Exploration Phase #2

New Research Project: Fanfiction

Notes from the geekiest part of the internet’s underbelly

Comic by James Horton. Art generated via Midjourney. Edited in Paint3d

Today’s Song — Superfan

TLDR

I was an avid fanfiction reader for ten years, between 2005 and 2015. A few weeks ago I discovered that the index pages of major fanfiction archives (like Fanfiction.net and Archiveofourown.org) could be turned into data on the trajectories of individual fandoms. Ever the data glutton, I have responded accordingly, collecting a dataset that covers the full history of Fanfiction.net.

This is purely exploratory. I’ve got no idea what I’m going to find, but whatever it is, it will be nerdy. Read on for more about why and how I’m doing this.

Table of Contents

I. Metroid message boards and psychic serpents
II. So, why fanfiction?
III. How do you research fanfiction, anyway?
X. Today’s song (w. lyrics)