Big numbers in this year's FKFicFest

[brightknightie]

pj1228 inspired me to check:
This year's fkficfest saw the most total stories (16) since 2011 (20)! It also attracted the most participating writers (10) since 2017 (10). And of course it's the most of either since we switched from exchange-style to challenge-style in 2019.

I felt stretched this year, as mod. Clearly, I am out of practice with, and didn't expect, this volume. (And I have a different job and obligations than I did 15 years ago, when we invented the fest and its format.) For myself, personally, I don't love surprises; my brain feels them as ambushes. Perhaps in the future, we could have sign-ups of some kind, so that I can get some idea of what's coming and plan ahead accordingly. Or perhaps this is a pivot to a new norm, after many sleepier years, and I should expect it as the default. Or we just release everything on the same day, like most events?

Some years, I post my own, personal, fest recommendations. Some years I don't. I don't want to slight any of the stories; just because they weren't written for my preferences doesn't mean they aren't lovely. But with the most stories since 2011 (!), probably it would be okay for me to do that this year? I'll think about it, and probably post after saturdaymorningex, which has dibs on my hobby time now.

Comments

[switchbladeeyes]

Exciting that so many writers participated!

Just spitballing on the unanticipated volume issue: what about more time between the deadline and when stories start releasing? That way, it's not a mad dash to organize if there are a big batch of stories.

I certainly appreciate all the work you put into it!

[brightknightie]

Thank you for the kind thought.

Creating the schedule is just one thing affected by surprise volumes, and is always done on a Sunday. It isn't the main challenge. If I had some idea of volumes further in advance, I could try to coordinate the fest with my work and other obligations, perhaps even take days off. Releasing the stories and posting DW announcements every morning before driving to work, and reading and commenting on so many stories every night after driving home from work, and promoting the fest ever other day, for two weeks, is more comfortable when it doesn't happen to coincide with work deadlines and other RL obligations, or at least when I can plan for those things.

[greerwatson]

I'm loathe to suggest anything that might deter people from last minute inspiration. As a reader, I say "the more the merrier"; so I'm very grateful to those who write multiple stories.

Perhaps if the posting deadline were mid-week (or something like that) while the release time remained the same, i.e. the following Monday, that would give you a bit of lead time so that you could get your mind settled. I know you find surprises disturbing.

[brightknightie]

I appreciate the thought; thank you.

The challenge is not creating a release schedule for the stories. The challenge is planning my RL obligations in advance such that I will have the time to properly carry out the tasks of the fest for as long as it takes, without neglecting any other commitments. I failed to expect and plan for the sudden uptick in fest volume and therefore time this year.

We can also consider simply releasing all the stories on the same day at the same time, like all other events do.

[thefruitbat]

Maybe a heads-up in terms of authors saying in advance if they want to participate would give you an estimate on how many stories there'll be at least to expect?
Releasing all the stories at once also sounds like a good plan. So far, you've released them on a schedule, right?

[brightknightie]

Yes, for fifteen years, I have spaced out the stories and manually released them on a schedule over many days, to help optimize for reading and commenting. I have posted individual announcements to the community for each individual story. I have sent announcements for each story to the email list. I have promoted the fest to the best of my ability everywhere I know. I have read and commented on every single story no matter what. I have experimented with many kinds of gameplay formats, trying to find something that works well for as many people as possible.

Normal fests release all their stories in one moment, on one day, with no announcements and no follow-up.

[thefruitbat]

Sorry, it was not my intention to step on your toes. :( It's amazing what you do to keep the Fest alive and promote it!
I was just saying that if it helps to make the Fest less stressful for you(read. less shuffling around RL-things), releasing all the stories at once might be an idea.

[brightknightie]

My apologies! The tone of my previous post here went wrong.

I was feeling very down and should not have been interacting online. I'm doing better today, and will try hard to post more sensibly in the future.

Thank you very much for your kind thoughtfulness.

[thefruitbat]

Absolutely no apologies needed!
I'm sorry that you felt down yesterday. But your feelings are valid!(I hope that's the right expression in this case). It's really hard to guess the tone in a posting without other clues you'd get in a verbal/visual interaction, so I thought my tone might have registered with you as uncaring or ignorant. That's absolutely not the case.

I think I speak for everyone who participates in the FKFicFests, when I say that we all value your effort and commitment very much and want you to feel less stressed about it. If there is a way that this is possible, just tell us. :)