[Meela]

A true fan is not the person who can fill their house with the most merchandise, or the most expensive.
I had a limited amount of money for the month, and I spent the last of it on a tatty, second-hand copy of Unfinished Tales, because I desperately wanted to read the book and understand some of the early history of Middle-earth. And I treasured that book above all my other books.
I'm not saying that buying the best copy available makes you a lesser fan, but if you care enough about the material inside, it doesn't really matter what condition it's in.

Of course, the most important thing is to truly appreciate everything Tolkien has written. I'm most certainly not an expert, and I don't necessarily want to learn everything about Lord of the Rings. But what I have learnt so far, I have taken to heart.

I don't know if this would really count, but I think a true fan should be able to understand and appreciate another person's love for Lord of the Rings, even if they don't agree with it. And I am talking about Peter Jackson. He may approach Lotr from a different artistic direction, ie. through film, but he's just as much of a fan as a hardcore book fan is. I'd like to think that a true fan could understand him better, and not bicker because he might see some parts of the story in a different way to others. Hate him by all means, but I'd like to think that more people could see where he's coming from, if you get my meaning.

I suppose a true fan is not the person who owns the most, or reads the books the most. They don't even need to have read the books fully, or seen all three parts of the movie. If they absorb even a little piece of Tolkien, and take it truly to heart, that would make them a fan.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with wanting to know everything and collect everything Tolkien-related. That might make you even more of a fan. But I don't think that makes you a fan on it's own. You need to really love what Tolkien is putting across. If you feel you can disappear into Middle-earth and appreciate the underlying spirit and dedication that has gone into it's creation, I suppose you can call yourself a true fan.

Apologies for rambling, I was really getting into it there...