Ashleigh

So, apparently in every fanfiction fandom there is someone (or maybe multiple someones) called a BNF. "Big Name Ficwriter" is how it was de-acronymned to me, and I'm wondering what is up with that. LOL. Anyone here care to shed some light on the whole BNF mystery?

Silversun

Huh. Very interesting! I had no idea what a BNF was until I clicked on the thread, but as soon as I saw the explanation my mind immediately went 'Kerching! Cassie Claire for Harry Potter'. Will be much interested to hear about other fandoms, and whether other people share my opinion about CC being BNF for HP.

Chiqa

I believe that BNF means Big Name Fan and they write fanfics or create fanart.

I am new to fandom as a whole but apparently, they are the fans whose work is rec'd by every and anyone, whose LJ is friended by each and everybody and who's pretty much known by everyone in the fandom.

Crossbow

It's also used to describe fans who are considered such "experts" that no one is allowed to disagree with them.

Silversun

That's a bit scary.

L u x i e

Mm. That is freaky. BNF's tend to be a bit elitist as well.

Ashleigh

Whee! Now I am real scared, because I don't think it was a compliment now. LOL. (Apparently I am a BNF. Sigh.)

Silversun

I think it needs to be read in context. I can certainly see how the label could be used as something good, too.

Catalinay

Yeah, a BNF isn't necessarily a good thing. But I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to be called a BNF, either. They probably just meant that you're one of the most-read authors in the fandom.

Ashleigh

LOL. No, when I went back and took it in context it was definitely an insult, but oh well. I'll just keep writing and not care what said group thinks about me.

Catalinay

Hmmm...might I ask what the context was? I think that's the first time I've heard of someone being called a BNF in an insulting way to their face.

Ashleigh

It's complicated, but there's a group of 'haters' in the swimslash fandom. Sad, but true. And basically all the bad stuff about BNFs said above? Elitist and snobby and all that? Basically what they meant. *snort* Clearly they do not know me. *diva hand*

shazaam

I only really know about the HP fandom, so I won't say that this applies to every fandom.

There are BNF's that are pretty much infamous within the fandom (or the Internet in some cases!)- famous for "wank" or arguments that arise whenever their name is mentioned. Cassie Claire falls into this category. Because of her backstory (the whole FF.net plaigerism thing), CC is the fandom's biggest name. She makes a post on a subject, you can guarantee there will be someone who bitches about something. She is one of the people who is recognised for her BNF-ness rather than her writing.

Then there are BNF's based on a subset of fandom. The Death-Eater part of fandom (Snape/Lucius/Voldie etc) have their own BNF's, for example Amanuensis, McTabby and Isis. You have BNF's based on writing fanfictions, based on artwork (Glockgal, Fiendling) or organizing fandom activities and running websites (Heidi)

Shaz

Disclaimer: Based on the HP fandom only, and mainly on LiveJournal interactions. I have no grudge with any of these people.

Crossbow

I read that one of the "symptoms" of being a BNF is if you have more than 50 people reading your livejournal. Someone said I was a becoming a BNF, but I just checked and I only about 36 people read my journal, and only about 3 of them read it because of my fan fiction.

Silversun

Cute. And whoa, twisted. Thanks for the insight shazaam. It's very weird that fandoms are so hierarchical. Huh. Fanfic royalty.

(What is this thing with CC and ff.net? I've never heard of it.)