Guest Post Written by Madeline Reynolds
The Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Firefly, The Mortal Instruments, the Marvel cinematic universe, etc. All are TV series, books, or films I am a fan of, among others, and thus, I would definitely say that I belong to the fandom for each. I may not necessarily be an expert on any and I don’t claim to be but that’s one of the beautiful things about fandoms is that you don’t have to be – fandoms are spaces who love a thing, any particular thing, and who can then bond and geek out or fangirl over said thing.
To me, fandoms are so important because they provide a sense of belonging or kinship. It is a joy to get invested in a story, in characters, or in a ship between two characters. It is even more joyful when you can share that love for a fictional world or characters with other people and all be equally excited or invested. As a proud nerd, I have attended the Chicago Comic Con, C2E2, a few different years. One of my favourite memories from the con was one year when I decided to dress up as the Eleventh Doctor, fez and all. I ran into a guy dressed as the Tenth Doctor and another dressed as Twelve. We thought the moment was so perfect that we all took a photo together and after the photo was taken we started joking around in-character, as if we all were different iterations the Doctor. It was wonderful.
A fandom is a community. It’s solidarity. The other members of a fandom are there with you through the highs, like when the two characters you’ve been shipping finally get together, and they’ll also be there to console you through the lows, such as when a major character dies. If you’re comfortable with online interaction, it can be a remote involvement through message boards and Facebook groups, but if you are a little more extroverted and want to get involved with the fandom in person, cons are a great way to do so, plus you can show off your best cosplay for the show or movie you’re obsessing over. Overall, I think that fandoms provide much more for people than others might think or give them credit for. I see fandoms as large, enthusiastic, nerdy families, and I am so grateful for each and every one I consider myself to be a part of.
Madeline J. Reynolds is a YA fantasy author living in Chicago. Originally from Minneapolis, she has a background in journalism and has always loved storytelling in its various forms. When not writing, she can be found exploring the city, eating Thai food, or lost in an epic Lord of the Rings marathon. Check out Madeline’s author profile on Entangled Publishing.
