Ficathon update
So I didn't sign up for Yuletide, but instead decided to do Public Call, which is a relationship-based exchange for Doctor Who. I just got my assignment, and I had the exact same Yuletide-type thrill when I opened it, followed by the exact same "Wait, did I really say I would write this?" reaction which always seems to happen no matter how careful I am in my sign-up. I think it's the difference between the hypothetical vs. reality ("I can write this!" vs. "This is what I have to write!") But having gone through it before, I know that the nervousness will fade, and I will soon settle down to writing.
There are already a few things in Public Call that feel very different from Yuletide, though. First, it's a much smaller exchange -- according to the profile, only 15 people signed up! I mean, wow. With so few participants, I'm surprised I was even matchable, especially given the huge range of relationships in the tag set. I think most people must request and offer more than I did (I was pretty close to the minimum for both). Second, it's due a lot earlier than Yuletide, which is worrying me a little, although I think it will be good to have no excuse for procrastination. Third, the requests involve relationships, not just characters. The relationship doesn't have to be romantic, but it's dawning on me that it's not enough to write a story that simply features the requested characters; their relationship has to be centered somehow. This will be a new type of challenge for me. Finally, there's the fact that the whole exchange is based on Doctor Who. There I was, staring at my assignment, doing my usual "That's what I matched on? I know I said I can write it, but can I really write it?" when it suddenly occurred to me that look, there are a bunch of other relationships also requested, and OMG, I know those characters, too! That means if something doesn't come together for what I matched on, it's actually possible for me to switch and write one of my recipient's other requests. This is mind-blowing. In Yuletide, I have never, ever known any of my recipient's other fandoms well enough to write a request other than what I matched on. In fact, usually the other fandoms are things I've never even heard of.
Anyway, so far I am feeling pleasantly excited, nervous, and challenged. And, I'm not missing a Yuletide assignment. I think I needed a break from it this year, although once my Public Call assignment is finished, I'll definitely poke around Yuletide to see if I'm inspired to write a treat or two.
There are already a few things in Public Call that feel very different from Yuletide, though. First, it's a much smaller exchange -- according to the profile, only 15 people signed up! I mean, wow. With so few participants, I'm surprised I was even matchable, especially given the huge range of relationships in the tag set. I think most people must request and offer more than I did (I was pretty close to the minimum for both). Second, it's due a lot earlier than Yuletide, which is worrying me a little, although I think it will be good to have no excuse for procrastination. Third, the requests involve relationships, not just characters. The relationship doesn't have to be romantic, but it's dawning on me that it's not enough to write a story that simply features the requested characters; their relationship has to be centered somehow. This will be a new type of challenge for me. Finally, there's the fact that the whole exchange is based on Doctor Who. There I was, staring at my assignment, doing my usual "That's what I matched on? I know I said I can write it, but can I really write it?" when it suddenly occurred to me that look, there are a bunch of other relationships also requested, and OMG, I know those characters, too! That means if something doesn't come together for what I matched on, it's actually possible for me to switch and write one of my recipient's other requests. This is mind-blowing. In Yuletide, I have never, ever known any of my recipient's other fandoms well enough to write a request other than what I matched on. In fact, usually the other fandoms are things I've never even heard of.
Anyway, so far I am feeling pleasantly excited, nervous, and challenged. And, I'm not missing a Yuletide assignment. I think I needed a break from it this year, although once my Public Call assignment is finished, I'll definitely poke around Yuletide to see if I'm inspired to write a treat or two.