Is shipping or regular fics the highest form of flattery?

[jaime_lion 56]

So would you guys say that reading shipping fics is a high form of flattery. Like does it honor the character? In my opinion it is one of the highest forms of flattery cause you are basically saying that you like this character so much you want to spend more time with this character. Would you guys think the same about reading non-shipping fanfics of the same character?

[KatonRyu 1,033]

Writing a fic about a character at all could be called flattery, in a way, but I don't think shipping is a higher form of flattery than a non-shipping fic. Then again, some authors despise fanfiction because they feel people should have their own imagination and not use the worlds of others, so in their view fanfics are an insult, rather than flattery.

 

In the end, I think it depends on what you yourself feel when writing a fic, although calling your own work flattering might be a bit pretentious. You could certainly call it an homage to a character, though.

[jaime_lion 56]

Yeah i was more talking about reading fics but writing works too. the reason i ask is cause my friend kinda looks down on shipping fics.

[Grepper 3,192]

I think both type of fics are flattery if it portrays the character respectfully. I don't read shipfics, and I can't really say which one is a higher form.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

I honestly don't see the connection. How are you defining the usage of the term 'flattery?' Is it different in that regards to fan art or fan animations?
 

Forgive me; I'm just legitimately confused here.

[Idris 241]

I wouldn't want to call it either way? With MLP fanfic being built on a Hasbro product I feel happy to read any of it equally. If it's clever and it makes a point I'm in. I like the Paper Tigers fanfic and I like the ships. To be honest I'm impressed with anyone who can strip down a charector like Apple Jack and re-build it in a different situation. The ships can be sooo romantic, and it's fun for me to see it taken beyond Cadence and Shining Armour. A well written piece pays respect to to the charector it is based on.

 

I can imagine some authors would be funny about fanfic. Personally, I find it easier to write about two earth ponies I just pulled out of thin air. It's a ship without a rudder (couldn't help myself there). Any writer would have to be real sure of their abilities to sit there and start typing out an apple-dash ship. It's either going to be well received or detonate as far as I can see?