sholio | End-of-year fic roundup post

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year-end roundup

End-of-year fic roundup post

I haven't done one of these before, but I'm seeing this meme around on a lot of other journals, and I thought it might be fun.

What I wrote in 2007:

For the SGA and SG-1 stories, it's probably easier just to provide a link to my website rather than listing them all out. There were a lot of the little buggers - 33 of them, if I'm counting right. In addition to those, I wrote:

Sam's Journal (SPN, gen, picture-fic, for Derry)
Crossroads (SPN, gen, genderswitch AU)
This is the Price the Angels Pay (Dr. Who, gen, Martha-centric)
Wild About Harry (Dresden Files, gen-ish with tongue-in-cheek hints of Harry/everyone)
and two Yuletide stories which will remain nameless until after the new year.

Total fics in 2008: 39 (counting the Yuletide stories)

WIPs currently residing in my SGA WIP folder: 20

My favorite story of 2007: You know, last year I had definite favorites, but this year, I'm not sure if I do. There was a really huge variety in what I wrote, as far as character and genre and theme, and I'm very happy with that. Still, of my '07 story output, there's not really one that stands above the rest as a special one for me, the way there have been with some of my stories in the past. I'd say that overall, I'm basically just happy that I'm writing more of a variety of stories, with a variety of characters, and taking them to new places this year.

Biggest surprise: That Staring at the Sun, my mega-depressing brain-damaged Sheppard story, got the wonderful response it did. I'd been really nervous about posting that one, and I didn't expect very many people to read it. I wrote the story because I'm hungry for more realistic stories in this fandom, and apparently I'm not the only one. It's always really, really gratifying to try an experimental story and find that others like it too.

Most difficult story: Kind of a toss-up between Ghost in the Machine and The Light of a Fading Sun, which were also the only two long stories I did this year. Both were very complicated to write, and for similar reasons: both involved juggling multiple versions of the characters and two different timelines. Not only was it hard from a plot perspective, but trying to write two Sheppards and two McKays and making them feel like separate, distinctive people (especially since in one story I was trying to hide their identities, too) was a brain-bending experience.

Best fangirl moment: Getting to meet

derry667 and

tipper_green. And talk about fanfic! With real people! (As opposed to, you know, all you people on the Internet. *g*) It was just really, really cool for me, since none of my non-Internet friends are people I can fangirl with.

Second-best fangirl moment: I've always felt that the fanfics we write should be just as available for fanficcing as the original works we base them upon, and I was completely thrilled to find out that I'm not the only one. I participated in

gateverse_remix and also saw a great response to a challenge at

sheppard_hc to write tags for each others' stories (for which I wrote three). I would love to get the opportunity to do more of this sort of thing in '08.

What I'm most proud of: Finally finishing up all of my outstanding commitments -- stories for ficathons or those promised to other people. There's still the everlovin' WIP folder, but at least I don't feel like there's anything hanging over my head that I really have to write, so I can go into 2008 with a clear conscience.

Things I learned about writing in 2007: I think probably the biggest thing for me, writing-wise, from '07 is that I lurked on a lot of discussions on diversity, some specifically pertaining to the Stargateverse and others to the world in general, and came out of it more determined than ever to write something a little more interesting and complex than "White Male Americans Save the Galaxy." It's not that I hadn't thought about this sort of thing before, obviously; it's just that I'm taking a little more time these days to be consciously aware of the sorts of political themes that I'm putting across in my fiction, and whether those are what I actually want to be there.

Status of WIPs: Uh ... good question. A few months ago I went and moved a bunch of the really dead projects so that they're not cluttering up the file. Staring at what's left, I really haven't a clue if any of these will ever be finished, which would really be a shame in some cases because a couple of these are really quite far along! Most are just notes and pieces of dialogue, though ... I've got some exchanges for another in the "Postcards to Jeannie" series, a story about Radek's past that I've been trying to write for a year and a half that just won't come, the odd slashy snippet here and there -- mostly just random odds and ends.

Writing goals/hopes/plans for 2008: I want to continue to explore, and push my boundaries, and write new and different and better stories. My one true love will always be gen h/c, and I'm sure I'll keep doing those sorts of stories as long as I'm in this fandom, but I'd also like to explore different genres -- I'm particularly interested in trying a romance or something that blurs the gen/het/slash boundaries. I'd also like to do more "serious", darker, more real-world-ish stories, more along the lines of "Staring at the Sun" than my usual fare. I'm always a little surprised by what I actually end up writing vs what I plan on writing, however, so there's really no telling!

Probably my biggest goal for 2008 is to focus much more on my original writing. And finish a novel. Of course, I said that in '07, too. But still ... here's to '08!

P.S. If you have an end-of-year roundup post, please post a link to it -- I've really enjoyed reading the ones I've found (and in some cases locating fics I didn't know about) but my flist reading has been kind of spotty and hit-or-miss lately, and I'm sure there are plenty I've missed.

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My round-up is at http://wneleh.livejournal.com/92970.html.

I'm particularly interested in trying a romance or something that blurs the gen/het/slash boundaries.

Hmmm.... I'd like to see this!

- Helen

I'd like to see this!

I'm actually really interested to try exploring a slightly wider range of human relationships. I think the trouble is, in SGA, that I really don't realistically see most of the characters wanting to have sex with most of the others -- in some cases, I can't imagine that there would be attraction there; in others, it's highly unlikely that the character would actually act on their attraction even if it did exist, since most of them are too smart and/or professional to get involved with somebody in their direct chain of command.

In other fandoms, the stories I've written have always been essentially focused on friendships but contain a variety of background pairings, because the seeds for them were already there in the show even if the characters weren't actively a couple yet. SGA is a little unusual for me in that canon is SO very gen, at least as far as "text" -- as opposed to subtext, which is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. I'm sure there are people who see subtext for pretty much any pairing imaginable. However, the only real canon pairing so far is Rodney/Katie, not counting people who are offscreen or dead.

In a previous life, I went to sea on month-long research voyages, during which there was a surprising amount of sex between people who should really have known better. Only in one case was the chain of command an issue, but I suspect that this was mostly because the gender divide worked out that way (all of the sex I was aware of was M/F). So, anyway, my assumption about Atlantis is that everyone should be falling madly in love with and/or having sex.

During S3, I was seeing McShep in canon - I saw them as becoming incredibly close, but not having the emotional capacity to interpret what they were feeling in a way that wasn't sexual. In S4 I haven't really been getting that vibe - the closeness is there, but they seem more mature about it. (NOT that I think sex/love is immature! But I think it can be part of a limited palette).

All that said, I think it would be interesting to investigate the whole crush/gender ID thing in a way that wasn't a set-up for hot sex and everyone living happily ever after. I don't think I'm up to it, though - it took me years of writing TS before I felt I knew the characters well enough.

- Helen

Interesting take on McShep (and there was actually a really fantastic story last year that used that exact idea, with the two of them initially trying to take the final step to having sex only to figure out that they were completely misinterpreting the signals due to never having experienced close friendship before -- did you read it?).

As far as the whole chain-of-command/sex thing ... you know, the funny thing is, in point of total realism, I completely agree with you. I think the problem I have with applying it to the SGA bunch is because, in my experience, the most likely fallout from those sorts of relationships ranges on a continuum from awkwardness to massive messed-upedness, and I just have trouble applying that to them, not to mention that it's damn difficult to write in an emotionally realistic way. The only time I've ever tried to do it is in my SG-1 "Unending" story, which used the reset button copout (but it was a canon reset button!).

In fanfic, 99% of it seems to fall into one of two extremes: the total gen (where sexual attraction is completely ignored, even in situations when it would likely be an issue -- and I include my own in this) and the romantic "one true love" version where nothing can keep the characters from achieving a happy ending. I think that I shy away from dealing with the romantic element in SGA because I really don't see that happy ending being an option for most of the pairing possibilities, and I can't really deal with the emotional implications of writing what I see as the likely outcome of sexual experimentation. I don't mind reading happy/fluffy romance fic with them -- in fact, sometimes I quite like it -- but I really can't bring myself to write it unless I can believe in that particular version of their characterization ... which, in most cases, I can't.

did you read it?

No, but I'd like to! Do you remember the title/author?

The only time I've ever tried to do it is in my SG-1 "Unending" story, which used the reset button copout (but it was a canon reset button!).

That's my favorite of your stories, btw.

In fanfic, 99% of it seems to fall into one of two extremes: the total gen (where sexual attraction is completely ignored, even in situations when it would likely be an issue -- and I include my own in this) and the romantic "one true love" version where nothing can keep the characters from achieving a happy ending.

Yeah, I see that too. And I'm not really sure I think this is a bad thing (though I suppose it is if fanfic is ever to be taken as literature).

I don't mind reading happy/fluffy romance fic with them -- in fact, sometimes I quite like it -- but I really can't bring myself to write it unless I can believe in that particular version of their characterization ... which, in most cases, I can't.

Now I'm tempted to write something like Julad's "Secret Life of Scientists," but with my take on who really is sleeping with whom.

- Helen

The story I'm thinking of is The Awful Truth (http://blade-girl.livejournal.com/18017.html) by

blade_girl. And it's very good.

Yeah, I really don't think it's a bad thing not to deal with the realities of office romance in every fic -- not every story has to be about that, any more than every story has to deal with the other realities of their life in the Pegasus Galaxy (like, say, running out of toilet paper in the middle of a mission). Otherwise you end up with Torchwood, and none of us wants that. *g*

But there's also a wide-open place for more realistic stories about love and sex in the Pegasus Galaxy, and very few writers seem to be writing them. Either that, or they just don't get rec'd anywhere, so I haven't found them -- not gen enough for the gen people, not romancy enough for the slash/ship people.

Well, here's mine.

It is fun to read peoples' reactions to their own stories.

I know; that's why I decided to do one, because I'm really enjoying reading other people's. Also, I keep being surprised by stories I didn't know about.

Aw, I still love "Staring at the Sun" and I think and I think you really hit why - the craving for more realistic stories. and, well, that story was nothing if not that.

I'm very impressed at the finishing all your outstanding commitments thing. Also, a tad jealous. I'm getting close at least!

*nods at the "what I learned" thing*

Radek's past? Really? Really, really? *is excited for that one*

As for end of year round-ups, I just posted mine (http://abyssinia4077.livejournal.com/199507.html). I've been collecting links when I run across them, but I think they're mostly SG-1 focused.

*blush* Thank you! I really wasn't expecting a good response for that story, and was very amazed and gratified that people did seem to appreciate a less sugar-coated take on a fairly familiar h/c trope.

Radek's past? Really? Really, really? *is excited for that one*

If I ever finish the darned thing! Tabula Rasa gave me extra impetus, as a canon reminder that Radek did grow up under Communism and was probably very affected by that.

You've written an amazing amount, and you're such a good writer, too! I'm amazed.

I posted my year-end review here, although I'm a little embarrassed to put it up when everyone else has written so much more than I have. I do hope, though, that if I keep posting about it, at least one more person will read "Haar" (see also my LJ header and place for responses).

Good luck with all the writing--but I"m glad your "one true love will always be gen h/c"!

I do hope, though, that if I keep posting about it, at least one more person will read "Haar"

Well, this got me to download it to my PDA!

- Helen

Ooh, thanks! I hope you like it!

*grin* Thanks!

I've had your fic on my "to read" list for awhile, but it never seems to make it to the top -- I must fix that! *makes note*

Thanks! I hope you like it!

I have lots of things on my "to read" list, so I know how that goes.

I just read the story and it's great

Thanks! I saw your comment on my LJ, and I really appreciate it!

I'm so impressed by the quantity of high-quality work you put out in just a year.

That Staring at the Sun, my mega-depressing brain-damaged Sheppard story, got the wonderful response it did.

Oh, holy crow, that was you? I read that before I knew who you were and never made the connection afterwards. Brilliant story.

Am working on my year-end review, but it's mostly House fic; the only SGA story I wrote this year is here (http://community.livejournal.com/sga_flashfic/611141.html).

*blush* Thank you!

I shall mosey and take a look at that link.

(deleted comment)

Okay ... I'm not downloading anything if I have no idea what it is, especially something that's apparently a gazillion links long and, I'm guessing from your intro, controversial. Gimme some context here, so I know whether this is something I want to download or even have linked from my journal.

Good... Sorry - little drunk here. Thought I sent those to

lavvyan only.... sorry.
No,no,no - not 'controversial' - classic. those are... I think mp3 tracks, they shouldn't harm you - I'm listening for them right now, and they don't do any bad thing to my comp. I think the first three are Mikis Theodorakis requiems, and then 4 to 7 are Dominions, and 8-10? Bach... and...

Aha! Sorry for the knee-jerk reaction; I just clicked in here, saw the mega-long list of links, having no apparent connection to the topic of the post, with an apparently evasive header (which makes a whole lot more sense as part of an ongoing conversation with someone not me!) ... my basic reaction was "What the hell?" followed by a triggering of the Spam Hammer (TM).

It makes a whole lot more sense with the explanation!

I don't think they work, though... sorry. I will delete them.

Cool! And sorry again for the (in retrospect) over-reaction.

:D It was not. You should have seen reaction of other Sheppard-loving 'entities' on me.
I just really wish I could give those tracks to you, I think you just might like them. Can't now - too incoherent, sorry.

If I ever write something then I'll let you know :) I'm hoping to try this year but let's take it one day at a time.

Coolness! Good luck in the trying ... I read fanfic for a number of years before I ever tried writing any. :)

And this is a good reminder to give a big thank you for all the stories you've written for us to devour. While I might be a McShep shipper in fandom, I have a huge, huge soft spot for gen fic and you certainly bring the goods to the table on that front. Have really enjoyed your stories - so erm, yes, thanks! :)

Why, you're very, very welcome! I truly love writing them (wouldn't do it if I didn't), even when the going is a bit of a slog, but it always thrills the heck out of me to hear that other people enjoy the fruits of my writing labors. :)

I just posted mine; it's here (http://roga.livejournal.com/122721.html).

I am so, so with you on the diversity discussions. I lurked through most of them, but they just opened my eyes to a lot of things, and made me look at both fic and the show in different ways. And the essays were so well-written, I could just sit for hours and hours with open tabs from metafandom and open tabs from different comment threads and just read!

But anyway. I, for one, am very glad you did

gateverse_remix, because as a relative newcomer to the fandom that fic was how I found you! And what joy it was to find such an awesome author whose favorite aspect is the deep friendship between teammates, because yes. As for your goals for 2008, I am delighted to hear you have another picture-fic in the making, because I adore them like a capslock WHOA.

Once yuletide craziness is over, I plan on catching up on some of your earlier things... :-)

Aha! It's always interesting to know where people came in from. *g* I remember that you reviewed a bunch of my stuff last summer, but hadn't a clue how that came to be.

I learned a lot from the diversity discussions ... and regret a lot of accidentally idiotic things I've said or written in the past, but I guess there's nothing I can do about that now; at least I'm more aware for the future. And yes, I had oodles of tabs open and was just reading and reading, and following links and reading some more ... it was really fascinating and sometimes heartbreaking at the same time.

Ha, yeah, that was where.

queenzulu had posted a rec of your road trip fic, and then I just had a tag-filled browser of you :-)

*grin* That's flattering! And a little alarming. I've, uh, written a lot of stories.

Here's mine

Let's hope you finish the picture-fic for Jeannie, 'cos I love that series so far!

I also hope you manage to write some original fic this year, even though that might mean less SGA fic for me to read *sad face*, as I'm sure it'll be all good. I'm not interested in branching out into that realm atm, maybe never, though my husband has this plan: I cut my teeth on fanfic, and then when the ME/CFS goes away, I move onto original fic and be the new J K Rowling!! Yeah, right! *shakes head* Me thinks he might be delusional... or hoping for a free ride...!! *grins*

You know, the funny thing is, I went the other way, from original to fanfic. I've always written original fiction -- literally ever since I could hold a pencil. The idea of writing fanfic did not even occur to me until I was an adult and came across some of it on the Internet. I'd done what was essentially fanfic before, or, more often, extremely thinly disguised versions of books, TV shows or comics that I liked (even what was, I suppose in retrospect, basically bandfic, although I changed the names and fictionalized them up a bit!) but I never knew that's what I was doing.

Original fiction is my truest of true loves. But fanfic, that hussy, keeps tempting me away. *g*

Just put your roundup in my memories for future reference! I'm very impressed with your output and know your stories are good - witness "Staring at the Sun," a wonderful story which I commented on when I read it! Thanks for sharing your work. Happy New Year 2008 and good luck with your original fiction! Love, max

Thank you very much! And thank you for the reviews, too. Have a wonderful new year and a great 2008. :)

Here's my roundup post.

Or rather here: http://sgatazmy.livejournal.com/155431.html

Happy New Year. I need to catch up on your stories. :)

Happy New Year to you, too! I've got quite a backlog of fic to read myself. :)

I'm always impressed with the sheer quality of your work. I can always count on you to write some very lush, layered and interesting ideas. You're one of the few writers who does push the barrier in terms of plot, characterization and environments.

I hope this year I can try to push past the limitations of the H/C variety even though it really is my favorite genre to do things in even if its somewhat problematic.

In terms of realism, sounds like "Staring at the Sun" is something I would and would not want to read. I'm weird about how realistic to go in terms of writing and reading. When I write I tend to research everything to give it more depth, however in regards to those 'quick fixes' and or “happy endings” I tend to read and like those. I have and had enough depression in my life so while I marvel and respect those type of fics....I really hate permenat injury or ones that lack decently happy ending.

One of my own rules, I never kill anyone and no matter how much I break a character I'll put them back together in the end. So, I'm always torn about wanting to read a good quality fic and being depressed since reading and writing is my escape from the reality of the real world.

I take it I should avoid "Staring At the Sun"?

I'd also been very much in the hunt of a good fic where there is romance but I'm so picky. I want a meaty, realistic fic where the romance or relationship is not the focus, more like a running subplot. I also go back and forth in terms of if the other romantic half should be an OC....which I think is more likely. I mean are we to live the idealist lie that these people live like monks?

Again there are things such a responsibility. Depending on how its written I would read a Sheppard/Teyla fic is only done right as well as a Sheppard/OC because I find that to be fascinating. John is so good at guarding his feelings. He also displays classic signs of loneliness , a lack of self value and this wall to protect himself from being hurt emotionally. Yet, he's a n attractive man who obviously flirts, no way does he go years without sex.

If you find something good to rec, I'd be all about reading it.

I've even read a few McShep fics where the focus wasn't on sex but on their the building and bonding of their friendship and again.

I'd have to say I really loved “Ghost in the Machine” for its amazing fantasy elements, a great mystery and a really, beautiful look at the McKay and Sheppard friendship.

And “Candle in the Dark” is one of the best action/Adv fics I've read in a long time.

Your Secret Santa story was just superb and the “Between the Lines” was just once again a wonderful character study.

Okay, rambled enough, might write up one of these tonight and post a link.

I'm never one to complain about a good ramble. *g* And thank you, very much! I actually felt fairly negatively towards "Candle in the Dark" right after I wrote it -- it was the first time I'd ever written a story with the express purpose of hurting the characters, a story in which that was the whole *point*. And as much as I love h/c and as much as I've written it, I'd always set out with some specific plot in mind, of which the h/c was an incidental side benefit. "Candle in the Dark" -- I like the story *now*, I think it worked very well for what it was, but there's really not much of a plot, and I still feel kinda weird about that. It's like the difference between cheap milk chocolate and really good dark chocolate -- I felt like I was pawning off dime-store chocolate on my readers, when I'd rather give them a really good expensive brand.

... and that's your spurious metaphor of the day. *g*

My own tastes in what I read, what I write, what I absolutely *won't* read, are incredibly variable ... between different fandoms, even within the same fandom from time to time. H/c is my big love and what most of my SGA stories have been, but looking back on my stories in other fandoms, it's actually *not* what I seem to write the most of. Lots of missing scenes, character studies ... I've even done deathfic. SGA is the first fandom in which I've really been able to indulge my love for gen h/c, reading *and* writing, and I go through periods when I'm kind of ... saturated? This happens NOT to be one of those times, but I was very much feeling that way last fall, when I wrote a number of stories that were darker or less friendship-focused; to carry on the spurious metaphor, it was almost like I'd overindulged in sweets and needed a salad for a change. *g*

Given what you've described about your own reading tastes, I'd say you probably ought to avoid "Staring at the Sun". It's a *very* dark story, not quite a deathfic but similar in tone.

Romance is very tricky in a show like this one, which has very few canon couples. When you pair off canon characters, even if the relationship is a relatively plausible one in context of the show, you run the risk of alienating readers. For example, Sheppard/Teyla I just can't read; I think I'd be (relatively) okay with it on the show, but I just can't stand it in fic -- I'm honestly not sure why, but the merest hint of it is enough to make me drop a story. Same thing with McKay/Weir. That's not really a reason NOT to write a couple, per se, of course. I'm all about going where the inspiration takes me. But if I'm specifically *looking* for a couple to explore a particular sort of romance dynamic, as opposed to acting on impulse because two people "ping" me as a couple, I think I'd rather use a couple that already exists in canon (e.g. Ronon/Melena, Rodney/Katie) or pair someone off with an OC rather than mess with the existing character dynamics by pairing two of them with each other. Unless, of course, messing with the existing dynamic is the point!

In all realism, people *are* going to have sexual relationships; it's silly to assume that they won't. On the other hand, it's just as silly to imagine they'd be going at each other like bunnies as thinking they'd be celibate, and simply spending a lot of time together (as the gate teams do) doesn't necessarily mean that attraction is inevitable. I really do think that the characters aren't that likely to have relationships with their teammates, any more than soldiers in a combat zone are likely to fall in love with each other; I'm quite sure it does happen, but I doubt if it happens all that often (though, come to think of it, I'd be interested to find out if there are statistics on that!). So, looking at it from a romantic-realism standpoint, I'm more inclined to raise an eyebrow at a relationship between two people who have a close, established professional relationship in canon (e.g. Sheppard/McKay, Sheppard/Weir), than between two characters who don't work all that closely together or don't work together at all (e.g. Teyla and her baby's father, or Sheppard/OC, Sheppard/Lirrin, etc.).

Yeah, I agree, hence why I think OC's are the easiest to fit in the romanic hole...again its only an urge that I get every once in a while. I like to stick mainly to gen and canon as much as possible.

I know what you mean about wanting to write a fic with more of a point. I think my guilty pleasure fic is the Travelers one I'm about a post. Meh...it happens...kind of like when you just want that slice of cake because darn it...its tasty!

Seems this meme is everywhere. Wrote my mine:

http://kristen999.livejournal.com/103960.html#cutid1

One of my New Year Resolutions is to comment more on things that I read. I have a rather annoying tendency to clam up when things blow me away, which I'm trying to get over. So I may end up spamming you a little as I actually comment on everything of yours that I've read and loved (which would be everything) over the next few weeks.

I had the same kind of 'best fannish' moment as you - it was such a joy to meet both my betas properly, and be able to take things apart properly, without having to worry about time.

Hope your 2008 works out well, whether it's as you planned or not! I'm intrigued by the idea of pushing the genre boundaries - I write mostly Torchwood (well, Captain Jack Harkness, really, but I'm not sure if he counts as a fandom...) where those boundaries are already kind of blurred, so I'll be interested to see what happens on that front. Have fun!

My own round up is here (http://jadesfire2808.livejournal.com/155873.html), although most of the stories are Jack rather than SGA.

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End-of-year fic roundup post

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End-of-year fic roundup post (2007)

Re: End-of-year fic roundup post (2007)

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