Poll: Indexing recs by character

[espresso_addict]

Currently trying to add character indexing to Espresso Recs, but running into a few problems, hence the below poll... (I'm not intending to add the character lists to the other pages, in case anyone's wondering.)

Comments

[stultiloquentia]

I mainly select fanfiction (in those fandoms I read)...

By summary! While I like some characters and couples better than others, I'll read anything, if the author takes a minute to sell it well. And don't give me some vague line of poetry; actually summarize, plz. Similarly, rec lists that don't say why are useless to me. I only have so much reading time.

(I don't always follow my own rules ... I started writing and reccing a long time ago, before I had a fiery opinion about it. Must tweak my lists, as time allows.)

[espresso_addict]

By summary! While I like some characters and couples better than others, I'll read anything, if the author takes a minute to sell it well.

Indeed! But in the context of recs it's up to me to do the sales job.

Similarly, rec lists that don't say why are useless to me.

Also indeed! Though I think there's a delicate balance between telling you everything about the story & possibly spoiling it (& certainly predisposing your response to it), and not giving enough information to allow rational selection. (My dislike of raw link lists is only exceeded by my dislike for recommendations that give away the twist.) I've always aimed for the short teaser approach, but I suspect that makes my recs useless to most readers. Hopefully, adding an index-by-character page will improve matters.

I started writing and reccing a long time ago, before I had a fiery opinion about it.

I noticed you'd put up a recs page last time I clicked through my links; it looks really useful (by which I mean lots of yummy stories for EA to pilfer!). Thanks, btw,

[forodwaith]

By summary!

Stulti beat me to it.

I'm not a OTP type person, so I don't generally go by pairing, and while I'm not interested in some genres (teen AUs, h/c, PWP) if the summary makes it sound intriguing I'll try almost anything.

[espresso_addict]

I'm pretty much the same; I'll read almost anything if it sounds intriguing, or is recommended by someone whose judgment I respect. There are some genres I tend to avoid: angst fests, h/c, AUs which lose the point of the source. (I excluded it only because author summary isn't a relevant variable in a recs site, or at least not one that doesn't include that information.)