IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

[thalialunacy2]

Because although I'm writing right now, it won't count until after the first of the year. SO. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE YEARLY FIC ROUNDUP MEME.

This year I wrote and posted (in chronological order, including the drabbles):

01.14.13 it's kind of like a running joke / that's really not funny (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl UST)
03.22.13 In the Silence (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin)
03.26.13 Manly Heaven (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl ficlet)
03.30.13 There is No Wrong Way (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl)
04.14.13 But it Makes Him Look Distinguished (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl epistolary drabble)
04.13.13 Back of the Net (Merlin RPF, Bradley/Colin a/b/o)
05.21.13 Jetlag (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl ficlet)
06.12.13 For a Postman's Fee (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl ficlet)
06.22.13 Toy Surprise (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl-imbued crack ficlet)
07.06.13 Lesson Learned (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin implied)
07.13.13 The Lark (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin Regency AU)
07.18.13 One Hand in His Pocket (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin modern AU drabble)
07.18.13 He Shoots, He Scores! (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin modern AU drabble)
07.18.13 Hidden Dragons (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin modern AU)
07.20.13 Like When I Noticed Your Nobility (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin-imbued reincarnation)
07.21.13 Never Felt So Glad to be So Beyond Repair (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin modern AU)
07.27.13 Once a Princess, Always a Princess (Merlin, Merlin/Arthur)
07.30.13 These Colours Don't Run (Merlin, Merlin/Arthur modern drabble)
08.03.13 Always the Last Place You Look (Or: Merliniana Jones and the Homogay Crusade) (Merlin, Merlin/Arthur AU big bang)
08.03.13 In Memoriam (Merlin, Arthur/Gwen)
08.10.13 Such a Light (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin modern AU)
08.17.13 Magic Man (Merlin, Merlin/Arthur modern AU)
11.15.13 And I Give That Hope Your Name (Star Trek RPF, Chris/Karl)


Overall Thoughts:
Ten years later and I'm still doing this shit. LOL. And proud as fuck.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
It's less than I wanted to (I want to be writing 24/7 but keep trying to focus on real life) but more than I thought I would (I didn't think I'd be doing PThon again).

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?
None. And the fact that I didn't stray supports this notion that I was trying to resist writing at all.

What's your own favorite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
I keep coming back to Like When I Noticed Your Nobility. Partially because the title song comes on my mp3 player all the time, but also because I just really love it. I can picture every single frame, and it fills me. Plus, I'm not going to lie to you, I love fucking with people's gender expectations and tropes.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
My Merlin big bang, Always the Last Place You look, because I fret about writing anything longer than maybe five thousand words. And from it I learned that I am much more fragile than I thought I was.

My best story of this year:
Honestly? Probably Back of the Net. It's funny, acerbic, has interesting characterization, smutty smut, and is well-constructed. imho lololol.

My most popular story of this year:
This is always hard to gauge, because, you know, Merthur fandom is like 500,000 people and Urbine is about twenty. But, purely based on numbers, it's Always the Last Place You Look. The most loved Urbine was There is No Wrong Way. I think in both cases it's not because of quality, per se, but because of context-- The former is a Paperlegends fic, which are highly regarded in general, and the latter was part of a neat lil fest put on by a pretty popular person.

Most fun story to write:
Hidden Dragons, because it was based completely on my experience at university. XB

Story with the single sexiest moment:
Call me predictable, but Bradley pinning Colin down in Back of the Net is the hottest fucking image in my LIFE. I can say that because it was HELPFULLY ARTED by a delightful person.

Most "Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story:
Does the Alanis Morissette joke count? XB Because I honestly didn't break any personal boundaries this year. I'm just a happy little porn writer.

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters:
Lesson Learned. I love the character of Arthur Pendragon so fucking much, partially because I learn a little, from him or about him or both, every single time.

Hardest story to write:
The Lark. I've never written Regency before, although I've read a lot of it, and it was terrifying.

Biggest Disappointment:
My own continuing fragility. My lack of ability to go without sleep so I can actually do all the things I want to do.

Biggest Surprise:
That I won anything in PThon, lolol.

Most Unintentionally Telling Story:
Always the Last Place You look, and I say this because one of my betas' notes was something along the lines of 'I love how you always write in little details of things you love.' She meant like, movie references and one-liners, and is totally true and usual for me but it took me by surprise anyway. lol.

Favorite OC:
Chris Pine.

Favorite Opening Line:
(from There is No Wrong Way)

He's not new at this, okay; he's been to Australia and New Zealand for press, and for a brief vacation that one time with his mom. (Which he will never do again because she was thisclose to guilting him into going on a Rings tour with her, which, just, no. No.) So he's seen the sails at the Auckland airport and dealt with the jet lag and the accents and the way they drive. He's non-nonplussed by most of it.

He still spends the first day watching the toilet flush the wrong way.

Favorite Closing Line:
(from Such a Light)

Arthur, in Merlin's bed, naked, gorgeous, white as driven snow— and surrounded by a halo of red.

Favorite 6 12 Lines from Anywhere because I am a wanker and couldn't choose:

(from And I Give That Hope Your Name)

Usually, Chris wakes up like a meth-head looking for a fix, angry and desperate and with awful teeth. Today is different. Well, the teeth still hold true, but when he first realizes he's awake, it's a slow roll into realizing he's got a Karl Urban in bed with him.

(from Always the Last Place You Look)

Merlin forgets about Morgana's Box of Things until Eomer nearly pees in it the next day.

"Bad Rider of Rohan! For the love of God!" Merlin snatches the box up and unceremoniously dumps the cat out. Onto the bed, all right, but still, Eomer looks up at him with so much disdain Merlin feels almost bad. Almost.

"Budge over, at least," he says, but the cat graciously refuses.

(from Always the Last Place You Look)

"They don't grow peas, they grow Easter eggs."

"On what, special trees? Do us a favour."

(from Once a Princess, Always a Princess)

Merlin, on the other hand, calls their outings 'frustrating exercises in trying to integrate an unfortunately attractive wanker into modern society.'

(from There is No Wrong Way)

He rubs his hands over his face, and— "Fuck," he says on a wheezy laugh.

"What?"

"My contact. One of them's—" He points towards the drain. There's too much water to tell but he knows that it's going backwards and it makes him pause. He shoves his sodden hair off his forehead. "Down the drain by now, probably."

"Oh, well, you brought more, didn't you?"

Chris just grunts a reply, as he's pushing a finger around up his now-blind eyeball like a champ. Just to make sure it's not still in there, because that happens, okay, although he's pretty sure it hasn't happened this time.

Karl chuckles and pulls at Chris's wrist. "You are awful at being an adult sometimes."

Chris squints up at him. "Yarrr."

(from Like When I Noticed Your Nobility)

Merlin's really old, now. Really, really, exceedingly, frustratingly old, in his opinion. Some days he looks it, some days he doesn't. Some days he tells the kids to get off his lawn; some nights he's egging houses.

Well, not really. But he did do, a couple times, before he realized that he might be living a thousand lives but he's still the same Merlin.

(from The Lark)

"These hands, I've heard tell, have magic in them."

"Magic, eh?"

"To which you will bear witness, should you ever choose to get out of bed." The Your Grace is missing; the You lazy arse is heavily implied in its stead.

(from Toy Surprise)

Zach: We need an adult.

(from For a Postman's Fee)

"[...]you have shit to do and I'm just—giving you overly complex information about a phone that you can't use."

"I can, too."

"You can turn it on and press the 'call Chris' button I programmed into it."

"Like I said."

(from Back of the Net)

"I’m not playing fucking Never Have I Ever. We are not fifteen and this is not your mum's basement and we are not fifteen."

"Fifteen?" Bradley can't help but snort. "Late bloomer, were you?"

"Beg pardon," Katie says indignantly. "Fifteen is not late!"

"For a were, it is." Bradley nudges her shoulder with a grin. "We're animals in the sack."

Colin fully buries his head in his hands.

(from it’s kinda like a running joke / that’s really not funny)

“I just don’t fucking get it,” he says into the phone on Wednesday, or at least theoretically into the phone, which is tucked awkwardly under his chin—he always thinks of 1980s secretaries and their little shoulder-phone-holder-thingies at times like this; what they’d do with cell phones he has no idea—while he rolls meatballs out of ground spiced beef. He likes the way it sticks to his hands.

(from Back of the Net)

Katie interrupts his moment, her hands waving about. "I don't get it, though. Bradley's all alpha—" And she makes this attempt at a menacing face and kind of 'grrrr's. "—so he kind of sleeps with whomever he wants. Colin is an omega who seems to prefer the company of gentlemen--"

"And thank you for making me sound like a Victorian prostitute."

Top 5 Scenes from Anywhere You Would Choose to Have Illustrated:
* Chris watching the toilet flush repeatedly in There is No Wrong Way
* the Duke's arrival in The Lark
* pretty much any of The Lark, actually
* Merlin's hands in Magic Man
* Arthur lighting Merlin's cigarette in Always the Last Place You Look

Story I haven't yet written, but intend to:
ALL OF THEM. I SAY THIS EVERY YEAR BUT SERIOUSLY. ALL OF THEM. It's in my five year plan okay. That's how serious I am about it. Even that Lucius Malfoy/Arthur Weasley I started in 2004. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

Fic-writing goals for 2014:
To be more of a grown-up about things. To get shit DONE. And to enjoy it. :D

Comments

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

I need to do this! I also realized how little of your fic I've read this year since so much has been Merlin and I am like 3 (2?) seasons behind there. WHY MUST FANDOM DIVIDE US!? I read the Karl and Chris though! (most of them...)

And seriously the 'story I haven't written...' question and "ALL OF THEM." Oh. I feel you there. I feel you so hard.

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

well ditto, so we're even. XB SOMEDAY I SWEAR I'LL READ ALL THE THINGS. Except the Hannibal, I'm sorry. >.>

Let's make a pact. To dust off at least one thing, like, every couple months. You're probably going to do better than that but that's about all I can promise at this point. XB

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

hmmmm I can make that promise. At lest dust off and write some more, not necessarily finish!

And no worries on the Hannibal! I only wrote 2 anyhow

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

SWEET. :spitshake:

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

I feel like I need to put up a post it about this now

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

we have to agree on terms

then spit shake

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

Can we skip the spit shake?

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

Non-negotiable.

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh fine

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

hey i only do it because the newsies do it ok

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

Very good point.

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

l
m
a
o

oh, internet

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

ALL OF THEM. I SAY THIS EVERY YEAR BUT SERIOUSLY. ALL OF THEM...... IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
This, this, I understand this so much, and I wish you all the best. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

I'M GOING TO TRY. A friend and I have made a pact to work on one dusty WIP a month. Not even necessarily finish, but at least dust off and poke at significantly. And having February off -- I'm going to schedule myself fic writing time everyday, and stick to it. (Too bad I just got an amaaaaazing idea for this year's Merlin big bang that will take a lot of my time, lolol but I just cannot resist it, it's too strange and hilarious.) WE SHALL CHEER EACH OTHER, BB!

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Yes! Good luck with it all, I can't wait to see what comes out of Feb! I'm going to spend the day writing, myself (home due to snow).

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Lol, that's sweet! About 2-3 inches for me - bad enough that I don't want to be out in it since I can't drive in snow and they haven't ploughed hardly anything. I know you northerners laugh at that paltry amount. :) It is very pretty though.

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

hahah oh where I'm from that's a lot, I'd probably be in the same boat. Western Washington gets tons of rain, but hardly any snow, for the same reasons, which are too complicated for me to really understand let alone explain. XB

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Ha, I didn't even notice.

Interesting, I didn't know that about Washington. I don't think anyone understands the weather, not even the meteorologists.

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

lol right? unless you're in southern California. they know about weather like a hundred years in advance because it changes so rarely. Or at least that's what it felt like when I was there for college. XB

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Must be nice!

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

I suppose, if you like sunshine, but it killed my soul and I got out of there as soon as I could. XB

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Aww bb *cuddles* No soul killing allowed.

But I just have to ask: did all the sunshine kill your soul, or the people, or school? I do enjoy having a range of seasons, even though my state is pretty temperate compared to some.

I'm trying to decide if I'm done revising the fic I'm currently working on. I think I may need to sleep on it.

Also, I'm enjoying chatting with you today ♥

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

well, all three? my freshman year I would literally sit in the shower for an hour just to not feel so miserable and hot and dry. also I suck at school and did probably more extra-curricular stuff than I should've. Also, SoCal is another planet, culturally; people joke about it but it's true. I speak zero Spanish, for one thing, and was used to Seattle -- fashions, attitudes, manners, culture in general. (eg: when I went to visit the school, I wore socks with sandals, because guess what? we do that here! it's a little dorky but it's acceptable. not true for LA, needless to say.) ugh i could go on for a long time (there are whole essays on how SoCal needs Disneyland because then it has something to point to as 'fake' - even though most of LA is legitimately fake, from the palm trees (imported) to the green grass (all due to irrigation) to the rivers (cement-bottomed)) but it's all rather depressing to me. XB

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

I personally like sunshine (NC gets a ton of it, even in cold weather), but I can understand the hot/dry/culture stuff. That's so funny you mention the palm trees and grass, that's so true but you don't think about it. I remember thinking it was weird when I heard they weren't native. As to the culture stuff, egads, I shutter to think of getting it right when I ever actually get around to the Urbine!

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

I shutter to think of getting it right when I ever actually get around to the Urbine!
hahah well, if it helps, you don't really have to worry about it, because Chris is a native and therefore thinks there's nothing wrong with it, and Karl is far too cheerful to find it depressing. XB

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Oh that made me laugh ♥ ♥

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

\o/

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

oh and if your gut says sleep on it, go with that. :)

[pslasher.livejournal.com]

Probably will. Also, your panda is adorable!

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

lol thank you. he always cheers me up. :D

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

[lol oops, was logged in to wrong journal!]

Ooo, snow! I hear it's pretty bad in some areas of the country right now; bad enough that the ladies at church were tut tutting in sympathy. XB