The Fan, the Pro, and the Spaces In Between by Tessa Gratton
Fansplaining
Our August piece is by novelist (and Fansplaining SDCC 2025 panelist!) Tessa Gratton, about navigating the intersections of the fan and pro writing worlds, and how their queerness shapes their framings of these worlds. "The Fan, the Pro, and the Spaces In Between" by Tessa Gratton. Writing for Star Wars challenges me to interrogate fandom power dynamics—and figure out where I fall in a rapidly shifting landscape. Read the whole piece:
info_outline
The Fandom Advantage: How Fan Creativity Fuels Pro Entertainment Careers
Fansplaining
Fansplaining returned to San Diego Comic-Con this year (our tenth anniversary!) with a fantastic panel of fandom folks who work in pro entertainment careers. There's an audio recording here on our feed, and over at the website: You can watch video version as well as read a full transcript. Because the intro to the audio is only on this feed, that's transcribed below. Transcript of intro: Hi everyone! Elizabeth here. I am fresh off San Diego Comic-Con 2025...or not...fresh, but I'm off. [laughing] I got home in the wee hours of yesterday morning. Had a...
info_outline
How Friendships Onscreen and Off Fueled Half a Century of Fandom by Jay Castello
Fansplaining
Our latest piece is about making fanworks—and fandom friendships—last through the decades! "How Friendships Onscreen and Off Fueled Half a Century of Fandom" by Jay Castello. For the admins of the Starsky & Hutch Fiction Archive, preserving fanworks and fannish community go hand in hand. Read the full piece:
info_outline
I Came to Ruin You: The Collecting Practices of K-Pop Fandoms by Rea McNamara & Bo Shin
Fansplaining
This month’s Fansplaining piece is a bit of a departure from our usual fandom reporting and critical analysis: for the first time, we’re very excited to share a virtual art exhibit of sorts, from Toronto-based curators and BTS fans Rea McNamara and Bo Shin. I came to ruin you: The Collecting Practices of K-pop Fandoms was on display at York University this past spring, and what follows is an expanded version of the exhibition’s brochure, plus images, videos, and interviews with some of the fan collectors and participating artists Jiwon Choi and Lux Pyre. You can listen to the...
info_outline
The RPF Question by Sacha Judd
Fansplaining
In our newest piece, Sacha Judd goes deep on RPF, tracing it back decades and tackling its thorny intersections with other kinds of fan practices. "The RPF Question" by Sacha Judd. Amid blurry boundaries between fic, celebrity fandom, and conspiracy theories, how real person fiction evolved from forbidden to mainstream and back again. Read the full piece:
info_outline
Bridgerton and Period Drama Fandom’s Enduring Racism Problem by Amanda-Rae Prescott
Fansplaining
Our latest piece is by Amanda-Rae Prescott, who was one of the expert guests in our "Race and Fandom" series back in 2020! ( "Bridgerton and Period Drama Fandom’s Enduring Racism Problem" by Amanda-Rae Prescott. Complaints about historical accuracy and acting quality are often dog-whistles: some fans only want to see white actors—and white history—on screen. Read the full piece here:
info_outline
Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than Brave New World by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
Fansplaining
Gav is back in Fansplaining in 2025! This time, she writes about Sam Wilson's recent Captain America debut—and how the MCU failed both the character and the fandom. "Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than Brave New World" by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw: Marvel wants fans to care about lore without thinking too deeply about themes and emotions—the things that brought them to this fandom in the first place. Read the full piece here: fansplaining.com/articles/sam-wilson-deserved-better-brave-new-world
info_outline
The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom by Lena Barkin
Fansplaining
Our first article of 2025 is here—and it's a big one! "The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom" by Lena Barkin: Blake’s 7 fans and actors mixed regularly at cons and on the pages of zines—until an anonymous letter changed everything. Read the full piece here: fansplaining.com/articles/the-war-that-almost-broke-a-classic-fandom
info_outline
The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction by Elizabeth Minkel
Fansplaining
Around this time in December, we usually wrap up Fansplaining with “”: a look back at five trends from the prior year followed by five trends from the year coming to a close. With Flourish’s departure this summer, the podcast is now on hiatus—but I had a lot of thoughts about 2024, particularly when it came to fanfiction. Many thanks to Flourish for looking this over; in a way, it’s a “Year in Fandom” segment in spirit. In 2024, everyone wanted a piece of fic, from AI grifters to traditional publishers to ravenous audiences. Where did that leave the people who write it?...
info_outline
Bringing Fanfiction Into the Classroom by Abby Kirby
Fansplaining
Our latest article is by Abby Kirby, who writes about her experiences teaching fanfiction to middle schoolers: "Fic does something that my traditional English classes cannot: it places the power in the hands of the student." Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/bringing-fanfiction-into-the-classroom
info_outlineOur latest article is by Abby Kirby, who writes about her experiences teaching fanfiction to middle schoolers: "Fic does something that my traditional English classes cannot: it places the power in the hands of the student."
Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/bringing-fanfiction-into-the-classroom