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selenakYou know, this really applies for most fandoms: if you're not into shippy fic and the major pairings, finding fanfiction which you do like can be very hard. Here I am, trying to indulge my newfound affection for Torchwood (i.e. that feeling that started out as "great irritation mixed with being occasionally impressed", then went to "reluctant affection" and now is definitely a "wow, I really like this show") as a fan does, by reading other fan's fiction, and run straight into the problem that 95% of TW fanfiction is Jack/Ianto. Which I'm not interested in. (As opposed to last year, this year I find their relationship credible on the show, and their scenes work for me, but I still have no wish to read stories about that relationship. It reminds me of how I felt regarding John/Aeryn on Farscape most of the time, and of course most of FS fanfic is John/Aeryn...) The rest offers various other pairings, but that's not really what I want to read, either. One of the reasons, imo as always, why the writing for TW improved so much this season is that we can see the team relating to each other.
What not to do if one is frustrated about the lack of gen: check out how Heroes fanfiction is doing. Though in this case it's not just the 'ships in question but the characterisation the summaries offer (haven't read the stories because of the summaries). Okay, self, I thought, don't be hypocrite. You do like some 'ships, and the occasional NC 17 rated story. Yes, my inner reader whined, but those I like well-written, and with characters I recognize. Anyone using the description "ruby-red lips" in an unironic way should be either under 15 or should know better, and could someone tell X, Y and Z that they're not in a Barbara Cartland novel with added porn?
So back I went to the Whoverse, only this time not to the Cardiff gang but the Doctor and Companions. While the 'shipping is dominating there, too, it's a bit easier to find stories exploring other aspects of the characters than their love life. Also, 40 years of canon make for a really huge reservoir of fanfiction. The result of this morning's expedition, stories which coincidentally are also all in the light-hearted vein (handy on Mondays; the rest of the weeks, I'm an angst fiend as much as anyone as well!):
A pound note and a soft smack: whether you're a New Who or Old Who watcher, you might have noticed that the Doctor's age tends to be... flexible. Lesser minds would point to the scriptwriters.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
versaphile has written a hilarious story where Donna puts the Doctor on the spot and brilliantly deduces just why he's so fibby about just how old he is.
One day at a time: this one takes on Martha's and the Doctor's time in 1969. My favourite part is the obnoxious neighbour deducing the Doctor must be Barbara Chesterton's kept boytoy since she pays for the rent. (The Doctor using the Chestertons - One's companions, Ian and Barbara - as either a place to stay or pumping them for money when he and Martha are stranded in 1969 must be fanon by now, given several delightful takes I've seen on that.)
Etiquette Lessons: now this IS a Torchwood ensemble story, in which Jack tries to teach the team the finer points of alien etiquette. Everyone is spot on, and it gave me a happy grin.
What not to do if one is frustrated about the lack of gen: check out how Heroes fanfiction is doing. Though in this case it's not just the 'ships in question but the characterisation the summaries offer (haven't read the stories because of the summaries). Okay, self, I thought, don't be hypocrite. You do like some 'ships, and the occasional NC 17 rated story. Yes, my inner reader whined, but those I like well-written, and with characters I recognize. Anyone using the description "ruby-red lips" in an unironic way should be either under 15 or should know better, and could someone tell X, Y and Z that they're not in a Barbara Cartland novel with added porn?
So back I went to the Whoverse, only this time not to the Cardiff gang but the Doctor and Companions. While the 'shipping is dominating there, too, it's a bit easier to find stories exploring other aspects of the characters than their love life. Also, 40 years of canon make for a really huge reservoir of fanfiction. The result of this morning's expedition, stories which coincidentally are also all in the light-hearted vein (handy on Mondays; the rest of the weeks, I'm an angst fiend as much as anyone as well!):
A pound note and a soft smack: whether you're a New Who or Old Who watcher, you might have noticed that the Doctor's age tends to be... flexible. Lesser minds would point to the scriptwriters.
versaphile has written a hilarious story where Donna puts the Doctor on the spot and brilliantly deduces just why he's so fibby about just how old he is. One day at a time: this one takes on Martha's and the Doctor's time in 1969. My favourite part is the obnoxious neighbour deducing the Doctor must be Barbara Chesterton's kept boytoy since she pays for the rent. (The Doctor using the Chestertons - One's companions, Ian and Barbara - as either a place to stay or pumping them for money when he and Martha are stranded in 1969 must be fanon by now, given several delightful takes I've seen on that.)
Etiquette Lessons: now this IS a Torchwood ensemble story, in which Jack tries to teach the team the finer points of alien etiquette. Everyone is spot on, and it gave me a happy grin.
