OTP

[prillalar]

I'm making with the questions today. Because I think that's the best feature of LJ: getting other people to come write smart things in my journal. It saves wear and tear on my brain, since then I don't have to be smart myself.

What is an OTP? I know what it stands for: One True Pairing. But recently I've begun to wonder if I've been using it wrong.

To me, it means "the pairing I especially like to ship". Hermione/George is one of my OTPs. Remus/Kingsley. Merry/Pippin. Daniel/Jonas. But I write other pairings and I read other pairings and if you don't ship my OTPs, I'll still be your friend.

Is an OTP more exclusive than that, the only pairing that you'll entertain for that fandom? Or can it mean a pairing that's accepted by most of the fandom, like Jack/Daniel, Harry/Draco, Gimli/Galadriel? (OK, maybe I'm the only one who ships Gimli/Galadriel.)

When you use "OTP" what do you mean? And who are your OTPs?

Be smart for me now. :)

Comments

[jkb.livejournal.com]

I use the term myself to mean that the pairing feels very right and special and means a lot to me, and I'm not interested in casually breaking the guys up and putting them with someone else. But I have wondered what it means to other people, because it seems that the term OTP is used a great deal by wackos who send nasty e-mail to anyone who dares to write one of "their characters" sleeping with a character they don't approve of, or who will persecute people for not writing the OTP pair "correctly." So I'm not sure what it means in fandom overall. For me it just means "special pairing that I really love." Somebody else can write one of the guys with somebody else and it's OK with me.

[prillalar]

It's been really interesting to get everyone's take on this! I'm glad we're in the more reasonable portion of fandom. :)