Yuletide reflections
I'm not even halfway through the stories list so I'm not going to have all my recs in before tomorrow's reveal. But that doesn't mean loss of any joy for me. It has been a glorious, gleeful experience to read so many new stories, especially in fandoms I didn't even think had a following.
I cannot wait to find out who my writers were. Because they get extra special love from me. I actually felt a little guilty toward my recipient because my story was so short (a little under 1500 words), but not only did I get a thank you comment for the story, I got a beautiful thank you in her LJ and on another forum.
I'll admit that I called myself a fool when I got my assignment because I'd made the mistake of selecting "all characters" for a particular fandom in which I hadn't seen all the episodes and thus didn't know who all the characters were. But after about a week of panicking, the assignment took on the quality of a challenge and I spent several nights hunting through Teh Intarwebs to find out as much as I could.
By the time I got around to actually writing it, I was having a ball. And it felt so good to realize that I'd met the challenge.
Yes, in my case, selecting "all" was an actual mistake. I wasn't doing a deliberate self-challenge. Given the way it ended though, I'm glad I made the mistake.
And then, the reveal and the stories. As I said over here, OMG TEH STORIES. And the glee. And the fun. And the STORIES. And the joy. And getting three for my very own!
The reveal will be tomorrow morning my time and I've already set my stories to go "live" on my website tomorrow evening. There are four, in four different fandoms, and every single one of them has generated comments that warmed my heart during a period that's been very, very difficult for me on a personal level.
This has been great. I can't say enough good things about it. And I am so doing Yuletide next year.
One more thing, just in case my recipient sees this post and we don't end up talking personally beforehand or at all: there was a second bit of panic when I got my request too. That's because I recognized your name right away; I've been stalking your work in our mutual fandom since long before this year's Yuletide. And. I. Love. It.
You've got to be one of the best writers I've encountered, and though I don't believe I've commented it anywhere, I am following that series you're working on right now. The only reason I've not openly recced it is because you're still working on it and I don't like to openly rec unfinished fic.
So I panicked a little at seeing your name in addition to my actual assignment: "I got her? How am I ever going to write something that's good enough?" When I saw the thank-you note in your journal and in the other location you used, I had to tell you how much I appreciate it. Because it has meant so very much to me.
I cannot wait to find out who my writers were. Because they get extra special love from me. I actually felt a little guilty toward my recipient because my story was so short (a little under 1500 words), but not only did I get a thank you comment for the story, I got a beautiful thank you in her LJ and on another forum.
I'll admit that I called myself a fool when I got my assignment because I'd made the mistake of selecting "all characters" for a particular fandom in which I hadn't seen all the episodes and thus didn't know who all the characters were. But after about a week of panicking, the assignment took on the quality of a challenge and I spent several nights hunting through Teh Intarwebs to find out as much as I could.
By the time I got around to actually writing it, I was having a ball. And it felt so good to realize that I'd met the challenge.
Yes, in my case, selecting "all" was an actual mistake. I wasn't doing a deliberate self-challenge. Given the way it ended though, I'm glad I made the mistake.
And then, the reveal and the stories. As I said over here, OMG TEH STORIES. And the glee. And the fun. And the STORIES. And the joy. And getting three for my very own!
The reveal will be tomorrow morning my time and I've already set my stories to go "live" on my website tomorrow evening. There are four, in four different fandoms, and every single one of them has generated comments that warmed my heart during a period that's been very, very difficult for me on a personal level.
This has been great. I can't say enough good things about it. And I am so doing Yuletide next year.
One more thing, just in case my recipient sees this post and we don't end up talking personally beforehand or at all: there was a second bit of panic when I got my request too. That's because I recognized your name right away; I've been stalking your work in our mutual fandom since long before this year's Yuletide. And. I. Love. It.
You've got to be one of the best writers I've encountered, and though I don't believe I've commented it anywhere, I am following that series you're working on right now. The only reason I've not openly recced it is because you're still working on it and I don't like to openly rec unfinished fic.
So I panicked a little at seeing your name in addition to my actual assignment: "I got her? How am I ever going to write something that's good enough?" When I saw the thank-you note in your journal and in the other location you used, I had to tell you how much I appreciate it. Because it has meant so very much to me.