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mumblemumble) wrote2023-01-08 06:23 pm
mumblemumble) wrote2023-01-08 06:23 pm
Entry tags:
2022 Writing Meme
January
[Guardian] tangled up in you (part 2 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] light comes in like a stranger (part 3 of Higher Education)
February
[Guardian] i felt you in my legs (before i ever met you) (part 4 of Higher Education)
March
[RPF] Recognition (part 4 of Tactical Advantage)
[RPF] Recreation (part 5 of Tactical Advantage ✔️)
April
[Guardian] always at the brink of the known (part 5 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] Every day is the best day in the year
May
[Guardian] Five Times Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei Didn't Fuck, and One Time They Did
June
-
July
[RPF] (red)
[RPF] (grey)
[Derivative] thursday (part 6 of Savior Complex ✔️)
August
[Guardian] (and form a new heart in me)
September
[RPF] the place where your heart
[Guardian] grow into a greater want
[Guardian] clean shirt, new shoes (part 6 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] The heart opens, closes, opens
October
-
November
-
December
[RPF] give me moonlight, and a smile that i can barely believe
[Guardian] i will find you (here inside the dark) (part 7 of Higher Education)
[RPF] (purple)
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would in 2022, less, or about what you'd predicted?
I didn't make any predictions, I just had some vague goals for kinks or themes I wanted to write, and I'm happy with my output in 2022!
60,000 words (across 19 fics) versus 85,000 words (across 24 fics) in 2021 is still more than I would have imagined for myself just a few years ago.
A lot of the fics that weren't part of an existing series (and even some that were) were written for Guardian Bingo or fannish events or gift exchanges, so those were quite helpful! <3
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?
The heart opens, closes, opens, which is an actual Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei fic (with background Weilan), and not just one-sided pining or hot loyalty vibes! I kind of want to revisit that whole... situation, but so far inspiration hasn't struck.
What's your favourite story of 2022? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
I think the RPF makes me happiest to write, if I had to pick. Giving Zhu Yilong a little collection of adoring boyfriends is like, my favorite thing. 💞 ALL THE KISSES FOR LONG-GE. \o/ So I'm gonna go with Recreation, which includes SO MANY of my kinks, and is very soft. Also, I like how the structure with the three POVs worked out. Pleasing!
Did you take any writing risks in 2022? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
I mean, it's all very tame in the grand scheme of things. Second person POV and breathplay and RPF involving non-celebrities might deviate from the norm somewhat, but I don't think anything I posted last year would qualify as "risky" in any way? (I think putting genderplay in my Zhu Yilong fics felt kind of, uh, niche at the time, but looking back it seems like a silly thing to worry about.)
Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for 2023?
No! 😩 I've been thinking about this, and I really can't think of anything that a) I haven't done yet, and b) would challenge me in a way that's still fun, and not just a chore. Like, I'll never be a case fic writer, or care about side characters enough to put them in fic. I've written most of the kinks I'm comfortable sharing in public, and I'm happy keeping the rest in the group chat, SHOUTOUT TO THE GROUP CHAT.
If anything, I feel I have some go-to themes, phrases, and sex scene elements that I've been overusing recently, and I'd like to break out of that rut a bit. So let's make that my goal.
My best story of 2022:
Hmm. Gonna go with (and form a new heart in me), which did feel different than my usual stuff, so that was nice! Not a lot different, mind you. I do like my comfort zone. But I think it included some neat ideas about the Time Engraver, and the big whooshy climax was fun to write, and people liked it!
Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
Just the RPF, I think, but that's understandable. It's just not everyone's cup of tea! Like, give me moonlight has 37 hits and 9 kudos right now, and I think it's just as well-written as my other stuff, but the pairing is just so very niche, and it's part of a series you'd have to read first, etc. The other RPF fared a bit better, in comparison!
All the Guardian things were appreciated the appropriate amount, in my opinion. 😄
Most fun story to write:
I think some of the longer stuff took me a while to figure out, once I held the initital nugget of the idea in my little hands and tried to turn it into something. Which is kind of its own fun, but not while you're trying to make sense of a piece of dialogue that doesn't seem to mesh with where you were going, but maybe if you change the POV and rethink the big resolution you wanted--
You know.
So I'm going to go with the place where your heart, which was a last-minute Guardian Wishlist gift and, see above, made me happy to write. Softness and banter and shirtless Long-ge, whee!
Story with the single sexiest moment:
Not to flatter myself, but it's kind of hard to pick one? I think all the E-rated fics have their, you know, moments. I didn't want to repeat fics across questions, but after a quick reread of Recreation, just gonna go with (sorry for the length):
Ahem.
Most "Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story:
See above, re: risks.
Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters:
I think the Higher Education series made me think about Ye Zun more than I usually would in my Weilan fics, because I wanted his return to Haixing to make sense (inasmuch as any post-canon Guardian fic "makes sense") and so I had to think about ways to ~redeem him without just handwaving everything he did. I had some further thoughts about him while working on part 7, so maybe part 8 will feature more of him. Or Weilan will just try a new kink, we'll see!
Hardest story to write:
Oh god, i will find you (here inside the dark) was like pulling teeth. Absolutely nothing was coming together in October and November and most of December, but then my mojo finally returned to let me post it before New Year's Eve! Also, fun fact, I was casting around for inspiration in September and looking at Kinktober prompts, and my most wonderful friend was like, "I feel you could get some kind of dark energy/fucking machine thing in there if Yunlan was being particularly himself and Shen Wei needed to shut him up", and then five days later I told her I had been thinking about the idea so much, it was going to be mostly somber Shen Wei musings ending in an argument about getting therapy.
So.
And then it took three months to write.
Biggest Disappointment:
Oh gosh, I don't know, there was probably something that made me sad at some point, but my brain frequently deletes things, so. Nothing comes to mind!
Biggest Surprise:
Again, my brain deletes a lot. I'm gonna say I didn't expect Five Times Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei Didn't Fuck, and One Time They Did to do this well? With 1000 hits, 155 kudos, and 17 comments (!), it's my most popular story of the year, probably helped by the fact that it was a sequel to a popular older fic and part of a gift exchange. (Also, having looked at it again just now, actually, some of these lines still slap.) Other than that, see above, re: risks.
Most Unintentionally Telling Story:
Oh I think my kinks etc. are well-documented, so I'm not sure anything could be that telling without me being aware of it.
I think. >.>
And that concludes this little survey! Gosh, that was a lot of questions. Major kudos to anyone who made it to the end. Format pilfered fromvelithya, with thanks! <3
[Guardian] tangled up in you (part 2 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] light comes in like a stranger (part 3 of Higher Education)
February
[Guardian] i felt you in my legs (before i ever met you) (part 4 of Higher Education)
March
[RPF] Recognition (part 4 of Tactical Advantage)
[RPF] Recreation (part 5 of Tactical Advantage ✔️)
April
[Guardian] always at the brink of the known (part 5 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] Every day is the best day in the year
May
[Guardian] Five Times Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei Didn't Fuck, and One Time They Did
June
-
July
[RPF] (red)
[RPF] (grey)
[Derivative] thursday (part 6 of Savior Complex ✔️)
August
[Guardian] (and form a new heart in me)
September
[RPF] the place where your heart
[Guardian] grow into a greater want
[Guardian] clean shirt, new shoes (part 6 of Higher Education)
[Guardian] The heart opens, closes, opens
October
-
November
-
December
[RPF] give me moonlight, and a smile that i can barely believe
[Guardian] i will find you (here inside the dark) (part 7 of Higher Education)
[RPF] (purple)
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would in 2022, less, or about what you'd predicted?
I didn't make any predictions, I just had some vague goals for kinks or themes I wanted to write, and I'm happy with my output in 2022!
60,000 words (across 19 fics) versus 85,000 words (across 24 fics) in 2021 is still more than I would have imagined for myself just a few years ago.
A lot of the fics that weren't part of an existing series (and even some that were) were written for Guardian Bingo or fannish events or gift exchanges, so those were quite helpful! <3
What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?
The heart opens, closes, opens, which is an actual Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei fic (with background Weilan), and not just one-sided pining or hot loyalty vibes! I kind of want to revisit that whole... situation, but so far inspiration hasn't struck.
What's your favourite story of 2022? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
I think the RPF makes me happiest to write, if I had to pick. Giving Zhu Yilong a little collection of adoring boyfriends is like, my favorite thing. 💞 ALL THE KISSES FOR LONG-GE. \o/ So I'm gonna go with Recreation, which includes SO MANY of my kinks, and is very soft. Also, I like how the structure with the three POVs worked out. Pleasing!
Did you take any writing risks in 2022? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
I mean, it's all very tame in the grand scheme of things. Second person POV and breathplay and RPF involving non-celebrities might deviate from the norm somewhat, but I don't think anything I posted last year would qualify as "risky" in any way? (I think putting genderplay in my Zhu Yilong fics felt kind of, uh, niche at the time, but looking back it seems like a silly thing to worry about.)
Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for 2023?
No! 😩 I've been thinking about this, and I really can't think of anything that a) I haven't done yet, and b) would challenge me in a way that's still fun, and not just a chore. Like, I'll never be a case fic writer, or care about side characters enough to put them in fic. I've written most of the kinks I'm comfortable sharing in public, and I'm happy keeping the rest in the group chat, SHOUTOUT TO THE GROUP CHAT.
If anything, I feel I have some go-to themes, phrases, and sex scene elements that I've been overusing recently, and I'd like to break out of that rut a bit. So let's make that my goal.
My best story of 2022:
Hmm. Gonna go with (and form a new heart in me), which did feel different than my usual stuff, so that was nice! Not a lot different, mind you. I do like my comfort zone. But I think it included some neat ideas about the Time Engraver, and the big whooshy climax was fun to write, and people liked it!
Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
Just the RPF, I think, but that's understandable. It's just not everyone's cup of tea! Like, give me moonlight has 37 hits and 9 kudos right now, and I think it's just as well-written as my other stuff, but the pairing is just so very niche, and it's part of a series you'd have to read first, etc. The other RPF fared a bit better, in comparison!
All the Guardian things were appreciated the appropriate amount, in my opinion. 😄
Most fun story to write:
I think some of the longer stuff took me a while to figure out, once I held the initital nugget of the idea in my little hands and tried to turn it into something. Which is kind of its own fun, but not while you're trying to make sense of a piece of dialogue that doesn't seem to mesh with where you were going, but maybe if you change the POV and rethink the big resolution you wanted--
You know.
So I'm going to go with the place where your heart, which was a last-minute Guardian Wishlist gift and, see above, made me happy to write. Softness and banter and shirtless Long-ge, whee!
Story with the single sexiest moment:
Not to flatter myself, but it's kind of hard to pick one? I think all the E-rated fics have their, you know, moments. I didn't want to repeat fics across questions, but after a quick reread of Recreation, just gonna go with (sorry for the length):
He carefully gets up, taking the handful of steps to join them, to put his hand on Yilong's cheek. "Sweetheart," he murmurs. "You are such a sight." His hand wanders down to Yilong's chest, his hip, just as Bai Yu slides a hand up his side, rucking up the robe. Yilong gasps softly, his eyes still closed, his hands restless. His tongue darts out to wet his lips.
"Baby," Bai Yu says against his ear, with a little smirk at Wang Yang. "Say thank you to Yang-ge for your nice presents."
Menace, Wang Yang mouths at him, but then Yilong tips his head forward and opens his eyes, looking hungry and far away and beautiful, and Wang Yang kisses him.
"Ah ah," Bai Yu says after a moment. "A proper thank you."
Yilong's fingers in his shirt tighten, holding on as he sways away in the small pocket of space between them. He looks at Wang Yang, waiting for a hint of a nod, and then he sinks to his knees.
Bai Yu reaches down to tug at the robe, sliding it off Yilong's arms with barely any resistance. If he wanted to drop it on the floor next, Wang Yang wouldn't even care. He's only looking at Yilong right now. He brushes his short hair back, smiling as he moves against his hand for more, and then Yilong's hands are on his fly--
"Oh, I think Wang Laoshi wants to sit down for this," comes Bai Yu's voice. He winks at Wang Yang when he looks up. "His knees aren't getting younger."
Well, there's an idea.
"The disrespect," he mutters, shaking his head. "Honestly." He slides his fingers down Yilong's cheek to cup his chin, brushing his thumb over his smile for just a moment. "Come on then," he says softly, and then he takes a half step back, waiting.
Yilong draws in a breath as he places his hands on the floor, letting Wang Yang take another step back, and then another. Yilong follows, looking at Wang Yang, careful not to lose his fingertips under his chin.
The necklace moves against his collarbones as he slowly crawls forward, his eyes not leaving Wang Yang's.
Ahem.
Most "Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story:
See above, re: risks.
Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters:
I think the Higher Education series made me think about Ye Zun more than I usually would in my Weilan fics, because I wanted his return to Haixing to make sense (inasmuch as any post-canon Guardian fic "makes sense") and so I had to think about ways to ~redeem him without just handwaving everything he did. I had some further thoughts about him while working on part 7, so maybe part 8 will feature more of him. Or Weilan will just try a new kink, we'll see!
Hardest story to write:
Oh god, i will find you (here inside the dark) was like pulling teeth. Absolutely nothing was coming together in October and November and most of December, but then my mojo finally returned to let me post it before New Year's Eve! Also, fun fact, I was casting around for inspiration in September and looking at Kinktober prompts, and my most wonderful friend was like, "I feel you could get some kind of dark energy/fucking machine thing in there if Yunlan was being particularly himself and Shen Wei needed to shut him up", and then five days later I told her I had been thinking about the idea so much, it was going to be mostly somber Shen Wei musings ending in an argument about getting therapy.
So.
And then it took three months to write.
Biggest Disappointment:
Oh gosh, I don't know, there was probably something that made me sad at some point, but my brain frequently deletes things, so. Nothing comes to mind!
Biggest Surprise:
Again, my brain deletes a lot. I'm gonna say I didn't expect Five Times Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei Didn't Fuck, and One Time They Did to do this well? With 1000 hits, 155 kudos, and 17 comments (!), it's my most popular story of the year, probably helped by the fact that it was a sequel to a popular older fic and part of a gift exchange. (Also, having looked at it again just now, actually, some of these lines still slap.) Other than that, see above, re: risks.
Most Unintentionally Telling Story:
Oh I think my kinks etc. are well-documented, so I'm not sure anything could be that telling without me being aware of it.
I think. >.>
And that concludes this little survey! Gosh, that was a lot of questions. Major kudos to anyone who made it to the end. Format pilfered from
velithya, with thanks! <3
no subject
That's a lot of fic, a lot of words! <3
I think the RPF makes me happiest to write, if I had to pick.
<3 Totally worth it then. Write your happy place fic. <3
most under-appreciated [...] Just the RPF, I think, but that's understandable.
Also <3
I like how those answers ended up next to each other. I feel exactly the same. <3
no subject
*niche RPF solidarity handshake*
Still a happy place. 🥰
no subject
Dealing with Ye Zun can be quite the delicate issue, I totally agree!
I adore your five times fic, for what it is, all on its own. I adore it for IT, not because it's a sequel or whatever. It has some incredible lines and I love the way that Zhao Yunlan comes to terms with everything and they find their way back to each other!
no subject
And thank you so much, and for your lovely comment on it too! I do think it's rather good, ahem, but exchanges and things always mean a little more traffic? And I enjoyed playing around with the original and thinking about how to solve the problems created in it. :-D
no subject
Yes!
As a very happy purveyor of all your fic this year, it was lovely to read your thoughts about it, and the fact that you seem quite happy with it all yourself - just gives me the warm fuzzies <3
no subject
no subject
It's just the best feeling when one produces something that sparks joy, even a while after the fact