Gizzie
| Fan | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Coleen Sullivan-Baier |
| Alias(es): | gizzie, XXXXgizzieXXXX |
| Type: | Fan Hero, Fan Writer |
| Fandoms: | The X-Files |
| Communities: | ATX, alt.tv.x-files.creative |
| Other: | XAngst Anonymous, X-Ville |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A prominent figure in X-Files fandom, gizzie is admired for her sense of humor, her loving personality, and her unparalleled ability to cheerfully and thoroughly tell people off. Gizzie was a prolific poster on alt.tv.x-files, taking part in episode discussions, troll management, and a major force behind the creation of X-Ville. She also wrote fanfic and is best known for her Messenger series that focused on The Lone Gunmen's John Byers.
So well-loved was gizzie that, starting in 1996, a series of mailing lists sprung up around her. These groups were invitation only and consisted of members who were fans of both The X-Files and gizzie herself. They were called CoGs, short for Cult of Gizzie, and were small, friendly groups of about fifteen members each. There were eight CoGs, each with their own nickname and motto.
The Messenger Series
For writers wanting to work with characters who are little more than faces to most viewers, the challenge is to use THE X-FILES canon as a springboard for more detailed development. Gizzie wrote a series of charming stories ("The Messenger" series) which featured one of the least developed characters on the show, Byers, one of a trio of conspiracy-minded government watchdogs. All viewers know of Byers is that he generally wears a suit and tie, he's the "serious" one of the trio, and he wears a gold band on his left hand. Gizzie, apparently inspired by "Memento Mori," the episode in which Byers is dispatched as Mulder's "second" to send word to Scully, took what little viewers know of this minor character and created a thorough back story and a through-line that could track neatly with current show canon. In this case, while Gizzie adhered to the basic canonical milieu of THE X-FILES, she created her own goals, motivations and conflicts for the character of Byers by taking what little is known about the character and making logical extrapolations. [2]
External Links
References
- ^ comment at Stories you never get tired of, post to alt.tv.x-files.creative, August 1999
- ^ from Fan Fiction and Story Structure: Working within an established milieu to hone story-telling skills by Anne Haynes