Fandom as Joy

One of the things that I find challenging about being me in this world is that I have an overwhelming sense of childlike joy when it comes to things that I enjoy. I am unabashedly excited about the things that I find delightful. When there’s something that makes me happy, I don’t hold back…and that makes some people feel uncomfortable.

To be fair, people who don’t show their love for the things that make their life better make me uncomfortable, too.

It’s why I love fandom so much. Not the ones that love to pick things apart and overanalyze the joy out of them – they’ve got every right to be who they are but they are not my jam – but the fans who are unafraid to wear that love of whatever makes their day better right on their sleeve. They’ve got the t-shirt, the action figure, the memes, and the cardboard cutout of their favorite character, and I love them for it. Touching base daily with something that enhances their life keeps them going, and I 100% get that, because I’m that person too.

The great thing about fandoms is that there’s something for everyone out there. People who know me know that I’ve been “officially” involved in the SFF fandom world since I was 12, when I went to my first con, Balticon 13. [for those following along at home, that was in 1979!] I was – still am – a voracious reader and of course I had obsessions with both the popular and less known to the general populous SFF media. I loved Star Wars but also Logan’s Run, for example. One of my hall costumes for a couple of years was a Runner, which was probably a questionable choice for a teenager but it was the 70s and 80s and no one batted an eye. I mean, I saw that movie when it came out so I would have been 10? [puts aside discussion about what was considered age appropriate back then, la la la]

And of course, I just went to Balticon 58. If that doesn’t make me feel old…

Another fandom I’m deeply into is ARMY, the fans of South Korean musicians and all around entertainers 방탄소년단 or Bangtan Sonyeondan – otherwise known to the world as BTS. If you’ve paid attention to this blog at all I’m sure you’re aware of this! I’m often inspired by two of their songwriters, RM and SUGA, whose lyrics share so many of the same feelings and experiences I’ve had, despite our widely divergent life paths.

Being a card carrying member of ARMY is a deeply meaningful experience, filled with moving and uplifting moments so numerous that I can’t possibly begin to even scratch the surface of them in one blog post. Even though we live all over the world and many of us don’t speak Korean, we cackle over shared memes and jokes, we gush over new content and strategize to get it all the hype it deserves, and we plan fandom-wide events for celebrating the members of the group and to do things like fundraising. [look up some of the projects that ARMY has put together, it’s a real testament to our power]

Not that we’re always united, of course, because we’re a massive fandom and there will always be opposing ideas of what’s right to do or what direction we want to go – but we’re always trying to match the energy and commitment that BTS has shown us, and that’s what keeps us together. It also makes us one of the most feared fandoms around too, because if we decide that something needs attention, for either positive or negative actions, we will go after it with the power of millions. [40 million according to this article from TIME magazine back in 2020] We also work to keep our fandom focused and positive, even as it gets bigger and finds even more challenges. This time of mandatory enlistment for the BTS members has been one of those, but the members kept us fed with new music and content that they meticulously prepared before they enlisted and have done their best to check in with us as allowed. The amount of preparation they put into every endeavor is honestly quite astonishing and yet another reason that they have so many fans; very few other groups work this hard to maintain a relationship!

Also, BTS uses a LOT of SFF imagery and references in their work. You might be surprised!

I could go on and on about this, and I’m sure at some point you’ll hear more about why I love and am inspired by Bangtan. But…

You might be asking what my point is for bringing this up. Fair!

I look for people who match my energy. Probably you do, too. It feels good to have something to share with others that have the same fascination; it makes me feel less alone and brightens my world. It’s so important to me that I struggle with understanding people who don’t have that kind of thing in their life. [Many people have it, though, it just might not look anything like what I’m into, and that’s cool.]

I get extra excited when I inspire that in other people with what I create! How amazingly cool is that, to have people who are actively starting their own fandom over my characters and stories? It isn’t that many people yet, but they are there and I couldn’t be more honored or excited about it – both because there’s not a better vote of approval, and because I love them just as much as the fans do. It’s a perfect excuse for me to make side stories and merch and character illustrations and background content and not feel like I’m only doing it for myself.

As a creative person, this is the ultimate compliment.

Recently I’ve had my first fanfic writer! I dreamed of a day when that would happen! I’m waiting now for someone to make fan art so I can cry about it like the big ball of emotions that I am. People are recommending my books to their friends. It leaves me speechless every time I hear about it. You liked my world enough to tell others about it? That’s success, in my book.

To be a tiny creator of happiness and a sense of belonging is all I could ever ask for. When I build additional content about the books and characters, it’s always with the idea that I’m sharing more of what lives inside my head in a show of camaraderie: I love this, and I think you might too – let’s love it together!

If you’re reading this there’s a good chance you’ve already read my stories and enjoyed them, so tell me this: what can I bring to you? What would make you feel more connected? I want to share that feeling with you!

And what are your personal fandoms? I want to know more! Let’s geek out together. Let’s find joy.