about reccing things

[snick_backup]

So, I want to talk about recs.

I like reccing things. A lot. Online or IRL, I really love pointing people to things I think they'll like. Also I like championing things that I think ought to be better appreciated than they are. Also also I like organizing data in tidy lists and piles so I and other people can find it again. (It's no wonder I loved working at the library so much.)

What about you? Do you rec things a lot? Why or why not? Do you like seeing other's recs? What features do you find useful in them? What do you wish people would rec more of? How do you feel about being recced yourself - is it weird if you don't really know the person?

Original entry posted at Dreamwidth. Feel free to reply here or there. ( DW replies)

Comments

[jacyevans.livejournal.com]

I LOVE recs, making them as well as reading them. I don't rec things as much as I'd like to, especially fic, but I really like saying "I read/watched/listened to this awesome thing, and here's why you should to." Especially when I feel like it doesn't get the love it deserves.

When someone recs me, I'm usually shocked and flattered. And squeeing, there is always squeeing :) Especially when it's something I know I feel strongly about, but don't think will be received particularly well by the rest of fandom.

[snickfic]

I really like saying "I read/watched/listened to this awesome thing, and here's why you should to." Especially when I feel like it doesn't get the love it deserves.

YES. Absolutely. And I know exactly what you mean about getting recced for something that you're proud of but is a little outside the mainstream. Those recs are the BEST.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

In terms of real life, I've noticed a question I ask myself "would my parents like this?" and in cases where I think they would (Battlestar Galactica, Homeland), they usually take my recommendation. I'm currently watching Breaking Bad, and I don't think it's one my mom would be able to handle without wanting to pray for the characters' souls. I did create (and abandon) spuffy_recs, which I guess means I like to rec stuff, I guess.

[snickfic]

I'm currently watching Breaking Bad, and I don't think it's one my mom would be able to handle without wanting to pray for the characters' souls.

Ha ha. I've had that impulse a time or two. For Spike, mostly, poor boy.

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

I rabidly consume recs online, but rarely make them. I used to keep recs in memories so I could at least do Buffyverse top 5 and award noms, but I've been bad about that lately. A good rec for me is one which gives me enough to understand why I would want to read (yes, pairing, but also excellent writing/plot/smut/whatever), but not enough to spoil any surprise. (A bad rec is one which either tells me far too much or, worse, recs a poorly written, badly spelled/grammatically awful fic. Otherwise, rec content is all YMMV but following recs to unbetaed junk makes me quite cross.)

I do rec books, films and places (go to Ghent! It's amazing!), online and in person, and I enjoy that more - maybe because it's not loaded in the way that reccing something in a shrinking fandom sometimes feels.

[snickfic]

maybe because it's not loaded in the way that reccing something in a shrinking fandom sometimes feels.

*nod* I don't so much have that problem, because I'm discovering new people all the time, and so my recs mostly consist of "Check out this excellent fic by this person I've never heard of before! And this other fic by this other person I also don't know!" My last few Buffy recs posts, though, felt a wee bit redundant; it felt like I should just say, "Friend all the people I have friended, and you will see all the fic I read." Because I think the point of reccing is to connect people to things they wouldn't have otherwise, whether because it's not in their genre, their corner of fandom, their usual medium, etc.

[quinara]

My last few Buffy recs posts, though, felt a wee bit redundant

I'm not sure this is true at all! Even when I don't follow links, it's always interesting to see what people have enjoyed, and I think often people miss things even when they've been posted on their flist.

[snickfic]

Aw, that's nice to know. In that case, perhaps I will finally put together another one, largely consisting of links I've had sitting around for a year now...

[shapinglight]

I rec stuff if I think it's good, and especially if I think not enough people are reading it.

[snickfic]

Yep. Likewise.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

I was going to say I rarely rec fics, but then I remembered that most people consider my Slay Me Awards to be recs (which, in all fairness, I guess they are - although their actual purpose is more to highlight things that rocked my socks in some fashion), so I guess that does make me someone who recs. Rarely manage to pull anything together for something like Buffyverse Top Five, though, for some reason. I think I'm more inclined to point at a particular community (sb_fag_ends, for instance) and say lots of good stuff is being posted there.

I do always follow links to recs that sound like something I would want to read. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't, but I might never have found the ones I like without the rec.

I'm always pleased (and slightly embarrassed) when someone recs one of mine. Gives me warm fuzzies. :)

[snickfic]

I might never have found the ones I like without the rec

Yep. Especially if you're into a pairing with a lot of fic, like Spuffy, it's easy to miss things or to pass something up the first go-round because it doesn't sound quite your thing.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

*nods* It is easy to miss stuff. Sometimes it will be something I avoided just because of the summary (totally sympathize with the inability to write coherent summaries) and then someone who opinion I respect will rec it and it will turn out to be something I was glad to have found.

[pocochina.livejournal.com]

I like recs a lot, and most of the new stuff I find is through recs. I get overwhelmed looking for stuff on my own. Also, I'm realizing that if I am emotionally invested enough in a character or narrative enough to want to read more about it, then it also contains at least some things I really prefer to avoid reading? And recs which are a little bit informative are very helpful on that front. (Generally, genre and a short summary are enough.) I only do it rarely, though. Getting rec'd makes my day and I don't think it's weird at all - I figure if people put something up publicly, it's because they want it to be read.

[snickfic]

I get overwhelmed looking for stuff on my own.

*nod* About the only stuff I read outside my main fandoms is via recs. This is especially true for the really big fandoms, like Avengers or Sherlock.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

I LOVE RECS. Making them! Taking them! Every part!

There is nothing more happymaking to me than matching up someone with the fic of their dreams.

[snickfic]

There is nothing more happymaking to me than matching up someone with the fic of their dreams.

THIS.

[crackers4jenn.livejournal.com]

YES, WOO, RECS! I love rec posts, especially when they come from people who's taste I generally trust. It's especially helpful if you're just getting into a new fandom and want to read fanfic/drown in fanvids but have no idea where to look to get to the good stuff.

As far as useful features, most of the time when people are reccing things, I like knowing why. You know, what prompted them to rec in the first place?

[snickfic]

It's especially helpful if you're just getting into a new fandom and want to read fanfic/drown in fanvids but have no idea where to look to get to the good stuff.

Yep yep. For both BtVS and SPN, recs lists were my main sources for fic.

[cappy712.livejournal.com]

What about you? I like Recs

Do you rec things a lot? Lately recs have been what direct me to what I read.

Why or why not? When someone takes the time to rec a story, that means they thought that story was good enough to tell me and others about so I read what they rec about it and if I'm up to reading it, then I do.

Do you like seeing other's recs? Yes I do, that way I have a variety of different stories to choose from.

What features do you find useful in them? When someone recs a story and tells why they like it (emotional, good AU, just good) then it gives me something to read.

What do you wish people would rec more of? I don't know about more of - but I do like to know what kind of story it is. IE AU, J2, Knotting (a/b/o), miscellaneous.

How do you feel about being recced yourself - is it weird if you don't really know the person? I do not have anything written yet so I don't know about that. I have read a lot over the past 2 years since I found fan fiction. Last year I read 2,484 stories. This year I'm at 1,338 stories so far. If you are looking for a story I'm willing to share too.

Hope this helped you.

[snickfic]

Cool, thank you for the data! And wow, that is a lot of stories to read in a year. I mean, I'd probably be amazed at how many I read in a year, but I've never kept count.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm always excited to see recs when they show up on my flist. SO many interesting things I might never have seen otherwise; no bad there! I don't make them all that often. Usually when I do it's because I stumbled onto something that seems really special, or that it doesn't seem to get the love it deserves.

[snickfic]

I love discovering weird new things I wasn't expecting by way of recs!

Usually when I do it's because I stumbled onto something that seems really special, or that it doesn't seem to get the love it deserves.

*nod* Likewise.

[faege.livejournal.com]

I love reading recs (particularly if the reccer mentioned something to keep an eye out for), being recced (omg, the thrill! seriously though), and seeing what's being recced even if it's not my cup of tea because it helps me keep tabs on what people seem to be liking.

I don't tend to do any reccing myself, though, because I'm always leery of people not enjoying it. ;shrugs; I figure, if they want to know what I've liked, they can go on my delicious account and see what I thought was worth saving.

[snickfic]

seeing what's being recced even if it's not my cup of tea because it helps me keep tabs on what people seem to be liking.

Very true. There's a communal aspect to reccing and seeing others' recs. *nod*

[relurker.livejournal.com]

Spending very little time on the PC, recs are very important to have--specially coming from a trusted writer. Thank you for reccing, and keep it coming!

[snickfic]

Aw, you are very welcome! I shall do my best. :)

[pennydrdful.livejournal.com]

Do you rec things a lot? Fanfic recs? No, just occasionally. Book recs? All the time!

Why or why not? I don't make time to read a lot of fanfic these days, but I do read books.

Do you like seeing other's recs? If they're from a person whose taste I've grown to trust - yes!

What features do you find useful in them? Talking about fanfic here... I look primarily for ship and genre.

What do you wish people would rec more of? Buffy/Spike and Natasha/Clint

How do you feel about being recced yourself - is it weird if you don't really know the person? Definitely not weird if you don't know the person. If they have a problem with it, then they need to get over it. They're the ones that put their writing on the internet.

[snickfic]

Definitely not weird if you don't know the person.

I am relieved. Sometimes I end up reccing things that I didn't even comment on, which seems a bit anti-social, but I hope the authors don't mind. I certainly don't mind when people do it to me. :)