(no subject)

[thisbluespirit]

For the year of 2009:

Fics Completed:

I was going to do links and then realised how long that would take me. (See here for my Masterlist)

DW
Five Times the Brigadier and Liz Shaw Saved the World (which I see I posted on 1/1/09!)
Ten Times the Doctor (Almost) Got Hitched (most recent...)
Just Another Day
Field Trip
A Monumental Incident
The Polly Effect
Five Times Polly Patched Up Ben
How the West Was Lost
Ego Clash
This Perilous Grace
Topping!
Fallen
On the Highway
Out of Body Experience
A Row (or Two)
Mistaken
The Oddest Couple
TTR: Blind Date
Passing Angels
Afternoon Matinee
UNIT fics - Transition, Strange Weapons, Lonely House, Stardust and The Great Mince Pie Mystery
How to Save a Life (ish)
A Gallifreyan at Blandings
The Founding
Love & Science
Carrying On
Crossover meme stories - A Rough Portrait in Black and White, Under Arrest, Of Antiques and Aliens, A Rose and A Thief, In the Line of Duty, Desperate Measures
Happy Endings - Double Take, Robophobia (And How To Cure It), Of Tea and Etiquette, Remnants, Princess, Android, Time Lady?, A Garden on Gallifrey
(Plus assorted drabbles)

Other
Crossover meme - Trespassing, Offer of A Lifetime, Conversations from Whitbury Leisure Centre
Yuletide NYRs - The Ingenuity of Madame Edith, Once Upon a Dream, Promises
Idle Conversation
Happy Ever After Is Not The Problem
Calculations
Grief, Observed
Blake's 7 - Games, Hell's Gate
Late Night, Thames House

Fics (multi-chapter) Started or Continued:

Winged Shadows
The Devil Is A Gentleman
Troublesome Bones

Total: *is very sheepish* 58
(With 1 TTR, 3 from ficathons, 2 B7friday challenges, 4 Random Pairing Generator Prompts)

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

A lot more.

Where did you publish/archive your stories?

Mostly Teaspoon, occasionally here, some on Yuletide and some non-Who ones on fanfiction.net.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2009?

Everything from that last meme, for a start. But I never expected to write Six/Rose, cakefic with naked!Ten chained to Three, Polly/Andred, all those Leela ones, especially Leela/Litefoot and Leela/Colby. Nor did I ever expect to try anything vaguely Arthurian, or that I would become a B7 fan, and I swore I'd never ever do something as foolish as writing a post-Last Battle Susan fic. And that I'd also never attempt aping Wodehouse. Or Hex/Martha. And, really, you know, I thought UNIT was a bit boring, to be honest. I mean, other than the Brigadier and co... :lol: So, not the year I'd have predicted, all told.

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.

That's difficult. A Gallifreyan at Blandings because it just about came off (P G Wodehouse! What was I thinking?), Grief, Observed, because it was something different (but I'm also ashamed of it because of the not wanting to write it, dreaming it and then there's the whole whopping plagiarism issue). Possibly, actually, truthfully - Robophobia (And How To Cure It). I think I've had a secret urge to write that for 12 years.

Okay, NOW your most popular story.

I think A Row (Or Two) wins out. (Reviewed 15 times, recced on calufrax, nominated for the smith awards and producing new Evelyn fans. Erm. And I wrote it in about an hour and a half; let's brush over that...) *whistles*

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

Erm. I think I'm lucky to get any kind people who will read and write some of the things I come out with. Look at the amount of it and all! *rolls eyes* Well, I get a lot less reviews when I do radical things like writing stuff that isn't DW. I suppose A Rough Portrait in Black and White (the Turlough/Charlotte Lucas meeting) got a lot less reviews than most things, but its recipient liked it. I liked it...

Story that could have been better?
All of them, especially: This Perilous Grace, Of Antiques and Aliens, UNIT: Stardust, The Devil Is A Gentlemen (I know it's not finished, but I just reread ch1 and 8-o. Eek.) Afternoon Matinee and How to save a Life (Ish).

Sexiest story?

Ha ha ha ha.

Most fun story?

How The West Was Lost. I rewrote Carry on Cowboy with the Brigadier and Three in it. How could that ever not be fun?

Story with single sweetest moment?

Judging by reader response that would be the Harry/Sarah Happy Ending 'Double Take'... with the Polly/Ben Five Times fic coming up close behind.

The story that made you cry?

Grief, Observed. (I dreamt it and woke up in tears - does that count?) I suppose Lonely House did, but that was more due to rl than the story.

Hardest story to write?

The Ingenuity of Madame Edith. For one thing, trying to write Allo Allo is not a sane course of action. Silly plottiness, then whether or not to include the accents - and it was for NYR and the recipient didn't want Rene in it much. That's harder than it sounds. And they wanted femslash. Luckily, the one good thing about Allo Allo is that bit was incredibly easy because there are always random and inexplicable edclarations of love going round.

Easiest story to write?
A Row (or Two). Like I said.

Most overdue story?
The Devil Is A Gentleman.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
See above for all the things I didn't think I'd ever write. And I wrote non DW things - retelling of a fairy tale, outright comedy in the Allo Allo fic, How The West Was Lost and the Blandings fic, angst in Grief, Observed and something hopefully a bit more realistic (ish) in UNIT: Transition.

Do you have any fanfic goals for the New Year?
Finish the WIPs. Stop with the obsessive UNIT OCs fic. Write less than that next year??

More specific goals:
Finish Winged Shadows (the DW/Angel cross) by Christmas.

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

58? You think THAT's bad?! Geez! I've probably written double that! (I'm not doing this meme until the end of the year since I'm working on several Holiday fics right now!)

Anyway, I've enjoyed pretty much every story of yours that I've read (ESPECIALLY Hex/Martha, dammit!) and some I've adored, so there!

[thisbluespirit]

:lol: Yes, true!

Mind you, I did forget the 'missing scenes' and AU I did a couple of weeks back...

And, aw, thank you. I'm still all behind with reading everyone else's, including some of yours. The ones that are okay for the sadly squeamish like me to read, anyway!! ;-)

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Mind you, I did forget the 'missing scenes' and AU I did a couple of weeks back...

Dear me!

And, aw, thank you. I'm still all behind with reading everyone else's, including some of yours. The ones that are okay for the sadly squeamish like me to read, anyway!! ;-)

The ones I've posted lately haven't been X-rated - the two I posted last week were teen-rated...

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, that's what I meant. I saw them go by and I'm still trying to catch up on john_elliott and jjpor's latest; I still haven't even read all of dbskyler's Turn Left... Oh dear. I'll have to catch up some time!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

TBH, and without meaning anything nasty towards dbskyler, I'd hold off on catching up with her 'Turn Left'-ish fic since she did promise to update again soon, as it means you'll be more update when she does. I need to re-read (again!) what she's posted so far...

[thisbluespirit]

So, I should definitely catch up with you next then? :lol:

Heh, I know what you mean. She is doing that fic rush thing, isn't she? We might see some very soon...

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

So, I should definitely catch up with you next then? :lol:

*shrugs* If you like - I've just posted another non-X-rated fic again today, so that makes three of late...

Heh, I know what you mean. She is doing that fic rush thing, isn't she? We might see some very soon...

I confess that's what I'm hoping!

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

LOL! You guys do know I can read this, right??? :D

But I'm with persiflage_1 -- there's plenty of time to catch up on "Turn Left" after I've actually finished writing the damn thing!!!!! (If it's any consolation, it frustrates me, too.) And yes, I am really hoping that fic_rush will help!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Yes I was aware you would read it - that's why I said I wasn't being nasty when I said hold off on reading your fic - knowing you'd said you hoped to have another chapter up soon...

[thisbluespirit]

Oh my goodness, we must stop with the gossip! :lol:

Heh, good luck with the fic_rush!

[pitry.livejournal.com]

Ah! This just comes to show me how many of your stories I need to catch up with. Like UNIT stories, which were a complete joy when I started reading them.

Christmas holidays is such a brilliant concept!

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, thanks. Although none of the others are daft like The Great Mince Pie Mystery, I should say.

Christmas holidays are a good idea, indeed. Although I intend not to be at my pc for once in them!

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I have to echo pitry's comment above. I really need to catch up with more of your stories. I've been especially meaning to read UNIT:Stardust, especially after you teased me by doing a character commentary with Six (the whole idea of character commentaries being brilliant, but with Six you just know it's gonna be good).

But wow, 58 stories? 58? You definitely put me to shame.

[thisbluespirit]

Heh. Oh, thanks. Erm, the commentary for Stardust isn't as good as it ought to be with Six in. I just wrote it to cheer me up when things got bad. But I'm thrilled when people read my things, so don't let me dissuade you.

58 stories is not entirely something to be proud of. There were other things I wasn't doing, you see... :-/

[john_amend_all]

Why would you make it a goal to write less? If you enjoy writing, write and never mind if it comes out more or less :-)

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, but... I know full well that all that fic writing came at the cost of other things. I'm not entirely sorry, but I'd hope to be a little better balanced in 2010.

It probably won't happen though.

[ghost2.livejournal.com]

I wish I could write 58 stories in a year! I need to set a writing goal for 2010, and meet it.

[thisbluespirit]

Aw. I don't know - the idea of setting yourself a number of fics to do makes it sound all school-y, and surely that it isn't like that is one of the good things about it?

Besides, you had a lot on your plate in 2009. Maybe there'll be no stopping you with the fics in 2010 anyway? ;-)

[pedanther]

Does this mean you're not going to write any more fic for the rest of the year?

[thisbluespirit]

Ha. Aha haha.

Very possibly not, given that my to do list is: finish off Winged Shadows and Troublesome Bones. And the other story I'm writing I won't post till 2010 even if I finish it. And I'm not counting drabbles.

On the other hand, I probably will, won't I? I won't let a meme stop me! I can always update it if that's worryingly imprecise or something. :lol:

[thisbluespirit]

Oh. Except that I still have to write that last fic I wouldn't write.

And I was feeling borderline-smug for a minute there...

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I admit I haven't strayed from your DW-path, but I've enjoyed everything I've found along the way and it's all been a grand romp. Why in the world would writing less be a goal? Do you have a life or something? ;-)

I've been amazed that you were able to complete so many - I can think them up, but cranking them out is something else entirely, aside from those rare gems that write themselves - wish more of those upon all of us.

Love your company in the madness, do continue.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, but you did read the Susan one, I remember. And I've still only read a couple of your excellent LOTR fic. (Maybe when you do your Masterlist, eh? ;-D) And the only other that wouldn't be just some unknown fandom is the Sleeping Beauty retelling, I suppose.

I knew it would be that much, and I hesitated before doing the meme and admitting, but hey, can I turn down a writing meme?

Well, I get the impression you do actually have a life. But, it's always a treat to see another of your fics turn up.

[belantana.livejournal.com]

That the quantity and quality of your fics do not follow the mutually exclusive relationship that quantity and quality usually follow continues to surprise and delight me!

As for me, I have a fraction of your total. Mainly because I spend a lot of time working out grammar and syntax for sentences like the one above.

Anyway, WELL DONE. You are an awesomely talented person and I am super-pleased and proud to have you on my flist. ♥

[thisbluespirit]

Aww. That's very kind of you to say so.

And, who needs fics with beautifully crafted sentences like that? ;-)

Heh, and you are the sort of dedicated reader every writer dreams of - especially when you do write your fics, the quality/quantity rule is definitely in evidence. I'm certainly impressed, I tell you. (Differences of the Body was just brilliant and ought to be both DW and Spooks canon, and I loved that Seven Little Australians cross that you keep a close secret. ;-D)

[belantana.livejournal.com]

*blushes proudly* (Oxymoron?)

[thisbluespirit]

No, no - of course you're not a moron!

:lol:

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

After reading this post I just had to go seek out your Six/Rose (especially since I absolutely adore the way you write Six), and now I've just come back from reading "Grief, Observed," and since I don't have an ff.net account I can't leave you a review there, so instead you get a review here:

You took a very painful subject and addressed it head-on, dealing with it sensitively, realistically, emotionally and in a way that respected the original story and also the (sometimes contradictory) character of Susan. It's not often that a fic makes me cry, but there were tears in my eyes by the end. Really nice piece of writing.

[thisbluespirit]

Thank you so much. I saw you read the Six/Rose one, heh!

I have to say (as I did note at the start), that I had the beginning and the central idea planned, but it wasn't something that I would really have wanted to tackle in fanfic - and with the whole Susan thing - so I read C S Lewis's A Grief Observed and wrote out pages of notes and phrases and worked them into it. So I have to say that whole sentences and ideas were Lewis's, not mine. I thought that was the best way to go about it, really. (Of course, some of it was mine!)

But thank you! (Sorry about making you cry, though.)