Reading, Writing, Rants, Raves & Recs

I did this back in 2009 (just after writing my first 3 NCIS fics!) and thought, why not again?

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
More. I've written far more this year than 2011 (1 completed story, plus 3 SOLD! chapters) or 2012 (3 completed stories, plus 13 SOLD! chapters). For 2013 I have 14 completed stories, plus 6 SOLD! chapters.


What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2013?
NCIS, Gibbs/Ducky. It's not a pairing that I truly *see*, but I did write Rendezvous At Sea for a request at ncis_slash_fic and also the McGee/Palmer pairing in Sheets In The Night and Tim's Fantasy, both also written for requests at ncis_slash_fic.


What's your favorite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
Tony’s Adventure With Gray Beard, The Buccaneer, it's a fun story that always makes me smile.


Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
I managed one puppy play fic (a bunny that was bugging me for months), Don't Speak . I also posted a story to AO3 that I wrote last year, but have locked on LJ. I don't think either story has gotten any FB, but they do get kudos. In general, I've written some darker stuff. I've learned that some people enjoy reading the darker stuff!


From my past year of writing, what was...

Best story
Not the most popular, but probably the best written was Playing Those Mind Games Forever . It's my first NCIS story to be beta'd.
Call Me Tony has the most kudos and FB. (It's also my only other NCIS story to be beta'd.)
I think Changes and The White Room were the most read.


Story Most Underappreciated by the Universe
It depends really on how you look at it. Tony’s Adventure With Gray Beard, The Buccaneer and Missing Kate were both well received by those who read them, but they've been read by far fewer people than most of my other stories.

Most fun
Tony’s Adventure With Gray Beard, The Buccaneer was intended to by funny and I definitely think it has it's moments!


Most disappointing
I'm really not a good judge of my own works. I know what I like and what I don't like, but I am forever surprised by which of my stories are read and which ones aren't, as well as, which ones receive the most FB and kudos. I was initially a little disappointed that Playing Those Mind Games Forever didn't go over better, especially considering all the time and effort I (and my beta) put into it. But I'm over it. It went over okay. It has received some very nice FB and kudos, but not as much as my other BB story, which isn't as dark. I can't even say it's one of my favorites of the year, but it is the one I worked the hardest on.


Most sexy
I'll go with Changes, which was inspired by MW's *Holla for your dolla* clip (the faux striptease in a Navy uniform). This has Tony working undercover as a Stripper and customer Gibbs taking notice of him.


Story With a Single Sexy Moment
Oh heck, another one that depends on how you look at it. Based on FB, it was probably in Call Me Tony, which is a first time fic.
Although, a bunch of my 2013 stories had sexy moments in them, such as:
Changes has Tony doing a striptease and also Bottom!Gibbs.
Rule Twelve, Broken has Gibbs walking in on Tim and Tony.
The White Room has Tony and Gibbs forced to film a porno movie by their captors.


Hardest to Write
Playing Those Mind Games Forever , I wanted so much to do it justice, to make Boone as creepy as he was on the actual episode. It was also tough coming up with, and getting through, the rape/torture scene.


"Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story:
Well, not a OMG it's so wrong, but ones I never thought I'd write:
Puppy play, Don't Speak
Tim abusing Tony, Rule Twelve, Broken


Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the New Year?
I would love to get SOLD! wrapped up in 2014! I am hoping to participate in NCIS Big Bang 2014.


My 2013 Stories (for reference):

NCIS:
24) 01/13/13 Changes
25) 01/19/13 Tim's Fantasy written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
26) 01/27/13 Rendezvous At Sea written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
27) 02/03/13 Sheets In The Night written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
28) 03/23/13 Don't Speak
29) 04/06/13 Rule Twelve, Broken written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
30) 04/14/13 Tony’s Adventure With Gray Beard, The Buccaneer written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
31) 04/21/13 Quite Sure
32) 04/21/13 Rota
33) 04/27/13 Missing Kate written for a request at ncis_slash_fic.
34) 07/06/13 Playing Those Mind Games Forever Written for ncis_bigbang.
35) 09/10/13 Call Me Tony Written for 2013 ncis_bigbang.
36) 12/01/13 The White Room
37) 12/08/13 Of Stakeouts And Blizzards Written for tibbs_yuletide

After weeks/months of not writing anything, I managed to complete 2 ficlets for fic_requests today (also posted at syncalot). It's not much I know, but better than nothing. I also checked last year and I think the first thing I completed was in May, so at least I've written something a couple weeks earlier this year. LOL

So anyway, it feels good to be writing again. I also realized that I'm in my 6th year of writing popslash! Which is at least somewhat interesting, I think.

It's interesting to see how people write differently. Like how some people write outlines, others just write words in an attempt to just write a target amount of words each day, and others write scenes out of sequence and try to link them up later.

I tend to just write what comes out. There is reletively little to no editing except to weed out typos and repetitious passeges. I rarely write a scene out of sequence and when I do, it's generally something that has a major impact or outcome in a longer story and I want to get it down while I still have a very strong sense of it. Sometimes I do know where a story is going, but sometimes I don't. Some endings just present themselves as I write.

I tend to try to read what I've written from the beginning to where I am every so often and that is when I tend to do my editing. It keeps me on track I suppose. Then I try to read through the entire story (or chapter) at least twice before posting it. If it's longer or for a challenge, I generally read it through, then put it aside for a couple days or a week before reading it again, so I can get a fresh take on it. If I read it too often within a short period of time, I tend to skim over bits that may need attention.