What makes a fandom popular?
(ETA: Anonymous replies screened but enabled.)
So I’ve been thinking about what attributes in canon material-be it a book, a movie, a TV show, an anime series or whatever-tend to create large, popular fandoms.
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I agree with the comment above: I think that most of the fics comes from the gap-filling process of the canon. Sometimes the author builds a very interesting world with so many things to explore and you just want to know more.
Other factors (I guess):
- The fandom seems to be composed more by female authors than male authors. Does that mean something? Is this about some kind of """"""""female fantasy"""""" that the canon doesn't acknowledge? (It seems interesting, to me, that so many slash ficwriters are women. Including me. We basically talk about love and sex between men without being men ourselves)
- Popularity of the fandom as increasing factor. Like, if you go on Tumblr you can see 3948593 posts about Hogwarts Houses, for example, and that maybe makes you even more curious about it. You will have more people to share an interest with and that's how the fandom works, basically. It's a very inclusive universe.
- Secondary characters. If you love Dawn Summers, for example, and the canon doesn't focus very much on her, you could use the fandom as a way to know more about her and write/see more of her, because the canon doesn't really help.
---> Which brings us to (My truest reason): empathy towards a character. Basically you see Harry Potter under the stairs and you just love him so much. That makes you passionate about the fandom. At least, that's how it works for me. Except that this factor can't be quantified in any way, so it's not really a data here.
- Non-canon ships. As we all see, fandom is like 80% about shipping your faves. And, sometimes, the most popular ships are the non-canon ones. Maybe because, since the author will never bring these two characters together ... it's up to the fandom?
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Yup, fandom consists of mostly female authors. Also, other traditionally underrepresented people of mainstream media: racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQA+. So maybe fandom draws in a subversive crowd, those who are seeking an outlet for self-expression not actualized in mainstream media?
I'm glad you brought up the point about secondary characters. Supporting characters that are interesting and three-dimensional but by definition under-explored in canon make great fanfic material!
I think your point about empathy for a character means the characters have to be relatable. They may be superheros or space aliens, but they need to embody the human condition, and mirror the things we want and care about in life.
I absolutely think non-canon ships draw a ton of fans. Like Sherlock Homles/John Watson. I've shipped them for like forever! So when the new Sherlock aired, I *had* to watch it. :)
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I think so, yes. Like, if you go on Tumblr now, you see a lot of POC Hermione and Harry, which is very cool. Also I think the fandom provides a source of sadisfaction for fans who think their character is misanderstood by the author or not fully explored.
And again, yes: couples like Holmes and Watson, for example! Conan Doyle would never make them canon (Idk, would he object if we ask his spirit now or whatever? XD) So maybe you get really involved with them and think that THEY JUST BELONG TOGETHER and you know it would never happen so, thank God, there are fanfics!
Maybe a fandom is popular when there are a lot of LGBTA issues about it?
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Maybe it's true for some fans, depending on the show/book/movie? I mean, where else would you see Harry/Draco, for example? Certainly not in canon!
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