Fic year in review: A little late but none the worse for wear.
I was going to be nonconformist in my conformity and post a year-in-review in April, one year after my first House fic, but so many of you who joined the fandom mid-year are posting now that I feel silly holding off.
A quick note first to say I've borrowed nightdog_barks's "favorite line" category and added two more: one for noting what I did in the story that I hadn't tried before, and another for "favorite bit of feedback" that I hope doesn't seem too much like gloating; for me, feedback is one of the most enjoyable parts of posting fanfiction on LiveJournal, and I wanted to point out some of the comments that have stayed with me.
APRIL
I'd been watching House since mid-Season One but hadn't read much fanfiction and hadn't written any; I was still mostly into Harry Potter. Then I decided to join the fandom and signed up for the House Het Ficathon, which produced this. When I finished writing, I dove into the fanfic, and the rest is history.
Dissonance - 3,700 words
First: House fic. Fic posted to my LJ. Fic based on a set of challenges.
I tend to write in a similar style to whatever I've been reading, and immersing myself in Eliot for two days definitely rubbed off on this one. I'm very proud of it and think it's one of my best, even with its melodramatic moments. They say you should write what you know, and I drew more from my own life for this one than I have for any other fic yet. I think it's also relevant that when I wrote "Dissonance," I'd only read a handful of House fics, so the characters were almost entirely canon in my mind rather than fanon.
Favorite line: When he is not playing he speaks to her of tempo and theory, composers and composition, and unlike in the early days when James tried to tell her about his work and filled her head with sickness and sterile Latin, she is beginning to sense the passion in this instrument and likes the feel of the Italian words in her mouth: capriccio, sostenuto, gioioso, vivace.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I can already tell that this is one of those stories that I will get mixed up with canon."
JUNE
Need - 2,500 words
First: 1sentence fic. Non-chronological structure. Story with Grace in it.
I'm very fond of this one, too. The structure forces you to pay close attention to every sentence, which I enjoyed as a stickler for detail. The only thing I'd change is shortening some of the long sentences with too much packed into them. I wouldn't mind revisiting Wilson/Grace one day in a more traditional format.
Favorite line: The day after her encounter with Boyd, she comes in wearing a smile and a deep red cardigan and skirt in place of her usual muted attire, and-he squints-yes, some makeup too, and he glances down at his own white coat, white shirt, pale blue tie and grey slacks, and feels irrationally as if he's been bled to sustain her.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I actually caught my breath[...]"
AUGUST
Third Time's the Charm - 4,130 words
First: Harry Potter fic. First-time story. Romantic/sexual encounter between boys. Slashfest fic.
This was so much fun to write. The third section came first and fastest, followed by the title and then the first two sections to fit it. I hope to write more MWPP fic, but if it doesn't happen, I'm content with just this one.
Favorite line: "I can't believe you fucking bit me, wolf-boy," Sirius said with more amusement than malice, still catching his breath.
Favorite bit of feedback: "That has to be the most inspired 'coming out' conversation I've ever read."
A Helping Hand - 8,670 words
First: House/Wilson story. Explicit slash story. Posted NC-17 story. Fic from House's perspective. Longest completed, posted fic to date.
I wasn't sure how implausible this was when I wrote it, particularly the first part, but it's growing on me, thanks in no small part to people's enthusiastic reaction to it. There's a lot that I like about it. I do find it more clinical than sexy, so I'm surprised when people say they think it's hot (though I do think it has a few hot moments). Needs a few revisions. I'd like to do another House/Wilson first-time story or one with an intimate scene that's more sexy so this isn't the only one to my name.
Favorite line: Toss-up between "Your wife already left you; there's no reason to hide here anymore." and "God, House-"
Favorite bit of feedback: "For example, House was talkative and invasive (asking about the patients, cracking jokes, etc) when he was jerking off Wilson and had nothing to lose. Once he himself was in a vulnerable position- wanting that attention back- he became reticent, and Wilson respected that. We can see how carefully he approaches House, not because he himself is worried about rejection but because House is uncomfortable with his arousal. This is just so true of them."
Number of times the word "hand" appears in the story: 69 (heh)
Number of times the word "awkward" appears in comments: 13
SEPTEMBER
Four Times James Wilson Heard Gregory House Play the Piano (And One Time He Didn't) - 740 words
First: "Five Things" fic.
Fastest I've ever written a fic of this length (Sunday night to Monday afternoon). I'd been wanting to do some House/Wilson backstory involving the piano for a while, and the "five things" meme provided just the right framing. More evidence for the argument that writing quickly instead of over several weeks or months can produce good fic. It's certainly easier to maintain a tone that way. Only thing that bothers me about it is the abundance of "to be" constructions -- lots of "was" and "were" in there instead of stronger verbs.
Favorite line: Wilson lowered the tap as much as he dared and listened for his friend in the music.
Favorite bit of feedback: "This is so lovely, and basically defines why I read fanfic in the first place."
OCTOBER
Good Intentions (150 words), Wet (205 words), Mutiny on the Bounty (350 words), Welcome to Whoville (720 words)
First: Set of very short ficlets. Stories based on six prompts each. DS9 story ("Mutiny"). Crack fic ("Whoville"). Holiday fic ("Whoville").
After a little pondering over the prompt sets, each of these came together smoothly. I like them all, even if "Welcome to Whoville" stole the show.
Favorite lines: "What's the worst that could happen?" ("Good Intentions")
"You look like a hedgehog," House said affectionately. ("Wet")
"You must know that choosing me as your companion on this adventure invites a multicultural reinterpretation of history." ("Mutiny on the Bounty")
He reached into his lab coat pocket and tossed a box of Chanukah candles beside it. ("Welcome to Whoville")
Favorite bit of feedback: For the first three: "The potential for harm in Wilson's optimism in the first one is chilling, and I love House's hedgehog remark in the second. The sweetness of that makes the longing at the end all the more poignant."
For Whoville: "Oh, My God. *dies*"
(Though what really made me happy was playing a part in inspiring mer_duff's Workhouse play and daasgrrl's Grinch parody.)
NOVEMBER
Sestina: House post-infarction - 450 words
First: Completed sestina, ever. Post-infarction fic. Single, sustained, strong emotion.
This wasn't the first sestina I started -- that honor goes to the still-incomplete fifth one -- but it was the first I finished, and I think it may be my favorite. After I chose the end words, I wrote what's now the fourth stanza and built the poem around it. The last line owes a lot to early Season Six of BtVS.
Favorite line: What's the opposite of painkiller / Because that's you
Favorite bit of feedback: "It reads like one long scream of agony--and I mean that in a good way."
Sestina: "A Typical Day in Diagnostics" - 330 words
First: "Meta" sestina.
This one came pretty easily. It was fun to write a sort of parody of the show, in verse no less, and sneak in a few H/W hints and fannish jokes along the way. And I don't usually write with such an energetic tone, so that was a nice change of pace.
Favorite line: Cuddy
Refuses to authorize radical treatment, Foreman
Returns with two bruises and no evidence, House
Retreats to one of his hiding places with Wilson,
The seizing patient throws up on Chase,
And down in the labs steadfast Cameron
Clears all suspects.
Favorite bit of feedback: "[...] it is like a carousel, and they keep going around and around again."
Sestina: "Breaking the Cycle" - 400 words
First: Wilson-centric sestina. Attempt to specifically address what I believe are Wilson's as-yet-unacted-upon feelings for House.
...Not much to say about this one, actually. It took some work to get it to come together. I like the opening stanza and the next-to-last one best. In a few months I may come back to this one and tweak the middle some more.
Favorite line: Closing his eyes, he leans into his friend / And shows him exactly why he isn't.
Favorite bit of feedback: "It's amazing the different ways you use the same words again and again and how varied the images formed from them are."
DECEMBER
Spin - 700 words
First: Story constructed around a single metaphor. Drabbles.
Am pleased with this one, particularly the central metaphor and the simile with the black hole, although the story has more plot summary than I'd like. I'd wanted to do a Hanukkah fic with Wilson and this was the best thing I could think of to do in the few days before the holiday ended. If nothing else, it continued to support my theory that structure is my fic-writing friend (simile within drabble within metaphor within canon, anyone?).
Favorite line: Then, when he's been reduced to a helpless, hollow husk, he'll watch House seethe and collapse into oblivion.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I like how you say so much in so few words and how you can recount the events of the Tritter arc and still have them feel fresh."
Number of times the word "metaphor" appears in comments: 6
Sestina: "The Truth in Dreams" - 362 words
First: Hm. First fic that wasn't a first of some sort.
High hopes distort one's opinion of one's finished product. Maybe it's the fact that I ended up addressing several Grand Themes in House's life rather than focusing on just one or two points, which is how I usually work. A little more distance will doubtless help me decide how much I like this one.
Favorite line: [...] his dreams / Warp and swirl like a face or a leg / In a fun-house mirror.
Favorite bit of feedback: "...I could spend hours analysing it."
Total: 14 stories/poems; 23,407 words. Not bad for having a full-time job and dealing with other stuff, but am hoping to do better this year.
What I learned:
A quick note first to say I've borrowed nightdog_barks's "favorite line" category and added two more: one for noting what I did in the story that I hadn't tried before, and another for "favorite bit of feedback" that I hope doesn't seem too much like gloating; for me, feedback is one of the most enjoyable parts of posting fanfiction on LiveJournal, and I wanted to point out some of the comments that have stayed with me.
APRIL
I'd been watching House since mid-Season One but hadn't read much fanfiction and hadn't written any; I was still mostly into Harry Potter. Then I decided to join the fandom and signed up for the House Het Ficathon, which produced this. When I finished writing, I dove into the fanfic, and the rest is history.
Dissonance - 3,700 words
First: House fic. Fic posted to my LJ. Fic based on a set of challenges.
I tend to write in a similar style to whatever I've been reading, and immersing myself in Eliot for two days definitely rubbed off on this one. I'm very proud of it and think it's one of my best, even with its melodramatic moments. They say you should write what you know, and I drew more from my own life for this one than I have for any other fic yet. I think it's also relevant that when I wrote "Dissonance," I'd only read a handful of House fics, so the characters were almost entirely canon in my mind rather than fanon.
Favorite line: When he is not playing he speaks to her of tempo and theory, composers and composition, and unlike in the early days when James tried to tell her about his work and filled her head with sickness and sterile Latin, she is beginning to sense the passion in this instrument and likes the feel of the Italian words in her mouth: capriccio, sostenuto, gioioso, vivace.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I can already tell that this is one of those stories that I will get mixed up with canon."
JUNE
Need - 2,500 words
First: 1sentence fic. Non-chronological structure. Story with Grace in it.
I'm very fond of this one, too. The structure forces you to pay close attention to every sentence, which I enjoyed as a stickler for detail. The only thing I'd change is shortening some of the long sentences with too much packed into them. I wouldn't mind revisiting Wilson/Grace one day in a more traditional format.
Favorite line: The day after her encounter with Boyd, she comes in wearing a smile and a deep red cardigan and skirt in place of her usual muted attire, and-he squints-yes, some makeup too, and he glances down at his own white coat, white shirt, pale blue tie and grey slacks, and feels irrationally as if he's been bled to sustain her.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I actually caught my breath[...]"
AUGUST
Third Time's the Charm - 4,130 words
First: Harry Potter fic. First-time story. Romantic/sexual encounter between boys. Slashfest fic.
This was so much fun to write. The third section came first and fastest, followed by the title and then the first two sections to fit it. I hope to write more MWPP fic, but if it doesn't happen, I'm content with just this one.
Favorite line: "I can't believe you fucking bit me, wolf-boy," Sirius said with more amusement than malice, still catching his breath.
Favorite bit of feedback: "That has to be the most inspired 'coming out' conversation I've ever read."
A Helping Hand - 8,670 words
First: House/Wilson story. Explicit slash story. Posted NC-17 story. Fic from House's perspective. Longest completed, posted fic to date.
I wasn't sure how implausible this was when I wrote it, particularly the first part, but it's growing on me, thanks in no small part to people's enthusiastic reaction to it. There's a lot that I like about it. I do find it more clinical than sexy, so I'm surprised when people say they think it's hot (though I do think it has a few hot moments). Needs a few revisions. I'd like to do another House/Wilson first-time story or one with an intimate scene that's more sexy so this isn't the only one to my name.
Favorite line: Toss-up between "Your wife already left you; there's no reason to hide here anymore." and "God, House-"
Favorite bit of feedback: "For example, House was talkative and invasive (asking about the patients, cracking jokes, etc) when he was jerking off Wilson and had nothing to lose. Once he himself was in a vulnerable position- wanting that attention back- he became reticent, and Wilson respected that. We can see how carefully he approaches House, not because he himself is worried about rejection but because House is uncomfortable with his arousal. This is just so true of them."
Number of times the word "hand" appears in the story: 69 (heh)
Number of times the word "awkward" appears in comments: 13
SEPTEMBER
Four Times James Wilson Heard Gregory House Play the Piano (And One Time He Didn't) - 740 words
First: "Five Things" fic.
Fastest I've ever written a fic of this length (Sunday night to Monday afternoon). I'd been wanting to do some House/Wilson backstory involving the piano for a while, and the "five things" meme provided just the right framing. More evidence for the argument that writing quickly instead of over several weeks or months can produce good fic. It's certainly easier to maintain a tone that way. Only thing that bothers me about it is the abundance of "to be" constructions -- lots of "was" and "were" in there instead of stronger verbs.
Favorite line: Wilson lowered the tap as much as he dared and listened for his friend in the music.
Favorite bit of feedback: "This is so lovely, and basically defines why I read fanfic in the first place."
OCTOBER
Good Intentions (150 words), Wet (205 words), Mutiny on the Bounty (350 words), Welcome to Whoville (720 words)
First: Set of very short ficlets. Stories based on six prompts each. DS9 story ("Mutiny"). Crack fic ("Whoville"). Holiday fic ("Whoville").
After a little pondering over the prompt sets, each of these came together smoothly. I like them all, even if "Welcome to Whoville" stole the show.
Favorite lines: "What's the worst that could happen?" ("Good Intentions")
"You look like a hedgehog," House said affectionately. ("Wet")
"You must know that choosing me as your companion on this adventure invites a multicultural reinterpretation of history." ("Mutiny on the Bounty")
He reached into his lab coat pocket and tossed a box of Chanukah candles beside it. ("Welcome to Whoville")
Favorite bit of feedback: For the first three: "The potential for harm in Wilson's optimism in the first one is chilling, and I love House's hedgehog remark in the second. The sweetness of that makes the longing at the end all the more poignant."
For Whoville: "Oh, My God. *dies*"
(Though what really made me happy was playing a part in inspiring mer_duff's Workhouse play and daasgrrl's Grinch parody.)
NOVEMBER
Sestina: House post-infarction - 450 words
First: Completed sestina, ever. Post-infarction fic. Single, sustained, strong emotion.
This wasn't the first sestina I started -- that honor goes to the still-incomplete fifth one -- but it was the first I finished, and I think it may be my favorite. After I chose the end words, I wrote what's now the fourth stanza and built the poem around it. The last line owes a lot to early Season Six of BtVS.
Favorite line: What's the opposite of painkiller / Because that's you
Favorite bit of feedback: "It reads like one long scream of agony--and I mean that in a good way."
Sestina: "A Typical Day in Diagnostics" - 330 words
First: "Meta" sestina.
This one came pretty easily. It was fun to write a sort of parody of the show, in verse no less, and sneak in a few H/W hints and fannish jokes along the way. And I don't usually write with such an energetic tone, so that was a nice change of pace.
Favorite line: Cuddy
Refuses to authorize radical treatment, Foreman
Returns with two bruises and no evidence, House
Retreats to one of his hiding places with Wilson,
The seizing patient throws up on Chase,
And down in the labs steadfast Cameron
Clears all suspects.
Favorite bit of feedback: "[...] it is like a carousel, and they keep going around and around again."
Sestina: "Breaking the Cycle" - 400 words
First: Wilson-centric sestina. Attempt to specifically address what I believe are Wilson's as-yet-unacted-upon feelings for House.
...Not much to say about this one, actually. It took some work to get it to come together. I like the opening stanza and the next-to-last one best. In a few months I may come back to this one and tweak the middle some more.
Favorite line: Closing his eyes, he leans into his friend / And shows him exactly why he isn't.
Favorite bit of feedback: "It's amazing the different ways you use the same words again and again and how varied the images formed from them are."
DECEMBER
Spin - 700 words
First: Story constructed around a single metaphor. Drabbles.
Am pleased with this one, particularly the central metaphor and the simile with the black hole, although the story has more plot summary than I'd like. I'd wanted to do a Hanukkah fic with Wilson and this was the best thing I could think of to do in the few days before the holiday ended. If nothing else, it continued to support my theory that structure is my fic-writing friend (simile within drabble within metaphor within canon, anyone?).
Favorite line: Then, when he's been reduced to a helpless, hollow husk, he'll watch House seethe and collapse into oblivion.
Favorite bit of feedback: "I like how you say so much in so few words and how you can recount the events of the Tritter arc and still have them feel fresh."
Number of times the word "metaphor" appears in comments: 6
Sestina: "The Truth in Dreams" - 362 words
First: Hm. First fic that wasn't a first of some sort.
High hopes distort one's opinion of one's finished product. Maybe it's the fact that I ended up addressing several Grand Themes in House's life rather than focusing on just one or two points, which is how I usually work. A little more distance will doubtless help me decide how much I like this one.
Favorite line: [...] his dreams / Warp and swirl like a face or a leg / In a fun-house mirror.
Favorite bit of feedback: "...I could spend hours analysing it."
Total: 14 stories/poems; 23,407 words. Not bad for having a full-time job and dealing with other stuff, but am hoping to do better this year.
What I learned:
- For a slash and het fan who enjoys NC-17 stories and AUs, I sure write a lot of canon-based gen.
- It's a good idea to start writing immediately after getting an idea, and to keep writing until it's done. Like the chances of people in comas waking up, the longer a work in progress sits on my hard drive, the less likely it is to be finished.
- Structure helps.
- Being in this fandom community with excellent work, feedback, betaing and discussion is unspeakably awesome.
- Finish fifth sestina
- Finish post-"Son of Coma Guy" story
- Finish BtVS slashfest fic
- Either finish the story started for karaokegal's party or scrap it and stop thinking about it
- Write the rest of the fics/ficlets I owe people
- Write another substantial House/Wilson story -- not based on a prompt this time
- Post at least one story a month.