Questions, questions

[louiselux]

What's a mun? I saw it on the info for theatrical_muse. I sort of twigged what a pup was. But why mun? Speaking of odd fannish terminology, I came across an article about smarm. Smarm as in a fannish term for the stories that make you go a bit squooshy. Yeah, I'm being clear aren't I? Soppy but in a good way, I suppose would be another word. The part of a story that gives you that nice sensation in your stomach. I've no idea if people still use the word smarm much in its fannish meaning- I certainly never see it used but then I'm only really in two fandoms. Apparently it came to have its fannish meaning through a misunderstanding; Person X described a particular scene in a story as'smarmy'. The person reading the comment, who didn't know the word, thought, as she'd liked that scene very much, that smarmy meant, 'something in a story that makes you squee', to use another fannish term. And she spread the term around amongst other people who'd also never heard of the word 'smarm' before. Which is funny because smarm for me, in its non-fannish useage, means pretty much the opposite. It has negative connotations, and I could never dream of using it to mean anything else. Is smarm a popular fannish word?

In other news, the Yuletide fic is up, running and smarming towards the finishing line. I really should get back to it work.

And, I've still got some Christmas cards left if anyone else would like one. I suppose it might arrive a bit later now though. Email me here: louise @ edfrank .fsnet.co.uk

Comments

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I thought 'smarm' originated in Sentinel fandom, where it was used for stories where the lads love each other and would die for each other and fully appreciate the glory of each other's naked bodies and may occasionally kiss but There Is Nothing Sexual Between Them.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was the general gist of the article, and that smarm was quite obviously a separate thing to slash, although they didn't mention a specific fandom. From their description I think it's what I would call pre-slash. It was all rather confusing really.

It's a rather unfortunate use of a word because to me calling something smarm sounds so derogatory. Like, 'your story was so smarmy.' I'd expect a slap for that!

[afrai.livejournal.com]

I dunno if smarm's a popular fannish word, but I've certainly heard of it. It's sort of odd how its fannish meaning is completely different from its real meaning, but I quite like it as a term because it describes precisely the kind of fic that makes me the most wildly happy. I don't know why, but even the best slash doesn't drag me to the heights truly superb smarm can. I think it's 'cos smarm doesn't contain a Consummation of the characters' Twu Wuv, so I'm kept hanging on the edge of my seat, which state I apparently enjoy.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I think it's 'cos smarm doesn't contain a Consummation of the characters' Twu Wuv, so I'm kept hanging on the edge of my seat, which state I apparently enjoy.

Me too. I like that feeling best of all. I think smarm translates into pre-slash, which for me is a far better term, although it's still not perfect because it sounds a bit like the story's in training for something and is going inevitably to progress on to the slash, when in fact the charm of smarm (eek) and pre-slash stories is that you can see the potential but you're never shown it.

[afrai.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I prefer smarm to describe it to preslash, because preslash implies that slash will be happening, but smarm is preslash that's always pre. And that's okay.

What would you call a smarm story if not smarm, though? Friendship? Only really intense.

My $.02

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I think smarm translates into pre-slash,

I think part of what makes smarm smarm is that there's definitely no romance, at present or anytime in the future -- to be smarm a story is supposed to make a point of that. Which...I dunno. What ever rocks your socks, you know? But I don't buy two guys who are such good, loving friends that they'll regularly cuddle up and sleep together and even kiss, but have no sexual/romantic feeling for one another whatsoever. To me it's like a guy shooting gallons of semen, or a 40 year old man getting it up more than once in the space of 30 minutes. People may like to write it and read about it, but it just doesn't happen!

Re: My $.02

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Hmm, the kind of story you're describing there does sound a little odd, and in fact the general aura of it puts me in mind of domestic discipline fics. I don't think that now, reading more about what smamr is, I would make a comparison to pre-slash as the motivatio for writing the stories seems to be coming from opposite ends of the spectrum. If smarm seems to be about denial then pre-slash seems to me to be all about suggestion.

And I will put a card in the post for you!

Re: My $.02

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I'd never thought to link smarm and DD before, but they both give me a similar creeped-out sensation. (I absolutely *despise* DD -- I get nauseated just thinking about it. IMO, if an adult is getting whipped, by God, *someone* better be getting off on it!)

Am excited about the card! Be sure to include your return address and I'll send you something, too!

[penknife.livejournal.com]

I thought smarm was sort of the antithesis of pre-slash, though. Where the characters are being physically affectionate in a way that seems weird if there's no sexual attraction involved, but the author insists that there is no sexual attraction involved. If I thought there was UST in a story, and that the author intended it to be there, I'd call it slashy gen or pre-slash or just slash.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I thought smarm was sort of the antithesis of pre-slash, though.

Ah, yes. I wasn't quite clear on what the whole reason for smarm actually was until Kaynyne explained it, and now it makes much more sense. I had it pegged as another word for pre-slash when in fact it turns out that it isn't that at all. You live and learn. *g*

[crotalus-atrox.livejournal.com]

[Which is funny because smarm for me, in its non-fannish useage, means pretty much the opposite.]
Ditto here. It makes me think of guys in bad suits offering to buy me a drink.

Then again, I'm informed "smut" used to have negative connotations...

[kaynyne.livejournal.com]

I hate to disillusion you folk, but 'smarm', as it appeared in Sentinel fandom at least, was often very anti slash (if you'd have called it pre slash, you'd have been flamed to hell and back!)
It was originally a way for the anti slash lobby to write 'they're not gay, they just love each other, sleep together, shower together, but never *ever* have gay thoughts' stories.
I always found smarm a loathsome genre, masquerading as 'buddy fic' but which was really thinly veiled homophobia.
I'm sure it's evolved these days, but it can still make me hit the delete button faster than RPS:)

And yes, it is often used as a derogatory term in fanfic too:)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

That's very interesting. The article I read, which I can't seem to track down now, didn't really get that anti slash thing across, so I was left feeling rather confused about the whole smarm issue. In that case, I wouldn't liken it to pre-slash at all.

[scribbulus-ink.livejournal.com]

Is smarm a popular fannish word?

I've seen it pop up a few times, but not regularly. It always gives me a little jolt when I do see it, because I knew (and loved) the word "smarmy" before seeing it used in fandom, and I doubt I'll ever be able to shake the negative connotations either.

Also, if you find out where "mun" is from, I'd like to know too, please. I've been in different fandoms for a number of years now, and this is the first time I've run across "mun" and "pup". I figured out the general meanings from context, but where the concepts came from is baffling to me.