2011 Fanfiction Year-in-Review

[brightknightie]

In 2011, I finalized 10 fanfiction pieces (~36K words).  I also have 2 lingering "leftover" stories (~2K words), which I posted as commentfic for Fandom Stocking 2010/11, but still have not yet polished for the list or archived; they're not abandoned, just... not yet satisfying.  8 of the 10 are Forever Knight, 1 Highlander, and 1 Young Blades.  9 (prose) were written for fests, and 1 (poem) just because.  They're all pretty much gen, as I measure it, though there are splashes of canon romance.

I also archived all my fanfiction on the AO3 this year, re-editing most pieces as I went. A big job! I still have to transfer the changes back into the originals on my fansite.

My thanks to my 2011 beta-readers! ♥ Batdina, Skieswideopen, LastScorpion, Amilyn, Ithildyn, Natmerc, Sholio and Celli. Plus Wiliqueen and Leela for brainstorming.

2011 Fanfiction List

2011 Stories List

Month	Fandom	Words	Rating	Title	Where	Fest	Beta
Jan	FK	194	G	"Before"	AO3 / Me	FandomStocking	Ithildyn
Jan	FK	886	G	"Method in Her Madness"	AO3 / Me	FandomStocking	Natmerc
Jan	FK	978	PG	"Metamorphosis"	AO3 / Me	FandomStocking	Natmerc
Jan	FK	1,038	G	"The Book Club Auxiliary"	AO3 / Me	FandomStocking	None
Feb	FK	10,472	R	"Cuts Deep"	AO3 / Me	Oldschoolfic	LastScorpion, Skieswideopen, Amilyn
May	FK	227	PG	"Solace"	AO3 / Me	None	Batdina
Jul	FK	800	PG	"Party Favors 2011"	AO3 / Me	FKFicFest	Amilyn
Jul	FK	9,151	PG	"Malicious Mischief"	AO3 / Me	FKFicFest	Batdina, LastScorpion
Aug	HL	4,763	PG	"When Everything was New"	AO3 / Me	HL_Flashfic	Sholio, Skieswideopen
Oct	YB	7,387	PG	"Salt Its Tail"	AO3 / Me	Femgenficathon	Celli

2011 Fanfiction Reflections

• Best of the year?  I'm always liable to think the most recent is the best, until perspective comes along. So "Salt Its Tail" (YB, ~7K), the one with the salt smugglers, still seems to me well rounded as an imitation episode, with action and character development. It features Jacqueline per the ficathon rules, but also offers threads for almost every ensemble member, and I think that it spreads historicity around without dragging down the plot. (It was my first YB fanfic.)
  
  
• Favorite?  I have a soft spot for "Method in Her Madness" (FK, ~1K), the one with chirality. It twists in the middle, which amuses me, and it forced me out of my customary siding with Nick's metaphysical/fantasy approach, over into Natalie's physical/sci-fi approach. (The prompt was Natalie as "mad scientist.")
  
  
• Most disappointing?  Obviously, the "leftover" stories are most disappointing! But as I'm booting them to 2012, what else disappointed in 2011? Perhaps "When Everything was New" (HL, ~5K), the one with the Seacouver Art & Wine Festival. I tried hard, but I'm afraid that it never sparkled. (The prompt was Tessa, Alexa and an art show. Perhaps I should have tackled it differently, having Alexa and Tessa attend the same show in different years, rather than trying to bring them together in the same space and time. The age difference is consequential.)
  
  
• Biggest lesson?  Don't twist myself in knots trying hopelessly to fulfill fundamentally incompatible prompts. Or was that last year's lesson, and I just didn't learn it well enough? ~grin~ How about: Never stop writing. Whenever I stop, I stall, and it's so hard to start again!
  
  
• Most fun to write?  "Solace" (FK, 220), the poem. I had the idea forever as prose, but it went nowhere. I felt it click as a poem. That rare click is wonderful fun.
  
  
• Most surprising?  "Cuts Deep" (FK, ~10K), the one set right after "Dark Knight, The Second Chapter." This story was a struggle! The prompt was "dark Nick, plot and century-old habits" — naturally, the "dark Nick" is incompatible with me, and the recipient was a UFer. Eeep! But I staggered on, crying for how to make it pay off for readers in general and the recipient in particular, and... in the end, it came together. I think it does pay off with some catharsis for Nick and the reader, and that final consolidation took me by surprise... just in time.
  
  
• Sweetest?  I don't seem to have any "sweet" this year. How about bittersweet? "The Book Club Auxiliary" (FK, ~1K), the one with Grace visiting Natalie in the hospital.
  
  
• Sexiest?  Nope, sorry. Closest approach must be Janette welcoming Nick home in the tag of "Malicious Mischief" (FK, ~9K), the one where Schanke and Janette solve a crime at the Raven.
  
  
• Angstiest?  Plenty of angst to go around! Perhaps the winner is "Metamorphosis" (FK, ~1K), the one where Natalie leaves Nick.
  
  
• Easiest to write?  "Before" (FK, ~225), the one in Janette's childhood. It isn't like me to release such a teensy ficlet! But that's all there was of it, truly.
  
  
• Most research to write?  Research, research everywhere! Hmmmm. "Cuts Deep" (FK, ~10K) ranks on both the longest single book read for story research this year (London's Sinful Secret: The Bawdy History and Very Public Passions of London’s Georgian Age by Dan Cruickshank), among other works, and the most time spent on Wikipedia checking details.
  
  
• Honorable Mention?  My only 2011 story so far unmentioned here is "Party Favors 2011," my half of the drabbles for the on-time FKFicFest players. Thanks again to all the wonderful, generous people who participated in fkficfest/fkficfest this year! (We had such great stories! If you haven't yet, pease check them out! Please reply to the authors! Urge them to write more FK...)
  
  

2012 Fanfiction Resolutions

For 2011, I resolved to write at least 6 fanfiction stories, which I did, but hoped to write at least 12, which I didn't.  At one point, I pledged to write a story involving the union movement by the end of the year; though I read a hefty history for it, that one is still hanging — sorry. (HL or FK on it?)  I also resolved to write more "just because" stories; I'm afraid I failed in that, writing only the one poem outside a ficathon.

For 2012, in addition to (1) writing the "thank you" stories I've pledged to my kind beta readers, (2) getting Celli's Natalie and Schanke story back to her, (3) salvaging those two "leftover" pieces, and (4) fulfilling my union story promise, I resolve to (5) write at least six new stories, and to (6) strive to post a new story every other month throughout the year. I resolve again to (7) pay more attention to "just because" stories! Finally, I'd like to (8) make a designated, minimum, dependable space in my week for fanfiction writing, a safe refuge to look forward to, so that it neither gets passed by nor takes over more time than I should spare it.

(By the way, anyone interested in helping me salvage those "leftover" stories, please speak up! ~grin~ One stars Janette and Erica, the other Janette and Lacroix. No deadlines.)

A very happy New Year to everyone!  May we all be blessed, and bless each other.