Harry Potter Survey (sort of)

[author_by_night]

So with my entry on people moving to new fandoms, and a few people on my flist mentioning the decline of Harry Potter excitement, I've been doing some thinking.

In the past few months, the HBP trailer has been released, HBP pictures have been released, we've been given an 800 Word Sirius and James drabble, and we've been told Beedle the Bard is going to be released.

Two years ago in fandom, JKR yawning caused a buzz. But when these things happened, I didn't really mention them (maybe one or two things), and in fact, perhaps I saw only a small number of people per "happening" commenting. 

I'm not saying that this is a bad thing - we all have to move on. But I find it interesting that even within a month of TDH being released, interest seemed to go down very quickly.

So I'm interested in a few things:

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why?

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why?

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again? 

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms? 

Let me know what you think. You don't have to answer these questions directly if you have something else to add. And there is no right or wrong answer to any of them. 

Comments

[otempora541.livejournal.com]

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why? There is no more buildup, of waiting for something. JKR explained a lot, so we have little to fill in the blanks. I stumbled on my current fandom by accident, and am involved with an RPG. I guess HP is in the back of my mind though.

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why? see above.

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again? absolutly.

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms? defenitly. There's only so much you can speculate on. I've been in the fandom since 12. I'm 19 now. It's exhausting. Life gets in my way. In middle school, I finished homework and off to the fandom. Now, I've got five essays to write, a shift, and other time constraints. I cannot imagine how some of the older fans (adults, esp. parents) have time to devote themselves to fandoms.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I cannot imagine how some of the older fans (adults, esp. parents) have time to devote themselves to fandoms.

In some ways, I think it's an escape. I mean, I can do fandom between (college) study breaks, you know? Go on LJ during lunch break. But I also see how it's harder for some people to do that. And I don't know how people with four kids do it either... but maybe it's something to do while waiting for that yellow schoolbus?

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

My interest in Harry Potter isn't decreasing but that is because I didn't start till late. I only joined fandom in last August. I don't watch very much TV and I have no interest in anime or comic books etc. I don't see many movies. Other than reading, Harry Potter is my media fix, which is why I have time for the fandom.

I wonder if some people would be turned off by a new story if it didn't fit into their universe or push their ship buttons. Perhaps I'm being too cynical.

A lot of fandom goes over the same territory. Once that territory is covered the people who don't develop new fandom interests move on.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

1. My involvement has definitely decreased but this had a lot more to do with changes in my RL situation. I am no longer a student. I have a real job. Ergo, I can not screw around on teh Internetz as much as I used to. I've become a part-time Potter-er. Also, the nonsense on LJ last year really threw me for a loop and chased a lot of fanartists off my f-list. This has also killed some of my own fanart endeavors as I haven't drawn anything smutty since then.

3. Yes. It would give me new stuff to draw. And if it had anything to do with Snape - yeah!

4. I suppose. It's hard to maintain momentum forever. But this is my first real fandom experience, so I don't know how typical or unusual the change has been.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say my interest has decreased because I'm really excited to see the HBP film, but I think my involvment in fandom has decreased, and also changed quite a bit. For me I think that's mostly to do with JKR killing my only real canon-compliant ship - and I've made my peace with it, but a lot of people haven't, and to be honest I don't want to dwell on them dying or write AU, so I feel a bit of a fish out of water in the comms I used to frequent.

I've kind of almost relished the opportunity, though, to get back into some of my non-canon ships, dabble in other characters and move into other fandoms. I think I'm less focused in my fandom activities, perhaps - more scattered, which maybe makes it look like I've lost interest to some people, but I haven't. The interest is still there - I'm just not where people might think to look for me, or in places they wouldn't want to go (or something, lol).

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again?

I think for me, it would depend entirely what JKR released - at one point I was really enthusiastic about the idea of a companion with lots of snippets of info, but now I'm not so sure, because a lot of the stuff that's come up in interviews hasn't really floated my boat. There's stuff I'd like to know - I'd love to know exactly what happened to all the characters who never rated a mantion in DH - but I'm not even sure that's the kind of thing that would get mentioned.

My other issue (which would apply to prequels) is entirely selfish - I'm very attached to my idea of the Marauders, so to learn Sirius and James didn't really like Remus or that Peter was always blatantly a traitor, or that Lily had annoying nicknames for everyone, would really bug me, lol. I think I'd probably get over that and still read, but a bit of me would still regret, almost, that that era's no longer fandom's to play with, as it is now.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

or me I think that's mostly to do with JKR killing my only real canon-compliant ship - and I've made my peace with it, but a lot of people haven't, and to be honest I don't want to dwell on them dying or write AU, so I feel a bit of a fish out of water in the comms I used to frequent.

You and me both, as we've discussed. ;) Honestly, it was weird - I was sad that Remus and Tonks died, and I mean, it did pose a huge problem for my writing... but I've found a way around it, you know? I think in TDH, I stopped worrying about Remus and Tonks because I was so focused on the trio and Ginny, so while I wasn't happy they died, I was glad the trio and Ginny survived.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Well first thing I want to say is I had thought interest was waning but I think everbody and their dog on my f'list posted about the trailer. Literally I think almost every other post linked to it. The Bard book though did not make as big a spalsh. the James sirius story OMG HUGE. For days.

So that said: Answer time

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why?

Yes, because I found Battlestar Galactica and revived my love of Sci-fi things and I can crush or the male actors without being creeped out that cute guys are younger than my brother (now I can be creep out that they are older than my father, but not at the age they were when they did the show *L*).

Also though, I was never much involved with curent canon. My involvement was more on the MWPP side and a lot of the fic writers that inspired my fanart have left and the Snape side remians strong but Snape never much drove my fandom interest, so it makes it easier for me to notice the BSG fic writers who actually write still write what I'm interested in and thus I'm less inspried by HP fanon and more by new fandom fanon.

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why?

I've done less fanart for the reason related above and read less fanfics for the same reason but actually between the HP-Art-Project and Art Approving on AA and psosibly becoming involved in the HPA, and speaking at Protus I'm kinda more involved than I was.

But yeah my fanart output deacresed more than just a bit, but that's partially because the Hp-Art-Project and Protus basically ate my entire summer.

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again?

ermmmm *maybe* BUT My interest level is about where it was at the 6th books release, so I'm thinking no. But again, y interest was never as much with the current canon as with MWPP, which is still IMHO wide open.

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms?

Oh yes. However, HP is amazingly active for a finished fandom (though given the films I'm not 100% it is 'closed' yet).

My other fandoms all but closed down when the series ended and I don't see that with HP. The HP fandom looks like it will have the kinda endurance I usually see in the sci-fi show fandoms.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Well first thing I want to say is I had thought interest was waning but I think everbody and their dog on my f'list posted about the trailer. Literally I think almost every other post linked to it. The Bard book though did not make as big a spalsh. the James sirius story OMG HUGE. For days.

Maybe it depends on where you look, then? I dunno. I just didn't see a lot of reaction. Maybe a bit more to the James Sirius story...

[frankieb-sq87.livejournal.com]

Well, let's see. I practically dropped out of hte fandom before DH came out, so I guess I'd hve to say it's increased since then. . . but it's stll way, way down from where it was before HBP.

And yes, if Jo decided to come out with another novel, I'd be on it like white on rice.

[melfinatheblue.livejournal.com]

I came into HP fandom right before DH came out, so I think my perspective is perhaps a little skewed. I do see people paying less attention to HP, and more to other fandoms, but I think a new book might help revitalize things. Could I put in a vote for more Malfoys and less camping?
I think part of what's happening is that people have found their niches within the fandom, and are much less likely to explore.
And as far as being closed, the problem's more that as more time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to do original things within the boundaries of the books. I don't know if it's because there's not going to be any more HP, or simply because the fandom's been extremely active for so long. It'd be interesting to hear someone who has experience in one of the long-running fandoms, like Star Trek, Star Wars, or Dr Who, chime in on that.

[chocolatepot.livejournal.com]

1. My interest in getting new HP books to read has not decreased; my interest in, uh, most other fans and arguing with them or reading their fic has drastically decreased, probably because I've argued so much that someone has to be amazingly insulting for me to engage and the fic has to be about something I'm terribly interested in as well as appearing to follow the lines I consider IC for the characters for me to read more than a paragraph. My involvement has gone waaay down, because I just don't spend any time on LJ lately, lol_meme serving to tell me interesting things and occasionally have discussions on fannish things I'm interested in, as well as allowing me to tell people they need to shut up about a certain topic instead of scrolling past or not reading my LJ.

2. Way decreased, because there's not a lot I want to discuss and anyway nobody seems to be interested about those topics or at least no people I know/like.

3. Well, my interest in receiving new HP books has never waned, so my interest in reading them would still be high. But I'm not a big discusser anyway, and I'm so disgusted with the people who would inevitably bitch continuously about said book that I wouldn't bother to look at them until I was linked to them.

4. I think newly-closed fandoms go through this, yes, until the long-term fans engage and drive through the slow spot, but HP was heading there anyway because of how long it took - I don't think most people are built to be long-term serious, interacting-with-fandom fans.

[alexiscartwheel.livejournal.com]

1) I got into HP fandom during the three years summer, and since then my involvement in fandom has gone up and done. I was most active in the periods around the publication of OotP and DH. In the middle of all that? College. During that time I had tons of things going on, and fandom just didn't fit. Last year, I started grad school just as HP fandom was starting to slow, and not too long after that, the canon discussion forum at SQ closed down. Since SQ was my main fandom haunt, and I mostly liked analyzing and speculating, that had a big effect. I am still somewhat involved with HP, but it's not my main fandom these days.

2) I am interested in the movies, though not as much as the books, but I'll probably get more excited about it, and thus more involved, closer to the actual release.

3) Yes. And who knows, it could happen.

4) Yes. I've seen the same thing in other fandoms I was involved in when the series finally ended. Once the canon is closed, there's nothing new to speculate about, and people eventually tire of discussing the same things again and again.

[daksian.livejournal.com]

1 and 2. I have to answer both together, because my answer is unusual. I think my interest has decreased, yet my involvement has increased. My interest has decreased because there is increasingly little of substance to discuss as we continue to debate the final points of the series. My involvement has increased however, because in recognizing a decrease in the fandom I went out and became more active in it, hoping to find more activity by doing so. I've succeeded to some extent, and made a number of new friends this past year..as well as some fandom enemies, lol. :P

3. Yes. For one thing, the Encyclopedia would be a fascinating resource book, but also it would allow me to lol even harder at some of the haters. :P

4. I don't think MY reaction is a trend, but I do think interest is waning. I think that's a natural reaction to material that is more or less inert.

[kakeochi-umai.livejournal.com]

it would allow me to lol even harder at some of the haters. :P

Oh?

[daksian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they're all up in arms about the canon-ness of Rowling's interview info, but if said info is codified in an Encyclopedia, then they can't deny even more info that pisses them off. :P

[lyras.livejournal.com]

1. My interest hasn't decreased, but I've been struggling to find room in my life for fandom pretty much ever since I got involved in it, and so without all the anticipation of the last book, I have probably become less involved, at least in terms of reading fanfic.

2. In some ways, yeah, because now we know what JKR won't write, I have a huge list of stories I'd like to write if I ever had the time/commitment. It's just that my priorities are elsewhere.

3. Unlikely - I'll happily read pretty much anything she put out, and I'd love a real prequel/sequel series. But I can't see her producing anything in the Potterverse that has the emotional intensity of the current canon.

[niphredil-04.livejournal.com]

1) My interest and involvement in the Harry Potter fandom has decreased, partially because of where I am in life. There are real life demands on my time, and my interest has just... drifted. The sixth book didn't hook me back in after the long hiatus and I became invested in my AU-world building instead.

2) My involvement in fandoms in general has increased. Harry Potter is always going to be dear to me because it was my very first fandom, but my interests have shifted away from books and into television. *hides in shame* Yes yes I know, TV is a poor substitute for books... Plus, I didn't make a lot of friends in the HP fandoms, partially because I was so new to fandom in general and partially because I was shy. Now, I'm still on the fringes, but I have friends that I stay in contact with who I met through fandom.

3) If she did release a new novel, I think I would get interested, but I don't know if I would buy or wait for reviews first.

4) IMHO, this is a trend in "closed" fandoms, or fandoms that start with a young fan-base and close with an older group. There's no more suspense about the ending -- it's more about fill-in the blanks and the what-ifs.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Yes yes I know, TV is a poor substitute for books...

Eh, it's okay. I mean, I do admit I'm very much not a television person, but it happens. My only thing is that to me, TV actually seems more high maintenance - if you're not on your butt in front of it at a certain time of day, you miss the whole thing. Better have recorded the episode, or else. At least with a book, I can put it down and go back to read it later. Yes, it takes longer, but that's part of the fun too, for me - I don't only get 45 minutes worth of a plotline. But I also think it's okay if you're more into TV, although of course I would still encourage you to try and read as well, once in a while. ;)

or fandoms that start with a young fan-base and close with an older group.

I do think that's helped. And people change a lot between the age of sixteen and the age of twenty four. I know I have - now, I've still managed to stick with fandom, but some people have changed in different ways. Not that that's bad, but it does affect what they're going to be into.

[niphredil-04.livejournal.com]

I probably should read more, but I read only in the summer for relaxation. The rest of the year, I'm surrounded by my textbooks.

Actually, while I'm more into TV fandoms, I watch only one show (Numb3rs) every week. All the other fandoms that I'm in...I actually don't watch the show, I just read the fan fic and participate on the discussion boards/writing part. ^^ Plus, with the Internet being what it is, I'm able to go onto the shows' websites and watch what I miss if I want to.

The Potter books spanned what, ten years at least? That's plenty of time for people to change their interests. I'm not sure I'm going to stay with the fandom long-term. I'm already on the fringes, so... *shrugs*

[eimajunknown.livejournal.com]

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why?
it has definitely decreased, and for two reasons. the first is that DH was the final book, and other than a couple of odds and ends here and there (like the bard book and the encyclopedia) and the movies i'm slowly beginning to hate, there isn't going to be anything of substance added to the canon. and since there is really no new stuff, people are recycling the same arguments and debates, which gets tiresome, really. the second reason is because i stumbled into a different fandom (twilight), which isn't comparable, and even my level of involvement is different. i wrote hp fic, but i don't see myself ever taking the time to write twilight fic. i do read twilight fic, but i tend to stick to ones where all the characters are human, which goes against everything canon in the books, which was the opposite of my hp fanfic involvement. along that line, because i was reading so many fanfics dealing with the aftermath of whatever the latest book was, many theories were put before me that seemed possibly plausible, and i'm one of the people that will think something to death, which mean i had certain things i was expecting in the books. it was somewhat jarring when those things did (or didn't) happen, which was part of the reason i stuck to AU twilight fic. /tangent.

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why?
not really. i used to check jkrowling's site and mugglenet as often as possible, and now i barely think about them. i haven't actually gone back to re-read any of the other books since right before DH came out. and i can't remember the last time i watched one of the movies. i really didn't like the OOTP movie.

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again?
yes. as i said before, my lack of interest is due in part because of the lack of substantial canon added to the universe. i would definitely be interested in anything she would have to add to the series, especially as she's all but said she's finished. mainly because if she's consented to the effect this will have on her life (deadlines, keeping plots secret, all the hoopla surrounding the book release, etc.), it must be something good. and she knows people will expect that.

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms?
i think that once the final chapter of a series is over, it's only natural that many of the fans will - not disappear - but move on to other things that offer new characters and situations to delve into. they'll always be some who are still interested, but with television teaching us to jump from one thing to the other in quick succession, it's difficult to hold the attention of most of the readers. a series this popular will doubtless have many fans who are casual readers who are there just to enjoy the book for what it is before moving on to another while still retaining a good many die-hard fans. it's all subjective, really.

[mcgonagalls-cat.livejournal.com]

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why?

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why?
*answering 1 & 2 together*
My activity dropped back quite a bit before HBP came out due to the site I was most involved with sort of withering (most of the members went off to college and no longer frequented the place). 'Interest didn't, but the community I was used to went away and it was tricky to discuss and ponder without the people I'd been doing it with all along.


3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again?

I haven't gotten "un-interested". This question is phrased with a faulty assumption. However, a new novel!!! I'd grab it in a heartbeat and read it 87 times, contemplate the wonders, catch the Flints, etc., same as the others.
Especially if it was Marauders era stories. *still has a crush on Remus and Sirius.*

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms?

Multiple concepts come to mind :

First, "closed" is a relative term. A truly creative mind can use the parameters set and still have many adventures to write about and explore!

Second, I think we were all fortunate enough to have a completely unique experience that can't be re-created. From here on out, new readers will have less. Most of you grew up reading HP with a year of more between books. I came into things after GoF, but got to "live" Potterverse from that point on. Now people can read the whole of 7 books, in a row without pause, rather than savouring them as we did. They won't have the excitement of anticipation. Their experiences will be so much less than ours were.

I think that is what is being felt as "closed" by us.

Third : There are always levels of "fan" - which is short for fanatic - and the true diehards will keep on keeping on... though as someone pointed out above (I can't find it right now), there isn't a lot that can be discovered "new" and discussed ad nauseum at the moment.
And like VegaBlack commented, I knew a lot of people were really tweaked, both at HBP and DH, for setting something in canon that seriously conflicted where they wanted the story to go.

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I cannot imagine how some of the older fans (adults, esp. parents) have time to devote themselves to fandoms.

I was so appalled at the political goings on in the USA that Potterverse was a great place to hide from an intolerable and unfixable situation...

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And then - Your observation of the fandom falling off is very correct. Several years ago there were hundres of fans at every site. Now... yeah, well...
However, I just had a grand IM from a friend who was talking about casting a Patronus and I was listening to DH today at work. Potterdom is not dead! Life is good!

[daniellafromage.livejournal.com]

1. Do you think your interest and/or involvement has decreased? Why?
Yes. Part of it is because there's a lack of new book canon (we're getting Beedle the Bard, which I plan to buy and read, but that's not about Harry and doesn't really add anything to his story). I think I was most active in fandom from 2003-2005 anyway, though, and I've sort of naturally drifted into other fandoms/interests since then.

2. Do you think your interest and/or involvement in fandom has increased? Why?
No. I'd read a fic that was recced enthusiastically and was supposed to be very funny, but otherwise I haven't read HP fic for months - I kind of feel that I've read everything I want to read for a while. If I reread the books again I might feel differently.

Oh, I'm still kind of interested in the BNFs the same as I was a few years ago.

3. If JK Rowling released a complete new novel (prequel, sequel, or a companion book the length of her others), do you think you would get interested again?
A prequel or sequel, yes. I did enjoy being in HP fandom so I wouldn't object to returning at all. If/when she releases an encycopedia or Beedle the Bard, I'll read them but I probably wouldn't return to fandom.

4. In general, do you think that this is a trend in "closed" fandoms?
Kiiiiiiiind of. I think people will go on writing HP fic (and attending cons and playing RPGs) for a good few years, but I think the fandom pretty much peaked in 2005 - I would be surprised if it ever became as enormous as it was a few years ago. I can't think of any other canons where there's a very large, active fandom - even LoTR, which rivalled HP in size, died off quickly after all the movies came out.

This isn't to say that once canon is closed, fandom will necessarily die off quickly. I think it does slow it right down, though.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

but I think the fandom pretty much peaked in 2005

That's a good point, actually. And I think it's true to some extent, especially as it was when HBP came out and there were a lot of people who didn't like it.

[vytresna.livejournal.com]

Honestly? The Beedle the Bard announcement, combined with discovering an amazing Neville-during-DH fic, made me a gibbering fandom maniac - not quite at the level I had last year, of course, but at the level normal people had last year. It feels good to be back.

Not really on tenterhooks for the HBP movie, though. Nearly all the best scenes are exposition, and my favorite of the lot (Harry's resolution after Slughorn's real memory) owes almost all its awesome to Harry's thought processes - I think the Harry/Ginny kiss fits there as well. None of this really translates well to screen. On the other hand, if they manage to sign on Del Toro and not-Kloves for DH... THAT will get me revved up, all right.