Post-a-Day HP Meme - 15
01. Discuss how you got into Harry Potter
02. Your favorite book
03. What house would you be in?
04. Your favorite movie
05. Wizard Rock: discuss
06. Your favorite character(s)
07. Drink that reminds you of HP
08. Your favorite ship(s)
09. Fanfiction: discuss
10. Favorite book moment(s)
11. Character you're crushing on
12. Favorite movie scene(s)
13. Least favorite character(s)
14. Moments in the books/movies that made you cry
15. Whatever tickles your fancy
Hmm. If I had more time than I do now, I would probably do a great detailed summary of why the literary alchemy symbolism works and then breaks in HP, since I've been talking about it a lot lately and I know a few of my LJ friends have expressed a bit of curiosity about it. But that will need more time and much linkage that I don't have at the moment.
So, I'll blather a minute about what kinds of fanfiction I love and don't love.
Of course I prefer fics that feature H/Hr. I have read a couple of Harry/Draco ones that were fantastically written and a few other pairings from time to time in the NC17 range.
The keys for me to enjoy a fanfic include:
- capable writing. I know some people are still learning and still finding their voice through fanfic, but consistently shoddy writing irritates me. Mistakes like really sloppy spelling (the kind that a computer will not catch), the use of sentence fragments, the mixing of tenses...these things throw me out of the story.
- good characterization. I know not everyone will agree exactly on just how an established character will react in a new situation, but they need to stay somewhat consistent to the books. One fic I read where Harry took off to do university in the States worked fairly well because it was still modest, shy, but capable Harry in a new environment. But fics where Harry stays in London and becomes a ladies' man and super-auror before finally settling down with Hermione don't work for me because I don't see Harry ever developing a swelled head after everything that happened to him.
- a semi-reasonable plot and setting. There are a few authors I can forgive for not using much in the way of magic because otherwise their stories rock, but I prefer my fics to be somewhat canon-compliant and grounded in the wizarding world. I gave up on one wildly popular fic over on Portkey because the writer had made a blatant shortcut to eliminate magic from the setting (even when it would have come in handy for oh, preventing a near-drowning?) and rather than do the research to find what British people might look for in food and drink, set them all in a place familiar to the author and filled it with a US teen and college diet. And that was so very not Harry and his friends.
16. How have you participated in the fandom over the years?
17. Your favorite celebs from the movies or fandom
18. If you could change one thing about canon, what would it be?
19. A favorite fanart
20. A favorite quote
21. How has the HP fandom connected you to other fandoms, interests, or people?
22. Your favorite villain
23. Share some HP icons
24. Rant about Steve Kloves something
25. Song that reminds you of HP
26. What aspect of the books has been best translated to film?
27. What aspect of the books has been most poorly translated to film?
28. Hogwarts subject you would most like to take
29. Favorite location
30. Whatever tickles your fancy
02. Your favorite book
03. What house would you be in?
04. Your favorite movie
05. Wizard Rock: discuss
06. Your favorite character(s)
07. Drink that reminds you of HP
08. Your favorite ship(s)
09. Fanfiction: discuss
10. Favorite book moment(s)
11. Character you're crushing on
12. Favorite movie scene(s)
13. Least favorite character(s)
14. Moments in the books/movies that made you cry
15. Whatever tickles your fancy
Hmm. If I had more time than I do now, I would probably do a great detailed summary of why the literary alchemy symbolism works and then breaks in HP, since I've been talking about it a lot lately and I know a few of my LJ friends have expressed a bit of curiosity about it. But that will need more time and much linkage that I don't have at the moment.
So, I'll blather a minute about what kinds of fanfiction I love and don't love.
Of course I prefer fics that feature H/Hr. I have read a couple of Harry/Draco ones that were fantastically written and a few other pairings from time to time in the NC17 range.
The keys for me to enjoy a fanfic include:
- capable writing. I know some people are still learning and still finding their voice through fanfic, but consistently shoddy writing irritates me. Mistakes like really sloppy spelling (the kind that a computer will not catch), the use of sentence fragments, the mixing of tenses...these things throw me out of the story.
- good characterization. I know not everyone will agree exactly on just how an established character will react in a new situation, but they need to stay somewhat consistent to the books. One fic I read where Harry took off to do university in the States worked fairly well because it was still modest, shy, but capable Harry in a new environment. But fics where Harry stays in London and becomes a ladies' man and super-auror before finally settling down with Hermione don't work for me because I don't see Harry ever developing a swelled head after everything that happened to him.
- a semi-reasonable plot and setting. There are a few authors I can forgive for not using much in the way of magic because otherwise their stories rock, but I prefer my fics to be somewhat canon-compliant and grounded in the wizarding world. I gave up on one wildly popular fic over on Portkey because the writer had made a blatant shortcut to eliminate magic from the setting (even when it would have come in handy for oh, preventing a near-drowning?) and rather than do the research to find what British people might look for in food and drink, set them all in a place familiar to the author and filled it with a US teen and college diet. And that was so very not Harry and his friends.
16. How have you participated in the fandom over the years?
17. Your favorite celebs from the movies or fandom
18. If you could change one thing about canon, what would it be?
19. A favorite fanart
20. A favorite quote
21. How has the HP fandom connected you to other fandoms, interests, or people?
22. Your favorite villain
23. Share some HP icons
24. Rant about Steve Kloves something
25. Song that reminds you of HP
26. What aspect of the books has been best translated to film?
27. What aspect of the books has been most poorly translated to film?
28. Hogwarts subject you would most like to take
29. Favorite location
30. Whatever tickles your fancy