Fandom: Explained

Hallooo So today is totally gonna be off topic and completely have nothing to do with what I normally post about, but that’s ok, right? Cuz it is my blog sooo… Without further ado I’m going to give you guys a basic rundown of what a fandom is and my thoughts about it/them/etc.

Fandom

A fandom is something that has a fan base. This can be a movie, a sport, a person, a book/series/trilogy/etc. or pretty much anything else other people who are about as crazy as you are associate with. Fandoms most often pop up among teenagers however are not limited to the years between 13-19 as there are many younger or older citizens of a fandom.

Popular established fandoms include (but are not limited to): Thunderbirds Are Go, Cozi Zulsdorff, The Questions of War trilogy, (these are fandoms I associate with however as Penny will not fail to mention in the comments,) More popular fandoms include Star Wars (This is more like a fan-universe than a fandom), Marvel, The Hunger Games, Harry Styles and/or others.

How to join a fandom.

Look. If you look into something more than, say your dad would, if you connect with other fans, (if it’s a person, interact with/stalk that person via social media), or join theories, get overly excited over new information or blog tours (*coughs* The Questions of War *coughs*) or trailers or whatever, you have pretty much joined a fandom.

My Journey to a fandom

Before last year I never called it a fandom and I did not have access to fellow fangirls. However since last year I joined the TAG fandom and it’s been a blast! Penny of course introduced me to mostly the name itself and then things spiraled from there (That makes it sound like a bad thing)

Fangirl or Fanboy

So…. I’m a girl, so to me fangirl is the normal term. Fanboy seems…. a little odd, so I prefer just “fan” for the opposite gender. Fangirl is a more extreme version of a fan. If you enjoy a movie, you can be a fan. But if your interaction pretty much ends there you’re not a fangirl. HOWEVER

Legitimacy of a Fangirl

If you have been a fangirl for two weeks or two years or twenty years, you are equally as legitimate of a fan. Don’t let anyone tell you anything else. I would not recommend actively challenging a person who prides themselves in years of experience, but you can carry the title with as much happiness as it brings you. The only thing separating you from being a fangirl is your decision to join the fandom (citizenships are FREELY given out with no questions asked ever [there’s no one monitoring the borders since no one poses anyone else any danger])

Fanfiction

There are certain things in the fandom that you need to be aware of. One of these things are called fan fictions. I am very sure most of you have heard of these. Fanfictions are stories told by fans in the fandom world (Say, if it was a TAG fan fiction, the story would involve one or more of the Tracy brothers, and be set in 2060 where holograms are normal but flying cars are not etc.) Fan fictions vary from exact settings and characters to time travel, fantasy, additional characters, deaths of characters and lots of other stuff.

A caution about fanfictions. Write them with all your heart if you want to. Do not read other peoples fanfictions. Unless you personally spoke to the writer and know what to expect, you’re about 100 times better off without reading it. Fanfictions are where characters go to die. Sometimes they don’t die, but other awful things happen to them. Painful things. And they are not always safe for children. So just a word of caution.

Another form of fanfiction is called “Imagine” and is most used when writing about a real person like a celebrity or specific character in a movie. More details below.

Canon and non-canon in fanfiction (in movies or books)

Canon means original. Canon means it is from the actual movie/book/series/story/comic you get the idea. If a couple (or “ship” which we discuss in a bit) is canon, it means that the original author wrote that couple to be together in the original manuscript that was then made public. If it’s non-canon it means that the original manuscript/story does not have those two people together specifically, but fans may have created the “ship.”

Imagines

In an Imagine (I know… it sounds weird but that’s what it’s called) usually there is your fandom person and then there is other people. The reason it is called an imagine is most often because you’re supposed to “imagine” that you are in the story. Most of the time it will be written in second person (Meaning, you did this, he did that, you said this back).

Y/n Y/m/n Y/l/n/

Usually writers of Imagines write “you” under the name y/n. Your Name. Your Middle Name, and Your Last Name. But they will create a complete character under that name. Because of course there’s no way for them to know every single person that reads the Imagine. Like fanfictions, it’s just better to avoid them.

Ships

Ohhhh the big one. Ships.
A ship is a relationship. When you ship a couple, it means you believe they are meant for each other, or you want to see them together. As mentioned above, a canon ship means that the relationship between the two people is confirmed or written in the original story (This is also when fans say a “ship has sailed” which means it’s been confirmed)(One thing I do not know yet is where exactly the ship is sailing to, towards the fandom or away from it?). A non-canon means it has not been confirmed or is not an official relationship (when a relationship is not confirmed or one of the two develops a canon relationship with another character, fans say that the “ship has sunk” (Sunk ships are painful I’ve experienced it myself *is looking are you Penny*). Keep an eye out for these. Ships get so huge that it’s often hard to discern if they are canon or not, even as you watch/read the story. Feel free to join ships you like, but keep in mind their vulnerability if they are non-canon. Have fun!

Another fun fact about ships. Ships almost always have names. For example a ship between and Justin and a Rebecca would be called “Justecca” (or it can be modified to be Jesseca). If you’re joining a ship usually it will already have a name. Keep a lookout 😉 Normally it’s a combination of the two names.

Also, someone’s ship may be called an “OTP” (One True Pairing) which don’t have a fancy thing like sinking or sailing because it’s not actually a ship (thanks Penny for confirming this).

Headcanons

Headcanons are ideas or little facts fans have about someone. For example a popular TAG fandom headcanon is that Virgil is the doctor of the family. Another is that Alan had a twin who died at birth, who’s name was Walter. There is nothing at all about this sort of thing in the story or show but fans have made them up they sort of stick to the characters. You’re welcome to adopt headcanons and come up with your own, or avoid them. That’s the beauty of a fandom. Everything thats non-canon is up to you. But you’re all welcome to come up with it.

Note for Christian Girls.

Fandoms are insane. And wild. And full of the world. It’s easy to get all caught up in the fun and stories and people who understand your rants and squeal with you and thats fun! But don’t lose sight of what matters. It’s very very easy to get distracted from what is most important. Keep your heart pure, you’re minds clean, your language untainted and your eyes on God. Don’t let a fandom stand between you and God. Pay special attention to this and make sure that it’s not threatened. God is most important. God is the top of everything. Run your thoughts and conversations and ideas by Him always, first. Keep God as your center, even in a fandom.

So theres that! Fandom explained! Did I miss anything? Do you have any other questions? By no means do I know everything about a fandom, but I know a little, and I’m open to learning more!

Did you enjoy this post? Would you like more random/ lighthearted posts like this one? Let me know in the comments!

Live, Laugh, and Love my girls!
~Libby