paraka | Fic Reading Habits

Fic Reading Habits

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. :)

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I wonder how much of what we read has to do with (a) where we get our reading material and (b) what our friends read, both of which are linked. Personally, I'd love to read more SGA gen -- I love SGA gen. But I tend to get most of my links from rec lists, and most of the reccers I read lean toward NC-17 fic and away from gen fic. The same happens when people on my flist discuss fic they've read. I'm sure if I read more gen fic I'd have a better gen fic fan presence on my flist, but it's hard to get into that cycle.

As far as liking/disliking fics, there are some popular fics out there that don't really read as fic to me. The characters are just a bit too difficult to recognize as the written equivalent of their televised selves that it's easier (and more enjoyable) to read it more as original fic. For example, I had a really hard time getting into the Nantucket series. I think the authors are great and the stories appeal to my love of the everyday, mundane story, but those characters aren't John and Rodney to me. They're too sedate, too flat, completely missing that spark that really defines those characters. I didn't enjoy it at all as John/Rodney fic, but when I read it as fic with original characters who are have sort of John and Rodneyish personalities, it's much more enjoyable.

I think everyone has a set of traits that define their favorite characters. When those traits are contradicted or missing, it ruins that particular fic for that particular person, regardless of the quality of the work. I've never actually discussed that with anyone though, so it's just a pet theory, really.

Great post. Looking forward to reading more replies.

I wonder how much of what we read has to do with (a) where we get our reading material
Oh definitely. When I first started reading fic, I'd read anything I would come across, and then I'd troll through fandom archives reading all those fics. Then when I started reading in SGA, I basically went exclusively from rec lists, not I get most of me reading from my flist. Each of those different ways of finding fics led to my reading very different types of fic.

(b) what our friends read, both of which are linked.
*nods again*
It's not even just that cycle of which you spoke, but too, you'll find that each section of fandom (be it the difference between Gen/Het/Slash, or even just the difference between different pairings or certain character-centric fics) interpret fandom differently, and will have a separate set of fanon. I mostly read McShep, but there are a lot of other pairings I think are good (Rodney/Ronon, Rodney/Carson, Ronon/Teyla, Ronon/Elizabeth, Ronon/Radek, Radek/Lorne, etc.) but when I try to read fics with those pairings, I sometimes find the characters unrecognizable. Especially if it's a het pairing. I seem to find reading fics with different pairings OOC in a way that some of the more OOC McShep fics. Maybe it's because I've been reading MCShep for too long and now find any fic where they aren't a couple OOC, but... I don't think that's it, because I've read a few other pairing fics written by author's I know, and don't feel that. I think it does come down to how specific subsections of fandom decided to interpret canon. What do you think?

Personally, I'd love to read more SGA gen -- I love SGA gen. But I tend to get most of my links from rec lists, and most of the reccers I read lean toward NC-17 fic and away from gen fic.
Yeah, I totally get that. It's just so much easier to read what's coming at you rather than try to find a new place and build from there. I know I've told you this before, but I started off in SGA as a McBeck shipper. I had no interest what so ever in McShep, but my best friend and then room mate was reading McShep, and kept telling me about all these great fics she was reading, and I somehow got sucked over. And since there's such a huge presence of McShep available on LJ, I got stuck in that pairing. Not that I'm complaining :P

there are some popular fics out there that don't really read as fic to me. The characters are just a bit too difficult to recognize as the written equivalent of their televised selves that it's easier (and more enjoyable) to read it more as original fic.
I do that all the time, and I think that I have an easier time of that than a lot of other people. So long as I can respect the character as it's being portrayed, I have no problem reading a fic, even if it's really OOC (if the character is constantly crying, or acting just plain stupid, *that's* when I feel it's OOC, but I suppose it's more that I don't *like* the character). As you'll probably notice in my big ass To-Read list I sent to you there are a lot of AUs, crack!fic, and darker, emotional (and what most people call OOC) fics on it.
I think I read fic for different reasons than others. I read fic because there seems to be the kind of stories I want to read available than there are in bookstores. The familiarity of characters and settings just means I'm more likely to like those things than if I go in and read an original story. Seeing what's missing from the show is very much secondary for me.

For example, I had a really hard time getting into the Nantucket series.
You know, that's one of those fics I just haven't gotten around to reading yet. It's on my To-Read list, and I've listened to some of the pod fics that have been done for it, but they didn't have be running over to read the whole thing. That's the one where John is hurt and moves to Nantucket, and has a dog named Cash, right? I think you're right about the characters missing that spark, the bits I had listened to had me thinking what is this? because I couldn't really recognize the characters or see where the story was going. But that could totally be because I've only listened to parts. One day, I will actually try reading it. :P

I think everyone has a set of traits that define their favorite characters. When those traits are contradicted or missing, it ruins that particular fic for that particular person, regardless of the quality of the work
*nods*
I've had discussions that skirt this topic, but hardly anyone comes out and actually talks about it. Replying to comments on this thread has really made me come to terms with the kinds of fic I read; which of those traits I regard more highly than others, and already I can see where they clash with those that others hold as important.
Like that link I had given to you about that discussion I had with

amireal where she was saying it throws her out of a story if it seems improbable (how she lives in the SGA fandom with that idea I'm not quite sure...), bad medicine, societies that look like they'd implode if actually lived, reasons behind actions and plot devices; those are things that heavily influence her like or dislike of a story. But to me, some of the more improbable situations appeal to me. I love romance, and courtship, I nearly died of glee when

sgaflashfic held their harlequin challenge, and I have the harlequin comm on my flist. Mostly though, I want a fic to make me *feel*. That's what's most important to me. It can be the most outrageous piece of science thought up, but if it makes me laugh? Still good. It could have the character's be really OOC, but if it makes me cry? I'll love it. Because that's what I look for in fic. Something like Freedom's Just Another Word For Nothing Left to Lost didn't wow me the first time I read it, because it wasn't able to hit me emotionally (when I listened to the pod fic it was able to get me, but the first time it just left me feeling kind of meh) but something like Edges? It had me crying as I read it, and for most of the night after I finished. Every time I read it, it makes me cry, and I *love* it for that.

[Old comment, hi. Cleaning out email again. I'll try to keep the spam to a minimum.]

Mostly though, I want a fic to make me *feel*.
Yes, yesyesyes. I tend not to read a lot of angst because SGA's my happy fandom, but that one fic where Rodney cheated on John stayed with me. I think it was even written by one of those authors I don't like a lot, but the writing and the idea and...all of it, really. I still think about and I read it forever and a day ago. That fic in particular really made me feel and I really admire that.

I've been meaning to make some recs lately, and now I'll have do a little bit of thinking about the role the ability to feel a fic plays in reccing. Hmm. Thanks. :)

one fic where Rodney cheated on John stayed with me.
Oh, link?

And while the ability to make me cry is something I admire in a fic, that's not the only way to make me feel. Going "awww" or laughing is just as valid.
Yesterday at work I was stuck doing a really boring job (and will probably do the same today :-/) but was grinning like a loon, because I was listening to the podfic of Catch 19.

Actually a couple of times people at work have commented because I have a big smile on my face while staring at a spread sheet or something similarly boring, not realizing that I'm really listening to fic.

Also, as a side not on listening to stories. You know how you said you were uncomfortable listening to the porny moments, and I said I wasn't? Well, I don't know why, but the book I'm listening to now makes me really uncomfortable when they get to the porny moments. I'm not sure if it's because it's a professional reader doing it, or the fact that it's not fic, and so the porny bits are a lot more flowery than fic porn is, but it makes me squirm. :S

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