meta-ish question about reccing
I've been wondering how to handle a certain kind of rec. I think at the core of my dilemma is this: While I obviously rec what I like, a recs page is also always intended to be useful for other fans, other readers. And I think everybody who reads fanfic knows that you like some stories because they appeal to you in personal ways, kinks (sexual and non-sexual) if you will, that may not be widely shared in fandom, whereas others appeal because of things that are (nearly) universally appreciated in a specific fandom. The latter stories are often those which get recced everywhere, and generally unproblematic when phrasing the rec, and not what concerns me here.
Since I want my recs to be useful, I usually try to point out if I rec something and a major appeal for me was that it pushed one or more of my specific buttons, especially if the kink sort of pushes the boundary of canon characterization as I see it. That is simple enough when those buttons are a straightforward kink, like for example D/s stories. I usually don't rec if I know that the story is, like, ridiculously OOC and I only liked the kink aspect, but obviously there's a wide and murky area between characterization that is just like we see it in the source and it being twisted completely to serve some kink, or genre or specific plot you like.
Basically I like recs to be transparent, which is why I also point out in a rec if I notice a bunch of typos, but still enjoyed the story, because I'm aware that others won't see any point in clicking on something if the author seems to have a homonym problem or triggers any of the other spelling/grammar pet peeves that people have, whereas some readers like me might not be bothered that much.
My problems with recs start when it isn't really easy to pinpoint why I enjoyed a story with a genre label, but I'm still aware that the reason I like the story is not because it's perfectly in character, or since I maintain an AU recs page a really great extrapolation from canon. But the thing is that I may like it because of that, because certain kinds of OOC-ness is something I enjoy in the service of the kinds of stories I like, even if the author doesn't slowly take me there, but just makes a leap (which especially in AUs is not that brain-breaking). And trying to explain it in more detail in a rec often makes it sound as if I didn't truly like the story, or like I'm criticizing the story instead of reccing it, because I end up inserting all kinds of qualifiers.
It's easy enough to rec if the "problematic" elements are something I'm not generally fond of, but the story convinced and enthralled me nonetheless, because then I can be reasonably sure that it might work for other readers too. Whereas it's hard if I'm aware the story worked in concordance with my preferences, but not those that I could easily label.
I mean, how does one say (diplomatically!) in a rec things like that the story was entertaining, had you totally hooked with the plot and you liked the elements X, Y, and Z about it, but you are aware that others might think the characters are OOC, the plot full of melodrama, the whole set-up like something out of a Lord King Bad challenge, however you did not like it in a train-wreck fashion or anything, but had honestly a good time reading it? And I don't want to sound insulting, and not like I'm apologizing for my preferences either...
The easiest way would be of course not to rec, and thus to avoid the whole issue, and only rec those stories you are fairly certain would be widely considered "good", "in character" or whatever, but on the other hand it is a rec page based on my preferences after all, and I did honestly enjoy those stories, and I'm fairly sure some other people would enjoy the stories I have in mind just like I do.
Since I want my recs to be useful, I usually try to point out if I rec something and a major appeal for me was that it pushed one or more of my specific buttons, especially if the kink sort of pushes the boundary of canon characterization as I see it. That is simple enough when those buttons are a straightforward kink, like for example D/s stories. I usually don't rec if I know that the story is, like, ridiculously OOC and I only liked the kink aspect, but obviously there's a wide and murky area between characterization that is just like we see it in the source and it being twisted completely to serve some kink, or genre or specific plot you like.
Basically I like recs to be transparent, which is why I also point out in a rec if I notice a bunch of typos, but still enjoyed the story, because I'm aware that others won't see any point in clicking on something if the author seems to have a homonym problem or triggers any of the other spelling/grammar pet peeves that people have, whereas some readers like me might not be bothered that much.
My problems with recs start when it isn't really easy to pinpoint why I enjoyed a story with a genre label, but I'm still aware that the reason I like the story is not because it's perfectly in character, or since I maintain an AU recs page a really great extrapolation from canon. But the thing is that I may like it because of that, because certain kinds of OOC-ness is something I enjoy in the service of the kinds of stories I like, even if the author doesn't slowly take me there, but just makes a leap (which especially in AUs is not that brain-breaking). And trying to explain it in more detail in a rec often makes it sound as if I didn't truly like the story, or like I'm criticizing the story instead of reccing it, because I end up inserting all kinds of qualifiers.
It's easy enough to rec if the "problematic" elements are something I'm not generally fond of, but the story convinced and enthralled me nonetheless, because then I can be reasonably sure that it might work for other readers too. Whereas it's hard if I'm aware the story worked in concordance with my preferences, but not those that I could easily label.
I mean, how does one say (diplomatically!) in a rec things like that the story was entertaining, had you totally hooked with the plot and you liked the elements X, Y, and Z about it, but you are aware that others might think the characters are OOC, the plot full of melodrama, the whole set-up like something out of a Lord King Bad challenge, however you did not like it in a train-wreck fashion or anything, but had honestly a good time reading it? And I don't want to sound insulting, and not like I'm apologizing for my preferences either...
The easiest way would be of course not to rec, and thus to avoid the whole issue, and only rec those stories you are fairly certain would be widely considered "good", "in character" or whatever, but on the other hand it is a rec page based on my preferences after all, and I did honestly enjoy those stories, and I'm fairly sure some other people would enjoy the stories I have in mind just like I do.