yo just read this again, don't be afraid to trim your plant, the more light you get to the bottom the more bud you get at the bottom. When the fan leaf gets taken away yea it doesn't photosynthesise, but the resources that would've gone to that leaf growing and transporting nutrients goes to making more leafs wherever there is the highest response to light, like say lower buds (as well as top). More light intake will cause more of the plants resources to be pulled toward the exposed area, spurring growth. And at each node starts a new cola and
calyxes! at each leaf pair's respective node - If you cut off all the fan leaves and have none, you're bud will get leafier because a large amount of energy goes to growing leaves specifically over swelling the calyxes to replace the photosynthesis deficit
But with only a few off, nutrients energy and hormones are redistributed without interruption (instead help) to bud production.
oh, and there's always tuck/bend technique where you tuck fan leaves behind adjacent colas, but that shades the stem and can make the fan leaf less effective
sorry im ripped and kind of still on aderall, or however you spell it, from an exam
keep us posted!
So enough you will be enjoying them 
