Thoughts and ruminations on the year that was (2020 edition)
Well, 2020 was definitely a year.
I should have known that 2020 was going to be a bad year when I had to abandon my Quantum Bang project midway through. It broke my heart, but the stories I was attempting to write weren’t gelling and I'm not a writer who'll force myself to write something that I'm not 100% into. So, I killed both of them and moved on.
Instead, I committed to writing more short stories. I used to be able to write 2000 words as easy as breathing. Longer stories were a challenge for me, so I decided to start doing the Rough Trade challenges as a way to learn how to build and write a longer story (the shortest story of the challenges is usually in July, where the challenge is to write two stories of no less than 10,000 words each). As a result of that, everything I write these days seems to grow out of control. Fluff Bingo last year and Trope Bingo this year were good exercises for me to write something much shorter.
I wrote and posted ten short stories this year, which is just two short of my original goal of one a month. Not bad! It was fun, and I got to flesh out some ideas that have been swimming around my head for far too long. I'd like to keep that up again in 2021; I just need to find the inspirations for new stories. I may just keep working on my Trope Bingo card; I have plenty of squares that I have yet to fill.
I participated in all three Rough Trade challenges this year. This year was the Year of the Sentinel, and my first story was for the April challenge. It's a sequel to The Captain America Effect, and while it's finished, I haven't touched it since I put the final period on the last sentence. I wasn't really happy with it, so I figure I'll pick it up again sometime in 2021 when I've got a better perspective on it.
I wrote two stories for the July Little Black Dress challenge-The Only Easy Day and Beyond Reason-and both are currently posted on AO3. The November challenge story isn't actually a Sentinel story. I was all set to write one, but as it got closer, I was less and less excited to write it. Then Keira-the founder of Rough Trade-admitted that she was struggling, too. So, she opened the challenge to add a Shifter theme, and Muse pounced on it. My story turned out to be The Stars, Our Destiny (or, as I referred to it in my head, Shifters in Space, inspired by Pigs in Space from the old Muppet Show) featuring Christopher Pike as a wolf shifter. It was tons of fun to write, and I'm looking forward to getting it edited and up on AO3. Watch this space for an update on when that happens.
I'm giving Quantum Bang another shot this year. At this point, I'm about halfway through my outline and feeling pretty good about what I've written so far. I should be able to finish by the end of January, well ahead of the deadline. Wish me luck!
I dipped my toe back into an old favorite fandom this year. Star Trek featured heavily in my projects this year, and I've got tons more inspiration so I'm looking forward to writing more in the new year. I picked up two new fandoms this year: SEAL Team and Pacific Rim, though the PR story was posted as part of Evil Author Day. I'm looking forward to what the new year will bring on the fandom front.
As for my production, I wrote a little over 200,000 words. Wow! A lot of that was for Rough Trade, but even still, I feel pretty good about my word total. As I've said above, I plan to write more short stories and will likely do all three Rough Trade challenges as I've grown to enjoy the process and have yet to run into a theme I don't like. I'm going to finish the Quantum Bang story and probably get started on the one for next year (which I've already got ideas for).
Thankfully, shelter-at-home hasn't killed my Muse, so I'm looking forward to being just as productive in 2021 as I was in 2020. I had lots of free time working from home, and since it looks like 2021 will begin the same way 2020 ended, I'll probably have just as much time to write.
Like everyone, I'm hopeful that the current crisis won't last much longer. I miss seeing friends and extended family, and I really miss traveling to my favorite places. I've learned through this difficult year that people are what matter, and so I'm grateful to my readers for reading what I write and offering praise and encouragement when I needed it. I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year, wherever you are!
So, the highlights from this year:
My Favorites:
The Only Easy Day
Quirk of Fate
Special Cargo
Best stories:
The Only Easy Day
Normal Rules Need Not Apply
Straight Shot Truth
Favorite Line:
Remember You Young (MCU): Never before had the enemy faced a foe that wouldn't wilt under heavy fire, wouldn't give up despite overwhelming force, and wouldn't retreat even when retreat was the safer option.
Special Cargo (SEAL Team): "We can't take a cat back with us," Jason said. Cerberus just sat down, still with the kitten clutched in her jaw, staring at Jason, completely immovable. Jason stared back, but it was obvious he wasn't going to win this one. He rubbed a hand over his face. "Jesus. Okay, grab your gun and bring the cat." (Side note: the line "Grab your gun and bring the cat" comes from the Battlestar Galactica revival on Syfy. I loved it so much I had to use it.)
The Darkness In Between (MCU): This time, even with all the loss, he knew better ways of coping than punching the hell out of a punching bag. He wished he didn't, but that seemed to be the life he was destined to lead. The serum would have allowed him to outlive all his friends anyway, but this loss was just so much harder to fathom, and he woke up every day hoping it was all just a nightmare.
Most underappreciated by the universe:
The Darkness In Between (MCU):
This story was inspired by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The movies were sad and hopeful at the same time, and they both broke my heart. Plus, Sad!Steve is pretty much canon, so that's what this is. I knew when I wrote it that it wasn't going to be popular, so I'm not entirely surprised it didn't get a lot of love. There's always one story a year that this happens to. I should be used to it by now, but… /shrugs/
Most reviewed:
Special Cargo (SEAL Team):
Who knew this fandom was so big? This was a silly little story that I didn't really give any thought to until the comments and kudos started rolling in. The thing I love about this story is its heart. Kittens and SEALs for the win!
Most fun to write:
Normal Rules Need Not Apply (NCIS):
In all the years I've been writing, I'd never done the 'What happens in Vegas' trope, until now. It was a lot of fun imagining what might have happened so that Tony and Ellie wound up naked in bed together in a hotel in Vegas. It's sexy, but not. And also, apparently, very popular with my readers.
Sexiest story:
Beyond Reason (Star Trek):
This was one of my Little Black Dress projects for Rough Trade in July. Sentinel and Guide bonding is, normally, sexy as hell. The other story I wrote for LBD was definitely not sexy, but this one… well, I can't say I wasn't looking forward to that part. Just a little. It was actually fun to write that scene, even though it didn't come until near the end of the story. The whole story leads up to the sexy-times, so the payoff is exactly what you hope it would be.
Hardest story to write:
The Legacy of Asgard (MCU):
This was my RT project for April. I struggled with the story for the entire month. I was so glad when that challenge ended. I have no idea why that story was so hard to write. It could be that I was trying to do too many things with it, so there wasn't really a central theme. Ultimately, I think it's really two or three separate stories, and so that may be how I publish it. We'll see.
I'm the vanilla one, so where'd this come from?:
Heart of Darkness (MCU):
I made Captain America a vampire. Oops? To be honest, of all the supernatural creatures out there, vampires were always my favorite. I burned through the Ann Rice Lestat books so fast I swear they almost combusted in my hands. But make Captain America a vampire? Well, yes. He's actually perfect for it because it's so unexpected. And sinful. I mean, Steve was looking at Fury like he was Steve's next meal. Hmmm… now there's an idea.
Biggest disappointment:
End of the Road (Star Wars):
I enjoyed Rise of Skywalker, though I realize that many people didn't. So, basing a story on that movie was always a risky proposition. Don't get me wrong, 17 kudos and four comments isn't exactly crickets, but it's not like the fans were burning a path to this story. Plus, it's Poe/Kaydel, which isn't just a rare pair, it's probably near-extinct. But, if you know me at all, you know that's my bread-and-butter. I could wish the story got more love than it did, but ultimately, stories find the audience they're meant to find.
Biggest surprise:
Special Cargo (SEAL Team):
This story got so much love it still makes me grin. A story about a bunch of SEALs, a dog and a kitten, and people loved it. I guess I should have known, but it still caught me off guard. Happy accidents.
Story that shifted my perception of the characters:
The Only Easy Day (SEAL Team):
My plan this year for the July LBD challenge on RT was to write Sentinel stories from a Guide perspective. I wanted to delve into what it means to be a Guide and what their challenges are. So, this story was told from Clay's perspective as a Guide. I love Clay Spenser anyway (Save us, Obi-Blond Kenobi… Sonny's description is dead on), but digging deeper into the character was interesting. I've always been good at characterization, so figuring out Clay was a great challenge. Seems to have resonated with the readers, too.
Most telling fic:
Remember You Young (MCU):
I'm a huge supporter of the military. My father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and I've had friends who served in various branches over the years. I think that's part of why Captain America appeals to me. Highlighting his service, and the bravery of the Greatest Generation, was an honest pleasure.
Story I want remembered:
Remember You Young (MCU):
Sacrifice and dedication are rare commodities in the world today. Our men and women in uniform should be celebrated for the sacrifices they make to keep us safe. They live far from home and spend their holidays missing their loved ones so we can be with ours. The next time you see a veteran or an active-duty serviceman or woman, go shake their hand and say thank you. I guarantee it'll be worth it.
And, of course, the master list of 2020 stories can be found here. Enjoy!
I should have known that 2020 was going to be a bad year when I had to abandon my Quantum Bang project midway through. It broke my heart, but the stories I was attempting to write weren’t gelling and I'm not a writer who'll force myself to write something that I'm not 100% into. So, I killed both of them and moved on.
Instead, I committed to writing more short stories. I used to be able to write 2000 words as easy as breathing. Longer stories were a challenge for me, so I decided to start doing the Rough Trade challenges as a way to learn how to build and write a longer story (the shortest story of the challenges is usually in July, where the challenge is to write two stories of no less than 10,000 words each). As a result of that, everything I write these days seems to grow out of control. Fluff Bingo last year and Trope Bingo this year were good exercises for me to write something much shorter.
I wrote and posted ten short stories this year, which is just two short of my original goal of one a month. Not bad! It was fun, and I got to flesh out some ideas that have been swimming around my head for far too long. I'd like to keep that up again in 2021; I just need to find the inspirations for new stories. I may just keep working on my Trope Bingo card; I have plenty of squares that I have yet to fill.
I participated in all three Rough Trade challenges this year. This year was the Year of the Sentinel, and my first story was for the April challenge. It's a sequel to The Captain America Effect, and while it's finished, I haven't touched it since I put the final period on the last sentence. I wasn't really happy with it, so I figure I'll pick it up again sometime in 2021 when I've got a better perspective on it.
I wrote two stories for the July Little Black Dress challenge-The Only Easy Day and Beyond Reason-and both are currently posted on AO3. The November challenge story isn't actually a Sentinel story. I was all set to write one, but as it got closer, I was less and less excited to write it. Then Keira-the founder of Rough Trade-admitted that she was struggling, too. So, she opened the challenge to add a Shifter theme, and Muse pounced on it. My story turned out to be The Stars, Our Destiny (or, as I referred to it in my head, Shifters in Space, inspired by Pigs in Space from the old Muppet Show) featuring Christopher Pike as a wolf shifter. It was tons of fun to write, and I'm looking forward to getting it edited and up on AO3. Watch this space for an update on when that happens.
I'm giving Quantum Bang another shot this year. At this point, I'm about halfway through my outline and feeling pretty good about what I've written so far. I should be able to finish by the end of January, well ahead of the deadline. Wish me luck!
I dipped my toe back into an old favorite fandom this year. Star Trek featured heavily in my projects this year, and I've got tons more inspiration so I'm looking forward to writing more in the new year. I picked up two new fandoms this year: SEAL Team and Pacific Rim, though the PR story was posted as part of Evil Author Day. I'm looking forward to what the new year will bring on the fandom front.
As for my production, I wrote a little over 200,000 words. Wow! A lot of that was for Rough Trade, but even still, I feel pretty good about my word total. As I've said above, I plan to write more short stories and will likely do all three Rough Trade challenges as I've grown to enjoy the process and have yet to run into a theme I don't like. I'm going to finish the Quantum Bang story and probably get started on the one for next year (which I've already got ideas for).
Thankfully, shelter-at-home hasn't killed my Muse, so I'm looking forward to being just as productive in 2021 as I was in 2020. I had lots of free time working from home, and since it looks like 2021 will begin the same way 2020 ended, I'll probably have just as much time to write.
Like everyone, I'm hopeful that the current crisis won't last much longer. I miss seeing friends and extended family, and I really miss traveling to my favorite places. I've learned through this difficult year that people are what matter, and so I'm grateful to my readers for reading what I write and offering praise and encouragement when I needed it. I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year, wherever you are!
So, the highlights from this year:
My Favorites:
The Only Easy Day
Quirk of Fate
Special Cargo
Best stories:
The Only Easy Day
Normal Rules Need Not Apply
Straight Shot Truth
Favorite Line:
Remember You Young (MCU): Never before had the enemy faced a foe that wouldn't wilt under heavy fire, wouldn't give up despite overwhelming force, and wouldn't retreat even when retreat was the safer option.
Special Cargo (SEAL Team): "We can't take a cat back with us," Jason said. Cerberus just sat down, still with the kitten clutched in her jaw, staring at Jason, completely immovable. Jason stared back, but it was obvious he wasn't going to win this one. He rubbed a hand over his face. "Jesus. Okay, grab your gun and bring the cat." (Side note: the line "Grab your gun and bring the cat" comes from the Battlestar Galactica revival on Syfy. I loved it so much I had to use it.)
The Darkness In Between (MCU): This time, even with all the loss, he knew better ways of coping than punching the hell out of a punching bag. He wished he didn't, but that seemed to be the life he was destined to lead. The serum would have allowed him to outlive all his friends anyway, but this loss was just so much harder to fathom, and he woke up every day hoping it was all just a nightmare.
Most underappreciated by the universe:
The Darkness In Between (MCU):
This story was inspired by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The movies were sad and hopeful at the same time, and they both broke my heart. Plus, Sad!Steve is pretty much canon, so that's what this is. I knew when I wrote it that it wasn't going to be popular, so I'm not entirely surprised it didn't get a lot of love. There's always one story a year that this happens to. I should be used to it by now, but… /shrugs/
Most reviewed:
Special Cargo (SEAL Team):
Who knew this fandom was so big? This was a silly little story that I didn't really give any thought to until the comments and kudos started rolling in. The thing I love about this story is its heart. Kittens and SEALs for the win!
Most fun to write:
Normal Rules Need Not Apply (NCIS):
In all the years I've been writing, I'd never done the 'What happens in Vegas' trope, until now. It was a lot of fun imagining what might have happened so that Tony and Ellie wound up naked in bed together in a hotel in Vegas. It's sexy, but not. And also, apparently, very popular with my readers.
Sexiest story:
Beyond Reason (Star Trek):
This was one of my Little Black Dress projects for Rough Trade in July. Sentinel and Guide bonding is, normally, sexy as hell. The other story I wrote for LBD was definitely not sexy, but this one… well, I can't say I wasn't looking forward to that part. Just a little. It was actually fun to write that scene, even though it didn't come until near the end of the story. The whole story leads up to the sexy-times, so the payoff is exactly what you hope it would be.
Hardest story to write:
The Legacy of Asgard (MCU):
This was my RT project for April. I struggled with the story for the entire month. I was so glad when that challenge ended. I have no idea why that story was so hard to write. It could be that I was trying to do too many things with it, so there wasn't really a central theme. Ultimately, I think it's really two or three separate stories, and so that may be how I publish it. We'll see.
I'm the vanilla one, so where'd this come from?:
Heart of Darkness (MCU):
I made Captain America a vampire. Oops? To be honest, of all the supernatural creatures out there, vampires were always my favorite. I burned through the Ann Rice Lestat books so fast I swear they almost combusted in my hands. But make Captain America a vampire? Well, yes. He's actually perfect for it because it's so unexpected. And sinful. I mean, Steve was looking at Fury like he was Steve's next meal. Hmmm… now there's an idea.
Biggest disappointment:
End of the Road (Star Wars):
I enjoyed Rise of Skywalker, though I realize that many people didn't. So, basing a story on that movie was always a risky proposition. Don't get me wrong, 17 kudos and four comments isn't exactly crickets, but it's not like the fans were burning a path to this story. Plus, it's Poe/Kaydel, which isn't just a rare pair, it's probably near-extinct. But, if you know me at all, you know that's my bread-and-butter. I could wish the story got more love than it did, but ultimately, stories find the audience they're meant to find.
Biggest surprise:
Special Cargo (SEAL Team):
This story got so much love it still makes me grin. A story about a bunch of SEALs, a dog and a kitten, and people loved it. I guess I should have known, but it still caught me off guard. Happy accidents.
Story that shifted my perception of the characters:
The Only Easy Day (SEAL Team):
My plan this year for the July LBD challenge on RT was to write Sentinel stories from a Guide perspective. I wanted to delve into what it means to be a Guide and what their challenges are. So, this story was told from Clay's perspective as a Guide. I love Clay Spenser anyway (Save us, Obi-Blond Kenobi… Sonny's description is dead on), but digging deeper into the character was interesting. I've always been good at characterization, so figuring out Clay was a great challenge. Seems to have resonated with the readers, too.
Most telling fic:
Remember You Young (MCU):
I'm a huge supporter of the military. My father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and I've had friends who served in various branches over the years. I think that's part of why Captain America appeals to me. Highlighting his service, and the bravery of the Greatest Generation, was an honest pleasure.
Story I want remembered:
Remember You Young (MCU):
Sacrifice and dedication are rare commodities in the world today. Our men and women in uniform should be celebrated for the sacrifices they make to keep us safe. They live far from home and spend their holidays missing their loved ones so we can be with ours. The next time you see a veteran or an active-duty serviceman or woman, go shake their hand and say thank you. I guarantee it'll be worth it.
And, of course, the master list of 2020 stories can be found here. Enjoy!