I reblogged a post yesterday that was something along the lines of "fandom on tumblr is dying because no one reblogs" and it got me thinking about fandom dying in general-- not just on tumblr-- and this isn't my typical whiny bullshit about how no one comments and that the people who do comment are either a) my friends b) bots or c) only ever comment once and never again. Because let's face it, we all know people aren't commenting or interacting with fics or fanart or gifs anymore other than passively consuming.
And the thing is: back when I was in the days old old fandom you could passively consume because there was so much interaction going on (and lbr when i was younger i did in fact passively consume x reader fanfic)
Even someone older than me can probably comment about how fandom just used to be more connected and felt more like one big group instead of little cliques scattered here and there. I mean, I used to joke about being in my little bubble because at the time when I was a middle schooler going into high school I was more inclined to sit back and let other people talk about the things I liked because they could word things more eloquently than me, but recently passively consuming isnt something that can just fly by anymore because of the lack of interaction.
It's not that everything should be reblogged, and commented on, and interacted with but at least whatever you enjoy. Fan creations are made for fans by fans. It's not meant to live in a vacuum or echo chamber, but yet, it does. And this may be the wrong way to put it, but the commodification of fandom to be consumed at large by a more main stream audience who just so happens to be popular or considered "normies" feels like-- at least to me-- like the downfall of a community.
As a friend of mine has put it. "Fandom has become a popularity contest." but not only that, the monetization of fanfic or turning fanfic into published literature in droves also has something to do with that. Like, maybe ten or so years ago the only fanfiction I knew that was traditionally published was a) Twighlight and b) Fifty Shades of Grey and those two were both infamous and beloved by the people who read it whereas the amount of traditionally published fanfiction recently is either flocked to because of an influencer or when you look at the 1 star comments most of those books don't have convincing character or plot. But this isn't meant to shoot anyone down, or punch down on any author or creator.
Now, you can 100% disagree, and maybe fandom is "dying" because I'm getting old and no one wants to interact with a twenty-something when those in fandom are all 17 and under. But, I can't joke about being in my own little personal bubble anymore. I don't have that luxury because as a whole, fandom has made its own personal bubbles which cuts off each branch. I mean, people are discussing fics in private discord servers over telling authors how much they love their stuff-- anyway, before i get heated.
The whole reason why this came about was because I was looking at my Quotev account, the one I've had since 2017 even though i've been on the site for much longer. And I'm looking at all the comments on the stories I wrote in 2022, back when I was in my senior year of high school. They were x reader fics from FNAF and Creepypasta, if that is at all relevant for anyone. And I was looking at the fics I've done recently and mind you, these fics from 2022 both have a little over a hundred comments from people who commented every other chapter about what was happening. Yeah, there might be over a hundred comments because its x male reader, but the point I'm trying to make is that it's staggering that maybe 2-3 years ago there was so much interaction only for it to just... stop.
Everyone and their mother knows how hard this lack of interaction is hitting. I know, I'm not special for complaining and writing a big post about it. It's not that deep-- but, but. People might agree that giving idk... a decade of your life to something is sort of a big deal, and there are people who have given more and are far older than I could imagine. I mean, Star Trek started it all. In the 70s. Is it too much to care about something when you're realizing that people are not only shutting themselves in or perhaps even just walking away altogether because of how its changed? Am I being dramatic on the internet? Yeah, who isn't.
Lately, everything now is about being a BNF (big name fan) or getting the most hits/kudos, and like yeah writing is a competition but since when are we in competition with one another?? Mostly aside from the point-- with the introduction of tiktok and social media it's made things easier to share with each other but it's also made it easier for so much stuff to get spread like a goddamn wildfire.
People can put this more eloquently than I, but just because something makes it easier to share doesn't mean it makes it easier for us to interact. Don't get me wrong "be the change you want to see in the world" but it's not helping. Fandom has divided itself into cliques. People stay with their friends, they stay with people that share the same opinion. Fandom has become complicit. And I mean, there's nothing wrong reading the same stuff over and over again or talking about the same things, and maybe idk how to put this properly but it just feels like people are sticking to their safe bubbles. And its okay!!! I'm not trying to say anything negative about that.
But seeing fanmade content fuels fanmade content. Talking to fans fuels fans. Lately, I've felt like I've been in an echo chamber, and have been asking myself "is it worth it?" whenever I think about writing my fics. This isn't for sympathy, or to get a pat on the back but so many people have either walked away or feel the same way about it because it just feels like such a standstill.
I can't think of anymore words at nearly seven in the morning. I'm passing the mic
pixelskylines
blakekathryn
origamiaround
kaledo-art
titsay
germansingergirl
discoholicmusic
snowghoul
areudirty
