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Comments

Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Or is it too wanky?

Like, I was going to go into more detail on the OOCness but even just typing it out made me think “Hang on a minute, isn’t this too wanky?”

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Of course that is too wanky, and clearly unenforceable, besides. That being said, go for it! Some coalies just want to watch the yule log burn.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

It's not wanky, the problem is it's just not very useful. People who can't tell their take is OOC will sail right by that DNW, and people who angst about being in character will angst about the DNW, probably when they don't even need to.

It's one of those things where it's way better to a) talk about what characterization you DO like, and b) DNW specific takes you dislike, if you have some. As a fake example, you might DNW: Jack Sparrow feeling insecure about his looks, if that's something that drives you nuts in Pirates of the Caribbean fic.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

+1

The vast majority of time, people who write OOC genuinely believe they are writing in character.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

The vast majority of time, people who write OOC genuinely believe they are writing in character.
True. There are plenty of fic in the archive with 'OOC' as a tag, and I am deeply grateful so I can avoid them. I think people wouldn't write intentionally OOC fic as a gift unless it was unrequested.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

+1

Feel free to DNW specific characterization notes if you want, especially if they turn up a lot, but the problem with a general OOC dnw is it's utterly useless.

Depending on the fandom/character/prompts it might be worth saying you want it to stick with canon characterization (i.e. if you're requesting rape fic or a way-out AU) because occasionally people actually want ooc on those but tbh it's generally also useless then.

Going into extreme detail that this specific headcanon is the only possible interpretation of the character that's correct and anything else is awful get into wank territory though.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

DNW: OOC - not wanky, but not useful, will likely get you some lolwut comments on coal

DNW: OOC (anyone who thinking Sarah is a top, DNI!! you're a disgusting pedo :) - wanky in addition to not being useful

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Another one who thinks it won't be useful and probably will get some people's backs up because they don't consider that character choice OOC.

Better to say DNW - Sara crying and apologising, Billy wearing skirts/wanting children etc. especially if it's popular fanon.

You can't game away any possibility of you getting a fic you consider OOC, so you might as well make it really clear exactly what would put you off the most.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Perhaps including a note like "I'd prefer a canon-typical tone for this request" would help? Since I could see a lot of OOC-ness stemming from someone trying to write fluffy, happy fic for a dark and angsty canon, etc.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

DNW: OOC is wanky and unenforceable, but if there is a dynamic between characters you dislike, be specific about DNWing that dynamic. e.g DNW: submissive Character A.

Also add some positives about what you do like. "I really enjoy the snarky banter between A and B and how A is such a badass when Canon Event happens."

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Biiiitch that is wanky as hell, I love it.

The problem here is that you clearly don't know how to ask for what you DO like, what you DO want, what you see as the core of their characterization, and are instead pushing that responsibility onto the rando assigned to you, who you are already assuming is a dumbass and a bad writer. Fucking exquisite.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Ha. Harsh but true.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

It's too wanky. Just put the detail of what you don't want, save the OOC part of it. No one fully agrees on what "OOC" means.

Re: Can you DNW OOCness?

[(Anonymous)]

Not only is it hard to enforce, but you're more likely to get what you want by going about it a different way:

Instead of a DNW, put your take on the character in your wants section. Everyone's personal read is at least a little fanon-y even if we think we're sticking strictly to canon. Go on in a positive way about what you see in the character, and your writer will have a clearer idea of what you enjoy.