Text Production By Harry Potter Fans In Virtual Communities

As the advance of internet, it is common to see fans producing texts in virtual communities.Fans have many kinds of practices and activities online and offline. Text production is one of themost important fans' practices. Studying fan text production in virtual communities does not onlyenhance our understanding of fan practices and culture, but also encourages us to reflect theconcepts and models in Communication Study.In this dissertation, the author uses the method of online observation, textual analysis andin-depth interview to explore fan text production in virtual communities. By doing field study inBaidu Harry Potter Post Bar and SnitchSeeker, the author has summarized the characteristics andfunction of fan virtual communities, content and mode of fan text production, and also found themotivations and meanings behind fan text production.Unlike common communities, fan virtual communities are semi-closed sociologicalmicrocosms where fans can release emotional stress and get spiritual support. According tomedium, the author has divided the content of fan text into four types, namely text information,picture information, audio information and visual information. According to the section setting, theauthor has specifically illustrated the content of fan text in Baidu Harry Potter Post Bar andSnitchSeeker. Through statistics analysis, the author has found the routine and preference of fan text production. To speak specifically, fans especially like producing texts on the topic of original booksand characters, parody and matching, associated gaining and showing fan works. Besides, the modeof fan text production has been divided into many types, namely interpretation, appropriation,complementing, writing sequels to original works and rewriting, translating. From the perspectiveof Communication, fan text production actually is a continuously circular communicative process.Fans can interact equally and freely by text production. Furthermore, motivations exist and text production conveys significant meanings for fans. On the one hand, text production can help fansestablish personal and social identities, strengthen cultural identity to some degree. On the otherhand, through text production, fans can subvert routines, challenge authorities, thus celebratecarnivals online. The main innovative point of this dissertation is the comparison of Chinese andForeign Harry Potter fans' text production. With regard to the content, mode and meaning of fantext production, there are some similarities and differences between Chinese and Foreign Harry Potter fans. Although Chinese and Foreign fan virtual communities are all semi-closed virtual societies, they have certain differences in the aspect of section-setting and community management.Overall, this dissertation explicates fan text production from the perspective of Communication, Sociology and Psychology. In order to analyze the new significance of mediaculture in the internet age,this dissertation specifically explores and systematically studies fan textproduction in virtual communities,shows the differences between Chinese and Foreign fans and communities.