[HP drabble] Unexpected

[shimotsuki]

Now that I'm finished with my Meta project and certain evil work projects that shall not be named, I can start taking part in some of the other writing events that are going on around LJ these days. So I jumped on the wagon at day_by_drabble with this:

• Unexpected (380 words | G | post-DH AU, but not my usual one

Comments

[katyscarlett76]

I'm not a Mitten and thereby should not be encouraging you ;P But there's no such thing as stupid when it comes to Hot Chocolates! Siriusly, have you read mine?? Just write something, see how it goes. I would never post anything at Pulped if I took other people's genius into account, but it does give me wibbles on occasion (like last weekend for example ;) I'm sure you'll do fine!

[shimotsuki]

I still have your other post open in a tab because I've been meaning to come back and say something about that -- you said you were having qualms about posting last weekend, but I think you are so brave for posting at Pulped. Original stuff is so much scarier to me than fanfic...

I did manage some Hot Chocolates last year. Not sure why I'm so much more freaked out about it this time! ;)

[roh_wyn]

I'm not a Woolly Mitten, so you are playing right into my wheelhouse. *evil laugh*

But here's the thing: you are intimidated? Does not compute. :)

[shimotsuki]

Ah, then I'd better start cranking the Hot Chocolates out if I hope to thwart your plan for world domination! ;)

I don't know exactly why I'm feeling more intimidated this year -- last year I wrote a few things for Winterval and didn't feel like a complete loser even though I'm nowhere near the league of the people who actually write original fiction. Maybe it's because of the conversation that took place after last year's Winterval, where certain modly types were disappointed that some participants were posting low-quality work just for the points. (I only actually did that in one of the five or so events I joined last time, FWIW, and it was an art event so not my "real" area, but the guilt stuck.)

Hmm, now that I think about it, I think this really is what's giving me trouble this time -- it's made me feel like I need to be supporting my team AND be some kind of brilliant writer at the same time. ;)

[katyscarlett76]

where certain modly types were disappointed that some participants were posting low-quality work just for the points.

Oh please don't worry about that! It wasn't really a judgement on the work exactly, more that people were posting things that obviously hadn't been edited or that they were not really happy with just to get points and that's not really the intention. It's about producing work that you're happy with not about trying to match the brilliance of other people (which frankly I know I'm never gonna meet!)

I'm not your team leader (sadly :( ) but I'll tell you what I've been telling my folks, if you only get one thing out of Winterval then let it be one piece you're really happy with or even just the spark of an idea (even just from a Hot Chocolate) that could really go somewhere.

[shimotsuki]

You don't want me on your team, lol. I signed up knowing I wouldn't be able to do every event, but I've managed fewer than I'd even hoped, so far. (And I know this is selfish, but I did still want to do things like Winterfair at bujold_fic, not to mention writing for Meta, even if that meant less time for Pulped...)

But thanks for the words. I guess the point is that if I'm posting something that I'm satisfied with for myself, it's all right, even if it's not brilliant by any kind of external standard. That's good to keep in mind! ♥

[alias_amy]

INTIMIDATED???!?!?!?!? I have clearly not been sufficiently wrathful ;-)

You should do whatever drabbles inspire you, whether they're at Pulped or elsewhere. But can I just say, I love your writing and I want to read it! Points or no points!

[shimotsuki]

LOL, you're right -- all I need for motivation is to be more scared of you than of everybody else! (And thanks for the kind words, too!)

I do think that once I break the ice, it will be easier afterward, so I firmly pledge to post a HC this week. (And I'm still disappointed that I wasn't able to write ditties for my Holly-Day cards, because I totally would have if things hadn't gotten so busy with the family.)

At least I set myself some fandom Mulls, so I can make use of some writing that I know I can do in order to get some Mitten Points (tm).

And of course I'm still working on Pudding Out -- slowly but surely. :)

[alias_amy]

Your timing is good, you know -- because I think everyone is looking for someone fresh to read. I've totally run out of ideas at this point. And the fact that you do reviews -- I can't even tell you how much that means to me. There are so few reviewers, and even fewer readers who actually seem like they've taken some time to think about your piece, and you're one of the best.

I don't mean to threadjack but I was reading some of the other comments and I'll be honest, it is a different experience for me this year too. I'm glad there are new people but I find myself eagerly looking for entries from last year's participants. I just feel like I know them somehow better. And I'm completely conflicted about points and competition, which probably comes out in my team posts! I'm a competitive person, but I hate making people post when they don't want to. So if I'm sending you mixed messages, the fault is entirely mine.

[shimotsuki]

Not to worry -- I've felt nothing but support and encouragement from you and EQ this whole time. :) Friendly encouragement for points is part of the fun! And it's a lot of work being a team leader -- that's really appreciated.

I'm quite possibly still sort of reacting to some dynamics I felt in my team last year (which I think I can safely say here in vague terms because nobody on my actual f-list was involved).

I'm really behind on reviews -- haven't even started on the Sense of Advent-ure posts yet -- but thanks for the sweet comments. I do feel reviews are important, and if I'm taking part in an event it seems only fair to try to give at least somewhat thoughtful comments to at least some of the other participants... (And I'm with you that it's especially fun to read things by people whose work I got to know a bit last year.)

And now I'll take your hopeful remark that people might be looking for something different, and go take another look at this week's Hot Chocolate prompt. ;) WOOLLY!

[gilpin25]

when I've even had time to think about writing one, I've been too intimidated

You can jet halfway round the world to meet some possible axe murderers LJ f-listers, and you're intimidated by posting 100 words on a screen?!

Seriously, I find it VERY scary, frequently turn to praying when waiting for that first review, and it does feel more pressurised than fanfic - maybe because I know most of the people in the little fanfic worlds I move in. But it's all supposed to be fun, and I think that sometimes you have to test yourself as well (and feel very sick before getting to the fun part again;).

Besides, I love all you write and want to read it. Even if you're on the wrong team!

[shimotsuki]

You may be right -- I definitely know fewer of the people at Pulped this time around, and that may be adding to the fear factor. :/

There's also the idea that with fanfic, some people are reading because they love the characters or the world, and with original obviously there isn't that kind of help!

♥

[hrymfaxe]

Good to see that you have time to write some fiction after all that Work!stuff that has been haunting you. :D

I'm sure you won't write anything stupid for pulped, and as Katy says the important thing is that you are happy with what you are writing. That other people are making themselves judges of quality is just irking (and I must either have missed that discussion or completely forgotten about it) in the extreme, and I hope you know that we are many who loves to read what you write. Even if at least one of them is becoming very bad at commenting.... *coughs*

[shimotsuki]

Yay for work-life balance! :)

That other people are making themselves judges of quality is just irking (and I must either have missed that discussion or completely forgotten about it)

I probably didn't explain it right -- it wasn't any kind of rant about quality in general, it was an observation, which I think was legitimate, that lots of people were posting things that weren't fully edited and so on along with disclaimers about "I don't really like this, but I'm posting it for the points." And a discussion about whether having teams and points was on balance a good thing or not.

And that hasn't even been as much as an issue for me as just feeling very unoriginal and uncreative compared to other people who post at Pulped! But practice is what we need, right? Heh.

[hrymfaxe]

Oh I see. Well, since I can't remember the thing, I'll not venture into any further rants. ;) (except to say that that sounds more like a preemptive defense mechanism than an actual assessment on the work the person just posted). I totally get the discussion about quantity/quality.

Yes yes practice! I'm trying to get ahead on the Party Popper right now, and as usual it's the story aspect that's blocking me. Lots of cool pictures in my head, but it really needs to hang together to carry on for 5 pages, lol. I should try to write more when I'm not stuck on deadlines...

[shimotsuki]

sounds more like a preemptive defense mechanism than an actual assessment on the work the person just posted

It wasn't a comment on any particular post -- just part of a discussion about how Winterval had gone, sort of a debriefing.

Good luck with the Party Popper! I'm excited to know that you're working on something.