DPP: Treasure-Trope

[howlinchickhowl.livejournal.com]

Hello hello my fangirl friends :) What an interesting week we have had so far. Yesterday we discussed our wacky ideas involving Pilots in OTHER stories, and there were some interesting suggestions, some awesome manips, some exciting fic reccomendations, and lively discussion besides.

And of course there was the obligatory Fassavoy gif hijack :P

Today is all about your favourite tropes. I know we had a trope based discussion on Monday, but this is slightly different. I've been going through my delicious bookmarks trying to get them into some kind of order, and I'm noticing certain trends.

So my question for you is this:

What are the tropes/categories if you're not clear on tropitude that will almost guarantee you will read a fic? What does an author need to put in the genre/notes section to make you clicky clicky without even really reading the summary? Tell me what your weaknesses are, and rec some of your favourites if you like.

For me, Academy!PIlots will always make me click. They're so young and so full of optimism and banter and sunshine, and I find I can't resist them. Also included in this is anything pre-mini, as I tend to bundle them in together.

I have many favourites when it comes to Academy Pilots, one of my all-time favourites is Laws of Gravity by brynnmck  And also A Brief History of Starbuck and Apollo by daphnaea . AND also, one I read recently The Spark by foophile which is a little bit different from your average academy fic, and also kinda hot.

There's also the Stealth!Snuggle, which always makes me suuuper happy. Favourites include Digging a Hole (Nothing Romantic About the Hours We Keep by bantha_fodder  and Trouble Sleeping by stars_like_dust  And the good thing about the Stealth!Snuggle is that it tends to come in the middle of fluffy fics, fics about pilots being lovely and adorable and generally hot. And that's nice for everyone :)

What about you guys? Favourite types of pilots fic? Recs for my personal favourites? Recs for each other's favourites? Have at it!

Conversely, what are your LEAST favourite tropes? What will automatically turn you off about a fic? And are there any exceptions.

For example, I don't really like the idea of Pilots as cylons, so I generally don't read that kind of thing. BUT there are two most excellent exceptions to this: Twelve by rheanna27 which is all mythology-y and sad and wonderful. And obviously Periapsis by rawles  which is just incredible.


Alright, enough from me, you go :)

Comments

[lizziec]

I thought for a moment you were going to link to TV Tropes and cause me to lose my afternoon. Phew!

I will ponder and then get back to you on the actual question posed in today's DPP now I know I'm safe from that evil pit of doom :)

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

The combo of Hurt/Comfort always pulls me in. I love angst, and a fic that can realistically 'fix' the mess that is our pilots.

I seemed particularly hooked on PTSD tropes. Kara had obvious issues at several different points in the series, and it always felt like canon never really addressed it. I want my fics to dig into those issues--and fix 'em, danged-gummit!!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

This made me grin because you YELLED AT ME FOR MAKING YOU CRY! *hugs* But you ARE pretty amazing at bringing the angst, girl. Just saying!

[lizziec]

This, basically. I think it's because the lack of addressing issues in canon was one of my biggest problems with the series as a whole so the bit I wanted to go back and have fixed for me.

Do you have any particular recommendations?

[deborah-judge.livejournal.com]

I love finale-compliant poof-compliant post-finale fix-its. (What, of course she came back. It's only canon that she *said* she wasn't going to, not that she didn't.) I'm hugely fond of Cylon!Lee, I think that was foreshadowed in the miniseries with all the parallels between the human/Cylon relationship and the Bill/Lee relationship. I also love threesomes/OT3s, especially when Lee can somehow be brought around to enjoying them.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

I'm hugely fond of Cylon!Lee

Twelve is one of my FAVORITE FICS EVER for that reason. I have a cylon WIP floating around my drive right now. Just saying. *hugs* K :>D

[winegums.livejournal.com]

Have you read Did I Fall Asleep? (http://tulipfic.livejournal.com/56564.html)

It's a Dollhouse crossover and slightly AU, but if you're acquainted with even the most basic gist of that show and like post-poof stories you should read this, it's EPIC and absolutely amazing.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Academy fic always appeals, and I really like in-canon fic, especially for the early seasons. I feel like nowadays there is not really a lot of that somehow and I kind of miss it.

Kara/Leoben to any degree is not of interest to me. I'm also not a fan of Lee/Sam or Lee sharing Kara with anyone actually. I can never suspend my disbelief that he'd be okay with that in any scenario.

I never liked the idea of pilots being cylons before the finale, but now I think it's kind of fantastic just because it means they both are together/the same/equals. To that end, These Journeymen Divine by the marvelous claira and fahye? (Or was it banthafodder?) had new appeal for me post-finale.

My least favorite--anything where they are all and only about hurting each other, physically or emotionally. And if the sex scene is coerced/forced--or happening out of guilt--it's a huge turn-off for me.

I'm not a big pregnancy/baby fic fan either. Mainly because I find--the in character ones anyway--are all pretty much the same story/arc where Kara is angry, then the baby wins her over, then she feels guilty for being herself/losing her temper/beinga bad mother, etc. etc.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Kara/Leoben to any degree is not of interest to me. I'm also not a fan of Lee/Sam or Lee sharing Kara with anyone actually. I can never suspend my disbelief that he'd be okay with that in any scenario.

I bet if YOU WROTE IT, you could make it work. Just saying. The fact (for me at least) is, the more I write a character, the better I 'get' their motives. Hee hee!

WRITE IT WRITE IT WRITE IT!!!!

[bouncy-nut.livejournal.com]

I'm an angst whore. I can't help it. Broken and damaged people are where it's at.

I'm also particularly fond of fics that fill in the blanks of canon scenes that we wish had happened. And anything that delves into the Kara/Lee dynamic when Zak was still around is awesome to read.

Plus any fic that looks to give Sam the overall raw end of the deal is extremely comforting to my bitter and jealous soul.

And of course, anything R+ rated. My perverse mind needs smutty sustenance.

NOT particularly fond of anything too far into AU land. IDK why. And I feel like I should have to turn in my fan-girl card for admitting it. I just don’t get it. I'm a purist that way. :)

[howlinchickhowl.livejournal.com]

Hehe, your fan girl card is safe, don't worry, this is a free-speech environment :)

I'm curious though, how AU is TOO AU? Like, do you mean completely different circumstances AU? Or post-eps that go in a different direction AU? Where do you draw the AU line?

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

Yay! Another angst-whore. I figured anyone that really likes BSG has to have a certain leaning that way. Though bantering pilots give me a happy, too!

[poppypickle.livejournal.com]

I am all affair!fic all the time. It's my fic kryptonite in all fandoms.

[sammy567.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of pilots playing triad, or any other pilots having fun nonsense. Anything that involves bets (whether between pilots or about pilots) gets me giggling.

Secret marriage is probably another favorite of mine. Awesome banter (is that a trope?) is so impressive.

Really not of fan of baby fics. I'm sure pilots can get a happily ever after w/o Starbuck getting preggers. Except Rayruz's No Haven For This Heart, probably b/c it wasn't cliche, and she changed maelstrom. Oh, there's a trope I like: Maelstrom-fixes.

Not a fan of quadrangle/triangle fics, especially since it forces me to acknowledge Sam and Dee.

Really not a fan of pilots dying. I'll read angst, b/c I can't keep myself away, but you guys are way to effective at making me cry.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Not a fan of quadrangle/triangle fics, especially since it forces me to acknowledge Sam and Dee.

I bet you a million dollars drink at Dragon*Con I can get you to change your mind. LOL

http://kag523.livejournal.com/166433.html

*grins*



(http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad159/kag523/Gifs/?action=view&current=12karagloatingTriad.gif)

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*Steps behind plexi-glass screen here before answering.*

Okay, now. I am going to admit something I rarely hear in the K / L fandom, and that's that I actually quite dislike early era fanfic. I KNOW everyone else loves early writers, and it's all fine and happy and everything's easy with Kara and Lee joking and sexing it up but I don't feel, after about S2 and the revelations about all the characters, that I can really BUY them any longer. Academy fics are... *frowns* okay, if they deal with the reality of the messed up friendship, but again, same reason... I find them a bit hard to buy.

I also have a TERRIBLE DISLIKE of anything I feel is too 'easy' or forced as a fix all. (Do NOT even get me STARTED about baby!fic), I actually don't mind Kara and Lee hating each other (as long as eventually you get to resolution). I dislike when an author glosses over the gritty reality of the situation like Post traumatic stress disorder or a childhood of abuse suddenly gone with a hand wave. Happy joking pilots are fine, but don't use them to the exclusion of everything else.

Now... what I LOVE LOVE LOVE!

*steps out from behind plexiglass*

I love Lee and Kara SOUNDING like Lee and Kara wherever and whenever they might be, ESPECIALLY in AU. Cases in point: Ice Pilots by taragel, New York AU by leiascully

I love Lee and Kara MESSED UP EMOTIONALLY and having to deal with that in a realistic way. No fixers. No "okay - now I'm going to talk to Helo and I'll have no issues anymore". Just hard goddamn work that may or may not work. Cases in point: Chasing the Dragon by sci_fi_shipper and Hunger by shah_of_blah

I love stories told in UNIQUE NARRATIVES. Cases in point: Kepela by howlinchickhowland Give You All by nicole_anell

I love Lee and Kara MYTHOLOGY. I admit it, I'm a big book nerd, so sue me. :>P Case in point: He Kindly Stopped For Me by rachelindeed and In my Body is my Destiny by deborah_judge (and yes, I know it's Leoben, but I decided to put it in anyhow because I don't follow rules, people. Deal.)

What else do I love about fandom?



Seriously now, I'm lucky and get LOTS of comments, but every once in a while, I discover amazing fic with nothing... NOTHING AT ALL! *taps foot* And that is NOT cool, people. And occasionally I may... jut kind of rant about that. So yeah. This is me saying COMMENT IF YOU READ! Honestly - there are people (like taragel and uberscribbler and tamsibling and latteaddict who've been here for YEARS and they remember to comment, so you should be TOO!) Doing this for authors is really awesome - especially when the authors are newbies (who don't know a lot of people yet) And on that note...

Thing I love most of all...?


I seriously cannot BELIEVE how many amazing new and talented writers are out there. These ones come to mind, but if you know more THROW THEIR NAMES DOWN PEOPLE! STOP! Do it NOW! Fandom isn't alive unless these people are here.

mserrada: I have her filed under ANGST-AWESOMENESS She writes challenging subjects and lots of longfic and she calls me on my sloppy writing A LOT! (And yes, I still love her.)
rirenec: She has just posted a MASSIVE EPIC which I need to read. Go READ IT!!!
howlinchickhowl: who in my filing system is under LOVED QUANTUM LEAP AS MUCH AS ME and who wrote my most recent FAVORITE fic Kepela! OMG - same story. AMAZING DIFFERENCES TO THE DETAILS. *sobs*
trappermcintyre: WHO JUST POSTED A FIC TODAY BECAUSE I KEPT HARASSING HER TO!!! And you can go read it here:
http://trappermcintyre.livejournal.com/407548.html

And now we need some cheering for ALL OF YOU NEW WRITERS!

(http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad159/kag523/Gifs/?action=view&current=31-BitchImFabulous.gif)

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

Leaving reviews is LOVE. Though i honestly forget to do it since i read fic in unconventional ways (killing trees, kindle, offline webpages, etc). I usually will write a massive email/PM.

cheers.
--Lex
This has been a SassyFassy post.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Ooh just thought of another. I really like friendship fic, where nothing sexy necessarily even happens but it's just about shoring up/a touchstone to the friendship between Kara and Lee. Ship to Ship by brynnmck is one of my favorites of these, and Daphnaea and Fahye's fics about the letter (42 reasons) is another.

[nazkey.livejournal.com]

I was just reading the letter ones the other night *applauds your choices*

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Can I say my favorite kind of fic is porn? Well, it is. If the fic has an R or NC-17 rating, it's very likely I'll read it as soon as possible. I can't get enough pilots frakking. Just can't. Don't really care when it's set, AU, Academy, canon, post-finale. Just give me pilots frakking and I'm a happy shipper.

(I do read everything else and love MANY fics without sex, but you asked what would make me click - well, the rating is my answer.)

[bouncy-nut.livejournal.com]

So Say We All! Haha.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

My favorite fics are the ones that play liberally with canon but still feel really real to the show. And it's not just characterization, but pacing and plot and resolution.

And I too will read just about anything so some good porn. :D

[howlinchickhowl.livejournal.com]

"My favorite fics are the ones that play liberally with canon but still feel really real to the show. And it's not just characterization, but pacing and plot and resolution."

This so much! Being able to adopt the tone and style of a show is something that is really important in fanfic I think, it stands writers apart when they achieve it.

[winegums.livejournal.com]

Here we go: canon-compliant pilots always get me reading, ditto smut (pilotfrakking w000t! What canon couldn't give us, I'll take from fanon). I'm a big fan of hypothetical missing moments.

My favourites at the moment, though, seem to be poof-compliant fics, of any kind - I'm crazy in love with
1. The Last Night of the World (http://taragel.livejournal.com/44074.html)
2. A Solitude of Space> (http://leeadama-daily.livejournal.com/235315.html), and
3. (Dollhouse crossover, Daybreak-compliant and goosebump-inducing) Did I Fall Asleep (http://tulipfic.livejournal.com/56564.html)
4. (sort of Kara-POV missing moments fic) Breeding Lilacs Out of the Dead Land> (http://dannicawebb.livejournal.com/33938.html)

I'm also a big sucker for any fic that focuses on pilots friendship or post-Zak's funeral (with or without fluff/smut thrown in), there's the absolutely lovely Ship To Ship set circa season 2, that just kills me every time.

[howlinchickhowl.livejournal.com]

Oh, Breeding Lilacs Out of the Dead Land was just beautiful! Nice rec. I'm off to read Did I Fall Asleep now, so many people have recced it this week!

[embolalia.livejournal.com]

The thing that will always make me read is the idea of playful pilots. Pranks, banter, brig misadventures--I'm in. I'll happily read angst too, but it requires a certain mood.

I tend to avoid stories that have new characters inserted. They can be done well, but often feel forced and stilted and aren't my cup of tea. Ditto babies!

[winegums.livejournal.com]

yep, OCs, babies, OOC fic are all things I prefer to avoid where poss. (and not just in BSG fandom). Unless, of course, they're in crackfic.

Playful pilots are another big weak spot for me too, with bonus points if there is flirting inolved.

[nazkey.livejournal.com]

Hello shippers. Happy!NazKey joining the discussion. What does that mean?



I like happy making. I like AU's. I also love fix-its & "what-ifs." I love Crack!Fic, and past-lives & mythology are also great faves of mine. I love Secretly!Married Pilots and yes, I like Baby!Fic, but only if it's not way off (especially when it comes to Kara). I LOVE ME SOME PORNY GOODNESS! And Uninhibited!Lee.

Here are some of my choices:

MY ONE TRUE FIC OF ALL TIME (hands down, no competition here at all): The Irreplaceability of Things Lost (http://kag523.livejournal.com/65327.html) by my genius, fabulous, incomparable Brain!Twin kag523 who fixes EVERYTHING in this fic because she's a godsdamn Cylon

So here are some of my all time, oh-my-gods-I'm-down-in-the-dumps-and-I-need-a-fic-fix faves:

A Long Time Ago We Used to Be Friends (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2707222/1/A_Long_Time_Ago_We_Used_To_Be_Friends) by roofie over on ff.net. BEST. MARRIAGE PROPOSAL. EVER. (yes, it's very AU and she doesn't have their voices down perfectly, but it's fun and fluffy)

Academy Pilots Series (http://taragel.livejournal.com/69923.html> Academy Pilots) by the fabulous taragel because she kicks everyone's ass when it comes to pilot banter and hot sexy times. Go read it. Now.

Cinderella - A Frakked Up Fairytale (http://innibis.livejournal.com/44626.html#cutid1) by innibis It's AU, it's Best!Friend!Pilots. It's fun. It's cracky. It's porny. It's awesome.

The Absolutely Positively (sort of) True Story of … (http://widget285.livejournal.com/311007.html) by widget285 which is one of the funniest, soda-out-of-your-nose laugh out loud Crack!Fics of all time. Basic premise: Starbuck & Apollo find some bad fanfic written about them.

Amateur (http://fahye-fic.livejournal.com/30990.html) by fahye because it does a beautiful job of looking at our pilots through Sam's eyes. It's poetic.

Changes (http://pi-pieces.livejournal.com/7675.html#cutid1) by ez_as_pi. It's "what-if" scenario and yes, there are babies, so be warned.

This one is angsty, but it's gorgeous, so I'm going to rec it any way: Borrowed Time (http://workerbee73.livejournal.com/8197.html) by workerbee73

Awesome post finale fic: Risk & Reward (http://tamsibling.livejournal.com/19985.html#cutid1) by tamsibling

One of my favorite past lives fics: Five Histories & One Present (http://rachelindeed.livejournal.com/10716.html) by the incomparable rachelindeed

This one gets a little wonky at the end, but I really like the use of mythology: State of Delusion (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3425834/1/State_of_Delusion)

WARNING: this one might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it happens to be one of my favorite fics. Super graphic (and some say even a little dubcon - though I don't agree) so … approach with caution: Portraits of a Marriage (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4422001/1/Portraits_of_a_Marriage) by uberscribbler

I have tons more, but in the interest of space, I'll let it go at that. And in the meantime, since you asked for it nicely, here's some Fassy spammage:

(http://s853.photobucket.com/albums/ab92/nazkey/?action=view&current=tumblr_lmnmssqB0j1qdwgfko1_500-1.png)

(http://s853.photobucket.com/albums/ab92/nazkey/?action=view&current=tumblr_lndahkyfhw1qafpdj.gif)

(http://s853.photobucket.com/albums/ab92/nazkey/?action=view&current=tumblr_lna689t3xN1qjgq1f.gif)

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Uber's Portraits... wasn't he suppose to get back to them after his month-long writing sabbatical thingy? We's needs some more Portraits!!

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

I would say that the things that qualify as automatic reads for me in terms of pilots would be:

- post-finale angst
- Pilots in our world. One way or another, if they have to deal with cars and the TSA and traffic on the 405 just makes me want more more more.
- Galactica!Hijinks
- anything centered around the "Home" arc.
- crossovers.
-->specifically if LO:UK crossover. Because Matty/Kara owns my heart.

-Action!Pilots featuring Alpha!Lee. Because it's hot.



cheers.
--Lex

[howlinchickhowl.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yeah I will totally read anything Home related! I love that time period.

Awesome gif! They're so in time!

[pressdbtwnpages.livejournal.com]

I'm not ashamed to admit that I really love pregnancy fic. Yes, it's often not good. No, I generally don't care. It makes me happy.

Also keeping secrets. Secret relationship/secret about the relationship/secrets between friends that turn into a relationship, ALL GOOD THINGS.

Hurt/comfort. Bonus points in this fandom if Kara is the one trying to do the comfort/caretaker bit.

Happy endings.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Hee hee! I love that this sounds like an AA meeting. You are so sweet - and you should totally SHOUT TO THE WORLD what you love! (Goodness knows I like some crazy stuff to read sometimes.) They are Kara / Lee and they are AWESOME!!!

(http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad159/kag523/Gifs/?action=view&current=kararaiseshand.gif)

(http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad159/kag523/Gifs/?action=view&current=5leehandofgod.gif)