Big Name Fan

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Among science fiction, comic book and fantasy fans, a Big Name Fan (BNF for short) is a member of a fandom who is particularly well-known, liked and celebrated for their contributions of art, fanfiction, or articles on fandom. They generally have many fans of their own, who praise them and read their online journals. Some authors and columnists for fanzines and semi-professional magazines are considered BNFs, among them Kim Metzger and cat yronwode.

Ideally, a BNF is an intelligent, well-spoken individual who earns the respect of other fans. BNFs may have their autographs requested at conventions; they are often paid to speak as convention guests. One cannot proclaim oneself to be a BNF, as to do so might invite derision or ridicule.

The term was originally recorded in 1955, in Bob Tucker's The Neo-Fan Guide ^[1]; other early references include 1959's Fancyclopedia II ^[2] and Donald Franson's 1962 work A Key to the Terminology of Science-Fiction Fandom ^[3]. In its original sense, 'BNF' referred to "one well known within the world of science-fiction fandom" ^[4]

Fans report ambivalent feelings towards BNFs. The title BNF also carries a negative connotation of being arrogant and self-important. Accordingly, many people who are deemed BNFs resist using that designation.

A good example of a BNF is Bev Vincent, who frequents Stephen King message boards and writes a column on King for Cemetery Dance magazine. In 2004, Vincent wrote "The Road to the Dark Tower," a book analyzing King's Dark Tower Cycle. Although he has also published short stories in small-press and semi-professional 'zines, Vincent is best known for his articles and reviews of King's work.

Due to Vincent's reputation as a prominent Stephen King BNF (and his acquaintanceship with King himself), some critics have suggested that editors are more open to publishing his fiction, citing the horror anthology Borderlands 5 as an example. In the collection, Vincent's story, "One of Those Weeks," appears directly before a novella by Stephen King. Some readers have suggested this was not a coincidence.

Some BNFs such as Jacqueline Lichtenberg, author of the Kraith Star Trek fanfiction series, go on to become professional authors or screenwriters themselves. Lichtenberg now co-authors the independent SimeGen series.

More recently, the world of podcasting has added greatly to the number of big name fans. Notably, the cast of the popular Harry Potter podcasts Pottercast and Mugglecast, of the-leaky-cauldron.org and mugglenet.com, respectively.

[edit] References

1. ^ Tucker, Bob (1955). The Neo-Fan Guide. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
2. ^ Speer, Jack (1959). Dick Eney (ed.): Fancyclopedia II. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
3. ^ Franson, Donald (1962). A Key to the Terminology of Science-Fiction Fandom. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
4. ^ Southard, Bruce (1982). "The Language of Science-Fiction Fan Magazines". American Speech 57 (1): 19-31. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.