Mind the Tags

Join Emily and Vee as they open the freezer to uncover the origins of "dead dove, do not eat" and embark on a journey through tropes old and new. Plus, what is "whump," and why did Emily think it was spelled with an "f" at the end until looking it up for the purposes of this episode? Topics include: Tropes, literatures, movies, stories Want to support Mind the Tags? Sign up for our Patreon! Sources from today's ep: Dead Dove, Do Not Eat on Fanlore Trope on Wikipedia TVTropes.org The Princess Bride on TV Tropes Will You Make a Suitable Bride for Oscar Isaac on Clickhole The Kissing Game by veeagainst Whump on Fanlore Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview author TJ Klune. We chat with TJ about his fanfiction journey, the power of fiction to change our world, and his fervent love of the "only one bed" trope. Sources from this episode: TJ's books Cackling "only one bed" goats   Check out TJ's bio here.

Join Emily and Vee as they explore filk (you read that right!) and the limitless possibilities of fandom music. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode for a filk by the hosts themselves! Topics include: Filk, music, folk music, sci-fi, fantasy Want to support Mind the Tags? Sign up for our Patreon! Sources from today's ep: Meta on Fanlore What is Filk? on Interfilk What is Filk? Panel Discussion from DragonCon The Pegasus Awards website Wizard Rock on Fanlore Monsterfuckers AƧSEMBLE: an AᗺBA tribute album Fable Fiesta writing prompt generator Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview author Freya Marske. We chat with Freya about her history of writing fanfiction, the fandoms that shaped her, and the emerging popularity of sapphic romance and fantasy.   Sources from this episode: Freya's Ao3 A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (first in the Last Binding trilogy) Gaywyck by Vincent Virga The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden All Fours by Miranda July  Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell   Check out Freya's bio here.

Join Emily and Vee as they dive into the world of fanon and the ways in which fans interpret and transform the stories they love. Vee describes their three categories of fanon, and Emily climbs up on her perennial soapbox about her OTP. Both hosts challenge JJ Abrams to join the pod and DEFEND HIS HONOR. Topics include: Fanon, Star Wars, Star Trek, shipping, yaoi, yuri Want to support Mind the Tags? Sign up for our Patreon! Sources from today's ep: Yaoi on Fanlore Yuri on Fanlore Why Magic, Dragons and Explicit Sex Are in Bookstores Everywhere by Alexandra Alter Fanon on Fanlore The Flop House podcast New essay on midrash and fanworks by Velveteen Rabbi Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Marc Greenberg, Esq., a practicing attorney with an expertise in intellectual property and entertainment law. We discuss Marc's experience representing creators and researching the legal implications of fanworks in the United States, the ongoing challenge of AI in the creative space, and his surprising rendezvous with Carlos Santana.   Sources from this episode: Acafan on Fanlore Copyright on Fanlore Copyright registration portal Ao3 Terms of Service Fair Use on Fanlore  Cariou vs. Prince case Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith:  Axanar has settled its lawsuit with Paramount over its Star Trek fan film by Andrew Liptak 'Monkey Selfie' Lawsuit Ends With Settlement Between PETA, Photographer by Jason Slotkin Marc's books: Fandom and the Law Comic Art, Creativity and the Law Copyright Termination and Recapture Laws: Good Intentions Gone Awry Check out Marc's bio here. Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound! Check out the Mind the Tags Patreon here.

Join Emily and Vee as they explore the fascinating world of the omegaverse, including its common tropes and origin in Supernatural real person fanfiction (RPF). Emily discusses some of the motivations authors have shared for writing omegaverse fics, and both Emily and Vee wax poetic about the magical time that was 2010.   Topics include: Omegaverse, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, Supernatural, inaccurate wolf science Want to support Mind the Tags? Sign up for our Patreon! Sources from today's ep: [Data] The 100 most popular tags on AO3 in 2024 by batcat229 Alpha/Beta/Omega on Fanlore a (very necessary) deep dive into the omegaverse by Rowan Ellis  The Unofficial Guide to the Omegaverse by Velvelyami Starbucks Slick Recipe  Who Invented the Omegaverse Anyway? by Cherry Supernatural kink meme from 2010 I ain't no lady, but you'd be the tramp. by tehdirtiestsock (thatotherperv) Omegaverse Litigation on Fanlore Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

In this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Tara, a novelist and fanfiction writer. In this interview, we discuss similarities and differences between writing for traditional publication and for fandom. We also chat with Tara about their fandom journey, including their entree into fanfic-writing through Our Flag Means Death. Fics mentioned in this episode: Prove It by KnivesInFeet Old Bae Season by nomadsland not pickles by smallestchurch In Favor with their Stars by mxmollusca fast car by smallestchurch Books mentioned in this episode: The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow The Favorites by Layne Fargo Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

Join Emily and Vee as they tackle how Harry Potter fic writers have responded to J.K. Rowling's public shift to transphobia in recent years. Vee shares their own experiences as a Harry Potter fic writer, and Emily adds some unasked-for attacks on long-dead composer Richard Wagner.   Topics include: Orphaning fics, the relationship between creators and fic, and fond memories of wizarding childhoods Want to support Mind the Tags? Sign up for our Patreon! Content warning: this episode discusses transphobia Sources from today's ep: Emily's Gritty/Phanatic slash fic Guide to Beta Reading by theirprofoundbond A timeline of JK Rowling's anti-trans shift by Brendan Morrow Top UK court says definition of woman based on biological sex, excludes transgender people by Brian Melley, Jill Lawless, and Sylvia Hui Transmissions: JK Rowling and the outdated, dangerous trope by Gwendolyn Ann Smith Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Dr. Naomi Jacobs, Lecturer in Design Policy and Futures Thinking at Lancaster University. In this interview, we discuss the printing and binding fanfiction ("fanbinding") and the ways in which creating physical copies of fanfiction is another type of transformative fanwork. We also chat with Naomi about her fandom journey, including her entree into fanfic through Doctor Who novels.  Sources from this episode: The Design of Printed Fanfiction: A Case Study of Down to Agincourt Fanbinding by Naomi Jacobs and JSA Lowe The Renegade Bookbinding Guild 17776 Check out Dr. Jacobs' faculty bio here.

Join Emily and Vee as they discuss the similarities and differences between fanfiction and original fiction, including worldbuilding, copyright, filing off the serial numbers and fanfic that becomes published, and the ever-evolving journey of the Mary Sue.  Topics include: Publishing, legality of fanfiction, creative writing, Philip Roth shade  If you heard on us the most recent episode of The Culture Study podcast, welcome! Check out our catalog of episodes here.  Sources from today's ep: The Big Difference Between Original Fiction and Fanfiction by Margery Bayne Mary Sue on Fanlore E44: More Than The Text Of Our Book, ft. Greatest Author Chuck Tingle from the Publishing Rodeo podcast What Are Derivative Works Under Copyright Law? by Edward A. Haman, J.D. Filing Off The Serial Numbers on Fanlore 10 books you didn't know started out as fan fiction, from 'Twilight' to 'Star Wars'-inspired stories by Lauren Arzbaecher Why All Fiction Writers Should Be Learning From Fanfiction by Margery Bayne Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Dr. Alexis Lothian, Associate Professor at The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Maryland. We chat with Dr. Lothian about her foray into fanfiction in the early 2000s, as well as her scholarly work around speculative fiction, feminism and racism in fanfiction, and the power of fandom to shape political awareness and movements.  Sources from this episode: Vidding: A History by Francesca Coppa AI Hype Enters Its Geopolitics Era w/ Timnit Gebru from the Tech Won't Save Us Podcast An archive of whose own? White feminism and racial justice in fan fiction’s digital infrastructure by Alexis Lothian and Mel Stanfill End OTW Racism: A Call To Action Archival anarchies: Online fandom, subcultural conservation, and the transformative work of digital ephemera by Alexis Lothian Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture by Mel Stanfill Old Futures: Speculative Fiction and Queer Possibility by Alexis Lothian Check out Dr. Lothian's faculty bio here. Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. 

Join Emily and Vee as they chat about the long and intricate relationship between fanart and fanfiction, the different legal and financial considerations between them, fanart commissions, and Vee's new venture as a lego artiste. Philadelphia vernacular warning to listeners: Emily uses the word "jawn" at least twice in this episode. Topics include: Fanart, commissions, digital media Sources from today's ep: The OFMD Craft Fair Auction Big Bang on Fanlore Fanart on Fanlore Zine on Fanlore The OFMD Fine Frames Project Vee's lego art Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. 

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Elizabeth Minkel, fandom journalist, co-host/editor of Fansplaining, and co-curator of The Rec Center. We talk about Elizabeth's travels through Buffy GeoCities of yore, what she loves and has learned about fanfiction over the years, and the trends she's observed in AI in fandom spaces. Check out some of Elizabeth's articles that we discuss here: Why Generative AI Won’t Disrupt Books Lots of People Make Money on Fanfic. Just Not the Authors The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction You can find out about Elizabeth's projects here. Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. 

Join Emily and Vee as they discuss how participating in fanfiction can support writers and readers during times of uncertainty, and how the fanfic community can respond to political developments that threaten our communities.   Topics include: Pleasure activism, anti-capitalism, gift culture, LGBTQIA+ representation, fan activism Sources from today's ep: Kudos on Fanlore Alexis Lothian lecture from the University of Maryland Arts & Humanities YouTube channel  Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown The Best Organizing Strategy You’ve Never Heard Of: Why Fan Activism Has the Power to Radically Change Our World by Fandom Forward Fellowship of the Fans article by Anne Ford Open Letter to the OTW on Racism in Fandom Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Lindie and boy, two incredible podficcers from the Our Flag Means Death fandom. Lindie and boy share what got them into podficcing, tricks of the trade, and some of their favorite things about recording fanworks. We've included some of the fics discussed in this episode below. You can find Lindie's podfics here: Ao3 Soundcloud You can find boy's podfics here: Ao3 Soundcloud Podfics mentioned and/or referenced in this episode: No one would riot for less written by sacrificethemtothesquid  Prove It written by KnivesInFeet Hell or High Water written by Mottlemoth Life Finds a Way written by ClaireGregory The Long Gap written by Deanbird Wave Hello to the Void written by eefaevie, mxmollusca, and zacharybosch   OFMD Podfuckery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/4490566  Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

Join Emily and Vee as they discuss "femmeslash" and some of the ships that paved the way for fanfiction centered around romantic relationships between female characters.  Topics include: Women in media, gender, the trend of burying your (sapphic) gays, and the lasting influence of Xena: Warrior Princess Sources from today's ep: Blorbo From My Shows on Fanlore All 240 Dead Lesbian and Bisexual Characters On TV, And How They Died from autostraddle TV Characters' Rising Death Toll Reveals Troubling Pattern from NPR  The 10 greatest episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess by Sara Century Ao3 Ships Stats 2024 by centreoftheselights Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Lani and Jo, co-hosts of The Fanfic Writers' Craft, a podcast that discusses all things fanfiction with a focus on the art and science of writing for the enjoyment of fan communities. We talk about Jo's fandom beginnings in American procedurals, Lani's journey through the RENT fandom community, and the topics that have surprised Jo and Lani as hosts of The Fanfic Writers' Craft. You can find their podcast on Spotify and Tumblr! Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you to Ollie for editing our sound!

Join Emily and Vee as they discuss why some fanfic writers create stories centered around M/M (or "slash") romance.  Topics include: Gender expression, queer representation in media and fanfiction, and late breaking news about the patriarchy Sources from today's ep: Queerbaiting on Wikipedia How Do We Solve A Problem Like “Queerbaiting”?: On TV’s Not-So-Subtle Gay Subtext by Rose Please Do Not Bait the Queers by Emmett Scout Ao3 Demographics survey by centreoftheselights The Bechdel Test on Wikipedia Performance, Property, and the Slashing of Gender in Fan Fiction by Sonia K. Katyal Tumblr post by prokopetz 'The Tent’s Big Enough for Everyone’: online slash fiction as a site for activism and change by Lucy Neville Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you Ollie for editing our sound!

On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Diana, a writer and editor interested in queer theory, feminist theory, and media studies. We talk about some of Diana's favorite fandoms (including Inuyasha and Star Wars) and discuss the importance of fandom community when writing fanfiction. Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our song and Haflacky for our logo design. Thank you to Ollie for editing our sound!