It’s interesting that the Top Ten Most Common Squicks is the same in every fandom, and yet there are so many fics containing them.
There are a lot of things I don’t like and would never read, mainly mpreg (for so many reasons), rape or prostitute fics. I tend not to give those things a chance, even if they’re highly recommended. Characterization is a tricky thing, because everyone has their own view of the characters and I know that. I stop reading fics with characterizations I find off unless it’s explained the reason for the characters acting that way.
Even with warnings there is no escaping certain things: the ‘surprise’ squicks. Everything was going great (good plot, solid characterization, etc) until one of them appeared:
1) Bottom = weak. I don’t know what’s worse: that after sex whoever was bottom suddenly can’t fight off a fly and cries for nothing; or that the author has already decided who was going to bottom, therefore writes him like that even before the sex scene. In my case, I find it way hotter when the bottom is a ‘stong’ character (because it means that if he’s being fucked, is because he’s letting his partner fuck him). It also bothers me when the author tries to do a D/s sex scene but it’s not well written, as if they didn’t know what it implies.
2) (This competes with 1) When the authors write themselves as the characters.. Either they are writing the characters with their personalities, or with the personalities they would have liked the characters to have. Mary Sues are bad enough, and worst when it’s obvious Harry/Draco/Whoever aren’t like that, have never been like that and would never be like that
3) Harry: *gasp* OMG I <3 you!! Draco: OMG I <3 you too! *THE END* Why suddenly ruin a good developing relationship? They hated each other, learning how they got together is one of the most interesting (and challenging) things about them.
4) When the importance of the people Harry loves is underplayed (especially of Ron and Hermione) as well as Harry’s past. Yes, he is pretty well adjusted for someone with that childhood, but early childhood experiences are very important and there has to be some mark.
I’m sure I have other squicks (that applied to all my fandoms), but those are the ones I could think of now (I’m too sleepy -.-). This was a good post, very interesting :)
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There are a lot of things I don’t like and would never read, mainly mpreg (for so many reasons), rape or prostitute fics. I tend not to give those things a chance, even if they’re highly recommended. Characterization is a tricky thing, because everyone has their own view of the characters and I know that. I stop reading fics with characterizations I find off unless it’s explained the reason for the characters acting that way.
Even with warnings there is no escaping certain things: the ‘surprise’ squicks. Everything was going great (good plot, solid characterization, etc) until one of them appeared:
1) Bottom = weak. I don’t know what’s worse: that after sex whoever was bottom suddenly can’t fight off a fly and cries for nothing; or that the author has already decided who was going to bottom, therefore writes him like that even before the sex scene. In my case, I find it way hotter when the bottom is a ‘stong’ character (because it means that if he’s being fucked, is because he’s letting his partner fuck him). It also bothers me when the author tries to do a D/s sex scene but it’s not well written, as if they didn’t know what it implies.
2) (This competes with 1) When the authors write themselves as the characters.. Either they are writing the characters with their personalities, or with the personalities they would have liked the characters to have. Mary Sues are bad enough, and worst when it’s obvious Harry/Draco/Whoever aren’t like that, have never been like that and would never be like that
3) Harry: *gasp* OMG I <3 you!!
Draco: OMG I <3 you too! *THE END*
Why suddenly ruin a good developing relationship? They hated each other, learning how they got together is one of the most interesting (and challenging) things about them.
4) When the importance of the people Harry loves is underplayed (especially of Ron and Hermione) as well as Harry’s past. Yes, he is pretty well adjusted for someone with that childhood, but early childhood experiences are very important and there has to be some mark.
I’m sure I have other squicks (that applied to all my fandoms), but those are the ones I could think of now (I’m too sleepy -.-). This was a good post, very interesting :)