The moderators only care about spoiler space?

Oh, no, not only. The moderators are generally sane people, and boy, would I not take that job for anything, because within 24 hours I'd put the whole list on moderated and only let through posts I agreed with.

The spoiler rules on the list are more strict than other places, and people have a very hard time remembering it.

The one that Plei dubbed "It's Shipper War Time Yet Again in BBF-Land."

Ah. That one. The one right there in front of me with "Look, Fay, I'm the discussion in question" written all over it in neon, you mean? Damn, I can be a silly cow. Reading too quickly and carelessly. My bad.

I guess I'm just saying, don't knock the ooh-pretty response. Because sometimes it brings good things.

SA, I can understand why you're saying this. But I didn't say it was always a bad thing, I said that having that impulse as a springboard for fic and not giving a damn about good characterisation was a bad thing, and that imho the pretty isn't enough to make a pairing sexy. Anything can be a springboard for good writing.

Moreover, this disclaimer was an aside - the main thrust of my post having been pro-unconventional pairings, for the obvious reason that I write them. Including crossovers in which the inspiration is at least partially, if not wholly, one of "Oooh pretty."

And I seem to be in a very arsey frame of mind. Sorry. Backing off now.

Nah. I know what you mean. Are you working on any right now? I know there's the Dracofic that Ate Your Brain.

Fay, don't be a goose, no one is (ever) annoyed at you.

Bwah! Oh, Rebecca, Rebecca, fairest of reptiles, how thoroughly charming you are. Not to mention forgiving! For I am indeed in Arsey!Fay mode at present.

Re: ficwriting - I'm tempted by Dru/Willow, although I'm not quite sure when to set it, or if it'll happen. But I've written a little Dru-ish snippet to get into that frame of mind, and it's over in Bitchy fic. I've also got a tiny little Wolverine ficlet, of all random things, which I'm poking cautiously with a stick. That was unexpected, I can tell you. My muse is clearly on crack.

I'm tempted by Dru/Willow

I knnnnow. I feel very happy. As that's my shiny new insane OTP, you know.

When I tried to write Dru, I found her voice difficult.Hard to get a handle on, because while she's insane, she does pay attention to things that are going on, and that's not very relevant, is it? but Willow/Dru written by agood writer could be good.

So, Buffistas, what's your take on canon vs. unconventional?

I've written both. Hmm.

t thinks

I think there might be a tendency in authors who write canon het couples toward wish-fulfilment. You know, the kind where the author has a massive crush on the attractive male lead and sort of assumes the role of the female in the pairing, and the ensuing story is pretty much the author's fantasy. And not so much in the Mary Sue way, but more like you've picked up a random Harlequin, and who are these characters again?

But when I think about it, that happens with unconventional het, too. And in slash, there's the Any Two Guys syndrome.

The Badfic, it is legion.

I don't think it matters what inspires a story; it's what the author does with the story and characterization. There are people who can write Draco/Riley and make it believable, and there are people who write Buffy/Spike in a way that makes me want to loofah my brain.

This is why I'll try almost any story, be it gen, het, slash, canon 'ship or unconventional. I like being pleasantly surprised. However, I feel no sense of obligation to stick around if the author's "vision" has me contemplating putting out a lit cigarette in my eye.

That being said, in some fandoms I have loyalties to certain characters and prefer stories about them, or have irrational dislikes of certain pairings and don't tend to read stories featuring them.

I think the important thing is that I consider it a preference, not a prejudice, and will put aside my inclinations if the story's good.

To sum up: recommendations are subjective. Er, duh.

Also re: the BBF kerfuffle: the Jesus Christ Pose isn't flattering, and should not be assumed by anyone not believed to be the son of God.

If I like somebody's work already, I'd be more willing to try out their more "unconventional" things. Like I liked Fay's S/D Mayhem in Prague series, so I'd be interested to see say Vamp!Willow and Dru together. But probably not on ff.net.

That being said, in some fandoms I have loyalties to certain characters and prefer stories about them, or have irrational dislikes of certain pairings and don't tend to read stories featuring them.

Shrift is me in this regard. In certain fandoms, it's fun to mix things up. With Buffy and XF, I'm happy with any pairing, as long as the story is good. On the other hand, although I like the character of Ray Vecchio a lot, I can't bring myself to read any F/V stories. Also, even though the Greg/Nick HoYay! on CSI is fun, the idea of reading any CSI slash kind of bothers me. Actually, that's one of the series where I find that 'shipper fic takes things too far away from what the series is about for the stories to be of interest to my. YFicMV.