Fic Writer’s Year In Review
Okay, saw the this done by a few people I know and thought yeah I want to do that... and then failed at doing it for most of two months but hey-ho, here it is. I saw a few different versions of this and have smushed them together into one.
General fic stats for 2018
This was harder than it should be to do because I reposted a load of fics on Ao3 last year and so had to compile this manually to not include those. Still got more to shift over from FF.net too at some point.
Word count on AO3: 107,474 words
Average Words Per Story: 3256
Number of fics on AO3: 33 (also 8 fanmixes and 2 moodboards)
Fandoms written for: The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Fringe, BBC Sherlock, Altered Carbon, Primeval, Once Upon A Time, Teen Wolf, Dirty Sexy Money - also Arrow for a fanmix.
Total Words Written: actually more than what's posted, I think twice that. I'm gonna try to keep track of both in 2019.
Shortest Story:
Technically my two new chapters (4 & 5) of my Primeval drabbles fic collection since they're each 100 words but the overall drabble collection is obviously longer. Otherwise it'd be my Savitar short "Is It All You Wanted It To Be" as 205 words.
Longest Story:
Snowestallen "I Can Only Stare" at about 25k and still going. Estimated 70k but it's a WIP I really need to get back to.
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d predicted?
Definitely more, especially considering my health last year, which just kept getting worse as the year went on. I hadn't written much in 2017 and nothing posted in 2015 or 2016, so this was a big change coming back to fandom.
After I had to take a break from work, fanfic and other fannish things were what kept me sane in 2018. They allowed me to feel like I had an effect on the world, making other people happy, and could do something productive/have a sense of achievement still. I know I need to not invest too much into that because I need to have other non-fannish things that do the same, and not get stuck in needing comments/reviews, but it has been helpful at the same time.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write most?
Pairing: In terms of words Snowestallen, 26k of them. Runners up for most would be 13k Savisnow 13k and 14k Savibarry.
Genre: Angst, of course. Not a surprise for anyone with more than a passing interest in my fics.
Fandom: The Flash, 27 fics or fanmixes that were at least in part for that fandom.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?
Pairing: I don't think any of my 3 most written pairings for the year were ones that I would have predicted starting the year. Also probably wouldn't have predicted I'd write for Mick/Caitlin either as it's not something I ship myself but I got an idea I liked and did a bit for it.
Fandom: Altered Carbon. Couldn't have predicted as I didn't watch that until February. ;P
Genre: I hadn't considered dark smut or hate sex as something I'd write, but apparently I learnt I can do that fine.
Did you take any writing risks this year?
Yup. Writing Savibarry for the rarepairswap felt like one. I'd written doppelcest before but that one was very dark and very smutty, and I've not really written much m/m smut either, plus I was rusty on writing smut too at the time.
Putting some fics out there for new fandoms - and fics that had sat on my hdd from years ago that were now rather divorced from where canon had gone for older fandoms - also felt risky but those got some good feedback, not much but enthusiastic.
Generally, taking part in exchanges and trying a big bang were risky for me with my health being unpredictable. I was glad I fulfilled my parts of the exchanges I signed up for and even though I didn't finish the bang fic, I did write more than the minimum and was one of only 2 fics posted anything for that bang, so it didn't feel a complete bust. I did learn I am never doing a bang again unless I have seriously higher levels of energy, ain't worth the stress on me.
Do you have any fanfic or general writing goals for the new year?
Finish more WIPs that are sitting on my hdd. I want to post more for my old fandoms and part of that is to get things polished off and just out there, even if the are wildly canon divergent by now.
Also, I set myself the goal to write 208k in 2019, which is 4k a week average. I posted more than the 104k I had as target in 2018 and I think I probably wrote 208k overall then, so I am hoping to not just write 208k in 2019 but to post at least 208k, even if some of that is stuff written mostly in 2019 or earlier.
Writing more gen and more variety of pairings would be good to get myself to do too.
From the past year of writing, what was your...
Best story of this year:
I'm not sure how to judge best. I think my Arrowverse gen fic "Quick Thoughts" maybe? I enjoy drabbles/double drabbles, though a fair few in that grew to triple drabbles. Feedback is sparse for it but I enjoyed writing gen again.
That or "Of The Space Between" which was trying to fill a gap in canon late S3 The Flash, with some added UST/unrequited going on.
Most popular story of this year (by kudos):
My Savisnow oneshot collection "Why Should I Trust You" which fills a niche for more of the pairing, since few write it but a reasonable number of people enjoy it based on kudos and hits.
Also, predictably my FlashFrost/Snowbarry story "Guide You Through The Night" was not far behind.
Personal favorite:
Chapter 5 of Why Should I Trust You, "Making Time" - it's almost 7k of wry, painful, hesitant Savitar and Caitlin friendship, slowly moving into healing and something more hopeful.
My favourite fic to write:
My favourite is one that barely anyone is likely to have read, because it's a Fringe fic "Evolution Is No Fast Thing" and Fringe fandom isn't much active anymore. I love pining and I love Lincoln Lee and this was 12k of pining redverse Lincoln during a friends with benefits with Liv sort of hookup that was heading to more but not outright and not fast.
Most fun to write:
"The Door Is Ever Open" short Teen Wolf ficlet about what it feels like for Lydia as a banshee during the apocalypse. It was indulgent but I loved the imagery for it.
Story with the single sexiest moment:
Um, not sure. I didn't write tons of smut this year. Possibly in "Evolution Is No Fast Thing"?. Been told the Savibarry stories are hot but those'll be disturbing hot, where as the Fringe fic has more usual sex in it.
Most “holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you” story:
Both Savibarry darksmut "Timing Is Everything" or Savibarry(frost) darksmut "Cold Comfort". They are pretty twisted, which was actually quite satisfying to do well. I really hadn't conceived of writing anything like that this year, but it was perversely fun to go there.
Most challenging to write:
In terms of motivation probably "I Can Only Stare". I made the choice to do a canon divergent AU that is still sticking very close to canon, which is not everyone's cup of tea to have it rehash from a different POV, but I liked what I was adding with that POV so... It's just hard to do the rewatching. I'm stuck around S4 figuring out how to fit stuff in and I got too tired to deal with that level of effort and a negative comment from someone for whom the format wasn't their cup of tea got me down about it. Though looking at the stats there's 33 people subscribed, waiting for it to update, which is cool and might help my motivation.
I also found Hartmon fluff pretty difficult to write for an exchange. Because fluff is my problem area.
Funniest fic:
Funny and me are not usually in the same sentence.
Maybe my Primeval/The Flash crossover fic "No Shortage of Scientific Curiosity" for the Lester snark?
Fluffiest fic:
Either the Hartmon fic "The Only Version Known To Earth" or the Barry, Cisco and Caitlin platonic soulmates fic "On My Skin It Sinks In".
Saddest fic:
I write a lot of sad, and there's a lot of that for Savitar, but possibly my Nora Darhk fic "Under The Surface" is saddest as she was manipulated from a young age.
Fic I’m proudest of writing:
My Yuletide fic for Altered Carbon "The Boundaries Which Divide". I was really surprised that fandom didn't have more fics and Lizzie & Poe friendship was such a lovely focus I was astounded that I was the first to write for it, no tag existing before.
Least popular fic:
Two fics are tied for this.
"Everything You Know Isn't Enough" Jeremy Darling, Dirty Sexy Money - 0 comments and 0 kudos on Ao3, only 18 hits, but 2 reviews on FF.net at least. The fandom has only 28 fics on Ao3 and 18 of FF.net, so little surprise there.
Or...
"No Shortage of Scientific Curiosity" crossover fic for The Flash and Primeval, Julian Albert and James Lester as characters. That got only 1 comment and 2 kudos on Ao3, but eh, crossovers are often hit or miss.
Most of my fanmixes also have basically no feedback and a minuscule amount of kudos.
Biggest disappointment:
Not disappointed with anything I posted. My disappointment is not finishing things, especially not making much progress writing my Savisnow 30 chapter WIP of doom "One Way Or Another". I hope this year I can get some of that done.
General writing reflections:
I should avoid bangs, too much pressure. I probably should avoid exchanges too for the most part. Too many deadlines not good. I've got only 3 I'm happy to take part in for 2019 - yuletide, festivids and dctv rarepair exchange if it happens again.
Writers You Should Read:
Because I am lazy and tired right now I'm just gonna link to my Ao3 bookmarks as anyone I'd recommend will probably be bookmarked somewhere in there.
Favorite character to write:
Much to my surprise, Savitar...
Favorite opening lines:
Apparently, I don't have many favourite opening lines...
Here he is, on his knees again, caught out in front of the bulk of his destiny. (monument to all your sin)
Favorite closing lines:
If he can't have love, can't extinguish that feeling himself, he'll turn it into hate and make them truly hate him in return. At least then they will feel something, unable to turn their backs on him again. He might have been disposable but he's unforgettable, always in their hearts. (Creations of Your Own)
He'd thought it was over when he'd seen that, he'd thought they'd won but that was the moment their paths diverged, marked only by the frostbite settling into his skin. (Stronger Than The Pain That Created Me)
It feels like his world has been thrown off kilter but Iris will ground him, that he knows is true. (Welcome To Your Life)
He just wants to wake up from the nightmare, wake them all up, but he can't even bring Caitlin home. His world fractured too long ago, before he'd realised, and he can't fix them now no matter how hard he tries. As he walks away, dejectedly, he's scared of what it will take to stop them. Savitar, Killer Frost, they'd do anything and so must he. (Of The Space Between)
She has no strength to lend anymore so she hopes she won't have to, that she won't have to show how weak she's become by finally breaking. (It's The Journey Not The Destination)
His vessel must be perfect, who she was is not something they care about, only who she is to be shaped into before her shape is him. (Under The Surface)
Other favorite lines:
It might've been her humanity that told her she needed to save him, but that compassion, organic as it was in origin, was no less a type of programming, she was a product of her upbringing; she wouldn't abandon him. (The Boundaries Which Divide)
That fear will always remain, Savitar's legacy; the very same he'd wanted to inspire as a God would forever keep him from what he desired as a man. (Is It All You Wanted It To Be)
He tells himself he looks to her because he wants to see what she is capable of (not because she is a piece of the home he was denied, stolen back from them) (Everything Must Go)
The woman they think they know is mostly made up of memories, even if they are memories she shares with who she used to be. (Something To Remember Me By)
He feels full of dread every time it happens again, his brain hitting repeat like it wants to figure out how to grapple with his failure and it never manages to do better than reality. (Timing Is Everything)
But it's just pain - organic feedback - raw information (Quick Thoughts)
It saw the desire he had and took it for its own - it twisted into him by finding places they were the same, filling up the the dark spaces he'd already had until there wasn't room for any other thought. (By Another Name He Calls)
General fic stats for 2018
This was harder than it should be to do because I reposted a load of fics on Ao3 last year and so had to compile this manually to not include those. Still got more to shift over from FF.net too at some point.
Word count on AO3: 107,474 words
Average Words Per Story: 3256
Number of fics on AO3: 33 (also 8 fanmixes and 2 moodboards)
Fandoms written for: The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Fringe, BBC Sherlock, Altered Carbon, Primeval, Once Upon A Time, Teen Wolf, Dirty Sexy Money - also Arrow for a fanmix.
Total Words Written: actually more than what's posted, I think twice that. I'm gonna try to keep track of both in 2019.
Shortest Story:
Technically my two new chapters (4 & 5) of my Primeval drabbles fic collection since they're each 100 words but the overall drabble collection is obviously longer. Otherwise it'd be my Savitar short "Is It All You Wanted It To Be" as 205 words.
Longest Story:
Snowestallen "I Can Only Stare" at about 25k and still going. Estimated 70k but it's a WIP I really need to get back to.
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d predicted?
Definitely more, especially considering my health last year, which just kept getting worse as the year went on. I hadn't written much in 2017 and nothing posted in 2015 or 2016, so this was a big change coming back to fandom.
After I had to take a break from work, fanfic and other fannish things were what kept me sane in 2018. They allowed me to feel like I had an effect on the world, making other people happy, and could do something productive/have a sense of achievement still. I know I need to not invest too much into that because I need to have other non-fannish things that do the same, and not get stuck in needing comments/reviews, but it has been helpful at the same time.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write most?
Pairing: In terms of words Snowestallen, 26k of them. Runners up for most would be 13k Savisnow 13k and 14k Savibarry.
Genre: Angst, of course. Not a surprise for anyone with more than a passing interest in my fics.
Fandom: The Flash, 27 fics or fanmixes that were at least in part for that fandom.
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?
Pairing: I don't think any of my 3 most written pairings for the year were ones that I would have predicted starting the year. Also probably wouldn't have predicted I'd write for Mick/Caitlin either as it's not something I ship myself but I got an idea I liked and did a bit for it.
Fandom: Altered Carbon. Couldn't have predicted as I didn't watch that until February. ;P
Genre: I hadn't considered dark smut or hate sex as something I'd write, but apparently I learnt I can do that fine.
Did you take any writing risks this year?
Yup. Writing Savibarry for the rarepairswap felt like one. I'd written doppelcest before but that one was very dark and very smutty, and I've not really written much m/m smut either, plus I was rusty on writing smut too at the time.
Putting some fics out there for new fandoms - and fics that had sat on my hdd from years ago that were now rather divorced from where canon had gone for older fandoms - also felt risky but those got some good feedback, not much but enthusiastic.
Generally, taking part in exchanges and trying a big bang were risky for me with my health being unpredictable. I was glad I fulfilled my parts of the exchanges I signed up for and even though I didn't finish the bang fic, I did write more than the minimum and was one of only 2 fics posted anything for that bang, so it didn't feel a complete bust. I did learn I am never doing a bang again unless I have seriously higher levels of energy, ain't worth the stress on me.
Do you have any fanfic or general writing goals for the new year?
Finish more WIPs that are sitting on my hdd. I want to post more for my old fandoms and part of that is to get things polished off and just out there, even if the are wildly canon divergent by now.
Also, I set myself the goal to write 208k in 2019, which is 4k a week average. I posted more than the 104k I had as target in 2018 and I think I probably wrote 208k overall then, so I am hoping to not just write 208k in 2019 but to post at least 208k, even if some of that is stuff written mostly in 2019 or earlier.
Writing more gen and more variety of pairings would be good to get myself to do too.
From the past year of writing, what was your...
Best story of this year:
I'm not sure how to judge best. I think my Arrowverse gen fic "Quick Thoughts" maybe? I enjoy drabbles/double drabbles, though a fair few in that grew to triple drabbles. Feedback is sparse for it but I enjoyed writing gen again.
That or "Of The Space Between" which was trying to fill a gap in canon late S3 The Flash, with some added UST/unrequited going on.
Most popular story of this year (by kudos):
My Savisnow oneshot collection "Why Should I Trust You" which fills a niche for more of the pairing, since few write it but a reasonable number of people enjoy it based on kudos and hits.
Also, predictably my FlashFrost/Snowbarry story "Guide You Through The Night" was not far behind.
Personal favorite:
Chapter 5 of Why Should I Trust You, "Making Time" - it's almost 7k of wry, painful, hesitant Savitar and Caitlin friendship, slowly moving into healing and something more hopeful.
My favourite fic to write:
My favourite is one that barely anyone is likely to have read, because it's a Fringe fic "Evolution Is No Fast Thing" and Fringe fandom isn't much active anymore. I love pining and I love Lincoln Lee and this was 12k of pining redverse Lincoln during a friends with benefits with Liv sort of hookup that was heading to more but not outright and not fast.
Most fun to write:
"The Door Is Ever Open" short Teen Wolf ficlet about what it feels like for Lydia as a banshee during the apocalypse. It was indulgent but I loved the imagery for it.
Story with the single sexiest moment:
Um, not sure. I didn't write tons of smut this year. Possibly in "Evolution Is No Fast Thing"?. Been told the Savibarry stories are hot but those'll be disturbing hot, where as the Fringe fic has more usual sex in it.
Most “holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you” story:
Both Savibarry darksmut "Timing Is Everything" or Savibarry(frost) darksmut "Cold Comfort". They are pretty twisted, which was actually quite satisfying to do well. I really hadn't conceived of writing anything like that this year, but it was perversely fun to go there.
Most challenging to write:
In terms of motivation probably "I Can Only Stare". I made the choice to do a canon divergent AU that is still sticking very close to canon, which is not everyone's cup of tea to have it rehash from a different POV, but I liked what I was adding with that POV so... It's just hard to do the rewatching. I'm stuck around S4 figuring out how to fit stuff in and I got too tired to deal with that level of effort and a negative comment from someone for whom the format wasn't their cup of tea got me down about it. Though looking at the stats there's 33 people subscribed, waiting for it to update, which is cool and might help my motivation.
I also found Hartmon fluff pretty difficult to write for an exchange. Because fluff is my problem area.
Funniest fic:
Funny and me are not usually in the same sentence.
Maybe my Primeval/The Flash crossover fic "No Shortage of Scientific Curiosity" for the Lester snark?
Fluffiest fic:
Either the Hartmon fic "The Only Version Known To Earth" or the Barry, Cisco and Caitlin platonic soulmates fic "On My Skin It Sinks In".
Saddest fic:
I write a lot of sad, and there's a lot of that for Savitar, but possibly my Nora Darhk fic "Under The Surface" is saddest as she was manipulated from a young age.
Fic I’m proudest of writing:
My Yuletide fic for Altered Carbon "The Boundaries Which Divide". I was really surprised that fandom didn't have more fics and Lizzie & Poe friendship was such a lovely focus I was astounded that I was the first to write for it, no tag existing before.
Least popular fic:
Two fics are tied for this.
"Everything You Know Isn't Enough" Jeremy Darling, Dirty Sexy Money - 0 comments and 0 kudos on Ao3, only 18 hits, but 2 reviews on FF.net at least. The fandom has only 28 fics on Ao3 and 18 of FF.net, so little surprise there.
Or...
"No Shortage of Scientific Curiosity" crossover fic for The Flash and Primeval, Julian Albert and James Lester as characters. That got only 1 comment and 2 kudos on Ao3, but eh, crossovers are often hit or miss.
Most of my fanmixes also have basically no feedback and a minuscule amount of kudos.
Biggest disappointment:
Not disappointed with anything I posted. My disappointment is not finishing things, especially not making much progress writing my Savisnow 30 chapter WIP of doom "One Way Or Another". I hope this year I can get some of that done.
General writing reflections:
I should avoid bangs, too much pressure. I probably should avoid exchanges too for the most part. Too many deadlines not good. I've got only 3 I'm happy to take part in for 2019 - yuletide, festivids and dctv rarepair exchange if it happens again.
Writers You Should Read:
Because I am lazy and tired right now I'm just gonna link to my Ao3 bookmarks as anyone I'd recommend will probably be bookmarked somewhere in there.
Favorite character to write:
Much to my surprise, Savitar...
Favorite opening lines:
Apparently, I don't have many favourite opening lines...
Here he is, on his knees again, caught out in front of the bulk of his destiny. (monument to all your sin)
Favorite closing lines:
If he can't have love, can't extinguish that feeling himself, he'll turn it into hate and make them truly hate him in return. At least then they will feel something, unable to turn their backs on him again. He might have been disposable but he's unforgettable, always in their hearts. (Creations of Your Own)
He'd thought it was over when he'd seen that, he'd thought they'd won but that was the moment their paths diverged, marked only by the frostbite settling into his skin. (Stronger Than The Pain That Created Me)
It feels like his world has been thrown off kilter but Iris will ground him, that he knows is true. (Welcome To Your Life)
He just wants to wake up from the nightmare, wake them all up, but he can't even bring Caitlin home. His world fractured too long ago, before he'd realised, and he can't fix them now no matter how hard he tries. As he walks away, dejectedly, he's scared of what it will take to stop them. Savitar, Killer Frost, they'd do anything and so must he. (Of The Space Between)
She has no strength to lend anymore so she hopes she won't have to, that she won't have to show how weak she's become by finally breaking. (It's The Journey Not The Destination)
His vessel must be perfect, who she was is not something they care about, only who she is to be shaped into before her shape is him. (Under The Surface)
Other favorite lines:
It might've been her humanity that told her she needed to save him, but that compassion, organic as it was in origin, was no less a type of programming, she was a product of her upbringing; she wouldn't abandon him. (The Boundaries Which Divide)
That fear will always remain, Savitar's legacy; the very same he'd wanted to inspire as a God would forever keep him from what he desired as a man. (Is It All You Wanted It To Be)
He tells himself he looks to her because he wants to see what she is capable of (not because she is a piece of the home he was denied, stolen back from them) (Everything Must Go)
The woman they think they know is mostly made up of memories, even if they are memories she shares with who she used to be. (Something To Remember Me By)
He feels full of dread every time it happens again, his brain hitting repeat like it wants to figure out how to grapple with his failure and it never manages to do better than reality. (Timing Is Everything)
But it's just pain - organic feedback - raw information (Quick Thoughts)
It saw the desire he had and took it for its own - it twisted into him by finding places they were the same, filling up the the dark spaces he'd already had until there wasn't room for any other thought. (By Another Name He Calls)