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

[munchkinofdoom.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm. I'm a fic junkie, and use fic (and to some degree the source media itself) as a roller coaster. Which is why I'm fine with kink, rape-fic, apocalyptic!fic and dark!fic. I want fic to make me feel, even if that reaction is a shiver up my spine.

So I tend to go for long fic, with at least an R rating. I will generally only read drabbles from writers I know and who know that I've seen it. That way I'm guilted into reading and leaving feedback. *veg*

I hate AU's. High school, wild west, non-stargate SGA. Can't stand them. I read fic for more of what I see on the screen or read in the book. I am a genre junkie and will pick up a novel if I want something else. I don't want John, Rodney, Don Eppes etc as faces pasted onto another body.

And finally... because I can talk under wet cement and am not sure i've actually answered your questions... I'm better at leaving feedback than I was. LJ has done that to me. I feel guilty if someone who knows me writes something and I don't read it. Which means I have to tell them I've read it. Which means I have to leave feedback! But I tell them up front what I don't read. My N3 flisters know I only read gen and slash, so don't expect me to read or leave feedback for het.

I'm beginning to think I'm opinionated... *veg*

Edited because I can't type... *sigh*

[paraka]

I want fic to make me feel, even if that reaction is a shiver up my spine.
So much *yes* to that. I can forgive an awful lot of OOCness and other things if a fic can make me *feel* (OOCness seems to be one of the first things people tend to criticize, which gets me, since it's arguable one of the most changeable factors IMO).

I will generally only read drabbles from writers I know and who know that I've seen it. That way I'm guilted into reading and leaving feedback.
There are very few people on my flist that I friended because of their writing (maybe 2 or 3?) so I actually feel no obligation to leave feedback to their fic. Actually, there are quite a few author's on my flist whom I'm surprised to find out that they're an author, because I had never read their work. As far as I can remember actually, I've only left feedback once to an author on my current flist, and it wasn't anyone I was close to.
That seems really weird now that I think about it....

I hate AU's. High school, wild west, non-stargate SGA. Can't stand them... I don't want John, Rodney, Don Eppes etc as faces pasted onto another body.
Ha, AUs are probably some of my favourite fics. If I were to make a list of my top 5 fic, I'm pretty sure they'd all be AUs. I think I read fanfic because I like the familiarity of the characters and setting, but I'm willing to really stretch that familiarity, as I said in the first part of my comment.

I'm better at leaving feedback than I was. LJ has done that to me. I
Yeah, it's a lot easier to leave a comment than it is to write up an e-mail. Especially since it's ok to leave short "Yay!" comments, but, personally, I'd feel stupid doing the same via e-mail.

But yeah, interesting answers. So far, there aren't that many people who feel the need to *hide* what they like, so maybe I'm just weird.