We mention Fansourcing here now and then at Fan To Pro. I hold the honor of deluding myself into believing I coined the term, and it's actually a powerful fan-to-pro tool.
So with that being said, it's time to explore Fansourcing in more detail here at Fan To Pro – and we'll start with the definition.
What Fansourcing Is:
Fansourcing is the act of using fannish/subculture connections to find a person of given talents for a professional task, often talents developed, used, or displayed in a hobby context.
A Few Examples Of Fansourcing:
- Having a friend who's a fanartist (professional job aside) do your business cards.
- Having your personal webpage designed by a person who maintains your favorite fansite.
- Having one of your fellow cosplayers who also does photography do headshots for your portfolio.
That is pretty much it. Of course I'm going to go on, but you've got the general idea.
Why Defining It Is Important:
So why go out of the way to point this out? Because Fansourcing is a useful term and concept that can help out we fans, nerds, geeks, and otaku. Think of it as a conceptual tool to help us think about a common process – and once we can think of it we can recognize it, employ it, and improve it.
So next up . . . why use it in the first place?