2024 fic writer end of year round up!
i was tagged by @maethologies and @siobhanbooks (thank you besties!!). if i tagged you in this, take that as a sign that i'm tagging you to participate! 💗
1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?
as of this afternoon: 89,916 words! i wanted to hit 100k published, but the second half of the year really put me through it.
2. How many fics did you complete this year?
3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?
i posted 3, and i have 3 more that aren't posted that i'm working on with plans to post next year.
4. What was your favourite thing you wrote?
i really love read it and weep. i love playing Wordle so much, so it was fun to combine that with FW for a cute fluff piece.
i also love i wanna touch you but you're too far away. it was probably the first smut fic that i confidently posted, and it's one of the only fics i've posted that i reread because i just think it's really good.
5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?
they're both very tame, but visions of sugarplums is my most "out-there" and niche AU. it's 3rd person present, which is something i've played around with in shorter one shots, but this is the first time i used it in a longer fic.
vacation (all i ever wanted) was also different! it was my first poly fic, so trying to balance all 3 people and their relationships with each other was definitely new for me!
6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?
after resurrection for sure!
a lot of people in this fandom hate Brennan (which is valid, don't get me wrong!), so i never expected more than a handful of people to read it. so when it hit 100 kudos a few weeks ago, i cried a little because it has grown above and beyond what i ever imagined, and i'm continuously blown away by the positive reception it gets.
7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)
there is pretty much no plot, but i love the imagery i used in and if i could give you the moon, i would give you the moon. and i'm plugging i wanna touch you but you're too far away again because i think it's some of the best smut i've written.
8. Who is an artist that inspired you?
on instagram: _clxarts, 0jem0, rosiethorns88, cuddlydevil1114, and rosedskies
on tumblr: @ann7av, @taumoebaa, @flaviedub, @rosalynnart
9. Who is an author that inspired you?
@taumoebaa, @maethologies, and @widebrimmedhatsblog all inspired me this year (especially during kinktober!)
10. Who is a new author you discovered?
literally everyone in this fandom! i obviously can't tag everyone, but people like @siobhanbooks, @hockeyspiral23, @pretty-pleaseee, @heartfeltletters-written, @shipmistress9, and @dbac2822 and so many others wrote some of my favorite fics!
11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?
i did not! maybe 2025 will be the year of that, who knows.
12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?
that i posted 89K and wrote 123k words. before this year, the most i'd ever written was probably around 3k words for papers, and i managed to blow that number out of the water within the first month of writing.
i also managed all of that while in grad school full time, especially this fall when i was taking something crazy like 20+ units, and i'm just really proud of myself for making time for this hobby that i love. (but it's no wonder i burned out for a bit towards the end of this year LOL).
also posting for kinktober! if anyone remembers my mini crash out in september, i was so, so nervous about posting smut. but @maethologies, @widebrimmedhatsblog, and @heartfeltletters-written were so encouraging when we were all preparing for kinktober, and i'm so glad i posted because writing smut is just so fun lol.
13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?
writing is hard and it sucks and it can dredge up old emotions and open wounds you thought were healed, but it can also be wonderful and fun and make you feel happy and connect with others, which makes the trade-off worth it.
14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?
that idea that's been hanging out in the back of your mind? i want you to open your notes app and just start typing, because you might just surprise yourself. writing those first words is one of the most terrifying things you'll do. posting those words is also terrifying. but there are plenty of people who will want to read what you have to say... you just have to take that leap.
also, you will be your biggest critic. it's very hard, but please don't get stuck in a cycle of negativity because it can kill your motivation. i promise that whatever the small voice in your head is saying about your writing isn't accurate.
15. What are your creative goals for 2025?
i want to finish AR, start properly working on suburban legends and reverence, and post some of the fics that have just been sitting in document purgatory. i also want to keep fleshing out my writing style and to improve my grammar knowledge (english is my native language but it's still hard!)
i also want to stop comparing myself to others! it's normal to feel envy and jealousy, but comparison really is the thief of joy, and i want to spend more time celebrating my writing accomplishments, rather than focusing on what i wish i had or the crazy things i want to achieve in the future.
and i want to read more!! a lot of my fic reading fell off towards the end of this year, so i want to make an effort to carve out time to read and comment on works and support other authors.
