This week, the deadline for draft turn-ins for the Supernatural Femslash Bang came and went, and I was ultimately forced to make the very difficult decision to cancel the event due to lack of submissions. One or two of you might have wondered how many submissions we actually received.
The answer is one. It was the story I (Mod Slinky) wrote as my life was crumbling around me. I don’t know what I’m going to do with that story at this time; maybe I’ll submit it for another event if one comes along that’s appropriate for it; maybe I’ll save it in case I ever decide to try this again; or maybe I’ll get bored in a month and decide to just post it as-is.
Let me make it clear that I am not angry at any of the individual participants, nor am I trying to shame anyone for not meeting the deadline. Writing is hard, and writing on a deadline is even harder, and I applaud everyone for even trying to do it, even if they couldn’t finish.
I am disappointed that the event did not go as planned, because well, this is my baby. I’ve run several bangs, both for Supernatural and other fandoms, but this is the one I’m most proud of. I think there are a lot of reasons for it failing this year, but I’ll probably never know all of them. (I am running a Feedback and Suggestions Survey if anyone wants to weigh in.)
The rest of this is very long and I don’t know how interesting it will be to the rest of you so it’s under the cut.
TL;DR: We will be trying the Bang again sometime in the future (don’t know exactly when) with revised rules. In the meantime, we’ll be starting up a no-minimum, no-deadlines bingo in the next couple weeks and looking at organizing some smaller events to make sure we get more femslash out in the world anyway and to help inspire people for the next Bang.
Let’s start at the beginning.
History
I joined the Supernatural fandom in 2021, after the show ended. I had vacation time I needed to burn, but there was nowhere I could really go in the midst of the pandemic, so I decided to just bingewatch a really long show to fill the time. I knew how Supernatural ended, so I figured why not, it can’t possibly disappoint me.
It disappointed me.
But it also sparked something in me, because it was so bad but the characters were so great. I started writing fic, and then I signed up for the DeanCas Big Bang as a way to force myself to finish a longfic I’d started. I had a blast, and my beta reader for that fic recommended another bang to try, and then I learned of all the events going on in the fandom.
I found a (partial) list of bangs and looked through for any I could participate in. Most were Destiel-focused which, fair, they’re the juggernaut of all fandoms ever. Some were Wincest-based, which fine, you do you, I’ve dabbled there. Some were all-comer events for any pairing, but when I participated in those, they were still very Dean-Sam-Cas focused. There were a few events focused on other characters, but they were few and far between.
On the list I had, two of them were centered on female characters, and neither of them were actively running.
Supernatural has a misogyny problem, and I’m not the first or the last to point this out. While I don’t think it’s fair to say that every woman on Supernatural is just there to die, the way it treats its female characters is not great. I could go into how and why this is, but we’d be here all day and frankly the topic has been beaten to death by people much smarter than me.
The Supernatural fandom also has a bit of a misogyny problem. Again, this is not a revelation, though the misogyny in the fandom is a lot more complicated than the show itself, considering the show was made by and for men while the fandom is largely made up of fem-aligned people. Not entirely, but again, we won’t get into that because I want to focus.
But Supernatural also has a lot of amazing woman characters in it, and as a lesbian, I felt a little bit alienated by all the fandom events being so male-centric. This has improved somewhat over the last three years, and I applaud everyone who has made that happen. And as part of that effort, I decided to start the Femslash Bang, so that there would be a place for stories entirely about those amazing, interesting women who were mistreated or ignored by the narrative. A place where they could have better writing, better stories, better endings.
The first year, we ended with six stories. The second year, we got eleven, and the third year was a reverse bang that got eight. The event has never been huge, and that’s fine, I didn’t expect it to do Destiel Bang numbers, and honestly, it was a lot easier to manage a few participants than to try and wrangle dozens or hundreds. I am incredibly proud of all 25 stories and artworks; they’re all incredible and unique and everyone who wrote them should also be proud they were part of it.
And then this year came and you all know what happened. Again, I’m not angry at anyone for it, and I do plan to try again next year with some revised rules.
What Went Wrong
Again, I will probably never know all the reasons this year’s bang failed the way it did. I have received a few responses on the survey so I can speculate, but I may be dead wrong. Keep that in mind through the next section.
Part of it is that this Bang has never been huge to begin with. My reach within the fandom is extremely limited, especially since it’s so huge, so getting the word out is a challenge to begin with. I suspect that there are more people who would register and participate if they only knew about it, but the announcements never got the one reblog that would have brought those people in.
Another part is that I may have been a little ambitious with the word count. The word count for the Big Bang has always been 10,000 words, writing over about eight months. I did not feel that was an arduous task, but I am admittedly a pretty fast writer. I don’t think I could make the schedule any longer without the whole thing feeling like a slog.
And then there’s the matter of investment. We’re adults with lives, and there’s a lot happening in the world, so investing in any kind of fandom project is a lot. Coming up with new ideas is hard work, and making those ideas come out the way you want is even harder. Writing is hard, and if you don’t want to do it, or if you don’t have words, it becomes impossible. But also, Supernatural’s time in the spotlight is starting to come to an end.
Supernatural got a boost in its fandom at the end of the show because frankly, the end of the show sucked, and it sparked a bit of a renaissance in terms of fanworks in an attempt to fix it. But that was five years ago and the only new material released was a very short-lived spinoff that no one asked for and that got a generally lukewarm reception. (Yes, I know The Winchesters has its fans, but it was nowhere near as popular as the main show.) Fandoms thrive when there’s new material to analyse and write about and inspire more stories. Even long-enduring fandoms like Star Trek are still chugging along because they never really stopped releasing new shows and movies. There might have been lulls, but they always come back.
I don’t know if Supernatural is ever coming back. There’s always rumors and teasing about a revival, but I doubt it’s actually going to happen, and if it does, let’s be real, it’s probably going to suck. And meanwhile, the fans have moved on. Half the people I followed for Supernatural (including me) are now into 911 (which also sucks but in a completely different way than Supernatural). Getting people to invest in the really big events is hard, let alone the tiny little Femslash Bang that doesn’t focus on the most popular characters.
I always knew that the event would end one day. My policy from the beginning was that as long as even one person besides me wanted to participate, I would keep running it, because it’s important to have femslash and other women-centered events available.
Well, the day has come when I was the only participant, so I have to ask if it’s worth running. I like to think it is, that if we just put it aside for this year and come back later, we can make it happen again. Maybe I’m being grossly optimistic, but I still believe in giving a space for those stories to be told. Just maybe not in the format we’ve been using.
What Comes Next
I do intend to try running the Bang again. Maybe next year, maybe the year after that, but I do plan to make it happen one day. I’ll be revising the rules and requirements and possibly moving the schedule to a less busy fandom time, though the general time frame will likely remain the same because let’s face it, eight months is already a long time to be running an event like this.
In the meantime, the feedback survey has indicated that people would be open to another kind of event. So far, the most popular option has been a bingo, which I am open to doing. On further reflection though, trying to make a schedule and rules for an event like that feels like it would end the same way as the bang did, with nothing being turned in except from the person running it.
So here is the current proposal: Shift into anarchy bingo mode.
What does that mean? It means that there will be no schedule and no limits (for minimum or maximum) on the fanworks created. Write a drabble or 50K. Draw stick figures or the Mona Lisa. Make a playlist with five songs or fifty on it. Write a three-hour operatic tragedy if that’s what inspires you. Post whenever, just tag the bang on Tumblr or add it to our AO3 collection. (We’ll have more details soon, I just have to work out some logistics.)
I am still open to other suggestions, of course, and maybe we’ll do some smaller events as well over the next few months to a year while revising the Bang rules and schedule, but right now my goal is simple:
Put more femslash out in the world. Celebrate the women of Supernatural. Participate in any of the other women-centered events in the fandom if you find them. Use your bingo card to write your fic next year or whenever we regroup and start again.
I still believe in all of you, and I’m not giving up on making this thing happen.
I am sorry to say that the Bang will be canceled this year; we simply did not get enough fic submissions to move forward.
BUT I am not giving up on putting more Femslash into the world. I'm hoping to make improvements to the Bang so we can run it next year, hopefully with a more manageable schedule from the start. In the meantime, I am open to running a fest or bingo or some other kind of event if people are interested.
Here is a feedback form for people to fill out regarding this year and the future of the event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ZoVUILncWRdGxelHRczNuoL7km2e5VxG2ULoGb9R9JOZ9w/viewform?usp=dialog
The form is anonymous and optional so don't hold back. Anyone is welcome to fill it out, whether you registered for this year or not. I would love to get as many responses as possible.
Thank you all for being here and I'm sorry we couldn't move forward as planned.
I am sorry to say that the Bang will be canceled this year; we simply did not get enough fic submissions to move forward.
BUT I am not giving up on putting more Femslash into the world. I'm hoping to make improvements to the Bang so we can run it next year, hopefully with a more manageable schedule from the start. In the meantime, I am open to running a fest or bingo or some other kind of event if people are interested.
Here is a feedback form for people to fill out regarding this year and the future of the event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ZoVUILncWRdGxelHRczNuoL7km2e5VxG2ULoGb9R9JOZ9w/viewform?usp=dialog
The form is anonymous and optional so don't hold back. Anyone is welcome to fill it out, whether you registered for this year or not. I would love to get as many responses as possible.
Thank you all for being here and I'm sorry we couldn't move forward as planned.
I am sorry to say that the Bang will be canceled this year; we simply did not get enough fic submissions to move forward.
BUT I am not giving up on putting more Femslash into the world. I'm hoping to make improvements to the Bang so we can run it next year, hopefully with a more manageable schedule from the start. In the meantime, I am open to running a fest or bingo or some other kind of event if people are interested.
Here is a feedback form for people to fill out regarding this year and the future of the event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ZoVUILncWRdGxelHRczNuoL7km2e5VxG2ULoGb9R9JOZ9w/viewform?usp=dialog
The form is anonymous and optional so don't hold back. Anyone is welcome to fill it out, whether you registered for this year or not. I would love to get as many responses as possible.
Thank you all for being here and I'm sorry we couldn't move forward as planned.
At the request of the registered writers, the schedule for this bang has been revised and pushed back by four weeks. Please see the revisions below.
Sunday, June 29: 80% FIC DRAFTS AND CLAIMS INFORMATION DUE.
Friday, July 4: Final day for writers to drop without penalty. Artist sign-ups close.
Saturday, July 5: Fic previews will be sent to registered artists.
Saturday, July 12: Claims open for registered artists. Each artist may claim 1 fic on the first day
Sunday, July 13: Registered artists may claim a second fic if they so desire. Writers who also wish to participate as an artist may claim a fic if any remain. Claims will continue until all fics have been claimed. This is the last day for artists to drop without penalty by simply not claiming a fic.
Saturday, July 19: Mandatory team check-in. We will need posting availability at this time.
Sunday, July 27: Posting schedule released. Pinch-hitter signups close.
Saturday, August 16: Mandatory team check-in. Promo materials are due.
Monday, August 18: Promos begin being posted.
Sunday, August 31: ALL FICS AND ART DUE. You may continue to edit your work until your posting date, but what is submitted on this day must be in shape to be posted. For writers, this means your fic must be at least 10,000 words long with a beginning, middle and end with no remaining outlines, and it must have gone through a beta reader. For artists, this means your lineart and coloring is finished or your video is one-minute long and fully edited.
Monday, September 1: Posting begins
Late September probably, depending on numbers: Masterpost released, end of the bang.
Summary: When Kaia falls asleep on Jody’s sofa after getting rescued from the Bad Place, she’s alone inside her head for the first time in all her life
Additional Tags: casefic, Old Woman Yuri, the setting in terms of time is very nebulous but i think its some sort of, Alternate Season/Series 12, but only very very very technically, I'm Bad At Tagging, Dialogue Heavy
Summary:
“This might be the nicest date you've taken me on yet,” Rowena started, half smiling at Mary, who had just returned to the table they were standing at with a few drinks. Taking a sip of the one clearly for her, she paused for a moment and examined Mary, who looked distracted. “What's the catch?”
“What do you mean, what's the catch? We're on a date, it's fun. It's a gallery opening, you love those.” Mary said, staring at a group of women a few tables away.
“No, you've never taken me on a date like this, and we've gone on several.”
“Maybe I decided it was time to impress you?”
“No, you had your chance to do that before you tried to take me to a bar that was literally called The Drainage Ditch. My standards are unsurprisingly lower now.” Rowena said, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Pairings: Portia & Ellie, Dean & Ellie background. James Frampton/Portia background
Warnings: Mild Profanity
Additional Tags: women helping women, SPN WOC, Black Women of SPN, Aesop's Fable, Familiars, Magick Community, Canon-verse
Summary: After the nightmare at Cassity Ranch, Ellie heads south for more goofer dust. Having Crowley's hellhounds on your heels makes for a rough road trip and along the way she has a run in with one of the Things That Go Bump in the Night. But things don't turn out the way she had expected them to.
Additional Tags: post-finale, empty rescue, canon complaint (because canon SUCKS and is so not specific), wayward sisters
Summary: After Jack brings back the world, all seems to be right again... except Jody and Kaia are missing. Donna, after getting help from Sam, who's consumed with grief after Dean's death, sets out to rescue Jody, Kaia, and several others from where they've been trapped in the Empty... and learns a bit more about herself along the way.
Additional Tags: pre-canon, doomed love story, lesbian Mary Campbell, lesbian Missouri Moseley, comphet and cupid are the real villains here
Summary: Mary Winchester left hunting behind for the apple pie life, but it turns out hunting isn't quite done with her. When she starts experiencing disturbing visions, Mary seeks out the help of a local psychic, Missouri Moseley, in an attempt to contain them so that she can get back to her life. Unfortunately, she instead draws Missouri into a case. They're forced to hit the road...but can they outrun Mary's past?
Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 15, The Empty (Supernatural), Getting Together, BAMF Rowena MacLeod, BAMF Amara (Supernatural), Magic, Amara Has an Identity Crisis, First Kiss, First Time, Dom/sub Undertones, Restraints, Vaginal Fingering, clitoral stimulation, Touch-Me-Not Amara
Summary: They’re the two most powerful women in the universe: Rowena, Queen of Hell, and Amara, the Darkness. Surely, they would be even more unstoppable (and sexy) together. When the Empty refuses to go back to sleep, marking its claim over Jack, it’s up to both of them to take it down. Amara has been on the front lines keeping it at bay, while Rowena’s magic holds the key to its eternal slumber. After that, what’s next? Their previous connection has shed new light on their relationship. Amara feels untethered now that she is no longer fighting for a place in the world but it’s Rowena that shows her that more adventures await. If they could just open their eyes.
Additional Tags: Comedy, Mad Scientist Daphne, Bisexual Carmen Porter, Minor Castiel/Dean Winchester, Minor Daphne/Carmen/The Djinn Queen
Summary: When Daphne Allen discovers that her vanished husband Emmanuel is in fact the angel Castiel and is happily dating a man named Dean Winchester, she decides to take revenge. Step 1: Create a living replica of Carmen Porter, Dean Winchester’s perfect woman from a past djinn dream. Step 2: Watch Castiel’s relationship with Dean fall apart and dance on its ashes. What Daphne didn’t consider is that Dean is immune to Carmen’s charms these days — and that Daphne herself is not.
Tags: Canon Divergent, Pre-Canon, Case Fic, Age Gap, First Time
Summary: It’s 1982. Ronald Reagan is President, the Dodgers won the World Series and Mary Winchester is done with hunting. She’s a wife now, and a mom, living the apple pie life, just like she always wanted.When an old friend calls in a favor, Mary reluctantly takes the case. It’s a simple haunting that shouldn’t take more than a day. But to Mary’s surprise, she’s not the only hunter trying to gank the spirit. Eighteen year old Annie Hawkins is young and hungry to prove herself, and there’s something about her that draws Mary in. Over the course of the weekend Mary discovers that there is more to life than being a hunter or being a loving wife and mother. But you know what they say: what happens in Witchita…
Pairings: Claire Novak / Meg Masters (not endgame), Claire Novak + Alex, Claire Novak / Ava Wilson (ambiguous), Claire Novak / Emma Winchester (pre-slash)
Warnings: graphic descriptions of injuries, canon typical violence, sexual violence, dub-con, grooming/manipulation, minor character death
Tags: worldbuilding, fantasy AU, vessel consent issues, vampires, angels, Purgatory, hopeful ending, horror, coming of age, whump
Summary: After the death of her father and her siring angel Castiel has declined to take her as a vessel, Claire flees her homeland. Overwhelmed with grief, she encounters multiple women who promise to help her avenge her father, to find new purpose, to come into her own power--but there's always a catch. Title is a reference to the 18th century erotic novel Justine wherein bad things Just Keep Happening to the virtuous heroine. Claire gets a much more hopeful ending. Also featuring Dean Winchester, in the background, who just wants his clothes back.
Tags: Murder Wives, Serial Killers, Alternate Universe, Kaia Uses They/Them Pronouns, Troubled Teen Industry, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Recreational Use Of Marijuana, Killing is An Addiction Like Any Other Drug, vine references, The Bad Place, Dreamwalking, Childhood Trauma, Fluff and Angst, Referenced Cul, tImplied/Referenced Stalking, Serial Killer Claire Novak, Serial Killer Kaia Nieves, Serial Killer Castiel (Supernatural), Mommy Issues, Daddy Issues, Misgendering, Murder as a Love Language, Gift Giving, Claire Has Piercings, safe sex, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Fingering, Body Worship, Lesbians, Dreamhunter
Summary: Claire is The Grigori, Idaho’s most unpredictable serial killer. Kaia is Dreamwalker, a whisper in the winds of those who know their game. One fueled by a need to cope with her father’s death, the other, revenge for those in the Teen Wilderness Industry, both end up drawn to each other at the oak tree Claire laid claim to. The killers, though wary of each other, begin to form a friendship with the promise of something more, but are careful to keep their identities secret. Still, it doesn’t stop them from forming an attachment. Navigating a new relationship along with the challenges put in their path, the two begin to help each other, especially after Claire receives a visit from her unknown uncle, Castiel, who is more like her than she thinks. Kaia has their sights set on Washington after they’re finished in Idaho, hell-bent that their revenge is paid in nightmares. As the new Thelma and Louise, they become a terrifying force to reckon with, only this time with a happy ending. **Please make sure you read the beginning notes and the disclaimers**
LINK TO FIC | LINK TO ART
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