Posting with a purpose other than venting

[mysterismileimport]

For my communications class, I am officially writing an 8-12 page paper on the Supernatural fandom. I was going to do something on fandom in general with a focus on how the internet functions in fandom, but he wanted me to write about a specific fandom, preferably one of which I am a member. I'm sure starting the research about scholars' work about fandoms will help me organize my ideas, but for now I'm all over the place. Right now I'm still pretty clueless about my thesis for the paper, but I think I want to look at:
-how people view the fandom, both within and outside of it
-what the fandom it means to us, especially looking at it as a form of imagined community (a communications concept)
-reoccurring commonalities between fandom members
-how people participate in the fandom
-the impact of the internet (maybe)
If I still don't have enough, I'll probably talk about stuff like how we interpret the show, popular concepts in the fandom, etc.

I feel weird about coming back after ceasing my SPN fandom activity for so long (it's been two months or so and I posted on fanforum, which moves really fast) and asking questions about it, but I'm going to have to suck it up. I'm not actually sure who on my flist is part of the SPN fandom and I don't think anyone who is actually reads my journal anymore. Still, if you see this and you're part of it, let me know! If you know someone who is willing to give me some input, send him/her over here.

I'm going to post a question here for anyone who is part of ANY fandom. I'm having trouble articulating my answer, but maybe someone else will have more luck. I don't care if your answer is as simple as one word or is complicated and pages long, I just want to know:
What is fandom for you?


Also, if anyone knows how I can get in contact with the person who goes by Jintian (who wrote the "Fandom Is" poem), I'd love to ask for permission to include some of it just in case I find a way to make it work.

Comments

[kissesdragons.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a cool project. For me fandom does several things. As a writer it allows me to get into my favorite characters heads and share the way I see them with others. As a reader it allows me to see the way others view them and see things about them I might not otherwise have taken into account. On a more superficial level it allows me to pair up my favorite characters. Finally, as both a reader and writer it allows me to get a resolution to conflict that is rarely taken past the very surface levels in cannon, and to explore the possible consequences of that conflict instead of having it glossed over and forgotten as it so often is in cannon.

[mysterismile.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for replying!

Would you mind answering what you think it means when someone says "I am part of a fandom"? I've gone in that direction with my paper.

[kissesdragons.livejournal.com]

I guess I think of being a part of a fandom as being active in the community in some way, through posting on discussion boards through reading and writing fic, and especially through supporting their fandom. For example, when Roswell first came out I considered myself a part of the fandom, and I took part in the Save Roswell Campaign by signing petitions and sending in letters to the network and producers. I also took part in the Save Carson Campaign for the SGA fandom. I guess I consider someone a part of a fandom when they are active in the community, love their show/movie/book through good and bad, and are willing to take action when they see something happening that they would like to change.

[mysterismile.livejournal.com]

Thanks again!