Immeritus Interview with Sirius Star

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Immeritus Interview with Sirius Star
Interviewer:	Pen and Moon
Interviewee:	Sirius Star
Date(s):	July 2006
Medium:	online
Fandom(s):	Harry Potter
External Links:	interview is here, Archived version
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In 2006, Sirius Star was interviewed for Immeritus by Pen and Moon.

Others in the Series

See Immeritus Interview Series.

Some Excerpts

Maybe about a month after I started posting on Immeritus I finally got away from the discussion threads and took a look at the fanwork threads. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! “People are writing stories about published author's characters?! And they're posting them ONLINE!! And people are giving them FEEDBACK!! O.M.G!!” Yeah, that was my introduction to fanfiction.

Since beginning my editorship of Sirius News on Live Journal I feel as if I've seen or heard or read it all. Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to fanwork. There is indeed fanwork out there that strikes me as being just wrong. However, I'm an artist (writing is an art, don't let anyone tell you differently) and I respect every artist's right to personal expression. I think that the only one who has a right to stop a certain treatment of the HP characters would be JKR. Because as we all say, they do belong to her. So, while I might consider it taboo, someone is patronizing it. Otherwise it wouldn't be created and I try really hard not to be judgmental.

That being said, I'm not one to write about fetishes (strange turn-ons). I just don't get them… I don't have one. And I find Chan (defined as a sexual relationship between an adult and a child) unacceptable and will not write it. (Chan defined as under-age sex, with both partners being approximately the same age, doesn't bother me.) That doesn't mean I won't beta read it. I will willingly beta anything. When beta reading, I pay more attention to the writing than the story. And they are different, in case any non-writers are wondering.

I can see myself writing just about anything else, if the mood were to take me. I haven't yet censored my work. I've tried in the past to write for a certain audience and it turned out a mess. I write what I would like to read. If I am in a certain mood and can't find a story that will satisfy, then I'll write my own. And since I'm really writing for myself, I have no reason to censor it. I'm so glad we now have the restricted sections though. I lost sleep over knowing that under-aged readers might have access/were accessing my adult work. I'm just glad there are people out there that like the stories I've written for myself. Thank you for reading! *looks around for reader cookies*

I HAVE noticed this strange proliferation of slash in the HP fandom. I think JKR writing a het love interest for Remus made the puppy shippers particularly vengeful. I'm kidding, maybe.

It actually makes me more likely to write het, in order to do my share to correct the imbalance. (I read both het and slash; I'll take Sirius any way I can get him. *ignores innuendo*) I have this stubborn streak that keeps me from following the crowd. If everyone is writing it, I'm less likely to write it. I've only ever written original femmeslash. I might have to try that.

As to why so many women write slash, I don't really know. I know there are a number of theories: its safety, its control over men. I think all the theories could apply to varying degrees for each author. I see slash as a way for women to experience the feminine side of men. Many men in real life are not in touch with their feminine sides. By drawing, reading, writing or viewing slash, women can experience something they are missing in real life. Not saying that any particular relationship is unfulfilling for a woman that enjoys slash but that in general, we want more from men. We want men who can listen and express emotion in ways that are often seen in slash stories, but rarely seen in real life.

My family knows I write. I've been attached to a pen and paper since I was 12. I don't think they realize there are different categories of what I write. They see me writing and ask how it's going and I tell them. If they happen to ask what I'm writing, I tell them but I don't normally volunteer the information. I think if there is a divide, it might have more to do with the perception of who a fan is. Being a fan of something is often seen as geeky or childish. Except sports teams. Everyone is expected to have a team they support. So if you're a big enough fan to write fanfiction, there must be something undesirable about you. I don't believe a word of it, of course.