Fic Year in Review
Well we're 11 days into the new year and it's time for me to look back on my writing goals for 2014. There were a lot of misses.
Goal: Write 200K.
Result: I managed to write 146,342 words. Still a respectable number, but it was even less than I managed in 2013. I had a big gap between August and October where I struggled to accomplish anything. Even looking back I can't figure out what brought it on, but I struggled to write, I gave up on eating healthily, I sat in front of the TV a lot. If I knew why it would be a lot easier to avoid in 2015.
Goal: Post 85% of what I write.
Result: I posted 82% of my words. So close.
Goal: Write 4 days a week (total 192 days for the year)
Result: I wrote 173 days. I used the "Don't Break The Chain" calendar to track my days, and for the first few months it was great. I loved seeing my little unbroken chain of blue (days I wrote) and pink (days off) X's. I didn't expect success on the first go-round, so I used a black X if I broke the chain, then started it up again. Unfortunately toward the summer the black X's started to dominate the little calendar a lot more.
Goal: Join deadline-based prompt challenges.
Result: Oh wait, this one was a win! Almost all of my fic were written for prompts, but that's no surprise. It's how I work best.
Goal: 1000 word fic minimum
Result: Success! At first Snick had suggested that I make this a goal for bingo challenges, and that's how I started the year (hence, there are two under-1K fics in January.) Then I realized that I should make that a goal for all the fic (excluding drabbles and multi-prompt landcomm challenges) and I was successful all but once. I'm callin' that a win.
Looking back on my output, it's pretty clear that I struggled in 2014. There's more sub-par fics than I like, and fewer moments when I thought "Yes, that is just what I set out to write!" It was a frustrating year, I think.
But there were good parts, too, and surprising ones as well.
01. After always being basically a one-fandom girl, I'd stretched out to two in previous years, writing extensively in both The Walking Dead and Live Free or Die Hard fandoms. Then I added Dark Harbor. Well in 2014 I actually wrote in SIX fandoms -- Live Free or Die Hard, The Walking Dead, Dark Harbor, Oz, Queer as Folk, and Once Upon a Time. Yikes!
02. And I was always a one OTP person.. I mean, that's what OTP is, right? Except suddenly in 2014 I was perfectly happy writing about either Daryl/Glenn or Daryl/Beth. Hmm. What the heck happened there?
03. Wait, Daryl/Beth? Rumplestiltskin/Belle? Where is all this het-lovin' coming from all of a sudden? Well I guess it's not that surprising considering both those couples ping my preferences in such an obvious way (older/younger, experienced/innocent) and both leave so many gaps to explore (Daryl/Beth having nothing together after that 'oh' of Beth's realization of Daryl's feelings; Rumple and Belle having such rich and mostly unseen history.) But still. HET. What the hell.
04. I was also happy that not only did I venture into new (and old) fandoms, but I wrote from a lot of different POVs that I rarely or never had before. For The Walking Dead I wrote Andrea, Otis, Shane, T-Dog, Jim and Guillermo aside from the usual suspects. I wrote from Belle and Rumple's POVs in Once Upon a Time, but also wrote a couple of short little ficlets from the POVs of Henry and Ruby. I wrote for SEVEN different pairings, even if a couple were just one-shots.
So yes, there were good parts. Parts that I was proud of. *nods*
I ended up with fewer stories in 2014 compared to 2013, but that's because each individual story was longer.
My 2014 Fanfic
January
01. Ghost of You
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl & Glenn - 1001 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "sillage"
Summary: Without their staggering footsteps and the brush of fabric on fabric there was only silence. Just the quiet, and Glenn's eyes wide and dark.
02. Take Two
Fandom: Oz - Tim/Sean - 565 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "nazlanmark"
Summary: Tim needs Sean. And Sean had thought he'd reached the point where he didn't want Tim.
03. Communication
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Lori - 662 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "aspectabund"
Summary: He sighs, slumps back in the chair. "Am I that obvious?"
04. Rumour Mill
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt, Warlock - 1447 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "Warlock starts an online rumour that John and Matt are together"
Summary: "Detective McClane, what do you have to say to the allegations that you're involved in a romantic relationship with Matthew Farrell?"
05. It's A Stretch
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt, Warlock - 1899 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompt "resolutions"
Summary: He should fly to Baltimore and kick the Warlock's ass for putting this idea into his head. Of course, if he had the ability to kick someone's ass he wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.
06. All in the Preparation
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1104 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "planning"
Summary: It's an addiction, he will inevitably say when he lights up, when he blows smoke rings into the air. David has his own addiction - to those slim hips and wide shoulders, to the tousled hair and the wry smirk - so he tries not to judge too harshly.
07. Time Waits for No Man
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1107 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "secrets revealed"
Summary: The last thing he remembers saying, as they wheel him on a gurney straight into an operating room, is "But I don't get sick."
February
08. Post It
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1586 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "meet cute" (and "post it note" from Snick)
Summary: Getting a crush on someone in the middle of the apocalypse is about the stupidest thing he's ever done.
09. Simple Kind of Love
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1031 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "four loves" (and "rain" from Snick)
Summary: But in this place, this in-between place, there is only a gently falling rain and the whir of worn tires on the pavement and the man he loves.
10. Small Comfort
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1084 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "headbutt of love"
Summary: "It's not your fault."
11. Flawless
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Ensemble - 1133 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "everyone can see it" (and "transportation" from Snick)
Summary: "You'll find a spot," Rick says. "I'm absolutely sure of that." He flashes a quick grin at Lori as she emerges from the tent. The look of shared amusement on their faces makes Glenn feel vaguely uneasy.
12. Lost and Found
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Dale, Lori - 2926 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "I will find you" (and "text message" from Snick)
Summary: Stay where you are. I'll find you.
13. Silver Lining
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1841 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "moment killer"
Summary: He has a moment to see the relief in Daryl's eyes before the hunger takes over and Daryl steers him toward the nearest tree, shoves warm questing hands under the hem of his T-shirt.
14. Best of a Bad Situation
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1057 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "flirting under fire" (and "mistake" from Snick)
Summary: "Good thing you're kinda cute, or I'd hold this whole we're so going to die in an elevator shaft thing against you."
15. Broken
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1001 words
Written for hc_bingo February challenge for the prompt words: bruises, wings, cursed, restrained
Summary: Because it is always easier to believe the lie. Always easier to take the open path than it is to beat wings against the glass.
March
16. Clarity
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Maggie, Daryl/Beth - 1752 words
Summary: Beth needs her, and she needs to keep Beth safe. Her sister is here, and for brief moments now she can forget that Glenn is not.
17. Past Tense
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Amy, Andrea - 1826 words
Summary: It takes time to get to know Daryl, to get him to let his guard down even a little bit, and it's time that most of them don't want to put in. Their loss.
18. Life's What You Make It
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - Warlock, John/Matt - 1727 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompts "frequently-broken unbreakable vow" and "command centre".
Summary: Bunch of dweebs sitting around a table pretending to be knights and warriors. He IS the Warlock. He has real worlds to conquer.
19. Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 2123 words
Written for tv_universe Big Bang.
Summary: She sits quietly, and for a long time the only sound is their soft breathing, the clink of the comb on the edge of the cup, the soft scrape of his nails against her scalp, the brush of his fingers against her neck.
20. Shelter
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1077 words
Written for tv_universe Big Bang.
Summary: Daryl's never had the words. So he just sits, feels the heat of Beth's leg against his, listens to her breathing. Still here. Still alive. Still with him.
April
21. Five Easy Steps to Falling in Love
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 12997 words
Written for smallfandombang.
Summary: The road to true love doesn't always run quite as smoothly as one would hope -- but John and Matt will get there.
22. A Place to Call Home
Fandoms: Oz / The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Chris/Toby, Merle - 2713 words
Written for hc_bingo April crossover challenge with the prompts "loss of possessions" and "bruises".
Summary: In the midst of the apocalypse, Chris and Toby find the survivors at the quarry. Toby thinks they may have found a home. Chris has other plans.
23. Ghosts
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl, past Daryl/Beth - 1022 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "ghost"
Summary: He glances up, squints at his reflection in the grimy mirror. He's still not used to the stranger looking back at him.
24. Starting Over
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Ensemble - 4066 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" (Walt Disney)
Summary: Discovering that the place you thought would be your sanctuary from the undead is actually rigged to blow up around you and then having to run for your life would be the lowlight of the day for any normal person. For Glenn, things actually seem to go downhill from there.
May
25. Child's Play
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1581 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "volcano"
Summary: He knows the kitchen table is there somewhere, because he bought the damn thing. But it's currently buried under strips of newspaper, in the centre of which is what appears to be a giant white turd. And apparently the bag of flour also exploded. He'd blame terrorists if it wasn't for Matt's guilty expression.
26. (Not The) Tequila
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1707 words
Written for persnickett for her birthday
Summary: "Stop that." So serious, so solemn, those big brown eyes wide and unblinking. "You're not too old. For anything."
27. Cracking the Code
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 2391 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "harbinger"
Summary: A month ago it was coded tracking numbers on their grocery receipts; the month before that, low-grade tranquilizers implanted in chicken breasts to keep people numb and complacent. It really shouldn't surprise him that the crisis du jour is that the undead are rising to devour human flesh.
28. Chase
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1889 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "John McClane, crazy motherfucker"
Summary: If they stand here much longer John knows he's going to reach out for Matt again, maybe say something stupid. So he sticks his hands in his pockets, juts his chin toward the door. "See ya, kid."
29. Charades
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1069 words
Written for hc_bingo May Challenge for the prompt "serial killer"
Summary: He's used to being what people want him to be. And he loves David… in his fashion.
June
30. Ten Drabbles
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various Pairings + Gen - 1000 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
31. He Rolled Over
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David - 100 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
32. Ten Drabbles
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1000 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
33. Stay
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1013 words
Written for gameofcards for the prompt "Stay"
Summary: When her hand finds his in the dark, it feels as natural as breathing.
34. On The Road
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1118 words
Written for gameofcards for the photo prompt of an empty road
Summary: She grins back at him, raises an eyebrow speculatively. "Don't you want to play with me, Mr. Dixon?"
35. Rendezvous
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1442 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "quaint"
Summary: "She doesn’t know you the way I do, David. She can't do the things to you that I can. She can't make you feel the way I can."
36. Just in Case
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Andrea & Amy - 681 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "vacation"
Summary: She rests her hands on her mother's shoulders, squeezes gently. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."
37. Dream a Little Dream
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1035 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "vacation"
Summary: More than anything he wanted to take her hand in his, let her draw him closer. Close his fingers around her palm and feel the electric warmth of her touch. So he took a step back instead.
38. New Beginning
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1232 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the astrology prompt "cancer"
Summary: Kid was too damn trusting then, and he was too damn cynical. Maybe now they can meet somewhere in the middle.
39. Tough Love
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - Matt & Lucy - 1627 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "they can't stay the same now"
Summary: "Very convincing, Farrell. Now here's some more McClane wisdom, because once again the chick in the room has the bigger set of balls."
July
40. Little Girl Lost
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Otis & Sophia - 1011 words
Written for tv_universe for the gapfiller prompt
Summary: The moment seems to sharpen into sudden clarity. She has a spray of freckles on her nose, a brightly coloured rainbow on her thin T-shirt. He watches a bee buzz airily near her ear, sees her tiny fist clutch convulsively at the rock in her hand.
41. Warmth
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1099 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "coffee"
Summary: "Chilly out there," he murmurs over the rim of his cup.
42. Slice of Paradise
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1570 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "another day in paradise"
Summary: The routine is comforting. When something throws it off, John feels off-kilter all day.
43. Found Items
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various Pairings + Gen - 1000 words
Written for tv_universe for the challenge "ten things"
44. Secret
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth, Glenn/Maggie - 1184 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day One - prompt "secret"
Summary: After the gunfire and explosions at Terminus, the grounds of the country club seem eerily quiet.
45. Red
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1206 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Two - prompt "red"
Summary: Daryl and Beth get trapped in town during a supply run.
46. Numb
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1762 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Three - prompt "numb"
Summary: He wasn't bit, and though the wound looked bad - from what little she could see when he came stumbling in leaning heavily on Rick's arm, before Tara rushed past her with the medical kit and the door was shut unceremoniously in her face - she knew that Daryl was a fighter. He would get through this.
47. Enchanted
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1002 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Four - prompt "enchanted"
Summary: She laughs and fades back into the centre of the pond when he drapes his bow next to her frilly little bra, strips off his shirt and leaves his pants pooled on the bank. But the laughter changes into something breathless and eager when he wades into the water.
48. Dream
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1308 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Five - prompt "dream"
Summary: Beth lies down on her makeshift pillow, blinks over at him in the darkness. He senses the movement of her hand, knows that she's touching the cross on its delicate chain around her neck. "You came, too," she says softly. "That says somethin', Daryl."
49. Memory
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1142 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Six - prompt "memory"
Summary: "Don't you never get tired of talkin', Greene?"
50. Hope
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1057 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Seven - prompt "hope"
Summary: There's you, he wants to say. There's you and me.
51. Season's Greetings
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1486 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "Season's Greetings"
Summary: Matt tries to reverse the curse.
52. Blanket
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1034 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "possessive"
Summary: He knows that he should turn around, go back to his cold, sterile bedroom and his cold, sterile wife. He teeters on the precipice between desire and common sense, and as usual it is the boy that tips him over the edge.
August
53. Talkaholic
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1218 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompt "umbrella"
Summary: "Yeah. Our date." At John's pained expression, Matt finds himself faltering. And possibly panicking just a bit himself. "This… is a date, right?"
54. Deadly Sins
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various - 800 words
Written for tv_universe for the challenge "deadly sins"
Summary: Four double drabbles, all gen
55. Support System
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1745 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the prompt "strength"
Summary: After the firesale, nightmares are just part of the landscape. John and Matt help each other heal.
September
No fic.
October
56. Big Bang Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl - 1200 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big bang part one)
Summary: Seven drabbles and one ficlet
57. The Undead
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle, Regina, Emma - 1612 words
Written for lands_of_magic for the prompt "dark and stormy night"
Summary: Magic doesn't work on the undead.
November
58. The Intruder
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle, Regina - 1746 words
Written for spook_me for the prompt "witch"
Summary: Power tingles along his skin, scorching his nerve endings as he scans the area for the intruder, already determining that if the trespasser has harmed one curl on Belle's head or put a single mark on her delicate skin, there will be no quarter.
59. Second Time Around
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle - 1511 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "inspired by a song"
Summary: There was no magic in this land, he told her, as the fog swirled and eddied around their feet. But in the days that follow, Belle finds that she doesn't quite believe him.
60. Vatos Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl, T-Dog, Guillermo - 746 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big bang part two)
Summary: Various ficlets centering around the S1 episode "Vatos"
61. From The Shadows
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Beth - 1053 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the prompt "shadows"
Summary: She's been too long stuck inside, too long scheming and planning. She yearns for open spaces, fresh air, warm sunlight on her face, crumbling earth beneath her feet instead of scuffed linoleum.
62. Beginning
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl - 1045 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "pre-series"
Summary: It must be a dream, Daryl thinks. Too much tequila, too much of that rotgut home brew that Dave makes in his damn bathtub. But even after he squints his eyes shut and shakes away the last of the hangover, the vision remains.
63. Free
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth, Carol - 1678 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "OTP"
Summary: They track the car for hours, slowing when it slows, ensuring that they stay hidden in the shadows and dips of the road.
64. Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various - 1232 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big part part 3)
Summary: Various ficlets
65. Four Times the Weather Ruined Everything (And One Time It Was Just Perfect)
Fandom: Queer as Folk - Brian/Justin, Ensemble - 1237 words
Written for tv_universe for the 5-Times challenge, "holiday traditions"
Summary: What it says on the tin
66. All Bets Are Off
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1196 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "author's choice"
Summary: "I'm scruffy and unkempt. It's a thing."
67. Trapped
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Belle - 1015 words
Written for hc_bingo for the prompt, "imprisonment"
Summary: The cell is dank and cold. It is the first thing that she focuses on, once the fog has lifted from her mind. Not the aching pain in her skull or the nausea that roils her stomach, but the bone-deep cold. It has been so long since she has felt it, that shiver in her bones.
December
68. Swim Day
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1559 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "did you see that?"
Summary: "Remember when I said that all my shit got burned up in the fire and Lucy volunteered to go pick me up some swimming trunks?" Matt says. He steps reluctantly out from behind the wall, head hanging and hands poised protectively over his crotch. "I think your daughter has a sick sense of humour, McClane."
69. Trusting Nature
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 2256 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "Matt gets a gym membership"
Summary: Men lie. Men cheat. Men are dicks. He just sorta hoped Matt would be different.
70. Whiskey Sour
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man, Alexis - 2500 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "whiskey"
Summary: He looks out of place in DeGregorio's, with his loose-fitting jeans and his mussed hair, yet his lax pose and relaxed manner fit the place in a way that David knows he does not, in his buttoned suit and neat tie and stiff spine. It takes him a moment to realize that the dinner jacket draped over the boy's shoulders is one of his own.
71. Dear Santa
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Henry, Belle, Ruby - 880 words
Written for lands_of_magic for the prompt, "letters to santa"
Summary: Three Letters to Santa
72. Learning
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1640 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "how did Matt get on the FBI's blacklist, anyway?"
Summary: Hmm. How did he?
72. Countdown
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1005 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "four minutes to save the world"
Summary: John McClane is a hero. The kind of guy that runs into burning buildings to save children and puppies, or dangles from the runners of a helicopter a hundred feet off the ground to stop the bad guys, and Matt only wishes he was making any of this shit up. But Matt himself is not a hero, he's just a skinny guy whose claim to fame among his peers is that he holds the current record in Super Mario Kart, and in this case he's determined to be the voice of reason.
73. Winterfest
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle - 3762 words
Written for sanalith at lands_of_magic for a Secret Santa gift exchange
Summary: Belle brings one of the traditions from her home to the Dark Castle. Rumplestiltskin is strangely -- to him, at least -- accommodating.
74. Into The Deep
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1800 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "demands"
Summary: The boy is temptation made flesh, and David is only human.
One of the things I always find interesting is the Fic Year in Review meme. Favourite story, most sexy scene, etc. It was perhaps more difficult than usual this year, but I enjoy the look back. And it can be good for the ego to remember those stories and moments that DID work, especially when you feel like you haven't had the most stellar year.
Fic Year in Review
Favourite Story:
Lost and Found
An AU Walking Dead story, in which Daryl and Glenn are together before the apocalypse starts and get separated. I absolutely loved the idea for this, and it was so.much.longer in my head; there were a ton of scenes I just couldn't write because of the time restrictions on getting it posted. Part of me wishes I'd waited and written it as the 15K fic it wanted to be, but most of me knows that if I'd waited to do that it probably wouldn't have gotten written at all. So yeah, this is my favourite if only because the world I pictured for it was so very clear in my head.
Best Story:
Broken
Hmm. This was hard. Not because I've written a lot of good stories, but because I feel like this year I really haven't. This is a Dark Harbor story that hints at the Young Man's darker nature. I feel like I captured what I trying to say with subtlety and it has a couple of lines that I kind of love. I remember having that "yes *fistpump*" feeling when I was writing the Young Man's encounter with the bird.
Most Underappreciated by the Universe:
Little Girl Lost
Walking Dead - Sophia's death, told from Otis's point of view. I really loved the way this turned out. I could feel the cold water of the stream seeping into Otis's overalls and see Sophia reaching out for her doll as it was swept away by the current, where Daryl would find it days later.
Most Fun:
Countdown
John and Matt save the world… or a pie. When I first saw the prompt ("four minutes to save the world") I had 8 billion half-baked (hah, get it?) McClane/Farrell adventures in my head, none of them making much of a fic-sense whatsoever. Then I decided to have some fun with the prompt instead.
Most Sexy:
Enchanted
Daryl and Beth and a pond and a hot summer day. I liked that it felt subtle and slow and simple; both the story and the characters have an ease to them that I like.
"Holy Crap, That's Wrong Even for You" Story:
Charades
I don't really write "ugh, that's so wrong" type stories (at least in the way I think of this question), but I guess this one comes the closest. It's a Dark Harbor story, in which it's revealed that Alexis isn't the first person that the Young Man has killed after they write down his words for him. I'm not sure it's "wrong" per se, though. What I get from the canon is that the Young Man is most definitely playing David - the Young Man is a fine actor, after all. And David ought to be a little worried now that he's got what he thinks he wanted.
Single Sexiest Moment:
It's A Stretch
Oh man. Well, this is a comic Live Free or Die Hard story, but it features a John/Matt first kiss that I really like because it stays pretty deep into Matt's POV and I… I like this better than any actual sex scenes I wrote this year. So.
Most Unintentionally Telling Story:
Not a story, but I feel like I wrote a lot of dark things this year. Most of the Dark Harbor fic was dark. There were a few Live Free or Die Hard stories that dealt with things like nightmares and John's fear of Matt's infidelity without trying to give them happy endings or fill them with banter. I'm not sure what that says about my state of mind last year.
Fic That Shifted Your Perception of the Characters:
Clarity
Maggie's POV, on finding Daryl and Beth. After watching Maggie spend half a season never mentioning her sister at all (and though I didn't know it, another half season of the same thing was coming in Season Five), I really wanted to write something where they came together again and Maggie realized that Beth was grown up and could take care of herself. I also really like stories that tell an outsider's POV of a relationship and I'm not sure if I've ever written one myself, but that's what this ended up being. So I guess this shifted Maggie to a fic-reality that I liked much better than the canon-reality that the show gave me.
Biggest Disappointment:
Child's Play
Ugh. This story. This story fought me every step of the way, and it's random kid fic for Live Free or Die Hard, and it's boring, and ugh. Just ugh.
Biggest Surprise:
Starting Over
This was supposed to be a little post Season One Walking Dead AU where the group holes up in a school instead of finding the farm. And it IS that, but somehow it became 4000 words and was still another one of those stories that I had to truncate because it wanted to be a 10K monster. And it revealed a few things to me along the way; I certainly didn't expect that Glenn's parents had kicked him out for being gay, and those kind of surprises when I'm writing are the most fun.
Hardest Story to Write:
Second Time Around
This is the third Once Upon a Time fic that I posted, but the first one that I started to write. It's so difficult delving into writing for a new fandom. There are so many ideas and thoughts and flaily hands, but finding the character's voices for the first time is tough -- I almost sent this to Snick to run through, even though she's never watched OUAT in her life. I finally managed to find Belle, a little, and hope I managed to convey her awe over the new world she finds herself in.
Easiest Story to Write:
Five Easy Steps to Falling in Love
My Live Free or Die Hard story for smallfandombang. To my recollection, I held off on starting this until I was sure I'd have the time to work on it almost exclusively, and doing so made a big difference in the pace and flow of the words. I used prompt-phrases for each chapter (taken from one an art-meme prompt list thingy, of all things) and that helped me to keep a focus on what I wanted from each chapter. I don't remember struggling at all. (But maybe Snick will remember differently - I probably whined to her about it on at least six separate occasions that I've just now conveniently forgotten.)
This Years Theme and the Story that demonstrates it:
I got nothin'.
Amount of Fic that sits, unposted, on your hard drive…and why:
Wow, this has only grown and grown. I currently have 13 individual files with stories in various stages of completion on my hard drive. Yikes. This is the titles that I have them saved as, and some thoughts.
01. random beth gets gunky and random beth gets gunky 2 - these are carried over from last year. I still really want Beth to get gunky, and can't seem to delete them. One day, Beth, you will indeed be covered in gunk. One day.
02. random daryl glenn au - also a carry-over from last year, a Daryl meets Glenn's parents AU. Someday that story about Merle throwing peas will see the light of day.
03. random glenn delivers pizza to matt - a Walking Dead/Live Free or Die Hard fic. I think I started this for a crossover prompt. I really love the idea of Matt being in Atlanta for a conference or something, and Glenn delivering him pizza - because those two would totally hit it off and nerd out together. And then of course walkers appear and Glenn & Matt have to take off for the hills. But this would be such a longass story, coz then John's gotta get there and Glenn's gotta fall for Daryl and ugh. Maybe someday.
04. random loss of vision daryl/beth - A start for the 'loss of vision' prompt at hc_bingo. Writing sightlessness is HARD, yo.
05. random loss of vision john/Matt and random loss of vision john/Matt 02 -- see above. Two different thoughts, still no way to make 'em work. I might just hate this prompt.
06. random resolutions - a Once Upon A Time fic for a comm challenge. This one I'm actually actively working on and is about halfway done. Yay! -- Now finished!
07. random rush n chloe - I did a rewatch of Stargate Universe and then got bombarded with this hokey fic idea that is sort of ridiculous but that I am kind of in love with. I keep getting scenes for this fic in my head, so I wrote them down. It's about 1K of notes and is going to be my fic for smallfandombang. So this one is about to be active as well.
08. random SFF - mushrooms - Dark Harbor fic. This is for one of the smallfandomfest prompts and is also active, but I've only made a start and I'm not happy with it. Ugh.
09. random superpower au - John and Matt get superpowers. I never write this kind of stuff, but somehow I got inspired by a SFF prompt and then went on a tangent that doesn't even match the prompt. I started this I think in the summer, and actually wrote 1.5K and then never went back to it. I still have thoughts for it in my head, so I'm hoping to get to it this year. I know Snick wants me to.
10. random There are a lot of things John likes about Matt - erm. I have NO idea what this is. Pretty much a paragraph of nothing. deletes.
11. random TWD fic ideas - I had this idea for a sort of AU where, once Beth escapes from the hospital, she and Daryl lead the gang back to the golf course to regroup. I wrote a (really bad) opening scene for it as a prompt at a challenge, but never went back to it. Mostly this is such scattershot scenes and bits of dialogue that have no rhyme or reason, and it would likely be quite a long fic (which explains why it's languishing.) I like the idea, though. Maybe one day.
So. My writing goals for 2015 are very similar, just some small changes.
01. Write 200K -- It took me several years to actually achieve my previous yearly goal (150K) but I want to set the bar high.
02. Post 80% of my writing-- That's a drop from the 85%, but it gives me a little more leeway in editing. It probably should be 75%, and I reserve the right to change it within the first three months upon consultation with my project manager Snick!
03. Write 14 days a month -- This is now a monthly goal instead of a weekly one; again, it gives me a little more leeway in terms of missing days (and seeing those dreaded black X's go up on my Chain Calendar) but it also means that I could slack and then find myself having to write 12 days in a row at the end of the month. Lowering the count from 16 to 14 also means that I have less days to write the same amount of words. We'll see how this goes -- I may amend it as well.
04. Write prompt-based works -- This probably shouldn't even technically BE a goal anymore. It's just how I work. But there it is.
05. Minimum 1K per fic -- minus multi-prompt or drabble challenges. I've hopefully gotten into a routine of not letting myself write teensy ficlets anymore, so I think this can continue.
I haven't written much this month yet -- eeek, already in danger of falling behind -- but in my defense it has been an unexpectedly busy month. I can catch up! *fingers crossed*
BTW, if any other writers are looking for a comm for prompts, inspiration, and really lots of super positive people, look no further than 1_million-words. Not only are their daily and weekly prompts, but you can also sign up for several word count challenges, sign up to give and receive birthday fics, etc. Definitely check it out. :)
.
Goal: Write 200K.
Result: I managed to write 146,342 words. Still a respectable number, but it was even less than I managed in 2013. I had a big gap between August and October where I struggled to accomplish anything. Even looking back I can't figure out what brought it on, but I struggled to write, I gave up on eating healthily, I sat in front of the TV a lot. If I knew why it would be a lot easier to avoid in 2015.
Goal: Post 85% of what I write.
Result: I posted 82% of my words. So close.
Goal: Write 4 days a week (total 192 days for the year)
Result: I wrote 173 days. I used the "Don't Break The Chain" calendar to track my days, and for the first few months it was great. I loved seeing my little unbroken chain of blue (days I wrote) and pink (days off) X's. I didn't expect success on the first go-round, so I used a black X if I broke the chain, then started it up again. Unfortunately toward the summer the black X's started to dominate the little calendar a lot more.
Goal: Join deadline-based prompt challenges.
Result: Oh wait, this one was a win! Almost all of my fic were written for prompts, but that's no surprise. It's how I work best.
Goal: 1000 word fic minimum
Result: Success! At first Snick had suggested that I make this a goal for bingo challenges, and that's how I started the year (hence, there are two under-1K fics in January.) Then I realized that I should make that a goal for all the fic (excluding drabbles and multi-prompt landcomm challenges) and I was successful all but once. I'm callin' that a win.
Looking back on my output, it's pretty clear that I struggled in 2014. There's more sub-par fics than I like, and fewer moments when I thought "Yes, that is just what I set out to write!" It was a frustrating year, I think.
But there were good parts, too, and surprising ones as well.
01. After always being basically a one-fandom girl, I'd stretched out to two in previous years, writing extensively in both The Walking Dead and Live Free or Die Hard fandoms. Then I added Dark Harbor. Well in 2014 I actually wrote in SIX fandoms -- Live Free or Die Hard, The Walking Dead, Dark Harbor, Oz, Queer as Folk, and Once Upon a Time. Yikes!
02. And I was always a one OTP person.. I mean, that's what OTP is, right? Except suddenly in 2014 I was perfectly happy writing about either Daryl/Glenn or Daryl/Beth. Hmm. What the heck happened there?
03. Wait, Daryl/Beth? Rumplestiltskin/Belle? Where is all this het-lovin' coming from all of a sudden? Well I guess it's not that surprising considering both those couples ping my preferences in such an obvious way (older/younger, experienced/innocent) and both leave so many gaps to explore (Daryl/Beth having nothing together after that 'oh' of Beth's realization of Daryl's feelings; Rumple and Belle having such rich and mostly unseen history.) But still. HET. What the hell.
04. I was also happy that not only did I venture into new (and old) fandoms, but I wrote from a lot of different POVs that I rarely or never had before. For The Walking Dead I wrote Andrea, Otis, Shane, T-Dog, Jim and Guillermo aside from the usual suspects. I wrote from Belle and Rumple's POVs in Once Upon a Time, but also wrote a couple of short little ficlets from the POVs of Henry and Ruby. I wrote for SEVEN different pairings, even if a couple were just one-shots.
So yes, there were good parts. Parts that I was proud of. *nods*
I ended up with fewer stories in 2014 compared to 2013, but that's because each individual story was longer.
My 2014 Fanfic
January
01. Ghost of You
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl & Glenn - 1001 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "sillage"
Summary: Without their staggering footsteps and the brush of fabric on fabric there was only silence. Just the quiet, and Glenn's eyes wide and dark.
02. Take Two
Fandom: Oz - Tim/Sean - 565 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "nazlanmark"
Summary: Tim needs Sean. And Sean had thought he'd reached the point where he didn't want Tim.
03. Communication
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Lori - 662 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "aspectabund"
Summary: He sighs, slumps back in the chair. "Am I that obvious?"
04. Rumour Mill
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt, Warlock - 1447 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "Warlock starts an online rumour that John and Matt are together"
Summary: "Detective McClane, what do you have to say to the allegations that you're involved in a romantic relationship with Matthew Farrell?"
05. It's A Stretch
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt, Warlock - 1899 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompt "resolutions"
Summary: He should fly to Baltimore and kick the Warlock's ass for putting this idea into his head. Of course, if he had the ability to kick someone's ass he wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.
06. All in the Preparation
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1104 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "planning"
Summary: It's an addiction, he will inevitably say when he lights up, when he blows smoke rings into the air. David has his own addiction - to those slim hips and wide shoulders, to the tousled hair and the wry smirk - so he tries not to judge too harshly.
07. Time Waits for No Man
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1107 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "secrets revealed"
Summary: The last thing he remembers saying, as they wheel him on a gurney straight into an operating room, is "But I don't get sick."
February
08. Post It
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1586 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "meet cute" (and "post it note" from Snick)
Summary: Getting a crush on someone in the middle of the apocalypse is about the stupidest thing he's ever done.
09. Simple Kind of Love
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1031 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "four loves" (and "rain" from Snick)
Summary: But in this place, this in-between place, there is only a gently falling rain and the whir of worn tires on the pavement and the man he loves.
10. Small Comfort
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1084 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "headbutt of love"
Summary: "It's not your fault."
11. Flawless
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Ensemble - 1133 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "everyone can see it" (and "transportation" from Snick)
Summary: "You'll find a spot," Rick says. "I'm absolutely sure of that." He flashes a quick grin at Lori as she emerges from the tent. The look of shared amusement on their faces makes Glenn feel vaguely uneasy.
12. Lost and Found
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Dale, Lori - 2926 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "I will find you" (and "text message" from Snick)
Summary: Stay where you are. I'll find you.
13. Silver Lining
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1841 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "moment killer"
Summary: He has a moment to see the relief in Daryl's eyes before the hunger takes over and Daryl steers him toward the nearest tree, shoves warm questing hands under the hem of his T-shirt.
14. Best of a Bad Situation
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1057 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "flirting under fire" (and "mistake" from Snick)
Summary: "Good thing you're kinda cute, or I'd hold this whole we're so going to die in an elevator shaft thing against you."
15. Broken
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1001 words
Written for hc_bingo February challenge for the prompt words: bruises, wings, cursed, restrained
Summary: Because it is always easier to believe the lie. Always easier to take the open path than it is to beat wings against the glass.
March
16. Clarity
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Maggie, Daryl/Beth - 1752 words
Summary: Beth needs her, and she needs to keep Beth safe. Her sister is here, and for brief moments now she can forget that Glenn is not.
17. Past Tense
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Amy, Andrea - 1826 words
Summary: It takes time to get to know Daryl, to get him to let his guard down even a little bit, and it's time that most of them don't want to put in. Their loss.
18. Life's What You Make It
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - Warlock, John/Matt - 1727 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompts "frequently-broken unbreakable vow" and "command centre".
Summary: Bunch of dweebs sitting around a table pretending to be knights and warriors. He IS the Warlock. He has real worlds to conquer.
19. Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 2123 words
Written for tv_universe Big Bang.
Summary: She sits quietly, and for a long time the only sound is their soft breathing, the clink of the comb on the edge of the cup, the soft scrape of his nails against her scalp, the brush of his fingers against her neck.
20. Shelter
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1077 words
Written for tv_universe Big Bang.
Summary: Daryl's never had the words. So he just sits, feels the heat of Beth's leg against his, listens to her breathing. Still here. Still alive. Still with him.
April
21. Five Easy Steps to Falling in Love
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 12997 words
Written for smallfandombang.
Summary: The road to true love doesn't always run quite as smoothly as one would hope -- but John and Matt will get there.
22. A Place to Call Home
Fandoms: Oz / The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Chris/Toby, Merle - 2713 words
Written for hc_bingo April crossover challenge with the prompts "loss of possessions" and "bruises".
Summary: In the midst of the apocalypse, Chris and Toby find the survivors at the quarry. Toby thinks they may have found a home. Chris has other plans.
23. Ghosts
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl, past Daryl/Beth - 1022 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "ghost"
Summary: He glances up, squints at his reflection in the grimy mirror. He's still not used to the stranger looking back at him.
24. Starting Over
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn, Ensemble - 4066 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" (Walt Disney)
Summary: Discovering that the place you thought would be your sanctuary from the undead is actually rigged to blow up around you and then having to run for your life would be the lowlight of the day for any normal person. For Glenn, things actually seem to go downhill from there.
May
25. Child's Play
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1581 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "volcano"
Summary: He knows the kitchen table is there somewhere, because he bought the damn thing. But it's currently buried under strips of newspaper, in the centre of which is what appears to be a giant white turd. And apparently the bag of flour also exploded. He'd blame terrorists if it wasn't for Matt's guilty expression.
26. (Not The) Tequila
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1707 words
Written for persnickett for her birthday
Summary: "Stop that." So serious, so solemn, those big brown eyes wide and unblinking. "You're not too old. For anything."
27. Cracking the Code
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 2391 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "harbinger"
Summary: A month ago it was coded tracking numbers on their grocery receipts; the month before that, low-grade tranquilizers implanted in chicken breasts to keep people numb and complacent. It really shouldn't surprise him that the crisis du jour is that the undead are rising to devour human flesh.
28. Chase
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1889 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "John McClane, crazy motherfucker"
Summary: If they stand here much longer John knows he's going to reach out for Matt again, maybe say something stupid. So he sticks his hands in his pockets, juts his chin toward the door. "See ya, kid."
29. Charades
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1069 words
Written for hc_bingo May Challenge for the prompt "serial killer"
Summary: He's used to being what people want him to be. And he loves David… in his fashion.
June
30. Ten Drabbles
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various Pairings + Gen - 1000 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
31. He Rolled Over
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David - 100 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
32. Ten Drabbles
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1000 words
Written for gameofcards drabble tree
33. Stay
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1013 words
Written for gameofcards for the prompt "Stay"
Summary: When her hand finds his in the dark, it feels as natural as breathing.
34. On The Road
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1118 words
Written for gameofcards for the photo prompt of an empty road
Summary: She grins back at him, raises an eyebrow speculatively. "Don't you want to play with me, Mr. Dixon?"
35. Rendezvous
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1442 words
Written for smallfandomflsh for the prompt "quaint"
Summary: "She doesn’t know you the way I do, David. She can't do the things to you that I can. She can't make you feel the way I can."
36. Just in Case
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Andrea & Amy - 681 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "vacation"
Summary: She rests her hands on her mother's shoulders, squeezes gently. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."
37. Dream a Little Dream
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1035 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "vacation"
Summary: More than anything he wanted to take her hand in his, let her draw him closer. Close his fingers around her palm and feel the electric warmth of her touch. So he took a step back instead.
38. New Beginning
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Glenn - 1232 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the astrology prompt "cancer"
Summary: Kid was too damn trusting then, and he was too damn cynical. Maybe now they can meet somewhere in the middle.
39. Tough Love
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - Matt & Lucy - 1627 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "they can't stay the same now"
Summary: "Very convincing, Farrell. Now here's some more McClane wisdom, because once again the chick in the room has the bigger set of balls."
July
40. Little Girl Lost
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Otis & Sophia - 1011 words
Written for tv_universe for the gapfiller prompt
Summary: The moment seems to sharpen into sudden clarity. She has a spray of freckles on her nose, a brightly coloured rainbow on her thin T-shirt. He watches a bee buzz airily near her ear, sees her tiny fist clutch convulsively at the rock in her hand.
41. Warmth
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1099 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "coffee"
Summary: "Chilly out there," he murmurs over the rim of his cup.
42. Slice of Paradise
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1570 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "another day in paradise"
Summary: The routine is comforting. When something throws it off, John feels off-kilter all day.
43. Found Items
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various Pairings + Gen - 1000 words
Written for tv_universe for the challenge "ten things"
44. Secret
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth, Glenn/Maggie - 1184 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day One - prompt "secret"
Summary: After the gunfire and explosions at Terminus, the grounds of the country club seem eerily quiet.
45. Red
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1206 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Two - prompt "red"
Summary: Daryl and Beth get trapped in town during a supply run.
46. Numb
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1762 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Three - prompt "numb"
Summary: He wasn't bit, and though the wound looked bad - from what little she could see when he came stumbling in leaning heavily on Rick's arm, before Tara rushed past her with the medical kit and the door was shut unceremoniously in her face - she knew that Daryl was a fighter. He would get through this.
47. Enchanted
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1002 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Four - prompt "enchanted"
Summary: She laughs and fades back into the centre of the pond when he drapes his bow next to her frilly little bra, strips off his shirt and leaves his pants pooled on the bank. But the laughter changes into something breathless and eager when he wades into the water.
48. Dream
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1308 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Five - prompt "dream"
Summary: Beth lies down on her makeshift pillow, blinks over at him in the darkness. He senses the movement of her hand, knows that she's touching the cross on its delicate chain around her neck. "You came, too," she says softly. "That says somethin', Daryl."
49. Memory
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1142 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Six - prompt "memory"
Summary: "Don't you never get tired of talkin', Greene?"
50. Hope
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth - 1057 words
Written for tumblr's "Bethyl Week" Day Seven - prompt "hope"
Summary: There's you, he wants to say. There's you and me.
51. Season's Greetings
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1486 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "Season's Greetings"
Summary: Matt tries to reverse the curse.
52. Blanket
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1034 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "possessive"
Summary: He knows that he should turn around, go back to his cold, sterile bedroom and his cold, sterile wife. He teeters on the precipice between desire and common sense, and as usual it is the boy that tips him over the edge.
August
53. Talkaholic
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1218 words
Written for sexy_right for the prompt "umbrella"
Summary: "Yeah. Our date." At John's pained expression, Matt finds himself faltering. And possibly panicking just a bit himself. "This… is a date, right?"
54. Deadly Sins
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various - 800 words
Written for tv_universe for the challenge "deadly sins"
Summary: Four double drabbles, all gen
55. Support System
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1745 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the prompt "strength"
Summary: After the firesale, nightmares are just part of the landscape. John and Matt help each other heal.
September
No fic.
October
56. Big Bang Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl - 1200 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big bang part one)
Summary: Seven drabbles and one ficlet
57. The Undead
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle, Regina, Emma - 1612 words
Written for lands_of_magic for the prompt "dark and stormy night"
Summary: Magic doesn't work on the undead.
November
58. The Intruder
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle, Regina - 1746 words
Written for spook_me for the prompt "witch"
Summary: Power tingles along his skin, scorching his nerve endings as he scans the area for the intruder, already determining that if the trespasser has harmed one curl on Belle's head or put a single mark on her delicate skin, there will be no quarter.
59. Second Time Around
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle - 1511 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "inspired by a song"
Summary: There was no magic in this land, he told her, as the fog swirled and eddied around their feet. But in the days that follow, Belle finds that she doesn't quite believe him.
60. Vatos Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl, T-Dog, Guillermo - 746 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big bang part two)
Summary: Various ficlets centering around the S1 episode "Vatos"
61. From The Shadows
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Beth - 1053 words
Written for prompt_in_a_box for the prompt "shadows"
Summary: She's been too long stuck inside, too long scheming and planning. She yearns for open spaces, fresh air, warm sunlight on her face, crumbling earth beneath her feet instead of scuffed linoleum.
62. Beginning
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl - 1045 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "pre-series"
Summary: It must be a dream, Daryl thinks. Too much tequila, too much of that rotgut home brew that Dave makes in his damn bathtub. But even after he squints his eyes shut and shakes away the last of the hangover, the vision remains.
63. Free
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Daryl/Beth, Carol - 1678 words
Written for tv_universe for the prompt "OTP"
Summary: They track the car for hours, slowing when it slows, ensuring that they stay hidden in the shadows and dips of the road.
64. Ficlets
Fandom: The Walking Dead - Various - 1232 words
Written for tv_universe for various prompts (big part part 3)
Summary: Various ficlets
65. Four Times the Weather Ruined Everything (And One Time It Was Just Perfect)
Fandom: Queer as Folk - Brian/Justin, Ensemble - 1237 words
Written for tv_universe for the 5-Times challenge, "holiday traditions"
Summary: What it says on the tin
66. All Bets Are Off
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1196 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "author's choice"
Summary: "I'm scruffy and unkempt. It's a thing."
67. Trapped
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Belle - 1015 words
Written for hc_bingo for the prompt, "imprisonment"
Summary: The cell is dank and cold. It is the first thing that she focuses on, once the fog has lifted from her mind. Not the aching pain in her skull or the nausea that roils her stomach, but the bone-deep cold. It has been so long since she has felt it, that shiver in her bones.
December
68. Swim Day
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1559 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "did you see that?"
Summary: "Remember when I said that all my shit got burned up in the fire and Lucy volunteered to go pick me up some swimming trunks?" Matt says. He steps reluctantly out from behind the wall, head hanging and hands poised protectively over his crotch. "I think your daughter has a sick sense of humour, McClane."
69. Trusting Nature
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 2256 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "Matt gets a gym membership"
Summary: Men lie. Men cheat. Men are dicks. He just sorta hoped Matt would be different.
70. Whiskey Sour
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man, Alexis - 2500 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "whiskey"
Summary: He looks out of place in DeGregorio's, with his loose-fitting jeans and his mussed hair, yet his lax pose and relaxed manner fit the place in a way that David knows he does not, in his buttoned suit and neat tie and stiff spine. It takes him a moment to realize that the dinner jacket draped over the boy's shoulders is one of his own.
71. Dear Santa
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Henry, Belle, Ruby - 880 words
Written for lands_of_magic for the prompt, "letters to santa"
Summary: Three Letters to Santa
72. Learning
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1640 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "how did Matt get on the FBI's blacklist, anyway?"
Summary: Hmm. How did he?
72. Countdown
Fandom: Live Free or Die Hard - John/Matt - 1005 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt, "four minutes to save the world"
Summary: John McClane is a hero. The kind of guy that runs into burning buildings to save children and puppies, or dangles from the runners of a helicopter a hundred feet off the ground to stop the bad guys, and Matt only wishes he was making any of this shit up. But Matt himself is not a hero, he's just a skinny guy whose claim to fame among his peers is that he holds the current record in Super Mario Kart, and in this case he's determined to be the voice of reason.
73. Winterfest
Fandom: Once Upon A Time - Rumple/Belle - 3762 words
Written for sanalith at lands_of_magic for a Secret Santa gift exchange
Summary: Belle brings one of the traditions from her home to the Dark Castle. Rumplestiltskin is strangely -- to him, at least -- accommodating.
74. Into The Deep
Fandom: Dark Harbor - David/Young Man - 1800 words
Written for smallfandomfest for the prompt "demands"
Summary: The boy is temptation made flesh, and David is only human.
One of the things I always find interesting is the Fic Year in Review meme. Favourite story, most sexy scene, etc. It was perhaps more difficult than usual this year, but I enjoy the look back. And it can be good for the ego to remember those stories and moments that DID work, especially when you feel like you haven't had the most stellar year.
Fic Year in Review
Favourite Story:
Lost and Found
An AU Walking Dead story, in which Daryl and Glenn are together before the apocalypse starts and get separated. I absolutely loved the idea for this, and it was so.much.longer in my head; there were a ton of scenes I just couldn't write because of the time restrictions on getting it posted. Part of me wishes I'd waited and written it as the 15K fic it wanted to be, but most of me knows that if I'd waited to do that it probably wouldn't have gotten written at all. So yeah, this is my favourite if only because the world I pictured for it was so very clear in my head.
Best Story:
Broken
Hmm. This was hard. Not because I've written a lot of good stories, but because I feel like this year I really haven't. This is a Dark Harbor story that hints at the Young Man's darker nature. I feel like I captured what I trying to say with subtlety and it has a couple of lines that I kind of love. I remember having that "yes *fistpump*" feeling when I was writing the Young Man's encounter with the bird.
Most Underappreciated by the Universe:
Little Girl Lost
Walking Dead - Sophia's death, told from Otis's point of view. I really loved the way this turned out. I could feel the cold water of the stream seeping into Otis's overalls and see Sophia reaching out for her doll as it was swept away by the current, where Daryl would find it days later.
Most Fun:
Countdown
John and Matt save the world… or a pie. When I first saw the prompt ("four minutes to save the world") I had 8 billion half-baked (hah, get it?) McClane/Farrell adventures in my head, none of them making much of a fic-sense whatsoever. Then I decided to have some fun with the prompt instead.
Most Sexy:
Enchanted
Daryl and Beth and a pond and a hot summer day. I liked that it felt subtle and slow and simple; both the story and the characters have an ease to them that I like.
"Holy Crap, That's Wrong Even for You" Story:
Charades
I don't really write "ugh, that's so wrong" type stories (at least in the way I think of this question), but I guess this one comes the closest. It's a Dark Harbor story, in which it's revealed that Alexis isn't the first person that the Young Man has killed after they write down his words for him. I'm not sure it's "wrong" per se, though. What I get from the canon is that the Young Man is most definitely playing David - the Young Man is a fine actor, after all. And David ought to be a little worried now that he's got what he thinks he wanted.
Single Sexiest Moment:
It's A Stretch
Oh man. Well, this is a comic Live Free or Die Hard story, but it features a John/Matt first kiss that I really like because it stays pretty deep into Matt's POV and I… I like this better than any actual sex scenes I wrote this year. So.
Most Unintentionally Telling Story:
Not a story, but I feel like I wrote a lot of dark things this year. Most of the Dark Harbor fic was dark. There were a few Live Free or Die Hard stories that dealt with things like nightmares and John's fear of Matt's infidelity without trying to give them happy endings or fill them with banter. I'm not sure what that says about my state of mind last year.
Fic That Shifted Your Perception of the Characters:
Clarity
Maggie's POV, on finding Daryl and Beth. After watching Maggie spend half a season never mentioning her sister at all (and though I didn't know it, another half season of the same thing was coming in Season Five), I really wanted to write something where they came together again and Maggie realized that Beth was grown up and could take care of herself. I also really like stories that tell an outsider's POV of a relationship and I'm not sure if I've ever written one myself, but that's what this ended up being. So I guess this shifted Maggie to a fic-reality that I liked much better than the canon-reality that the show gave me.
Biggest Disappointment:
Child's Play
Ugh. This story. This story fought me every step of the way, and it's random kid fic for Live Free or Die Hard, and it's boring, and ugh. Just ugh.
Biggest Surprise:
Starting Over
This was supposed to be a little post Season One Walking Dead AU where the group holes up in a school instead of finding the farm. And it IS that, but somehow it became 4000 words and was still another one of those stories that I had to truncate because it wanted to be a 10K monster. And it revealed a few things to me along the way; I certainly didn't expect that Glenn's parents had kicked him out for being gay, and those kind of surprises when I'm writing are the most fun.
Hardest Story to Write:
Second Time Around
This is the third Once Upon a Time fic that I posted, but the first one that I started to write. It's so difficult delving into writing for a new fandom. There are so many ideas and thoughts and flaily hands, but finding the character's voices for the first time is tough -- I almost sent this to Snick to run through, even though she's never watched OUAT in her life. I finally managed to find Belle, a little, and hope I managed to convey her awe over the new world she finds herself in.
Easiest Story to Write:
Five Easy Steps to Falling in Love
My Live Free or Die Hard story for smallfandombang. To my recollection, I held off on starting this until I was sure I'd have the time to work on it almost exclusively, and doing so made a big difference in the pace and flow of the words. I used prompt-phrases for each chapter (taken from one an art-meme prompt list thingy, of all things) and that helped me to keep a focus on what I wanted from each chapter. I don't remember struggling at all. (But maybe Snick will remember differently - I probably whined to her about it on at least six separate occasions that I've just now conveniently forgotten.)
This Years Theme and the Story that demonstrates it:
I got nothin'.
Amount of Fic that sits, unposted, on your hard drive…and why:
Wow, this has only grown and grown. I currently have 13 individual files with stories in various stages of completion on my hard drive. Yikes. This is the titles that I have them saved as, and some thoughts.
01. random beth gets gunky and random beth gets gunky 2 - these are carried over from last year. I still really want Beth to get gunky, and can't seem to delete them. One day, Beth, you will indeed be covered in gunk. One day.
02. random daryl glenn au - also a carry-over from last year, a Daryl meets Glenn's parents AU. Someday that story about Merle throwing peas will see the light of day.
03. random glenn delivers pizza to matt - a Walking Dead/Live Free or Die Hard fic. I think I started this for a crossover prompt. I really love the idea of Matt being in Atlanta for a conference or something, and Glenn delivering him pizza - because those two would totally hit it off and nerd out together. And then of course walkers appear and Glenn & Matt have to take off for the hills. But this would be such a longass story, coz then John's gotta get there and Glenn's gotta fall for Daryl and ugh. Maybe someday.
04. random loss of vision daryl/beth - A start for the 'loss of vision' prompt at hc_bingo. Writing sightlessness is HARD, yo.
05. random loss of vision john/Matt and random loss of vision john/Matt 02 -- see above. Two different thoughts, still no way to make 'em work. I might just hate this prompt.
06. random resolutions - a Once Upon A Time fic for a comm challenge. This one I'm actually actively working on and is about halfway done. Yay! -- Now finished!
07. random rush n chloe - I did a rewatch of Stargate Universe and then got bombarded with this hokey fic idea that is sort of ridiculous but that I am kind of in love with. I keep getting scenes for this fic in my head, so I wrote them down. It's about 1K of notes and is going to be my fic for smallfandombang. So this one is about to be active as well.
08. random SFF - mushrooms - Dark Harbor fic. This is for one of the smallfandomfest prompts and is also active, but I've only made a start and I'm not happy with it. Ugh.
09. random superpower au - John and Matt get superpowers. I never write this kind of stuff, but somehow I got inspired by a SFF prompt and then went on a tangent that doesn't even match the prompt. I started this I think in the summer, and actually wrote 1.5K and then never went back to it. I still have thoughts for it in my head, so I'm hoping to get to it this year. I know Snick wants me to.
10. random There are a lot of things John likes about Matt - erm. I have NO idea what this is. Pretty much a paragraph of nothing. deletes.
11. random TWD fic ideas - I had this idea for a sort of AU where, once Beth escapes from the hospital, she and Daryl lead the gang back to the golf course to regroup. I wrote a (really bad) opening scene for it as a prompt at a challenge, but never went back to it. Mostly this is such scattershot scenes and bits of dialogue that have no rhyme or reason, and it would likely be quite a long fic (which explains why it's languishing.) I like the idea, though. Maybe one day.
So. My writing goals for 2015 are very similar, just some small changes.
01. Write 200K -- It took me several years to actually achieve my previous yearly goal (150K) but I want to set the bar high.
02. Post 80% of my writing-- That's a drop from the 85%, but it gives me a little more leeway in editing. It probably should be 75%, and I reserve the right to change it within the first three months upon consultation with my project manager Snick!
03. Write 14 days a month -- This is now a monthly goal instead of a weekly one; again, it gives me a little more leeway in terms of missing days (and seeing those dreaded black X's go up on my Chain Calendar) but it also means that I could slack and then find myself having to write 12 days in a row at the end of the month. Lowering the count from 16 to 14 also means that I have less days to write the same amount of words. We'll see how this goes -- I may amend it as well.
04. Write prompt-based works -- This probably shouldn't even technically BE a goal anymore. It's just how I work. But there it is.
05. Minimum 1K per fic -- minus multi-prompt or drabble challenges. I've hopefully gotten into a routine of not letting myself write teensy ficlets anymore, so I think this can continue.
I haven't written much this month yet -- eeek, already in danger of falling behind -- but in my defense it has been an unexpectedly busy month. I can catch up! *fingers crossed*
BTW, if any other writers are looking for a comm for prompts, inspiration, and really lots of super positive people, look no further than 1_million-words. Not only are their daily and weekly prompts, but you can also sign up for several word count challenges, sign up to give and receive birthday fics, etc. Definitely check it out. :)
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