Fic Reading Habits

[paraka]

So, I've been talking in a couple places to paradise_city about fanfic, and our preferences.
The thing is, I'm not really comfortable talking about which fics I like, and which ones I don't. To some extent, I don't like leaving *comments* to fics, because then people will *know* I read it. It doesn't matter if it's the fandoms latest *hit* that already has 8 pages of comments, or if I'm the first to leave a comment (and it's been up for a month) it makes me nervous. I have to be in a very specific mood, or be affected by a fic in a very specific way before I leave a comment. And yes, I feel shame over this. Especially considering how much of a feedback whore I am.

But it comes down to not feeling comfortable having people know what fics I read; what type I enjoy. Because sometimes? The fandom's latest hit just doesn't impress me, or one that I just couldn't stop reading? I know other people would mock. Also, I read a lot of kink fic, and I'm kind of freaked out about what those fics reveal about me.

It also feels weird to admit that I hardly read any fics with ratings less than NC-17. When you say things like that, it sounds like you're just there for the sex, and really, most of the time I'm *not.* I skim sex scenes a lot, and hardly ever read PWPs, but won't read a longer one that doesn't have a high rating. I was talking on a com about this (ok, it was a com about how author's rate their fic, and how there's no reason for us to under rate it, but this came up), and someone said that they do that too, because it generally guarantees that the main couple get together (even if it's only temporary), and sex often conveys a level of intimacy that she's searching for. I think that's sort of it for me. I want for there to be a certain lever of intimacy in my fics (and I like my subtext textual, so I look for ones with sex).

Anyways, wandering off topic here, but I wanted to ask:
How comfortable are you with sharing your reading habits?
Are there any fics out there that you like/dislike, but are hesitant to admit it?

I always have anon comments available on my LJ, so feel free to use it, but I'm really interested in hearing people's responses to these questions. :)

Comments

[equusentric.livejournal.com]

I tend to go through bouts of not leaving feedback, because I'm lazy and everyone else's feedback is always more interesting than mine. I try to leave feedback for the more rare pairings to encourage the authors, but if a fic is really popular I often won't bother.

I am not ashamed of anything I read. I like what I like. Although, to be honest, I'm not ultra kinky, either. I will occasionally attempt to read something outside my comfort zone, either out of curiosity (some weird kink fic) or because of who wrote it (like the mpreg I managed to make myself finish--NEVER AGAIN), but not that often. There are also elements that I sometimes like in fic that I wouldn't in real life (like non-con). Also, if I don't like something, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Certain pairings really squick me, I can't stand mpreg , I'm not fond of most kidfic, etc.

I will admit that I'm a total intimacy junkie. My main reason for reading fic is for the emotional connection. I don't need actual sex as long as there is a strong emotional bond, but it's kind of a given that most fic with close emotion also has sex, which is why I don't read much genfic.

[paraka]

I tend to go through bouts of not leaving feedback, because I'm lazy and everyone else's feedback is always more interesting than mine.
Yeah, I will admit, laziness is the primary reason I don't leave a lot of feedback, and the other big factor is that I generally have no idea what to say. I try to leave more feedback when I'm reading Numb3rs fic, because it's a smaller fandom, but I'm *bad* at it, I once left a comment basically saying "I want to leave a comment to show that appreciate your sharing this, and encourage you to continue, but I have no idea what to say, so here." She smiled and said I could just leave a &heart; if I wanted. :P

Although, to be honest, I'm not ultra kinky
Says the woman using an icon of Brian tying Ben to the bed. :P

I do read kinky fics, and a lot of AUs and perfect characterizations aren't necessarily on the top of my list of what makes fic good. All are things that a lot of other people turn their nose down at. So it makes me a little self conscious.

Also, if I don't like something, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Certain pairings really squick me, I can't stand mpreg , I'm not fond of most kidfic, etc.
*pulls out special icons, just for you*
But actually, I don't mind mpreg in the right fanoms (QaF was *not* one of those fandoms) and kid fic is great if it's done right. :)

[equusentric.livejournal.com]

HAHA well, I guess what I mean is that I don't do the hardcore kink...I like someone tied to the bed and teased until they beg, but not tied to the bed and beaten, or wrapped in cellophane and duct tape.

I don't dislike all kidfic. I generally like the QaF fic with Gus, but then he's a canon character. It's mostly just that I'm not overly fond of children in general, and don't identify with the "this child completes our life OMG" mentality of most kidfic. That said, I love the Farm in Iowa AU in SGA. It really all depends on the author and whether or not the kids are unrealistically precocious. As for mpreg, it's just totally EEW! to me. Like scat and water sports.

perfect characterizations aren't necessarily on the top of my list of what makes fic good.

I agree. I tend to be more of a stickler for characterization in canon fic than I am in AUs, but I can give a bit of leeway as long as the deviation isn't extreme, because everyone's interpretation of a character is slightly different. Now, if something is too off, like dialogue that a character would never say in any realistic interpretation of canon, then it'll throw me clean out of a fic, but otherwise I can be a bit bendy.

There are a lot of fics that "people in the know" have gone "Pfft!" at that I really like, and fic that others have gone apenuts over that I didn't particulary care for. To each their own, I reckon.

[paraka]

HAHA well, I guess what I mean is that I don't do the hardcore kink...I like someone tied to the bed and teased until they beg, but not tied to the bed and beaten, or wrapped in cellophane and duct tape.
You've... actually run across fics with those kinks?
I'm trying to think back, but I can only think of 4 or so fics that go beyond light spanking or other types of light physical pain (and only 2 of those were in SGA and tried to show the relationship as a healthy one since I'm excluding non-con). Although, I suppose there must be more, since when I started writing this, I originally said none, but more and more kept popping up in my head.
Fanfic seems to be the place where everyone explores light bondage.

I don't dislike all kidfic. I generally like the QaF fic with Gus, but then he's a canon character. I don't dislike all kidfic. I generally like the QaF fic with Gus, but then he's a canon character.
:P See, I have a really strong maternal instinct (to the point where at certain hormonal times in my late teens I wanted to jump the nearest man and impregnate myself, I'm so not joking) so I love those kinds of fics, but yeah, it's just one of those things that you either like or don't.

It really all depends on the author and whether or not the kids are unrealistically precocious.
Yeah, that gets me. I wonder sometimes if the author has ever spent anytime around actual children. There are some fics where the kid is supposed to be 5, talks like a 3 year old, thinks like 10 year old, and never does anything bad. It makes you wonder, since it doesn't matter how good the kid is, most people wish they'd go away, at least for a little while, at least once a week :P

As for mpreg, it's just totally EEW! to me. Like scat and water sports.
Like I said, I couldn't take mpreg in the QaF fandom, mostly because no one was able to *handle* it at *all* ("Oh, didn't you know? Men are just *able* to have kids. They forgot to mention that in canon, but it's true.") and the fact that, as you said, there are already kids on the show, and so they already have an established way of getting kids if they want more for a fic. But with fandoms like HP and SGA, well they already have all these things that are outside our norm, that adding mpreg can be doable, even if it's still a huge stretch. Also, I love fics that mock mpreg like these ones (QaF) or Fuzzy Duck Smell (SGA).

Now, if something is too off, like dialogue that a character would never say in any realistic interpretation of canon, then it'll throw me clean out of a fic, but otherwise I can be a bit bendy.
Ha, there's a discussion going on in a comm I'm in about dialogue that throws us out of fics, specifically when an author does a bad job of writing a character whose nationality is different from their own. Nothing can throw you out like that. I remember having a discussion once with sunshineandrage about a QaF fic where Brian and Justin went up to Canada to visit Gus, and the amount of things that they got wrong about Canada... Or when people completely change the way Rodney speaks in SGA fic, because they're trying to make him sound "Canadian" but don't realize that how Rodney speaks on the show, is how most Canadians speak. Of course, I notice the Canadian thing a lot, since I'm Canadian, I'm sure a lot of non-Canadians wouldn't even notice.

There are a lot of fics that "people in the know" have gone "Pfft!" at that I really like, and fic that others have gone apenuts over that I didn't particulary care for.
Yeah, it's that reaction that kind of made me write this post. Jut makes me wonder sometimes, ya know? :)