In which I ask a million questions

[jelazakazone]

Ok, people. Talk to me. I want to hear why the OTP thing matters. I know that there are tons of people who won't read a fic if it's not with their OTP. Why is that important? Do all other pairings seem OOC? I'm really curious about this. I like all different kinds of stories, although there are some stories I don't read because of characters,

Comments

[twilighthdfan]

I'm weird, in that with some fandoms, I can read characters with all different pairings, even when I do have a OTP in that fandom, and yet with others I can't really.

That said, if it's well written (or recc'ed, or if I'm beta-ing for a friend), I'll usually give it a go. I'm pretty open to new pairings (for example I'd never have thought of Arthur/Mordred(/Merlin?) until I read your summary for PL, and now, OMG, I want to read it). But I find that I usually only write the OTP ... which I'd never thought about until now, but I definitely don't write other pairings save for the one.

I need to rec more! I have so many stories I love that I should have a rec post every week.

Love the gif :). And I totally agree with your thoughts, they're both looking at each other wondering what the other is up to.

[jelazakazone]

Wait, Arthur/Merlin/Mordred isn't totally obvious to everyone? heee.

thanks for sharing all your thoughts. I appreciated hearing from everyone. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. <3

[twilighthdfan]

LOL. It totally should be now (*cough* although I must admit I was late to the bandwagon ;)).

No worries! I know how busy life can get (not to mention, wow!, so many comments on this post!)

[jelazakazone]

Hurray! I've converted someone else. The funny thing about A/M/M is that every time I write them, the dynamics shift. It's also what I love about them.

Ridiculous, how chatty we got here:D

[alba17]

A lot of people have given you the answer, I think. My view is that for many people (including me) the point of fan fic is to see their favorite couple get together, and that's it. I usually start out that way and then branch out a bit, especially as far as writing. You're more into the show in general rather than being solely invested in M/A, so this isn't your mindset

[jelazakazone]

I really appreciate all the answers though. It seems there is a spectrum:D

Yes, that's a very good point for me. I am really into the show as a whole, not into 'ships specifically.

Heh. I need Arthur to be out of the picture if it's going to be Merlin/Gwaine too. I really have a hard time seeing Arthur with anyone but Merlin. Otherwise he seems rather asexual to me.

Hunh, it is fascinating to me that it varies by fandom for you.

[reverie_indigo]

This has been a very interesting conversation

[jelazakazone]

I have also found it incredibly interesting and very touched that people have been so honest and open with me.

Wow, good for you (on reading Gwen). Who wrote that?

I really don't know anyone who ships Gwen/Arthur strongly. I don't think.

Well, you can always do pre-4.13 and get around the Gwen issue that way!

Indeed. I feel that way too. LOL. So, you are a gay man? I don't like to think of myself as icky and I rather enjoy men, so it kind of all works for me.

[reverie_indigo]

Gay man. Love love women, want them to keep their privates covered. I'm kidding about the icky, and I don't care if privates are covered. Seriously, it's just that there's nothing for me to connect to. I imagine it's the same reason many straight women aren't particlulary drawn to f/f stories

[jelazakazone]

LOL. I can understand that you are not interested in women sexually and therefore not interested in stories with sex with women in them. Yay for loving humanity.

I feel like there are a lot of women with really fucked up sexual experiences. I am not sure if I'm going to be able to articulate this very well, but I have heard women say they can't relate to women's sexual experiences that they read in fanfic and it makes them uncomfortable. I also think that as a society we have this general discomfort with women's bodies; women are taught that their bodies are shameful. It's much easier to relate to men's sexual pleasure, alien as it might be.

I have nothing to back this up. It's just my opinion. Er, that got rather long.

Oh man. Nothing like encountering close-mindedness where you didn't expect it.

LOL. You have an evil streak, don't you?;)

Poor Gwen really got shafted. I agree completely.

Class differences are hard to bridge. Cultures are so very different across the classes.

[millionstar]

I've been thinking about this post all week, I don't know what has held me back from replying. I just don't always feel like I have anything valid to say in regards to topics like this, but the more I thought about it I thought I would tell you my first thoughts when I read this the other night.

I want to hear why the OTP thing matters.

I'm not at all convinced that it does, to be honest. *shrug* I mean, I don't always go seeking fic based on a pairing. I prefer all kinds of fics, especially first person narratives full of introspection. Having a pairing-intensive fic IS indeed satisfying - clearly it is to me because I write them, but it's by no means a necessity in my case.

As long as people are writing and crafting worlds, it matters not to me what inspires them or what the end output is.

[jelazakazone]

Awesome! I'm all ears.

For the record, I never expect everyone to reply to all of my posts. Sheesh. I would have to spend all day in front of the computer, replying to comments!

So, thank you for weighing in.

Hunh. I wonder if people are just looking for intensity in general and it's easiest to relate to that with an OTP.

Ok, but think about your favorite fics, the stories you really relate to, that resonate for you. What elements are in them?

I should do a whole nother post on that. Or we should talk about it on fleete's lj:D

[millionstar]

Oh, I know you don't. Well, with this one I wanted to reply but to be honest I didn't and still don't feel intelligent enough to make a valid point.

Ok, but think about your favorite fics, the stories you really relate to, that resonate for you. What elements are in them?

Fair point. I've just never dissected fic like this before. I know what I like and I've never really delved deeper into why until now.

[jelazakazone]

What are you even talking about? You are totally intelligent enough to have this conversation.

If you don't want to dissect what you like, don't go there. I was a lit major in college, so I tend to like this sort of thing. I actually figured out a long time ago that if a story has destiny, identity, and relationships in it, I'm gonna love it.

[realiztic]

My my, so many good discussions came up while I was away! This one is so insightful, and there's that post on tropes I have yet to comment on.

I wrote this on one of my fanmix posts:
"...I'm more into exploring the dynamics of a relationship between two characters rather than outright shipping them"

I guess when I say so-and-so is my OTP, it just means that it's the relationship that I enjoy playing around with the most...? In any case, the main "filters" in my reading choice are my beliefs and any possible triggers, not the pairings.

That was a wonderful post on reccing. Hmm, I should make a rec page, definitely.

Man, I have to watch that scene between Merlin and Mordred again. Playing mind games on loop, these two.

[jelazakazone]

People went crazy on this post! I was thrilled and overwhelmed:D

Ok, but even so, are you more interested in exploring the relationship between Arthur and Merlin than anyone else, or all characters equal or do some stand higher for you?

If you do recs, you should let the people at merlin_hotrecs know. I know they watch people who make recs:D

So much chemistry between Mordred and Merlin. Not just here. Would love to see your take on them if you are game and have time.

[realiztic]

People would definitely go crazy with a topic that sparks such thinky thoughts! :D

Hmmm... in the Merlin fandom, all relationships are fairly equal for me because I pretty much love all the characters! Back when I was active in anime fandom, I had definite favorites... but now that I mostly watch live-action series, I seem to be more generous with my affections :)) Dunno if that preference came with age or with the genre, haha!

I actually plan to do a Merlin and Mordred speculation post as soon as my RL activities allow me! Will be sure to drop you a link :)

[jelazakazone]

People do not always go crazy with things that I post.

Hunh. Ok. I find that an interesting observation because it seems to me that there is an age divide between people who have the OTP thing strongly going on and those who don't.

Yay! Looking forward to your Mordred/Merlin thoughts:D