Still in writing mode, must do something useful today

[pensnest]

We finished watching Veronica Mars, season one, yesterday. Wah! When can I expect season two on DVD? Because wow! And where's the fanfic, please?

Anyway. Hmm. I seem to be stuck in 'thinking about fic' mode, and really ought to be doing useful stuff, like buying the Bun a small fridge, or finishing that pesky story I've been procrastinating over for months. Possibly, if I make all the related-to-writing posts today, I might be enabled to get on with stuff. So, the meme I've been pondering.



As I said in yesterday's post, I've written upwards of forty stories this year, so I'm not going to list them all here. They were originally posted in various places, mostly here in my LJ, or on sky_pie or fic_requests, and usually referenced in shinyandnew and/or fanfic100, so you've most likely seen them. All stories referred to are on the website, index is here. They're posted in more-or-less chronological order, for what it's worth.

My favorite story of this year: I - gah! I don't know! They're my babies! Or at any rate, I have several favourites, and for too many reasons to go into.

My best story this year: Hmm. Probably 'Merchandising', which is kinda sad since it was the first one. Alternatively, 'Thirteen Years and Counting'. But is my opinion the one that counts?

Story most underappreciated by the universe, in my opinion: 'Fantasies', a Joey masturbation fic, written for Ephemera but I don't think read by anyone else. Pity, cos it's quite clever.

Most fun story: 'Merchandising'. Most of what I write is fairly frivolous, but I don't think this one has serious competition.

Most sexy story: At a guess, 'Fettered': because of the blindfold, the reader has to contribute a lot of imagination. Cunning, eh!

Story with the single sexiest moment: I don't know if I even do 'sexy moments'. Wish I did, but...

"Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story: 'Justin Junior'. Wrong in so many ways. Most wrong, probably, in answering a fic request that was begging for Angst and H/C with something entirely and relentlessly tongue-in-cheek. I still blame the crack-and-typewriter people. You know who you are. You encouraged me.

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters: 'Round Dance', in which Justin did a few things that surprised me.

Hardest story to write: technically speaking, 'Round Dance', for the POV. But otherwise, probably 'WYSMNBWYG', which I wimped out on really, because it ought to have had a miserable ending and I didn't want to write one. Or, the Lance/AJ which I *think* I may be able to crack this year. Maybe.

Biggest Disappointment: 'Broken'. (That's probably not fair, but.)

Biggest Surprise: the Chronicles, I think. The first story was written in response to something at fic_requests, but it was a surprise to me that I liked the idea enough to continue, and that other people liked them enough to want more.

Most Unintentionally Telling Story: I really don't know. I don't know that there is one, really.

Writing aims in 2006:
Try to get more atmosphere into fics.
Fanfic_100 Seventy or so to go. Hmm.
Finish Chronicles.
Do the research. Finish Wallow. Assemble mega beta team and get it right. (meep)
Try to write an occasional story that doesn't involve Lance, just to make sure I can!

Comments

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I still blame the crack-and-typewriter people. You know who you are. You encouraged me.

You know, the way I remember things I woke up and you were writing that story in your notebook. So how did we encourage you? ;)

[pensnest]

Hey, you know me. Absence of screams of horror would could as encouragement...

[pensnest]

...would could - ? I probably meant 'would count'. Oh well.

[topaz119.livejournal.com]

I liked Broken--I thought you set the scene quite well, and followed through without wallowing in sentimentality, which of course, made it hurt just that much more. I started to do this meme for my own writing but then got lazy and just listed them. ;)

And I saw your post in sesa_discuss, and wanted to chat about it, but I don't participate in DNWOGA (it's a hideously busy time of year) so I didn't feel comfortable talking there, so I thought I'd hijack this post. ;)

I was thinking about your question about how far people go to satisfy their recipient, and I know I've tailored things for my recipients when I've done similiar swap-type challenges. The story I wrote for last summer's JuC Swap...there was um, spirited? debate amongst my betas and I about how far I should go for the end, how far was too hollywood, how far would blow the characterizations? In the end, I went more with what I knew my recipient would like (it didn't hurt that I shared her tastes in a lot of ways) and went for the big emotional moment. I think it worked out well, but the defining factor was that I knew my recipient well and I knew what she'd like.

Also, I'll loan you a spare Justin or JC, if you'll loan me your Lance. ;)

[pensnest]

I suppose in a way catering to the tastes of your recipient is like having to work from prompts etc in a different kind of challenge.

Someone (nopseud, I think) made the point that what people write isn't necessarily what they like to read - so being able to judge a recipient's taste may well be a result of having an actual relationship with the recipient, or the recipient giving really good guidelines. It's useful to have a beta who knows the recipient, I think!

Also, I'll loan you a spare Justin or JC, if you'll loan me your Lance Ahaha! A fine plan! I've been writing so much Lance, since signing up for fanfic100, that I have started to think I really *must* do something from at least someone else's POV soon. Hmm.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

I really liked Broken - it's painfull and beautifully done.

[pensnest]

It's strange - having actually reviewed the story, I can't remember why I put it down as a disappointment (and yes, it was only yesterday, but then, I had a Cramp dream this morning - truly! - so clearly my mind is going). I got what I was aiming for, which was strong emotional reaction. So - ? Anyway. Yes - thanks for the feedback!

[madame-d.livejournal.com]

For some reason, there's very little VM slash out there. People are all about the LoVe (which, while I don't mind, is still... bleh, het). I have most of slashfic (that, which I considered good) in my memories, but here are some links:

* geneli4 has a Weevil/Logan ficlet on her site

* iconis is doing fanfic100 with Weevil

* veronicamarsfic is one of the comms; fic_from_mars is another.

[pensnest]

Thank you so much for the links! I can perfectly understand the LoVe thing, but would have expected a smallish explosion of Weevil/Logan stuff, from the way they talk to each other. [icon love!] The only problem now (as my Bun has already discovered, bless her impatient little heart) is that there'll be all kinds of Season Two spoilers. Can't be helped.

[madame-d.livejournal.com]

Fics posted to vmfanfic are required to mention spoilers, if any, and most of the stuff in my LJ memories was written either during S1 or during the summer, waiting for S2, so you should be safe.

As for the icon - thank you! *preens* Genee made it *hearts it madly*

I have two more from her:



That I need to rotate in at some point.

And oh, S2? Needs more Logan/Weevil, damnit*.

}:)

*Always.

[pensnest]

Excellent news about the spoilers. Oh dear, I can just *feel* a new obsession forming.

More Logan/Weevil. Yes. The way those two talk to each other - ah, Bun and I were giggling happily as our menfolk sat, oblivious.

Yep - very nice icons. I shall have to seek out some VM pictures and produce some for myself.

[madame-d.livejournal.com]

I honestly didn't plan on having a boy OTP on that show. Kristen Bell has so much chemistry with all her male costars that I would've been perfectly happy with some het pairing. But then, yes. Logan/Weevil, and Jason and Francis are close friends in real life, apparently, so that helps their case tremendously.

Do you know of Television Without Pity? They do really funny and snarky recaps of the shows and that link is for VM. You'll need to sort it to show you all episodes, and yes, it will tempt you with 10 episodes of this season, but it's great.

Also, there's this:

[pensnest]

Excellent link - I've just looked at one of the eps up there, and it's a very nice commentary. And I love the pic!