Crowdsourcing Podficcing Reccing Tips!

[podmod]

Happy Amplirecathon!

We hope you're enjoying the fabulous recs so far. This year, rather than reccing ending when this challenge ends, we're thrilled to announce that there'a s podfic reccing comm that will be starting up by the end of the month. The mods of that comm have asked for podfic reccing tips to point to, and since we're in the middle of a rec challenge, we know there are people here who can answer that!

So this is a post for crowdsourcing reccing advice. If you have reccing experience, or rec-reading experience, or just some good ideas, please comment to share:

-What helps when reccing podfic? What information do you like to include?
-What do you want from a rec as a consumer? What makes a rec the most helpful and enjoyable for you?

I'll paste advice up into the body of the post as it comes in, to create an easy reference for future reccers!

Tips

• I try to focus on the podfic, but I don't mind talking about the original fic when I rec podfic (the story is definitely a part of why I like podfics). If I do talk about the story, I try to keep that clearly separate from what I liked about the actual performance and technical aspects of the podfic. The podfic comes first, but the performance intertwines with the story, so I like to mention it as well. However, I don't want people to be uncertain as to when I'm talking about the story and when I'm talking about the performance. They are separate, but intertwined works for me. (Source)


• I sometimes like to include quotes from the podfic that I think were delivered really well. (Source)


• I sometimes like to include more general information about why I like the reader's overall style (in a more general sense) and then relate that to the specific podfic. (Source)


• I like to talk about my gut visceral reactions to the performance, how it made me feel on the inside. (Source)


• I like to talk about my relationship to the podfic (is it one I listen to a lot? Is it a first time listen? Is it a comfort!pod or a going-to-bed!pod? or a wake-me-up!pod?) (Source)


• I like to talk about my (listening) relationship with the reader (Is it my first experience with this reader? am I a long-time listener to the reader? How do I react generally to the reader's voice or style.) (Source)


• Other specific aspects of the podfic. Did I think that the podficcer captured one of the characters voices really well? Or did the use of music set the mood perfectly for me? Or was the pacing of the reading a particularly good for the pacing of the story? Or did the sound effects add something that I wasn't expecting? That kind of thing. (Source)


• There is so much available for consumption, I need to know why this story/podfic is special, some reason to draw me in. (Source)


• Perhaps it's obvious, but I want the story header, in recs. Not sure why people so often don't include it when posting podfic, but it exists cause it's useful, I prefer to have it. Pairing/gen, warnings/kinks, all usual header stuff. (Source)


• I love all kinds of recs, but I'd particularly appreciate a short streaming excerpt. I know that's not always possible, and I'm fine without, but a rec is like describing why a tangerine is so great, and then the excerpt is like getting a little taste that makes me rush off to download the whole... fruit. (Source)


• Cosigned! And my favorite is if they don't just include it but talk me through it, so that I can know what it is that struck them about that bit of performance and then listen for it myself! (Source)


• When I recced last year, I got feedback that listing the podfic time was useful, as some people look for shorter/longer fics and want to be able to tell from the rec. (Source)


• I really appreciate it when reccers give their best guess as to whether a podfic requires canon knowledge or not. (Source)


• Ditto canon knowledge! (though maybe better to say, "level of canon knowledge required", rather than "whether or not"?). Sometimes the reccer will really talk up the podfic and I'll be like, "Wow! Sounds great!" but then I'm hesitant to download the podfic 'cos I don't know the canon (or know it only slightly, or only through fannish osmosis) and fear I will be lost when it comes to comprehending the story. (Source)


• This may be too basic for this comm, but I appreciate enthusiasm in a rec. Fic generally, and podfic particularly, is about an intimate connection on intimate topics. Some rec templates include a final prompt like "Why this fic must be read" and that bold statement can engage the reccer to be honestly enthusiastic. "It blew through all my shame about ..." or "You can finally learn how a native speaker handles this canon character's vocal style" or "It gives a totally different POV on a rare ship in this fandom, reinforced by the podder's pacing variations" or whatever. (Source)


• To add to the excellent points already made, I want to point out that as with complimenting works, doing it is what counts most, instead of quality.
  To me, reccing feels a lot like giving feedback, and I usually write what I put in my feedback, after linking and giving pertinent info (title and performer, writer, fandom, rating, relationship(s) if any, length, warnings). While giving an in-depth review of what it is that makes a podfic special is great, sometimes I only know to say that I found it hot, or that I was so deeply immersed I didn't take note of the aspects of the performance. And I think this is totally valid.
  If one has a hard time finding words to describe podfic, choosing a linking theme or a few favourites by one performer is a good way to still give a bit of context and a reason to check out the recommended podfics even if one doesn't have to say a lot about them.
  If anything, I want a podfic rec to be about the podfic(cer) more than about the story that is being told. Otherwise, I find that I always prefer other people's recs over mine - so don't think you have to measure yourself to others!
  Also, don't be afraid to have opinions, and your own taste. Like what you like, and don't be afraid to tell people! This makes your recs much more accessible. You don't have to please everyone. (Source)

Comments

[fire_juggler]

I don't always talk about all of these things in a single rec, but these are some of the aspects that I think about when I rec on my journal. Most of these are captured in this small set of recs, if you want to see what I mean. This is a little rambling, stream-of-consciousness, sorry!:

1) I try to focus on the podfic, but I don't mind talking about the original fic when I rec podfic (the story is definitely a part of why I like podfics). If I do talk about the story, I try to keep that clearly separate from what I liked about the actual performance and technical aspects of the podfic. The podfic comes first, but the performance intertwines with the story, so I like to mention it as well. However, I don't want people to be uncertain as to when I'm talking about the story and when I'm talking about the performance. They are separate, but intertwined works for me.

2) I sometimes like to include quotes from the podfic that I think were delivered really well.

3) I sometimes like to include more general information about why I like the reader's overall style (in a more general sense) and then relate that to the specific podfic.

4) I like to talk about my gut visceral reactions to the performance, how it made me feel on the inside.

5) I like to talk about my relationship to the podfic (is it one I listen to a lot? Is it a first time listen? Is it a comfort!pod or a going-to-bed!pod? or a wake-me-up!pod?)

6) I like to talk about my (listening) relationship with the reader (Is it my first experience with this reader? am I a long-time listener to the reader? How do I react generally to the reader's voice or style.)

7) Other specific aspects of the podfic. Did I think that the podficcer captured one of the characters voices really well? Or did the use of music set the mood perfectly for me? Or was the pacing of the reading a particularly good for the pacing of the story? Or did the sound effects add something that I wasn't expecting? That kind of thing.

What I like when I'm consuming recs? Well, I like most of the above! I mostly just want to know *why* a performance resonated particularly well for a person. I don't think a rec has to be novel-length to be effective (I tend to be kind of wordy /o\), but I do want to know something about the performance and why that person found it so great.

That's it for me! ♥

[brate7]

I don't rec myself (except personally to friends), but I depend on recs to find fics to read and podfics to listen to. And the most important part of rec'ing that I rely on is the rec'er telling us *why* the story/podfic is worth our time.

Sounds obvious, I know, but there are a lot of people who just give a list with no explanations. There is so much available for consumption, I need to know why this story/podfic is special, some reason to draw me in.

[busaikko]

When I recced last year, I got feedback that listing the podfic time was useful, as some people look for shorter/longer fics and want to be able to tell from the rec.

[idella]

I really appreciate it when reccers give their best guess as to whether a podfic requires canon knowledge or not.

(Excited about the comm!)

[jesse_the_k]

This may be too basic for this comm, but I appreciate enthusiasm in a rec. Fic generally, and podfic particularly, is about an intimate connection on intimate topics. Some rec templates include a final prompt like "Why this fic must be read" and that bold statement can engage the reccer to be honestly enthusiastic. "It blew through all my shame about ..." or "You can finally learn how a native speaker handles this canon character's vocal style" or "It gives a totally different POV on a rare ship in this fandom, reinforced by the podder's pacing variations" or whatever.

[anotherslashfan]

To add to the excellent points already made, I want to point out that as with complimenting works, doing it is what counts most, instead of quality.
To me, reccing feels a lot like giving feedback, and I usually write what I put in my feedback, after linking and giving pertinent info (title and performer, writer, fandom, rating, relationship(s) if any, length, warnings). While giving an in-depth review of what it is that makes a podfic special is great, sometimes I only know to say that I found it hot, or that I was so deeply immersed I didn't take note of the aspects of the performance. And I think this is totally valid.
If one has a hard time finding words to describe podfic, choosing a linking theme or a few favourites by one performer is a good way to still give a bit of context and a reason to check out the recommended podfics even if one doesn't have to say a lot about them.
If anything, I want a podfic rec to be about the podfic(cer) more than about the story that is being told. Otherwise, I find that I always prefer other people's recs over mine - so don't think you have to measure yourself to others!
Also, don't be afraid to have opinions, and your own taste. Like what you like, and don't be afraid to tell people! This makes your recs much more accessible. You don't have to please everyone.

[elaineofshalott]

Ditto canon knowledge! (though maybe better to say, "level of canon knowledge required", rather than "whether or not"?). Sometimes the reccer will really talk up the podfic and I'll be like, "Wow! Sounds great!" but then I'm hesitant to download the podfic 'cos I don't know the canon (or know it only slightly, or only through fannish osmosis) and fear I will be lost when it comes to comprehending the story.