multifandom questionnaire pt 2

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This is the second part of the questions from the 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl.

Fandom Participation:

1. Do you keep up with any official or fan-authored wikis or encyclopedias about your fandom?
I don't think so. I've definitely used them as resources when I want to write fic and I don't remember specific details or if I want to find out more about, say, DC fandom/characters when I was writing Smallville fic.

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2. How do you stay updated with the latest news and information concerning your fandom?
I follow people who share my fandom on Tumblr and figure out things from others who post what is going on. Also sometimes, I follow the cast on IG and see if they post anything. Before, I used to be more active in reading fansites and the like, and take more of an initiative in posting news I find as well, but now I tend to take more of a relaxed stance. If I get really curious, I will look into things myself.

3. Are there any forums, social media groups, or online communities you frequent to discuss your fandom?
Back with Smallville, it was Livejournal. There were a lot of ship and fandom specific communities but mainly my journal and the journal of friends. Also, I used to go to some sites, like Divine Intervention, which was a Clois fansite. I was mostly a lurker at Kryptonsite.

These days, it's mainly Tumblr. I'm active on here, but I don't know how much I actively discuss fandoms. Not a fraction as much as I used to do on LJ for sure. I'm on Discord as well, but I tend to prefer one on one conversations. With servers, I tend to lurk more than actively participate.

4. How would you describe the overall atmosphere and culture within the fan community?
Good, as long as you know how to curate your experience. There are ups and downs to every type of fandom. There's drama and fighting, no matter how big or small the fandom is - it's just the type of fighting feels differently and I imagine it's more frustrating when you start out with fewer people and you have to block or worry about cliques since there is a chance of more overlap. It just depends what you want out of fandom and fortunately, there a lot of tools to help make it more pleasant and fun (blocking/muting/etc), which it should be.

5. Have you attended any fan conventions or meet-ups? If so, what was your experience like?
No, I used to want to, but I didn't want to go alone and since I've always tried to keep my online and real life separate, I didn't have anyone to go with.

6. What’s the significance of fan art, fan fiction, or fan videos in your community?
Really significant. I came to be part of fandom because of fanfiction - I had been reading it for years and then I eventually started writing. I started out writing for a very small ship in a big fandom and over the years, I've shipped bigger ships in bigger fandoms (MCU namely and I was able to see Sam/Bucky really grow into something bigger, which was nice). Now my main fandom is pretty big/active and there is a lot of content of all the above. I love looking at fanart and fan videos, though I do feel like I used to watch the latter more in the past. It seems a bit harder to find these days, unless you specifically search it out but the one way the algorithm on YouTube was useful is that if I find one I like, it starts to give me more so I have found some great creators that I wouldn't have otherwise, since I wasn't sure where to look.

7. Are there any charity or social causes your fandom community supports?
Currently, I've seen people participate in the Fandom Trumps Hate, which is obviously multifandom, and also, I think there's a 911forGaza one too.

8. How do fan theories or headcanons contribute to your enjoyment of the fandom?
As with fandom as a whole, there's good and bad. I like reading about other people's theories and headcanons and I enjoy coming up with my own. It's a fun surprise when you can theorize and speculate and end up being right - it has happened a couple of times over the years. However it is frustrating when a certain headcanon or theory can spread and take over and gets treated like canon. Sometimes, it's just mildly annoying because it's hard to avoid and others, when the fans get entitled and throw tantrums when they're not getting what they feel like they "deserve" or something happens that goes against their theory, it's downright frustrating.

9. Are there any rituals or annual events that your fandom community participates in each year?
There were plenty of ship specific events - I remember there being exchanges and the like for Clark/Lois in Smallville (and other ships but I can't tell you about those), both on a now deleted community and the fansite. Also there were Smallville fanfic awards with ship and general categories but that was in the later years. With my current fandom, I've seen annual events on Tumblr. Character/ship/theme specific weeks and a summer ship event that people are into. I haven't actually made anything for them yet but I'm still fairly new to 9-1-1 and am not yet comfortable with doing more than lurking.

10. What is the craziest or most dedicated thing you’ve done for your fandom(s)?
I don't think I've done anything too crazy. Online, I've ran communities and an exchange. Ran to the store to get a copy of the TV Guide that had Tom Welling & Erica Durance on it. Did the whole midnight bookstore visit to get my copy of the 7th HP book. Just fun stuff like that. Nothing too wild, or at least nothing I can think of.

11. Have you created any content or resources that have contributed to the fan community?
I've written fic and in the past few years, made some icons. Earlier on, back in Smallville fandom, since the ship I was writing for was so small and didn't have many other people writing for it, I did make a list of Clark/Oliver ships that I could link people when they expressed interest in the ship and didn't know where to find fic. I hope it helped.

12. Are there any well-known fan community leaders or content creators that you admire?
There are lot of great writers and vidders whose worsk I enjoy and subscribe to but I can't say I'm aware these days of who is "big" in fandom. Obviously you can tell by AO3 stats and who does numbers on Tumblr but I don't pay attention to that.

Comments

[bradygirl_12]

Interesting answers!

Right now I'm in teeny-tiny fandoms and getting little feedback, but that could be a good thing, lol! 😝

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Thanks! :D

There are definitely pros and cons for each!

[impala_chick]

I remember being excited about collecting certain TV Guides.... they used to have such good photoshoots!

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They did! I never really collected them though we had a subscription when I was younger. I did used to collect a lot of Bollywood magazines though. I made my poor dad drag back so much on our trips to India lol

[impala_chick]

Oh that's so neat! When I moved I found a bunch of random magazines I had saved from back in the day. I never could have guessed back then how much easier it would become to save digital media/pics/interviews instead.

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Good point! They certainly take up less physical space. :D

[scintilla10]

I don't really feel able to keep up with Tumblr, but from the outside, it seems to be a great place to get fannish updates and to celebrate character/ship weeks with other fans! It's fun to be part of that kind of energy :)

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Totally fair! I have similar feelings on certain platforms and I've gone long periods without going on Tumblr. I think getting into 9-1-1 single-handedly made me consistent lol But yeah, people are active and it is helpful if you follow the right people in fandom. I've never participated in teh ship/character weeks but it is really cool to watch!

[kitarella_imagines]

The question about the atmosphere and culture of fandoms is interesting. I have noticed that fandoms can be very different e.g. some are hectic, some are relaxed, some are friendly, some are unfriendly.

The most friendly fandom I've found so far is Our Flag Means Death, the next best are some RPF fandoms. I wonder if that is because those fandoms are more minority ones and fans have to stick together against critics.

I did notice a huge argument in The Professionals fandom on LJ a few months ago, that is a very old fandom so I was surprised people are still arguing. It might be the recent resurgance in interest in that show, it's coming up to its 50th anniversary and new fans are joining. Maybe there is a bit of disharmony.

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Definitely. The tone is set by the popularity and how much content the fandom can be producing, though there are closed canons still pushing strong too, of course, but a lot of times, they were big in the first place (like Harry Potter).

Possibly. From my experience, most fandom fights stem from a character or ship war and if there isn't much to be had of that, the drama tends to be less. Unless some fans are stirring up trouble for whatever reason (clique behavior or creating drama for drama's sake).

Unfortunately, a closed canon or an old canon doesn't mean that people still won't fight over it. They can't fight over what may or may not happen, but there is still things to argue about. You never can be quite sure what triggers people - new people in a fandom vs the previous fans is definitely not new so could be.

[kitarella_imagines]

Yes and I suppose the subject of the fandom influences the atmosphere of the fandom too e.g. if the show is a light hearted comedy or a heavy drama. I noticed in the Blake's 7 fandom the majority of the stories are grief/ violence/ angst, because the show is dramatic and dystopian. Whereas a lot of the OFMD stories are funny, because it is a comedy.

I think with The Professionals it was almost certainly new fans joining and arguing with the old ones, personality clashes or whatever. I stayed well out of it and just wrote my fics 😅

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That's true. It can go the other way too - if the canon is too light hearted, sometimes, people make up darker/more action themed stories and AU possibilities and vice versa. I guess it depends on how big the fandom is and which way it leans.

Oh man, yeah, that is something I've seen play out in many fandoms. Your plan is the best one! The drama is rarely worth it.

[kitarella_imagines]

Oh that is a good point! Yes I can imagine people wanting to add drama to comedies and comedy to dramas. I usually write comedy fics in dramatic fandoms, I don't think they go down too well. Or crossover fics with other fandoms, they aren't popular either. But I don't care, I will write them anyway.😋

Yes it was a shame because I was just getting into The Professionals then there was all this drama so I backed away a little. But I will keep on writing, can't stop 📝

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It really does depend on which ways the fandom sways. And crossovers can be tough, if fans aren't interested in both fandoms. But writing what makes you happy is more important than what is popular, because only one is sustainable.

Aww, that is disappointing. Keeping on writing is a good idea though!

[kitarella_imagines]

Yes and I keep getting really sudden nice comments from people out of the blue on my niche, unpopular fandom fics. Which is pleasing.

Oh yes, I won't let fan drama put me off. As long as they leave me alone to write, I'll be fine 😊