Old School X Interview: Parrotfish
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Old School X Interview: Parrotfish |
| Interviewer: | Lilydale |
| Interviewee: | Parrotfish |
| Date(s): | March 16, 2021 |
| Medium: | online, Tumblr |
| Fandom(s): | The X-Files |
| External Links: | at lilydalexf; archive link |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Old School X Interview: Parrotfish was conducted by Lilydale as part of the series Old School X Interview Series.
Some Topics Discussed
- finding community
- the power of fanfic
From the Interview
Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?
It doesn’t surprise me now, but there was a long period when it did. When I started writing fanfic, I thought of it as fleeting and ephemeral, never expecting it to have any lasting power. Mostly I was grateful if we just didn’t get sued for copyright infringement. When it started to become clear that fanfic had permanence, I was gobsmacked. But here we are.
[...]
Social media didn’t really exist during the show’s original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?
ATXC, baby! I know it makes me sound like a dinosaur, but I actually miss usenet.... I honestly don’t remember how I stumbled across ATXC, but once I did, I think the elapsed time between reading my first fanfic and writing one could be measured in nanoseconds.
What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?
X-Files fic and fandom is where I learned that wanting to tell new stories, or retell existing ones with a new twist, is not a childish impulse, but a really valid, creative endeavor. And also, that smut is good. Well, good smut is good. Bad smut is funny.
[...]
What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?
Completely nonexistent. Back in the day, I would never have believed you if you’d told me that I would someday be indifferent not just to XF fandom, but to the XF itself. But honestly, I am, other than a vague sense of nostalgia.
[...]
Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?
My first fandom predates XF by decades – Star Trek. After XF, I was very involved in just one (Doctor Who), and nominally in a couple more. As crazy and argumentative as XF fandom could be, I felt DW fandom was worse, probably in large part because the internet had exploded, and there were just so many people involved. DW fandom ended up being a much less positive experience than XF fandom. I felt that people had abandoned all pretense of being supportive or kind. When I realized that meanness was starting to suck me in, I walked away.