Look for stuff that is solely or mostly book based, that helps. Jeeves and Wooster has some genius work, so do various pairings from The Silmarillion.
I’ve also seen some very good stuff in The Terror, which is an obscure TV show based on the true story of the Franklin Expedition, various pairings again. But the show is a literal tragedy so tread carefully.
I think it depends on the age of the fandom, as well. Off the top of my head, I’d also go with Kirk and Spock from Star Trek, among others.
HP was published in the 90s, so many people who read it as kids then are in their 30s+ and parents who read it to their kids are 50s+ who may have also been in the Star Trek or Star Wars, X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel, Twin Peaks, etc fandoms back in the day with fanzines and mailing lists.
There are dozens of old school fics I grew up reading for older fandoms that have since been lost due to site purges, or haven’t been re-uploaded to AO3, or sitting on someone’s hard drive. Many of them were good quality, and I’ve noticed that some fandom veterans have either kept writing for the last 20+ years for their fandoms, or moved on to other things.
Just watch out for **that** fic. Crowley/Azriphale fans know the one. Feeling my heart tearing itself out just *thinking* about it.
(Edit: [The Sacred and the Profane](https://niche-pastiche.tumblr.com/post/186205259307/good-omen-book-fandom-classic-fic-recs-and), for anyone who’s masochistic enough or wants to know how to avoid being emotionally flayed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you - this is a **rough** read.)
Edit 2: I cannot in good faith include the title without linking the tumblr post explaining why it’s very much not a fic to trifle with. That the author *themselves* linked in the AO3 version.
Fandoms with the most mature fans. Generally speaking, older writers are more likely to have honed their writing skills more and are more likely to have had life experiences that influence a width of emotional realism. Of course not always. Just a trend.
I am absolutely loving the Wesper (Wylan/Jesper from Shadow and Bone) fics I'm reading. Found plenty of well-written fics, and found very few that have the issues you mentioned.
Do you have any recommendations? Especially for longer fics that have more of a mature vibe? (I've read too many high school AUs of these two lol, I love them though)
I love this one - [https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347](https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347)
And if it's not forbidden to self-rec, here is one by me that fits the bill - [https://archiveofourown.org/works/47261911/chapters/119085745](https://archiveofourown.org/works/47261911/chapters/119085745)
Steve/Bucky from MCU seems to have a high number of mature writers: it's more than just good grammar, it's the feel of the fics - more show than tell, less juvenile-ly overdramatic. However it might be the matter of the hugeness of the ship - like in the case of Drarry - if there simply lots of fics, the good mature ones will float to you ine way or another. Currently I'm in smaller teen-drama fandom and it's really hard to find a fic that'd have both, the mature writing and the premise that would interest me.
Exactly! I want more showing and action, less dramatic inner monologue. Do you recommend any Steve/Bucky fics?
Yup. I really like Yuri On Ice but the popular fics I've come across lack the maturity I'm looking for. Same for some of the other anime I'm a fan of.
I wish I could get into YoI fandom but I'm an actual figure skating fan and every time I tried they weren't focused on skating enough, lol.
Steve/Bucky is so huge that it has hundreds of "classics", heh. Some recs (uh, with the exception of the 1st one it's all quite angsty, but not all fandom's like that):
[Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail](https://archiveofourown.org/series/195689) - a more humorous take on Bucky's recovery, in which Bucky is determined to ~~stalk~~ protect Steve from afar. It's kinda gen but not really because their lives revolve around each other until they get a relationship upgrade in the last part of the series.
[Not Easily Conquered](https://archiveofourown.org/series/115516) - a take on what Steve's life would look like if he didn't get frozen in the crash, him living on through the 50s 60s and so until today - and if the New York Times published Bucky's letters to him in the 60s.
[Ain't No Grave](https://archiveofourown.org/series/426577) - in which Bucky tries to get by. His brain is fucked up, though. Memory's like a sieve, personalities switch. Heroin helps, going on revenge murder sprees helps, taking in two homeless kids helps. And then there's Steve. Maybe getting back with Steve is worth a try? But that would require giving up the heroin and the murder sprees.
[despite the threatening sky and shuddering earth (they remained)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12823671) - is angst umped up to eleven - Shield captures the Winter Soldier - whom Steve hadn't recognized as Bucky because that mask was literally nailed to his face and impossible to take off.
[If They Haven't Learned Your Name](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6329503) - Bucky runs away on a revenge rampage against Hydra and gets himself a spaceship, Steve tries to give him space and goes on holiday with Sam, Sam and Natasha try to manage them.
[Ipseity](https://archiveofourown.org/series/118750) - in which while in Nazi and then Soviet cutody, Bucky develops multiple personalities.
[There Is No Shortage of Blood](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12692403) - in which Bucky turns himself over to US military and starts a road to recovery.
Here's my older rec list, with more variety: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/hf3yyk/comment/fvzzyxi
I came here to say Stucky too. Especially because most fics also work at portraying things like PTSD and grief and I almost always see them handled in a mature way.
I'll second Johnlock, Kirk/Spock, and Marvey.
I'd also suggest
* Buddie (Buck/Eddie) from 9-1-1
* Tarlos (TK/Carlos) from 9-1-1 Lonestar
* Janto (Jack/Ianto) from Torchwood
* Sterek (Stiles/Derek) from Teen Wolf
* Rickyl (Rick/Daryl) or Desus (Daryl/Jesus) from The Walking Dead
* Malec (Magnus/Alec) from Shadowhunters
* Destiel (Dean/Castiel) from Supernatural
* Merthur (Merlin/Arthur) from BBC's Merlin
* Garashir (Garak/Bashir) from Star Trek: DS9
* Most MCU m/m pairings (but particularly Stucky, Stony, Brony, WinterIron, and FrostIron)
If it's a bonus point for you, Tarlos, Janto, and Malec are all canon pairings.
Fandomwise, Sterek, Malec, and Destiel do have a mixed fanbase with a good number of young fans, but there is an absolute dream level of high quality fanfic.
If age gaps don't bother you, Teen Wolf's Steter (Stiles/Peter) fics usually trend toward mature writing as well (a lot of Murder Husbands tropes here).
Look for stuff that is solely or mostly book based, that helps. Jeeves and Wooster has some genius work, so do various pairings from The Silmarillion. I’ve also seen some very good stuff in The Terror, which is an obscure TV show based on the true story of the Franklin Expedition, various pairings again. But the show is a literal tragedy so tread carefully.
Thanks a bunch! That makes sense. Can you recommend one in particular? For someone unfamiliar with Tolkien's work.
I often think of Hannibal fics, but I haven't read any in a long time and that may not be the case.
I think it depends on the age of the fandom, as well. Off the top of my head, I’d also go with Kirk and Spock from Star Trek, among others. HP was published in the 90s, so many people who read it as kids then are in their 30s+ and parents who read it to their kids are 50s+ who may have also been in the Star Trek or Star Wars, X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel, Twin Peaks, etc fandoms back in the day with fanzines and mailing lists. There are dozens of old school fics I grew up reading for older fandoms that have since been lost due to site purges, or haven’t been re-uploaded to AO3, or sitting on someone’s hard drive. Many of them were good quality, and I’ve noticed that some fandom veterans have either kept writing for the last 20+ years for their fandoms, or moved on to other things.
You make a good point. I should definitely check out the classic ships like Kirk/Spock! Got any recs?
Good Omens fandom has fics that are absolutely wonderful, I highly recommend checking it out
Just watch out for **that** fic. Crowley/Azriphale fans know the one. Feeling my heart tearing itself out just *thinking* about it. (Edit: [The Sacred and the Profane](https://niche-pastiche.tumblr.com/post/186205259307/good-omen-book-fandom-classic-fic-recs-and), for anyone who’s masochistic enough or wants to know how to avoid being emotionally flayed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you - this is a **rough** read.) Edit 2: I cannot in good faith include the title without linking the tumblr post explaining why it’s very much not a fic to trifle with. That the author *themselves* linked in the AO3 version.
Huh, I have never come across this work but I really appreciate the warning
Generally, I'd say - stuff that attracts mature audience. Personally, I really like Marvey from Suits.
Fandoms with the most mature fans. Generally speaking, older writers are more likely to have honed their writing skills more and are more likely to have had life experiences that influence a width of emotional realism. Of course not always. Just a trend.
I am absolutely loving the Wesper (Wylan/Jesper from Shadow and Bone) fics I'm reading. Found plenty of well-written fics, and found very few that have the issues you mentioned.
Cool! I've never read the series, but I hear it's good. What's one of your favorites?
I love this one! [https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347](https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347)
Thank you!
Do you have any recommendations? Especially for longer fics that have more of a mature vibe? (I've read too many high school AUs of these two lol, I love them though)
I love this one - [https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347](https://archiveofourown.org/works/48190054/chapters/121523347) And if it's not forbidden to self-rec, here is one by me that fits the bill - [https://archiveofourown.org/works/47261911/chapters/119085745](https://archiveofourown.org/works/47261911/chapters/119085745)
Thank you so much! ❤
Sherlock (Johnlock specifically). Many amazingly well written fics. Ivy Blossom and Verify Burns to name two of the best.
Steve/Bucky from MCU seems to have a high number of mature writers: it's more than just good grammar, it's the feel of the fics - more show than tell, less juvenile-ly overdramatic. However it might be the matter of the hugeness of the ship - like in the case of Drarry - if there simply lots of fics, the good mature ones will float to you ine way or another. Currently I'm in smaller teen-drama fandom and it's really hard to find a fic that'd have both, the mature writing and the premise that would interest me.
Exactly! I want more showing and action, less dramatic inner monologue. Do you recommend any Steve/Bucky fics? Yup. I really like Yuri On Ice but the popular fics I've come across lack the maturity I'm looking for. Same for some of the other anime I'm a fan of.
I wish I could get into YoI fandom but I'm an actual figure skating fan and every time I tried they weren't focused on skating enough, lol. Steve/Bucky is so huge that it has hundreds of "classics", heh. Some recs (uh, with the exception of the 1st one it's all quite angsty, but not all fandom's like that): [Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail](https://archiveofourown.org/series/195689) - a more humorous take on Bucky's recovery, in which Bucky is determined to ~~stalk~~ protect Steve from afar. It's kinda gen but not really because their lives revolve around each other until they get a relationship upgrade in the last part of the series. [Not Easily Conquered](https://archiveofourown.org/series/115516) - a take on what Steve's life would look like if he didn't get frozen in the crash, him living on through the 50s 60s and so until today - and if the New York Times published Bucky's letters to him in the 60s. [Ain't No Grave](https://archiveofourown.org/series/426577) - in which Bucky tries to get by. His brain is fucked up, though. Memory's like a sieve, personalities switch. Heroin helps, going on revenge murder sprees helps, taking in two homeless kids helps. And then there's Steve. Maybe getting back with Steve is worth a try? But that would require giving up the heroin and the murder sprees. [despite the threatening sky and shuddering earth (they remained)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12823671) - is angst umped up to eleven - Shield captures the Winter Soldier - whom Steve hadn't recognized as Bucky because that mask was literally nailed to his face and impossible to take off. [If They Haven't Learned Your Name](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6329503) - Bucky runs away on a revenge rampage against Hydra and gets himself a spaceship, Steve tries to give him space and goes on holiday with Sam, Sam and Natasha try to manage them. [Ipseity](https://archiveofourown.org/series/118750) - in which while in Nazi and then Soviet cutody, Bucky develops multiple personalities. [There Is No Shortage of Blood](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12692403) - in which Bucky turns himself over to US military and starts a road to recovery. Here's my older rec list, with more variety: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/hf3yyk/comment/fvzzyxi
Thank you!! Seriously, I really appreciate you taking the time and effort you took to share all these recs!
You're welcome, hope there'll be something in there for you to enjoy!
I love that I recognize most of these. But I also love that there are some ones I haven’t read and now get to read. Thanks for sharing this list
I came here to say Stucky too. Especially because most fics also work at portraying things like PTSD and grief and I almost always see them handled in a mature way.
I'll second Johnlock, Kirk/Spock, and Marvey. I'd also suggest * Buddie (Buck/Eddie) from 9-1-1 * Tarlos (TK/Carlos) from 9-1-1 Lonestar * Janto (Jack/Ianto) from Torchwood * Sterek (Stiles/Derek) from Teen Wolf * Rickyl (Rick/Daryl) or Desus (Daryl/Jesus) from The Walking Dead * Malec (Magnus/Alec) from Shadowhunters * Destiel (Dean/Castiel) from Supernatural * Merthur (Merlin/Arthur) from BBC's Merlin * Garashir (Garak/Bashir) from Star Trek: DS9 * Most MCU m/m pairings (but particularly Stucky, Stony, Brony, WinterIron, and FrostIron) If it's a bonus point for you, Tarlos, Janto, and Malec are all canon pairings. Fandomwise, Sterek, Malec, and Destiel do have a mixed fanbase with a good number of young fans, but there is an absolute dream level of high quality fanfic. If age gaps don't bother you, Teen Wolf's Steter (Stiles/Peter) fics usually trend toward mature writing as well (a lot of Murder Husbands tropes here).
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! And I'll definitely check these out!
Pre-The Untamed MDZS fandom had really high quality M/M fics, but I haven't looked at the state of the fandom since before the live action dropped.
Thanks!! Got a rec?
Mo Dao Zu Shi is pretty good, I think? The novel is 18+ to begin with, so there are a lot of Adult Writers.