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

tonnaree · August 12, 2013 9:43 pm

We have threads specificaly for recomendations, but I just want to talk about fan fic in general.

What do we love? What do we hate? What totally weirds us out?

What I would never do is bash specific stories or authors by name. It is an act of bravery to create anything and I have only respect for someone who tries.

So, how about something easy to start us off.

We all have our treasured OTP, but what paring turns you totally off?

For me Sherlock/Mycroft. I can ship just about anyone but I draw the line at blood relations. And this goes for all my fandoms. It could be the most amazing story written by someone wtih true talent.......but I won't read it.

Last edited by SusiGo (December 18, 2014 10:36 pm)

Mary Me · August 12, 2013 11:05 pm

I don't really read AUs except when the characters are still drawn realistic.
And I usually give the pairings Mycroft/Lestrade and John/Molly a wide berth because I really don't want to read stuff like this. I tried once or twice and it's just not my area.

I do like it when fan fiction explore what we will definitely not get in the series.
It's amazing to see that, even if a storyline is really far-fetched, the characters always act the way we know them. In most of the cases, shall we say.

stoertebeker · August 15, 2013 10:21 pm

Yes, I confess, I am a Johnlock addict - but the story shouldn't be too cheesy, therefor as much in character as possible (whereas I think Johnlock is always out of character a bit).

I like stories with a good plot - a difficult case maybe or a good character study, for example the development of the relationship between Sherlock and John. And I like harmless and humorous sickfics.

I don't like stories which contains obvious logical mistakes or inconsistencys. I also don't like, if the persons are too much out of character, for example a mentally unstable or weakened Sherlock or John.

I am not very fond of parentlock, kidlock, teenlock stories and I don't like the pairings Mycroft/Lestrade, Sherlock/Molly (no sorry, no Sherlolly fan).

And I can't stand stories in which Sherlock or John dies - no, that's inacceptable, I need a happy end ! I don't mind a good cry during a story, but not because of a character death.

These topics are really weird for me: Mpreg, the pairings Sherlock/Mycroft, Sherlock/Moriarty, Sherlock/Lestarde, John/Mycroft, John/Moriarty, John/Lestrade and most AU-stories.

Nevertheless, I have great respect for everyone, who writes and completes a fanfiction story. And I envy everyone for their creativity and patience. I do have own stories one my computer - but until now, I wasn't able to finish one of them, at some point I always get stucked - damm my impatience .

tonnaree · August 15, 2013 10:38 pm

I like angst/hurt/comfort but I avoid major character death at all costs.

i will read an AU if it's well done but they are not my favorite.

Don't read cross overs. It's hard enough to write one word well. Start mixing them together and it just seems to get messy.

Question: Can anyone tell me where the fan fic/fan art meme of John's red under pants comes from?

SolarSystem · August 16, 2013 8:19 am

I have to admit I had not read any kind of fan fic in years. Last time was when I was deep into Star Trek (I still consider myself a Trekkie, but it's more in the background nowadays), that was probably... 15 years ago.

But Sherlock got me back into reading fan fic, and boy... I'm really amazed by the amount of stories out there. I absolutely love Johnlock - but it has to be true to the characters. There really are a lot of authors out there who get it absolutely right, I can almost hear Martin's and Benedict's voices when I read the dialogue. That for me is the most important factor. And then... almost everything is possible, angst, fluff, death, comfort, porn...
What I don't like is any kind of AU and I guess I could just repeat what stoertebeker already mentioned: parentlock, kidlock, stuff like that is really not for me.

It's great that there are so many good stories out there, makes the waiting for series 3 not all that unbearable...

Kerkerian · August 16, 2013 2:40 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
I absolutely love Johnlock - but it has to be true to the characters. There really are a lot of authors out there who get it absolutely right, I can almost hear Martin's and Benedict's voices when I read the dialogue. That for me is the most important factor.
(...)
It's great that there are so many good stories out there, makes the waiting for series 3 not all that unbearable...

Me too- though I also like to read and write "just friendship" stories.
I furthermore do agree with Störtebeker that Johnlock stories most of the time are a bit out of character, but there still are some really well-written and not too cheesy ones out there.

I love to see Sherlock being proven wrong about his denial that he's got feelings, and when he's having weak moments (not as in "resorting to self-harm", though). Basically it could be called his humanity showing through whether he wants it or not.

I'm also an absolute sucker for Sherlock-centered h/c stories- not that I don't love John, but in my headcanon he's the one who takes over once matters've gone awry. I like when he's in charge and/or being protective of Sherlock.

Last not least: Mrs Hudson. I adore her, and I really love to read about Sherlock's and her backstory (or basically anything which deals with the two of them).

Mary Me · August 16, 2013 3:14 pm

@tonnaree: The tumblr user reapersun startet all the fuss. I don't know exactly how but all the fan art is due to her.

tonnaree · August 17, 2013 1:57 am

Mary Me wrote:
@tonnaree: The tumblr user reapersun startet all the fuss. I don't know exactly how but all the fan art is due to her.

Hmmmmm, now I wonder what go ther started. :-)

tonnaree · August 17, 2013 2:00 am

I don't care for the kidlock or teenlock that have John and Sherlock meeting at a young age. But I am developing a soft spot for parentlock. There's just something about the boys being all domestic. But once again, even in parentlock, it's important that John and Sherlock still be John and Sherlock. Experiances can change them but you still have to believe the characters we know would act the way they are being written.

crazybbcamerican · August 17, 2013 1:19 pm

I'm still so new to the entire writing/reading fanfic thing that it is hard for me to put my finger on particulars that I don't like. I do not like incest of any type, no forced sexual relations, and yes I have to admit a fondness for AUs. (wiggles eyebrows)

I am at heart a lover of fantasy and science fiction, but with a very large helping of mystery and crime. As a learning writer, I make an effort to combine the things that I love (with a healthy dose of history and mythology) in my works. So far, I've been pretty satisified with the results but I don't feel like I am there yet.

Now to shut up about myself, I am a serious Johnlock addict. I remember when I first read the ACD canon 100 years ago or so that I was entralled with the stuff that Doyle didn't tell us...so fanfiction fills that void for me. I know Ben and Martin are both straight, but in my mind John and Sherlock will be in love forever; maybe I'm just sappy that way :D

I like Mycroft/Lestrade, too, sometimes when it is well-done and believable. As for Shelrock/Molly, nah just can't ship it completely.

May I also mention that I am sucker for a good backstory? I love knowing where characters come from and why they do the things they do.

Other pairings in other fanfics simply do not work for me. I don't know why. I also can't figure out why one six-episode TV show made me completely lose my mind, but maybe that's just how these things work. Fanfic is just fun no matter how you look at it. I haven't had this much fun with anything in a very long time.

iViva la fan fic!

Last edited by crazybbcamerican (August 17, 2013 1:55 pm)

KeepersPrice · August 17, 2013 3:40 pm

Reading fan fic - in particular Johnlock - is a serious stress reliever for me. It totally takes me away from the boring insurance, government and other regulatory entities I'm constantly researching for my job. I love what I call the "awakening" stories where John (especially John) and/or Sherlock begin to realize that their feelings for each other have moved beyond friendship. How the author gets them from point A to point B (Bed? )always makes for interesting, fun and angsty reading for me. I enjoy seeing the self-protective walls they've built up come tumbling down - and especially enjoy it when the author keeps them true to character while having them slowly cave in to that 'something' that's bigger than both of them. When authors can capture the dysfunction, the co-dependency, and the total love and commitment of their relationship with quality writing, I'll go back again and again to those stories! (Now, if I could just figure out how to get fan fic downloaded on my Kindle I'll be as happy as a camel on Wednesday!)

stoertebeker · August 17, 2013 10:02 pm

What totally pisses me off at the moment are stories in which Mary is portrayed as an evil character, someone who hates Sherlock and tries to drive a wedge between Sherlock and John. I don't like that, especially since this seems to occur more frequently lately. It's not fair !

Mattlocked · August 17, 2013 10:15 pm

Really? I didn't notice so far. Not fair at all, you are right.
The few fanfics containing Mary I read were very well done. She was nice, understanding and caring, she let John spend a lot of time with Sherlock. Sooner or later she noticed she was losing him, tried to fight in a fair way and finally gave him free after a while. Very well written. I just don't remember the name of the ff. right now.
Have read far too many.
"Want to read some more?" "Oh. God. Yes."

Last edited by Mattlocked (August 17, 2013 10:16 pm)

SolarSystem · August 17, 2013 10:19 pm

KeepersPrice wrote:
Reading fan fic - in particular Johnlock - is a serious stress reliever for me. It totally takes me away from the boring insurance, government and other regulatory entities I'm constantly researching for my job. I love what I call the "awakening" stories where John (especially John) and/or Sherlock begin to realize that their feelings for each other have moved beyond friendship. How the author gets them from point A to point B (Bed? )always makes for interesting, fun and angsty reading for me. I enjoy seeing the self-protective walls they've built up come tumbling down - and especially enjoy it when the author keeps them true to character while having them slowly cave in to that 'something' that's bigger than both of them. When authors can capture the dysfunction, the co-dependency, and the total love and commitment of their relationship with quality writing, I'll go back again and again to those stories! (Now, if I could just figure out how to get fan fic downloaded on my Kindle I'll be as happy as a camel on Wednesday!)

What you call "awakening" stories are exactly the kind of stories I love most, too. Can't get enough of them.

tonnaree · August 18, 2013 3:07 am

SolarSystem wrote:
KeepersPrice wrote:
Reading fan fic - in particular Johnlock - is a serious stress reliever for me. It totally takes me away from the boring insurance, government and other regulatory entities I'm constantly researching for my job. I love what I call the "awakening" stories where John (especially John) and/or Sherlock begin to realize that their feelings for each other have moved beyond friendship. How the author gets them from point A to point B (Bed? )always makes for interesting, fun and angsty reading for me. I enjoy seeing the self-protective walls they've built up come tumbling down - and especially enjoy it when the author keeps them true to character while having them slowly cave in to that 'something' that's bigger than both of them. When authors can capture the dysfunction, the co-dependency, and the total love and commitment of their relationship with quality writing, I'll go back again and again to those stories! (Now, if I could just figure out how to get fan fic downloaded on my Kindle I'll be as happy as a camel on Wednesday!)
What you call "awakening" stories are exactly the kind of stories I love most, too. Can't get enough of them.

Yes, oh god yes.

tonnaree · August 18, 2013 3:08 am

What's one of the weirdest things you've read? I ran across one where all the discription said was "Sherlock works his way through uni as a stripper." Morbid curiousity had me read the first few pages but that's all it took for me to thinkg "aaaaah, no."

stoertebeker · August 18, 2013 10:40 am

I recently stumbled over a mpreg story with a detailed description of Sherlock giving birth to child - *shudder* that lies far beyond my imagination.

tonnaree · August 18, 2013 1:58 pm

Don't get the mpreg thing. Never will.

Dare I ask where the child emerged from?

Kerkerian · August 18, 2013 3:11 pm

tonnaree wrote:
Don't get the mpreg thing. Never will.

Dare I ask where the child emerged from?

Ewww... blargh... at least in the Harry Potter fandom, they have magic for that kind of thing.

SolarSystem · August 18, 2013 4:54 pm

Sherlock in high heels. Thanks, but no thanks.