How To Become a BNF
Jun. 21st, 2006 12:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kerravonsenWith the recent HP fandom controversy going the rounds, I've been wondering about what makes a BNF, and what you have to have and do in order to become one.
ETA: Please note, I do not want to become a BNF. Note that my "mood" is "cynical".
1. Get in on the ground floor.
You have absolutely no chance of becoming a BNF in a particular fandom unless you are one of the first few people in that fandom. It doesn't help if you're more talented than an already established BNF, because by then it is too late. You have to get in while the fandom is hot, and the number of people required to impress is small -- once you've won them over, they will indoctrinate the latecomers.
This also requires a bit of prescience, since you have to know what fandoms are going to become big fandoms, before they do become big (you can't really be a BNF in a small fandom).
2. Live in the USA.
It isn't that there aren't BNFs outside the USA, but the culture of the USA seems more amenable to BNF-dom, possibly because modesty isn't considered a virtue in the USA.
Also, for fandoms based on US TV, it's easier to do #1 if you live in the USA.
3. Do something admirable.
If you want to be admired, you have to be able to produce something which other fans can admire.
(a) writing or art
This is a common method: "I worship your writing" has been uttered by fans of BNFs. You don't necessarily have to have fantastic talent (fans are easy to please) but you have to have some talent.
(b) connections
Have an "in" with actors/producers/writers of the fandom, and use that to score coups which can be shared with other fans.
(c) Organisation skills
Run a convention or a website, so long as it is the biggest convention ever, or THE website for that fandom. It helps if it's the first convention or website for the fandom (see #1)
4. Be prolific and/or tireless.
It's no good being a good writer or having connections if your work isn't appearing before other fans regularly. This is aided by having a spouse who earns the bread, or possibly having a job which is connected with fandom.
You also have to concentrate all your efforts on that particular fandom -- if you are interested in multiple fandoms, you are doomed, since your efforts are spread out over more than one fandom.
5. Be or know a gatekeeper.
The best way to become a BNF is to not only have the talent, but to also control the information flow to other fans. In the old days, this used to be along the lines of running a club or putting out a popular fanzine. Nowadays it's more along the lines of running a website or moderating a forum/mailing list. To avoid an apparent conflict of interest, it may be better if you yourself aren't the gatekeeper, but your best friend is.
All of these demonstrate why I will never become a BNF myself -- I'm interested in far too many fandoms, and I always seem to come in on the fandoms too late. Not to mention that I'm no good at self-promotion.
ETA: Please note, I do not want to become a BNF. Note that my "mood" is "cynical".
1. Get in on the ground floor.
You have absolutely no chance of becoming a BNF in a particular fandom unless you are one of the first few people in that fandom. It doesn't help if you're more talented than an already established BNF, because by then it is too late. You have to get in while the fandom is hot, and the number of people required to impress is small -- once you've won them over, they will indoctrinate the latecomers.
This also requires a bit of prescience, since you have to know what fandoms are going to become big fandoms, before they do become big (you can't really be a BNF in a small fandom).
2. Live in the USA.
It isn't that there aren't BNFs outside the USA, but the culture of the USA seems more amenable to BNF-dom, possibly because modesty isn't considered a virtue in the USA.
Also, for fandoms based on US TV, it's easier to do #1 if you live in the USA.
3. Do something admirable.
If you want to be admired, you have to be able to produce something which other fans can admire.
(a) writing or art
This is a common method: "I worship your writing" has been uttered by fans of BNFs. You don't necessarily have to have fantastic talent (fans are easy to please) but you have to have some talent.
(b) connections
Have an "in" with actors/producers/writers of the fandom, and use that to score coups which can be shared with other fans.
(c) Organisation skills
Run a convention or a website, so long as it is the biggest convention ever, or THE website for that fandom. It helps if it's the first convention or website for the fandom (see #1)
4. Be prolific and/or tireless.
It's no good being a good writer or having connections if your work isn't appearing before other fans regularly. This is aided by having a spouse who earns the bread, or possibly having a job which is connected with fandom.
You also have to concentrate all your efforts on that particular fandom -- if you are interested in multiple fandoms, you are doomed, since your efforts are spread out over more than one fandom.
5. Be or know a gatekeeper.
The best way to become a BNF is to not only have the talent, but to also control the information flow to other fans. In the old days, this used to be along the lines of running a club or putting out a popular fanzine. Nowadays it's more along the lines of running a website or moderating a forum/mailing list. To avoid an apparent conflict of interest, it may be better if you yourself aren't the gatekeeper, but your best friend is.
All of these demonstrate why I will never become a BNF myself -- I'm interested in far too many fandoms, and I always seem to come in on the fandoms too late. Not to mention that I'm no good at self-promotion.
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-21 05:15 am (UTC)I always (yes, I am naive) assumed a BNF was simply someone well known in part of a fandom, probably either because they run a website that everyone uses (*looks at The Leaky Cauldron*) or because they write such good fic that everyone has read and recommended their stories (I would have assumed that
In other words, that BNFs were well known because they had given a heck of a lot to their fandom and were respected for it.
This crazy worship of them, and the weirdness that is people *actively trying* to become BNFs, I just can't understand it.
the culture of the USA seems more amenable to BNF-dom, possibly because modesty isn't considered a virtue in the USA.
Ouch! I mean, yes, you're being sarcastic, but still, as an American myself--ouch. :-D
(oh, and my icon is directed at crazy fandom peoples, not you, Kat. *g*)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-21 05:45 am (UTC)Hmmm, maybe it's the difference between true geeks and non-geeks? Maybe, maybe not. Though I've gotten the impression that part of the reason geeks and nerds get a hard time in the jungle of the US High School system is because they're simply not interested in playing the popularity game -- and if one isn't interested in playing the popularity game at school, why would one be interested in playing the popularity game in one's fannish life either?
Then one could start postulating hypotheses based on Myers-Briggs personality types, but I'm not going to bother.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-21 07:09 am (UTC)It's interesting how it works in lit fandom. THere are definitely BNFs and there is an awareness that it takes a long time to become one, but they don't tend to have the same internet presence (or perhaps I'm unaware of it if they do). That goes back to the sheer age of lit fandom and the fact that it was paper based for so very long.
And writers don't tend to get the kind of adulation that actors do. (Possibly because you don't have to be pretty to be a good writer, so the lust element is removed)