2021 Fanfic Year in Review
Thank you so very much, @hmsannlett for tagging me - this was very well-timed!
I used to do this kind of summaries yearly, but somehow this year it slipped my mind. Also, this is the first time I’m posting this in this blog, as most of my writing 2021 has been related to this blog…
Total Completed Works: 11
Fandoms I’ve Written in: 82% (9 fics) in ‘Turn: Washington’s Spies’, 18% (2 fics) in ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by GRR Martin. This surprised me a bit - that I had still written 2 fics in my previous main fandom - but hey, maybe it is not so previous as I thought?
Looking Back, Did You Write More Fic Than You Thought You Would This Year, Less, Or About What You’d Expected?: I guess had no expectations as such – but in a pinch, I’d say maybe a bit more. Especially short fics and one-shots: I kind of discovered the joy of writing them last year!
What’s Your Own Favorite Story Of The Year?: What? Do you mean which one of my (hypothetical) children I love the most?!? 😳 Well, it’s a toss between “I Grieve For You - I Love You” (6.5K words) and “His Tether” (45K words) – both Benjamin Tallmadge/Caleb Brewster fics, both exploring the moments when long-repressed feelings are finally acknowledged. What can I say, I love that trope… 😌
Do You Have Any Fanfic Goals For The New Year?: I don’t. I was actually thinking of winding down a bit – the usual disheartening due to low fandom interactions and such – but as it happens, I have recently been having fantastic interactions with a wonderful old friend, recently returned to fandom (looking at you, @ownsariver-blog…), and becoming so inspired that just today I started thinking of a storyline that got me quite excited. So maybe I will set up some goals after all…
Most Popular Story Of The Year?: By looking at AO3 stats for hits, kudos and comments, by far my ASOIAF and Sansa Stark/Sandor Clegane fic “Seven Seasons of Love” (33.7K words). And then my second ASOIAF fic – and then lots and lots of space, eventually my ‘Turn” fics showing up with approx. 10% of the numbers of those. Fancy that!
Story Of Mine Most Under-Appreciated By The Universe, In My Opinion: Yet another ‘Turn’ Ben/Caleb fic “always is not enough” (6.3K words), exploring what happens at the other end of a relationship. It is bittersweet and sad, but that is why I love it – though also understanding that it is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Most Fun Story To Write: Not sure if ‘fun’ should be the operative word here… but I thoroughly enjoyed delving into John Graves Simcoe’s head in “Your Secrets Are an Open Book for Me” (2K words, ‘Turn’). He is such bastardy and fascinating villain, and his and Caleb’s interactions are just too delicious… 😘
Most Unintentionally Telling Story: Maybe “always is not enough”… When deep, passionate emotions are curbed because of external circumstances, it can be hard – but also very faithful to a human condition. It is rare that a bliss of relationships lasts for ever.
Biggest Disappointment: How quiet the ‘Turn’ fandom is… I know: ‘be the change you want to see’ and ‘if disappointed at something, don’t just whinge but do something about it’ and all that – and I think I did, I tried, but still… I guess it is just such a niche fandom - and since nothing much can change that, it is just a matter of changing my own mindset.
Biggest Surprise: How absolutely overwhelmingly ‘Turn’ consumed me. I have liked other things before, a LOT – but this has been only the second time when a canon has captured my attention and imagination so thoroughly. Who’d have guessed?? 😲
Tagging @enchi-elm, @wyntremalfoy, @crazychlo08, @meretriciouslyloquacious and @problems-turn-fics!
