Writing Roundup 2019
Jan. 22nd, 2020 10:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
out_thereLast Year's Stats
January
The Festive Season (or a Horror of Holmes) (14879 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sherlock (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Characters: Mycroft Holmes, Greg Lestrade, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Siger Holmes, Violet Holmes
Additional Tags: mystrade, Established Relationship, Christmas With Family
Series: Part 2 of The Sad Divorced Bastards Club
Summary:
Reflection
I loved this story. I still love this story. It was mostly written in 2019, and it absolutely captured so much of what I wanted to say about Gret and Mycroft, and Holmes family Christmases, and loving your family even if you're not terribly comfortable around them. (It's also the story that made me realise how much I let my inner INTJ shine through Mycroft -- he is the more logical and reserved version of myself, but it's so weirdly comforting to see him loved through Greg's eyes.)
May
Be It Ever So Humble (2870 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Kaylee Frye/Simon Tam
Characters: Kaylee Frye
Additional Tags: Minor Hoban "Wash" Washburne/Zoë Washburne, Possibly Unrequited Love, Home
Summary:
Reflection
This was written for a challenge, and it's a little outside my comfort zone. I love Firefly and I love Kaylee, but I could count on one hand the number of gen/het romances I've written in the last 16 years in fandom. (Not an exageration. AO3 has the first stories published from 2003. Not the very first anime stories written when I was 16, but those can die without being mourned. Trust me.)
Still, I love Kaylee and so much of this story is a love letter to her enthusiasm and love for the rest of the crew. It was great to write her interracting with the others, to see everyone through her eyes, and it was rather nice to have something that slotted so easily into canon between the series and the movie.
July
Naps and Other Surprises (4312 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Post-Almost Apocalypse (Good Omens), First Time, Making an Effort (Good Omens)
Summary:
Reflection
And then came Good Omens. Now, I loved the book at around 17, I think. I've re-read it a few times as an adult and I was happy to hear there was a miniseries. I expected it to be fun and capture a bit of the magic of the world (like the Discworld adaptations, that are all lovingly made even if there's a little something lost in the translation from the page), but no. It was *perfect*. It caught all the important pieces of Aziraphale and Crowley, the pieces that were dear to my heart, and then added bits I hadn't known I wanted. The cold open of episode three was utterly wonderful. The reimagining of Crowley with red hair and face tattoo and the sauntering promise of Bill Nighy as a aging rock star -- I'd never considered it before but it absolutely worked. Having Aziraphale speak so softly and gently that the "my dears" were implied in every sentence. And having an end that I didn't know was coming -- oh, that was a delightful surprise as well.
And yet, the first story I wanted to write for these two wasn't anything deep and meaningful about choice and finding love, no, it was smut. Pure smut. Mostly because someone on tumblr called Aziraphale a pillow princess (as if anyone who enjoys the act of eating that much is going to sit back and do nothing in bed) and then, well, I wanted to write it.
August
Trust (100 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Community: 100words
Summary:
Reflection
I have no idea how many years it's been since I actually wrote a drabble of exactly 100 words, but I was caught up in a new fandom and it was fun to write. Also, just as weirdly hard as I remember. Keeping a fun story within 10 words is trickier than it looks.
Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and Other Misunderstandings) (28018 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), Gabriel (Good Omens), Anathema Device
Additional Tags: Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Alternate Universe - Human, Neighbours, Harlequin Big Bang
Summary:
Reflection
Unsurprisingly to anyone who knows what I write, I love a good romcom AU. I love a fun little meet cute and mild misunderstandings and a sweet happy ending, and this has all of those. It was wonderfully fun to write -- to imagine Crowley having to put effort into his cool appearance as a human; to think of how Aziraphale would be forced to be a little more business savvy to afford a flat and books; to realise that no matter what, Gabriel would be the kind of jerk who believes he's the good guy. And it's received so much love from the Good Omens fandom that I'm touched and overwhelmed and delighted.
September
We Can Do Better (8590 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Characters: Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Tony Stark
Additional Tags: SHIELD Husbands, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Politics, Tony Stark for President, Kissing, Getting Together
Summary:
Reflection
Remix fics are always a little tricky. Sometimes, you find yourself reading so many stories to find one that lets you reimagine it, and then you worry that it won't quite work for your recipient. Having said that, I enjoy The West Wing and a good political AU, and this was a lot of fun to write. I love the idea of Clint being great at his job and yet a bit of a failboat in his personal life. And I love a competent, lowkey Coulson with a quick sense of humour.
Conclusion
6 stories in four fandoms, and a much lower output than last year's 120K. Admittedly, for the last three months of the year I barely wrote (fractured foot, mum in a wheelchair, general tiredness) but I had hoped that my Good Omens love would last more than a few months.
Breakdown by fandom:
1 Sherlock - 14,879 words
1 MCU - 8,590 words
1 Firefly - 2,870 words
3 Good Omens - 32,430 words
Total Word Count: 58,769
What's your own favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest:
...Hmmm. Hard choice, because I do love Good Neighbours, but I think for sheer re-read value, The Festive Season might actually be my favourite. It's a very close tie, though.
Now your most popular:
By bookmarks and comments: Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and other misunderstandings).
By kudos: Naps and Other Surprises.
Good Omens is a crazy-big fandom, people.
The other top 4?
The other four I wrote this year, in order of popularity:
- The Festive Season
- We Can Do Better
- Be It Ever So Humble
- Trust
Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
Honestly, I think they've all been well received.
Easiest story to write:
The Festive Season, maybe? I don't recall getting stumped on that story. Although Good Neighbours also came together fairly easily.
Most fun story to write:
See above, honestly. The ones that don't stall are always the most fun.
Hardest story to write:
If this meme included wips, it would be the stupid "Crowley and Jesus hang out in the desert" story because that keeps stalling over and over, it's it's only going to be 4k if that. But out of the published stories, hmmm. We Can Do Better, because it took a while to work out what to write and how to write it, and then there was a point two thirds through where I had to delete a section and go back to re-work the story to get it moving again. I'm happy with the finished product, but it wasn't as easy as sitting down and just working through.
Fic writing goals for 2020:
To write. To finish the two wips that stalled from this year (sometimes, you just need to get them out and move on). To comeback to Mystrade because i miss writing those two and I don't feel like I have anything new to say about Crowley/Aziraphale.
Favourite opening line:
Til Kaylee was nineteen, home was a small cabin and two big barns and dusty fields all around them. - Be It Ever So Humble
I don't always do well with physical descriptions, with setting a scene, but I liked the descriptions here.
Favourite closing line:
This is a toss up. On the one hand, we have the sheer sappiness of The Festive Season:
Greg's not sure how this became his life -- well fed from a family Christmas, a little buzzed from drinks by the fire, laughing with someone he loves in his arms -- but he's thankful it is.
And on the other, we have Good Neighbours:
"We agreed no crumbs in your bed," Aziraphale replies loftily and then he leans over and kisses Crowley goodnight.
And hilariously, they both end at the same point: post sex, curled up in bed, comfortable and loved. Good Neighbours might win because I love the little hint of snark, the sharpness that Crowley adores mixed with the constant affection of always insisting on kissing Crowley goodnight, but I do love both.
Favourite line from anywhere:
"So, how small is your hometown? Are we talking cow tipping?"
"Complete with drinking in paddocks and joyriding on tractors," Coulson says, so deadpan that Clint has no idea if he's telling the truth. - We Can Do Better
Because I do love a bit of Clint and Coulson flirting through snark.
Favourite title:
Honwatly? "Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and Other Misunderstandings)"
I wanted to riff on the poem, on the idea of commonly accepted misunderstandings -- like the assumption that "good fences make good neighbours" is the point of that poem, when if you read it, the poem is mostly wondering why fences are needed and if it's just a pointless tradition. I suspect that meaning probably doesn't come through in the title itself but I'm still proud of it.
January
The Festive Season (or a Horror of Holmes) (14879 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sherlock (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Characters: Mycroft Holmes, Greg Lestrade, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Siger Holmes, Violet Holmes
Additional Tags: mystrade, Established Relationship, Christmas With Family
Series: Part 2 of The Sad Divorced Bastards Club
Summary:
"Besides," Mycroft says, "you've met Sherlock. The rest of my family is no better."
"A horror of Holmes?" Greg asks, undeniably curious about what a Holmes Christmas would be like.
"Precisely."
***
“So, Christmas Day?”
“You're truly under no obligation," Mycroft says smoothly. "I'd only wish my family upon my enemies.”
Greg remembers Mycroft's description of the day. But he also knows that as much as Mycroft rolls his eyes or scowls at Sherlock, he loves his little brother dearly. For all the condescension and the hyperbole, he suspects Mycroft loves his parents too. “I'd be happy to come.”
“You're curious,” Mycroft surmises.
“You're the one dating a copper. Curious and suspicious come with the territory.”
Reflection
I loved this story. I still love this story. It was mostly written in 2019, and it absolutely captured so much of what I wanted to say about Gret and Mycroft, and Holmes family Christmases, and loving your family even if you're not terribly comfortable around them. (It's also the story that made me realise how much I let my inner INTJ shine through Mycroft -- he is the more logical and reserved version of myself, but it's so weirdly comforting to see him loved through Greg's eyes.)
May
Be It Ever So Humble (2870 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Kaylee Frye/Simon Tam
Characters: Kaylee Frye
Additional Tags: Minor Hoban "Wash" Washburne/Zoë Washburne, Possibly Unrequited Love, Home
Summary:
"Can't be homesick when you're home," Kaylee says.
The captain doesn't say anything, but from the proud look on his face, he agrees. "Maybe don't tell your Daddy that."
Reflection
This was written for a challenge, and it's a little outside my comfort zone. I love Firefly and I love Kaylee, but I could count on one hand the number of gen/het romances I've written in the last 16 years in fandom. (Not an exageration. AO3 has the first stories published from 2003. Not the very first anime stories written when I was 16, but those can die without being mourned. Trust me.)
Still, I love Kaylee and so much of this story is a love letter to her enthusiasm and love for the rest of the crew. It was great to write her interracting with the others, to see everyone through her eyes, and it was rather nice to have something that slotted so easily into canon between the series and the movie.
July
Naps and Other Surprises (4312 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Post-Almost Apocalypse (Good Omens), First Time, Making an Effort (Good Omens)
Summary:
The angel is a surprisingly good kisser. All soft lips and gentle sighs, and the careful graze of fingertips along Crowley's jaw. But there's also the scrape of fingernails at the nape of his neck, the pins and needles shiver it sends down his spine, the slightest catch of teeth on his lower lip.
Reflection
And then came Good Omens. Now, I loved the book at around 17, I think. I've re-read it a few times as an adult and I was happy to hear there was a miniseries. I expected it to be fun and capture a bit of the magic of the world (like the Discworld adaptations, that are all lovingly made even if there's a little something lost in the translation from the page), but no. It was *perfect*. It caught all the important pieces of Aziraphale and Crowley, the pieces that were dear to my heart, and then added bits I hadn't known I wanted. The cold open of episode three was utterly wonderful. The reimagining of Crowley with red hair and face tattoo and the sauntering promise of Bill Nighy as a aging rock star -- I'd never considered it before but it absolutely worked. Having Aziraphale speak so softly and gently that the "my dears" were implied in every sentence. And having an end that I didn't know was coming -- oh, that was a delightful surprise as well.
And yet, the first story I wanted to write for these two wasn't anything deep and meaningful about choice and finding love, no, it was smut. Pure smut. Mostly because someone on tumblr called Aziraphale a pillow princess (as if anyone who enjoys the act of eating that much is going to sit back and do nothing in bed) and then, well, I wanted to write it.
August
Trust (100 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Community: 100words
Summary:
"Trust me," Crowley says, eyes hidden behind dark glasses. "What's the worst that can happen?"
Reflection
I have no idea how many years it's been since I actually wrote a drabble of exactly 100 words, but I was caught up in a new fandom and it was fun to write. Also, just as weirdly hard as I remember. Keeping a fun story within 10 words is trickier than it looks.
Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and Other Misunderstandings) (28018 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), Gabriel (Good Omens), Anathema Device
Additional Tags: Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Alternate Universe - Human, Neighbours, Harlequin Big Bang
Summary:
The first time Crowley meets his downstairs neighbour, Aziraphale is breaking into his flat. He's not what Crowley imagined in a burglar -- he's fussy, old-fashioned, and surprisingly adorable. Crowley is intrigued, Aziraphale is ready to share a good wine... and possibly more.
(Human neighbours AU.)
Reflection
Unsurprisingly to anyone who knows what I write, I love a good romcom AU. I love a fun little meet cute and mild misunderstandings and a sweet happy ending, and this has all of those. It was wonderfully fun to write -- to imagine Crowley having to put effort into his cool appearance as a human; to think of how Aziraphale would be forced to be a little more business savvy to afford a flat and books; to realise that no matter what, Gabriel would be the kind of jerk who believes he's the good guy. And it's received so much love from the Good Omens fandom that I'm touched and overwhelmed and delighted.
September
We Can Do Better (8590 words) by out_there
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Characters: Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Tony Stark
Additional Tags: SHIELD Husbands, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Politics, Tony Stark for President, Kissing, Getting Together
Summary:
"Does Stark seem like most nominees to you?" Coulson replies. He doesn't sound fond; he sounds exhausted.
"Makes your job harder, I guess."
Coulson pulls off his sunglasses and rubs at his face. "I knew this wouldn't be an easy job when I took it," he says, looking at Clint with shockingly blue eyes.
Clint's breath catches but he forces himself to take another steady inhale because: a) he's working here, and b) he doesn't have time for an annoying crush, and c) hooking up on the campaign trail is disastrous three times out of four. (The fourth time was Nat and that was awesome, and she's still his best friend even if she's currently over in war zones reporting atrocities.)
Reflection
Remix fics are always a little tricky. Sometimes, you find yourself reading so many stories to find one that lets you reimagine it, and then you worry that it won't quite work for your recipient. Having said that, I enjoy The West Wing and a good political AU, and this was a lot of fun to write. I love the idea of Clint being great at his job and yet a bit of a failboat in his personal life. And I love a competent, lowkey Coulson with a quick sense of humour.
Conclusion
6 stories in four fandoms, and a much lower output than last year's 120K. Admittedly, for the last three months of the year I barely wrote (fractured foot, mum in a wheelchair, general tiredness) but I had hoped that my Good Omens love would last more than a few months.
Breakdown by fandom:
1 Sherlock - 14,879 words
1 MCU - 8,590 words
1 Firefly - 2,870 words
3 Good Omens - 32,430 words
Total Word Count: 58,769
What's your own favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest:
...Hmmm. Hard choice, because I do love Good Neighbours, but I think for sheer re-read value, The Festive Season might actually be my favourite. It's a very close tie, though.
Now your most popular:
By bookmarks and comments: Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and other misunderstandings).
By kudos: Naps and Other Surprises.
Good Omens is a crazy-big fandom, people.
The other top 4?
The other four I wrote this year, in order of popularity:
- The Festive Season
- We Can Do Better
- Be It Ever So Humble
- Trust
Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
Honestly, I think they've all been well received.
Easiest story to write:
The Festive Season, maybe? I don't recall getting stumped on that story. Although Good Neighbours also came together fairly easily.
Most fun story to write:
See above, honestly. The ones that don't stall are always the most fun.
Hardest story to write:
If this meme included wips, it would be the stupid "Crowley and Jesus hang out in the desert" story because that keeps stalling over and over, it's it's only going to be 4k if that. But out of the published stories, hmmm. We Can Do Better, because it took a while to work out what to write and how to write it, and then there was a point two thirds through where I had to delete a section and go back to re-work the story to get it moving again. I'm happy with the finished product, but it wasn't as easy as sitting down and just working through.
Fic writing goals for 2020:
To write. To finish the two wips that stalled from this year (sometimes, you just need to get them out and move on). To comeback to Mystrade because i miss writing those two and I don't feel like I have anything new to say about Crowley/Aziraphale.
Favourite opening line:
Til Kaylee was nineteen, home was a small cabin and two big barns and dusty fields all around them. - Be It Ever So Humble
I don't always do well with physical descriptions, with setting a scene, but I liked the descriptions here.
Favourite closing line:
This is a toss up. On the one hand, we have the sheer sappiness of The Festive Season:
Greg's not sure how this became his life -- well fed from a family Christmas, a little buzzed from drinks by the fire, laughing with someone he loves in his arms -- but he's thankful it is.
And on the other, we have Good Neighbours:
"We agreed no crumbs in your bed," Aziraphale replies loftily and then he leans over and kisses Crowley goodnight.
And hilariously, they both end at the same point: post sex, curled up in bed, comfortable and loved. Good Neighbours might win because I love the little hint of snark, the sharpness that Crowley adores mixed with the constant affection of always insisting on kissing Crowley goodnight, but I do love both.
Favourite line from anywhere:
"So, how small is your hometown? Are we talking cow tipping?"
"Complete with drinking in paddocks and joyriding on tractors," Coulson says, so deadpan that Clint has no idea if he's telling the truth. - We Can Do Better
Because I do love a bit of Clint and Coulson flirting through snark.
Favourite title:
Honwatly? "Good Neighbours, Good Fences (and Other Misunderstandings)"
I wanted to riff on the poem, on the idea of commonly accepted misunderstandings -- like the assumption that "good fences make good neighbours" is the point of that poem, when if you read it, the poem is mostly wondering why fences are needed and if it's just a pointless tradition. I suspect that meaning probably doesn't come through in the title itself but I'm still proud of it.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-24 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-01-24 05:47 am (UTC)