BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Fan Fiction Addicts General Round Table Discusion

This Is The Phantom Lady · February 9, 2015 6:22 pm

I'll admit I haven't really read true Johnlock smut before last night when I popped my 'cherry' so to speak...

Is John 'always' the top?

It was actually an interesting read... Sherlock was a tranny rent boy... it was quite rough though I must admit.

mrshouse · February 9, 2015 6:33 pm

Welcome to a whole new world, Phantom, you have lots to discover.
Though " an interesting read" does not sound overly enthusiastic...
What style do you like? Personally I love the ones where I feel really close to the series, when the characteristics are like seen on screen. Not a big fan of AU.

tonnaree · February 9, 2015 6:34 pm

Oh Phantom, when I think of the fics you can still read for the FIRST time.

Who's on top depends on who is writing and what their preferences are.

I did read the Ink series last Friday night and spent the evening drowning in feels.

Harriet · February 9, 2015 6:39 pm

That is, IF someone's on top

mrshouse · February 9, 2015 6:43 pm

To the very last of all details possible, as always, Harriet..

This Is The Phantom Lady · February 9, 2015 6:46 pm

What I meant was... is it often that John is the dominant one, what's the overall trend? John he was VERY dominant in the one I read and Sherlock was VERY submissive...

I like dark stories, I always have...
It doesn't need to be bdsm for me to like it though *cough*

mrshouse · February 9, 2015 6:50 pm

I think John being often on top or being seemingly dominant is that he most definitely is the more experienced one and there a lots of fics in which he just introduces Sherlock to the physical desires.
Must it be really really really dark or is a bit of h/c sufficient?

This Is The Phantom Lady · February 9, 2015 6:54 pm

I'm just not into fluff and pink hearts stuff...

Vhanja · February 9, 2015 6:55 pm

Yeah, it seems to be that either John is on top because of his experience (and Sherlock often has a military kink) or it's Sherlock on top because he has in general a dominant nature. Depends on how you view it as a writer.

It would be interesting to write a post (or a new thread) with the various tropes we feel happens a lot in various Johnlock fics. It's Johnlock fanfic has a canon of it's own (fanon, I think the term is).

mrshouse · February 9, 2015 6:56 pm

Not toooo much, no, that would not be in character for them. But I love when they have found love in the end, the way can be a bit dark and rocky...

Harriet · February 9, 2015 6:58 pm

There are all kinds around, I wouldn't say there is a general approach to their preferences.

tonnaree · February 9, 2015 7:06 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Yeah, it seems to be that either John is on top because of his experience (and Sherlock often has a military kink) or it's Sherlock on top because he has in general a dominant nature. Depends on how you view it as a writer.

It would be interesting to write a post (or a new thread) with the various tropes we feel happens a lot in various Johnlock fics. It's Johnlock fanfic has a canon of it's own (fanon, I think the term is).

We've actually done that a good bit here in this thread. But feel free to add to the discusion.

Last edited by tonnaree (February 9, 2015 7:10 pm)

Vhanja · February 9, 2015 7:13 pm

Oh, well the re-inventing of the wheel. But from my little experience the last few months, these are some of the recurring tropes I've seen in many different Johnlock fics:

- Sherlock has a military kink
- Sherlock experimented sexually while at uni and have usually been sexually inactive since then.
- Sherlock was an active drug user in the past, overdosing once, was found and saved by Lestrade and Mycroft put him into rehab
- For some of the darker fics, Sherlock often paid for the drugs with sexual services

- John is "Three Continents Watson" (where ever THAT came from - is that purely from the BBC series?)
- John is either straight and Sherlock-sexual or he is bi and knows about it
- John is constantly nagging Sherlock to eat and to sleep, which is always an uphill battle.
- John is always making tea
- John has in general a very low threshold for wanting to punch someone

Hm, that is what I can think of at the top of my head. Anyone else recognize these?

Last edited by Vhanja (February 9, 2015 9:32 pm)

Harriet · February 9, 2015 8:06 pm

See also this thread:
http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=5221

Vhanja · February 9, 2015 8:23 pm

Harriet wrote:
See also this thread:
http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=5221

But tonnaree just said I could write it in this thread.

Harriet · February 9, 2015 8:25 pm

See it as an extra, Vhanja. As you were looking for tropes.

tonnaree · February 12, 2015 11:14 pm

Have you ever thought about how many famous works of art could legitimatly be classified as "Fan Fiction"?

I’M DONE EXPLAINING WHY FANFIC IS OKAY.
http://bookshop.tumblr.com/post/37075331312

What do you think when well known authors get offended by the use of their characters in fan fiction or mock it?

What about when "bad" fan fiction like "50 Shades of Grey" gets a huge amount of attention and in return seems to shine a negative light on fan writing in general?

discuss.

Last edited by tonnaree (February 12, 2015 11:18 pm)

Whisky · February 13, 2015 1:52 pm

Wohoo... could you maybe maybe add links when you're posting great fic recommendations? I had to search for them and while it's worth it, you probably have them bookmarked anyway Also I have loads to read now, hehe, thanks.

For fanfiction I would like to see filmed, I would nominate:
- To Where You Are http://archiveofourown.org/works/497266/chapters/871433
- Saving Sherlock Holmes http://archiveofourown.org/works/514787/chapters/908428
- Bel Canto http://archiveofourown.org/works/712295/chapters/1317304 .
(just realising that most of my fav fics are difficult to make into a film, I suppose. So that's my best second choices up there that actually could *work* as a film^^)
and as a short film nominee: All Trains Finish Here
I surely wouldn't mind A Cure For Boredom or the Sex Olympics, but well... :D
What I never want to see as film is "Alone on the Water". Imagination hurts enough.

I remember "Diana Gabaldon's epic rant about fanfiction". I felt conflicted about it back then, because I loved fanfiction but also thought Diana Gabaldon a great author who might be in the position to speak on that subject with some authority. The problem is: I can understand her. Not exactly her choice of words, but I can see where she's coming from, and I might agree on most of it. Still, I like reading fanfiction. I also like writing fanfiction. I wouldn't write Outlander fanfiction though. I think the author *has* invented a whole universe and put much work into characters. I wouldn't mind *good* fanfiction if I was an author I think, but god, thinking what some people would my beloved characters... yes, that would upset me a bit I guess. So if Diana clearly states she doesn't want fanfiction, I won't mess with Jamie and Claire, tempting as it is. I also don't read Outlander fanfiction. That could also be due to the fact that there *is* loads of romance (and sex) in the original Outlander series already, which is very well written, and fanfiction probably would only fall short on it.

I think one could simply write fanfiction based on works by authors who don't mind (or are long dead and never said how they would have liked it). Also, for classics, at some point the "personal" character becomes a public one, I think for Sherlock Holmes that might be true. Simply because of the many adaptions.

To be honest, I have no idea why people write fanfiction. I think mostly because the original work leaves something unexplored they want to explore.
Also, original works wouldn't get so much feedback. Fanfiction authors, in many cases, aren't published authors (yet), so one could assume they have still to work on their writing and characterization (of which there is proof in many fanfics). So fanfiction is a playground to ease into a new world and slowly develop skills. And some of the really great fanfiction authors indeed have moved on to publishing original works, so the playground learning really pays off sometimes. (I've read a good article about that, maybe I find it again and can post it.)

I really don't mind how "outsiders" see fandoms. Most people I talk to don't get it anyway, because they refuse the effort to take a closer look. If they think all fanfiction is bad written porn, well... as long as they don't get on my nerves, they can think that for all I care. I know better, so do many others here, and that's enough for me. I would only take an argument if the other knew what he/she was talking about, and if they know what they're talking about, they're usually past prejudices - problem solved ;-)

I've read a few pages of 50 Shades of Grey because everyone was talking about it. Didn't like it. What I don't really understand: Why is it called fanfiction? I mean, I know the idea originated somewhere fannish, but I don't really know anything about 50 Shades of Grey otherwise. I always thought it was a kind of new story with original characters... could you provide a bit background, tonnaree? Everybody is talking about it and I don't really get it... :/

Last edited by Whisky (February 13, 2015 2:19 pm)

Vhanja · February 13, 2015 2:14 pm

Whisky wrote:
I've read a few pages of 50 Shades of Grey because everyone was talking about it. Didn't like it. What I don't really understand: Why is it called fanfiction? I mean, I know the idea originated somewhere fannish, but I don't really know anything about 50 Shades of Grey otherwise. I always thought it was a kind of new story with original characters... could you provide a bit background, tonnaree? Everybody is talking about it and I don't really get it... :/

Because 50 Shades was originally written as Twilight fanfiction. But it became so popular that the author changed the names and did some other changes to be able to publish it as her own work. But at the heart it is still Twilight fanfiction, which is visible for those who recognize Christian Grey as an exaggerated Edward and Ana as quite similar to Bella. (And their relationship is just as unhealthy and dysfunctional as the one between Edward and Bella).

Last edited by Vhanja (February 13, 2015 2:15 pm)

Whisky · February 13, 2015 2:42 pm

Then I wonder: how original can a character be in the end?
I mean, no matter what we write, we are influenced by what we have read.