To OTP or not, that is the question

[lunabee34]

As part of the fascinating discussion over in sga_talk, one of the things we've been talking about is OTP and it got me to thinking (which, yes, is dangerous).

I am not an OTPer. In the beginnings of my fannish days, I was very devoted to Spike/Xander but after some time I began to suffer from Spander fatigue and had to search out other pairings. While I always enjoy the popular pairing of a fandom (Sam/Dean, Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney), my propensity for pairing fatigue still remains. At this point in my fannishness, what I am mostly coming to the table for is to be convinced that these wonderful things (whatever they may be--plot, backstory, pairing, secret, possible future) that never occurred to me are indeed plausible and OMG WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THEM? For that reason, I am very interested in rare pairings and in tangential characters; I think that predilection is neatly summed up in my Bates/Kavanagh fascination. :) So while I love to read and write McShep, I also really wish Sheppard was doing it with Caldwell. (I will not again subject you guys to that detailed fantasy.)

I do not approach fandom through an OTP lens. I'm okay if John and Rodney aren't together; I'm okay if they are angry with each other or mean to each other or if they break up with each other or if *gasp* they never even meet each other. I like for my characters (both written and read) to behave in ways that can be extrapolated from their canon characterization, but that's really about it for me in terms of requirement.

I like to be *surprised* by fanfic. The way I define fanfic for myself is taking the bare bones of canon and building up layers of new flesh so that the animal I create is subtly (or sometimes drastically) different than the animal canon gives us. And after awhile, if all I am reading is one pairing, I stop being surprised. Does this keep me from writing or reading said pairing? Hell no. :) But it does make me long for a wildfire of Lorne/EVERYFREAKINGBODYOMG to sweep through fandom and it does make those main pairing fics that manage to do something completely unexpected that much sweeter.

The only pairing that perhaps approaches the OTP for me is Sam/Dean, mostly because at this point in SPN canon I have a very difficult time believing that either of them could have successful relationships with anyone but each other. But, boy, do I like to read about them trying! LOL

So my question for y'all is this: Are you an OTPer? If you OTP, do you have only one (METHOS!) or do you have an OTP for each fandom? How do you think being an OTPer affects your fannish experience? If you're not an OTPer, why not? How do you think not reading/writing through that lens affects your fannish experience?

Comments

NOTP!

[executrix.livejournal.com]

I make a distinction between fictional fiction and non-fictional fiction, if you see what I mean. If there's a canon ship, then we have to work with it or go AU. There are ships that I think are reasonably indicated by subtext. So I might believe that in canon X and Y are doing it. However, since they don't exist, it really doesn't matter whether I write a story with X/Y, or X/Z, Y/Giant Squid. And if I can write an interesting story about X/B, or someone else writes wonderful Y/K/penguin, that's more than fine with me. Because what I'm going to do with a story is write it or read it, not examine it for truth value.

Re: NOTP!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Subject line FTW!!!

Oh, the penguin. Man, I have such fond memories of that Giles/Penguin fic. I think it might be time for a re-read. :)

I also believe that canon ships have to be worked around in some way in a fic, even if it's just a header note that says, "Anya never came back to Sunnydale." *has totally never used that one before* *whistles*

[mofic.livejournal.com]

I really don't think of myself as an OTPer although most of my fanfic is about one pairing. I really like the potential for a Scott/Logan relationship, so I've mined that a lot. But I'm mostly interested in both of them or either of them, paired with people or not. When I hear "OTP" I think of people who don't want to read about their guys paired with anyone else.

I love reading Scott/Jean. I always say if my Scott weren't gay they'd still be together and for versions of Scott who isn't, I think they're a really interesting couple. I also like reading him paired with other people - men and women - if it's done believably and written well. I have a lot of trouble with Scott/Student stories because I just don't see how that would work with his by-the-books character, at least not without a lot of guilt and soul-searching (and the ones I've read tend to be romantic fluff) but other than that I'll take most any pairing with him. Well maybe not Scott/Charles.

I also like to read Logan paired with a variety of characters, preferably someone with some contrast to him.

In Star Wars fandom I am most taken with QuiGon/Obiwan, just because of what you see in TPM, but again I don't feel anything negative about other pairings for either of them and enjoy reading other couples stories when done well. And I can't even begin to understand the vehemence of the pairing wars in HP fandom...

I don't even believe in OTP in real life, much less in fanfic.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

That's what I think of as OTP as well; that people don't want to read about these characters in romantic relationships with anyone else and that for them, that one relationship is really the paramount draw of fandom.

And I hear you about real life. No soulmates for this gal. :)

[lwbush.livejournal.com]

Heh - the icon says most of it.

But honestly, in my last fandom (Xena) I started out all OTP for Gabrielle/Joxer, but there was so precious little Joxer anything but Joxer/Ares being written that I began reading that, leading me into the deep waters of slash for the first time. Then I started adding Xena to the G/J mix, landing finally at an OT3. I even wrote a couple of Joxer slash pieces. Rob Tappert always said "Bring your own subtext," and most people in that fandom could, and did.

Now, I see that there are those who OT3 the youngest 3 Original Scoobies, but I'm not enough of a Willow fan to go there. I do love Spander, but can't write it to save my life. And my OTP is becoming a sinking 'ship. As the once prolific Serenity Goddess pointed out in the last story she wrote before quitting entirely, "7 years is a long time to want something." Most people just gave up. Joss seemed to dictate the relationships Buffy was allowed to have, and we were never one of them.

I do think being a 'shipper has affected everything I write. I need to love and care about the characters I write, and nothing makes me do so more than two unhappy people who clearly need each other to make their world a happier place (YMMV). In both my fandoms, I've seen this and tried to write to that need. I think that drives a lot of 'shippers to their chosen pairing, in my opinion.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I think your comments about your motivation are really interesting. I think my motivations are different. What really drives me to write is finding a some way to slide something under the canon radar; what piece of backstory can I write that puts present canon in new light; what happened when the scene faded; what are these peripheral characters doing while everybody else is getting screen time. These aren't my only motivations for writing, but the pieces I truly care about that I've written mostly fall into that category.

Your writing motivation is so romantic! Mine sounds so cold and analytical LOL It sounds like you are coming first and foremost from the characters emotions which makes a lot of sense as a writing motivation.

[shannon730.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not an OTPer...I know people think I am (at least in BTVS) because I only write Willow/Spike fic but that's more about the characters I'm most comfortable writing than OMG They totally belong together thinking. I'll read most pairings...as long as Xander isn't involved. :) I tried to just be a loyal Spillow shipper once, but fact remains I also like Willow/Angel, Willow/Giles, Willow/Ethan, Spike/Dawn, Spike/Tara...even the occasional Spike/Giles or Giles/Ethan. So I gave up. I don't write the other pairings because I'm not necessarily comfortable writing certain characters but I'll read them.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

You bring up a very good point here. A lot of what I write is dictated by my comfort level with the voices which is why I wrote hardly any Firefly and writing Spike in general always gave me hives. So you're right that we can't always look to a writer's output to determine OTP because they may really like characters they don't feel comfortable writing.

A good writer can make any pairing work

[ponders-life.livejournal.com]

I have always believed that a good writer can make any pairing work. I read in several fandoms, and the only one that comes close to OTP for me is The Sentinel (because of the Sentinel/Guide thing), but even in that fandom I've read a few good non-Jim/Blair stories (especially one story in which Blair was paired with Alex Krycek of The X Files). The only reason I don't read more pairings than I do already is that I'm limited by the number of hours I have available for reading in a given week (never enough! :).

I honestly don't understand why anyone would insist that there can only only One True Pair (or how another pairing could never happen) -- whenever I read that, it makes me wonder how rigid they are in their overall thinking.

As much as I love McShep, I've also read great Sheppard/Dex, Sheppard/Lorne, McKay/Dex, and -- my favorite rare SGA pairing -- Lorne/Parrish.

Re: A good writer can make any pairing work

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

But it's not about good writing.

I go in and out of OTP modes (also depending on fandom), but when I'm OTP, the bestest of writers with the most fascinating premise wouldn't get me to read outside of my OTP.

Lunabee, to jump off my post today...for me the repetition is more important emotionally...it's not that i like surprises...but a lot of my reading is comfort reading, and there I want to know *exactly* what Im' getting...then again, I read the end of books as well....

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

I agree with most of what you've said and it describes my reading pretty well, too. I like being convinced of pairings...of course the problem is that so much fic is written for shippers, so there's no convincing going on (so rare pairings are actually better that way, since they do have to convince people).

The only time I have been OTPish is with Louis and Lestat from Vampire Chronicles, but even then I liked fic with them with others so long as it fit in the canon timeline (like Louis/Armand during the years Louis thought Lestat was dead).

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Yes! on the convincing. That's my favorite part of any fic (which is one of the reasons I tend to like established relationship fic less), even ubiquitous pairings. If the relationship is not canonical, I want to be convinced that it is real, that it is workable, that it is happening. That's at least 50% of the enjoyment for me right there.

[sharpscissors.livejournal.com]

I really used to consider myself an OTPer. Since being introduced to "Supernatural" half-way through the first season, I was only into SAM/DEAN, and then later when the RPS bit bit the rest of us, JENSEN/JARED. I had always had these ideas of the perfect pairings in various fandoms (from Mal/Simon to Piper/Leo to Daniel/Jack and more), but since I began branching out into Livejournal, I have, you could say, had my 'eyes opened' regarding pairings. I have been surprised, and while some of them are just wrong in so many ways and not believable at all, most pairings that I read or that catch my eye turn out to be interesting.

For instance, I never really entertained the concept of Sam/Ellen before I read a certain story (can't even remember it now), but since then, I can't get enough of it!

I love reading new stuff, and if it's believable (you're right, a certain pairing would just not work), I grow attached to it. I think I have lost my OTP ways and no longer get angry if someone dare pair one of my favorite characters with someone else outside the designated OTP.

I really hope this comment made sense; I wrote it quickly on my way out the door.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

No, this makes a lot of sense.

Most of the time, I think of fandom as a kind of journey. Not everybody's is the same, but a lot of people's fannish journeys seem to follow roughly the same trajectory. (mine did)

You enter fandom and become heavily invested in a single fandom, usually a single pairing within that fandom, and then gradually over time your interest opens up to other pairings in that fandom and then other fandoms.

[ariadne83]

Hmmm. I'm an OTPer to the extent that I'd rather read McShep than gen, and John and Rodney are my favourite characters. That means I like seeing them with other people, if they're happy/stable (which I don't necessarily think they *would* be together). I'm actually sad when an author breaks up a viable pairing just so John and Rodney can get together - sometimes I just don't buy it. I'll read stories focusing on either of them, John without Rodney moreso than the other way around because Rodney's really come into his own on Atlantis and it's difficult (and sad) to imagine him without that influence. I really like the stories where they've stayed just friends because they tend to have greater emotional complexity - for example, the author has to deal with how close they are and address their partners' insecurities about that.
I happen to think that John and Rodney, as a couple, would fight a lot, and would be more likely than not to break up because they don't have the emotional tools to fight constructively; they hit below the belt, and they (sometimes deliberately, if they're feeling trapped) take things the wrong way, and most of all they have a tendency to run away instead of staying and working things through. That, to me, gives them ongoing tension, even in established-relationship fic, which is what brings me back to McShep time and time again.
Wow, I'd never really thought that through before

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Now this is really interesting, your vision of how they would operate as a couple. I like that interpretation of a possible relationship between them. As you are link girl this week :) do you happen to know of any stories that depict them acting this way in a relationship? I can't think of any off the top of my head, and I'd love to read one.

I've read stories where one or both of them are insecure or where they have traumatic issues and don't communicate, etc, but I can't think of a story where they just have normal people "we fight a lot and get on each other's nerves and this isn't working!" destructive issues. And now I want that story. LOL

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

pretty cool question!

I have found, much to my surprise, that I'm pretty much an OTP person, in that I mostly enjoy fics dedicated to the most popular OTP in a particular fandom. although that could be because a lot of good writers are writing that OTP, y'know?

OTOH, I'm usually open to other pairings, if a writer I like goes there, or recommends a fic that goes there. So I OTP, but not rabidly so, if you get the distinction....

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I get the distinction. No mouth foaminess for you. :)

And I do think you're right that most people gravitate towards the most popular pairing(s) in a fandom because, hey. We want people to *read* our stories and the market is much smaller for the rare pairs.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Interesting and thought-provoking! I'm on a break and must run to meet machinistm in a bit, but as always, I wouldn't classify myself at all in a general way--I watch plenty of shows for the characters and storylines alone (Friday Night Lights, Dexter, Life, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and so on and so forth) and read or write genfic in small quantities for them, but other shows' pairings get me on an emotional, read: mad 'shipper level. I couldn't *not* ship Buffy/Faith and Buffy/Spike on BtVS; their interaction and dynamics shaped my whole perception. Same for John/Rodney--while I can see and occasionally read or write other pairings for these my OTP shows, my pairing goggles (see, it ain't slash or het or femslash for me, or canon and unconventional relationship) will stay on and will influence all the non-pairing (say, Teyla/Rodney)-related events.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Pairing goggles. Interesting. That seems fairly close to how lwbush describes her experience above.

For me, certain relationships do need to be acknowledged in order for me to buy the plausibility of the story. For instance, in a post-NFA story, if Buffy and Angel are together, I need to see some mention or acknowledgement of Spike. Or if John and Rodney aren't dating (or USTing themselves up to dating LOL) then I find it super weird if they aren't friends without some damn good explanation. I don't like the handwavy--just pretend they never dated--although I will cop to doing that once or twice in the newbie days of writing.

[trobadora]

One of the things that makes me an OTPer is that different pairings lend themselves to different themes, and usually there's not more than one possible pairing in a show that really lends itself to themes I'm interested in. At least that's how it starts.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's interesting. Can you say a litle more about the themes that draw you to your particular OTPs?

[elspethdixon.livejournal.com]

For me, pairings are a characterization issue as much as they are a shipping thing -- there are some pairings I just cannot believably see the characters I know from canon in, no matter how good the writer is. Likewise, there are some characters for whom their relationship with/feelings for Other Character X are a vital part of their characterization. A Spike who doesn't love Drusilla and/or Buffy (depending on where you are in canon) isn't actually Spike, anymore than a Rogue who doesn't love Gambit is actually Rogue (or a Gambit who doesn't love Rogue, or a Starsky & Hutch who aren't codependantly attched to one another, or an Iron Man who isn't in love with Captain America).

When I OTP a pairing, it's because I perceive the characters' feelings for one another to be canon -- any fic that doesn't include them will therefore read as OOC.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I completely agree with you that for me, some characters' relationships and feelings are essential to their characterization and the examples you provide are spot on. Where we differ is that I think do believe that any pairing is viable given the amount of work the author is willing to put into it to make it plausible. So if Spike is going to be in love with Kennedy, I could believe it, but his feelings for Buffy and hers for Willow would have to be part of the equation.

[shaddyr]

What an interesting discussion.

I started out as what was called, in TOS fandom, a OTAPer. I liked the One Truly Awful Pairing. K/S was the ship of choice, and I didn't even really grok what slash was at the time, and shipped S/Ch which was enough to earn you a cold shoulder from just about everyone. The original flame wars on the echoes... ahh, good times, good times.

I find that every fandom I've gone through, I've picked up an OTP of sorts - in the sense that it's my favorite pairing. Sometimes there wasn't much to choose from (The Pretender, La Femme Nikita) and sometimes lots (Buffy, SG1) and I was sometimes surprised that my initial impulse to who the pairing would be turned out completely wrong (Enterprise).

Buffy was the first fandom I got really invested in over the OTP. I was Buffy/Spike all the way, and a redemptionista to boot. There was certainly a lot of strife in the fandom with Spuffy VS the Ducks. ::shakes head:: Ahh, fandom, how you wank. *grin*

I agree with what someone else said, about how I need to really emotionally resonate with the ship for it to work for me. I thought it was interesting about how we all have different motivations for writing - I enjoy using fic to explore the what ifs, or to ret-con the gaps that make no sense. I love team fics and plot driven stories, but I have to admit that mostly I really want to see the pairings I enjoy in fic because I'm never going to get them onscreen.

I also agree with you; I had been skipping over the established relationship fic, and I wasn't sure why. You totally nailed it - I want to be convinced that it is real, that it is workable, that it is happening. I think this is why I love the pre slash and the first time McShep fics *so* much. I love all the different ways it could happen, I love it when the writer sells me on it. I totally buy the ship, but I still want to be convinced.

I do read other pairings, just not as often. I read Spander, GAnya, Spangel in Buffy fandom, but I favor JackN'Sam have zero interest in Jack/Daniel slash. It's not likely I am going to read it. Maybe if it's a writer I really like. Perhaps. But not likely.

Thanks for asking interesting questions! I enjoyed that!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming S/Ch is Sulu/Chekov which I think is just peachy. :) I'm surprised there was such vehemance against that pairing. (Unless it is Spock/Nurse Chapel, which also surprises me as Majel Barrett totally rocks)

Now I am so curious--who was your original OTP money on for Enterprise?

I too have been really intrigued by the differing responses to this post. I love that we all have sometimes very different motivations and yet we find ways to (mostly!) coexist and get what we need from each other.

[last-archangel.livejournal.com]

I'm an incurable romantic and have been my whole life. Nearly with all of my fandoms (with the exception of Narnia and the television show "Life", for which I have no pairings), I have at least one pairing that I would defend to the death. My own OCD means those pairings are canonical, with only one exception, that being Hiro/Claire from "Heroes", with which only a dozen others agree.

Because of its singular nature, the phrase "OTP" messes with my sense of correctness. How could I ever have just one?

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the way OTP is constructed. I don't think the term has quite the power it used to because a lot of people use it as shorthand for "pairing I like."

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

I'm totally NoTP, too. For me, it's because there are so many more potential stories you can tell with different combinations of characters. Stories that make sense for Ronon/Rodney are different stories than those that work for John/Rodney, or for Teyla/Rodney, for that matter. There are characters I prefer, and pairings I prefer, but a sufficiently skilled writer with a sufficiently interesting story will get me no matter what the pairing - or with gen.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

That pretty much sums up where I'm coming from.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit of a strange OTPer, I usually OTP one half of the pairing like crazy, and the other not so much.

For example McShep. I find it OK to read, and actually enjoy stories where Rodney is with other characters, Katie, Teyla, Radek, etc etc. But the only person EVER in the world for John is Rodney, that's it!! OMG In my universe John is madly in love with Rodney. So I can't read John/Ronon, or John/Elizabeth, no matter how wonderful the writer is.

I've have this with other pairings as well, in Xena I was happy for Xena to have the fling with Ares, or Borias and Callisto, that was fine, but Gabrielle could only ever be with Xena.

So does this make me half a OTPer?

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Maybe that makes you a OTCer? One true character?

What is it about those characters that makes you like them so strongly? Can you see a link between them?

[deird1]

(here from metafandom)

You know, I'm a huge Spuffy fan. But anyone reading my fic probably wouldn't guess that - if anything, I tend to have Buffy ending up with Xander.

The reason being, the show did everything I wanted with Spuffy, so I don't really need to fill in any gaps. And because I love the relationship so much, the idea of writing it (and possibly getting it wrong) terrifies me. Whereas I'm not invested in Buffy/Xander, so I'm much more comfortable writing it.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that's really interesting. I've heard a lot of people say over the years I've been in fandom that they write non-canonical pairings because they know they'll never see it onscreen and that they don't write canonical pairings because they get enough of that pairing in the show. I think that's really interesting because from my motivation for writing, there's never enough of anything on the show LOL particularly since my kink is taking what's there and trying to subvert it somehow.

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

This is a really interesting post, and I love your personal definition of fanfic. I'm certainly not an OTPer in any fandom, possibly because I read so much gen - I'm quite happy to start with a suspension of disbelief and see what happens, with relationships or anything else.

The thing I really don't like is the kind of fic where the writer's OTP is seen as so natural and inevitable that they either don't bother to let the reader in on why or what the relationship is, or they design the whole fictional world so that everything and everyone either supports the relationship or is totally evil and must be crushed by falling rocks.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh yes yes yes do I also hate the way that some writers feel like they have to set up their pairing in opposition to the very fabric of the universe to make it more Special. I'm all for conflict and obstacles because DUDE, I eat angst for breakfast. But for instance, I can't stand in Buffy fandom when someone will write a story where all the Scoobies start hating Xander and trying to murder him because he's boning Spike. I mean, have those people even seen canon? The Scoobies love each other. I'm not saying that there's nothing that can drive them apart or make them behave badly towards each other because we've seen those things on the screen, but sheesh. Or the ones that just handwave Anya away like Xander never loved her. *sighs*

[inarticulate.livejournal.com]

Here via metafandom. I consider myself someone who has OTPs, but I don't consider myself an OTPer, if that makes sense? Like… hmmm. There's fandom A, where I OTP G and B like burning. I have little interest in reading them paired with other people, in theory, but in practice I have an interest in branching out. It's compatible, in my mind, because they're… them, and with the characters as such, they canonically have a very intense, rocky relationship that would allow me to pair them with other people for sexual or even emotional connection while still being in love with each other.

Then there's fandom C, where one of the characters is canonically not only in love with but involved with multiple other people. To disregard that would likely be a disservice to his character, but my OTP has him in a relationship with one character who he's never seen in a romantic relationship with in canon. I OTP in that I balk at the idea of shipping him with anyone else, but it would be flat-out silly to deny that he doesn't have/hasn't had sex with other people, so, again, I've written that with the thought in my mind that he is in love with this other character.

It's complicated. These are my pairings, though I'll read outside them (particularly if the author of the alternate pairing also ships them, mind, because there's more chance she'll keep what draws me to them as a pairing valued as they write the characters paired with different people). I consider them OTPs. But I don't consider myself bound by them. It helps that my OTPs tend to be people who are strongly attached to each other in some way in their respective canons, and thus I'm just as cool with gen as I am with porn. But. Yeah. ♥ OTPs.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh that's so interesting. So in the stories you write about these characters, even if you don't explicitly reference the OTP relationship in the story, it's informing the way you write this other pairing? That's a very cool idea.

[sjwashere.livejournal.com]

Here from metafandom. Honestly before your post I'd never heard OTP being referred to as the popular pairing. In the context I have heard of it as the number one pairing for a particular person. As in if someone asks me what my OTP is I would answer A/R (from BSG) as that is my favourite pairing from that show but it doesn't necessarily mean it is the most popular pairing (though it is now it wasn't always that way).

In your definition of OTP I'd probably be more then likely not to be drawn to the most popular pairing usually because the most popular is also the most popular stereotypical pairing- young, hot, hetro and hero characters. That's too dull for me, I like characters to have a few years on them and have more complications in their lives that makes the formation of the pairing difficult or a challenge.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Heeee. I should have been more clear in my post. I didn't realize metafandom was gonna pick up on this.

It's not that I define OTP as the popular pairing just that popular pairings are popular because lots of people OTP them (as well as simply liking them). I have lots of people on my flist whose OTP is the popular pairing in the fandom (like Wincest or McShep) and I was trying to draw them into the conversation by framing it that way.

[halfeatenmoon.livejournal.com]

Here from metafandom.

I've never been an OTP kind of person. It always seemed kind of boring, so I've pretty much always tended to read anything for any pairing that tickled my fancy. Waaaay back when I'd just started high school and most of anime fandom was based on Geocities, I had a little online shrine for my favourite threesome - with pages and pages about which OTHER cast members I liked putting the three of them with. And then, of course, there's the fact that nowadays I rarely read anything just for romance - I read anything with a summary that intrigues me, be it het, slash or gen.

It sort of excites me to see someone else who likes being surprised by fanfic. When I see lots of people complaining about how fics aren't labelled enough and they need to know whether Sasuke or Naruto is topping in order to determine whether a link is worth clicking on, it makes me sigh. Sure, warn for triggery stuff, but I like it when there are secrets and surprises too!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have issues with warnings. Most days I want to just not bother with them at all because man does that character death pack way more punch if it's a secret. Or that surprise pairing that is completely spoiled by the header. Other days when I'm in a mood and I know specifically what I want to read, they're useful for finding what I want. And although there's really very little I won't read, there is some stuff that does squick me although my back button does work quite nicely in the event I accidentally click. (Although I realize that's not an option for some people who are traumatized by reading about certain things in fic.)

via metafandom

[eccentrikita.livejournal.com]

I think one of the big difficulties with talking about OTP's is that everyone defines "OTP" differently!

I mean, the term literally means "One True Pairing," but I know I've seen a lot of people talk about OTP's like that, in the plural. And for some people OTP means they really, truly cannot picture one half of that pairing with anyone else; but for others it means that pairing reflects or embodies the type of relationship they have or would like to have in real life; while for still others, it is the relationship that most entertains them or turns them on. Some people have a hard time finding OTPs in canon relationships or fandom's popular pairings (due to pairing fatigue or overexposure or whatnot), while some people have a hard time with non-canon OTPs.

For me, I will read anything you put in front of me, and if it's well-written I'll bookmark it and rec it to anyone I know in fandom, but I consider my OTP's to be Ron/Hermione from Harry Potter and Jayne/River from Firefly.

I think of R/Hr as an OTP principally because I identify with canon!Hermione: a ton of book smarts, a streak of social activism, a buttload of insecurities relating to being a social outcast when I was younger, a temper that sometimes finds inappropriate expression, a bit of arrogance, a mothering instinct, and a really deep loyalty and attachment to my friends. I identify with Hermione and I want a Ron, dammit! I don't care if he's my intellectual equal; I want someone who knows my flaws inside and out and loves me anyway, someone with whom I'll strike sparks off of for the rest of my life, someone I can have vocal and cheerful fights with, someone whose loyalty to me is as absolute as mine would be to him. Oddly, despite the fact that R/Hr are an OTP because I identify with them, I can read fic where they are with other people no problem, as long as there's no character bashing and the end of the canon relationship is dealt with somehow.

Rayne, on the other hand, is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. They're not a canon relationship -- and indeed, if the relationship started in the canon timeline I would see it ase heavily problematic. However, I don't consider it a crack pairing because in the way I read the characters, a few years down the road they have a lot to offer each other, and may even be each other's salvation. Now, I don't identify with River, and I think I would be freaked out by Jayne IRL. But the way they (or, at least the way I interpret their characters as given in canon) interact and strike sparks from each other ... fascinates me, I guess you could say. And for some reason, I CANNOT read fic of them with anyone else!

So,
R/Hr = myrelationship = sure, I can read about them with other people!
Rayne = notmyrelationship = STFU, other pairings, they're made for each other!
This is an obvious contradiction. I do not know why it is. But it certainly affects my fannish experience.

...and I'm sorry I rambled all over your journal.

Ramble on!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely right. I didn't definte OTP very clearly (or at all!) in my original post and all the commenters have brought their own definitions to the table, which has been really interesting to me.

I think the way I would define OTP is the pairing a person likes best, writes/reads most often, feels is inviolable, can read other pairings that don't contain these two characters but would really rather not, never experiences pairing fatigue from immersion in these two characters but instead enjoys the repetition, has certain expectations for fic about the OTP (happy ending, etc) that must be met.

Re: Jayne. I love his character and while I love reading fic that pairs him with Simon or Mal, I suspect that like you, IRL he would horrify and disgust me. LOL

[glass-figurine.livejournal.com]

I'm a serial OTPer (as in one for each show, and only one) even though sometimes I really wish I weren't. I find that to begin with, when I'm watching a new TV show, I will watch it for the show. After a while when I've committed to an OTP, I'll start reading/writing fanfic etc and skip all the canon scenes that don't have them in it or I watch those other scenes for plot's sake to get to the OTP scenes. Kind of ruins the whole experience, actually. *am now bitter with this conclusion*

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh noes. That would be upsetting for me as well.

I wonder how many people that happens to. *muses*

[busaikko]

via MF! *g*

I agree with the above people about it depending on the definition of OTP. I tend to be seen as an OTP author because I write about a limited number of pairings, but I get into trouble because a) sometimes I write conflicting pairings (oh, the hate I've gotten from Remus/Sirius shippers who think I'm betraying them with Remus/Severus!) and b) when I start writing a pairing, I, ah, like to take it apart to see what makes it tick. Sometimes things get broken. Oops.

As a reader, I definitely choose which pairings to read, but it feels more like choosing which flavour of ice cream I want at 31 (chocolate-dipped McShep, or -- ooh! -- raspberry Dex/Zelenka...) than an OMG OTP FTW death to the infidels kind of passion. Some days I want things one way, that's all. I also read for warnings, so if that branding fic is Shep/Zelenka, well, bring it on!

There is also the scale of easy vs hard pairings. Some -- usually (coincidentally?) the main pairings in a fandom -- are very easy and therefore tend to leap into established relationships. Others are damned hard to convince readers of, and those tend to be really convincing. If you can write convincing Sheppard/Todd, or Umbridge/Dumbledore, or Pince/Lockhart, then I'm in my happy place.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh it is so lovely when you break things. You'll get no complaint from me in that arena. :)

Convincing Sheppard/Todd. Why must you mention such a thing? Now I am all wanty. LOL (This reminds me of the last big meta post I made where someone and I traded near comment fic about the cult existence of vegetarian Wraith in Pegasus and the rituals surrounding their equivalent of Arbor Day; why I do not know, but my brain is a scary place.)

I also agree that a lot of the really popular pairings are the obvious ones (although not always; I NEVER saw Spike/Xander until the Internet wopped me over the head with a browser full of porn; and honestly, I still don't see it canonically, but I love it).

[lothy.livejournal.com]

Here from metafandom

I'm most definately *not* an OTP-er. Sure there are a few pairings I *love* rather than just like (sometimes in line with either canon or popular fandom pairings, but sometimes not) but basically I'll read anything as long as it has a good plot, no character bashing and no characters I hate in main roles! I'll read het, slash or femslash (and gen). I love variety. I'm constantly trying new fandoms, new types of stories, and yes new pairings. Otherwise I get bored ;)

I'll read pairings I don't particularly understand liking. I've *never* understood why Jack/Daniel is the most popular SG-1 pairing, but it is and thus there's loads of great fanfic out there written for it. I'd lose out on all those great fics if I chose not to read them because of the pairing *shrug*.

Aside from reading what's available, I also often have cravings for particular pairings, whether popular or rare - and it's not only possible for my favourite pairings to incoporate the same people, it's likely - after all, I love those characters. So in Firefly, I like to read River/Mal and River/Jayne (and occasionally femslash) because River is my favourite character. In Angel, Cordelia's my favourite, so most of the pairings I read are about her (with the exception of the odd Angel slash pairing).

When it comes to canon, of course, there are certain pairings I definately want to be together. The vast majority of them are either actual canon pairings or the "will they won't they" UST type, though not always (Logan/Rogue isn't canon but I really wish it was). That's not the same as fandom preferences, though. Certain pairings I may love in canon but find a bit boring in fanfiction. Others make wonderful fanfics but would be completely out of place in canon (e.g. Giles/Cordelia, or any slash pairings of straight guys).

I think a lot of the time what I read is determined by the plotline. I crave, say, a time travel fic, and so I go looking for one, regardless of pairing.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, can you say a little more about why Jack/Daniel doesn't work for you? :) I'm interested.

And I do not at all think you are alone in favoring a single character more than a pairing, although you are the first commenter this post who mentions plotline dictating the reading experience.