Fandom

A community of keen aficionados who share a common interest in any phenomenon, such as authors, hobbies, genres or fashions, can be a fandom.

Related Topics:
Aficionado - Author - Hobbies - Genre - Fashion

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Fans (or the plural fen) typically are interested in even minor details of the object of their fandom; this is what differentiates them from those with only casual interest.

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The objects of a fandom typically relate to the arts, sports or entertainment. For example, it would be unusual to refer to an accountant who is very interested in the details of accounting as a "fan" of accounting.

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Members of a fandom associate with one another, often attending fan conventions (such as science fiction conventions), and publishing and exchanging fanzines. Today, these communities are often online, especially for less well-known source material.

Related Topics:
Fan convention - Science fiction convention - Fanzine

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Some fans also write fan fiction, stories based around the universe and characters of their chosen fandom. Some also dress in costumes ("cosplay") or recite lines of dialogue either out-of-context or as part of a group reenactment.

Related Topics:
Fan fiction - Costumes - Cosplay - Dialogue - Reenactment

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The term "fandom" is particularly associated with fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres, a community that dates back to the 1930s and has held the World Science Fiction Convention since 1939.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Fantasy - Genre - 1930 - World Science Fiction Convention - 1939

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