What makes a fandom?
Or less tersely, what distinguishes a person from being a member of a fandom from being a solitary fan of [fill in the blank]?
Answering my own question, I see the difference as one of participation. I can root for the Chicago Cubs or dilligently watch for news of the latest Firefly/Serenity news, but being part of a fandom for me means that I get off my butt and do something, often times with other people. Maybe it's attending or helping to run a convention, publishing a fanzine, writing a filk song or fanfiction piece... but in some way I become actively involved with the object of my interest rather than passively consuming it.
That's my story for the nonce. What's yours?
Answering my own question, I see the difference as one of participation. I can root for the Chicago Cubs or dilligently watch for news of the latest Firefly/Serenity news, but being part of a fandom for me means that I get off my butt and do something, often times with other people. Maybe it's attending or helping to run a convention, publishing a fanzine, writing a filk song or fanfiction piece... but in some way I become actively involved with the object of my interest rather than passively consuming it.
That's my story for the nonce. What's yours?