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How niche are fandom ideas?

Canonfan

Canonfan

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Joined
Apr 18, 2020
Heya! This question has been bouncing around in my head like a good chunk of my ideas, but I'm honestly curious about how to potentially make concepts in my thread more appealing. Or maybe not come off as, energetic? I'm not entirely sure but fandom plots are a bit of a comfort zone, so how could I make them more appealing, especially if what I mainly want to do is brainstorm?
 
While something of a copout answer, it really depends on the fandom. Some fandoms will most certainly be more popular than others.
 
It's certainly an understandable answer. I mean, most of the fandoms I have listed in my RT are games, or western animation. I feel like in contrast I've seen a ton of anime and live action fandoms. A few books too, I think. This isn't a vent, just me being confused. I dunno how to really.. Relieve the pressure? No that's not it. Words are hard!
 
I guess the main question is... what are you talking about with fandom? Are you talking playing canon characters or canon x OC? Just using the fandom world and jumping off a plot from it? Some AU version of the fandom with all OC characters? Perhaps just using a fandom as a jumping point to make a original setting based roughly around it?

I would say that is perhaps the biggest thing to consider. People will be all over the spectrum with what they want to do with a fandom. I've seen plenty of cases were people use it wanting to play the characters. I personally view fandom more as a 'this is a cool world, I like to make something based off it or maybe using that world' but for me I'd NEVER want to involve canon characters. It's more going to be a spectrum of what people want to do with some liking to use a fandom as a basis, and many others very much prefering something more original.

So I wouldn't say fandoms itself are 'niche' as much as that there are several different niches when it comes to taking a fandom idea and how much a person might want to use it. It's likely a good idea if you want to ask about it to find out what about a fandom a person wants to use.
 
Fair points. For me I like to play stuff between canon characters, usually in some kind of AU or another, future, modern, fix-it, it's a list. Though I don't know if epilogue ideas count as future AU's.

I'm fine with people putting a spin on canon characters, so long as it's not too extreme. Like.. Say someone made a character that is at their base, sassy and fun loving, and took that to a negative extreme. Once more words are hard, especially when I dunno who to use as an example. Though one of the main things I love doing is rping canon characters being happy, or satisfied. I just don't know how I can highlight that? None of my ideas are set in stone.

Sorry if I'm being confusing, I should probably try to get at least a little bit of shut eye in a minute.
 
Longtime writer here who has always been very fandom specific.

I think Saiya says it best. So I've come to approach Fandom stuff with an open mind and try to compromise where I can. Much like you, I'm more CanonXCanon and always have been. I try to let people still have the freedom to tell me what "Their" version of say Lois Lane or Mary Jane are, but I still would like it to be as close to the canon and not an extreme take.

However, you're always going to have trouble with any fandom because some people feel like it's stealing another persons work and or character (especially if we're talking canon characters). Then there's also the question of how well they know the character and if they feel they can play them true to that character. There's a lot of unknowns and potential brick walls in there that turn people off.

But to go back to your original question about making it more appealing (the above is just kind of my random thoughts on the matter), if you want to make it more appealing I think the best thing you can do is just promote the idea that you're open to ideas, compromise where you can, and be firm where you can't compromise. Also (and this isn't to be rude or come off as such) accept that you might be waiting a long time for your bolt of lightning perfect match up OR you might not get a specific pairing you want or canon you want. It sucks but I think we've all been there with that one eye in the sky idea we always wanted to do but no one else wanted to do.

Hope I helped! I've been writing Fandom Canon stuff since I first picked up a pencil and started this lovely craft and there are always highs and lows with it. Keep the optimism/positivity up!
 
storyteller2080 said:
Longtime writer here who has always been very fandom specific.

I think Saiya says it best. So I've come to approach Fandom stuff with an open mind and try to compromise where I can. Much like you, I'm more CanonXCanon and always have been. I try to let people still have the freedom to tell me what "Their" version of say Lois Lane or Mary Jane are, but I still would like it to be as close to the canon and not an extreme take.

However, you're always going to have trouble with any fandom because some people feel like it's stealing another persons work and or character (especially if we're talking canon characters). Then there's also the question of how well they know the character and if they feel they can play them true to that character. There's a lot of unknowns and potential brick walls in there that turn people off.

But to go back to your original question about making it more appealing (the above is just kind of my random thoughts on the matter), if you want to make it more appealing I think the best thing you can do is just promote the idea that you're open to ideas, compromise where you can, and be firm where you can't compromise. Also (and this isn't to be rude or come off as such) accept that you might be waiting a long time for your bolt of lightning perfect match up OR you might not get a specific pairing you want or canon you want. It sucks but I think we've all been there with that one eye in the sky idea we always wanted to do but no one else wanted to do.

Hope I helped! I've been writing Fandom Canon stuff since I first picked up a pencil and started this lovely craft and there are always highs and lows with it. Keep the optimism/positivity up!
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I'll certainly try to keep your words, and Saiya's, in mind. It just feels like it's been a long time, I don't know what specifically, probably the lack of sleep there but it kinda feels like I'm spring loaded? Words!
 
It can be my friend! And while I can offer positivity and the idea that at some point someone will come along that fits that one niche thing you're looking for, I also tend to be blunt and will also freely say that, yeah there are going to be somethings that just don't happen. It comes with the territory of Fandom Writing. I do believe in the old addage, there's someone out there for everyone tho.
 
A fair enough addage to live by. Perhaps with more activity in general I might be easier to notice?
 
Looking for specific fandoms is going to be tricky, particularly with very specific scenarios in mind. Really it's just about bumping up your RT every so often. It might be good as well to mention a list of series you want to do (just left open to discussion) even if you don't have an exact idea in mind with it. Perhaps given canon characters listing particular characters you like to play or play against. Decorating your RT up a bit might help draw attention but in the end it's going to be down to if a person wants to do a particular fandom or not. Some things will be more popular or wanted then others.

I will say some of the ideas as well (being a little critical) I did notice some that were rather vague or referencing something people might not know or could use more explaining with what you are picturing with it. I did notice several 'harem' ideas as well which can be a harder sell, people tend to be more resistant when it comes to having to play multiple characters versus your one. Not that no one would be up to the idea, but it's going to be a tougher pitch to get someone interested in it, particularly if they might only like only one specific character. It might be good to take some of those ideas and build them to be more open to a more 1 on 1 scenario which you can always include being open and wanting to do more then that if you wanted in case that might chase some people away from being interested feeling you NEED that harem scenario as it is.
 
I was pondering how to rework the ideas themselves, I'm just a little unsure how since I was always under the impression that making ideas more specific and detailed might be less popular than a concept that could be brainstormed. I guess I've been a bit thick headed? Either way the advice is certainly welcome, and I'll see what I can do. Let ze brainstorming begin!
Saiya said:
Looking for specific fandoms is going to be tricky, particularly with very specific scenarios in mind. Really it's just about bumping up your RT every so often. It might be good as well to mention a list of series you want to do (just left open to discussion) even if you don't have an exact idea in mind with it. Perhaps given canon characters listing particular characters you like to play or play against. Decorating your RT up a bit might help draw attention but in the end it's going to be down to if a person wants to do a particular fandom or not. Some things will be more popular or wanted then others.

I will say some of the ideas as well (being a little critical) I did notice some that were rather vague or referencing something people might not know or could use more explaining with what you are picturing with it. I did notice several 'harem' ideas as well which can be a harder sell, people tend to be more resistant when it comes to having to play multiple characters versus your one. Not that no one would be up to the idea, but it's going to be a tougher pitch to get someone interested in it, particularly if they might only like only one specific character. It might be good to take some of those ideas and build them to be more open to a more 1 on 1 scenario which you can always include being open and wanting to do more then that if you wanted in case that might chase some people away from being interested feeling you NEED that harem scenario as it is.
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I'm mostly saying having a list of fandoms or characters/pairings for people to latch onto. If you want more specific scenarios you can list them but I'd just say leaving them a bit more open ended would work. I do think having suggestions/ideas themselves are fine. I'm not really one into fandoms so honestly I can't say for sure what people look for when they want to do something fandom based to draw them into it. I'd assume flexibility is likely a good thing to aim for.

I know personally (granted it's also people often ignoring me stating a few times I'm not really into playing canons and my fandoms are just to know my tastes) when I get fandom requests it's people who just look at my list of fandoms I like and pull from there. I have nothing specific listed I just list the fandom I enjoy and it seems to draw people in asking about it. Just having maybe a list of fandoms you enjoy and then more specific ideas (again good to keep flexibility in how they might work) can maybe draw a bit more interest?
 
Well I do have a list of canon characters I'm willing to play, but that's after the ideas, so maybe if I swap them around?
 
It wouldn't hurt. Organizing your thread and making it an easily readable and digestible format can also help to draw people in to read through it. Beyond that though, that's about all you can really do to attract people to your own thread. Beyond that, your best option would be to look at other people's RTs and go searching around and asking others yourself.
 
Maybe try choosing some of the most popular tropes to do the fandoms in? There are tropes which are literally in vogue that people like to play. Right now I've noticed it's mainly Enemies to Lovers. Maybe basing a plot on that would draw in more attention.

Likewise, as Salya says: Fandoms tend to make people wigg out because most people worry they won't be able to do the character justice. Just allowing them to play their version of the character is your best chance of success. I've played Game of Thrones pairings where Sansa acted like a complete girl boss and it was one of the best role-plays I ever did.

Otherwise I'd say it's just a matter of thread organisation. Hint more at wanting story than anything else. I think most people prefer partners who are here to write interesting arcs more than anything. The rest (the Erotica, the Fandom itself) are just the icing on the cake!
 
Well I thought I made it clear enough that I was open to that with the mention that almost all of my ideas are AUs. Anyhow, minor rework of my RT is complete!

What do you think? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with specific ideas right now but hey, it is progress!
 
I am in a fandom for a really old movie which almost no one has ever watched, it was only shown at a film festival once.

What I personally did was made the characters from it into OC's. I basically have an, "I play my character my way, you play yours your way" style. One of my favorite RP's, the person knows nothing of the fandom my characters are technically from, and I know nothing of the one hers are technically from. xD But we have an absolute blast. That can be a really fun way of doing it if you find agreeable partners, and you're just craving to play a specific canon.

I dunno if this counts as "ConCrit", just... A thing I've thought about a lot. :) I hope it helps.
 
I don't think they're entirely niche, but some fandoms are more niche than others. It doesn't help that not many people are willing to double and some just wanna RP in the fandom worlds.
 
When looking at Fandoms, I feel there's an additional separation that needs to be made:
- playing/writing Canon characters in the fandom universe?
- playing/writing OCs in the fandom universe?

That can be an important distinction for some, as they may like the universe but don't want to play canon characters. That can be the make-or-break point for some.

It can also depend on what fandom is being referenced - as others have pointed out, the bigger the franchise, the less-niche it tends to become.
 
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