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

[sunshineandrage.livejournal.com]

I tend not to comment either, but not because I don't want people to know what I'm reading, just because I'm too lazy. And of course I feel terribly guilty about that because I too am a comment whore. Another reason is that I usually read fics several days or weeks after they've been posted, and that always makes me feel awkward for some reason. It makes no sense whatsoever, but that's my little pea brain for you. The only fics I make a point of commenting on are ones written by someone I know, and then it's only because I worry that if I don't comment, the author will think I either didn't read it or didn't like it.

How comfortable are you with sharing your reading habits?
I'm actually pretty comfortable, but I have to be asked. I used to be a fic slut, meaning I would read just about anything and everything. Even mpreg. The only rule I had was that it had to be B/J (no B/other or J/other) centric. Now my tastes are a bit more refined: I won't read mpreg (unless it's tongue-in-cheek), or AU that's *too* AU (Brian and Justin meeting under completely different circumstances is fine, but they can't be vampires or anything, nor can it be in a different time period).

Another thing that has just recently changed is that I never used to read any other fandoms other than B/J. Lately I've been reading a lot of Luke/Noah fic from As The World Turns, which I started watching when I found out that there was a cute gay couple on the show. For some reason, I'm only interested in actual gay couples who are together on the show, rather than characters who are only together in someone's imagination.

Are there any fics out there that you like/dislike, but are hesitant to admit it?
I like most of Gaedhal's stuff, though I've seen her stuff referred to as badfic. *shrugs* And I'm not reluctant to admit it, but I dislike the whole concept of Brian/Mikey fic. In fact, I resent any author who paints Mikey in a positive light. Lol.

[paraka]

I tend not to comment either, but not because I don't want people to know what I'm reading, just because I'm too lazy.
Yes, well, I'll admit, laziness is my number one factor in not commenting. Also, I tend to do most of my reading when I'm lying down in bed, with my laptop on the table beside me, so it's not all that easy to type.

Another reason is that I usually read fics several days or weeks after they've been posted, and that always makes me feel awkward for some reason. It makes no sense whatsoever, but that's my little pea brain for you.
Oh that never hold me back. That'll stop me from responding to comments (I feel dumb replying to something when they commented like a week ago), but with fics...I think it can actually be beneficial to get comments a little while after, because as a comment whore, it can help get me motivated if I'm in a dry spell. I tend to go through phases where I work a lot, and then long long times doing nothing, but getting a comment during one of those dry spells can pull me out of it.

The only fics I make a point of commenting on are ones written by someone I know, and then it's only because I worry that if I don't comment, the author will think I either didn't read it or didn't like it.
You know, I never think of doing that. In fact, I won't get to reading a story by someone on my flist any faster than I would any other fic. But then again, I think there's only one person on my flist who I friended for their fic, and actually talk to them (the rest I either friended for reasons other than their fics, or they're BNFs that don't actually talk to me).

I used to be a fic slut, meaning I would read just about anything and everything. Even mpreg.
Yeah, with QaF I would read whatever I could find, and would constantly check out the archives to see what was there, now I hardly ever look for fic, since it all comes to me (via my flist, or rec lists).

Now my tastes are a bit more refined: I won't read mpreg (unless it's tongue-in-cheek), or AU that's *too* AU (Brian and Justin meeting under completely different circumstances is fine, but they can't be vampires or anything, nor can it be in a different time period).
What!? No AUs? That's totally my bread and butter. And QaF had some classics, like that one author who wrote the one where Brain was a 1920s gangster, or Justin was a Celtic warrior, and I think she wrote a high school AU. Was her name Joanne? I don't know, but she wrote some of the best crazy premise AUs. :P

For some reason, I'm only interested in actual gay couples who are together on the show, rather than characters who are only together in someone's imagination.
You know, if you change your mind, McKay/Sheppard is almost canon. Actually I'm pretty sure there are some essays floating around about how John is gay in canon (and to be honest, last weeks ep, I could totally see he with the way John looked totally *pained* while being forced to "flirt" with Larrin).
So yes, I will totally get over my fear of sharing my fic tastes if you change your mind.

I like most of Gaedhal's stuff, though I've seen her stuff referred to as badfic. *shrugs*
Yeah, the QaF fandom is actually pretty harsh on what they consider bad!fic, especially considering they don't have an abundance of good fic.
But it seems they put any sort of AU (although not ARs, where they start from the beginning but change things) under the category of "Bad!Fic"

I dislike the whole concept of Brian/Mikey fic. In fact, I resent any author who paints Mikey in a positive light. Lol.
*sigh* I hate it when people turn Michael evil. He was a really nice guy! Sure I don't want to read Brian/Michael, but keep him in character! Please!
But the again, I was a closet Justin/Michael shipper. *points at icon*
Although, there are a lot of people like you, that hate him in any positive light. I found if funny that at bjfic.net there was an anti-Michael warning tag.