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charmedseoull · 3 years

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The Aftermath of Fanfiction Authors with Reba Interview

Before You Read the Interview

I contacted Reba after she posted a Reddit thread titled “When a fic becomes too popular and the author deletes their account and/or work. Explained.” on a throwaway account. We discussed details of the interview during December over email, then started the interview in January. This interview is not associated with a project and is its own independent work. Reba has chosen to remain anonymous.

She provides insight on potential reasons to why fanfiction authors abandon their work from the perspective of a fanfiction reader. She also answered general fandom questions and questions about herself so readers could understand her background.

Charmedseoul is a BTS-focused anonymous historian who documents fandom history using Fanlore. If you would like to be interviewed to help document perspectives in fandom, please contact her on Twitter @charmedseoul or on Tumblr @charmedseoull.

Parts of this interview have been edited with links to Fanlore and Wikipedia pages for understanding. Any information in [brackets] serves for further clarity for readers and elaboration of information.

Now presenting the interview with Reba, long-time fanfiction reader and participant in fandom:

When did you first join fandom culture?

I joined fandom culture in 2014. I feel like fandoms really peaked during this time. [Presence of SuperWhoLock and other Tumblr specific fandoms.]

What fandoms are you in? How have your experiences in them been?

I will be honest and say fandom culture isn’t for me- so I can’t say I’m active in any fandoms (I’m just a silent consumer) but growing up I was a fan of music artists mostly; Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande… I loved the IT 2017 movie adaptation for a long time (I still do), and early 2020 is when I got into BLACKPINK, then BTS. My experience with all of these has been good, and maybe that’s because I don’t see any of the drama and arguments online- but I don’t regret any of my past interests because they all made me happy at one point in time.

What do you like about fandoms?

What I like about fandoms is how happy it can make an individual; getting excited for a new music video, smiling at behind the scenes photos… it can bring someone a little joy if they are having a bad day.

What do you dislike about fandoms?

I don’t like stan culture at all; fandom drama, arguing on twitter with strangers to defend an artist who doesn’t even know you… it all seems toxic. While I'm sure healthy stanning does exist, I don't think it's easy to achieve at all.

How long have you been an ARMY? What are your opinions about the fandom? How has your experience in the fandom been?

I became an ARMY in early 2020 when Map of the Soul: 7 was released, so only a year. I really do like the fandom; ARMY is the only fandom I’ve seen where there are so many fans worldwide of all different ages, and that just shows how BTS and their music really is for everyone. There is so much BTS content that there’s never a dull day, so my experience in the fandom has been enjoyable!

Did you ever leave ARMY and take a break then come back?

I’ve never left ARMY, that being said, I’m a newbie and haven’t been here for long.

When did you first start reading fanfiction?

I have been exposed to fanfiction since 2014, but I wasn’t in any fandom back then and started reading fanfiction in 2017.

What do you think the purpose behind fanfiction is?

We mostly read for entertainment but there is definitely a purpose to fanfiction, as for all art. Fanfiction is a great thing for both reader and writers, it can be an outlet for many people, a way to experience things that you don't have a chance to experience in your own life. It also can be a good base ground for people who want to start writing, or for someone who finds reading huge paperback novels difficult. Fanfiction is so easily accessible, you can pull up a story to read or share your work at the press of a button.

As you’ve read fanfiction over the years, do you feel like anything about fanfiction has changed?

Yes! Fanfiction is taken a lot more seriously now, people who write fanfiction treat it like an actual novel with plotting and editing- the quality of fanfiction in general is a lot better. Fandom ships have also changed; when I was a teenager Harry Styles fanfictions were crazy popular, now the fanfics that seem to be more popular are BTS! So that just shows when music evolves, pretty much everything else does too.

As a reader, how do you view authors?

I'm always amazed by fanfic authors because they practically write whole novels for free. Writing can be such a personal thing, and it does take talent; there is a story the author wants to convey, and when a story is told in a beautiful way, it leaves a lasting impact on the reader. I’m sure that must be a euphoric feeling for the author- it means they told their story, and they did it well.

Do you think many other readers share the same view as you?

No, not at all. There are readers out there who don’t really think about the time and effort authors put into their stories. I’ve seen readers expect so much, and criticise something so little. It’s sad- people should be able to write whatever they want, writing is supposed to encourage creativity. Authors shouldn’t have to fear backlash for doing just that. Being creative.

Why do you think so many authors delete/orphan their work after it gains popularity?

When a story gains popularity- it attracts good and bad attention alike. Unfortunately the negative affects us a lot more, it’s just human nature. While authors do put their work out there, I don’t think they are ever prepared for their stories to become so popular. I am sure it is overwhelming and that’s why authors feel the need to distance themselves from it all and delete/orphan their work.

What stories prompted you to start thinking about why authors delete/orphan their works?

I read a story called mixtape (IT movie) and I was around long enough to see chapters be uploaded each week. I also saw the struggles the author went through when their fanfic began to rise in popularity, which eventually led to the story being completely deleted from the internet. So I thought this could have been a one-off since I hadn’t read many fanfictions. I then moved onto BTS fanfiction and decided to read the most talked about ones first, only to see a lot of them were by orphaned accounts (so not just a one-off occurrence!). House of Cards by sugamins was the one that got me thinking, I thought “why would somebody not want to be associated with this amazing writing?!” That’s when I began to do some research and stumbled across your interview with the author!

How do you think backlash for a work harms an authors mental health?

An immense amount of feedback, positive or negative, can take a toll on one person. A lot of authors can be reserved people and they write because they are passionate, as an outlet or just a hobby. So when their work does receive backlash it can be very upsetting- it could make them doubt their reasons and capabilities and affect an author so much they might stop writing all together.

How do you think some authors manage their mental health and not delete a work?

This is a hard question because everyone deals with backlash differently. I know some authors who are not bothered by backlash and they choose to ignore it and move on with their day, and then there are other authors who are more anxious and have to put a lot of measures in place to protect their mental health; from your interview with sugamins they explain how they didn’t want to destroy their work, just distance themselves from it, so that’s always an option.

Taking time away from social media and getting enough rest, it is important to not neglect your well-being. Finding a way to cope when you feel low; animals tend to ground me and improve my mental health- they are loving and don’t judge you for who you are. Maybe you cope by talking with friends, or listening to your favourite song. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it helps.

At what point with mental health do you think authors start to consider deletion/orphaning?

I think an author starts to consider deleting/orphaning their work when it completely consumes them. It is not healthy to be fixated on something that is no longer bringing you happiness, you need to let it go. If you are an author reading this, just know you are not your feedback, it doesn’t define your existence, okay? Fanfiction should add to your life, not take away from it.

Why do you think some readers invade an authors privacy?

Sometimes, people care more about the author than the work they have created. So when a fanfic has deeply touched a reader and helped them through so much, they want to reach out in any way and tell them so- this can be invasive if the reader is not careful about their approach.

How do you think authors manage this privacy invasion?

Stopping it before it happens; not using your real name, having a separate account for writing, don’t link social media accounts in your works etc. If privacy has already been compromised and a reader is making the author uncomfortable, then disabling comments on their works, making a new social media or changing their accounts to private would be smart. Just knowing how to keep safe online.

At what point with privacy invasion do you think authors start to consider deletion/orphaning?

When you are at risk of being doxed. I think when readers are going as far as finding authors’ personal accounts and messaging their friends- anything along those lines is scary and the reader is going from a supporter to an intrusive stranger real fast.

Why do you think anonymity is important for fanfiction writing?

When your full name is attached to everything you do, people have a very easy way to get back to you. This is why authors keep an anonymous profile, and it is important readers respect that. Most authors don’t want their family, friends, employer etc to see that sort of stuff. It is completely okay to remain professional and keep fanfiction writing separate from personal life.

Do you think fanfiction writing should stay free? Do you think authors should be paid for their work?

I do think fanfiction writing should stay free on the sites they originate from (AO3 for example). However, if the author wants to take their work elsewhere to earn money then I don’t see an issue in that. I am glad you mention copyright law with fanfiction in particular because the author of mixtape (the fanfiction I mentioned earlier) tried to self publish their work while keeping canon names, the author tried to justify it as a parody work and everyone was so concerned that they reported the book until it got removed. I have seen stories on Wattpad become published books to purchase, however, the names had been changed to original characters- I think this seems like a much more logical move to avoid any legal repercussions.

As a reader, how has an author’s work connected with you personally?

I have had works connect with me on a personal level, one in particular is Somebody To Love by LOVERVMINS (orphaned). My standards are impossibly high after reading that fanfic and I don’t think I will ever come across something so beautiful again. Somebody To Love is a taekook fic that was uploaded to AO3 in 2019, the author ended up deleting all their works but thankfully left this particular story up. I was immediately captured by the incredible writing and unique plot; the story of two lovers who were never meant for each other, but destiny found its way anyway… I apologise in advance for how long this summary (with spoilers) is, but I think my thoughts are proof of how this story has connected with me so much!

(Spoilers for Somebody to Love by LOVERVMINS. Please feel free to scroll to the next bolded question to avoid spoilers.)

In this story, Taehyung is a successful lawyer while Jungkook is just a student, despite the difference in status and wealth, they are intrigued by one another from the very start. After meeting Taehyung, Jungkook is left feeling confused about himself, the internalised homophobia is strong to begin with but as the chapters progress Jungkook goes from someone who is afraid of society and what people may think, to strong and outspoken. Taehyung plays a fundamental part in this, because if Jungkook were to never meet Taehyung, he wouldn’t have realised who he really was, he wouldn’t have been brave enough to discover his sexuality and fall in love in a time where it was so unaccepting. Taehyung is bold and confident on the surface, giving little regard for anybody other than himself, but his concern for others soon changes after he meets Jungkook, he becomes a better man. He could have had his heart desires- but Taehyung was no longer selfish from those few months he spent with Jungkook, so he stayed with his wife to be a good father.

Taehyung makes Jungkook promise him he will find somebody to love (hence the title), and he does, Jungkook finds somebody to love and he is happy- Taehyung finds this out when they unexpectedly meet a few years later, this is the final time Jungkook and Taehyung see each other… but knowing Jungkook is happy, leaves Taehyung happy.

There are different kinds of love, some last forever, and some just for a chapter of your life. It is clear Jungkook was Taehyung’s forever. And I don’t think Jungkook’s love for Taehyung ever went away, he just found another kind of love like he had promised. Jungkook had to live his life; he couldn’t wait for Taehyung, to leave his marriage in the unforeseeable future, or watch him raise his kids from afar, this shows that even if society were accepting, their circumstances were too far gone- if only they met sooner, or in another life. It makes you imagine a world where they could have been together, it makes you think beyond the story even when it’s ended.

It has been a month or two since I read LOVERVMINS work, and I still feel a pang in my chest every time I think of Taehyung’s letter for Jungkook in the epilogue.

Why do you think others think they have the right to know an authors personal information?

I think in this day and age, everything about a person is on show, so people just expect that sort of information from you. Authors appreciate feedback- but they don't know the reader, their family or what they do for fun. Vice versa. You only see a small glimpse into the authors life, and the stuff you see is what they feel comfortable enough to show. That should be enough.

Do you consider writing an art form?

I do consider writing an art form. Writing is like painting an image in the readers mind. I think it is better than visual art because when you are reading a story, not everyone is going to envision the exact same thing, it is up to the imagination. I think that is what makes it so beautiful- we all collectively love a story, yet, we somehow interpret it differently.

Why do you think Archive of Our Own is the ideal platform for fanfiction writing?

I think Archive of Our Own is ideal for fanfiction writing because they give you many options with your work so you are comfortable- it is easy to remove comments, delete an account, or orphan works while keeping your account etc. It is important authors get control of what happens to their work if they want to leave and go in a different direction.

Do you think other fanfiction writing platforms like Fanfiction.net and Wattpad are ideal or lacking?

I think Wattpad is ideal for younger audiences; it’s more visual with book covers and the layout in general is more appealing, I also feel like the stories on there are targeted for pre-teens. When I first got into fanfiction, I did start on Wattpad because it was easier to navigate. I look back now though and do think it is lacking in terms of quality, a lot of the stories are written for shock value and don’t really make much sense because of that. It is hard to find a story on Wattpad that ticks all the boxes (but not impossible). Wattpad also had a breach with data last summer and everyone’s emails got pwned so that made a lot of people move to AO3. I have never used Fanfiction.net so unfortunately I can’t speak for that one. Overall, AO3 has much more content, you can find a story with ease once you know how to use the site.

How has fanfiction writing affected the people in your personal life?

How did you find out that your sister is writing fanfiction?

My sister wrote a Harry Styles fanfic in 2014 which gathered around half a million reads on Wattpad, she got comments from people telling her how much her fanfic has impacted their lives pretty much every day. My sister and I are close and we share the same friends, I noticed when we would have sleepovers she was always on her phone and never paid attention to the movies we were watching. I think all the numbers did affect her for a moment and it wasn’t until my sister started her exams that she realised she had to put her concentration into those to pass, that’s how she came to the decision to delete the story. I asked her recently if she regrets deleting it and she told me she doesn’t at all, she now looks back and doesn’t think her writing was good back then. So I think that shows authors do know what they’re doing and what is best for them in the long run.

My sister had a one direction fan account on Instagram that had 100k+ followers (insane!), she was always open with her interests and I found out she started writing fanfiction through that account.

What personal reasons do you think authors have for deleting/orphaning works?

The list is endless; maybe the author wrote the story in a bad time in their life and they want to delete it because it reminds them of that time, they could have left the fandom, or they simply do not like their story anymore- they grew up and know they can do so much better. It is okay for an author to grow apart from their work, it shows they are growing as a person too.

Why do you think authors get backlash from writing dark themes?

I think authors receive backlash from writing dark themes because it can be triggering for some and can bring up unpleasant memories.

What do you think are the responsibilities of an author when writing dark themes?

A safe bet would be to tag anything relating to abuse (physical, emotional, etc), mental illness (eating disorders, self harm, suicide, etc), graphic violence and rape/sexual assault. That’s what comes to mind. And if a trigger occurs only in a certain chapter, then having an additional warning in the chapter notes would be helpful.

What do you think are the responsibilities of a reader when reading dark themes?

If dark subjects are included in the tags, don’t read the story if it could trigger you. It is as simple as that. People decide to read the fanfic then get mad at the author for triggering them. I am not trying to insult anybody who has triggers, maybe they read a story and their specific trigger was never mentioned in the additional tags… this is what the ‘chose not to archive warnings’ box is for, with this option, it is handled in AO3’s FAQ that major tags are not necessary. In shirt, this means there may be triggering content in the fic that is not disclosed by the author. Plus, there is usually a pop up banner before you click on a story which reads ‘this work could have adult content. if you proceed you have agreed that you are willing to see such content’. There are so many warnings, you can’t miss them. It is a case of reading at your own risk, you can’t blame the author if you do not like the result.

Do you think authors are facing too much pressure from readers about what themes they write?

I do think authors face unnecessary pressure with the themes they write; they are put on such a pedestal that when they write something that isn’t what the audience want, they receive a lot of negative criticism. Authors, no matter what themes you are writing, there is no need to worry if you are writing for yourself and putting out the content you set out to create.

Why do you think authors write dark themes?

Dark themes are simply an exploration of difficult emotions along with unpleasant events or consequences. Authors write dark themes because it serves a narrative purpose. And authors don’t have to be ‘dark’ people or experience all of these unsettling things to write such content.

Why do you think readers read dark themes?

Dark themes are not for everyone, I personally don’t think there are enough dark works out there. I read dark themes because it interests me more, I want to know how the characters are going to cope with the consequences, or heal from the trauma. Other readers might prefer dark themes for the graphic content, this is fine too. Fictional violence is not real- we all know this, so there is no reason to be terrified.

Why do you think so many authors want to have their work get popular?

People may disagree, but I think it has a lot to do with validation. Subconsciously, authors want people to like their work- a rise in popularity means readers are seeing the authors work, and hopefully taking enjoyment from it. This isn’t a bad thing as long as you realise validation does not equal self-worth. There are people out there who write and do not gain much attention, but that doesn’t stop them from posting their work anyway.

Do you think a work’s popularity is important?

I personally don’t. I read a range of fanfictions- some are super popular, others are not. It is the content I am more interested in, not how many hits/views it has.

Should we judge authors for deleting/orphaning their work?

Not at all! I am sure authors have thought long and hard before coming to their decision.

How should we view situations where authors delete/orphan their work?

For a reader, it can be upsetting when authors delete/orphan their work, especially if there is no possibility of reading that story again. However, we need to show compassion and view the situation from the authors perspective; gaining popularity on a fanfic isn't as pleasant as it might seem, it is much more complicated than that. A lot of feedback, both good and bad, can be overwhelming. Mental health is important, and if that means distancing yourself from something so popular, then it must be done. Privacy can be compromised, people in your real life might find out you write these stories and not be accepting, or readers become invasive which is a scary situation to be in. And a mixture of personal reasons, people are allowed to grow and change and want to distance themselves from things they are no longer proud of.

What do you think authors should be aware of in case their work does get popular?

This is a good question… I think authors need to be aware that with good feedback, also comes bad feedback. You cannot please every single person on this earth, but that is not your job- so do not take it personally.

Do you have any last messages to readers of this interview?

I want to thank you in particular, Charm. This interview is probably the coolest thing I’ll ever get to do for the BTS fandom and I’m so grateful that our paths crossed so we could create this interview together. You are such a kind soul and it has been a pleasure from start to finish.

For the authors reading this interview; I am just a reader, but I do understand how it can be hard for you to continue on when you are going through so many struggles readers don’t get to see. Just know you are appreciated, and you are supported no matter what you decide to do with your works in the future. Having popular works shouldn’t feel like a burden, there are blessings hidden in there- you have made readers feel a rollercoaster of emotions with your talent, you are able to engage with readers around the world, and you have created a beautiful story from nothing… you did that!

For the silent readers like myself: let the authors of your favourite work know how much you loved it (in a respectful way) before it is too late! I so wish I had the chance to tell the author of Somebody To Love how their story broke my heart then healed it again. Treasure the fanfictions you love because they very well could be gone tomorrow!

Thank you for reading this interview. Further below are reminders and information about this interview and Charmedseoul’s Fanlore projects.

Reba has chosen to remain anonymous. No social media or information about her will be released publicly.

This interview was conducted through email from January 31, 2021 to February 1, 2021 with Reba’s consent and protections under Fanlore’s Identity Protection policies and the posting website’s privacy policies. Unauthorized reposting of this interview is forbidden.

Due to the casual nature of this interview, repost of this interview is strictly prohibited. Linking and sharing is appreciated. Translation and unauthorized repost of this interview is forbidden.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them.

#bts #bangtan sonyeondan #fandom #fandom meta #fandom interview #fandom interviews #fanlore #charmedseoul #charmedseoul interviews #fanfiction #fanfiction author #fanfic #fanfiction meta #fanfic meta

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charmedseoull · 3 years

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Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) Interview with Anna (arctic_grey)

Before You Read the Interview

Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) is documented within the Slice of Namjin Side Project by Charmedseoul. It centers around the internationally popular K-Pop idol group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) with the main characters being Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin. This work is being documented for historical purposes for the Fanlore website with its own page. Charmedseoul is a BTS-focused anonymous historian who documents fanfiction and writes analysis. Please feel free to contact her on Twitter @/charmedseoul or on Tumblr @/charmedseoull if you have any questions.

Parts of this interview have been edited with links to Fanlore and Wikipedia pages for understanding. Any information in [brackets] serves for further clarity for readers.

Disclaimers: This interview contains spoilers for the BTS Archive of Our Own work Imprints (For the Boys in the Back). The story’s Archive of Our Own tags contain sexual activity, depression and mental health issues, references to suicidal thoughts, and discussions of infidelity. The full tag list is:

post-college!AU (i guess)

struggling-actor!Seokjin

producer!namjoon

Fuckbuddies to boyfriends

side yoonmin

Existential Angst

past Seokjin/OC

past Namjoon/OC

Learning How To Love Yourself

Praise Kink

also namjoon calling seokjin baby is a kink

as in NJ calls Seokjin baby approx 500 times and i am into it

jimin: the chaotic gay

IS THAT ENOUGH

wait

Hurt/Comfort

Mild Angst

Medium angst?

Phone Sex

Falling In Love

Friends With Benefits

boys that are bad with feelings

Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

everyone else in the bg shipping the shit out of namjin

one night stand!au

This interview discusses an 18+ mature work and Not Safe for Work topics. Please read this interview at your own discretion. You are responsible for the content you consume.

Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) begins with struggling actor Kim Seokjin and his self-destructive behaviors after a messy breakup. He ends up with a one night stand that grows into something more with Kim Namjoon, a successful producer in South Korea. The story follows Jin’s personal growth and their budding fuck-buddies turned boyfriends relationship.

Now presenting the interview with Anna, author of Archive of Our Own’s Imprints (For the Boys in the Back):

How did you start writing? How did you get into fanfiction?

I discovered fanfiction in my early teens, through fan-run websites [I don't [remember which websites] at all, sadly! The layout was black..? *rummages baby memories*] for TV shows, with discussion boards where people would post fanfic. Cue 13yo me inhaling fics about Buffy/Spike, Angel/Spike, Buffy/Faith, and the list goes on..! [From Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Series] I was only a kid, of course, and I knew full well that I should not be consuming the content I was, so I was a sheepish lurker. I did attempt writing fic of my own too, but it was never finished or uploaded (thank goodness!), and my English wasn't good enough to write fluently, as it is not my first language. I later got into bandom when I was 19 and, upon discovering the fanfic communities on LiveJournal, I wrote and published my first fic - it was very bad writing, but the five or six comments it got was enough to keep me posting!

What bands were you into?

They were the Fueled by Ramen bands that were popular in the later 00s, so mainly Fall Out Boy [Abbreviated to FOB] and Panic at the Disco. I went to a FOB concert some years back and only recognised six or seven of their songs, which was pretty sobering lol. I was more invested in the transformative works community than the bands, I think, which is a weird contrast to my time with BTS and how much I listen to their songs! It has also been fascinating (and alienating) to see the bandom fan communities continue a decade later and have old fics be read by newer generations who have no context for the fic community those fics were written for. It's a very different time now.

How much writing experience did you have prior to Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

When I wrote Imprints, I had 12 or so years of fanfic writing behind me, in numerous fandoms, but I hadn't written in a year and a half or so. Writing out the first few scenes was an "oh shit, here we go again" moment, as I'd been wondering if my fic days were now behind me..! Dear reader, they were not.

Do you have any literary or artistic inspirations? Any other authors or works that have inspired you to create anytime before or after Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

Lots, although I've been a poor reader the last few years, which I sorely need to fix. Perhaps an obvious choice, but I love Hemingway's writing. Anyone who can get me excited about something as mundane as fishing earns a point or two - although I doubt I'd invite Hemingway over for dinner, as I simply don't have the booze or the patience. One of my fave ever fics is this Cherik fic by Yahtzee - it's a whole novel of its own, and I love it because it shows the potential of fanfic. We're so spoiled sometimes!

How did you become an ARMY [BTS’s fanbase. Abbreviated from Adorable Representative MC of Youth]?

I was recruited, hehehe. Honestly, that's the best way to put it. There was an ARMY at my work who talked about how much she loved BTS and showed me some music videos. I didn't get it and kept thinking about it - "wow, she was so into them. But why?" So I watched some more MVs [Music Videos] and choreography rehearsals, and I then thought that I should figure out who is who, perhaps learn their names... oooh, you know how this goes! [A popular saying for describing how people become ARMYs is “I just wanted to know their names.”] That ARMY was an intern, so I only knew her briefly and I soon changed jobs myself, so I sometimes wonder where she is now and if she knows that she changed my life.

How has your experience being an ARMY been? Did you ever leave the fandom then come back? How did you interact with others when you first got into the fandom?

I've been in the fandom since mid-2018, without breaks, and I consider myself a new ARMY still. The experience has been a learning curve! I could write essays about how platforms like Twitter have removed the fourth wall and left transformative communities in a weird limbo that older fandom spaces didn't struggle with. We have access to the people we are fans of in a way that's changed how fandom operates and perceives itself and its function, and not always in ways I find positive. I've never been a part of a fandom this huge or active, so I've definitely learned the hard way, too, that people are in the fandom for very different reasons, so you need to find your own people and enjoy the fandom experience with them. Like any party you might walk into, there are people you click with and people you don't—people who came for similar reasons and people who haven't. There are much more fandom kudos being dished out and fought over than my older fandoms: I always used to argue that fandom fame doesn't have real life use—it doesn't get you a free drink at Starbucks! However, that probably isn't true anymore, and you just might get that free drink. My own response to this kind of more competitive fandom (if that is the right word) has been to step back and take control of my fandom space the best I can. I've found fandom friends of similar age and interests who will cry with me about how perfect Kim Seokjin [BTS Member Jin] is, and I love that my fellow ARMYs are scattered quite literally all over the world (although I wish they were closer so we could do wine dates). But someone is always awake in a time zone somewhere to go "did you see this yet?!", and I really love that. I'm grateful for the space I've curated for myself, but it requires constant work.

How old were you when you wrote Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)? Were there any significant life experiences you were going through at the time?

Hehe, I am sure people can count my age from earlier replies! I was 31, and I do find that when you write throughout your formative adulthood (I started at 19), fics become mementos of different stages of your life. I can look at a fic and go "oh, I was in love with Person X when I wrote this!" Imprints has a less optimistic background, as it was written during a depressive episode that was so all-consuming that I questioned if I should continue living. The story asks how to keep going when you feel completely hopeless and like you’ve really messed up your life.

Before you even wrote Imprints (For the Boys in the Back), what inspired it? Any TV shows? Music? Movies? Books? Ideas? It could be anything. You talked about the song Waste It On Me by Steve Aoki inspiring the story, was there anything in particular about the song that inspired it? The lyrics? The melody? The atmosphere?

Waste It On Me came out in late October 2018 and I started writing Imprints in late November 2018. The song was a huge inspiration - it's about how painful and disappointing so many relationships are, but "if love is nothing more than just a waste of your time, waste it on me." [Genius lyrics from the song] Even in the cynicism and acknowledgement of love as a disappointing and destructive force, the song betrays itself by having hope for this new person, although hidden in nihilistic doubts. I loved the song instantly and listened to it for hours on end—there's a one-hour loop version of it on YouTube that I contributed many views to. I saw a story in the lyrics: a person trying to convince someone to try one more time and a person reluctant to. That was my story. RM's mono also came out in October 2018, and I couldn't stop listening to it either, and this mixtape inspired Namjoon going to Tokyo [doolset lyrics] at the end of the fic. These were my soundtracks at the time.

How did you start writing Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)? Did you finish the entire story then publish it or did you write it as you went? What was the writing process like?

I wrote the story in six weeks, from late November of 2018 to early January 2019. For me to spit out 52k in six weeks is unusual! Kudos to those who do NaNoWriMo [National Novel Writing Month Information] - it's so hard! But the story really fell from the sky into my lap and I saw it all so vividly that I was rushing to get it all out. I would describe the writing process as "intense", as I truly spent my weekends, mornings, and evenings on it. I even spent some of Christmas on it! Sometimes you can lose the characters or their voice if you take too long a break from a story, and I really wanted to push forward with Seokjin and Namjoon [BTS member RM], who were so clear to me. I posted the first section when the story was around 90% complete and posted the rest in quick succession as I finished my edits.

Did you have any beta readers or editors? If you did, are you still in contact with them now? How did they feel about your work?

Imprints had no betas, partly because I was new to the fandom and so had no one to ask, but also because I operated without betas in the few fandoms pre-BTS. I was quite used to just proof-reading on my own, hoping I caught the mistakes and could see what clauses/paragraphs/moments needed more work. I've since gone on to have betas for other fics in the fandom and my goodness betas are great! But good ones are painfully hard to find, especially if you're new.

What fandoms were you previously in?

I was briefly in the X-Men fandom and wrote a few fics there, and then in 2016 I was of course sucked into Yuri on Ice!!!. I also consider myself a part of the figure skating fandom whether they want me or not, lol - fanfic is very taboo in that space and overall rare. I don't think I've ever read any fics of skaters and neither do I particularly want to! The fourth wall isn't substantial enough.

Why did you use Greta Garbo and Uemura Naomi in your story? How did you decide on these two historical figures in particular?

Uemura came first, as he is introduced in the opening scene. I didn't want a Western figure, and as I researched different adventurers, Uemura stood out to me. There wasn't much English language literature on him, but thankfully some 80s newspaper articles were online. [Articles: 1, 2] I read up on him more and knew he would have caught Namjoon's imagination. Some readers have asked where to get a copy of the Uemura biography that Seokjin reads in the fic - The Splendour of Solitude - but it doesn't exist irl [in real life], although the title is based on a quote by Uemura. For Seokjin, Garbo first came when I described his apartment: he has a framed movie poster with an actor he idolises. Who is the actor and what is the movie? I could see him enjoying classic cinema of all kinds, including Hollywood, and within that setting Greta Garbo is famous and infamous as someone who never really fit into her surroundings. For me, Seokjin would relate to that yearning of finding your own place, to Garbo's isolation and mental health struggles. The two historical figures came together to complement the fic better than I at all expected or hoped.

How did you decide on using past Seokjin X OC and Namjoon X OC relationships instead of having them date another idol or celebrity? Did you want to have more control of the personalities and how readers perceived their exes?

When writing a story with, say, an ex that hurt the protagonist, you're painting someone as the bad guy (although Imprints pushed against that idea that someone always has to be 'the bad guy', I hope). Using another idol, then, is asking the reader to dislike someone they might really like - and I have definitely written that way in other fandoms in the past, choosing people from the canon corpus to be "baddies", and then having to justify that decision to readers who really like that person/character. Using an OC, however, is asking the reader to dislike someone they have no preconceptions of, and that goes down more smoothly in my view.

How did you decide on Namjin to be the main couple in this story? What’s special about them?

Waste It On Me determined Namjoon as the love interest, but I was new to the fandom and wasn't sure who should be the protagonist because I hadn't really settled on any specific ship yet. Also, there were so many ships to choose from! I considered each member, especially the hyung line because I wanted to give the protagonist more life experience, and in the end I decided that Seokjin best suited what I was looking for. I also knew Namjin was a relatively popular ship and that they had good chemistry (it is only later I found out that Namjinists [Fans who ship Namjin] are starved XD). Since writing Imprints, I've become devoted to the pairing—they are so supportive and fond of each other in real life, and I adore writing and reading their fic versions awkwardly flail about in love.

In the beginning of Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) you used a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald in Tender is the Night. The quote is “It might be nice to meet your first love all intact, emotionally too. That’s an old-fashioned idea, isn’t it?” Why did you choose this particular quote to start the story? How does it relate to the characters?

When I read books, I write down lines and paragraphs that I particularly love, like a small treasure trove of observations. Imprints, like some of my other stories, has a quote at the start that, for me, encapsulates the story and speaks of its character. The Fitzgerald quote is a long-time favourite of mine (I have quoted it before in a Cherik fic, too). For me, it's a wonderful way of saying that as we gain life experience we hurt and are hurt, and that it is downright unrealistic to think that we can be undamaged by the time we find a person to share ourselves with. Seokjin points this out to Namjoon in the story - that he comes with baggage, so what does he have to offer to anyone? Don't people want someone who is just magically intact and well? In that way, the quote lines up with the subject matter of the fic, and also echoes some of the ideas in Waste It on Me, too.

Why did you choose to explore themes with mental health in the story? Is mental health and improvement important to you?

The themes in the story were an overflow of my own struggles with mental health at the time of writing. I didn't intend the story as a guide of how to go about processing self-destructive behaviour or how to crawl out of a depressive episode - rather I let Seokjin’s character process some of the issues that I had been struggling with in a fictionalised way, while also allowing him to verbalise some of the most awful thoughts that my sickly brain had forced me to think. Sometimes when writing I thought "can I let this character say this? Can he say that he thinks life is no longer worth living? Is this not too grim and melancholy - or, worse, self-pitying?" I wasn't sure this was content people would want in a fanfic, but it was honest writing, and I know that it did me a lot of good to have those thoughts out there - like sucking out venom.

You also explored themes of love and relationships in Imprints (For the Boys in the Back). What compelled you to add your own commentary and thoughts about these things? What’s your understanding of them?

I joke that I have "a low AU tolerance", which is that I tend to like modern AUs focused on relationship struggles and growth, as opposed to elaborate medieval kingdom AUs with magic and dragons. I love that the latter exists, but I would struggle sitting down to read or write them! This has changed over time because I definitely was more of an AU [Alternate Universe] person in the past. These days what motivates my writing, largely, is me wondering about relationships. How do we find space for another person in our lives? How do you make a relationship last? How can you accept love and support, or return it? How do you grow with another person? I love nitty-gritty relationship analysis that explores these questions, as Imprints and Magnitude have done, or more recently with Walls. The fics are vehicles to get to these types of questions, while the plots are me theorising answers.

Seokjin had a great character arc throughout the Imprints and Magnitude series where he learned to love himself. What was your thought process when characterizing and developing him?

I always worried about Seokjin's characterisation because he is such a warm, bright person in real life, and I was concerned that my take on him was too out of character - although Seokjin has discussed his struggles with anxiety more openly since, so it may feel less OOC now. Magnitude continued exploring how mental health problems don't just vanish overnight and that finding a dashing babe like Namjoon doesn't mean that your brain is now anxiety free. In Magnitude, Seokjin fears losing the good things he has, to the point that he sabotages them himself. But through his mistakes, I poured as much love into him as I could, hoping to get him to a better place. And it wasn't only his inner thoughts I wanted to develop, but his relationship with Namjoon: how can someone like Seokjin let go of his fears and trust what he has with Namjoon, and go for what Namjoon is sincerely offering (with unwavering love and devotion, when Seokjin doesn't believe he deserves those things)? Again, the stories were my attempts at answering those questions, to see how the two characters could overcome them together. I was happy with and proud of where Seokjin was at the end. (I cried, like, a lot.)

Namjoon also grew a lot throughout the series. What was your thought process when characterizing and developing him?

Sometimes I get feedback of "where can I find my Namjoon", lol, which is very sweet! He is so self-assured that I really wonder how such people can exist - I wish I had an ounce of his courage and confidence, tbh. But that can lead him astray: he too can be proud and vain, causing him to misstep, as he does when Seokjin tells him he loves him in Imprints, or when he gets carried away in The Magnitude, too confident in himself to realise what is happening with Seokjin. So I wanted him to grow, too - to reassess himself and reconfigure his life, as Seokjin continues to challenge him and catch him off guard. But why Namjoon is so loved, I think, is that he never questions his feelings for Seokjin or wonders if Seokjin is worth it - he absolutely knows Seokjin is, and to be loved like that is magical.

How did you feel when your finished Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

Whenever I finish any story, I feel elated. I've been on a journey with my characters, mourned with them, cried with them, laughed and fought with them. Finishing a story is cathartic and, at the risk of sounding uncool, I often end up crying when I've written the last scene. I have no chill, lol. When I finished The Magnitude, I sobbed my eyes out - and it was a happy ending!

Can you explain Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)’s ending? What should readers take away from it?

I struggled ending the story - why not continue to show their first 24h back in Seoul, head over heels in love, and then end with some mushy, passionate sex? But no character or plot development would really have happened by writing all that, and no scene should be superfluous. Namjoon’s return to Seokjin made for a fitting ending, with its promises. And I loved Seokjin facing Namjoon head on, saying that even if their love would one day end, he would still give them a go with all that he had. That was the growth he'd gained through the first story. As for what readers should take away from Imprints, I am not sure I want to dictate that: take whatever you need. Maybe be kinder to yourself, but also that it is okay for relationships to fail. That might feel self-evident, but in my view it is not verbalised enough.

Were there any scenes or moments or lines in Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) that you were particularly proud of or want to highlight?

The Balcony Scene for sure! I drafted the dialogue of it way before the story got to that point, and based on comments it often stands out to readers too. Some of the dialogue is based on conversations I've had with people - Namjoon's "don't you miss having intimacy?" is from a conversation with a friend once. I also drafted the pre-Tokyo confrontation before I got there chronologically, and there Namjoon’s "don't get over me" stands out to me. The whole story has been about Seokjin trying to get over people, pain, his own thoughts, and here he is finally succeeding and trying to put Namjoon into that group too. But Namjoon disrupts that process: don't get over me. Namjoon intends to be a part of Seokjin’s life and is refusing to be another thing Seokjin lets go. It's effortlessly romantic but also a promise. I love that line and I wish I had more such one-liners up my sleeves! But I probably don't, alas.

What motivated you to create the sequel, The Magnitude? How did you decide that Namjoon and Seokjin’s story wasn’t over yet? Was the sequel planned from the beginning before Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) or did you decide to create it after Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) ended?

When I wrote Imprints, I had a rough draft for a final scene from Namjoon's POV that was set in the future, of him asking Seokjin to live with him and knowing Seokjin would need convincing. It of course made no sense to have a final scene suddenly from Namjoon's POV so I scrapped it - but I always knew that this conflict of committing even further lurked in their future and that they would feel ready at different times. I wrote another Namjin fic in the spring/summer of 2019, but then in late 2019 I started working on The Magnitude because I found myself thinking about it all the time. Unlike Imprints, Magnitude did not magically fall into my lap, and I got stuck at several points and had many different versions of the plot before settling on the final one. In a way, I am prouder of Magnitude because it challenged me a lot more, even if it made me despair too. But maybe that's why I am really pleased I managed to write it!

How were readers’ reactions to your work in the beginning?

Better than anything I'd hoped for for sure! I had never written for the fandom before, barely knew any other ARMYs, so I really had no expectations at all for readership. It was, to use the party analogy again, like walking late into a party that was very busy and no one had really invited you, but here you were anyway. The negative reactions came from people now active in my old fandoms, who ridiculed my shift into the BTS fandom. I can't quite remember what the first reactions of ARMY readers were, but the feedback was positive. The fact that Imprints now has nearly double the number of kudos/bookmarks/hits than any of my other works is mind-boggling—I never thought it'd be read so much (or at all!).

Did any reader comments stick with you in particular?

The feedback for the series has been unique, if I place it amongst all my work. I've said in the past that the comment section is like an ongoing counselling session, but in a truly life-affirming, marvellous way that I never expected. The comments that have most stood out to me have focused on Seokjin's mental health issues and how people relate to his character. Many were happy that the story shows Seokjin getting professional help, in particular - a step that is too often omitted. The comments that have stood out to me most of all, however, were from readers who said that they hadn't expected seeing their own struggles with depression be described by another person so well before. That made me go "oh wow, it's not just me then." James Baldwin has a wonderful quote that I often think about: "It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive." I know it's just a random fic on the internet, but the readers' comments have echoed that connection in varying degrees, and underlined that the awful thoughts we have about ourselves are not unique to us - so many struggle with similar issues, but because we don't talk about that lack of self-worth or about depression, we think it's just us. And that's simply not true. I find hope in that.

Was there any hatred or criticism for Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

I've received hate for fics, but Imprints hasn't been one of them. I worried when posting that people would object to Seokjin's characterisation, but no one's articulated displeasure with the story's take on him.

Has anyone ever created fanart or fan works for Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

Yes! There is a fantastic podfic by lunchee, which I couldn't recommend more. There are also several translations, linked to the start of the fic. zamchala also made this gorgeous fanart. I still dream of commissioning some fanart for The Balcony Scene, but I've yet to figure out how to send money anonymously. Let me know, lol.

What do you want Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) to be remembered for? What do you hope people take away from Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)?

If the story made a reader laugh or cry, or if, however briefly, a reader felt understood, then I hope they find comfort in that and take it with them.

How do you view writing fanfiction? As a hobby or something else?

It's definitely a hobby, but it's also a way for me to process whatever I'm pondering about in my own life, and it is escapism too. During Covid-19 especially I have led an isolated life and see no one at all for months on end, but when you write characters you're not alone. It's a coping mechanism, and I often write in response to major life changes.

Is fanfiction important to your life?

Yes—I've met some of my best friends through fanfiction! And I'm definitely protective of fanfic because it is so often jeered at - not only by people outside fandoms, but by fellow fans too. To me, it's wonderful that people all over the world sit down to write stories (for free!), and then share those with others who like the same things. We have space pirates! Werewolf florists! Superhero single parent AUs! 800k fics about merpeople! How is that not a testament to human creativity and imagination? And fanfic truly is whatever you make of it: it can be a 2k PWP with Santa outfits, or a 200k analysis on what it means to be human. I absolutely love fanfiction and admire it profoundly.

What do you think about the current fanfiction writing climate? How do you feel about the ARMY fanfiction community?

I am anxious about the current climate overall because online harassment is more common than ever, and fic writers increasingly express anxiety over sharing their work. It saddens me when people stop creating because they're too anxious about online hate, or because of it, or never then create in the first place—although one's mental health and emotional well-being are always more important than content creation. Fans need to call out harassment more strongly and, in general, have muting/blocking be the norm.

Is there anything you would go back and change about Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)? How you handled subject matter? How you characterized someone? Or even the story itself?

I can't think of anything to change right now. Maybe I'd cut down the final sex scene, which is admittedly overly long and self-indulgent, but then some readers have told me never to cut down sex scenes, so..! However, fics can age badly—plenty of mine have as fandom culture and norms have evolved. So perhaps years down the line I will see what I should have changed now, but I do not yet see it.

How are you doing in your life right now?

Covid-19 survival mode. Hoping for better days.

Are you writing professionally in real life at all?

I don't write professionally, no. The one time I foolishly tried to rework a fic into original fiction I gave up on page forty out of eight hundred because I didn't enjoy the process at all. I find joy in fanfic communities as de-monetised spaces, although I have made some money from fics so I am aware of the irony in me arguing for that. Writing is wonderful—if you can turn that into a profession, be it scriptwriting or fiction writing, then amazing! Fanfic can be such a great place to develop those skills, but writing purely because you want to tell a story is so, so valid. We shouldn't in this era of late stage capitalism turn everything we love into a question of how to make money out of it.

Do you have any message for people who may read this interview in the future? Any advice or tips?

Hello to the future! I don't know with what authority I would give advice, as someone who has erred so much, but I hope that you write what you love, whether it's your seventeenth slowburn coffee shop AU in a row or an extreme kink rare pair PWP that only two people in the world will care about. Doesn't matter—write it! And keep writing! A joy for me has always been to see my writing improve, gradually and painfully, but nevertheless improving. I am still not quite confident how em-dashes work, but I'm getting there... Another piece of advice would be to change usernames and accounts between fandoms, lol. I'm waiting for my next fandom to finally dust off this pseudonym and let it go - often that's the smart thing to do. Lastly, remember that your first fic doesn't have to be good - your first twenty fics don't have to be good. You’re figuring it out! So keep at it if you love it: write for yourself. And, one day, that story you wrote might be exactly what someone else was looking for, and you'll have made their day. That's the beauty of fic for me. Much love, always.

Thank you for reading this interview. Further below are reminders and information about this interview and Charmseoul’s Fanlore project.

Anna (arctic_grey) writes on her Archive of Our Own account today if you are looking for her works. Charmedseoul will not be sharing the author’s social media or contact information.

This interview is a part of the Slice of Namjin Side Project by Charmedseoul. The project documents the works and authors of Namjin fanfics with unique themes and writing styles. All work for this project is done through Fanlore, which is run by the Organization of Transformative Works. However, Charmedseoul herself is not associated with Fanlore or OTW directly. All information documented through this project is done with full transparency.

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charmedseoull · 3 years

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Greta Garbo and Uemura Naomi in Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) by Anna(arctic_grey)

I am entirely in love with the writing of this fanfic. This could be called a commentary or an analysis or an essay, but I don’t entirely give a damn about the specifications. Fuck it, this is a love letter, an appreciation, and understanding of Imprints (For the Boys in the Back) by Anna (arctic_grey). I wanted to leave a comment on their works, but a comment would not do justice to the absolute love and adoration I have for their writing. Thus, I chose to do this instead. Enjoy.

This analysis is a part of Charmedseoul’s Slice of Namjin side project, which documents Namjin (Kim Namjoon x Kim Seokjin) fanfiction with unique writing styles and complex themes. You can find Imprints and Magnitude’s Fanlore page here.

Disclaimer: This is a 18+ work with adult content such as sexual activity. You are responsible for the content you consume, please be aware of that. This analysis contains spoilers for the work as well.

Here are the trigger warnings the author provides: depression and mental health issues, few brief references to suicidal thoughts, discussions of infidelity, self-destructive behavior, consensual sex under influence.

Now presenting the analysis of the use of historical figures Greta Garbo and Uemura Naomi in Anna(arctic_grey)’s work Imprints (For the Boys in the Back):

In the first chapter of “Imprints (For the Boys in the Back)”, Anna introduces the two historical figures Greta Garbo and Uemura Naomi to reflect the main characters of Kim Seokjin and Kim Namjoon. They each represent the two main characters’ initial desires and hopes for the future, but as the story progresses these things change. Greta Garbo and Uemura Naomi are Kim Seokjin and Kim Namjoon’s beginnings. Through their relationship, these two characters change each other and alter the course of their lives. They reject the comfort of Garbo and Naomi for the comfort of each other, definitively defying what they believed in the beginning of the series. The Imprints and Magnitude series offers alternatives to their lives and gives a realistic resolution that is able to resonate with any reader who has felt broken or lost. Imprints and Magnitude hears them.

Greta Garbo: Lavish, glamorous, compelling, and renowned. She was one of the greatest motion picture actors of the 1920s and ‘30s with her subtlety and restraint. Garbo carried an air of sophistication and richness that was insatiably desired by the public.

Greta Garbo is everything Jin wants to be at the beginning: sophisticated, surrounded by wealth, and explicitly independent. However, Jin craves affection and partnership. For him to live a life without a partner after the pain of his past relationship would doom him to misery. Jin is in pain. He is broken, a shattered glass mirror with an empty reflection that needs its pieces picked back up and glued together. He rejects his needs because they’re complicated. He was hurt deeply by someone he trusted. To fix all of that takes so much more than a comforting word or reassuring hug, it takes consistent gentle and attentive attention which many do not care enough to give. Even though he’s told his other friends about his pain, he’s still closed off. He puts up barriers and only Namjoon attempts to break those down with that consistent, gentle and attentive attention. He is the only one whose patience does not run thin. Jin tries so desperately to be like Greta Garbo, completely unbothered by the world and his wants. He isn’t Greta Garbo though. He’s Kim Seokjin. He needs to heal and at the beginning of the story, readers themselves aren’t acutely aware of that.

Uemura Naomi: Ambitious, independent, driven, and well-loved. He was one of the greatest Japanese adventurers as he became the first man to reach some of the Earth’s most remote places alone. Naomi scaled mountains and traveled relentlessly. When he was not adventuring, he was giving public lectures and sharing his warm personality with the world.

In the beginning of Imprints, readers aren’t too aware of who Namjoon is. The story is told from Jin’s point of view where he promptly calls Namjoon an asshole after their first rendezvous. Readers do get to know Namjoon better throughout the story though, catching on small quirks about him that they grow to love. Namjoon is like Uemura Naomi with the goal to do work, in his chosen field, by himself. Namjoon is already successful from the song “Hey Cutie” and grows more successful as he produces more music. He’s content with his success, focusing on it. Jin changes that. Jin enters Namjoon’s life suddenly, broken and confused about love. Namjoon is no savior. He had no intention to change Jin, only adding his own experiences and healing to the conversation. Unlike Jin, who grew resentful and emotionally unstable due to his breakup, Namjoon grew from it as a person. He came to accept what happened and let go of his past relationship. He’s then able to provide Jin a push to grow, diverting from his own path of solo adventures like Uemura Naomi. Namjoon departs from the role he was playing in his life as a mountain man and begins a path with Jin.

Each of these historical figures were known for being alone. Garbo closed herself off from the public and lived her life lavishly without ever marrying. Naomi scaled entire mountains and landscapes by himself, capable of accomplishing solo ventures deemed impossible. Both Namjoon and Seokjin were alone in the beginning of Imprints (For the Boys in the Back), but then they found each other and departed from their associations with these historical figures. They’re not alone anymore. They’re together and meant to be together. They’re healing.

Seokjin and Namjoon are no longer Greta and Uemura. They aren’t these lonely figures who found great success by themselves then died alone. (There is nothing wrong with dying alone by the way.) They’re human and need other people. It’s a startling refreshing take on love and relationships using a set up with historical figures. The message hits all the more with the context behind who these two were.

And that’s why I love it.

Author’s Note:

The Imprints and Magnitude fanfiction series, written by an author who had no intention to ever be documented, analyzed, or a part of this side project is one of my favorite works in both professional and casual literature. It’s an automatic recommendation to any who ask. Its writing style flows easily off the paper, detailed and emotional and incredibly personal. In literature stuffed with attempts to mean something, Imprints and Magnitude attempts no grand pompous message. It’s simple. It excels in its meaning whether intentional or not. I love works like that. I love works that feel intimate with the author’s closest thoughts. I love works where an author bleeds into the words and pages. It absorbs emotions in a raw way that can not be replicated in professional published works often. That is because published works have limitations. They have deadlines and people to make happy with the proper words and formats. Fanfiction doesn’t do that. Fanfiction is free to do what it wants. There are no restraints. It satisfies my intense craving for a work unleashed and unedited by publishers and institutions. It satisfies my intense longing for literature that’s different. I just want one person’s closest and deepest thoughts stitched together with words and phrases and sentences and paragraphs and laid bare for the world. Imprints and Magnitude gives me all of that and a cute love story with a message that sticks to me like gum. This series retaught love, relationships, and letting go to me. I needed that, especially as I continue to grow older. Thank you to the most wonderful Anna for being the one thing I’ve wanted for so long.

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charmedseoull · 3 years

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House of Cards by sugamins Review (contains spoilers)

This review discusses an 18+ work. Please read at your own discretion.

House of Cards by sugamins is an exhilarating thriller that is jam packed with moral questioning and an affirmative grasp on adult content. Its descriptions are laced with accuracy from an author who pays attention to every tiny detail.

When reading House of Cards, I was enraptured by its concept and storytelling. The Neo-Seoul setting is painted as a bottomless pit of drugs, sex, and violence. Readers and characters themselves feel helpless to where the truth of what happens beneath the eyes of society is shoved to their faces involuntarily. I adored the way the story sucked you into this world that’s loosely based on our own reality. There’s many quotes and observations from the characters that can eerily remind you of reality’s own issues.

Many fanfics don’t tackle these larger than life subjects, at least in a way that is this satisfying and coherent. House of Cards deserves its spot as the second most read English work on Archive of Our Own. Its writing, although wordy, fleshes out moral concepts in a way that isn’t romanticized or dismissive. There are multiple times when reading this fanfic where I had to stop and process a line or phrase. This fanfic is an experience of true entertainment that deserves a read when you have time to truly observe it.

In the beginning, its protagonist Kim Taehyung offers a point of view and introduction into the gangster world that readers can follow closely. Readers develop with Taehyung, witnessing him spiral into the world and eventually become desensitized to it. He loses a part of himself when he is in Haedogje Pa and at the end of the story is no longer so set in his moral beliefs. House of Cards brings up the same questions again and again: What is right? What is wrong? Can something be both? These questions are simple, but the situations the story puts Taehyung in allows us to question the true answers to them. The story frames these questions and concepts in a way that isn’t contrived as well with sugamins having a solid vision of where the story will go with them. Park Jimin is a character that has these moral questions thrust upon him unwillingly. In the story, he is but a victim to the entire world of Haedogje Pa. Unlike Taehyung, who chose to enter the world on an undercover mission, and Jeon Jungkook, who was born into the world as its rightful heir, Jimin did not choose to enter the world. He was stolen off the streets against his will. His perspective in the story introduces a contrast that engages readers to question the roles of each character.

Kim Taehyung is our protagonist with no real antagonist except society itself and a character that’s built up towards the end but eventually killed. However, Taehyung does bad things. We’re supposed to root for him, but he tortures a man, kills another, and threatens one that we grow close to as readers heartlessly. Then, take Park Jimin. As readers, he gets all our sympathy as an involuntary participant in the world. He’s taken advantage of sexually and never has something genuine happen to him. Hidden agendas plague the characters with our protagonist himself having an extensive one that works to take down the entire gangster world. Jimin never has a hidden agenda. He seeks love and comfort, indulging in designer clothing and an exotic animal as a pet. Even with all the luxuries around him, he doesn’t live for those. He lives for the knowledge that he cared for and safe. Readers themselves don’t come to terms with that until the end of the story.

The one genuine thing that happens to Jimin is in the second to last chapter. Here, he’s the breaking point of the entire operation and has to deliver the hard drives with evidence to convict Jungkook. There’s this heartbreaking moment where he’s in the penthouse apartment by himself, downing pills and trying to gain the courage to go through with his actions. It’s a moment that hurts as a reader as we’ve witnessed his struggles and have gotten to understand his backstory. There is deep pain and trauma within him, but then he does it. He enters into police custody with the hard drives and exits the world of Haedogje Pa. In that scene, this is where the genuine thing happens. One of the side characters named Sungah comforts him in this hard to read moment. She offers him a plushie and he denies at first, but then accepts it. There’s a tonal shift in this scene that takes us out of Haedogje Pa and back into reality. It's a sobering effect that affects the rest of the chapter with the eventual arrest of Jungkook and end of the operation.

The dialogue in House of Cards is impactful as well. There’s so many lines in the story that hit and invigorate me. Sometimes they drive me up a wall with how wrong they sound or they strike a nerve and push me to the ground. If House of Cards were a television show, I can imagine the camerawork and music playing as characters say things. The most powerful lines have to be at the beginning and end of the story. In the beginning, they set the tone especially all of Kim Namjoon’s lines that, if you follow and know BTS, are filled with wisdom and experience and warning of what’s to come from the story. Then in the end, the lines act like they are closing a book or flipping a page. They make readers move on from the story which has given them more than enough to ponder in its 25 chapters.

I’m a skimmer to a fault when it comes to stories. Long descriptions of scenery and appearance bore me and that’s just the reality of what I like as a reader. However, I found House of Cards’ wordy writing grasping me by the throat and keeping my eyes glued to each word. I absorbed every detail voraciously because it kept it so interesting. If you skim, you miss out on all these tiny details in the descriptions or nods sugamins puts in the story. The BTS members’ habits like how Taehyung licks his lips is put into the story seamlessly where you don’t recognize it. Usually I notice those things, but House of Cards makes those habits and nods its own.

I could do an entire breakdown of House of Cards’ writing conventions and details, but I don’t want to keep you here all day. This story is wonderful. It’s deep, rich, and captured my attention like no other. That comes from someone who's been inhaling novels since a young age and studies them to no end. House of Cards is not only a fanfic, but it is an experience.

Its adult themes are written with care and I love every bit of its story direction. Its ending is the best part where all this build up pays off in a way that’s unsatisfying. I love that dissatisfaction. Do Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook truly love each other? In the words of sugamins herself in the interview I did with her, “I didn’t want House of Cards to be seen as a romantic story when I created it. If readers see it that way, they are more than entitled to their own interpretations. I cannot tell them how they can interpret my art, that is not my role as the creator.”

This fanfic is a must read if you can handle its themes and are of age to read it. It's a heavy read though and even if you go into it with the intention of keeping it casual, I assure you that its writing and world will suck you right in. I love House of Cards and I can’t say that enough.

Thank you for reading this review. You can read House of Cards here. You can read the interview I did with sugamins here. Then, of course, feel free to follow me to see more of the work I do.

#bts #house of cards #house of cards by sugamins #sugamins #hoc #t50btsff #bangtan sonyeondan #charmedseoul #vminkook

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charmedseoull · 3 years

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Interview with sugamins about her work House of Cards (Ao3′s second most hit English work and most hit BTS work)

Before You Read the Interview

Archive of Our Own Transcript

Reddit Transcript Part 1 / Part 2

House of Cards is documented within the Top 50 Most Hit BTS Works on Archive of Our Own Project, otherwise known as T50BTS, by Charmedseoul. It is the second most hit English work on the Archive of Our Own platform, most hit BTS work, and 16th most hit work overall. It centers around the internationally popular K-Pop idol group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) with the main characters being Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, and Jeon Jungkook. This work is being documented for historical purposes for the Fanlore website with its own page. Charmedseoul is a BTS-focused anonymous historian who plans to eventually document each of the top 50 most hit BTS work on Ao3 as in depth as this one. If you are in contact with any of the authors of these works, please contact her on Twitter @charmedseoul or on Tumblr @charmedseoull.

Disclaimers: This interview contains spoilers for the BTS Archive of Our Own work House of Cards. The story’s Archive of Our Own tags contain violence and gangster activity, along with discussion of prostitution and drug use. The full tag list is:

Alternate Universe - Gangsters

Gang Violence

Violence

Drugs

Drug Use

Explicit Sexual Content

Explicit Language

Blood and Gore

Blood and Torture

Gambling

Gunplay

Undercover

Disturbing Themes

Homophobic Language

Attempted Rape/Non-Con

Xenophobia

Dom/sub

Threesome - M/M/M

Drug Addiction

Dubious Consent

This interview discusses an 18+ mature work and Not Safe for Work topics. Please read this interview at your own discretion. You are responsible for the content you consume.

House of Cards by sugamins is a multi-chapter Archive of Our Own fanfiction that follows police officer Kim Taehyung’s undercover operation into the gangster world of Haedogje Pa. Jeon Jungkook, shrouded in an air of mystery and dubbed “The Boy,” is the heir to this crime empire. Park Jimin lives with him, acting as a lover of sorts in a high, pristine penthouse apartment. The story follows the three and their complicated relationship where sex, violence, and drugs surround them. Kim Taehyung tries to take down the empire as his moral lines of black and white begin blurring into gray. In this crime-ridden alternate reality to Seoul, everything from the structure of the gangster world to the trust between three lovers is as fragile as a house of cards.

Now presenting the interview with sugamins, author of Archive of Our Own’s second most hit English work and most hit BTS work, House of Cards:

How did you start writing?

How did you get into fanfiction?

How much writing experience did you have prior to House of Cards?

Do you have any literary or artistic inspirations? Any other authors or works that have inspired you to create anytime before or after House of Cards?

How did you become an ARMY [ARMY stands for Adorable Representative MC for the Youth. It is the fandom name for fans of BTS, otherwise known as Bangtan Sonyeondan]?

I started writing fanfiction in 2012. But before then, I used to enjoy writing stories as a child and young teenager. I used to write and illustrate my own stories. I even had a sketchbook filled with my own comic book, which was terrible! But I've always been creative. It started with art and then I moved onto writing when I discovered I was able to be much more creative with my words rather than my pencil.

I first got into fanfiction through my years spent on Tumblr. I had always known that it had existed, but I had never really gone looking for it because I hadn't belonged to a fandom at that point in my life. It was back in 2012 when I stumbled upon an EXO fanfic that a lot of people were talking about (Arbitrage, you can find it on Livejournal.) I read it and then thought...wow, so this is fanfiction! From that point, I started reading more and more, mostly Infinite fanfiction. And then I decided to start writing with the encouragement of an old online friend, and here I am!

In terms of writing experience, I have never formally received education. I stopped studying English Language and Literature when I was 16, instead focusing on Art, History, and Religious Education (purely because I wanted to learn about philosophy and quantum mechanics) for my final two years at high-school. The only experience I have is through writing fanfiction. I started back in 2012, and I've developed a lot since then. I started off small, writing horror short stories and little collections. Brotherhood was the first 'long fic' I created. I was shocked that it managed to get so big because I had never created a story of that size before. Writing helped me gain experience and figure out what worked and what didn't work, what I was good at writing, and where I was lacking and needed to learn. I don't think you can really experience an art form until you start doing it. You can learn all about the techniques and the conventions, but until you pick up a pen and start writing or drawing, you won't ever know what it means to create.

My literary inspiration has always been Stephen King. Which is funny, as he has described himself as 'having diarrhea of the typewriter.' I think that applies to me sometimes. I am a bit of a wordy writer, though I've started honing it down for certain stories. Sometimes, a story needs to be floral and descriptive, sometimes, it needs to be punchy and direct. So, King was my major inspiration, especially with horror. I also enjoy the works of Poe and Lovecraft (I acknowledge the problematic themes in the work of Lovercraft and seek not to praise him as a person. He was a terrible person for sure, but sadly, he had a way with cosmic horror that is hard to find.) I also enjoy Chuck Palahniuk and the dark, seedy and overall zany stories that he has created. I like his style a lot!

In terms of inspirations for House of Cards, I was obviously inspired by the films Infernal Affairs/The Departed. American Gangster and Training Day were also major inspirations (and also because I love Denzel Washington's performances in both films. I mean, who doesn't love him?) But I also drew inspiration from other sources that were less focused on gangs, more focused on the dark, nihilistic state of the world around us. I couldn't recommend the TV series True Detective hard enough. It is one of the best series I have ever watched. It handles dark and disturbing content so well, and its fractured, unreliable story-telling and philosophical musing is some of the best I've ever seen on screen. I highly recommend checking it out, but be sure to check the content warning and triggers because it certainly isn't suitable for younger audiences and those with triggers. In terms of real-life content, I think Ross Kemps' docu-series are very good. Particularly Extreme World and On Gangs. His docu-series show the dark and disturbing side of criminal activity, the drug trade and more.

I became a fan of BTS [Bangtan Sonyeondan] back in 2013. I had already been a fan of K-Pop for some time by then, as I had started listening to various K-Pop and K-Rock artists back in 2009. I knew of their debut, but I had seen hundreds of new acts debut by the time that they broke into the scene, and so I didn't pay much heed. Someone I followed on Tumblr at the time kept posting about how much she loved them, especially Taehyung [BTS V/Kim Taehyung]. One day, I stumbled upon a gifset of Yoongi [BTS Suga/Min Yoongi] being sarcastic in one of their first interviews. I thought he was funny, so I decided to check them out. At the time, they had recently released We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2 [BTS’s second music video release with their debut album 2 Kool 4 Skool]. I followed them from that point, and their first comeback [A “comeback” refers to when a K-Pop idol group releases new music, usually done twice a year.] was also my first comeback. I liked their music [BTS released Boy In Luv and Just One Day in 2014, both music videos of songs from their Skool Luv Affair EP.], but I liked them even more as individuals. I loved watching their shows [Here is a link to BTS’s schedule during 2014 when they had their first comeback. You can find the shows and interviews they were on there.], even though they are incredibly embarrassing to look back on now. They just had so much energy and looked to be having so much fun that I was having fun just watching them. I was a fan, I liked a lot of their songs and followed their activities. But it wasn't until they released HYYH Part One [Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa Part 1 (Korean) = The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 1 (This is the title in English), released with the I Need U and Dope music videos.] that I really became a fan of their music. I had already created a couple of small horror stories for the fandom at that point. HYYH Part One [The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 1] inspired me so much that I created Brotherhood, my first 'long fic.' I joined AO3 [Archive of Our Own] and started posting there. I received so much support from fellow fans that I carried on writing, and the rest is history!

How has your experience being an ARMY [Adorable Representative MCs of the Youth, BTS’s global fan base name.] been? Did you ever leave the fandom then come back? How did you interact with others when you first got into the fandom and as you grew up?

How have you been since you wrote House of Cards? What have you been working on?

Are you okay with talking about how old you are now and how old you were when you wrote House of Cards?

Before you even wrote House of Cards, what inspired it? Any TV shows? Music? Movies? Books? Ideas? It could be anything.

How did you start writing House of Cards? Did you finish the entire story then publish it or did you write it as you went? What was the writing process like?

Did you have any beta readers or editors? If you did, are you still in contact with them now? How did they feel about your work?

My experience being a fan has mostly been positive over the years. In the earlier days, back around when I first started writing for the fandom, it was certainly much more positive. I've received so much support over the years, not only in my writing but in my personal life from readers and fellow fans that being a fan of the boys [The members of BTS] really has changed my life. That's not an exaggeration. I doubt I would even be here now without those years having such a positive effect on my mental health. I've never really been the kind to interact with others and form cliques within the fandom, I just like being in my own space and interacting with everyone that comes my way, I guess?

These days, I'm not as active as a writer or in fandom spaces however. I feel like my time in the fandom has started to come up and I don't know how I feel about it just yet. I feel nostalgic for the time when I was first starting out in the fandom and I didn't really know much, but everything was fun. It doesn't feel so fun now, but I mostly contribute that to the effect that Twitter has had on shaping the fandom's growth. Twitter has never been a good place for creatives within fandoms because of issues with algorithms and such. Tumblr was always the better website for hosting artistic content for a variety of reasons. So, I think the fact that everything is on Twitter now has been partly responsible for my decline in engagement and overall enjoyment. I'm currently taking a break from Twitter. The next couple of months will be what makes me either stay or leave the fandom.

Since writing House of Cards, I've been an active writer in the fandom. Over the years, I've added quite a lot of stories to my AO3 accounts and various pseuds. My largest ongoing story is another gang story, set in the 1980s, called Valentino Summers. I actually started writing and publishing it on Ao3 just four or so months after I finished House of Cards—which is wild to think about. Finally finishing House of Cards seems like such a long time ago in my mind, and yet I'm still working on a story I created that same year! I like contributing horror stories to the fandom, especially in the Halloween period. I like publishing series in the month/upcoming weeks before Halloween—though I won't be doing so this year [2020].

When I started writing House of Cards, I would have just turned 22. It was inspired by the song 'Wires' by The Neighbourhood. I might be mistaken, but I believe that Jungkook [BTS Jungkook/Jeon Jungkook] posted a tweet with the song in it. [Jungkook did tweet about this song. Here is the English translation.] I had never heard of the band before, but my partner was a fan of their music. She sent the song to me and I was very interested in the lyrics, so I started discussing them with her. One thing led to the next, and then we had basically come up with the entire plot of the story. We just needed to create the characters. We spent a little while doing so, and then I started doing some research and started writing the story. There really isn't a grand backstory to House of Cards, it just happened so fast. We often come up with story ideas like that, and my partner is responsible for a huge amount of my stories. She has the creative visions, which I then turn into words. We make quite the team, haha~ The inspirations, I mentioned those in my previous answer regarding films and TV shows.

I published the story as I went, though I staggered the updates because I didn't want to post too frequently. I had the entire story planned out from the start——I didn't change a single aspect of the story no matter what I received in terms of feedback. I think a lot of readers assume that writers might tweak things if they sense the audience wants something to happen in terms of plot or relationships. Personally, I don't like doing that. I like sticking to my plans even if I know my vision might not be what the readers want. I think it's important for the story to be created the way I see it because my vision is what made me create it, if that makes sense.

The writing process was surprisingly smooth! You might not think it because the story is big and there are a lot of characters and plot threads to keep on top of, but it went smoothly for me. It flowed just as smoothly from start to finish as Brotherhood did. I never struggled once with writing the chapters, nor did I ever get stuck and wonder if I should change the content in order to make it easier to write. I'm surprised that I managed to complete it so easily because that's not the case with writing now! I tend to be a lot slower now, more deliberate and more open to changes in order to ease the process and the overall flow of the story. In a way, this change has been for the best. I do wonder what House of Cards would be like if I were to write it now, with my different approach to planning and writing. It would probably have a quicker flow, and the word count would either go down as a result of cuts, or go up because of additional scenes I would have likely included.

I didn't have any betas, which you can probably tell from the work. My stories are so big that I never wanted to put the burden of fixing them onto someone else. I know they are imperfect, oftentimes bloated things, but that's just what they are. I did try creating a story with another writer in the past, but it didn't go very well. She would often have conflicting opinions on things and would not have any leeway for anything I suggested, whereas I always had leeway to allow her to change things. Even to the point of completely changing the plot of the story that I had already started writing, and then allowing her to add graphic sexual content she didn't even want to be in the story. She actually stopped writing fanfiction randomly in the middle of us creating the story! She made a post about it being disgusting and nasty and then bowed out. I have no clue if she ever came back! So, my negative experience with attempting to work with someone else when creating a story kind of made me not want to have a beta. It's a wild story, I know!

House of Cards is praised for its realism and accuracy with weaponry, torture, sex, and violence. How did you research these things?

How did you come up with the gangster universe in House of Cards? How did you develop Haedogje Pa?

How did you name the original characters in House of Cards? Did any characters in particular take inspiration from existing characters in TV shows, anime, books, any type of media?

How did you decide on Vminkook as your main characters for the story? What do you see in their dynamic and them as characters?

Jimin is claimed to be one of the best written characters in the entire story. What was your thought process when characterizing him and developing him?

Taehyung is an especially dynamic character whose morals get tested time and time again in House of Cards. What was your thought process when characterizing him and developing him?

Jungkook is one of the characters that the readers spend the least amount of time getting a perspective from, but is incredibly well written in his character progression. What was your thought process when characterizing him and developing him?

When it came to various aspects in the story, I did do research. Most of it never really had an impact on the story itself. For example, I would be looking up gun models that are used by law enforcement agencies around the world and trying to find specs of them so I could learn how many bullets each gun held, or how much a magazine could hold. In action scenes, I didn't want my characters firing off 20+ bullets for a gun that—in reality—holds far less. That's a fact that doesn't really mean much to the average reader, but it meant something to me! I've always hated how many bullets fly through the air in action scenes in films and TV shows because I'm always wondering if it's possible with the firearms featured in the scene haha~ In terms of torture, I've come across the subject through various documentaries and TV shows about gangs, crime and serial killers. I didn't really do much additional research into the topic, beyond reading up on what I had come across to make sure it wasn't fictionalised for drama purposes. Obviously, there will be some lack of realism in my story because I couldn't possibly write a realistic portrayal of gang violence and torture when I have zero personal experience with it. My aim wasn't to give the story 'full' realism (I'll explain more about that in the next question) but to simply create a world that felt real, even if there were little aspects that had to be exaggerated for the sake of the story. Taehyung's behaviour when undercover certainly broke many procedures. The only thing working in his favour that allowed him to get away with it is that the crimes he committed couldn't be directly traced to him. But a real undercover agent would never do the things that he did on behalf of the gang. Basically, this means that the entire story is unrealistic! But of course, it wouldn't be very entertaining if Taehyung simply observed from the background and didn't dirty his hands. So, I had to bend and break the rules a little!

For the universe, I knew that I couldn't base it too much in reality. Because of basic Korean law, it would have been impossible for me to write the gang operating in the way they did in the story—especially with guns. Most Korean gangs tend to use other forms of violence and weapons in order to control their respective areas, rather than guns. My other story, Taste of Ink, has what I would consider a more realistic approach to gang activity—with the main weapons being knives, baseball bats, etc. and the main forms of violence being assault instead of flat-out murder. So, for the sake of allowing guns to appear in the story, I had to create a Neo-Seoul, so to speak. I took inspiration from Korean gangs, and mixed it with influences from other gang cultures in order to create 'Haedogje Pa.'

When it comes to naming original characters, I honestly don't put much thought into it. I like to use real names for inspiration. I often Google various Korean films I've watched and read the cast list in order to find interesting character and actor names. This is because I have a habit of reusing names sometimes. For example, readers of my stories might have come across a couple of Daesu and Goohee characters. Do you know where I got these names from? I picked Daesu from Oh Daesu - Choi Minsik's character in Oldboy. Goohee comes from the manhwa 'Let Dai' - he is the stubborn gang leader that actually has a good heart beneath his rough exterior. I ended up liking him the most by the end of the story, so his name is one that often comes to mind when I need to pick an original character name.

I never really consider real life dynamics when I'm writing because my stories are so detached from reality that it seems pointless including any inspiration from reality. I chose the three main characters simply because, at the time, they seemed to fit the character moulds the best. The other characters fit their respective characters so well (especially Namjoon [BTS RM/Kim Namjoon] and Yoongi) that I simply thought it was best to have Taehyung, Jimin [BTS Jimin/Park Jimin] and Jungkook as the three lead roles. I chose them more based on how I thought they could personally fit the characters, rather than focus on the dynamic. To use Taehyung as an example, I thought that he would fit the character of the informant in my story because in reality, he is intelligent and seemed like he would suit the role. For Jimin, I thought he would be a good choice for a character that some might think is vulnerable or even weak. He is actually very strong and the most important character for the plot progression. For Jungkook, I liked the thought of someone with such an innocent outer appearance hiding a dark secret.

I'm so glad that readers took to Jimin so positively on a whole. I know there are some that hated him, or that hated the fact I chose him for such a role (a 'negative' sex worker role). But Jimin is the most important character for the plot progression. It is through him that the entire plan finally culminates in the explosive finish. I wanted to treat him with care because I understood that his character could go very wrong if not handled correctly. It would have been easy for him to simply become nothing more than a sexual prop, should the story have focused too much on Taehyung and Jungkook as the key players. So, I decided to subvert it by giving Jimin the ultimate hand in the story and allowing him to have more control than Jungkook in the end. If Jimin had not decided to follow through with the plan, if he had decided to snitch or had simply refused to do his part in exposing the gang, the story would've ended drastically differently. But I also didn't want to write Jimin taking control of the entire situation at the end because it would've felt ingenuine. He is a character that has been deeply affected by a lifetime of trauma. I was worried that some might take my portrayal of his trauma the wrong way, and see him not as a character that has suffered immense mental damage but rather as an annoying, weak character that gets in the way of more 'interesting' dynamics. I'm sure there will be readers that think that. Mentally traumatized individuals are often seen in such negative light, be they fictional characters or real people. When writing his character, especially in the later scenes, I wanted to make sure the trauma he experienced would shape his behaviour. Writing the scene of him getting ready to leave, when he is taking his pills and he doesn't think he can do it, it was hard. It was hard getting into that headspace of feeling so powerless in the moment and knowing that freedom is in reach, but not knowing how to achieve it. He was a difficult character to write, but I think he turned out just right in the end.

Taehyung was probably the best character to write. I love characters that start off so morally upright and pristine, and by the end of the story, their backs are bending and close to breaking from the weight of their conscience and misdeeds. His character has many facets to him that made his perspectives so interesting to tackle. From his green days in the gang, where he is horrified by the violence he sees, to the changes in his psyche as he starts to become desensitized to it all. Fundamentally, Taehyung begins the story as a good man, a hero, but by the end, there is no black and white thinking. He has become grey, muddied from his time spent in the gang. Is he a hero for bringing them down? Would a hero do the things that he did in order to bring down the gang? He killed people. He tortured people. He threatened a man with a gun, a man he knew had a deepset fear of guns that would severely trigger him. I think it all depends on how the reader sees it. The hardest thing to write for his character was his troubled descent into the relationship between him, Jungkook and Jimin, and how it affects his thought processes and emotions. I didn't want House of Cards to be seen as a romantic story when I created it. If readers see it that way, they are more than entitled to their own interpretations. I cannot tell them how they can interpret my art, that is not my role as the creator. I don't know if I effectively portrayed the co-dependency between the three main characters as well as I would've liked. But I had never tackled such a story and themes before, and so it was all new to me.

I didn't know that Jungkook had the least perspective from the three main characters. Similarly, I never really put that much effort into creating and developing his character! Jungkook simply 'happened' in the moment. He would appear in the chapter, and then his character would basically take control of the scene. I never really knew what he was going to say or do beyond my rough plans for each scene. I just waited until he appeared and let the creative spirit flow through me. That's how he came to be! I've had that happen many times in the past with characters—they have a life of their own and I've no control over them. In my story, Brotherhood, Taehyung happened the same way. It was impossible to write his character in that story because he was so wild and free-spirited that it didn't feel right unless his behaviour was a total spur-of-the-moment reaction to the other characters and new plot points. But with Jungkook in House of Cards, I don't know why I didn't have him planned out like the others. It's interesting to think that he might've had a good progression when I never planned any of it in detail!

Were there any original characters you particularly liked writing or enjoyed?

When you wrote for the BTS hyung line, how did you determine their roles in the story and characterize each of them?

Is there a reason behind Namjoon saying “brother” or was it a consciously written character quirk?

When you handled more serious subject matter in House of Cards, how did you feel when writing it? Were you ever startled by your own work?

Was there any type of purposeful titling for the fanfiction chapters?

What was your reason for House of Cards’ open ending?

I liked writing Lim, the original informant that helped Taehyung join the gang. I like writing characters that come across as sleazy. In his case, the sleaze was all an act and wasn't true to his character; he was affecting it for the sake of creating a persona. But I enjoy writing absolute sleaze balls too—the kind of guys that have chest hair and wear gold chains and thick watches, who practically ooze oil. I just find them fun! Lim was a good teacher, even when he was rough around the edges. It was sad doing what I had to do to him for the sake of the plot. But I feel like Lim understood the game as well as everyone else, and so he knew he was running on borrowed time.

Of course, I loved writing Bae Goohee too! He was an absolute bastard! I loved writing this figure that is spoken about throughout the story as a frightening man, one so brutal that the readers are already wary of him before he even appears in the story. I believe that Taehyung refers to him as a 'guard dog' at some point. I think Bae is the scariest character in the story for me because he is so ruthless and willing to do any order that the Jeon clan give to him. That kind of blind and unwavering devotion is frightening!

I also enjoyed writing Sungah and Jangmi. I think they're the only female characters in the story that have dialogue? Sungah has a great backstory that I unfortunately couldn't go into too much in the story, but it shaped her character a lot. I like how frank and intelligent she is—she holds her own even in a department filled with men that receive far more praise than she does simply because she is a woman. She also allowed me to add an angle about the unfair treatment of women in jobs that have power, drawing parallels with how Taehyung faces discrimination from his fellow officers when his sexuality is abruptly revealed during the investigation. As for Jangmi, I just liked writing about the wife of a mob boss! And not one that is simply a trophy wife, but actually has a lot of power and influence across the city. I wish I had been able to feature her more, alongside her husband, Jeon himself. But I like the scenes they appear in and I enjoyed writing them.

For the rest of the members, I had Namjoon and Hoseok [BTS J-Hope/Jung Hoseok]'s characters planned right from the start. I had also created plans for Yoongi and Seokjin [BTS Jin/Kim Seokjin], but I wasn't sure how much of a role they would play in the overall story. As I started writing them, I realised that Yoongi would play an important role in both Taehyung and Jimin's character development, and so he ended up featuring a lot more than I had expected. I planned their jobs and then let them influence how I would write them. Namjoon and Hoseok's characters came naturally. Yoongi's character completely took over his job role and basic description and became a really strong character that I'm proud of. Seokjin was a little trickier because he doesn't appear in too many scenes—but the scenes he does are integral to the plot. I needed to make sure that his character said everything he needed to in his limited scenes. He has quite the bombshell to drop after all! Seokjin was also tricky because I wanted him to have an air of mystery around him. I wanted him to be the kind of guy that not even Taehyung and his police connections would be able to unearth much about; a ghost in the system. I would've also liked for him to feature more in the story, but I feel like his character appeared in the essential scenes that the story needed. He was going to feature more in the planned sequel, being one of the first characters to appear alongside Yoongi. He was going to serve an important role, so I'm disappointed that I didn't get to show those scenes to readers.

With Namjoon, I wanted to portray him as a mature character, but not one that was conservative and stiff. I thought about having him say things like 'man' but that seemed too casual and didn't suit his character. 'Man' made him seem more like a surfer than a police officer. But when he said 'brother' in one of the scenes, I realised the word suited him better. It was fraternal, and it allowed him to show some affection towards the other characters without having to have physical contact with them. It's not the only Namjoon I've written that says 'brother' a lot. In Valentino Summers, Namjoon has experience with hippies in the neighbourhood that he lives in, so he also refers to other characters like Jimin as 'brother.' It just seems to suit him! I guess it's because I like creating Namjoon characters that are intelligent and mature, but still have a gentle and warm presence. I could picture him saying it in real life (I'm certain he already has!)

When writing serious subject matter, I'm surprised to admit that I was never shocked by what I was writing! I guess it's because I already knew that I was going to be handling dark themes. I wouldn't have tackled such subjects had I not felt comfortable doing so. Dark content isn't for everyone, and by that I don't simply mean consuming it. Creating it can be very difficult for some writers, and can even cause distress. It's not easy diving into a world that is filled with crime, pain and fear. It's even harder putting yourself into the shoes of a character that is suffering/has suffered. I was never writing in a desensitised state though. Far from it. I'm actually very sensitive to violence in reality. In fiction, it depends on the violence—but I'm usually not too affected by it. I've been a fan of horror since I was a child, and so I've seen a lot of nasty films filled with gore and 'shocking' deaths that never really had much of an effect on me. Unrealistic violence doesn't scare me. But when it comes to personal violence, that is always frightening to me. It's far scarier writing a scene where a character feels threatened by another character and doesn't know what is going to happen to them then, say, writing a scene of a character dying a bloody, ridiculous death in a horror story. Personal violence is much more realistic, therefore it is more unsettling to write. In House of Cards, the violence is very personal. It's in your face, it's inescapable for the characters that are involved in it. But at no point did I ever feel like I needed to stop writing because I was uncomfortable or scared by the content. If I had been uncomfortable, it would have been very reckless of me to continue writing the story.

My word of advice to fellow dark content writers: it's always important to recognise your own boundaries. There's nothing wrong with removing dark content from a story if you get a bad vibe or feel strange when writing/reviewing it. Always follow your gut instincts and never put out work that you don't like.

When writing stories, I vary between titling the chapters and leaving them blank. For House of Cards, I cannot remember the exact method for naming the chapters. Sometimes, the title comes to me when I am writing the plans and I have an idea that just suits the mood of the chapter. Other times, I have finished the entire chapter and I have to spend some time reviewing the content to decide that the title will be. In some cases, I have finished most of a whole story and I'm still not certain what to title it! I feel like with House of Cards, the titles came after the chapters were finished, or at least when they were works-in-progress.

There are some titles that really stand out to me. 'Nice Teeth' for example, is a really ridiculous title. Going into the chapter, I don't think many readers would've imagined what it could mean. 'Submachine Sodomy' is even funnier. I really can't believe I chose that as a title! I'll bet a lot of readers saw it and thought, "Oh no! Not another gunplay scene!" Luckily for them, it wasn't a reference to Jungkook's predilection for firearms in bed.

In terms of chapter titles that I really like: 'Delusions of Grandeur,' 'I Own This Fucking City,' 'Sleeping Dogs Bite' and 'Carpe-fucking-Diem.' I just feel like these titles are very well suited to the contents of the chapters. They are the kind of titles that have bite to them, that hint at action or an important plot point.

As for the open ending, there are a couple of reasons. First of all, I had planned to continue the story in a sequel that would pick up after the events of House of Cards, roughly a year on after the investigation. However, I did not pursue this sequel. I wanted House of Cards to end on an open note for the sequel to continue the story. When it comes to certain stories, I just feel that closed endings aren't always necessary. I often enjoy stories with open endings. With House of Cards, it didn't seem right just closing the book and saying it was over. There was still so much that needed to be explored. Unfortunately, I decided to not continue it. But I still think that House of Cards' ending fits the story.

Were there any scenes or moments or lines in House of Cards that you were particularly proud of or want to highlight?

If you were to write the Yoomin sequel to House of Cards, how would’ve that looked like?

How were readers’ reactions to your work in the beginning?

Did any reader comments stick with you in particular?

How did you take the criticisms and hatred towards House of Cards for its serious subject matter? When did those types of comments start appearing? Also, where did the hatred come from? Twitter? Tumblr? Ao3 comments? Did people harass you at all or hurt you? How did you heal from that?

House of Cards has a lot of scenes. I'm proud of most of them and I think I did the best I could when writing them. I do not really like the sex scenes, but that is because I wanted to write them in a dirty, sleazy way. If I could, I would change them. I like the action scenes, especially the Gold Monkey Casino and police raid scenes. Action scenes are hard to write! Fight scenes in particular are so tricky. I often sit there, choreographing the fights so I can describe them! I loved writing Yoongi's introduction to the story, when he walks into the scene wearing nothing but his underpants.

One scene that I really liked writing is the scene where Namjoon and Hoseok investigate the USB stick that Taehyung sends to them. I personally love Namjoon and Hoseok's characters. I always enjoyed writing them. In this scene, I liked getting to write them in a setting that was not the police department office. A scene where they got to relax and banter with each other, even though they were still working. They discover a horrifying crime ring in the city, but they are left with no choice but to keep it secret because they do not want to risk blowing Taehyung's cover. I do not know why I really like this scene, I just do.

In the sequel, which focused primarily on Jimin and Yoongi, the plans were to have them reunite through Seokjin—who has avoided jail time through a plea deal with the SMPA. They undergo a healing process together as they try to come to terms with what happened to them. Yoongi has a lot of unhealed trauma from his childhood, much like Jimin, which I only got to briefly touch upon in House of Cards. They grow closer from bonding over their traumatic experiences, and they become happier and healthier as a result. Taehyung and Seokjin were also going to be main characters, with Jungkook, Namjoon and Hoseok making supporting appearances over the duration of the story. It was going to be drastically different from House of Cards because it would be lacking in action and violence. It would have been much more intimate, with much more scenes of characters talking and discovering things about one another.

I cannot remember early reactions to the story, I just know they were positive. There was a lot of positive support from the start. As I updated and started to get more and more into the story, I received a lot of support on tumblr too. I started posting chapter previews there, as I used to get asks [On Tumblr, users are able to ask bloggers questions through an “Ask” function. This can be done anonymously or with their own blog username associated with the question.] requesting them. I got A LOT of asks on my original Tumblr from readers that wanted to discuss the characters and certain scenes. It was really interesting seeing just how much the readers were interested in the story, so much so that they wanted to learn even more about the characters and the universe I had created.

Through House of Cards, I have received comments and messages from readers that had addictions. They told me about how they recognised their own behaviors through Taehyung, and this helped them realise what was happening to them. Those comments stuck with me for obvious reasons. I have family members with addiction issues, and knowing that I could help some stranger I have never met before come to terms with their own addictive behaviours had a massive impact on me. Funnily enough, a negative comment stuck with me. It was not a bad comment, by no means meant to cause offence. It was a comment that was left on the story when I was posting the early chapters. I recall the reader asking when the story was going to pick up the pace because it was too slow. It stuck with me because, at this point in the story, Taehyung had already trained to become an undercover agent, had enrolled in the gang, had met and interacted with Jungkook, and had murdered a man. I was surprised that this amount of development had been seen as 'slow' by a reader, as I had thought the plot had been moving very fast.

I never really had any hate posted on the story when I was updating it. I got angry reactions when I had finished it. Because the story had not ended the way some readers had wanted, I think that was what caused the negative reactions. On my original Tumblr, I even got an ask about how an anon reader was going to write their own ending because my one was bad. I told them that I did not want them to take my story and change it like that. I have no idea if they ever posted the ending anywhere. The angry reactions were mostly from shippers, who were upset with the story not ending the way they had wanted. To them, I ask: what were you expecting from the story? I thought it was always obvious that Taehyung was going to do what he had set out to do from the start, so I do not think I misled readers at all. It was a story about an undercover agent taking down a gang—and that is what I wrote.

I know there was some animosity towards me on Twitter too. Twitter is a whirlpool of negativity, I am not surprised. Writing House of Cards made me appear problematic. My partner used to follow an author a long time back, who tweeted about me being problematic—despite having never interacted with me or admittedly read my stories. It was shocking to me that people were making assumptions of who I was as a person based on a story I created. I have never created stories with the aims of hurting or upsetting others. I am a very quiet and private person, and I hate the idea of hurting others. It was strange to me that people could assume me to be this cruel or even dangerous individual, intent on hurting others, because I created a fictional story. Do they think the same of script writers for television shows? Or film directors, who create films with dark subject matter? Do they think published authors are problematic people for writing dark and disturbing content? Do they think certain genres should not exist because they do not personally like them?

I do think it is strange that fan fiction writers are placed on these ridiculously high pedestals of moral absolutism. Fan fiction was created to be a space for creative outlet for marginalised individuals, particularly queer individuals. The heavy censorship of dark and unusual content is putting this entire ethos at danger. I understand not wanting to have certain topics included in stories because there is a risk that the content can be used for grooming or can be presented in a way that can negatively affect young consumers' perceptions (like pedophilia for example.) I certainly agree that there needs to be boundaries in place to stop the community from being flooded with such illegal content. But I think there is a difference between wanting to remove dangerous content, and wanting to get rid of content you do not like. Content can be problematic to you, but that does not make it dangerous, illegal, or bad. For some readers, the content they create is their way of dealing with trauma. Maybe this is not healthy for them. But that is their decision to make, not yours.

I orphaned the story because I did not want to handle the potential backlash. To put it simply, I do not handle negative criticism well. Not because I am stuck-up and think I am perfect, but because I am a very anxious person. Just reading angry comments makes me feel very uncomfortable, often nauseous. I know that House of Cards has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from readers, and for that I am thankful. But I had to distance myself for the sake of my own mental health. Since orphaning it, it exploded in popularity. I am thankful that I orphaned it because that amount of attention would frighten me a lot, haha~

What was your reaction to the fanfiction trailer by Sappiamur?

How did you come to the decision to reveal your real name in the end note of House of Cards?

How did you feel when you finished House of Cards?

How did you come to the decision to orphan House of Cards?

Did you ever anticipate the overwhelming fan reaction to House of Cards?

How do you feel knowing that House of Cards is one of the most read fanfictions on Ao3?

What do you want House of Cards to be remembered for?

What do you hope people take away from House of Cards?

Why do you think House of Cards became so popular?

I had to go back and watch it. It's been some time since I last have, and I'm still as amazed by it now as I was back then. The trailer is insane. I cannot imagine how much work went into making it. It's so good and it fits the vibes of the story to perfection. I think the first time I watched it, I was in shock. I must have repeated it at least 10 times in a row, just to make sure it was real and I wasn't imagining it. Then I think I screamed about it on my social media accounts, haha~ If you reading this have not watched the trailer, consider doing so. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Back when I first started posting fanfics, I used to get a lot of asks wanting to know my name, my pronouns, stuff like that. I thought by adding my name at the end of the stories, it would help cut down on these requests. But I also did so because I used to get a lot of asks referring to me as 'author-nim' and I didn't like being addressed by this honorific. I'm not Korean so I have no right to receive that honorific. So, I included my real name so readers could address me with it when sending me asks and interacting with me. I don't add my name at the end of my stories now, but my name is in my Twitter bio for those that want to know.

When I finished it, I felt relieved! I was so calm in the moment! Looking back on it, I can't remember much. But I do remember finishing House of Cards without any issues. The final chapters flowed smoothly, it all clicked into place, and I had a great time writing them.

I came to the decision to orphan the story after several nights of contemplation. I was considering deleting the story, along with a few others, but my partner and some friends told me I shouldn't do so. They suggested orphaning it instead. So, I did so. I didn't want to delete it in case readers that had started it had not gotten to finish it yet. I would've felt very mean robbing them of the opportunity to finish the story like that. I don't regret orphaning it instead of deleting it. I didn't want to destroy the story, I just needed some distance between me and the story.

I didn't anticipate it, and I still don't understand it! I'm shocked that House of Cards got the reaction that it received. Do I think it's a good story? Yes, I think that I worked hard to create a story that is enjoyable to read. But did I ever think it would get the reaction it did? Not in a million years! I thought that it would be one of my more popular stories because a) the pairings and b) the content. Gang stories usually tend to get a lot of attention because it's a popular genre in fanfiction. I just didn't expect it to reach such a vast amount of hits, kudos and comments.

I'm in shock that it is one of the most read stories on AO3. I don't think I will ever be able to create another story that will garner that kind of attention and feedback. It's a once in a lifetime thing, so I'm immensely proud of myself for achieving such a feat. But really, it's all because of the readers that it achieved such a goal. I'm so thankful for every single one of them.

I just want it to be remembered for being enjoyable, I think. I don't have any grand and lofty ambitions for the story. I think so long as the readers enjoyed it, that is all that matters.

I'm not sure what I would like readers to take away from House of Cards. I guess I want them to reflect on the idea of morality and that not everything is black-and-white. Good people can do bad things, and bad things can happen to good people. It's hard to answer this question because House of Cards isn't a story that I consider to have deep messages in it? There are no messages about acceptance and love and healthy relationships and such, like some of my other stories.

Honestly? I don't know what made it get so popular. I assume it's because of the pairings or the setting of the story. I know that a lot of readers say they love the story because of how well it's written, but I can't comment on that as the creator, haha~ I can't say my story is well-written as I'm not consuming it from an outside perspective. What I can say is that I do think I created a story that has a lot of twists and turns and betrayals, which I think adds to the enjoyment factor.

How are you now in 2020? Are you writing professionally in real life at all?

How do you feel BTS fanfiction has changed over time? Since you’ve been writing for it for so long.

Do you have any messages for people who may read this interview in the future?

I'm not writing professionally. I have self-published two books via Amazon and Lulu. One was a basic re-branding of my story babes in the woods. The other was a total rewrite of Brotherhood, which I called 'Brothers,' featuring a whole new setting and roster of characters. I published them as readers showed an interest in reading original stories. I have been considering rewriting House of Cards as an original work in the future, but I can't say for certain that I will do so.

Since I started writing, I think there's been a lot of changes in the fandom—not only in fanfiction but in general. There's been popular trends that have come and gone (I was around for the explosion of social media and text-based AUs, which I personally am not a fan of) but there's also been a lot of push for more inclusive content. I'm really happy by the amount of inclusive content that I see these days. Despite some pushback from non-queer fans that sometimes have an issue with queer subject matter (for example, trans characters) I think it's wonderful that artists of all colours, genders and sexualities are now proudly creating content they want to see, and not simply just what is 'in demand' from the fandom.

The message that I would like to share with readers of this interview is: stay healthy, stay happy, and most importantly, stay you. I also want to take this moment to tell them this - if you are considering becoming a creator, but you are worried about reception to your work, or that it might not be good enough, stop right now! Stop doubting yourself and just give it a shot! I was once like you, scared that my weird and niche interests and writing would be ignored or even mocked by the fandom because no one would like it. Had I not decided to take the plunge, my life would be so drastically different. I've made so many friends, fallen in love, and completely changed my life by creating fan content. It can be scary, but once you take the leap, you will find your feet coming down on solid earth without any danger.

Thank you for reading this interview. Further below are reminders and information about this interview and Charmseoul’s Fanlore project.

sugamins is still writing on her sugamins Archive of Our Own account today if you are looking for her works. Charmedseoul will not be sharing the author’s social media or contact information.

This interview is a part of the Top 50 Most Hit BTS Archive of our Own Works Project by Charmedseoul. The project documents the works and authors of the top 50 most hit BTS works on Archive of Our Own. All work for this project is done through Fanlore, which is run by the Organization of Transformative Works. However, Charmedseoul herself is not associated with Fanlore or OTW directly. All information documented through this project is done with full transparency.

This interview was conducted through email from September 23, 2020 to October 25th, 2020 with sugamins’ consent and protections under Fanlore’s Identity Protection policies. Unauthorized reposting of this interview is forbidden. Quotation and screenshot share of this interview is allowed.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them.

Charmed Seoul. Fandom Historian based on Fanlore.com. Twitter. Tumblr.

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