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Being part of fan communities can be rewarding… and life changing. You meet lots of people, find long-lasting friendships, important networking contacts, and even discover talents and interests you never knew you had. You also may get some travel opportunities to meet some of these newly formed friends and get together for concerts.

I know I can speak to the life-changing, as well as rewarding, aspect of the fan community culture. About 25 years ago, I took my first major trip away from home on my own, on a train halfway across the country from Connecticut to Michigan, to meet one of my favorite artists and some fan friends. Six years ago, I hooked up with the Gaither videos and their artists and fans, and all the experiences I've had since then might require a book. At this point in time, I have been to 20 states. I'd say more than half of that travel was to visit or go to concerts with friends I’ve made all over the US.

My history with a large fan community began in the early 80’s. Back before the days of e-mail, I placed a tiny classified ad in a rock music magazine looking for pen pals who were also fans of a particular group. I received over 100 responses to that ad. From there, tons of letters and friendship books (remember those?) were exchanged, friendships formed, newsletters began and happy first time meetings with one another took place. We also went through a lot of tough stuff together. If something happened to one of us fans/friends, or when changes happened within the group we were fans of, we worked each other through the process.

There are many ways to find like-minded music lovers and fans. Of course, the online age opens the possibilities up wider than ever before: web sites, message boards, discussion groups, mailing lists, fan clubs. However…in these days of dealing with people you don’t really know, it also comes with some risk if you don’t do your research beforehand. Before jumping into the fray with both feet, you’ll want to make sure you’re becoming part of something which is safe, comfortable, and suitable for your well-being. So, it is advisable to have a look around and “try before you buy.” With many online fan discussion groups and message boards, you do have that opportunity to browse and get a feel for the kinds of people who post and the type of subjects discussed. I’d suggest reading for awhile until you feel ready to start posting messages and revealing details about yourself. Rely on your instincts and don’t get too personal in your contacts unless you feel completely comfortable and ready to do so.

Here are some fan community etiquette suggestions I’ve come up with based on my experiences:

Realize that, just like life itself, in a fan community you are going to come across many different personality types and diverse opinions. It takes all kinds to make a world in the universe of fans. You may notice a few people who just have the need to be the center of attention, or those whose self-esteem is obviously based on getting close to or noticed by a particular artist. There are fiercely competitive fans out there, some who just absolutely insist that they are the "number one fan" of someone and are not to be challenged (some of that is in fun…others can be just plain serious). You can either recognize these things, and take them with a grain of salt, or simply ignore them.

The main point to remember when you are posting in a newsgroup or message boards, is that words in print tend to stay there. One unkind word tends to start a chain reaction in discussion threads. The way to not escalate a controversy is to not respond to it at all, or take it to personal messaging if you must respond.

As I said earlier, there is an upside to all this. The common bond of love of music and art can bring great people together, create extended families, and help you learn new things about yourself. These things make life much sweeter…especially when we all meet together in person for the first time after months or even years of e-mails and posts. There's nothing quite like those initial hug fests!

Wendy Vickers
http://www.wendyv.com
http://www.embraceencouragement.com

Reader Comments

GREAT stuff!! Well, all I know is I'm a big Wendy fan and think what you are doing is so incredibly needed and appreciated. We were talking about you tonight at our songwriter's night (we missed you!) and we were in agreement that we think you are one special, gifted, amazing woman!! Thank you for all the pearls of wisdom and gifts of encouragement you give, and for just being WHO God made YOU!!

Tara

Thanks, Wendy. Another great article & very well said.

God is good all the time & all the time God is good. 

Elaine Harcourt

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