Feature: What Makes This Fic Different From All Other Fics?

Every year on Passover, those of us who are down with the tribe come together for a seder feast. Part of that ritual is asking a set of 4 questions that challenge us to think about why *this* night is different from all other nights.

I think that way about fics sometimes - what makes this story different from all other fic? Is it just that's it's new or updating at the moment? Is it truly unique or just unique to me, given what I've previously read?

In my sidebar recs I've created a category for stories that I find to be original and brilliant in their execution. They are must-reads.  I've picked three of my faves and I'm going to try and boil it down to a few key reasons why these fics stand apart as particularly unique. Why are these fics different from all other fics?

The Blessing & The Curse by TheBlackArrow

Two people connected since childhood, a mother's last dying wish, a triangle where Bella must choose between the safe road and the uncertain yet passionate road. A great story with great characters, but what makes it truly unique...

• An original Edward/Bella dynamic - They are not just meeting for the first time. They have history, and a dark history at that. This Edward is mysterious and almost seems threatening in his power over Bella. She is fascinating as she fights their connection but is unable to resist his pull. This dynamic, by the way, all makes for some CRAZY hot UST. Ridiculously hot. 
• The way Black Arrow writes is fluid and Vivid with a capital V. It is like a painting or a movie that I'm watching in my mind. I can't say enough about how much I fall in love with her writing with every chapter I read.

Becoming Bella Swan by BellaFlan
This fic sets a whole new standard for unique.

• BellaFlan serves up total mindfuckery in this brilliant and intriguing way. She plays with canon and leaves you questioning what is real. 
• She introduces us to the original character of Isabella Flanagan (or she's at least an original voice. we're not sure yet where the original character part ends and Bella Swan begins). Here's what I wrote when I nom'd BBS for Best Bella:  This Bella is the most hilarious, crass, filthy, and straight up COMPELLING in all of fanfic. She's seriously complicated but remains accessible through her funny-as-hell take on the crazy situations she encounters. 
• The author's execution of the story is at the root of this fic's success. Whenever I rec this fic I always find myself revisiting the question that baffles me: How in the hell does she meld a complicated mystery that straddles realities, with the filthy dirtiness of Isabella's mouth and her  fuckhot adventures? How is a mindbender so frickin funny?

Tropic of Virgo by in.a.blue.bathrobe

In this fic (which is in my alltime top 5), music goes way beyond just setting the mood of a chapter. Its use sets it apart from other fics.

As I say in the intro to my review of ToV:  In.A.Blue.Bathrobe incorporates lyrics and poetry and performance - all of which brings the characters' creative process to life and heightens the reader's understanding of who these characters really are.  The use of music takes this story well beyond the realm of the average high school fic.

Check out my review of ToV for a taste of one of my favorite scenes in all of twific. It also happens to illustrate how brilliantly in.a.blue.bathrobe's writing takes you inside the characters' experience of music.

The Blessing & The Curse, Becoming Bella Swan, and Tropic of Virgo, are just 3 of the hundreds of stories out there that exemplify the originality that keeps this fandom interesting. I'm constantly searching for fics that have a fresh characterization, or an original premise, or that tells a story in an inventive way.

Tell me what you think: What fics do you think are truly unique?