meta-ish question about reccing

[ratcreature]

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

Comments

[ratcreature]

See, I have no problem to say something like that, that I liked it for the despite some flaw. My problem is when I really enjoy something *because* the characters are OOC in certain ways as part of a type of story I like. Similar to the implied, but non-judgmental kink labels, like when I rec something saying it's a great Dom!Harry/Sub!Snape story, it's clear that there will be deviations from a strict canon characterization, But that kind of thing is not always a kink you can label neatly so that the readers of your rec page can easily judge if it's their thing.

Like the HP AU I had in mind has me hooked, the plot is engaging, I like the way magic and rituals and wizarding customs are invented and described, which are all quite "conventional" and widely accepted reasons to like stuff. It has also an extremely powerful Harry with more special abilities than in canon, which I happen to like a lot, but I know others loathe. That is also easy enough to point out in a rec. It also has a kind of melodramatic plot device that often results in really bad badfic (i.e. Harry has a twin, his parents also survived), and twists the characterizations with a deus ex machina way, that is enough to make them OOC compared what you see in the books, but not entirely ridiculous or caricatures, like Dumbledore does more ruthless things but you can still understand him and his motivations and he's not some evil villain. Further however the effects this OOC-ness causes within the story actually made me like the effects of the OOC in this AU, because it led to character interactions and plot elements I enjoy, rather than make me like it despite the OOC-ness.

And it's kind of complicated to explain that effect in a rec. *g* For example a well-known story that works that way for me is The Mirror of Maybe, which I really enjoy, but you basically have a ridiculous plot-device to explain why Harry doesn't really act like Harry anymore and is much more powerful, and the story goes from there.

[musesfool]

I would just say, "This story really worked for me, despite what some may consider ridiculous OOC-ness, which I actually found quite interesting and enjoyable, given how it propelled the story" or something like that.

I had one story I hesitated on reccing for a long time because - well, it's a collaborative work and some of the parts were less polished than others, some had some serious tense problems, which i know is a trigger for a lot of people, but because the characterization felt so fresh and real to me, even if, yes, some folks might have considered it OOC (it's a non-magical AU), I had to finally rec it publicly. With a long blurb about what kinks it hit and why I was so hesitant about it.

[ratcreature]

Yeah, I see what you mean. It seems blurbs are a good way to go.

[musesfool]

I think having the blurb is better than not having it. I mean, okay, some people write the same exact gushy praise for every story *cough* but a list of links with nothing to tell me why the reccer liked the story isn't likely to be useful to me, unless I'm already pretty familiar with the person's taste anyway.