I was reading the feedback for Wendy's trailer for Meredith's "Night Errant", and both Erin and Labrat said that was one of the first fics they'd ever read. Reading that kind of jolted me back to the fact that I'm an "old fogey" folc because Meredith wasn't even around when I read my first fic.

Since we have such a wide range of "ages" among folcs (e.g. I'm a 10 year old folc... maybe older... been around since almost the beginning ), now I'm wondering what everyone else's first fic was. We ought to have a nice variety of different fics.

It's been at least a decade since I read my first fic... back in ancient times when fic was distributed on a listserv because *gasp* there was no archive. I can't recall exactly what my first fic was, but the one that stands out most in my mind from my early days as a folc, is Kathy Brown's Camping With Clark . Louette McInnes's Man of Kleenex is another early one I remember. (And I just won't mention that I had all the 12 parts of Debby Stark's Dawning printed out and in its own binder... because that would be embarrassing ).

So, my question to everyone else is: What were some of the very first fics you read? And if you can remember *the* first fic you read, I'll give you bonus points since you're way ahead of me.

Sara

I'm *pretty* sure my first fic was Wendy's Rapture in Metropolis

I was all like "YEAH!!! *THIS* is how it should have happened!" Then I got the link to the board and everything rolled from there.

TEEEEEEJ

Since the first LC fanfic I read was only 7 months ago (in March), and since that story are still my favourite, I remember perfectly wich one was that.
The first fanfic I read was "For the Greater Good" by Wendy Richards. That's really a fabulous story. I repeat: my favourite.

The first fic I remember reading was Dawning. But I'm not sure that's the first fic I read. All I know was that the first fic I read was either on the old FTP site or on alt.tv.lois-n-clark.fanfic (Now I'm showing my age. heh)

.... okay, just did a search on Google Groups. I was looking for Dawning in August 96. I think I'm going to hide now.

First fanfic I ever read was an Erin Klinger' story, I don't remember if "What it means to love you", "When you needed me most" or "The darkest hour before the dawn", but I do remember I have read all of these during the days following my discovery; I found a site hosting the TUFS (The Unaired Fifth Season) and then came the Archive, I understood that a lot of people wrote about Lois and Clark, and I didn't stop reading fanfics since then!

simona

Close. <g> But, actually, we were both commenting on Wendy's trailer for Heaven's Prisoners. I haven't had time yet to watch the trailer for Night Errant. And can't speak for Erin, but Meredith started posting fanfic long after I'd joined FoLCdom, so by the time I read Night Errant I had a few hundred under my belt.

I can't remember the first fic I read. Well, hold that. Actually, I can. It was within a couple of hours of first getting hooked up to the net. I google'd LNC fanfic and it came up with a truly terrible badfic X between LNC and the X Files. Almost put me off fanfic for life.

Fortunately, ten minutes later I discovered the Archive. So I can't really count the first one as being a true LNC fanfic.

After that, I couldn't really say which was the first fic I read because I developed a system over a period of the next few weeks/months, where I'd desperately print out as much fanfic from the Archive as I could in the two hours I was allowed online at that time and then take a huge bundle of paper downstairs and snuggle up with it on the sofa and read into the small hours of the morning.

Absolute bliss.

I do remember that Jennifer Baker's stories hit an immediate chord. Warm, WAFFy, just the thing for LNC WS. (This was only a couple of weeks after I heard that LNC had been cancelled, so I was in mourning). Sheila Harper's stories, Demi's Heaven's Prisoners, FlakeyDom's stories, Pam's President Kent series, Margaret Brignall's wonderful Alt Clark trilogy...and a host more brightened my evenings. I was in LNC hog heaven. <happy, nostalgic sigh>

Earlier on, I also found and read the virtual Season Five. I'd heard about it on a teletext page of all things. I remember not being able to wait until Sunday rolled around and I could read a new episode.

I used to desperately refresh Debby Stark's page every week, too, hoping for a brand new segment of Dawning.

I'm sure I've missed some of the authors who introduced me to the wonders of LNC fanfic...there were so many. I was generally amazed at the quality of it all.

Oh, I do remember the first time I found nfic. I hadn't paid much attention to the genre because the only experience I'd ever had of it was about 20 years previously with K/S (Kirk/Spock) slash zines. I never really read those, wasn't interested in that relationship, but a friend I knew devoured them and would read bits out at gatherings. <G> So that was pretty much what I thought nfic was. Not for me.

Then, one evening, trawling around for more fic, I stumbled into Menolly's website. I don't know why I read her first story there, but I'm so glad I did. I was blown away with the romantic, WAFFy, sensual stories of the Dayzs series. This was nothing like the nfic I'd known in the past. Shortly after that, I went looking for nfic and found The Gorn, who wrote one of my all-time favourite nfics - One and Only.

LabRat

Hee! At least I had the link pointing the right thread. Oops. But I can blame that on my failing memory as an old fogey, right? I took the link out so I don't confuse the heck outta everyone. *g*

Lab, your tale (not to be confused with your tail ) reminds me a lot of my own. Lots of the same authors, some of which I'm delighted to see are still around.

Thanks for catching my Faux Pas , Lab. (And I'm putting that link in there because Wendy's story is one of the first ones I remember reading when I came back to the online fandom after a little hiatus. Does that make me born again? )

Sara

Definitely TUFS, the unaired fifth season. I was going through an L&C withdrawl, so I jumped on the net to see if there would be anything about the show and stuff. Little did I know... Then after I finished TUSF, I was like...now what? So I checked the FAQs on the website and had a conniption when I found the Archive, which has like twice as many stories now as when I joined LOL. I think the amount of stories and fans still around is amazing...

JD

I hesitate to say what the first fanfic I read was titled because it was pretty bad. Although I can remember quite a few details about it, I will refrain from sharing them in the interest of not hurting another writer. In fact, the only thing I could think as I read it in Feb. 96 was that I could write ten times better than that, so if this writer could be published on the net, I certainly could. I started "A Shot in the Dark" the next week.

Shortly after, I found Debby Stark's Dawning--Pt. 1--and Zoomway's Counter Clarkwise--also Pt. 1--and realized that there were some good writers out in Folcdom, too. Instead of discouraging me, it made me decide that if there was going to be a book of fanfic published (like Star Trek's New Voyages I & II), I was going to be in it.

But anyway, those were the first three fanfics I ever read, and I think they were all on the Krypton Club site.

I found L&C through TNT reruns, and after a couple of months made a conscious decision to start looking for fanfic. I had previously been involved in other online fandoms, and so I knew that any stories out there would probably run the spectrum from pretty bad to absolutely wonderful.

On a SMK mailing list, there had been discussions of starting awards in the fandom, and someone mentioned that other fandoms were doing it - L&C, for one. So when I decided to truly immerse myself in the show, I went looking for info about the awards, and then, wanting to start off with a good strong story, I chose the most recent winner of the Kerth Overall.

It happened to be "For the Greater Good". Obviously a great way to start, and it remains one of my very favorites.

And I'm certainly glad you did, Sheila. I love that story...

Kathy

A published author (whose name constantly escapes me) once said that authors read the work of their fellows with one of only two emotions. Either blistering contempt or desperate envy. So I don't think you're alone in this one, Sheila!

Certainly, I've often found it works that way. I either get fired up to write because I've just read an appallingly awful fanfic and think "Geez, I could do better than this!" or I've read something absolutely wonderful and astounding, which reminds me of what it is I love about a particular show and its characters and inspires me to want to celebrate and explore that love again.

I've just experienced the latter in fact as I've GE'd Erin's The Long Road Home. Thank goodness - the Muse needed encouragement with that Fundraiser deadline coming up fast! Thanks, Erin.

LabRat

Like Sheila, I stumbled across a web page that contained Debby Stark's "Dawning," and Zoomway's "Counter Clarkwise." From there, I found out about the email distribution thing, and quickly requested every thing I could get my hands on.

As to which between "Dawning" and "Counter Clarkwise" --- I can't remember which was first. Guessing, I would say "Counter Clarkwise" since people tend to list things in alphabetical order.

Wow. That was a long time ago....

Oh, back in the mists of history... I think I began reading L&C fic in the spring of 1995. I was already an online fan for B5, so when I got hooked on L&C I immediately went looking for the fandom. The first exposure I had, I think, was Leigh Raglan's various Compendiums. I remember I'd printed out Leigh's Reminiscing and re-read it numerous times. Partly because I'd missed most of first and second season, so I was scouring fanfic for clues as to what had happened I tried to ration them out, though; there weren't that many stories written yet, and I sure didn't want to run out! Shortly after I'd signed up for the list, Rhen sent out Dawning 3. I read it, but hadn't read parts 1 or 2, so I was *so* confused!

I do know that Chris Mulder's Love Beyond All Measure was one of those early fics -- I *adored* it, and when I noticed that Chris's email address had "nc" in it, I thought I'd send her a note -- we first met at the end of May, 1995, I think. It's been ten years; it's hard to remember!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Sara

PJ

The first fic I ever read was Addicted.

I had only watched the first season of Lois & Clark.
I didn't know anything about red kryptonite or alternate universes and I was terrible at English...
I remember thinking that Clark was tortured a lot and going crazy with the 'other Clark stuff', but that it was the best thing I'd ever read...

Then I went out thinking that every story would be like that.

Oooh! I remember that too!! Wasn't that fun?

Awesome how friendships start, isn't it? And thanks for reminding me of LBAM! *Adored* that one!!

Jeff, your responding to this thread reminded me that Unknown Emotions was one of my early favorites as well. It's still on my all-time favorites list, and I can't even remember how many times I've read it.

Sheila! How could I forget A Shot in the Dark ?? Another all-time favorite that I've read several times.

Erin Klingler's When You Needed Me Most is another.

I could go on, but I won't... for now.

It's amazing to hear that For the Greater Good was the first fic for several folcs! Such a long story for a first endeavor, isn't it? But what a first impression you guys got!! Love that story!

And, Mona, you had a great first story, too! Okay, everyone had great first stories for the most part, but Yvonne's Addicted is another on my all-time favorites list.

Right back at ya, Pam! I'm having a blast remembering all the old fanfics as well as how we used to survive without the archive.

Sara

Yup, that was one on my list that I forgot last time around.

I fondly recall Jeff's A Kansas Fourth, too. Another WAFF Fest that hit the spot when I was desperate for more LNC after the show ended.

LabRat

Um, let's just call it the whole Home series by Nan Smith. I landed on Home IV via Google, but was severely confused by a few pages in. I located the archive, backed up to Home I, and proceeded to read back through to Home IV, the most recent at the time. Second time in my life I went an entire night without sleeping.

Of course, that number has increased a bit since starting grad school.

Oh, I can´t remember *exactly* which the first L&C fic I read was, but I can tell you a short list of what it had to be. Nan´s Dagger series were some of the first fic I ever read, on ff.n, and Wendy´s fics The Healing Time, Green Card, Just Another Undercover Assignment, Nightmare on Clinton Street, The Penfriend, and Big Boys Do Fly & sequel . . . I know they´re some of the first because I remember that they´re still on Word docs on my computer, unlike all the ones from the Archive which are txt files.

I actually could look at the dates on the files and find out exactly which was the first, might do that when I have time and when I´m at my own computer . . . but for now, I´m fairly sure Dagger of the Mind was one of the first, and one of that short list of fics of Wendy´s--one of hers was near the top of ff.n´s list in the L&C category, and I hit the jackpot when I checked out her author profile . . . Found the Archive from there and have been reading happily ever since.

Like Sheila, I really didn't enjoy the first fic I ever read. I don't remember the name.

I had just come on the internet and was trying to figure out how to do a search. I realized I'd never seen the picture of Teri Hatcher wrapped in Superman's cape (although I'd heard lots about it) so I decided to try to find that.

I stumbled across the archives and tried reading a story and immediately decided that fanfic wasn't for me.

Anyway, a couple of months later, I started to wonder if anyone out there knew how the writers of the show planned to deal with the baby at the end of season four. I'd never had any closure to the issue. So I started a search and ended up finding the fifth and sixth seasons. Well, I devoured them.

Once I'd finished reading them, I was lost. I didn't want to go back to the archives because I figured the stories there were all bad. But then the withdrawal started. I needed a Lois and Clark fic. So... I tried again and... wow. I was amazed by all the great stories I was finding. And the rest, as they say, is history.

ML

First one I ever read was the first episode of TUFS. <g> From reading TUFS, I went on to S5, then S6, then the Untentional Fifth Season, and then I read the infamous Chicken Fic. After that, well, I read an exceptionally long fic by Crystal Wimmer, and started reading stuff by the authors I'd enjoyed from the virtual seasons...

Laura

It was A Perfect Valentine\'s Day: The Dream Comes True by Raquel Guimaraes. We had been emailing each other for a couple of months before she first posted this one on Zoomway's. She had told me about fanfiction (I remember my shock at thinking 'wow! This thing really exists??' I had been writing fanfic for years, thinking I was the only person in the world indulging in such a weird habit. Boy, was I wrong ) and given me links to the Archive, Zoomway's boards and the ficlist - which didn't come at very handy at first, because everything looked so big and complicated to me... I went to the boards to read that story, though, because it was hers, and then I thought 'hey, maybe it would be worth it to give it a shot!' So I started writing (in English, for the first time) and reading from the boards - next fic I read was Anna Belcher's Tiny Pieces , while I also started reading Alicia U.'s Medical Miracles , which she had just started posting in parts.

See ya,
AnnaBtG.

The first L&C fanfic story I read was Sheila Harper's "Heaven's Prisoners". As she wrote in her forward I too felt that her set-up premise was flawed, but back then I'd never presume to question a writer's plot and characterization.

It was the 'meat' of the story that captured my attention. The hearbreak and the depth of emotion that Sheila was able to convey was something new to me. I was hooked.

A short time later, I thought about writing my own fic and checked the archive only to find that someone with the same name had already written a couple of stories. So, in order to not be confused with that writer, I resurrected my old college nickname.

The rest, as they say, is... whatever they say.

Tank (who has read a few more fanfics since then)

Um, Tank, Heaven's Prisoners was written by Demi, not Sheila.

Laura

Ah, yes, the majordomo list. I was sitting here trying to remember what that thing was called and coming up blank until someone mentioned it. Now that brings back memories but the problem with trying to remember which story was my first L&C read is that there were so many coming through the majordomo list at that time and I probably read them all in one sitting the first time I got some.

So, I really have no idea what was first for me but the earliest one that always comes to mind was Zoomway's " Dirty Bubbles ". Of course part of the reason it probably made such a big impression is that I love short vignettes with great payoffs and it has such a doozy.

I have no idea...

When we first got online, around the end of 1996, my sister and I would sign up for the one month free trials, and hop between ISPs. But much of the time we'd not get round to signing up to a new one, so my internet access was patchy. But once I found the archive I devoured it all (which was a lot easier to do back then :p )

But early ones I read that got me hooked are, in no particular order:

Zoomway's It\'s about time (Ok, there is an bit of an order, I think this was the fic that made me realise that fanfic was A Good Thing)

Sheila Harper's A Shot in the Dark

Chris Mulder's Love Beyond Measure and Dimensions of Loving

Susan Stone's Aliens and Strangers and Laney and the Giant Killers

There are more, but I've read so many fics so many times, I couldn't honestly tell you when I first time was.

Helga

Kid fic isn't generally to my own personal tastes, but I do remember that Susan's NG stories were among the small no. of exceptions stored on my hd. Definitely recommended if you do enjoy the genre.

LabRat

Oooh! I *highly* recommend Susan Stone's stories! I'm not much for Next Gen stories, either... but these two, especially Aliens and Strangers, are on my all-time favorites list. I have printed out copies that have been read several times over.

Sara

I'm pretty sure the first fic I ever read (or at least the first I remember) was The Heir by Piper. Does anyone know when it was written? The story stayed in my mind for years until I finally found the name of it this year and re-read it and the continuation, The Heir: Healing.

Jackie

Oops, sorry about that. My only excuse is that I'm old and the memory is quite faulty now.

Tank (who really likes Sheila's stories too)

LOL, thank you, Tank! I certainly return the sentiment, especially seeing that my first contact with you was when I asked permission to write the nfic in-betweenie for your "Love Disabled."

I can remember the very first LnC fic I ever read was Crystal Wimmer's 'Full Circle'. That was in 1997. It dealt so wonderfully with the pesky cliffhanger that the actual show left us with - the problem of the baby. Who, what and where he came from, and why he showed up when he did.

Then I went right to all the virtual seasons and read them right thru. Sat back at the end of all that with a satisfied sigh for about fifteen minutes and then began to panic... I had run out of stuff to read!!

But then lo and behold I found the archive and was saved... I proceeded to devour the archive in chunks, author-sized ones. And from there I went to IRC and the boards - and the rest is history.

keep penning,