When I first got on LJ, I didn't understand how it could work for fandom. Like you, I still don't understand why it seems to be the HQ for a lot of fandoms, and yet having used it for fandom for about 5 years, I feel more comfortable here now than other places.

Mostly it's the people here, and what's going on. You said that the fandoms you were into on non-journaling sites have less meta and fic going on--I wonder why that is? Because I feel like it's easier to keep track of fanfic on something like a forum. And it's easier to have focussed discussions on forums--they just get lost on LJ; in three days everything is ancient history. Also, there's the slash thing--I dunno why there seem to be more fen on LJ interested in slash, or why there are more fandoms here that welcome slash. There doesn't seem to be anything inherent in LJ itself that lends itself to slashers, and yet--here they are.

In the second fandom, there seems to be as much or more male fans than female.

This is interesting, too. Do you think men are less likely to use journaling sites as an outlet for fandom? I feel like most the fandoms I've heard of where the fen is more men is definitely not here.

Thanks for your answers!