Fannish Fifty: Snowflake Challenge #11 - Tropes, Kinks, Themes etc

[smallhobbit]

Today's snowflake_challenge says: Talk about your favorite trope, cliché, kink, motif, or theme.

I have, as many of my friends know, a competency kink.  I don't expect my characters to be perfect at everything, but I do like them to be good at their job.  (I also like people in public office to be good at their job, but that's another matter entirely!)  They don't need to be wonderful at all aspects, being competent means recognising when another member of the team can do something better than you and letting them get on with it.  However, my kink also requires not just my character, but some of those around to be able to do their job, rather than the drama coming because my character is the only competent person; the drama should come from external causes.

I used to volunteer as a Brownie Guide leader (retired last summer) and within our pack (unit) we all had our own strengths and weaknesses.  But we were competent and worked together and the girls had a good time.

It was with competency in mind that I created a new character when I was writing Lewis fics.  DI Garrett first appeared in The Last Man Standing Just Got Felled By A Lion and I liked him sufficiently to let him stay and progress to a DCI.

I also transported ACD's Sherlock Holmes stories Stanley Hopkins into BBC's Sherlock, where Hopkins is a DI with the Met River Police.  He's a stickler for health and safety, not unreasonably given the nature of the River Thames, plus the fact that that police force is responsible for abseiling down buildings when required.  River Police

Comments

[makamu]

I like a good team working together - for me combatting whatever's happening elsewhere is far more interesting than concentrating on disfunctions within the team. I write much less Lewis fic than I used to, and now generally stick with my own 'verse I've built up over the years.

For me, it's very much a matter of balance. I'm fine with there being differences of opinion and heated debates. All they should do is come from and end at a place of mutual respect.

And I'm looking forward to exploring your additions to the universe of the series :)

[smallhobbit]

In a good team there will be differences of opinion, because they are all individuals and no-one should feel unable to express their thoughts. But they should be there for each other when it matters, and if they aren't it's because they've been prevented by an outside event rather than their own incompetence.

[makamu]

In a good team there will be differences of opinion, because they are all individuals and no-one should feel unable to express their thoughts. But they should be there for each other when it matters, and if they aren't it's because they've been prevented by an outside event rather than their own incompetence.

Where can I sign this? :)