a word from the fanisode script moderator DEAR FANISODE PARTICIPANTS, ’ve had a wonderful time collaborating with you on the L Word’s first ever Fanisode. When all the different types of participants started signing on, introducing themselves on the message boards, I knew it would make for eclectic writing. We had a grandmother from Illinois, a drag king from Seattle, a Dominican lesbian from New York, a Second Degree Wiccan High Priestess, a straight married couple from Michigan, and a lesbian psychologist, to name just a few. This diversity also accounts for the great span of potential new characters that were suggested, such as a mormon lesbian, a military woman, a big black jewish dyke, a gay male friend, a socially inept brilliant cardiac surgeon, and a firefighter. I would love to see any of these characters in action. It was great to see everyone so passionate about the L Word and to hear what each person believes the show should or should not represent. Many people brought important political issues and personal stories to their Fanisode submissions. When Ervin’s winning scene described Jenny being molested by a female babysitter - and her attraction to that babysitter - it caused a very intense conflict, which
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was fascinating to follow on the boards. I love that someone’s writing incited such an engaging discussion; it’s what powerful writing should do. People were also very passionate about voting rules, unfair ratings, the popularity factor and all those things that go along with any heated contest. This fervor definitely gave the whole process a more adrenalin racing rush. But debates and message board drama aside, what’s most important about this event is the craft of writing. What I love the most, and what you all brought to it, is the multiformity of expression. Firstly, there was the actual Fanisode writing, which so many people tackled with such professionalism and creativity. Again and again I read scripts where our characters were captured with spot-on accuracy and the themes of the show were expressed both in broad strokes and detailed nuances. As a writer for the show, it was inspiring to see which particular subtexts and character traits people chose to focus on. People were also great at capturing not only our standard L Word characters, but also the characters created in the winning scenes. It was very funny to see new character Jackie Thomas’s malapropisms and bumbling personali-
ty carried throughout so many scripts. In addition to the official Fanisode there were also all the great fantasy scenes and parodies. In Esbians, I laughed out loud when CJWard67 had Leira racing around on 25 computers trying to give people zeros. The scenes of Stephen King, Saddam Hussein and Leisha Hailey all obsessively writing their submissions were likewise hilarious. It feels great to be part of building such a close community. Although there was drama, overall everyone on the boards really supported each other and respected each other as writers. I think of this website as sort of like a writer’s workshop, where people can get the critical feedback and encouragement not just of seven people sitting around a table, but of thousands of L Word fans across the world. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this as much as I have, and I can’t wait to do it again. Sincerely,
Ariel Schrag, the L word staff writer fanisode script moderator
about our script moderator. As an accomplished member of The L Word writing team, Ariel led us through the creation of our fanisode script, developing the weekly scene missions, "spotlighting" our best contributions, and making the critical creative calls. Accustomed to being at the forefront of creative expression, Ariel first gained acclaim at a very young age when she began chronicling her high school experiences in comic book form. Published as a series of searingly honest, critically celebrated graphic novels, her books Awkward, Definition, Potential and Likewise depict her four
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years at Berkeley High School. In 2003, Ariel graduated from Columbia University and has since participated in a diverse array of exciting projects, including adapting Potential into a feature film, editing a comics anthology about middle school, teaching at New School University, and, of course, The L Word.
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