recs + an inquiry.

[antihysteric]

serious business question of the day: how does it make you feel if someone recs something w/caveat(s)? do you say, "oh, man, [name redacted], thank you SO MUCH for telling me that Jim kicks a puppy/Spock cries/McCoy is a preachy teetotaler in X, because I can't read that even if the rest of it is really good!" or do you say, "wow, [name redacted],

Comments

[frogy]

Don't say anything. You're not obliged to comment on recs.

[antihysteric]

oh, sorry! I don't think I was clear enough about what I meant. I wasn't talking about anything I'd seen specifically, just more of a hypothetical. Like, when people *do* include caveats, or qualify their recommendations, what do you think of it (if anything)? Does that make sense?

[frogy]

Oh, well, I have opinions on that too! I don't think recs should come with caveats. I don't rec often, but the other day I was putting together a list of recs and I was torn on this. There was one fic I liked, but I wanted to say "I love the character development in this but scroll past the sex because it's bad" that I couldn't decide about including. I ultimately decided not to include it. A rec list is you saying "I like this. I think you will too." You can say "I like this and think you will too because . . . " and highlight specifically what you found good. But if you need to say "I like this and think you will too but . . ." and list the faults in a fic, you're really just discouraging people from clicking through to read it, at which point you might as well not have bothered including it on the list at all.

[antihysteric]

yeah. I think once you start to list faults/caveats, you need to call it a review instead of a rec. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[dolique]

how does it make you feel if someone recs something w/caveat(s)?

hmmm. that is an interesting question! i think what the inclusion of caveats really does is preserve the reccer's reputation: basically, you're saying "i did notice the problems with this, you guys, i swear! you can still trust me." and that's not worthless.

on the other hand, i think i agree that if you include them, you're reviewing a fic rather than reccing it. a rec, i feel, is inherently an insta-click; while someone reading your review may still ultimately click through to read the fic, it's not automatic in the same way.

addendum

[dolique]

have reposted your question, & a slightly expanded response, in my own journal; you are of course credited with the initial contemplative impulse. ♥

[winterlive]

*squeeeeez u*

[antihysteric]

*beams* ♥