Supernatural Origin Story

[dizzojay]

Okay, so most of my F/list has done this and I though, 'why not?'.  Most of you have probably heard this story or portions of it at one time or another, but hey ho ... reading isn't compulsory!

I have a long-standing friend from back in our schooldays called Suzanne who bought me the season 1 Supernatural box set for Christmas 2009.  She'd never heard of the show, or Jared, or Jensen.  She didn't buy it for any particular reason, except that she'd just picked it up in a store and bought it for me because she knew I liked 'Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Supernaturally things'.

I opened it Christmas morning, and looked it over.  I thought it looked OK, and suggested to Mr D that we give it a go in the evening after dinner when all the soap operas and other crappy brain-dead Christmas TV was on.

We started watching it around 5pm on the Christmas evening, and after the Pilot, I was thinking, 'this isn't at all bad, I could get into this...' and of course, the two guys (who I'd never seen or heard of before) were very easy on the eye - that was an added bonus.

At the beginning of episode 4 (Phantom Traveller), there was that long camera pan of Dean in his t shirt and boxers sleeping face down on the bed, and I can pinpoint that very moment as the beginning of my Jensen obsession (and possibly the beginning of my menopause too!!!)

By the end of that Boxing Day, we were dangerously close to the end of the season 1 box set, so as soon as the shops opened on the 27th December, we headed out and stocked up on seasons 2 - 4 - they were the only seasons on DVD at that point.  We'd pretty much caught up by the end of January 2009.

By then, I was still just a happy watcher, but I can also pinpoint the exact moment I discovered the Supernatural fandom.  It was around the middle of January, 2010 and for the first time we were watching the Season 4 episode 'The Monster at the End of the Book' where the boys are talking about Chuck's Supernatural books and discussing 'Sam!Girls' and 'Dean!Girls' and the fanfiction writers writing about them being 'together'.

Mr D casually piped up and said, "I wonder if there's Sam and Dean slash?"

He was familiar with the concept of slash because I'd previously told him about discovering it while reading LotR fan fiction.  He's never read slash, and I know for sure he never will, but whenever I told him about it, he was fascinated and amused by it.

So, of course, I had to go and look, didn't I?

And there was Sam and Dean slash fan fiction.  A lot of it!

I lurked for about four months, reading fan fiction, (Dean-centric Hurt/Comfort mainly) until I began to feel inspired to write my own.  I wasn't sure I wanted to write slash, there were peple around who could write it far better than I ever thought I would.  I know from experience that my strength lies with humour and a touch of the bizarre, and so, about three weeks later, I posted my first fan fiction, Personal Space, on Fanfiction.net at the end of May 2010.

When I posted my first fan fiction, my expectations were pretty low, I thought it would be nice to maybe get to know a couple of other writers and correspond with them. That was the extent of my ambition.  I thought it would be fun to have a couple of online 'pen pals' to talk about Supernatural and those handsome guys with.  I wasn't familiar with the concept of fandom, I didn't know such a thing existed!

In my wildest imaginings, I could not have believed the wonderful, amazing, crazy journey that that simple purchase from Suzanne sent me on.  Even she has no idea of the incredible avalanche that one little box set set in motion.  I've discovered fandom; I've written over 700 stories and drabbles and rediscovered a love of creative writing which I'd long since abandoned through lack of inspiration and lack of readership; I've met dozens of fabulous people from all over the world, many of whom have made the transition from online friends to real life friends; I've discovered the convention circuit and met 'the boys' several times; I've learned new skills such as making digital art; and I've gained the confidence to draw people which I'd always avoided in the past because I didn't think I was very good at it.

In short, discovering, and being embraced by, the deep and welcoming pool of love and talent that is the Supernnatural fandom is possibly the single most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me.

Thank you Superntural, and thank you Suzanne!

Comments

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed, thank you Suzanne!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's funny how that one simple little gesture changed my entire life!

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

Awesome, I love stuff like this!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Thank you Suzanne! THANK YOU! Loved this, hun, loved it ♥

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Suzanne has a lot to answer for :D

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

Now that's a true friend!!! :)

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Indeed :)

[metallidean-grl.livejournal.com]

I love this story. It is so cool to hear how people found Supernatural and became involved in fandom. I think we became a part of fandom near the same time. I also lurked for several months during Season 4 until I ended up taking the plunge and joining. This is great. Thanks for sharing.

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's lovely reading these stories, that we all found Supernatural at different times and in different ways, but we all ended up together!