My End-of-Year Fic Meme
Jan. 18th, 2012 04:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
therealsnapeI finally join the End-of-Year fic meme. Mostly, that would be because I ought to work on one of my 2012 fics right now.
The Stories
The Land of Memory
Black Knight Moves Forward
A Ministering Angel Thou
A Prewett Always Pays Her Debts
Carpe Diem
Time Remembered
The reasons there were just six of them
A paper I co-wrote with the wonderful![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kellychambliss and tetleythesecond for Diacon. The research and writing took quite a lot of time, which is why I decided not to do any fests from Beholder till after the conference.
Modding![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
hoggywartyxmas, since the mod-posts take up quite a bit of time, too. But they’re such fun to write!
Some Stats
There’s not much point to doing stats on just 6 stories, of course. But since procrastination is such a wonderful part of LJ life, stats is what you’ll get.
Pairing Stats:
50% femslash
33% het
17% gen (with two backstories, one het, one f/f)
Nicked Titles Stats
33% Original titles (well, that’s ‘original’ strictly in the sense of ‘not nicked’)
66% Nicked titles, of which 2 from poems, 1 from a song, 1 saying.
Self-Aggrandizement Stats
100% stories made it to the rec-letterquibbler_report (*waves at flisty who is editor*)
33% stories made it to hot recs
33% stories made it tocrack_broom
Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?
Given that I had decided to go easy on fests until Diacon, it was more or less what I expected. Except for A Ministering Angel Thou which just happened when I sawsquibstress’s delightful prompt, and A Prewett Always Pays Her Debts which never should have happened in the first place. *shakes fist at US women football team*
Where did you publish/archive your stories?
On LJ (with DW as backup, whenever I remember to back up my LJ content). And on FF net.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in December 2010?
I never thought I would write a story from Filius Flitwick’s point of view. Especially since, to my mind,tetleythesecond has written the ultimate Flitwick story with Amor Vitae . But there he suddenly was, insisting that the story of the Heads of House and the friendship between them should be told from his POV. Offering his diaries as source material as well. So what could I do?
What’s your favourite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.
Time Remembered. Once I had given in, writing Flitwick was great fun, and it was one of those stories that really pull together in the end. Several flisties have mentioned that, when a story works really well, the character almost writes itself, and that was what happened here. Filius’s voice became very real.
Okay, NOW your most popular story.
In terms of comments? That would once again be Time Remembered. But that’s because the Hoggywartians are so awesome. Black Knight Moves Forward did quite nicely, too.
Story most under-appreciated by the universe?
None. I’m really very lucky to be part of such a supportive group.
Story that could have been better?
Stats on stories that could have been better: 100%. For The Land of Memory I still don’t quite like the ending, but I’ve a feeling that adding more would simply lead to endless waffling. Now, I know that I waffle in all my stories, but I like to think that mostly it actually does lead somewhere, albeit by the most touristic of routes. Here it would just have been more. Not quite Pottermore, for Muriel does not spend the rest of her life pining for Albus; she has better things to do and quite a few women to pleasure, thank you very much. But still. It would have been more, not better.
Sexiest story?
In terms of writing enjoyment, I loved dressing Minerva as a Bubi in Carpe Diem. I also enjoyed undressing her later, and, being the annoying omniscient writer that I am, I knew all the time what she had hidden in those black trousers.
In terms of content, A Ministering Angel Thou. That’s pure PWP.
Most fun story?
Carpe Diem, hands on. Minerva’s rants on costumes just flowed automatically, and the fun in the costume shop was lovely, too. I even enjoyed the Peeves Moment. Minerva enjoyed it less, but into each life some rain (or a Peeves-joke water bucket) must fall.
Story with single sweetest moment?
I have a fondness for Filius when he puts wards on Filch’s broom cupboard, that the students may enjoy a bit of Christmas snogging there.
The story that made you cry?
I know too much about what Kelly Chambliss calls the nuts and bolts of the writing process to cry over my own stories.
Hardest story to write?
The Land of Memory. Unfortunately my characters read LJ, so they knew they were at liberty to be dysfunctional. By Merlin’s marital aids! They were the absolute pits. Babbling forever, not getting anywhere, obstructive as hell.
Easiest story to write?
In the beginning, there was the word Beholder. And I so wanted that story to be good, and I got nowhere with my characters. And had to do plotty things. After a spell of seriously considering bailing out, I decided to do it the Slytherin way. I searched the Hoggywarty 2010 prompts for suitable inspiration, and, as always, Kelly came to the rescue. Once I had decided on “SS/MM get a special assignment for the Order” I suddenly thought of the whole PS setup. How it was created by the teachers, and they both participated. And I decided to do a full-blown romance novel, since it had to be PG-13. So I started by draping Snape against the chimney and making him execute Regency bows, since both he and Mr. Rickman do that so very well. From there on, the actual writing of Black Knight Moves Forward was easy.
Most overdue story?
Black Knight Moves Forward. Because it took me so long to come up with a plot. And Land of Memory, because of the uncooperative beasts.
Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
I’m not really much of a risk-taker. I mostly tend to write what I enjoy writing. The one thing that was new, and an intentional challenge, was to write an action-scene for Black Knight Moves Forward. I mostly have dialogue-based stories, so I decided to go for an actual action scene with descriptions. Jolly difficult to get an overall view of the scene, and to get everyone in the right place, in a manner that is physically possible, especially since by that time Snape hadn’t yet learned to fly.
Do you have any fanfic goals for the New Year?
I want to participate in Beholder, in the Minerva_fest, and I hope to do a third run of Hoggywartyxmas. And there’s a WIP that I’d like to finish. Other than that, we’ll see.
Favourite summary:
I hate them all. Mostly, I tend to nick as much as possible from my prompts. [See also: Stats on Titles Nicked, and Easiest Story to Write.]
Favorite opening line:
In that ideal world inhabited by young people who consider a career as a Healer, patients do exactly what they're told, are properly grateful for the treatment they receive, and express that gratitude with a few well-chosen words. from A Ministering Angel Thou
Favorite closing line:
For now, that would do. from Time Remembered, because I wanted to leave the ending open, and that one worked really well for me.
Total word count: ca. 40,000
The Stories
The Land of Memory
Black Knight Moves Forward
A Ministering Angel Thou
A Prewett Always Pays Her Debts
Carpe Diem
Time Remembered
The reasons there were just six of them
A paper I co-wrote with the wonderful
kellychambliss and tetleythesecond for Diacon. The research and writing took quite a lot of time, which is why I decided not to do any fests from Beholder till after the conference.Modding
hoggywartyxmas, since the mod-posts take up quite a bit of time, too. But they’re such fun to write!Some Stats
There’s not much point to doing stats on just 6 stories, of course. But since procrastination is such a wonderful part of LJ life, stats is what you’ll get.
Pairing Stats:
50% femslash
33% het
17% gen (with two backstories, one het, one f/f)
Nicked Titles Stats
33% Original titles (well, that’s ‘original’ strictly in the sense of ‘not nicked’)
66% Nicked titles, of which 2 from poems, 1 from a song, 1 saying.
Self-Aggrandizement Stats
100% stories made it to the rec-letter
quibbler_report (*waves at flisty who is editor*)33% stories made it to hot recs
33% stories made it to
crack_broomLooking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?
Given that I had decided to go easy on fests until Diacon, it was more or less what I expected. Except for A Ministering Angel Thou which just happened when I saw
squibstress’s delightful prompt, and A Prewett Always Pays Her Debts which never should have happened in the first place. *shakes fist at US women football team*Where did you publish/archive your stories?
On LJ (with DW as backup, whenever I remember to back up my LJ content). And on FF net.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in December 2010?
I never thought I would write a story from Filius Flitwick’s point of view. Especially since, to my mind,
tetleythesecond has written the ultimate Flitwick story with Amor Vitae . But there he suddenly was, insisting that the story of the Heads of House and the friendship between them should be told from his POV. Offering his diaries as source material as well. So what could I do?What’s your favourite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.
Time Remembered. Once I had given in, writing Flitwick was great fun, and it was one of those stories that really pull together in the end. Several flisties have mentioned that, when a story works really well, the character almost writes itself, and that was what happened here. Filius’s voice became very real.
Okay, NOW your most popular story.
In terms of comments? That would once again be Time Remembered. But that’s because the Hoggywartians are so awesome. Black Knight Moves Forward did quite nicely, too.
Story most under-appreciated by the universe?
None. I’m really very lucky to be part of such a supportive group.
Story that could have been better?
Stats on stories that could have been better: 100%. For The Land of Memory I still don’t quite like the ending, but I’ve a feeling that adding more would simply lead to endless waffling. Now, I know that I waffle in all my stories, but I like to think that mostly it actually does lead somewhere, albeit by the most touristic of routes. Here it would just have been more. Not quite Pottermore, for Muriel does not spend the rest of her life pining for Albus; she has better things to do and quite a few women to pleasure, thank you very much. But still. It would have been more, not better.
Sexiest story?
In terms of writing enjoyment, I loved dressing Minerva as a Bubi in Carpe Diem. I also enjoyed undressing her later, and, being the annoying omniscient writer that I am, I knew all the time what she had hidden in those black trousers.
In terms of content, A Ministering Angel Thou. That’s pure PWP.
Most fun story?
Carpe Diem, hands on. Minerva’s rants on costumes just flowed automatically, and the fun in the costume shop was lovely, too. I even enjoyed the Peeves Moment. Minerva enjoyed it less, but into each life some rain (or a Peeves-joke water bucket) must fall.
Story with single sweetest moment?
I have a fondness for Filius when he puts wards on Filch’s broom cupboard, that the students may enjoy a bit of Christmas snogging there.
The story that made you cry?
I know too much about what Kelly Chambliss calls the nuts and bolts of the writing process to cry over my own stories.
Hardest story to write?
The Land of Memory. Unfortunately my characters read LJ, so they knew they were at liberty to be dysfunctional. By Merlin’s marital aids! They were the absolute pits. Babbling forever, not getting anywhere, obstructive as hell.
Easiest story to write?
In the beginning, there was the word Beholder. And I so wanted that story to be good, and I got nowhere with my characters. And had to do plotty things. After a spell of seriously considering bailing out, I decided to do it the Slytherin way. I searched the Hoggywarty 2010 prompts for suitable inspiration, and, as always, Kelly came to the rescue. Once I had decided on “SS/MM get a special assignment for the Order” I suddenly thought of the whole PS setup. How it was created by the teachers, and they both participated. And I decided to do a full-blown romance novel, since it had to be PG-13. So I started by draping Snape against the chimney and making him execute Regency bows, since both he and Mr. Rickman do that so very well. From there on, the actual writing of Black Knight Moves Forward was easy.
Most overdue story?
Black Knight Moves Forward. Because it took me so long to come up with a plot. And Land of Memory, because of the uncooperative beasts.
Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
I’m not really much of a risk-taker. I mostly tend to write what I enjoy writing. The one thing that was new, and an intentional challenge, was to write an action-scene for Black Knight Moves Forward. I mostly have dialogue-based stories, so I decided to go for an actual action scene with descriptions. Jolly difficult to get an overall view of the scene, and to get everyone in the right place, in a manner that is physically possible, especially since by that time Snape hadn’t yet learned to fly.
Do you have any fanfic goals for the New Year?
I want to participate in Beholder, in the Minerva_fest, and I hope to do a third run of Hoggywartyxmas. And there’s a WIP that I’d like to finish. Other than that, we’ll see.
Favourite summary:
I hate them all. Mostly, I tend to nick as much as possible from my prompts. [See also: Stats on Titles Nicked, and Easiest Story to Write.]
Favorite opening line:
In that ideal world inhabited by young people who consider a career as a Healer, patients do exactly what they're told, are properly grateful for the treatment they receive, and express that gratitude with a few well-chosen words. from A Ministering Angel Thou
Favorite closing line:
For now, that would do. from Time Remembered, because I wanted to leave the ending open, and that one worked really well for me.
Total word count: ca. 40,000
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-18 06:00 pm (UTC)I share your penchant for nicking titles and summaries; if it weren't for Rabbie Burns, much of my Minerva oeuvre would be untitled. The words you nicked were perfect for each of the stories.
What a lovely bit of procrastination you've provided; now I have to go back and re-read some of the stories!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:34 pm (UTC)I'm so glad your gift was everything you hoped for. I discussed it with Tetley recently, and I mentioned that the image of Poppy as the Plucky Patient who Does Not Complain struck such a chord - among those in a het-relationship. It's amazing, but you all (Lark, too) could really identify with Minerva's exasperation.
And quite frankly, there was an autobiographical element to that story ...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-18 10:40 pm (UTC)I so love the atmosphere/tone of your stories, your characters are always so lovingly brought to life....
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-18 11:57 pm (UTC)Nothing. You had to write it. I understand well the position you were in, and appreciate your commitment to primary sources. :)
Filius is so charming.
And Land of Memory, because of the uncooperative beasts.
I read "uncooperative breasts" for a moment, and wondered what the heck I'd missed in that story...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:31 pm (UTC)I adore the idea of uncooperative breasts. *ponders PWP possibilities*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 05:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 05:39 am (UTC)Filius’s voice became very real.
Yes, it did indeed.
I loved dressing Minerva as a Bubi in Carpe Diem. I also enjoyed undressing her later
And it should go without saying that your readers enjoyed it, too. But I'm going to say it anyway.
I love your list of upcoming fests.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:29 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked Filius and Bubi!Minerva. And I can't wait for
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 09:07 am (UTC)I love them all -- and let me give a special mention to (a) as always, your dialogue (and character voice in general), and (b) your subversive streak. The way you subvert nurse kink, the ministering angel theme, and Minerva's and Poppy's roles in general in A Ministering Angel is simply awesome, as is Bubi-Minerva. (But I have to confess that I have a little soft spot for pumpkin!Minerva as well).
The end of Time Remembered is perfect -- succinct and just the right kind of open, therefore powerful.
Two especially memorable scenes from your fics this year were Filius' musings on snow and the image of Minerva after the Peeves prank. Excellent use of one-liners there as well. "And as wet as a wet hen" *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:28 pm (UTC)I rather liked the idea of pumpkin!Minerva myself; I know she would have looked ravishing in that outfit. Still, I can't fault her for choosing the full evening dress.
Thanks for the lovely words!
Also ...
Date: 2012-01-19 07:47 pm (UTC)Do you think it is a sign of reading too much fanfic when one walks past a café called "Het Paleis" and is all miffed because there's no "Femslash Paleis"?
Re: Also ...
Date: 2012-01-20 12:52 pm (UTC)I think that if the flist does get round to buying that tropical island somewhere, we absolutely need a pub-cum-tearoom called Femslash Palace.