I have been meaning to read that story ever since I finished reading The Very Secret Diary by Arabella, but I have been putting it off because of its length. What is the story about? Is it really good?

 

The first long fic I ever read was probably Harry Potter and the Demon Knights.

Last updated in 2005, and I think I discovered it soon after. I remember bursting out laughing at points and it was a fun read with an independent Harry and an original bent, though the last time I read it was seven years ago.

I don't dare read it again because I know it'll be just awful. I must protect my good memories.

 

The list is actually quite a diverse list of fanfics and probably a reasonably good place to start if you're new to fanfiction. There's a few different popular pairings, Harry/Ginny, Harry/Hermione, Harry/Malfoy, Hermione/Malfoy, Harry/Snape (though I dislike them myself) as well as the more unusual Harry/young Bella and Harry/multi which gives newcomers a taste of the variety. (Not sure where to put Harry/Luna.) There's also a few without any pairings.

I haven't read all of them but the plots and genres are all quite diverse too (though nothing incredibly original and AU) and they're all very long. It's definitely not a list of the very best fics but a fair few are readable.

Ideally I think there ought to be a very good one-shot or two as so many long fics can be a little intimidating to newcomers I'd like for the fics heavy on bashing to be removed from the list too, they are despised by too many to be considered popular.

 

It probably won't be when you read it now, after time on DLP. It's about Harry after Voldemort's dead, wrestling with what he wants to do now that it's over. There are all the old cliches, including Minister Weasley, 'Virginia' Weasley and Quidditch, but there's an overarching story to it all, concerning Azkaban and Death Eaters and Dementors. Ginny had some special power, but you can look past it. It's a heartfelt tale. I remember being impressed by their Sirius. I loved it when Ginny was actually taken down a few pegs for being a bitch, which never happened in canon. Speaking of which, you may be impressed. They guesstimated pretty well on the future, since the last chapter for this was published on the day OOTP was published.

If it were smaller, I'd tell you to go for it immediately.

You'll probably scoff and raise your eyebrows throughout the story. But you'll end it with a smile on your face. Just like rereads of Harry Potter.

 

Confirming that C'est La Vie is worth the read. Yes, it has some actual plot concepts that might make you roll your eyes a little, but the writing is very, very, very good.

Realistically the only thing that did make me roll my eyes was some prank-based things, but it's not super common, and there's at least an understandable reason why it happened.

 

Seconding this. This was also my first fanfiction read, and I kept on looking for stuff in that same vein for a while - all of little0bird's stuff, Ghost of You, and other perfectly good but sappy things. Then I found DLP, and it all went to hell.

 

So the story has no real conflict? That's disappointing. While many of the older classics are definitely on the sappier side compared to today's standard DLP fare, but they aren't all sunshine and butterflies. For instance, the darker scenes of The Phoenix and the Serpent are as dark as they come. Arabella's The Very Secret Diary is basically one big torture scene till the end. I don't mind sappy moments, as long as the story isn't a Mary-Sue Curb Stomp fic, in which case Kill it With Fire.

Little0bird's stuff is pretty decent. The First Day is of average quality, but Questions and Answers is a pretty good read if you want a break from the usual DLP style stories.

 

Well, not conflict in the way that a lot of DLP-loved fare does. It's more like a long, well-written drama movie than an action flick. The conflict is more mental than physical, if you catch my meaning.

 

My original post accidently got deleted so... Here's an abridged version.

I got into fanfiction looking for a Slytherin!Harry fics, and then after that some good comedy stuff. I found DLP after my tastes matured, and I wanted a way to separate the good, from he bad. Never looked back.

On topic, I don't think you could really say any one fic is a good intro, as everyone has different tastes. For example, one of my first authors I really read lots of was Clell (cant remember the numbers after it.) His style was absolutely perfect for what I wanted, and it was those various lighthearted comedy's really got me hooked into fanfiction- of course, then I found Rorschach's blot.

Anyway, that list is probably useful for a newcomer (wish I had of seen it when I started.)

Sorry if this is kind of badly written, I'm in a hurry.