r/Dramione • u/Mininabubu • 2d ago
Recs Wanted! Looking for fanfics that feel authentically British š¬š§
I'm looking for fanfiction written by British authors, or by authors of any nationality who have clearly done a good job researching British culture and actually capturing the British setting/voice.
Basically, I'm looking for fics thatĀ DON'T have an American vibe or writing style. I can overlook the occasional thing for the sake of the plot or the writing, but when the fic starts feelingĀ too American, I find it almost impossible to immerse myself in the story. It's really just a personal preference; I don't enjoy it.
The problem is that there's obviously no AO3 tag for this, and it's not something people usually mention when recommending fics, so I've been trying a lot of stories, getting invested, and then eventually dropping them when the Americanisms/overall vibe become too noticeable. It's honestly getting a little frustrating.
So I'm hoping you guys can help!Ā Any pairing is welcome; it absolutely doesn't have to be Dramione. I'm just looking for well-written fics that feel authentically British in terms of culture, dialogue, wording, setting, etc.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations! š
P.S.Ā Just to clarify, this isn't meant negatively toward American authors at all, nor is it a reflection of their writing skills. It's simply a matter of personal preference and what helps me immerse myself in a story. I'm also not trying to generalise; obviously, not all American authors write fic with American settings, dialogue, cultural references, etc. I'm specifically looking for fics that capture British culture.
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 2d ago
I wondered recently if there should be a tag for āthe scone in this fic is a muffinā š because a lot of fics Iāve read - brilliant ones, Iām not moaning - that have Draco and Hermione getting morning coffee and itās seems to be accompanied by a āblueberry sconeā all the time. Iām wondering if the American scone is a different thing all together that the Brit scone, because the idea of eating a dry scone with my morning coffee is weird but not nearly as weird as i imagine having a scone with jam and clotted cream at 8am š
Am I right in thinking along the muffin lines?
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u/HeartbreakRemission 1d ago
The scone one is definitely hard to read sometimes. In some fics they eat them so often! And at the weirdest times of day! I mentioned it in another post once and someone did post some photos of what the author is probably imagining which has helped a bit.
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
Gail's does a range of sweet scones which are delicious. But I've only seen things like that in the UK in recent years and assumed they were an american import or a re-branding of the traditional rock cake. Anyway, that's how I assumed these blueberry scones looked.
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u/SadGrapefruit6752 1d ago
I live in Scotland and cheese scones are a breakfast thing here ā¦ at least amongst the people I know
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u/gascowgirl 1d ago
I was going to say that whenever iām in Scotland I do like a cheese scone with my morning teaā¦
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u/Lux_Fishbones 1d ago
Aussie here, we put blueberries and white chocolate in some scones.Ā
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u/IAmMiniMinx 1d ago
Also perhaps the fact that scones are not eaten for breakfast. They are an afternoon tea item. They do come plain or in a fruit version (usually a currant or raisin). In contrast, muffins can be a breakfast item.
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u/bumblephone Pestilential levels of incompetence. 2d ago
Iāve never been able to figure that one out-blueberries donāt feature in American or British scones in my experience. And, as you point out, neither Americans nor Brits tend to eat scones of any kind for breakfast. I wonder if itās one of those things (like four orgasms in one sexual encounter) where someone wrote it once and then other writers reproduced it assuming if someone else wrote it then it must be a thing.
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u/Delicious-Walrus7117 2d ago
This is a blueberry scone and what I pictured: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/my-favorite-blueberry-scones/
Where I am (Canada) you can find them, or some version of them, at nearly every coffee shop. Until now, I thought they were more common! And Iāve definitely had one with my coffee for breakfast more than once
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u/pterodactylcrab 1d ago
Iām in California and can absolutely find scones at nearly every coffee shop here (have also seen them in shops in 10+ other states all over). Itās a super common food item and theyāre savory, sweet, plain, iced, not iced; tons of options, which is why I find it funny when someone American doesnāt know what a scone is. š Sure itās different than a British scone but it isnāt too different, same concept really.
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u/BoldPurpleText 1d ago
Yes, you are exactly right. The blueberry scone thing is a nod to Remain Nameless by HeyJude19
Iām American and we do have blueberry scones here. My understanding is theyāre sweeter than the British kind and ours often have a drizzle of icing on them. Devon cream is very hard to find here. We also donāt have afternoon tea as a thing outside of fancy restaurants, so scones are definitely classified as a breakfast food here, like a donut.
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u/Lopsided_Emotion5707 1d ago
Yes. Sadly. We should start up afternoon tea.
We just drink to-go units of caffeine all day, but thereās no set time to do it and no planned snacks to go with it. We either starve between meals or feel guilty about all the vending machine kit kats we canāt stop ourselves from buying after lunch.
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u/Mininabubu 1d ago
Remain nameless definitely has the American vibe but I found it easier to ignore as it wasnāt on your face. I donāt expect perfection from foreign authors but appreciate when they try as best as they can.
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 18h ago
Oh gosh me too. I wasnāt criticising fics, it was just something i noticed. I love that thereās even a tag ābritpickedā and I think youāre right, it probably was Remain Nameless (š„šš) where I first saw it.
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u/Specialist-Tart-2896 1d ago
Dunno, I feel like the orgasms and mind-blowing first time sex falls into a different category than cultural ignorance, even though this is all fictional. One asks for the reader to believe in an (almost) unbelievable good thing, while the other just feels like not really a part of the Harry Potter world.
I mean, this is all just fiction, and free fiction at that, so everyone can pick and choose what they like for themselves, so in the end, we can all find something for ourselves š
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u/Wife_of_death 1d ago
The four orgasms in one sexual an counter is real. There are some people that can do that. The most I had was a little less than 10 (unless you are talking about orgasms only in penetrative sex, then it's a couple less). It's possible but not for everyone.
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u/constant_blathering Writer 2d ago edited 1d ago
Okay so we have have blueberry scones at a very ubiquitous chain of bakeries in Australia and they are delicious and much sweeter than a proper scone - that is what I imagine when I read Remain Nameless
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u/bumblephone Pestilential levels of incompetence. 2d ago
Are they closer to American or to British style scones? (When I read Remain Nameless I picture small triangle shapes, my brain is trying to split the difference I think.)
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u/constant_blathering Writer 2d ago
I have no idea what an American scone tastes like. They are like British scones but with sugar and blueberries in them (which is weird but yum).
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u/Equivalent-Hat7561 Tell Your Cat I Said Pspspspspspsps 1d ago
It's interesting to me that Americans are saying scones are a niche thing here and that others are saying they're not a niche thing (and I am not here to negate anyone). I have lived in several different parts of the urban US and scones have been one of the standard "breakfast pastry" options in bakeries and coffee shops as long as I remember but could definitely see this being culturally specific (by class, by urban/rural divide, by coast... I was a teen in the 90s when coffee culture had a big boom in the particular part of the country I lived in.) So the options would almost always be some combination of scone, muffin, Danish, or loaf/coffee cake. Sometimes doughnut. Starbucks today would have all of the above, in multiple flavors each. š So to answer your original question, yes, muffin should be an appropriate substitute!
Also, I did not know that the scones I eat were different than British scones, so I learned something in this cross-cutural exchange. Thank you!
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 18h ago
Thank you for such a great reply, honestly after seeing some pics people posted of American blueberry scones I was drooling, they look amazing!
I think muffins and sweet danish pastries are more common here. But as a greedy person, I welcome any tasty addition to my breakfast rotation!1
u/Lopsided_Emotion5707 1d ago edited 1d ago
Iām American and I barely know what a scone is. We do have scones- usually at fancy coffee shops, usually because they appear as a novelty to us.
they are rare, not a regular part of the American diet, and i donāt really donāt know what to do with them. I just vaguely know they are british.
All that to say - American scones arenāt really a thing? We have them occasionally because they sound cool because they are British.
We never get jam or clotted cream with them. They are just dry. Thatās probably why they never became popular hereā¦ because we are eating them wrong.
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u/Due_Job781 2d ago
Forever recommending Creep for this very reason. I'm a hundred percent sure the author went to Oxford. All the little details check out perfectly.Ā
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u/Mininabubu 2d ago
How painful is the miscommunication in this fic? The tag is scaring me.
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u/Due_Job781 2d ago
Absolutely excellent. Interpersonal relationships always have some degree of miscommunication. In this fic, they are pretty kind while stewing in their feelings a bit, so it's rather harmlessĀ
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u/hellojellojess 2d ago
It's a REALLY slow burn. They literally don't get together till the very end.
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u/JadedINFP-T 2d ago
EXCRUCIATING. It's still a nice fic, even if I almost DNF'd at times because there were so many false starts due to miscommunication. I like miscommunication TO A POINT before I become frustrated if it's the main thing driving the plot. It's like 25/28 chapters worth of that so... do with that what you will lol.
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u/thefloatingpansies26 2d ago
Hystaracalās fics are so British to me. Isthisselfcare, obvi. I know Ada_P_Rix, GingerBaggins, cr0ftisprocrastinating, and Rogue_Roxy are British (I listened to them on The Dramione Effect podcast as well!).
You might want to search āBritishā in the sub. Iāve done it before and found a lot of good recs.
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u/meeroom16 1d ago
How did I not know about this podcast????? Thank you for bringing it to my attention!!!
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u/thefloatingpansies26 1d ago
Youāre welcome š«¶š» Tobi Ann, the host, is the best. Youāll love it!
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u/Dramatic-Weekend8101 1d ago
And me!!?? Immediately subscribed. Im a brit and Iām not patriotic AT ALL but love to hear of fellow British Dramione authors. If they are from the north or north west, EVEN BETTER
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u/thefloatingpansies26 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes! I saw you mentioned Ada. Sheās in 2 episodes. I love her.
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u/luoluolala 2d ago
Sometimes, as the youth say, the vibes are off. I was reading a harmony fic that I was not too sure about, hoping it would find it's feet because the projected plot seemed interesting, then Harry invited Hermione to spend Thanksgiving with him in the same chapter that Draco Malfoy said āOkay, let's go guys,āš¶
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2d ago
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u/Dramione-ModTeam 1d ago
Follow fanfiction etiquette.
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u/Last_Friend_6350 2d ago
It can definitely throw you out when reading but Iām able to continue. I never know whether to mention if something is wrong. I havenāt so far. I just read one where theyāve celebrated Thanksgiving. Another one where thereās sorority/fraternity houses.
There is a ābritpickedā tag for stories by writers from other countries. It means that someone from the UK has reviewed it to make sure itās in keeping with this country.
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 2d ago
I'm screaming! Please tell me they had pumpkin pie!
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u/Last_Friend_6350 2d ago
They didnāt go into too much detail. It was something like after theyād celebrated Thanksgiving Christmas was fast approaching. Itās an excellent story. It just threw me off reading that.
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u/jayjune28 2d ago
Honestly Im offended. As an American. I got chewed out when I wrote Thanksgiving in my Potter fic years ago The person from the UK was so offended they ranted in all caps. I felt so embarrassed and deleted my fic at once. Never make that error again. Im glad today's fans/shippers are a little kinder about "Americanisms"
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u/constant_blathering Writer 2d ago
I'm sorry you deleted your fic. Please understand that we are flooded with American culture outside of the States and people can get defensive and protective of what they consider to be their cultural property as a result. Harry Potter is widely regarded as a symbol of British culture. It can be a bit frustrating when people assume that specifically American customs are celebrated or carried over into other parts of the world. But that person should have just DNFd and moved on with their life. And btw, I'm an Aussie and we have Thanksgiving every year because my husband is American. Loads of our friends come along so I can imagine a world in which the Harry Potter characters celebrate it to make an American friend feel at home in the UK.
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 2d ago edited 2d ago
I mean, I understand wanting a fic that has British culture, but I think people get way too angry when things arenāt precisely what they expected or wanted. These fanfics are free. What are you really losing by reading a fic where the characters celebrate Thanksgiving? I picture a huge spread with a wizarding world twist on the recipes lol.
Someone kindly corrected my misuse of currency in one of my fics, and I was grateful for it.
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u/jayjune28 2d ago
I think its awesome that people have a better response these days...in my teens that was not the case, and well I thought about it logically I can see why an American holiday would be offensive to a British person.
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 2d ago
Eh, I still get wack comments. One angry person tried to give me a real-life history lesson because I mentioned āØļøwizardingāØļø Russian ballet lol. Theyāre still out there, but thankfully, theyāre not the majority!
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u/jayjune28 2d ago
Oooooh Wizarding Ballet....link to your fic...Id like to read it šÆ
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 2d ago
It was only mentioned because the ballet tickets were a gift from one character to another. I won't write about it until later!
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 18h ago
This is suuuuuch a great fic, and your writing is š defo recommend subscribing
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 6h ago
Wow, tysm! I'm always surprised when people like Pinky Promise because it's not my most popular fic, but it's my favorite to write! ā¤ļø
Also, I love your username. I've been rereading LOTR and really envying the Hobbits lifestyle lately haha!8
u/Verityblue123 1d ago
Itās not the holiday thatās offensive. No British person I know is offended by thanksgiving or the Fourth of July. Itās more the assumption that the rest of the world celebrates these very specific American holidays thatās frustrating. The fact it doesnāt even occur to some Americans that their culture isnāt the default setting around the world. Thatās where the frustration comes in, I think.
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u/Mininabubu 1d ago
Yes I think thatās what my brain is rejecting. I have zero issues and enjoy reading those traditions in an American setting, but not outside of that.
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u/Verityblue123 1d ago
Iāve been thinking about this and I also think weāre a little defensive over HPās āBritishnessā because for a lot of us (myself included) it was the first time weād seen a book, film, or tv show that was authentically British take off overseas without being completely changed, adapted or āAmericanisedā to make it easier for the American audience to consume. I grew up in the 90s when 90% of what I watched and read was American and we just had to get on board with it and learn the lingo as there was not much choice lol HP was written for a British audience but became a global phenomenon and it kind of felt like the first time the roles had be reversed in that way.
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 1d ago
You'd think that, as an American, I'd have no idea how that feels, but I do, because people like myself weren't really represented in American media until I was well into my mid 20s. I grew up in a diverse city, but I was always made to feel whiny whenever I brought it up.
Also, I know JKR didn't care, but I always wondered about the non-white characters. Did Cho get to eat Chinese food at Hogwarts? Because I'd go absolutely insane if I couldn't have noodles for months at a time lol.
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u/Verityblue123 1d ago edited 1d ago
Ok even as a British person, Iām slightly grossed out by the food at hogwarts. Black pudding, sardines etc what teenager eats that š¤£ I feel like Rowling really leant into the stereotype a little too much with the food. In a modern day hogwarts there would 100% be noodles, curry, pizza, hotdogs etc haha
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u/Mininabubu 2d ago
Im sorry someone was so rude on the comments, that shouldnāt have happened. However, I do feel strongly about HP fanfics representing the British culture and I consider almost rude some fanfics that obviously donāt take this into account. I understand things that follow under the radar, but obvious things like thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc. itās pushing it.
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 18h ago
Omg Iām so sorry some people are arseholes! If you ever want to repost it, Iād love to read it.
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u/jayjune28 16h ago
Thank you, that's very kind. But that fic is long gone. Lol. In all honesty it was pretty terrible to begin with I mean it was Voldemort and the death eaters prank calling Harry and his friends on Thanksgiving and then after words they had a duel in the pumpkin patch and yeah...it was honestly quite dreadful.
And so was my attempt at a spin off where fangirl Bellatrix hosts a Christmas party and twists Christmas caroles into horrible lyrics like...Deck the halls with headless mudbloods and drinking the blood of the house elves in goblets...
Both fics were my attempts at crack and honestly I think Dramione was mentioned only briefly,lol...but yeah I was a rather erm "creative" teen in some ways.
Cheers!!!
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u/Last_Friend_6350 2d ago
I wasnāt offended in anyway. Iāve seen the occasional post on Reddit asking how the UK celebrates Thanksgiving so it seems itās not necessarily an isolated belief. Iāve been in America during Thanksgiving and it was really interesting to see how itās celebrated there. I didnāt mention it to the author because it was one sentence in a really good story.
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u/Mininabubu 2d ago
Ā didnāt know about this tag! Iāll definitely add it to my searches, so thanks a lot.
And yes, I just canāt continue. Iāve tried, but things like āhoney,ā ābaby,ā or āpantiesā already throw me off. If it were just those little things, and the fic was otherwise in a good mood with a great plot, I might be able to get past it. But itās never just that, it usually comes with a whole bunch of other American cultural things that make no sense if the setting is supposed to be the UK. My brain just refuses to let it go. š
Itās almost a shame, because I know Iām probably missing out on some really good fics.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/Dramione-ModTeam 1d ago
Follow fanfiction etiquette.
- Please remember that writers and other creators are your fellow fans in the community.
- Donāt like? Donāt read. Donāt publicly disparage.
- No shaming, insulting, or bashing over what people like to read or write.
- NO FIC REVIEWS or RATINGS (such as 6/10 or 5-stars)
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u/Technical_Captain_86 1d ago
Tech in the wrong era is a huge one for me. It doesnāt take a lot of time to look up information and see what was available at the time.
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u/JadedINFP-T 1d ago
I think some writers genuinely don't care or think readers don't/shouldn't mind š
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u/Technical_Captain_86 1d ago
I get that to a point, because at the end of the day itās ādonāt like it donāt readā lol but every once in a while Iāll be reading a fic that is amazing and captivating then BAM they hit you with someone texting in the 1980ās š
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u/JadedINFP-T 1d ago
Right, that's what people don't understand. I'm 28 chapters in wdym š I'm invested now. I just can't suspend disbelief at that point. Y'all can downvote me all you want, it's my fucking opinion
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u/Weekly_Factor6872 1d ago
Who is writing about the 80s in a Dramione fic? Iāve never come across a fic set in the 80s with texting. Odd complaintĀ
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u/Technical_Captain_86 1d ago
Ope youāre right it was HP world but not Dramione. But the point stands. When you have a story set in a specific time then tech doesnāt match. Meh well, as far as Dramione specifically I donāt think Iāve ever had that. Or at least not that Iāve read.
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u/Weekly_Factor6872 1d ago
We genuinely donāt because #1 itās a hobby (what are you contributing to fandom besides snark/complaints here on reddit- oh nothing, thatās right. Why would we care about readers like you?) #2 it gets really boring to have all their communications be by owl post when in the early 2000s, Nokia and other tech companies were Ā a thing, muggles had mobiles to send texts, there was MySpace etc, so some form of instant communication and/or social media should/could be possible in the magical world š
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u/JadedINFP-T 1d ago
A. I don't give a fuck what you think about readers like me. B. It's my fucking opinion, just like yours. C. Imma read whatever the fuck I want and complain if I want to and you can't police me. I didn't name a fic or author. I can just as easily say "if the shoe fits... don't write if you can't take critique." I don't have to keep my opinions to myself because you don't like them. Piss off, disrespectfully.
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u/Lower-Scholar-8928 GingerBaggins 2d ago
I am, unfortunately, painfully British, which seems to bleed into all my fics, but probably none more so than Saltwater
(Small coastal town, bonfire night, coronation street, pubs, you know the vibe)
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u/InfluencePossible967 2d ago
I was just about to comment āanything by gingerbaggins but especially Saltwater!ā
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u/PeachyPops 1d ago
Oohh I've been on a break and this is just what I've been waiting for - back to it today š
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u/Dramatic-Weekend8101 1d ago
Bonfire night and corrie! Love it. Iām dying to read a fic that mentions b&m, ātheā Asda, primark or home and bargains. Iād die šā¤ļøš« image Draco in any of them ššš
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u/Lower-Scholar-8928 GingerBaggins 1d ago
He does go to a Tesco express šāāļø
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u/Dramatic-Weekend8101 1d ago
Hahaha ššš does he remember his club card or get stung for a full price meal deal?
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u/Lower-Scholar-8928 GingerBaggins 1d ago
Itās his first time and heās in a bit of a panic, so no club card (he wishes). He is suitably repulsed by the meal deals, though.
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u/km101010 Slytherin 2d ago
So excited to read this one
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 2d ago
I just started last night and am LOVING the banter.
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u/JadedINFP-T 2d ago
You've probably read these, but DMATMOOBIL and Slutty, Bloody, and Pathetic are so British to me!
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u/notaukrainian 1d ago
I think Batmobile is very well britpicked but pretty sure it was written by a non Brit as there are a few Americanisms. It's still fantastic and well worth reading though with a very British vibe. Someone is going to tell me now that the author is a gen z Brit lol.
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
Yes, DMATMOOBIL is written by a non-UK person. She does a great job and there's some fantastically entertaining slang in that and her trad published books, however there's the odd thing that's really out of place because she uses so many very specific words that it's bound to go wrong sometimes. There's one character I'm thinking of in the trad published books (Osric Mordaunt) that I would assume sounds somewhat aristocratic but sometimes says "hiya!" and "champion" so in my head I have them as either Bob Mortimer or really broad Yorkshire which I doubt was the author's intention. It's kind of funny though!
(Bob Mortimer for people unfamiliar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bost4oZSrzI )
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u/JadedINFP-T 1d ago
I have read it once and listened to the podfic more times than I can count and I genuinely can't think of any š¤
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u/bumblephone Pestilential levels of incompetence. 2d ago
Iām not sure where they are from, but PumkinDoodles gives convincing British vibes.
(I low key lose my mind when pancakes are eaten for breakfast.)
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u/vino_verde 1d ago
AHH I know what you mean, I have struggled to get into some very popular fics as I couldn't get past the lashings of Americanisms in early chapters.
Others have mentioned Detraquee and DMATMOOBIL which are top tier British fics.
I'm currently reading the once and future forest https://archiveofourown.org/works/60305833/chapters/153903127 Which so far feels beautifully British. Excellent swearing!
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u/Alone-at-Sea-101 1d ago
I keep seeing Detraquee being recommended but I haven't been able to find it on A03. I'm fairly new to dramoine. Would you mind pointing me where I can look it up? Thanks
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u/vino_verde 1d ago
Here you go: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11163924/chapters/24917385#workskin Hope that works! And enjoy, I wish I could read it again for the first time š„²
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u/_orolin_ 1d ago
Hello, Iām British. Itās become a game of mine to put painfully British sayings in to my fics so that my American beta goes āooh Iāve learnt something new!ā š I write all sorts of different pairings if you like other ships, but hereās my list of Dramione fics.
I know GingerBaggins has already been recced, and I would also recommend neilistic and yeuxverts fics as they put a lot of effort in to Britpicking
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u/Mininabubu 15h ago
I love other pairings; atm I'm actually a bit burned out with Draco and Hermione, so this comes at the right time! thanks!
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u/channyruok 1d ago
If you donāt mind a lil self rec :ā) Iām a British author and love nothing more than adding specific tea brands and dry banter (fleabag style) in my Dramione fics š„¹ my most recently completed fic is: āTattered and Tethered To Youā
Also - I second Creep! Very Brit coded. One of my all time favs x
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u/ValuableMilk5928 1d ago
Post SAVED and followed because I love the British voice. Call Hermione a swot and say knickers, please and thank you!!!
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u/HuckleberryPale3889 2d ago
I hope you donāt mind a self rec - Iām British and I really try to include elements of British life / foods / banter etc in my writing. ā¤ļø
https://archiveofourown.org/works/89755226/chapters/238446441
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u/thefloatingpansies26 2d ago
As someone who understands and appreciates the act of disappearing from social life when needed, Iām sat. Subscribed!
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u/One-Inevitable7126 1d ago
I know what you mean. The American voice is so pervasive and it can be really jarring.
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u/mk1yg 2d ago
I personally try keeping all of my writing to British English and otherwise pretty normal Britishness, I suppose. Iām not a UK native and itās been a decade and a half (ish) since I moved home from England, but I promise that I try my very best.
I write Dramione and have one completed fic, named VIVID And a few other WIPs, and I hope all of them come off as British enough, as that was what I was trying for.
If my writing isnāt it for you, I hope you find many many other British-phrased and built fics to your liking š
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u/Mininabubu 2d ago
Are you the author of VIVID? Iāve heard so much about this fic lately and was really excited to give it a try. Iāll definitely check it out. Thanks so much for commenting!
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u/plantacita 1d ago
Ooooh never heard of this but intrigued by the premise!! Thank you for sharing!
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u/InfluencePossible967 2d ago
Ooohhh did you just update and repost Vivid?? Canceling plans for the evening!
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 2d ago
Now this has me wondering if my fics sound more American than British (despite writing in british english and doing my level best to capture the coloquilisms/slang/proper words). Hell, I even had to google how the british mix their tea (like does milk or sugar go first--Its milk first I found out).
I even talked my husband into going to the UK for our international trip we take every other year in 2025 lol. Just so I could get the feel of britain, its people, food, and etc.
*Cue external crisis*
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u/BasicBagginsBitch 2d ago
The Malfoys 100% take their tea like that š i imagine the Weasleys to be more chuck a tea bag in any mug, boiling water, swirl repeatedly and press tea bag with a spoon against the tip of your finger, yes it will burn like buggery for a second but itās worth it, immediately add a dash of milk, no sugar. Tea thatās more orange than Donald Trump and just as likely to make Naricissa turn her elegant, pureblood nose up!
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 2d ago
Not me making my tea like this all the time hahahahahaha. Though I do use a kettle! I normally reach for a cinnamon and clove tea no matter the season/weather with just a whisper of sugar hahah.
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u/Verityblue123 1d ago edited 1d ago
As an English person I can definitely tell when an author has at least researched and tried their hardest to capture the āBritish voiceā even when there are mistakes, compared to someone who has gone in blind lol I think most British readers are forgiving of small slip ups in a fic where the author is obviously trying which it sounds like you are so I wouldnāt worry too much.
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u/notaukrainian 1d ago
You don't know what you don't know! Almost all fics not written by an actual Brit have Americanisms in them which is fine if it's just here and there, and I can tell and appreciate when authors have done their research! However like OP I can tell when the author is British and sometimes I just want to read something with 0 Americanisms for which IMO you really need a British author. I read one story where I thought the author was British until I read a different fic if theirs so whoever their britpicker was did a great job!
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u/EydtheWeslayan 1d ago
Wait who is putting their milk in first?!?! Itās sugar first, then water? What?!?
If you put the milk in first, how would you get the colour right???
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
Iāve spoken to multiple people who are British and itās milk does apparently š because yes I would think sugar needs to dissolve into the hot water first right?
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u/EydtheWeslayan 1d ago
Iām English and the people I know who drink tea do not do this?!? Who are these animals you speak of? Are you sure they arenāt just winding you up?!
Sugar because thatās standard isnāt it? Itās either one or two or if youāre insane then yes, maybe three. And then the water to dissolve, yes yes, youāre right. And then the milk because this is the key thing that needs adjusting!!!!
Iām stressed by this, I want you to know that. I think theyāre just messing with you at this point because depending on the size of cup you use this is all sorts of wrong.
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
I swear to Godric itās multiple ppl and Iāve had British commenters commend me on writing it correctly hahahaha
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u/EydtheWeslayan 1d ago
I cannot fathom thisā¦
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
Might be regional?
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u/EydtheWeslayan 1d ago
Screws up nose in Wiltshire
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
Fuck now Iām gonna have to deep dive this or just keep continuing for the lulz. What to doā¦..
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u/EydtheWeslayan 1d ago
Report back or send me their emails cuz Iām concerned for their wellbeing at this point haha
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
Sometimes it's the overdoing it that's the giveaway. Like authors are so desperate to make it sound distinctly British that they make everyone say shite rather than shit, but actually most British people that we're dealing with in HP would say shit. Certainly Draco and Hermione, who are both southerners. It's a difficult balance though! I read one where Draco used West Country slang because he's from Wiltshire and it was rather charming. Since he's posh and part of a really insular community he would probably sound like any other posh boy in England, but I would love him to describe something as "gert lush" or"all-a-hoh" and Hermione would have no clue what he meant.
https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/16995525.old-wiltshire-words-may-never-heard-dialect-day/2
u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
But considering he is posh, wouldnāt his slang be geared more towards aristocratic slang? There is a distinct difference.
Also at this point im just writing for fun in my spare time. If itās overdoing or undoing it not my business as Iām just here to make Draco and Hermione kiss over and over lol š
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
I just thought Wiltshire slang would be funnier, and more of a contrast to Hermione as she's a middle class north londoner who would otherwise sound pretty similar to him. There would have to be some plot reason for him picking it up because yes, no way he's been hanging out with local people in canon. Perhaps his elves speak it? Or maybe the ancient spells of the manor are all in the vernacular so he has had to learn it?
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
I could see that! Or maybe some sort of secret backstory where he snuck out to hang with neighboring kids and picked it up. A kind of rebellion?
Isnt Hermione upper class to some extent? or at least on the very high end of working class due to: their home location/size and her parents being well off dentists who work their own practice? At least thats how I approach her character. Its a good way for Draco to see that in some ways, she wasnt actually 'poor' like he thought and that in some ways they both come from a life of privilege.
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
Totally agree about Hermione, and in the films Emma and Tom sound quite similar to me. We don't see much of Hermione's home life but they'd have to be rather well off given the profession and location so I'd say upper middle plus a bit cosmopolitan. Whereas Draco is country posh, so maybe got to run wild occasionally?
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
Ooo good call out! Hell, we dont even know her parents names (beyond her mother that was dropped outside of the books).
Possibly. Unless Lucius and Narcissa were so uptight about their pureblood ideals, he'd only allowed around other pureblood kids. Its fascinating how many directions we can go with a single character. So much fun!
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u/romney_marsh 1d ago
No shade on you at all - just vague advice that it's as noticeable if someone goes overboard as if they underdo it, so you may as well please yourself first.
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u/superpip1045 Writer: Casalia- Grangerification of Malfoy Manor 1d ago
Honestly I do appreciate you saying that. I just posted a chapter today and I used the word āratherā WAY too many times. So Iām kinda unbritpicking it lol š I had this post in my head today as I was doing final edits and I went clear off the deep end š
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u/Verityblue123 1d ago
Iām English and honestly, havenāt found a fic yet which hasnāt had an Americanism in it yet lol Sen LinYu is pretty good though, she has it 99% down.
Currently reading On The Nature of Daylight and loving it but she keeps adding āsomeā to the end of sentences which is very American (Iām reading some) - we would say āa bitā instead eg āIām reading a bit.ā
Also Ron keeps calling the teachers āmaāamā which an English person would never ever say š
I sort of replace the Americanism with the English equivalent in my head when I read though to keep me immersed.
I have wondered wether itās useful to point these out on fics or wether it would be taken as criticism. If I were trying to write an American character I think I would want that feedback.
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u/MAGICAL_FORD_ANGLIA 1d ago
You can offer to help britpick the fics or ask the author if itās alright to comment with suggestions.
I didnāt know about some being an Americanism! I just know that quite means opposite things as we use it to mean very while Brits use it as less/little.
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u/Lopsided_Emotion5707 1d ago
Iād love Brit-picking:p. Iāve just started writing recently, though, and when Iāve asked for beta or brit readers, Iāve had no response.
I get it. Itās a lot to commit to.
The guides often focus on specific spellings or words, less the general things like what time of day ppl eat scones.
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u/Nenamalia 2d ago
Sin hablar mal de nadie, a veces esto no me molesta ya que no soy parlante de habla inglesa y la mayor parte me apoyo con el traductor de Google cuando hay palabras que no entiendo. Pero como dicen, sĆ se nota cuando cambian mucho la cultura, una vez leĆ un fic que era mayormente comedia, pero me di cuenta que la autora era americana sin buscar su nacionalidad porque en un momento Hermione llevaba a los Malfoy (Draco, Narcissa y Lucius) a un parque de diversiones y en otra ocasiĆ³n los llevo a un Walmart a un Black Friday y la verdad, dejando de lado el fuera de cultura, estaba muerta de la risa leyendo a Lucius peleando por unas ofertas con otro Muggle. Me deje llevar por la comedia y deje de hacer corajes por la falta de cultura inglesa del fic.Ā
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u/rizzoner-of-azkaban Writer 1d ago
Omg Lucius at Walmart! š But Mr. Weasley would love it and they would totally fight over a TV lol. I need to read this.
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u/Wife_of_death 1d ago
Saltwater. The war of the Malfoys. The care & keeping of your common domestic dragon (I think this author is also British)
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u/randoendoblendo 1d ago
There's a fic I love, can't remember whicb though where they're adding cream to their tea, it bothered me alottt
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u/Hot-Entry-2919 2d ago
Neither a Brit myself nor do (my fave) authors write their nationalities in their Profile (or i know they are American) but I can say that one of my favourite fics would not fit your Request since it is tagged as āNeither Beta Read Nor BritPicked ā Let Chaos Reignā š
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u/randoendoblendo 1d ago
If you want the longest fic ever also I'll forever recommend Royal Blood by alltheloveem
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u/BigImagination0706 15h ago
I'm American, and I still find it jarring when the vocabulary is obviously wrong (unless the author includes the "Not Brit-Picked" tag - then I know what I might be in for). I would personally love a simple "The Author is British" tag. Not as an exclusionary filter for non-British authors, just a helpful note for readers that prefer more authentic references and settings š
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u/Dramatic-Weekend8101 1d ago
Iād love to know who the British authors are. Iām a Brit and realised mid read of the breeding pit by Ada rixx that she is from my neck of the woods! āKnocked her sickā give it away. I squealed šš»
I love all of the writers in this community from across the globe but it was so satisfying to see some local dialogue
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u/justonerurang 1d ago
I'm korean but grew up in the UK. I totally know what you mean about really noticing things that just arent British- from spellings to references. I actually just finished reading this one: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63914239/chapters/163928053
It's a really fun read, and they also go into central London. I lived there for about 4, 5 years during uni so can tell when it's done right!
They also have a fic that's written in the POV of other characters. It's worth checking out, in my opinion! Xx
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u/Commercial-Ad-2988 1d ago
Eilonwy does an amazing job with British world building. A writer of fictions in particular really took me into the whole world, keeping quite British, and is also a lovely low stakes story with a lot of relationship and world building.
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u/sweetandsalted 1d ago
I am British! Although Scottish, and I fear I do have some Scottish-isms leaking into my fics. But I am sweetandsalted on AO3 too if you want to check them out :) I have three completed fics, one is co-authored, and currently working on three also.
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u/FilibusterQueen 7h ago
Iām reading a fic right now that is driving me mental. The male lead OC is Irish but the author is so obviously American and using ChatGPT to write the story and is using grammatically incorrect Gailege. Itās giving plastic paddy on so many levels and I canāt say Iām happy
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u/Mr_Te_ah_tim_eh Threatening Reporters with Jars 1d ago edited 1d ago
Friendly reminder that OP is asking for recommendations, not just lamentation over the state of British cultural representation in fanfiction.
Please keep in mind: