Annual challenge
Feb. 5th, 2005 01:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalAll entries for the Sneezefic Annual Challenge are due today (Sat, midnight PST- so about 25 hours from now- plenty of time to get those last minute fics and art pieces in!) *does happy dance* I'm soooo looking forward to reading some of these stories!
Though I'm slightly disappointed there wasn't a better turnout (and I'm hoping there are a lot of last minute entries). *pout* Was it because of the time of the year? Should we move the annual challenge to June/July/August? Or some other time, for that matter? Was it because none of the bunnies were interesting enough? Was it because it was hard to write a story that had sneezing, fit the theme, and fit a bunny all at the same time? Was it just that RL was sucky for everyone lately(confluence of events) and the challenge just happened to be at the same time? Was it just that everyone had enough stories to be getting on with already and couldn't manage more?
FB would be helpful if we are indeed going to make this an actual "annual" thing :-)
I'm still very excited about the entries we have already, though. And getting feedback... hope I get a little feedback. Some of mine are MUCH different from what I usually write so I'd love to know what people think about them. Hope I'm able to make some of you laugh... or squee... or something, depending on what you're looking at. I definitely had fun with them, though. So that's good :-)
Though I'm slightly disappointed there wasn't a better turnout (and I'm hoping there are a lot of last minute entries). *pout* Was it because of the time of the year? Should we move the annual challenge to June/July/August? Or some other time, for that matter? Was it because none of the bunnies were interesting enough? Was it because it was hard to write a story that had sneezing, fit the theme, and fit a bunny all at the same time? Was it just that RL was sucky for everyone lately(confluence of events) and the challenge just happened to be at the same time? Was it just that everyone had enough stories to be getting on with already and couldn't manage more?
FB would be helpful if we are indeed going to make this an actual "annual" thing :-)
I'm still very excited about the entries we have already, though. And getting feedback... hope I get a little feedback. Some of mine are MUCH different from what I usually write so I'd love to know what people think about them. Hope I'm able to make some of you laugh... or squee... or something, depending on what you're looking at. I definitely had fun with them, though. So that's good :-)
My reasons (Sorry for post length!)
Date: 2005-02-05 09:06 am (UTC)1. Time of year
I adore snow and I much prefer cold-fics over allergy-fics, so what better time to get inspired than winter? However, I do believe it might have been somewhat of a mistake to place it over the winter holidays. Yes, that means many of us have vacation from work or school, though those in school must get through finals and project deadlines. Also, for me personally, the season is usually so busy that I can barely get my shopping and wrapping done, much less find time to unwind and write fic. Plus, I am too low on the work seniority ladder to get more than December 25th and 26th off from work, and I had to fit travel time in there too. Plus, the best part of the holidays for me is visiting friends and family, and I certainly can't write sneezefic while a guest in other people's homes, or while my friends are at my place for New Year's Eve.
A possible suggestion would be to run the challenge in the mid to late fall. For me, the allure of snow and winter is greater when heading into the season, rather than in the middle of the post-holiday depression, and the anticipation can be inspiring.
2. Vacation
My 10 day trip to my parents' house and then to Vegas was a lifesaver in terms of stress relief, but a huge detriment to fic writing. The planning for and subsequent unwinding from the trip and resorting order to my apartment consumed almost as much time as the trip itself.
3. Personal Illness
I guess you could call this part of the 'unwinding from vacation' category, as I'm pretty darn sure I contracted my lovely respiratory bug in Las Vegas. All I did for 2 and a half days was microwave cans of soup and nap on the couch while watching DVDs', trying not to hack my lungs up in the meantime. Considering it was the first time I've ever had to call in sick to work in my entire 9 year employment history, I was definitely in no shape to sit at my computer and be creative.
4. WORK!
Work, work, work. I've never realized just how draining a full-time job can be. I don't know how my parents worked and raised 3 kids at the same time, I really don't. Color me impressed by their stamina...and call me a sucker for agreeing to work extra shifts and staying late to help out. 'She's young and single, no kids...she won't mind covering my shift.' ARRRGH! I need to learn how to put my foot down without looking like a selfish b*tch.
*Continued in next post*
My reasons (continued)
Date: 2005-02-05 09:07 am (UTC)Don't get me wrong here. It's a lovely, incredibly well-planned theme, and nicely timed to the beginning of a New Year, and most of the plot bunnies are delightful. It's just that for me, given that the fandom I would most certainly choose to write in is LOTR, everything that came to mind when brainstorming for the theme was downright depressing.
Think about it: LOTR has some of the most depressing endings and themes I can think of (sea-longing, the fate of Arwen, the eventual parting of Legolas from each and every one of his mortal friends, Frodo’s soul in torment, the loss of innocence of all the hobbits.) I couldn’t come up with an excuse for Legolas sneezing that fit the theme other than sea-longing or grief, and I wasn’t up for the deep dive into depression and the length the fic would require to do the concept justice in my mind.
I’m not arguing that happier things can’t be done with LOTR, particulary in the ‘Beginnings’ area; (the meeting of friends, the forming of the Fellowship, the dawn of the 4th Age after Sauron’s defeat, the birth of children, etc.). I’m just saying that for me, even the happiest of these themes inevitably becomes melancholy to me, if for no other reason than that I know these characters’ fates, and because the movies are over and I will never again get new material on them. You HP fans are so incredibly blessed in this regard…I hope you never take it for granted and I pray you handle the eventual ending of the HP books better than I handled the end of the LOTR movies.
6. Lack of the 'Writer's Soul' (as I like to call it)
Let’s just face it: I’m not the writer that you are, tg. The characters’ thoughts, words, and actions don’t flow forth, come alive, and guide my writing attempts. In my case, agony is exactly the right word to describe my struggles to come up with plot details and word choices. It takes me hours to write a single paragraph, and the act of doing so robs me of most of the delight I might get from seeing my suffering characters in the position I put them in. Though I don’t deny the pride and pleasure I got from completing my lone story and reading the generous feedback, the thought of doing another fic is truly daunting to me…
7. Sheer Laziness
I might be able to overcome some of my difficulties listed in number 6 if I truly applied myself, or at the very least, forced myself to jot down each and every little plot bunny that hops my way. However, I treasure my downtime from work…and at the end of a long day, I inevitably choose to use it enjoying the work of others (be it fic, DVD’s, TV, or a book). This wouldn’t be an honest list if I left this reason off.
Rest assured that whatever my reasons, I am truly grateful for all the hard work everyone puts out there. Know that I understand the effort that it takes, and that I appreciate every single person’s contributions, whether or not I follow a particular fandom, and whether or not I choose to leave public feedback. Thank you all! I can’t wait to read your challenge fics!
Re: My reasons (continued)
Date: 2005-02-05 09:30 am (UTC)I was hoping the fact that so much of the challenge writing would take place in Jan (rather than December when there are so many holidays and vacations to handle) would make the time factor easier to handle. But I do especially like your suggestion about the fall.
As for the theme- I must admit this was what has given me the most trouble. I took it rather... liberally in some cases. With the plot of the fic revolving around the beginning of a season, the ending of an event, etc. With the exception of one (or maybe two) there isn't much that's "deep and serious" in the way of incorporating the themes. And I completely agree- it is hard to look at LotR and not feel sad- no matter how happy things are when they start, we all know how they eventually end. I think the only way I manage to get anything post-war written is to stay in a constant state of denial about some things. Live in the now, as Ben & Mikey might say, and forget that in a few years down the road everyone is dead or heartbroken (or both, in some cases).
Oh, and as for number 7... I secretly enjoyed when my muses took a break last week (frustrating as it was!) because I was able to pick up a book in who KNOWS how long?! I would rather write than do anything else in life, including breathing, eating, and reading. So I MORE than admire your desire to spend your downtimes reading. I'm quite envious, in fact. I haven't been able to really sit down and enjoy long fics (or books!) for a long time. Which is probably why I'm so in love with one-shots (both in reading and in writing). And which is probably why my novels are never going to actually be done. LOL
*HUGS* I'm also very glad you're better. And I *so* know what you mean about work. I'm such a pushover in RL- partly my desire to please and partly just my love of working. I'm always the person to step up when something needs to be done... but I definitely know the feeling of being constantly overworked. I'm glad you're able to find the downtime! :-)
I so very much appreciate your comments here. Please rest assured I didn't mean to sound angry towards you or anyone else who was unable to write for this challenge. But as a co-mod I was curious as to what factors contributed to a lower turnout than normal. I'd figured it was just a combination of many different things... goodness knows this hasn't really been the best month for me, either!
No worries!
Date: 2005-02-05 09:47 am (UTC)Another reason that just occurred to me might have been that last year, a winter theme seemed newer and more exciting, at least for me. This year, it was pretty much a given, albeit a welcome one. I have another idea: perhaps a rotating season for the challenge might help. This year winter, next time Spring, then Summer, then back around to Autumn and Winter in a few years...keep things fresh and exciting.
If nothing else, my experiences with these challenges have confirmed that my true preference is reading, rather than writing. I still read everything I can get my hands on, including cereal boxes in the morning. *G* I can easily and happily spend hour upon hour pouring over the 'net in a desperate attempt to find fresh Legolas fics I haven't already read, and if that fails, rereading my favorites over and over again. Luckily, I'm one of those people who have no problems with reading books more than once or twice, and enjoying it every bit as much as the first read!
Anyway, thanks for letting me attempt to assuage some of my guilt for not writing. However, that doesn't mean I can't participate in the form of feedback...and trust me, I shall! *G*
no subject
Date: 2005-02-05 02:18 pm (UTC)Truly though, the bunnies were inspiring and interesting enough, and I do love winter fics, but I think that "confluence of events" pretty much fits for me. I don't think I've ever had such a busy winter, and added to the top of that were my generally stubborn muses that insist on making me fight them for every other paragraph. I have been trying. I have a half-finished origi-fic that stalled out and I have the beginnings of one that I'm enjoying writing quite a bit with a brand new origi-boy who seems to actually be cooperative. But I'm going to have very little time in the house today and Samiel hasn't even gotten started yet, so I have a feeling that mine's going to be a late non-entry and getting posted to the list at this point. (I just hope that his fic doesn't become like the *thinks for a second* 12 or so other stalled WIP SFs that are sitting on my PDA.)