Slightly belated review of the year's writing

[regshoe]

I wrote eleven fics in 2019, for a total of 20,701 words—a smaller total word count than in 2018 but a larger number of fics, which I think is probably a more relevant number unless the fics are very long or very short. I'm quite happy with this. I had a vague goal of writing one fic a month or 12 across the year, which I didn't quite manage, but only just missed! So I think I'll set the same goal again for 2020, with an additional one of increasing the total word count, and see how I go.

Those were for six different fandoms: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and Raffles, plus four that I'd never written before, including one (Peccavi - E. W. Hornung) which was the first in that fandom (and will probably remain the only one for the indefinite future—I did go pretty obscure there :P). The two ballad fics I wrote for Yuletide were both joint first in the fandom: no fics until this year's Yuletide but multiple fics written for it! Writing the first fic in a fandom was another vague goal from last year, so I'm quite happy about this—always good to keep increasing the range of AO3, as well as my own as a writer.

The most popular by hits and kudos has been Iron Enough To Make a Nail, my argument on the humanity of John Uskglass. I am quite pleased with this one, so it's good to know other people agree :D

I signed up for Yuletide for the first time this year (I wrote a couple of treats last year but didn't actually sign up), and wrote three fics. This was a challenge—the actual amount written wasn't that much for the amount of time, but keeping multiple fics on the go at the same time with a deadline for all of them was a bit more pressure than I'm used to. In any case the whole thing was a great experience, and I hope to sign up again next year, and possibly do other exchanges if I see any that look fun.

To sum up, my writing goals for 2020 are:

Write at least twelve fics over the year (not necessarily one in every calendar month, but the equivalent of one a month).

Write more total words than I did in 2019.

Write for more new-to-me fandoms. Some possibilities for these: more Child Ballads; Flight of the Heron (I really hope so!); any Rosemary Sutcliff novel; Piranesi (if I can be that quick).

Post the first fic in a new fandom on AO3.

Participate in at least one fic exchange.

Comments

[theseatheseatheopensea]

It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only person who already wants to write Piranesi fic <3 I'm looking forward to it sooo much!

As for fic exchanges, there's nightonficmountain , kind of a smaller Yuletide, in the middle of the year! I'm going to try and keep my eye on it!

Congratulations on all your awesome writing achievements, and good luck with this year's goals!

[regshoe]

Thank you!

I kind of feel like I'm being too eager with Piranesi, lol, but on the other hand, looking at JSMN I'm pretty sure there's going to be something worth writing about. Anyway, very excited :D

Ooh, that does look good—I'll keep a look out for it!

[theseatheseatheopensea]

I'm way too excited and eager about it, and I'm not ashamed. Some time last year, I wrote that it was the only reason why I was looking forward to 2020, heh.

I did mention jukebox_fest before, right? It's pretty fun, and it wil do nicely until there is a Child Ballads exchange, or something ;)

[regshoe]

It'll be the first new release I've had to get excited about in years! I'd almost forgotten what new canon material feels like! It's the best!

Yes, and that's another one I'll be keeping an eye on. So many opportunities...

[theseatheseatheopensea]

Same here, I can't wait! <3

Oh! And here's another writing thing that might interest you:

https://btfchallenge.livejournal.com

[regshoe]

Ooh, nice—thanks for the link!

[luzula]

You should totally write for Flight of the Heron. : ) I have one fic now almost ready to post--it just needs some more editing. Huddling for warmth under a plaid FTW!

And I have begun work on the sequel, too, which will be long. It is an AU where I will make Keith suffer by having him be court-martialed and cashiered...

[regshoe]

Huddling for warmth under a plaid FTW! *nodding in serious agreement* I can't wait to read it—and that sequel sounds great too :D

I usually find I need to read a book twice before I can be properly fannish about it (once to get general impressions/feelings/opinions, then again to use those to focus on all the details I care about), and I have plans to re-read it sometime later this month. Then, we shall see! Currently all the ideas I've come up with either require lots of research (which I'm certainly willing to do, but should probably start with something a little less ambitious) or are too angsty (I consider fix-it fic the highest priority, of course...)

[luzula]

Well, the AU, besides making Keith suffer, will also lead to him not dying, so it is also actually a fix-it. : )

Yes, I need to re-read the book too. And I also probably need to read Gleam in the North for info on Keith's family and other stuff, even though the thought of reading about Ewen's life going on after Keith is gone is honestly kind of painful to me. But Hyarrowen tells me that at least Ewen doesn't get over it and is still mourning him, so that's something.

I am currently falling into a research hole, extending to doing inter-university library loans (bless libraries!) and also ordering one book online which I couldn't get any other way (Christopher Duffy's "The '45").

Looking forward to your eventual fic! : )

[regshoe]

Oh good! Keith not dying and also suffering sounds ideal, honestly, as long as Ewen is there to make things better in the end :D

I feel just the same way about Gleam in the North—I can't face the thought of going on with the trilogy at the moment!

Ooh, that Christopher Duffy book looks good! I'll put it on my list for after the re-read...

[luzula]

Ewen is definitely there to make things better. Those scenes are, uh, vivid in my mind. : )

[regshoe]

Hehe, glad to hear it :D

[pretty_plant]

Quality is better than quantity! Don't pressurize yourself too much.

Glad to see you already thinking about writing a fic about Piranesi. I would love to read your fic about Piranesi even though Piranesi has not been out yet.

[regshoe]

Absolutely! I try to set fairly modest goals and not worry if I don't quite reach them—we're in fandom to have fun, after all.

I eagerly await whatever new fic opportunities Piranesi presents :D