there's always been money involved in fandom spaces in some way, but even so, it used to feel more collaborative and less commercial, I guess? For example: zines were sold, but people who contributed to them got a free copy, and there was always the possibility to trade for them
True! And zines were sold because it took money to print them--much like AO3 needing $ to run the servers. All of that is 100% fine with me because money is not the priority at all.
I was quite involved in that scene in the early 2000s, and even when there was money involved, it still felt like a labour of love, and it made sense for the person who printed the zines to ask for money for covering shipping and printing costs, or for a trade if you couldn't pay? In that sense, it felt more like a community.
Indeed!
I don't think it's 100% a nostalgia thing... I mean, yes, that may be a part of it ;) but I truly think that these days, fannish engagement looks and feels very different.
Same. I know that nostalgia is a factor! I'm not given to it in real life, but I definitely am with fandom, and it's contributing, but I don't think it's the entire story!
The thing is--people don't even reblog anymore! They just like! I see this complaint all the time from gifmakers and people who post links to their fic on Tumblr--nobody is reblogging, only liking.
I don't know how to explain it properly, but it has that vibe I love, that's so much about the "two-way interaction" thing you mention!
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True! And zines were sold because it took money to print them--much like AO3 needing $ to run the servers. All of that is 100% fine with me because money is not the priority at all.
I was quite involved in that scene in the early 2000s, and even when there was money involved, it still felt like a labour of love, and it made sense for the person who printed the zines to ask for money for covering shipping and printing costs, or for a trade if you couldn't pay? In that sense, it felt more like a community.
Indeed!
I don't think it's 100% a nostalgia thing... I mean, yes, that may be a part of it ;) but I truly think that these days, fannish engagement looks and feels very different.
Same. I know that nostalgia is a factor! I'm not given to it in real life, but I definitely am with fandom, and it's contributing, but I don't think it's the entire story!
The thing is--people don't even reblog anymore! They just like! I see this complaint all the time from gifmakers and people who post links to their fic on Tumblr--nobody is reblogging, only liking.
I don't know how to explain it properly, but it has that vibe I love, that's so much about the "two-way interaction" thing you mention!
I'm so glad you have that community!
No worries--my post was all over the place too!