for 13 years and have 3 pet cats.
#2 - How did you get to know fanfics? Tell us a little about your experience with them and how they have shaped you to this day.
As someone who has read a lot since I was a child, I have always explored all the literary genres available to me. With the internet, I came into contact with fanfiction when I started liking One Direction. Until then, I didn't write fiction, I just had my blog where I wrote prose about everyday topics. It wasn't until 2014 that I wrote my first piece of fiction, a fanfic about Daniel Johns (lead singer of the band Silverchair). As it was a relative success on the platform where it was published, Wattpad, I began to exercise my creativity more in this direction and never stopped writing. Today I write regular novels and fanfics too, mainly involving footballers. I have 16 independently published books, 5 of which are fanfics. I still consume a lot of the genre, as well as many others I like to read, such as romance, biographies and suspense.Â
#3 - For you, is fanfic an important gateway to the development of writing for future authors?
Fanfic is very interesting for those who are starting to write because it allows you to start from a safe place: an idol or fictional character that you already "know". Much of the difficulty in writing a story comes from having to create it from scratch, and with fanfic you're already starting from a point, as you have more context for the main characters. What's more, the plots of fanfics are closer to our everyday daydreams when it comes to the fan relationship: dreaming of being close, living a story with that idol. All of this makes writing fanfic relatively easier, and so it becomes a valuable tool, because once you realize that you can write a story, you feel encouraged to produce more and more. In this way, you improve with each new fanfic, which makes it possible to grow and try different genres and approaches that seemed impossible before.Â
#4 - We heard that you produced a fanfiction workshop, what was the process for this workshop and where did it take place? Give us the details!
In September 2018, I gave a fanfic workshop to the students of the Professor Mauro de Oliveira State School, on the west side of the city of SĂŁo Paulo, during FLIMO - Mauro de Oliveira Literary Festival. The invitation came from the event's organizers, who wanted the students to expand their knowledge of literature not only as readers, but as authors themselves. The workshop lasted about three hours, and based on the motto "write yourself the book you want to read", I worked with the students on the historical context of the genre, bringing examples of famous fanfics, including those that weren't even seen as such, I brought some writing tips, we talked about publishing platforms and, finally, we ended with a short exercise where each student wrote a long synopsis of the fanfic they intended to write (or were already writing). We finished by reading these synopses together and giving our perceptions of the positive points and points for improvement in these students' projects.
#5 - How receptive were the students to the workshop? And the teachers?
It was a very warm, interested and participative class.The fanfic workshop was the first to sell out as soon as registration opened, and many students told me that they "couldn't believe" that the school would bring in something on the subject, which they thought of as something "all their own".All the students did the final exercise, leaving with a start on a book, which left them feeling very motivated and valued.The teaching staff were very pleased to see that they had "got it right" by believing in the theme, both because of the high level of support from the students and because of their happiness at having the space to talk about their dreams and their idols.
#6 - Do you think this experience has had any impact on the school environment and the lives of these students?
I think so. For me, the main feeling I got from them was one of validation. The topic of fanfiction wasn't new to any of them there; on the contrary, they wanted to take part precisely in order to get tips on how to start producing or improve the production already underway. I felt it was something collaborative, a moment when we created together, and that made them feel important. After all, it was an adult author talking to them as equals, exchanging experiences and showing that there is value in what they were doing. We all left very happy and inspired.
#7 - What did this experience mean to you?
For me, it was a very interesting exchange and a reaffirmation of the value of literature in my life. It's very meaningful to be able to talk about what moves us and to see that our little solitary world that exists while we're writing is something much bigger, that many people are experiencing it too, and that, even though we're each in our own corner, together we're creating something.
#8 - What tips would you give to other people and/or other universities who want to run fanfic workshops?
It's worth keeping an eye on the prominent profiles on fanfic platforms to discover new talents who can pass on their experience with the genre.In fact, it's possible to find these people even within the university, so it's always good to start from the point of view that it's a subject that's already part of these young people's daily lives.
#9 - Finally, please leave us your comments about our hub and our blog readers!
I'm very happy to know that there are centers like this within universities, it's essential to understand that fanfic is a literary genre as valid as any other. The fact that fanfic is more accessible, both in terms of consumption and its own production, needs to be seen as a potential, and not as a demerit, as we so often see it out there. All in all, thank you for the space and I hope this initiative grows more and more. There will always be an audience, I guarantee that!
O NEPF realizou no dia 23 de Novembro uma oficina presencial de Fanzines. As coordenadoras responsĂĄveis foram LetĂcia Pimenta e Maria Clara Carreiro. Abaixo estĂŁo algumas das obras feitas no dia do evento.
Leia mais para ver o post completo!
A palavra fanzine vem da contração da expressĂŁo em inglĂȘs fanatic magazine, que significa em portuguĂȘs revista de fĂŁs. Isso significa que os fanzines sĂŁo publicaçÔes feitas por pessoas e para as pessoas que gostam de um determinado tema em comum, sejam elas amadoras ou profissionais. (Fonte)
Durante o evento foi feito um exercĂcio de escrita com os participantes, onde cada um escreveu uma short fic sobre o fandom escolhido e, em sequĂȘncia, criaram a fanzine baseada em sua short fic. Abaixo estĂŁo algumas fanzines produzidas no evento, demais fanzines serĂŁo adicionadas conforme o envio dos outros participantes.
O NEPF criou um guia de uso para a plataforma do AO3. Este texto foi escrito, revisado e editado pelas coordenadoras Eloisa Coelho Sabino, Maria Clara Carreiro e Julia AbrahĂŁo.
Lembrando que o AO3 pode ser usado sem conta. Neste caso pule as sessĂ”es de âComo criar uma contaâ e âEntenda as funçÔes do seu perfilâ.
Depois de completar o segundo passo, clique em âAdd me to the listâ e espere chegar um convite no seu e-mail te indicando que vocĂȘ jĂĄ pode criar seu perfil no website. Note que isso pode demorar alguns dias, mas vocĂȘ sempre tem a possibilidade de checar sua posição na lista de espera de convites do AO3 ao clicar em âcheck your position on the waiting listâ. Ao clicar nesse botĂŁo, vocĂȘ serĂĄ direcionado para a checagem de posição dos convites. VocĂȘ sĂł precisa digitar o e-mail que vocĂȘ usou para solicitar a criação de uma conta, e pronto, ele logo te dirĂĄ a sua posição na fila e uma estimativa de quando seu convite chegarĂĄ.
Assim que vocĂȘ abrir sua caixa de e-mail e perceber que recebeu uma mensagem do AO3 sobre a criação de sua conta, basta clicar nele, escolher um user e uma senha. Depois disso vocĂȘ terĂĄ criado uma conta no website com sucesso e jĂĄ estarĂĄ pronto para utilizar todas as funçÔes do site e ler quantas fanfics quiser.
Entenda as funçÔes do seu perfil:
ApĂłs acessar sua conta, vocĂȘ serĂĄ levado para o seu âdashboardâ, ou "painel de controleâ do seu perfil, onde vocĂȘ poderĂĄ ver e editar qualquer coisa sobre sua conta pessoal.
Ao clicar em "profile", vocĂȘ pode:
Postar novos trabalhos (clicando em âpost newâ);
Editar suas publicaçÔes (clicando em âedit worksâ);
Clique em âskinsâ. Depois vĂĄ em âpublic site skinâ. Encontre a segunda opção com o nome de âReversiâ. ApĂłs encontrĂĄ-la, clique em âuseâ. Seu navegador imediatamente irĂĄ aplicĂĄ-la para uso.
Em âworksâ vocĂȘ pode visualizar todos os trabalhos jĂĄ publicados por vocĂȘ.
Bookmarks: no botĂŁo âbookmarksâ vocĂȘ tem a possibilidade de âfavoritarâ fanfics, elas ficarĂŁo guardadas no seu perfil e podem ser facilmente acessadas a qualquer momento.
Gifts: e, por Ășltimo, a aba âgiftsâ, onde ficaram todas as fanfics que foram dadas como presente para vocĂȘ.
Assim, apĂłs aprender a criar e como utilizar sua mais nova conta no AO3, nĂŁo esqueça de usar esse website incrĂvel com cuidado e se divirta muito lendo todos os trabalhos publicados lĂĄ.
Any Field (qualquer campo): procura o termo digitado em todo o corpo da fanfic, em todas as fanfics que se encaixam nas caracterĂsticas de pesquisa.
Title (tĂtulo): permite encontrar uma fanfic especĂfica ao digitar o tĂtulo nesse campo. Os resultados da pesquisa, entĂŁo, terĂŁo o tĂtulo procurado.
Completion status (status de conclusĂŁo): esse campo permite definir o status das fanfics quanto a sua conclusĂŁo. Eles possui trĂȘs opçÔes:
All works: seleciona todas as fanfics dos filtros escolhidos independente do status de conclusĂŁo, ou seja, se jĂĄ foram concluĂdas ou ainda estĂŁo sendo atualizadas.
Complete works only: seleciona apenas fanfics finalizadas. Ă possĂvel conferir esse status na barra de informaçÔes de cada fanfic.
Works in progress only: seleciona apenas as fanfics ainda em progresso, ou seja, nĂŁo finalizadas.
Include crossovers (incluir crossovers): os resultados da pesquisa incluem fanfics com crossovers, mas nĂŁo mostram exclusivamente fanfics com essa caracterĂstica.
Exclude crossovers (excluir crossovers): ao marcar essa opção, os resultados apresentados serão exclusivamente de fanfics sem crossovers
Only crossovers (apenas crossovers): as fanfics serĂŁo exclusivamente crossovers.
Single chapters (capĂtulo Ășnico): ao marcar a opção single chapter, o site mostrarĂĄ somente resultados de fanfics que possuem apenas um capĂtulo.
Word count (contagem de palavras): o campo word count permite a seleção do comprimento das fanfics. Para utilizar esse filtro, digite o nĂșmero de palavras que deseja encontrar, como â10000â resultarĂĄ em fanfics com dez mil palavras; â10000-50000â resultarĂĄ em fanfics entre dez mil e cinquenta mil palavras; â>10000â resultarĂĄ em fanfics com mais de dez mil palavras; â<10000â resultarĂĄ em fanfics com menos de dez mil palavras. Ao utilizar o filtro, digite o nĂșmero sem as aspas. O nĂșmero dez mil foi apenas utilizado como exemplo.
Language (idioma): ao escolher o idioma de sua preferĂȘncia, o site mostrarĂĄ apenas as fanfics escritas ou traduzidas no idioma selecionado.
Ao clicar na lista âdrop downâ do tĂłpico âsort byâ, vocĂȘ encontrarĂĄ as seguintes opçÔes:
Best match (melhor resultado): organiza os resultados da pesquisa de acordo com as caracterĂsticas selecionadas, oferecendo os resultados que possuem a maior quantidade das caracterĂsticas.
Kudos: sĂŁo o equivalente ao "gostei" ou "like" nas redes sociais. Kudos sĂł podem ser deixados uma vez por obra. Ao selecionar essa opção, a pesquisa organiza os resultados de acordo com o nĂșmero de kudos deixados na fanfic.
Comments (comentĂĄrios): organiza os resultados da pesquisa de acordo com o nĂșmero de comentĂĄrios deixados na fanfic.
Bookmarks: os bookmarks permitem salvar fanfics em seu perfil para que vocĂȘ as encontre mais facilmente depois. Ao selecionar essa opção, a pesquisa organiza organiza os resultados de acordo com o nĂșmero de bookmarks (quantas vezes a fanfic jĂĄ foi salva por outras pessoas).
No campo sort direction (escolher direção), o menu drop down proporciona duas opçÔes:
Como usar o sistema de filtragem da pĂĄgina de resultados:
No Archive of Our Own, vocĂȘ tem a possibilidade de incluir ou excluir tags de suas pĂĄginas de resultados por um sistema de filtragem que aparece ao clicar no botĂŁoâfiltersâ. Se vocĂȘ clicar na tag de um personagem, todas as fanfics com tal personagem vĂŁo aparecer em uma pĂĄgina de resultados, usando os filtros, vocĂȘ pode reduzir tal pĂĄgina para apenas fanfics que, por exemplo, sejam marcadas com faixa etĂĄria maior de dezoito. No âfilters(filtros)â se vocĂȘ excluir a tag de um personagem, apenas fanfics sem esse personagem marcado aparecerĂŁo para vocĂȘ. Vamos passar por cada categoria de tags e o que elas significam, elas sĂŁo as mesmas em excluir e incluir.
Categories: sĂŁo categorias que dizem que tipo de relacionamento, se houver um, estĂĄ sendo retratado na fic. As categorias sĂŁo o quadrado superior direito de cada fic.
Additional tags: em additional tags(tags adicionais), as dez tags mais comumente usadas que nĂŁo pertencem a uma das categorias acima serĂŁo listadas. VocĂȘ pode incluir e excluir quantas tags adicionais desejar. Elas aparecem na fic listadas depois de relationships e characters.
Na pĂĄgina do search, aparece desta maneira:
Other tags to include: aqui vocĂȘ pode incluir e excluir qualquer coisa que nĂŁo apareça no top dez das categorias de personagens, relacionamentos e tags adicionais. VocĂȘ pode incluir e excluir quantas tags quiser. Dependendo do tipo de tag, ela vai aparecer em seu respectivo lugar.
NEPF created a guide to help you understand AO3! This text was written by Eloisa Coelho Sabino, Maria Clara Carreiro e Julia AbrahĂŁo.
And remember! AO3 can be used without an account. If thatâs the case, you can skip the âHow to create an accountâ and âUnderstanding your profileâ sessions.
Leia em portuguĂȘs aqui!
Archive of Our Own, better known as AO3, is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to host and protect transformative works, for example, fanfic. The website was invented in 2007 when fans had had enough of the censorship from other platforms and from their works being constantly deleted from said websites, and due to this, they created a safe haven for all those who wanted to write and post their works. Thus, completing fifteen years in 2022 and achieving the milestone of 10 million fanfictions publishing in its platform, AO3 established itself as one of the biggest sites focused on fics in the world, and it continues to be an important place for all those who want to keep this art alive and thriving.
How to create an account:
One way for you to utilize all the resources that the Archive of Our Own has is to create an account on the website. Only by doing this, you will be able to do things such as: follow your favorite author and see all the new content he posts; create collections for the fanfics that you like the most; have access to hidden works, and much more. Follow this tutorial and see how simple it is to create a profile on AO3!
The first step is to log into the website here, then you are going to click on the button written "Get invited!".
After doing this, the second step is to read the terms and conditions of the website. Have in mind that, when submitting your e-mail to create your profile, you are agreeing that you have or are above the legal age of consent in your country. The standard for AO3 is 13 years old, but it varies from country to country. However, do not forget that this warning exists to protect you, seeing as not all content on Archive of Our Own is appropriate for all ages. Be safe when using this website!
After completing the second step, click on "Add me to the list" and then wait for an invitation from AO3 to arrive in your mailbox. Take note that this step may take some days to complete, however, you always have the option to check your position on the waiting list for invitations. All you have to do is click on "check your position on the waiting list". When you do that, you will be redirected to a link to see in what position you currently are. Just write you e-mail address that you used to ask for an invitation, and done, the website will soon tell you your exact position on the line and how much time it may take for your to finally receive your invitation.
As soon as your open your mailbox and see that you have received a message from Archive of Our Own about the creation of your account, all you have to do is click on it, and choose a username and a password. After that, you will have successfully created a profile on the website. You will then be ready to utilize all the functions of the site and read as many fanfics as you would like.
Understanding your profile:
After accessing your account for the first time, you will be redirected to your "dashboard", where you will be able to see all your activities and edit your personal account.
When you click on "profile", you will be able to:
post new works (when clicking "post new");
edit your profile, for example, adding information about where you live, your birth date, and a little biography about you - it is, however, necessary to remember the importance of being safe online and to avoid divulging sensitive information about you as much as possible, protect yourself
Preferences: when you go to "preferences" you will see the option: "manage my pseuds", where you can create pseudonyms to publish and read fanfics - this option can be used when you have many different fandoms and do not want to mix all of them in only one profile;
Blocked Users: where you can block a specific user on the website, this will make them unable to leave a comment on your works and they will not be able to answer your comments on other's works. Nevertheless, this does not prevent you from seeing the fanfics from the blocked account, this does not immediately delete their comments in your works (you have to do this manually) and it also does not hide the comments that they may have made in other's works. Take care!
Change my user name: in this tab you have the possibility to change your user, however, remember that this action can only be done once every seven days.
Orphan my works: be very careful with this button. In AO3, to prevent fanfics from being lost to time when authors do not want to be associated with it anymore or are simply tired of their work, the website created a special account, named âorphan_accountâ. It is in this account that all the orphaned fics - in other words, works that have their editing and deleting option forfeited by their creator (they do not own this text anymore) - are collected. This is an important move when preserving the history of fanfiction because it keeps the community alive even though the author of a particular piece does not feel connected to it anymore. However, remember that this is irreversible, so really think it through before doing it.
Skins: when clicking on "skins", you see different options to change the appearance of the browser viewing of the AO3 website on your cellphone or computer. For example, there is a 'skin' to make the background of your screen black, making reading more comfortable. See below the tutorial on how to add it to your profile.
Click on "skins", then, go to "public skin". Find the second option which is named "Reversi". After finding it, click on "use". Your browser will immediately apply it to your account.
Works: in "works" you can view all the fanfictions that you have published so far.
Drafts: when you click on "drafts" you are able to find all the works that you have not yet finished. Nonetheless, it is important to know that any work left there after one month of its creation will be immediately deleted by the website.
Series: upon clicking on "series", you will be able to see all the fanfiction series that you have created.
Bookmarks: on the tab "bookmarks", you have the possibility to easily keep your favorite fics saved where they can be effortlessly accessed at any moment.
Collection: in the button "collection", after you have created your 'bookmarks', you will be able to sort them out into any categories that you so wish. Imagination is the limit.
Inbox: when clicking "inbox", you will be able to see your notifications, like an answer to a comment that you left in a fic.
Statistics: the tab "statistics" serves to see how your fanfic is performing number-wise, for example, how many people have read it. It has your statistics readily accessible.
History: is the tab that shows all the fanfictions that you have read on the website.
Subscriptions: the button "subscriptions" lets you see which fanfics and which authors you have subscribed to receive notifications from. When you decide to subscribe to a specific fanfiction, you will receive all the updates that it may have, like new chapters. However, when you subscribe to a certain author, you will receive notifications from all the fics that they post, regardless of fandoms.
Sign-ups: in âsign-upsâ you can see which writing âchallengesâ you have subscribed to. By doing this you can follow it more closely.
Assignments: in the tab âassignmentsâ you will find your writing âprompts' that you have decided to do.
Claims: when you click on âclaimsâ all the âpromptsâ from a âgift exchangeâ that you are subscribed to will appear.
Related works: in the tab "related works", all the fanfictions that have taken inspiration from your work will appear. So, if someone reads a certain fic of yours and likes it enough to inspire themselves with it, they will give credit to your fanfic.
Gifts: and, last but not least, the tab âgiftsâ, where you can find all the fanfics that were given to you as a present.
So, after having learned how to create and how to use your account on AO3, do not forget to use the website with care, but, above all, have fun reading all the amazing works published there!
How to find a fanfic:
To search fanfics, type a character's name on the search bar, like âHarry Potterâ or âAnnabeth Chaseâ, or the franchiseâs title, such as âMarvelâ or âLord of the Ringsâ. In case you want to read a fanfic focusing on a ship (term for relationship), type the charactersâ names with a / (slash) between them, i.e.: percy jackson/annabeth chase; the name order may change the search results.
Another way to find more fanfics is by visiting a fanfic authorâs profile on ao3 and finding other fanfics written by them, or by accessing an authorâs bookmarks.
To filter the search even further and find fics more specific to your tastes, click the âedit your searchâ button on the right side of the page.
WORK INFO/MORE OPTIONS:
The work info field, also called more options, has some filtering terms to make the ao3 experience more personal.
Any field: searches the typed term in whole fanfic info pages as well as all the fanfics that fit the selected filters.
Title: allows you to find specific fanfics through their titles. The search results will have the terms typed in this field.
Author/Artist: with this field itâs possible to find the works of a specific author or authors with the terms typed in this field. The authorâs name can be found either beside teh fanfic title on the front search page or below the fanfic title on the fanfic page.
Date: through this field you can find fanfics published on certain dates or a certain amount of time. Itâs possible to search fanfics posted a few days ago typing âx daysâ where âxâ is a number of days - like â3 daysâ -, and the same is possible with weeks (â x weeksâ), months (âx monthsâ), and years (âx yearsâ).
Completion status: this field allows you to define the completion status of the fanfics you want to read. It has three options:
All works: selects all the fanfics with the previously selected filters without taking into account the conclusion status of the fanfics.
Complete works only: selects only the fanfics that have been finished, concluded. The conclusion status of the fic is on itâs information bar.
Works in progress only: selects only fanfics still in progress or still updating.
Crossovers: a crossover is a type of fanfic that mixes characters from different medias and franchises, making them interact where they otherwise wouldnât. This field has three options:
Include crossovers: the search results include fanfics with crossovers, but arenât exclusive to crossover fanfic, also including every other type of fic.
Exclude crossovers: when this option is chosen, the results will be exclusively fanfics without crossovers.
Only crossovers: the results will be exclusively crossover fanfics.
Single chapters: if marked, this option will select only fanfics with one chapter.
Word count: the work count bar allows you to choose the length of the fanfics through word count. To use this filter, type the number of words you want the fic to have, such as â1000â without the quotation marks, which will result in fanfics with a thousand words; â1000-5000â will result in fics with anywhere between a thousand and five thousand words; â>1000â will result in fanfics with more than a thousand words; â<1000â will result in fanfics with less than a thousand words.
Language: by opening the drop down bar you can choose what language you want to read fanfics in. This filter will only select fics already written or translated in that language.
SEARCH:
Scrolling the âedit your searchâ page to the end, you will find the âsearchâ area. This area contains the âsort byâ field and the âsort directionâ field.
When clicking the drop down bar on âsort byâ you will find the following options:
Best match: organizes the search results according to the filters and characteristics previously selected, offering the results with the most matching characteristics.
Author: organizes the search results with the authorâs names in alphabetical order.
Title: organizes the search results with the fanfic titles in alphabetical order.
Date posted: organizes search results according to the date the fanfics were posted.
Date updated: organizes the search results according to the dante the fanfics were last updated.
Word count: organizes search according to the word count (number of words on the fic).
Hits: hits represent how many times a fanfic was visited. When selecting this option on the drop down, the search organizes the results according to the number of hits a fanfic has.
Kudos: is the equivalent of âlikingâ a post on social media. Kudos can only be left once on each fic. When this option is selected, the search results will be organized according to the number of kudos a fanfic has.
Comments: organizes the search result according to the number of comments left by readers on a fanfic.
Bookmarks: bookmarks allow you to save fanfics on your ao3 profile to read or find more easily later. When selected, it will organize the search results according to the number of times a fanfic has been bookmarked.
On the sort direction field, you will find two options on the dropdown bar:
Ascending: organizes the search results based on previous filters from lower to higher number or in A-Z alphabetical order
Descending: organizes the search results from higher to lower number or in Z-A alphabetical order.
How to use the filtering system on your results page:
In Archive of Our Own, you have the possibility to include or exclude tags from your result pages using the filtering system by clicking on the button âfiltersâ. If you click on a characters tag, all fanfics with such character will appear in a results page, using filters, you can narrow the results down to only fanfics with 18+ rating, for example.With filters, if you exclude a character, only fanfics without that character tagged will show up for you. Letâs go through each category of tags and what they mean, they are the same in both exclude and include.
Rating: rating is a fairly straightforward category, itâs only an estimate of the age appropriate to read the content of that fic. Itâs important to highlight that the rating is different from author to author, so always pay attention to the tags and trigger warnings. The rating is the first square in the left upper corner of each fanfic, and each rating has a different color. The author has the option to not include rating, leaving the square empty. You can exclude multiple ratings, but only include one.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Warnings: warnings are trigger warnings that indicate that the fic has a specific type of content. Warnings can include a range of tags defined by the archive, the warnings symbols show up in the lower left corner square. It also appears just before the tags of each fic, written out in black bold letters. You can include and exclude as many warnings as you would like.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Categories: categories tell you what type of relationship , if there is one, is being portrayed in the fic. Categories are the upper right square of each fic.
Fandoms: in fandoms, you can find the ten most common fandom tags in this fanfic page. Besides it is the specific number of fanfics that contain that tag. Fandom in this sense, means what work this fanfic is taking inspiration from, so the Harry Potter Books would have a different fandom than the Harry Potter movies. If an author chooses so, they can tag multiple fandoms,this is usually done in crossovers. If the name of a fandom or author is followed by âall media typesâ, the fic has taken inspiration from every single canon work from that fandom or author. The fandoms appear just underneath the name and author of the fic, above the tags and besides the symbol table. You can include and exclude as many fandoms as you wish.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Characters: characters is also fairly straightforward, in this category, the top ten most commonly tagged characters will be listed, with the exact number besides it. Characters are listed after relationships within the tags. If a character has multiple names, there is usually a main one that is used, and if another one is used, it will take you to the page of the main one. However, there are times where the names are considered separate tags and are not considered the same. You can exclude and include as many characters as you wish.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Relationships: in this category, the top 10 most commonly tagged relationships will be listed. If the relationship is shown with a / between the characters, it is a romantic relationship, if the relationship is shown with a & between the characters, it is a platonic relationship. Relationships appear highlighted in grey after the content warnings in every fanfic. You can include and exclude as many relationships as you wish.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Additional tags: in additional tags, the top ten most commonly tagged tags that do not belong to one of the categories above will be listed. You can include and exclude as many additional tags as you wish. They are listed after the relationships and characters.
Hereâs how it shows up in your search page:
Other tags to include: here you can include and exclude anything that does not show up in the top ten of the categories of characters, relationships and additional tags. You may include and exclude as many tags as you want. Depending on what type of tag you add, they will appear in their respective places listed above.
Interview with Michael Frank, creator of Nyah!Fanfiction
Michael Frank, also known as Seiji, is the CEO of Nyah!Fanfiction, the first Brazilian fanfic platform. He created the website with the intention of it just being a place where his friends could post their stories, but ended up becoming one of the pioneers on the introduction of fanfics to the Brazilian public, given that, till then, the majority of the platforms were foreign.
Michaelâs work with Nyah!Fanfiction was really important for the many Brazilians that had an interest in writing fanfic. The website, founded in november of 2005, was where these young people found a space to publish their stories, interact with people that shared their interests, and even acquire a taste for reading and writing that would then be taken for the rest of their lives. After a decade in use, those who benefitted from the platform, be it through writing and reading fanfics, or entering a community of people with similar tastes, can still be found.
Now, in order to attend the demands of the current public, a successor to Nyah! was created: +Fiction. In it, you will find the stories that were already available on Nyah!, but with a new web design (that is still under construction). If you would like to help with this update, click here and find out how to donate.
VersĂŁo em portuguĂȘs aqui!
#1 - How did you get into the world of fanfiction?
I was introduced to this world through friends that used to write anime fanfics. At the time, the internet was still predominantly dial-up, and overall really slow. The current fast internet connection is bringing more and more services based on videos, like with YouTube and TikTok. When I was introduced to fanfics, forums were still really popular, just like other services predominantly based on text. It was a differente culture.
#2 - What motivated you to create âNyah!â?
When speaking to a friend, she said she posted on international fanfic websites because she couldnât find brazilian options, and felt the lack of a national community. I was already interested in programming, and decided to face this challenge.
#3 - How do you define the term fanfiction? Is it necessary that the content be free of charge, available between fans?
Fanfiction is a way for fans to express their love for the original work. Fanfic authors gift other fans with new adventures, new romances, and different endings. I think thatâs priceless, it shouldnât be monetized.
#4 - What were the biggest changes you noticed in the fanfiction community over the years with âNyah!â, and currently with â+Fictionâ?
The change I noticed wasnât with the community, but with the publicâs age. The technologies and the internet access changed. When I created Nyah, there werenât smartphones like the current ones. Now, itâs common to see people younger and younger with a phone in hand.
#5 - In your opinion, what are the best qualities and flaws of the fanfiction community?
The best quality that the public that consumes fanfics has is their passion for the original work. The fans dedicate many hours reading and writing fanfics. This passion sometimes exceeds rationality, and we end up with petty fights, like people criticizing a fanfic author for âshippingâ a couple they disagree with.
#6 - What do you believe to be fundamental in the creation of a fanfic platform?
Nyah started out as a hobby, but as the years went on, I had the pleasure of witnessing a positive impact in many peopleâs lives. Itâs a place to find people that love the same shows, the same books, the same anime. Many learn to love our language (portuguese), and some even graduate from Letras (in Brazil, the degrees dedicated to languages and literatures fall into a graduate course called âLetrasâ. Literally âLettersâ) once they get into college. When making a fanfiction platform, itâs important to understand how it can affect peopleâs lives. Iâm creating +Fiction aware of the siteâs social role, aiming to encourage the public to express their creativity in a healthy environment.
#7 - What was the biggest challenge you faced when creating âNyah!â?
The biggest challenge was the projectâs unexpected growth. It was just a hobby, and I got happy watching the website grow, but it came to a point where I couldnât pay for the siteâs costs by myself. In the beginning, I would pay about R$30 (~US$5) monthly on a shared website hosting. Today, we have a more expensive and much more complex infrastructure.
A big project generates financial obligations, it needs the creation of a company, and the hiring of an accounting company. With technological evolution, itâs necessary to study all of that to implement those elements and provide an experience that matches the new reality.
Itâs a lot of hurdles, a lot of responsibility, and a lot of work. Itâs a gigantic effort.
#8 - How do you think copyright laws affect fanfiction?
Fanfic authors canât commercialize their work, even after dedicating a considerable amount of time in creating. Thankfully thatâs not an issue, since fans donât write fanfics with profit in mind.
I believe copyright impacts Nyah and +Fiction more than their users. For instance, I already tried to submit an app to Google Store at least six times, but itâs always rejected because they claim copyright infringement.
#9 - How does âNyah!â agree on the creation of new genres (such as lemon, adventure, or comedy) for authors to categorize their works? Are the most popular requests taken into consideration or not?
On Nyah, almost every genre requested is added, we only assess whether itâs (the genre) necessary or redundant. On +Fiction, I intend to reduce the genres to the most basic ones, turning the more fanfic characteristic ones into additional tags. I noticed that those new to fanfiction feel lost with so many specific terms, they donât know what âlemonâ, âorangeâ, or âdeathficâ are. I want to tear down these initial barriers and make the first (fanfiction) experience more intuitive.
Conversando com uma amiga, ela disse postar em sites internacionais de fanfic porque não encontrava opçÔes brasileiras, e sentia falta de uma comunidade nacional. Eu jå me interessava por programação e decidi encarar esse desafio.
#3 - Como vocĂȘ define o termo fanfiction? Ă preciso que o conteĂșdo seja grĂĄtis, disponĂvel de fĂŁ para fĂŁ?
#4 - Quais foram as maiores mudanças que vocĂȘ notou na comunidade de fanfiction ao longo de seus anos no âNyah!â e atualmente, com o â+Fictionâ?
#7 - Qual foi o maior desafio enfrentado na criação do âNyah!â?
O maior desafio foi o crescimento inesperado do projeto. Era só um hobby e eu ficava feliz ao ver o site crescer, mas chegou um ponto que eu não conseguia mais arcar sozinho com os custos do site. Inicialmente eu pagava cerca de R$30 mensais numa hospedagem compartilhada de sites. Hoje temos que usar uma infraestrutura mais cara e muito mais complexa. Um projeto grande cria obrigaçÔes fiscais, exige abertura de empresa e a contratação de uma empresa de assessoria contåbil.
Com a evolução da tecnologia, se faz necessĂĄrio estudĂĄ-las para fazer a implementação e proporcionar uma experiĂȘncia que condiz com a nova realidade.
São muitos obståculos, muita responsabilidade e muito trabalho. à um esforço imenso.
#8 - Como acha que a questĂŁo de direitos autorais afeta a fanfiction?
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