tell me how you do it flist

[lexzilla]

In my continuing adventures of trying to understand how I think, I've been pondering my fic reading habits.

★ I always seem to pick one central figure from a fandom and what I choose to read revolves around them
☆ Supernatural RPF - Jensen Ackles
☆ Supernatural - Dean Winchester
☆ Adam Lambert - Adam Lambert
☆ Stargate Atlantis - Rodney McKay
☆ Angel

Comments

[to_question]

Your fic reading habits and my fic reading habits should date.

[lexzilla]

Hahaha. Glad I'm not alone in this. My fic habit would consent to getting a cup of coffee.

[pigeongirl99]

Not sure I can help you understand you any better, but just had to say snap as far as the fandoms we have in common go, as well as the fixating on one character thing, Within SPN, SPNRPS, and Angel goes, if it doesn't feature Dean/Jensen/Wesley as the primary character it is never going to hold my interest. The only thing I know I always fixate on in favourite characters is their vulnerability, as I perceive it (nb, with Jensen this obviously has next to nothing to do with the real Jensen, but more generally his portrayal within fandom).... though obviously general prettyness helps.

And, as godawfully shallow as it is, I do know the character I choose always (because, I seem to only ever read slash) ends up being designated 'bottom'. I dread to think what this says about me.

[lexzilla]

Cool! We have excellent taste *g*. The fixating thing puzzles me only in as much as I like the other characters too, I just don't care outside of the show. The vulnerability thing is interesting. Is that why you fixate or do you look for it once you've chosen?

Hahaha the prettiness certainly does not hinder - I thought that might be linked to who would I rather picture in a fantasy/sexual way, but then this is mitigated by the fact that I prefer good stories over PWP.

Then I am shallow with you! Well, sometimes. I very definitely prefer bottom Jensen, Dean and Wes fics and if I know it's not that, then I'm suddenly reluctant to read. And for Adam or Rodney I don't mind. So does that mean I don't have a general preference or do I just have very specific preferences that are decided along with some other key factors that I don't know yet? Confusing. I don't know what this says about us either :P

[marlowe6468]

I have to second Pigeon:) With the exception of Mr Lambert (and am not anti, just woefully ignorant of) I also heart them all and I think the vulnerability thing is the crucial draw.

In regards to the bottom stuff, I also go for that - although interestingly(not really, only from my perspective), as far as SGA goes I also fixate a little on Shepard (and see him as potentially very vulnerable) and as a consequence that is the only one where I'm happy when they switch up...Hmm...I wish I knew what that meant:)

[lexzilla]

To be honest, Adam Lambert fandom [at least fic wise] is the least developed fandom compared to all the others. I don't know if its because its fairly new but the ratio of fic epics to not so great fic isn't that good at the minute so you're not missing much. That said, I think its gonna be cool to see these writers develop but that's a whole other conversation.

Yeah. I like the vulnerability too. But then I generally prefer fluffier fics rather than heavy angst, so I'm not sure [for me] how big a part that plays in my decisions.

It is interesting! I'm happy to switch Rodney up in the SGA fic I read as well. I agree that seeing Shepard as vulnerable makes for an interesting character study and I do like to read that, but only in relation to Rodney. LOL I don't know what it means either :)

[dreamersdare]

Characters, I think. If the presentation of the characters (whoever they are) doesn't grab me, I'll back out of the fic regardless of what the plot/content is (it is hard for vampire fic to make me do that, but it has happened).

I live in the contradictory world of liking my fic dark but not if it relates to my real life. So dark!fic is good but terminal illness, mental illness, non-AU real person deathfic (I can handle it if it's AU or fictional people).

Also, randomly, mpreg breaks my brain (it is not physically possible, dammit) :D

[lexzilla]

That was the conclusion I came to too, but it just feels odd. Like shouldn't a genre impact my decison more? But apparently I don't care about that. I guess this should be obvious when you think about how I love your writing but I just can't do bandom...It just threw me a little to think about the whys.

I'm different in that I cant separate AU from non-AU with those tropes. I know it's been recently very impacted by RL stuff, but even before then I read them very very rarely and only on assurance that I wouldn't be left devastated. Maybe that's about what I want to get out of a fic? I want amusement, entertainment and maybe some thrills and chills but nothing emotionally extreme [weirdly the total opposite of my film choices].

LOL. I don't really have a strong opinion on it. Mostly it's daft but I have enjoyed a few that have been really well written.

[dreamersdare]

I think the thing about fanfiction is that the characters are why we read it, which distinguishes it from standard shop-bought fiction. Take harlequins; I wouldn't read a harlequin romance if you paid me, but I'll devour them when they pop up in fandom. I have it with your boy Adam; I have no investment in him and that might explain why I can't buy into fic with him in it.

I can't with the illness ones either. I used to say I couldn't with deathfic and then I wrote some and was fine about it (I think because I'd made the characters so different?). I generally view fandom as my escapism as well though, which I think is why I have more of an issue with real-life related adversity than I do with AU adversity.

Not. Physically. Possible. I have never been able to move away from the concept of crapping offspring. Never. I guess we all have our crosses to bear, right? :)

[lexzilla]

Yeah. Definitely the desires that drive reading fiction vs fanfiction is different - even if the end outcome of entertainment is the same. And not that one is a greater or more valid art form than the other, just the motivations aren't the same. Maybe with fanfic we read about characters we are already invested in and so it shapes/enhances our connection to it.

*g* Yeah, but you know me and my love of all things fluffy.

LOL well if you pharse it as 'crapping offspring' no one is gonna be temped. Assbabies are gross. The couple of good ones I've read involved cod-science [a love of which I've inherited from bad sci-fi exploitation flicks] where somehow people get female insides and gain a vajayjay or have a c-section...O_o I cant believe I just wrote that sentence!!!

[moorspede]

Oooh great post

[lexzilla]

LOL I am surprised not to be making another 'rowr Adam' post. I blame the beard :P

[moorspede]

Just get rid of it already, Adam. It's messing with our minds. :o

[lexzilla]

OMG OMG OMG did you see how pretty he looks in that new pic he tweeted ♥

YAY. You gonna get the McKay love \o/ \o/ it also helps that far and away he's the best actor on the show :D

My wincest reading is minimal at best, but I think that's mainly because in a long plotty fic incest will equal angst and I'd rather read milder or happier fics. So now I'm contradicting myself and plot is over-riding character :/ fml.

Oooh. Thanks for the link. it's bookmarked for a rainy day.

LOL so social awkwardness is all that is left hahaha? Yeah, I can see where they'd be good contradictions for each other. And both can supply either levity or heavy emotion, just in very different ways.

Eh? Why? Unless a homophobic incident in a central plot driver, why wold you feel the need? Phht not using a slur is really not p.c gone mad!!

Exactly! I just read Adam/Kanye West over at cockbert and even though the pairing is a big BZUH??? the fic was so fun and awesome. That perfect balance of not-crack crack. :D