I love good guys

#8. Interact with someone new.

Yesterday, I posted a brief reply to the anonymous moderator of the brand-new myoldfandom ficathon, which is gearing up for its first event. ("Old" = no new canon after 2005.) So far, it sounds like an update of oldschoolfic, which I enjoyed a lot. But I really know nothing at all about myoldfandom or the people behind it (and I'm just a little nonplussed by the modly anonymity).

All my own dearest fanficly fandoms qualify, of course. FK, HL, YB, BSG78, D&DC. Probably even the Buffyverse qualifies, although the comics do purport to be canon. It's not that I don't watch and enjoy new series! I'm all over Agent Carter, Once Upon a Time, Person of Interest, Poldark, Call the Midwife, etc. I loved Forever while it lasted, and Grimm and Sleepy Hollow before they jumped their sharks. But of course they aren't — for better and for worse — the same as stories loved long and long and long.

I wonder whether rarelywritten is planning a round this year. If so, I wonder whether the schedules will conflict or complement.

I did get to read a number of rarelywritten stories last weekend, and I wanted to bring you a few thoughts about what you might find in each, if you choose to read it.

( Forever Knight )

( Other Fandoms )

Comments and kudos seem a bit thin on the ground in this year's game. I've wondered whether that might be due to the transition from "RareWomen" to "RarelyWritten"; or perhaps to releasing the stories on the same weekend as the Age of Ultron premiere, that big boxing match and the Kentucky Derby; or perhaps the very same lamentable neglect of certain characters that the ficathon was conceived to battle. I've also wondered about the readership effects of prioritizing the rarest requests for matching, instead of the most common.

Curiously, last night, the rarelywritten moderator announced a new rule for next year's game. Players must comment on the stories written for their requests or be banned from future games. That's always been an implicit rule in every exchange ficathon, surely (with allowances for those sad situations when a story openly disrespects the request it's supposed to fill). It's extra sad that this ficathon has come to needing to enshrine this rule.

The rarelywritten ficathon assignments have arrived at last! And because I did offer in three fandoms people requested (as well as offering in best-beloved fandoms that nobody requested ~wry~), you don't know for whom I'm writing! Well, unless you're batdina, whom I told. ;-)

I believe that either argentum_ls, malinaldarose or greerwatson must have my prompts. Be kind to them. :-)

And, hey, it's not too late! Didn't sign up in time for the exchange? You can still sign up to pinch hit! Several unmatchable slates went out to the pinch-hit list by email today, seeking claimants. Judging from past years, we'll see more throughout the run of the game as people drop out.

---
I believe that we've hit upon a happy method for this year's fkficfest/fkficfest, but I'm hoping to gather just a few more opinions before posting a final plan this weekend.

rarelywritten sign-ups seem still to be open on the AO3, so you may possibly yet slip in! But, officially, we've passed the deadline. To avoid the certainty of a single possible assignment for myself (because only Greer requested a story in any of my fandoms), I took a deep breath and also offered in two requested fandoms for which I've never even considered writing before. We shall see...

The fkficfest/fkficfest pre-game poll continues through this Friday. Do answer, if you're interested in whether, when and how we play. We're still at 4 "definitely yes" writers, but we have seen a rise to 4 "probably yes." (I'm not sure what the next steps will be if we don't have enough players for the exchange-style game that's still leading 6 to 5. This is the most votes challenge-style has ever earned, though!)

The sign-up summary for 2015's rarelywritten game (updated hourly) makes it very clear how the matching would go if the sign-ups don't shift between when you view it and when sign ups end tomorrow (Sunday) night. It also opens that matching to a bit of gleeful manipulation, if you'd like to pick up a match in one of the least-requested or least-offered fandoms.

For example, if the matches were made right this minute, then I would necessarily be assigned to write for the only other person who has requested a story in any of my fandoms: that's a Forever Knight request (presumably Greer's). And my prompt slate would necessarily be given to either her or the only other person who has offered a story in any of my fandoms: that's a Highlander offer (presumably ArgentumLS's). No one besides me has yet requested or offered in Battlestar Galactica (1978), Dungeons and Dragons (cartoon) or Young Blades, and no one besides me has yet requested in Highlander. It's cut and dried... and a bit disappointing in its relentless predestination.

With no prejudice at all to Greer, I just wrote for her prompts in 2014's fkficfest. It would be more inspiring to address a new audience. And it would be more fun to not know for sure exactly how the matching must fall out. So I keep scanning the summary. I've maxed out on requests, but perhaps I can find another fandom to offer? I'm stumped so far, but fandoms only appear on the list when a request for them registers. Perhaps something will turn up!

(I wish I were a good enough writer and Victorianist to offer Daniel Deronda for the person requesting Gwendolen, but good gravy I couldn't dare to fanfic Eliot. I mean, Eliot.)