Quantifying fandom: Identity, romance, and platform preferences on archive of our own

Abstract

Fan scholars typically study single fandoms and gain rich insight into their identities and practices, but without systematic study, it has proven difficult to draw broader conclusions about patterns across fandoms. In this study, we attempt to provide a broad systemic analysis of fandom, using a survey of 4874 fans who use the fan fiction posting site, Archive of Our Own. Through our analysis, we examine the interplay of fan identity with their practices: what type of romantic content fans prefer and which platforms fans prefer to use. We find that both romantic content and platform preference are shaped by fans’ identities, which provides important insights into broad patterns of how identity impacts behavior among fan fiction writers and readers across fandoms.