The Creative Side of Fandom

Sure, toxic fandom is destructive, but let's talk about the other side for a change.
Game Of Thrones Fan Art

Still, the fans I interviewed are staying positive, and for many, that involves two key elements. The first, for those who read the books, is their continued faith in George R. R. Martin. Even if the most controversial plot points from the final season play out the same in A Dream of Spring, they anticipate that with proper pacing and setup, the events will play out on the page in a much more satisfying way.

The second is fan-generated content. Sometimes, fanworks are about celebrating canon. Other times, it’s about getting closure when you feel that canon went astray. “That’s what fanfiction’s for. It exists for that purpose,” Ashley says, noting Game of Thrones isn’t the first time a canon ending has left her disappointed. “The fandom is going to continue on,” she adds, and she has every intention of continuing to be part of it. “I know the ending has soured a lot of people, but I’m not one of them. I loved those characters before, and I love them now.”

While major mainstream news sources from Vox to The Guardian covered the portion of the fandom that channeled their anger and disappointment into creating and signing a petition, far less media attention was given to the subset of the fandom who took the DIY approach in their displeasure—the “if you want something done right you’ve got to do it yourself” alternative to the “make demands and complain” attitude. From fanfiction to fanart to GIF edits, creative fans have been, after a fashion, giving themselves—and like-minded others—the endings they wanted but did not get. The “I reject your reality and substitute my own” approach.

Erika notes she’s seen fans rally around fanworks since the finale. “I’ve seen people being happy that fix-it fics were being made, and fanart of things that they wished had happened in the show,” she says. “The best part is knowing that you aren’t alone in your thoughts.”

Jaime Lannister as an idiot sandwich (ayofandomthings)

“So many people either wrote fanfictions of Jon and Dany having a happier ending, or they wrote about Dany being flown to Volantis by Drogon and getting resurrected—like, ‘we refuse to accept this version of events,’ and I loved it. It was so great to see,” Yasmin comments. “Same with a lot of Arya fans as well. They were like, that’s such a terrible, cold ending for someone who’s always yearned to be back with her pack, who’s always made friends and allies.” Ashley also comments on the rise of “Daenerys resurrected” stories; notably, she’s one of the numerous fanfic authors writing one.

It might be pure wish fulfillment, but as more than one writer mentions while speaking with me, what’s wrong with that?

All the fans I interview expect the fandom to shrink now that the series is over—and indeed, a month out from the series finale, the stream of content generated throughout Season 8 and immediately after has started slowing down. Some think the unpopular ending will adversely impact the fandom going forward just in terms of people leaving in search of greener pastures; others suspect fan ire will actually leave the fandom more active than a more well-liked conclusion. “I think people will be writing “fix-it” fics for a long time afterward,” says Allison.

But overall, as long as the A Song of Ice and Fire series remains unfinished—and other fans continue producing interesting content—they intend on sticking around in the fandom, at least to some extent.

“I think that the hype of the show will go down but not that much that the fandom will feel empty,” Erika says, adding that she plans to re-read the series and anticipates that doing so will inspire her to make more fanart. Several fans bring up the books not just in terms of new content left to look forward to, but as a refuge from the disappointment of the show. “I talk to quite a few artists online, and because they’re so disillusioned with the show, a lot of them have said, you know what, they’re going to forget the show now, and they’re going to focus on book characters and book designs,” Yasmin notes. She is of a similar mindset. “We continue on with George [R. R. Martin] at the helm.”


No one denies the potential for fandom to get toxic.

Some mention experiences seeing the ugly side of fandom up close and personal. “The fandoms I’ve been involved in, 98 percent of the people are wonderful. Unfortunately, I think the smaller, more vocal, more intense subsections of fandom tend to get the most attention,” Meg says, recalling an upsetting early experience in the Game of Thrones fandom involving other fans live-blogging hate-readings of one of her stories. While she’s seen others “quit” a fandom after getting harassed by other fans, she stuck it out. In retrospect, she considers her time spent in the Game of Thrones fandom a positive experience overall.

They don’t deny that the vocal minority that is toxic fandom exists, just that the positives of engaging with fandom and making fanworks, from honing their creative skills to the sense of community, far outway the negatives.

I think after E.L. James had her success with Fifty Shades [of Grey], there was this snickering done about fanfiction with it being characterized as lonely housewives writing porn. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve written my fair share of porn, but it’s so much more than that,” she notes. “For someone like me, who lives in a rural area and can’t be open about my sexuality in daily life, fandom and fanfiction provided me a community I otherwise never would’ve had. All of us write for different reasons, but no one I know writes and doesn’t have a collection of online friends behind them.”

“I have made some wonderful friends that I will cherish forever,” Frost says. “As negative and toxic as fandom, in general, can be, I have only really ever experienced positivity and support. It feels kind of dumb to say ‘honor,’ but it’s kind of been an honor—not just with the friends that I’ve made, but my readers send me the sweetest, most supportive comments.” She intends to stick around as long as there’s an active fandom to participate in. “The Game of Thrones fandom has been amazing.”

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Ciara Wardlow: Ciara Wardlow is a human being who writes about movies and other things. Sometimes she tries to be funny on Twitter.