Year In Writing Review
Jan. 2nd, 2014 09:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
konstantyaTotal Fic Wordcount for 2013: I am bad at keeping track of this, but I'm going to guestimate somewhere around 30,000? Maybe closer to 35,000?
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
About what I expected, I guess, but still a bit less than I wanted to.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2013?
Fandom-wise, The Merry Gentleman (which is a very quiet indie drama that came out a few years ago, starring Kelly Macdonald and Michael Keaton, and I haven't actually finished the fic yet, but I have a good 1500 words written, so I think it counts here?). It's not that I wasn't aware of it back in January or anything, it's more that after I initially saw it, nothing about it niggled at me the way other media has done (which has always been the case in previous fandoms--usually it's a very immediate, visceral desire to explore something further). Even now, I still don't think it really needs anything, fic-wise, but after rewatching it a few days ago, I found myself wanting to spend more time with these characters all the same (and the ending is left open as hell, so).
Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
I did a little fic prompt and wrote something I never would have on my own, which got me out of my comfort zone for 122 words? XD In truth though, this year wasn't that risky (unfortunately?).
Do you have any fanfic or pro-fic goals for the New Year?
I definitely want to finish the Driving Circles Around Me Arc. (I had hoped to finish and post the fourth installment before the year was up, but the holidays got in the way.) Beyond that, there is a part of me that would still like to finish Forward and Reverse, this mythical 1848-1867!AustriaxHungary fic I've been talking about for about four years now, if only because it's about 75% (if not more) done, and it seems a shame to let it languish on my hard drive when it's that close to being finished. But all the history involved makes it a very difficult fic to write, unfortunately.
From my past year of writing, what was…
My Favorite Story: Ooh, this is hard. I really liked a lot of what I wrote this year. I guess it would be a tie between Masquerade (AustriaxHungary and Chibitalia FTW!) and Till I Wake Your Ghost (since that's what kicked off my Escaflowne fics in the first place).
My Best Story: Does my unfinished fic for The Merry Gentleman (working title, Let Nothing You Dismay) count? Because I really like the way that one's shaping up. No? Okay, then I guess I'll pick Till I Wake Your Ghost. I thought the pacing and wording and pretty much everything in that fic was really strong.
Story Most Underappreciated by the Universe: The King and I. Where my AmericaxHungary shippers at??? Nah, I'm kidding. For a really short rarepair fic, I feel it got a decent amount of attention, so I can't complain too much.
Most Fun: Either The King and I (because of the aforementioned AmericaxHungary action--AusHun might be my Hetalia OTP, but AmerHun is a lot more fun and a lot less angsty), or else Our Roads To Run About (because DRYDEN).
Most Surprising: Aforementioned Merry Gentleman fic, because, again, I really never expected to want/need to write something in that fandom. (Not that it really has a fandom to speak of, but, well, you know.)
Most Disappointing: Hmm... I actually quite liked all the fics I posted this year. I guess The Blaze Across My Nightgown might count (the next fic in the Driving Circles Around Me Arc), simply because I really wanted to have it done back in, like, October, and that didn't happen. RL got in the way, and my inspiration kind of went with it. But things should calm down this month, so here's hoping that helps.
Sexiest: As Long As We're Going Down, hands down. ;D
Sexiest Single Moment: The little sniping Eries and Folken do during sex ("You're enjoying this," etc.) during As Long As We're Going Down.I think I have a thing for snarky sex.
Hardest to Write: The Blaze Across My Nightgown, if that counts. It's a rather angsty, emotionally-exhausting piece (and a rather long one, to boot, at 5,000+ words), and it's also where Eries's and Folken's relationship finally shifts to something physical, which always makes me agonize. Like, am I doing this correctly? Is this change in their relationship believable? Those are the questions I always ask myself when something like this comes up in my writing. Bleh.
Easiest to Write: As Long As We're Going Down and Our Roads To Run About both came crazy easily (I think I pounded each of them out in about a week?--which is really fast for me). The King and I, too, once I decided to keep it short. (And here's where I note that these are also the three shortest fics I wrote this year, hah.)
"Holy crap, that's wrong even for you" Fic: Aww, I actually don't think I have one of these this year. Sadface.
Fic That Shifted My Own Perceptions of the Characters: Till I Wake Your Ghost. And maybe it's not so much that it shifted my perceptions about the characters, but more that it really helped me solidify my view of Eries? It's hard to say. I tried to elaborate here, but it was getting long and unwieldy, and is really the sort of thing that should go in a head-canon post. Which I would still like to write one of these days, so.
Most Unintentionally Telling: I don't know, maybe Masquerade? I'm always at a loss when it comes to this question.
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
About what I expected, I guess, but still a bit less than I wanted to.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2013?
Fandom-wise, The Merry Gentleman (which is a very quiet indie drama that came out a few years ago, starring Kelly Macdonald and Michael Keaton, and I haven't actually finished the fic yet, but I have a good 1500 words written, so I think it counts here?). It's not that I wasn't aware of it back in January or anything, it's more that after I initially saw it, nothing about it niggled at me the way other media has done (which has always been the case in previous fandoms--usually it's a very immediate, visceral desire to explore something further). Even now, I still don't think it really needs anything, fic-wise, but after rewatching it a few days ago, I found myself wanting to spend more time with these characters all the same (and the ending is left open as hell, so).
Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
I did a little fic prompt and wrote something I never would have on my own, which got me out of my comfort zone for 122 words? XD In truth though, this year wasn't that risky (unfortunately?).
Do you have any fanfic or pro-fic goals for the New Year?
I definitely want to finish the Driving Circles Around Me Arc. (I had hoped to finish and post the fourth installment before the year was up, but the holidays got in the way.) Beyond that, there is a part of me that would still like to finish Forward and Reverse, this mythical 1848-1867!AustriaxHungary fic I've been talking about for about four years now, if only because it's about 75% (if not more) done, and it seems a shame to let it languish on my hard drive when it's that close to being finished. But all the history involved makes it a very difficult fic to write, unfortunately.
From my past year of writing, what was…
My Favorite Story: Ooh, this is hard. I really liked a lot of what I wrote this year. I guess it would be a tie between Masquerade (AustriaxHungary and Chibitalia FTW!) and Till I Wake Your Ghost (since that's what kicked off my Escaflowne fics in the first place).
My Best Story: Does my unfinished fic for The Merry Gentleman (working title, Let Nothing You Dismay) count? Because I really like the way that one's shaping up. No? Okay, then I guess I'll pick Till I Wake Your Ghost. I thought the pacing and wording and pretty much everything in that fic was really strong.
Story Most Underappreciated by the Universe: The King and I. Where my AmericaxHungary shippers at??? Nah, I'm kidding. For a really short rarepair fic, I feel it got a decent amount of attention, so I can't complain too much.
Most Fun: Either The King and I (because of the aforementioned AmericaxHungary action--AusHun might be my Hetalia OTP, but AmerHun is a lot more fun and a lot less angsty), or else Our Roads To Run About (because DRYDEN).
Most Surprising: Aforementioned Merry Gentleman fic, because, again, I really never expected to want/need to write something in that fandom. (Not that it really has a fandom to speak of, but, well, you know.)
Most Disappointing: Hmm... I actually quite liked all the fics I posted this year. I guess The Blaze Across My Nightgown might count (the next fic in the Driving Circles Around Me Arc), simply because I really wanted to have it done back in, like, October, and that didn't happen. RL got in the way, and my inspiration kind of went with it. But things should calm down this month, so here's hoping that helps.
Sexiest: As Long As We're Going Down, hands down. ;D
Sexiest Single Moment: The little sniping Eries and Folken do during sex ("You're enjoying this," etc.) during As Long As We're Going Down.
Hardest to Write: The Blaze Across My Nightgown, if that counts. It's a rather angsty, emotionally-exhausting piece (and a rather long one, to boot, at 5,000+ words), and it's also where Eries's and Folken's relationship finally shifts to something physical, which always makes me agonize. Like, am I doing this correctly? Is this change in their relationship believable? Those are the questions I always ask myself when something like this comes up in my writing. Bleh.
Easiest to Write: As Long As We're Going Down and Our Roads To Run About both came crazy easily (I think I pounded each of them out in about a week?--which is really fast for me). The King and I, too, once I decided to keep it short. (And here's where I note that these are also the three shortest fics I wrote this year, hah.)
"Holy crap, that's wrong even for you" Fic: Aww, I actually don't think I have one of these this year. Sadface.
Fic That Shifted My Own Perceptions of the Characters: Till I Wake Your Ghost. And maybe it's not so much that it shifted my perceptions about the characters, but more that it really helped me solidify my view of Eries? It's hard to say. I tried to elaborate here, but it was getting long and unwieldy, and is really the sort of thing that should go in a head-canon post. Which I would still like to write one of these days, so.
Most Unintentionally Telling: I don't know, maybe Masquerade? I'm always at a loss when it comes to this question.
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no subject
Date: 2014-01-03 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-03 04:33 pm (UTC)But yes! You should totally watch The Merry Gentleman!
If only so I have someone to talk about it with. Plus, I always like reading your reviews, so it would be neat to hear your thoughts on it.I certainly wouldn't call it a "light" film, but nor do I think it's as emotionally harrowing as the premise might make it sound. It's a very quiet film--more of a character/relationship study than anything, I feel. I would even go so far as to describe it as "soft," despite how the story itself revolves around some pretty grim things.no subject
Date: 2014-01-04 02:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-04 08:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-04 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-04 10:52 pm (UTC)Part of me really loves how image-oriented tumblr is, but another part of me almost finds it...tedious? I guess I just long for the heyday of LJ, back when it was the place for fandom.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-05 03:49 pm (UTC)Periodically I think I should get a tumblr, but I think I would find it frustrating, because it's very clunky for the things I want to do with fandom - like have conversations like this. It does have a lot of nice pictures, but Pinterest works much better for keeping all my pictures in one place.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-05 10:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 03:02 am (UTC)Do people read (or, perhaps more importantly, comment on) Escaflowne fic on AO3 or ffn, or is Tumblr the only game in town?
no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 07:24 pm (UTC)Tumblr's actually terrible for Escaflowne fic. But you get a decent amount of pictures (even some fanart), the occasional meta/head-canon post, and a good amount of people proclaiming their love for the series, at least. There's a sense of activity, even if there isn't actually that much fanwork being produced. FFN's probably the best place for fic, but even that only sees a few posts per month. I've been lucky enough to get a good handful of reviews on the stories I've posted, and so can't really complain in that respect, but it would be nice if there was more fic in general being produced. But then again, it's an old fandom, and I got into it super late, so, you know, what can you expect?
no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 09:50 pm (UTC)