This year's digital conference level-up topic is fandoms and fan bases. So in preparation, I have been reviewing more than 100 books and articles on fandoms and fan base building (#1 Input... who is shocked?). I've talked about a few of the books and articles here, and on my Book Club Substack (which, if you follow that, you've already read a version of what I'm about to post here--this is the free post for May), I just did a book review of one of the best of the academic essay collections.

I have a deeper dive on the Patreon tomorrow, for those who are interested, but for now, here is a breakdown of the Eight Types of Fans Every Fandom Needs (in order to be an actual fandom).

First: Part of the reason I did this research was to find out if there were any patterns I could pull out that might help authors figure out how to build more engaged fan bases. Sure enough, there were some. And hopefully this year's digital conference will help with those. But also... there are lots of people who follow me for helpful content who aren't going to come to the conference, so I'm still here for that!

The deeper info will be on the Patreon, but here's some things to look out for, when you're thinking about engaging fans on a deeper level. There needs to be something for each of these fans to "consume" because that's the hallmark of a fandom.

Hope you enjoy!

Fandoms aren’t just collections of people who like the same thing. Fandoms have a sense of purpose and self-moderated growth about them.
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But you do need all eight types of fans in order to be a fandom, because the growth is a result of many different types of people all being committed to diving deeper into one thing. These are the roles we need to see present, in order for a fandom to be self-sustaining.

Yes, you can absolutely have an engaged fan base that still is interested and buys your books without having a fandom. Also, fandoms do not need to be giant. They can be quite small or niche. But you need all these types of people in order to stabilize growth.

(And these aren’t personalty-related in the sense that not all Enneagram types or Strengths will always play the same role. It’s more like there are eight spokes on a wheel that make the wheel function correctly. The wheel is the fandom.)

The question to ask is, do you see these types of fans in your fan base?
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The first type of fan that indicates you have a fandom is The Evangelist. They are so committed to other people knowing about your work, they’re organizing groups of people around your content. It might be a small organization, if your fandom is small. It might be the person who buys copies of your book for all their friends for Christmas. It might be the person who posts on social media, encouraging everyone who likes X to read your book.
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With The Shipper, this is where fanfiction often enters the picture (though they're not just fanfiction writers). They are specifically looking to expand your content by making their own, deeper experience.
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But in emerging fandoms, you won’t always see The Evangelist and The Shipper first. You might see The Collector first, and there need to be many of these. They are the ones who keep asking you for more (they want more books, they want trinkets, they want physical things that remind them of your books). If you don't have Collectors yet, making things for the fandom isn't super helpful. I would focus more on creating demand for the books, first, and then the Collectors will follow.
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Then we have The Reader. This person is so enthusiastic about how well you're creating an experience, they do a deep reading of your work, looking for more connection on each read (or listen). They are re-consumers. I’m not sure we realize the importance of this role. This is a high value target.
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We also have The Judge. This is one of the main reasons I’m encouraging people to disappoint your fans. Because inside your fan group, you’ll have people who are judgmental anyway, about everything you do. It’s their role in the group. You won’t be able to do things that please them all the time.

You want them to be judgey.
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It’s part of how you know for sure you’re not in a cult. Where are the Judges? How are they treated? Judgment causes engagement from other fans. Those critical voices play an important role that promotes growth. We need to let them be.
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The next type is The Outcast. The presence of fans who don’t feel like they belong always offers the fandom an opportunity to grow into more diversity and shift and change. And all fandoms need to change. We need to expand to grow toward more needs, and care for the whole group. Not allowing people to feel wronged or un-included keeps the group static, which will eventually prevent growth.
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The last two types are somewhat related to each other. The Friend and The Cosplayer. It’s important we don’t take “cosplay” to only mean people who dress in the garb of particular fandoms and go to conferences or groups.
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The Cosplayer might not wear anything specific. They are the person who makes themself into something representative of the fandom. Yes, they might wear clothes of the fandom (if they exist), or they might just begin to talk like the characters or the world or use the language. Not in an effort to share. In an effort to belong.
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And the Friend… well… the Friend creates the hospitality and welcome. We would be nothing without the Friends. <3
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What about you? Do you see yourself in one of these types in the fandoms you belong to? Or maybe you’ve been each type in a different fandom, or at a different point in your life?

On a side note, one of the most interesting essays in the collection I reviewed was on nonverbal cues in fan groups and the necessity of giving fans an in-person experience at some point. Either encouraging them to get together on their own, or you hosting an event. The way nonverbal utterance molds a fandom together. It was yet another reminder of how important it is, as your fandom grows, to give them spaces to be in person.

This is why we do so many in-person events at the BFA. It’s why we get together live every year and do a deep dive conference into whatever Becca has been learning about and applying in coaching for the last year.

And this year will be no different.

​I hope you’ll join us. Bring your Dammit Becca fans. (Those nonverbal utterances don’t need to be in person, for us—they can be on camera too!)

Or if you just wanted to read this article and be helped by the information, because it is of interest to you, then you are also welcome.

​You can also join the conversation on Facebook if you want to comment or argue.​

I hope everyone has a great day, no matter what, and I hope you go open the manuscript now, so we can all create more fandoms together.

<3 Becca <3

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