Poll: Yuletide! Yay!

[thefourthvine]

I am very excited about yuletide, and I've been bouncing around like a crazed thing since I signed up. (This is the Anticipation phase of Yuletide. Yes, there are phases of Yuletide. Yes, I have actually written them down. I know, I know, so pathetic, but it's an important thing to me, okay? I was never that excited about the holidays as a kid, but as an adult, Yuletide makes me absolutely delirious with joy.)

Anyway. I deal with the Anticipation phase (This is actually Anticipation Part One, because sign-ups are still open. When they close, I will start hard-core Anticipation. It is dangerous to come within seven feet of me during that time.) in many ways, but in part by refreshing the requested fandoms list, so that I can admire the shiny numbers climbing ever higher. (Plus, this year, there is a festival of gold and green to admire there. You can even see how many people asked for and volunteered for a given fandom. It is the coolest thing ever!)

But the site went down briefly today. Suddenly, I had no outlet for my Yuletide glee. Hence, this poll.

And if any of you have friends listers who are also doing Yuletide, I'd love it if you'd point 'em over here, 'cause I don't know how many of my own friends listers are. (You all should, though. You get a story! In a tiny fandom of your choosing! And you can write a story that will make someone else's heart sing! And this year there is no qualifying requirement! Go, sign up, and then come back and take the poll!)

Yeah, yeah. 'Tis the season to abuse exclamation marks and the Create Poll function on LJ. Happy holidays!

[Poll #855532]

Comments

[30toseoul.livejournal.com]

Man, I really wish I could do stuff like that, because it makes me so happy to read the fic that results from it. But I can't. Any kind of deadline abruptly makes my fun fandom writing seem like un-fun obligatory homework.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I can totally see that. It's also a tough time for anyone who is in school; I'm not sure I could've handled Yuletide + finals for some of my semesters of college.

Hmmm. I'm trying to think about why I love Yuletide so much, and it's actually - when I first signed up, I imagined the writing would be agony, but I didn't realize what the Yuletide gestalt would be like. Yuletide just makes me happy, I guess. Even if the writing is kind of terrifying. (OMG will my recipient like it? OMG can I even do this?)

(In truth, Panic is also part of my Yuletide process. As is Despair. There are times when I am quite, quite sure my recipient will hate my story. But then, for me, part of what's so great about Yuletide is that I have to push through and finish the story anyway, instead of giving up, which is what I'd normally do. You don't seem to have a finishing/posting dysfunction, so I can see why it'd be less tempting for you.)

[umbo.livejournal.com]

I haven't decided for sure if I'm participating this year. I'm actually freaking out a bit about whether or not to sign up and which fandoms to ask for and which to say I'd be willing to write. I mean, Homicide, yes. The others? I just don't know.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

You could do Hard Core Logo for sure. And maybe, like, the Wire? Is that a rare fandom? You talk about it sometimes, so...

My point: I'm sure you could come up with something - you cannot seriously look at that list and tell me that out of 1500 fandoms you can't write three. And just think, if you do, that's potentially as many as two more Homicide stories. (And, okay, potentially zero more Homicide stories, but you can't tell me you don't have two other bitty fandoms you'd love to see stories for.) Right now, there are 4 Homicide requests and 9 Homicide volunteers, and you'd make 5 and 10!

*tempts*

[charmax.livejournal.com]

I'm not really a fic reader but I was wondering do you know of a group that does vid yuletide? I would join up for that!

[dzurlady.livejournal.com]

I don't believe there is. It would be an interesting idea, though, apart from the fact that vidding can be a slooow process for some of us. By which I mean me.

[lynnmonster.livejournal.com]

As far as volunteering goes: I don't volunteer for *everything* I know canon for, but I also volunteer for stuff that I only have a passing familiarity with canon but would need to do further research to write, if it's potentially interesting enough to me! Last year I was strict with myself, and only volunteered for stuff I was pretty sure I'd really LIKE to write. (Which included "I Capture the Castle," one of my favorite books ever, which I wound up getting! I had to do a re-read, though, before I could tackle writing a story.)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*stares*

You...you wrote a story for I Capture the Castle? And I have not read this story? Curse you, Yuletide archive, for being gone for two months just when I discover this!

*shakes tiny fist at Great Yuletide Archive in the Sky*

I don't volunteer for *everything* I know canon for, but I also volunteer for stuff that I only have a passing familiarity with canon but would need to do further research to write, if it's potentially interesting enough to me! Last year I was strict with myself, and only volunteered for stuff I was pretty sure I'd really LIKE to write.

Interesting. Now I wish I'd also asked how people's strategies change from year to year. Like, I know that the first year, I just picked the first three on the list I knew the canon for and went back to bed. (I was sick, too sick to look through the list. Lesson learned: don't sign up for Yuletide with a fever. It worked out okay, sure, but...it could've been bad, is all I'm saying.)

Last year, I felt I was being intensely brave; I offered 22 fandoms, including one that I was willing to write any character for. This year, I offered 30, and half of those were any character fandoms. I consider this part of my overall Yuletide Growth. (Although I am of course terrified that it's going to bite me on the butt. What if I get something I can't write? Oh. Wait. That happened to me last year, and the year before, too.)

But now I want to know how other people change from year to year. Wah.

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

I've played in holiday fic exchanges before, but I'm not playing this year. Last year was too hard with the job I've got. Still have that job, and I still haven't figured out how to balance work and writing. (which is just an excuse, really. I mean I've not been working for over two months now, and how much have I written? Two six word fics, thank you)

I'm still tempted by Yuletide. I've *always* wanted to play, but keep missing it.

Maybe next year.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're not quite up to making the committment, which is not a surprise; you've been going through quite a lot of changes (I'm trying to be, you know, vague, since this is not your LJ), and you never know from one week to the next how you'll be feeling or if you'll even be able to get out of the house. So, yeah, might not be the best time to embark on Yuletide.

I will say, though, that there is no perfect time. I was scared to death the first year I volunteered, and in fact had a Secret Pinch-Hitter lined up in case I couldn't write a story. (I am quite sure the mods would frown on Secret Pinch-Hitting, but I had to have some reassurance I wouldn't default in case of a water landing.)

I've *always* wanted to play, but keep missing it.

I don't want to push you to do something you're not ready to, but you still have 4 days to decide if you're ready this year. And if not, there'll always be next year, the Yuletide Mods willing and the internets don't die.

[melpemone.livejournal.com]

I'm in UR commentz, explaining my reasonz.

Bwahahaha. :D

I wish I could do Yuletide. I've even chosen not to sign up for fandom-specific exchange events this year, and I'm not doing NaNo, so I have the time, but... it's confusing! And a tad intimidating! I have trouble using Yuletide's search feature, let alone actually signing up for it. :(

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're ready, in terms of planning your year-end obligations.

The sign up stuff looks daunting, but isn't, really; all you have to do is go here (http://yuletidetreasure.org/get_requested_fandoms.cgi), make a list of the stuff you want (up to four) and the stuff you're willing to write (at least three), and then go here (http://yuletidetreasure.org/signup_page1.cgi) and start filling in fields.

So, yeah, it is a bit intimidating - I was scared as hell (and, um, feverish) the first time I signed up - but it's worse than it looks. And if you have specific problems, there are the folks at yuletide to help out. Or, you know, you could always ask me.

Don't be scared away by the menu with 1500 options. Really! Not so scary! *is supportive*

[misspamela.livejournal.com]

I signed up for a slender 16 fandoms this year, and I am quite proud of my restraint!

There are many, many reasons to love Yuletide. One is that I genuinely love the challenge combined with the joy f writing for someone else. The other is that you get so caught up in writing, you forget that you get OMG five hundred presents on Christmas morning! Eeeeee!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I signed up for a slender 16 fandoms this year, and I am quite proud of my restraint!

*applauds*

I signed up for 30 and am quite proud of my bravery. We'll see if that bites me on the butt in, oh, a week or so.

(But I am insanely proud of fandom as a whole. Have you seen how many gold and green fandoms are on that list? We have, collectively, volunteered our asses off. You name it, we've got someone who can write it, pretty much.)

One is that I genuinely love the challenge combined with the joy f writing for someone else.

That's it for me. Reason one is probably the excitement, but it's neck and neck with the challenge and joy of writing for my recipient. (The excitement wins only because I'm always afraid I'll fail my recipient.)

The other is that you get so caught up in writing, you forget that you get OMG five hundred presents on Christmas morning! Eeeeee!

I forget until the night before. And then, inevitably, I stay up all night, hitting refresh like a trained rat on crack until the archive goes live. It is magic.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

I volunteer for a) things I know the canon for well enough to write, and b) things I wouldn't mind getting to know the canon for well enought to write. I *don't* volunteer for: things I don't have access to canon for (like video games), things it would take to long to learn (like TV series I don't know yet) and thing I don't particularly want to live in for two months. And I, um, didn't count how many that turned out to be, but it was lots.

And I picked two seasonal challenges, but that's only if NaNo counts as one. :P

And I have a list of fandoms that I'm going to keep asking for until I get 'em, but every year one drops off the list, so by now there are a few that I'm willing to swap around.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I volunteer for a) things I know the canon for well enough to write, and b) things I wouldn't mind getting to know the canon for well enought to write.

Wow. So how well do you have to know the canon to sign up for it? Like, "Oh, I've read that and liked it - I'd have to read it again, but that's fine," or, "Oh, I know what that's about and I wouldn't mind reading it, so that's fine"?

(I'm awed by your courage, there. You sound ripe for the Extreme NYR challenge, invented by I-forget-who: when the random NYR script goes live, go to it, hit refresh three or four times, and that's your challenge. Learn canon as necessary and write a story.)

And I have a list of fandoms that I'm going to keep asking for until I get 'em, but every year one drops off the list, so by now there are a few that I'm willing to swap around.

Likewise. I have a mental list of fandoms I want, and although there is one guaranteed slot (until I get it, anyway - and I'm not expecting that to happen), the others can be swapped around pretty painlessly, especially since two have dropped off the list now.

[minim_calibre]

I volunteered for any fandom where, even if I can't remember the names of the characters right off the top of my head, I have access to the complete canon and can reasonably expect myself to be able to binge, hum a few bars, and fake it.

[brownbetty]

Ditto. This is my program also.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Site is back up yay!

Last year I offered two dozen fandoms; this year I offered only ten. This time I didn't offer any of the ones that I feel like I can write for without an excuse. (Last year I got a great assignment in a fandom I'd never written in, and I enjoyed that. I want to make sure I have something like that again.)

Last year I did three seasonal story exchanges; this year I'm only doing Yuletide. Partly it's because I have a long story in progress that I want to be able to concentrate on, and partly it's because I expect to be quite busy with other things during the next two months.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Site is back up yay!

Yay, indeed! I've been doing my regular reloading thing again, and I'm all agog because we're one person away from equaling 2004's participant total. Yowsers.

*unreasonably excited*

Last year I got a great assignment in a fandom I'd never written in, and I enjoyed that. I want to make sure I have something like that again.

That makes sense. That's pretty much my default experience for Yuletide; there's never any chance I'd write a story in any of the fandoms I volunteer in without Yuletide there to prod me. (But I've been lucky with my requests, too. So far. *crosses fingers*) But if you'd normally write at least some of the fandoms on there - which is much more likely, since you're actually productive when it comes to FF - it makes sense to tailor your sign-up so you're only writing something that will really feel like a Yuletide story (as opposed to just a story written at the end of the year).

Partly it's because I have a long story in progress that I want to be able to concentrate on, and partly it's because I expect to be quite busy with other things during the next two months.

Ooo. Am I allowed to ask the fandom of the long story? (I'm assuming dS, which is always exciting, but it could be something else, too, and I want to know what I'm awaiting.)

And, yeah. I've only ever done Yuletide, even though so many of the other challenges look tempting, because I figure no matter how crazy RL gets - and last year at this time RL was, quite frankly, both crazy and deeply horrible - I'll be able to carve out the time for one story. (Unless I'm, you know, unconscious somewhere or something, in which case a pinch hit is pretty much inevitable.) But more than one seems dicey.

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

I volunteered for every fandom where I own the canon (after last year's mad dash to get a DVD!) and feel fairly confident that I could write something in that style. This got rid of a lot of witty comedy! Some of the canon I didn't know by heart, but I'd re-read or re-watch before writing anyway.

So excited!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I volunteered for every fandom where I own the canon (after last year's mad dash to get a DVD!) and feel fairly confident that I could write something in that style.

Yes. Owning the canon is key for me as well. Last year, I wrote a Mr. and Mrs. Smith story, and the movie didn't come out on DVD until the end of November. I spent quite some time biting my fingernails waiting for it to arrive so I could get started writing.

This got rid of a lot of witty comedy!

I tend to be very heavy on the banter-intensive, dialog-heavy canons, since my natural writing style is, well, rather banter-intensive and dialog-heavy.

So excited!

I know! Eeee!

And, wow, cool: we just surpassed 2004's record number of participants! We have 539 right at this moment! *bounces with glee*

[sweetvalleyslut.livejournal.com]

I accidentally signed up twice a couple of years ago, but it turned out okay, I finished both stories.

And I tend to choose fandoms that I think I can write AND that I want to write--I usually knock out ones I've already written, because my attention span is THAT short.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

And I tend to choose fandoms that I think I can write AND that I want to write--I usually knock out ones I've already written, because my attention span is THAT short.

*nods*

I usually don't re-volunteer for fandoms I've already written, but this year I had a sudden uncontrollable attack of story ideas while I was making my sign-up list. I ended up signing up for several fandoms I normally wouldn't have.

(And, damn. It occurs to me that I should've asked about re-volunteering as well as re-requesting. Ah, well. No poll can cover all the bases.)

[monroe-nell.livejournal.com]

I want to do yuletide, but I have my nano *g* See icon. That's my plot, pretty much.

plus ds_seekritsanta. And invunikdotcom challenge. I still have fics to write for getfraserlaid (...I'm writing them, I swear), and I think I promised two people fics in some ficexchange in a journal that started with an A. and that is all i remember, so I may be screwed there.

So, um, I think it would be STUPID for me to sign up for yuletide. I keep almost doing it though. *facepalm*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*looks at your icon*

*giggles*

plus ds_seekritsanta. And invunikdotcom challenge. I still have fics to write for getfraserlaid (...I'm writing them, I swear), and I think I promised two people fics in some ficexchange in a journal that started with an A. and that is all i remember, so I may be screwed there.

Wow. I'm awed by people who can do more than one challenge at a time. And you've got this whole added layer of difficulty because of the Hunt for the LJ Starting with A. (I assume you've already asked your friends list? Because if so, I will be sad; it will be a refutation of the Friends List Knows Everything principle of LJdom, and I like that principle. A lot.)

If I had your challenge load, I wouldn't be able to sign up for Yuletide; I'd be too busy whimpering and rocking in a corner somewhere. (Of course, this is why I only do the one: I am, yes, rather limited in my ability to handle challenges, but I do know what my limits are. Mostly. That's a good thing, right?)

*impressed with your Menu o' Challenges*

[dzurlady.livejournal.com]

I look at it wistfully (oh, how I would love some fic for my tiny fandoms!) but as I have only just begun to feel capable of writing things, I don't think I am particularly dependable and so have refrained from committing myself. I did however sign up to pinch hit, as that way I figure I can know if I feel up to writing for a prompt before I commit to it. Still! I am excited by the whole thing, even if I don't wind up writting anything. And I may write something as a NYR.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Well, if it's any encouragement - the first year I signed up, I had written, I believe, two stories. Total. I didn't feel capable of writing things at all. But I so wanted to do it - I mean, I love small fandoms, so Yuletide is kind of my holy grail. And Best Beloved and several friends were very supportive, and so I did it, although I was still mostly convinced I was insane.

But! I wrote a story! And my recipient seemed to like it, even!

So it can work out. I'm not saying you should push yourself beyond your comfort zone, of course (although that's kind of what Yuletide is about, but that's a whole different story), and it is really scary when someone else's request - their Yuletide request - is relying on your writing ability. But I think you'll do fine. And pinch hitting is a perfect way to get a feel for the challenge. (Advice for pinch-hitting: stay on top of your fannish email address and commit fast. Last year, pinch hits seemed to get snapped up in, like, seconds.)

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

I love yuletide so much. It's one of the best things about this season, for me.

The proper answer to What is the single biggest reason you do Yuletide? is probably "peer pressure," but the excitement really does play a big part!

Also I really am hoping I don't end up writing for someone I know in either yuletide or dwnoga -- I got astolat two years ago and merryish the year before that, and while I'm all about making my friends happy, the lying and dodging really goes against my essentially honest and forthright personality...

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I love yuletide so much. It's one of the best things about this season, for me.

Yes, totally. Yuletide basically is the magic of the season for me.

The proper answer to What is the single biggest reason you do Yuletide? is probably "peer pressure," but the excitement really does play a big part!

It stands to reason that your peers would want to suck you into Yuletide. I heartily salute them, and support them in their pressuring endeavor. I would sign a petition for this, even, so it's just as well you're prepared to go quietly.

Also I really am hoping I don't end up writing for someone I know in either yuletide or dwnoga -- I got astolat two years ago and merryish the year before that, and while I'm all about making my friends happy, the lying and dodging really goes against my essentially honest and forthright personality.

Yikes. makesmewannadie and I actually coordinated requests one year, just to make sure we wouldn't get each other, because it would be hard to hide your request from someone who is, for example, usually one of your beta-readers. I would probably end up letting it slip no matter how much I tried not to. And that would suck.

*joins you in hoping for a recipient who is a stranger*

[watergal.livejournal.com]

Reason? aLL teh kewl kidz R there!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

(Side note: my hat icon joins me in saluting the excellent hats in your icon.)

Reason? aLL teh kewl kidz R there!

That aspect kind of terrifies me, actually - I mean, hanging with the cool kids is scary. But I would feel insanely left out if I didn't do Yuletide, all writhing in envy as other people got their assignments and started their OMG Yuletide posts. I would probably whine and stuff, and it wouldn't be pretty. Better just to hang out with the scary cool kids and hope they don't notice me.

*sidles over to the other end of the gym*

[lydiabell.livejournal.com]

Can I just say how completely boggled I am by all these people who offer every fandom that they're familiar with, or at least that they like, and are totally confident that they will be able to come up with inspiration and write a story for any of them? And it's not like they're delusional; they are able to come up with inspiration and write a story! It just gasts my flabber every time. I'm almost at the point where I only want to offer fandoms that I already have story ideas in, for fear that I won't be able to come up with anything. (Yes, people give prompts sometimes, but last year I panicked and couldn't think of anything to do with the prompt that wouldn't have taken at least 15,000 words and six months to write.) Flexible people, I salute you! HowTF do you do it?


::goes with icon appropriate to the season we're in, and completely inappropriate to the season we're discussing. clearly, I need pumpkins with Santa hats::

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Can I just say how completely boggled I am by all these people who offer every fandom that they're familiar with, or at least that they like, and are totally confident that they will be able to come up with inspiration and write a story for any of them? And it's not like they're delusional; they are able to come up with inspiration and write a story!

I know. They impress the hell out of me, too. I'm always terrified that I'll be unable to write my request, and I surely don't offer every fandom I know.

*equal parts awed and envious*

clearly, I need pumpkins with Santa hats::

Or a Nightmare Before Christmas icon. That would bridge the seasons nicely.

[mosca.livejournal.com]

A few elucidations:

- I don't specifically set out to ask for a new batch of fandoms every year -- it just kind of happens, as my fannish interests shift. One of my four requests was the same as last year: same fandom, same characters, slightly different detailed request.

- I spend the entire year figuring out what I'm going to ask for when Yuletide comes around. I think this year is the first year that I requested exactly what I'd been planning to request.

- I have a sort of complicated algorithm for figuring out what to offer. I offer fandoms when I know the canon; when I could comfortably write genfic about any of the major characters; when none of the most plausible/fannishly probable pairings horrify me; and (most importantly) when, at the time of signup, I feel like writing something in the fandom. This still resulted in 30 fandoms offered this year, mostly because my motto can be described as, "Write what you know, and I know a crapload of embarrassing teen movies, reality shows, and pay cable dramas."

- New features on the website mean new sources of squee. When I saw that certain fandoms had more than one requester and more than one offerer, there was chair-bouncing and squealing.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I don't specifically set out to ask for a new batch of fandoms every year -- it just kind of happens, as my fannish interests shift. One of my four requests was the same as last year: same fandom, same characters, slightly different detailed request.

Interesting. My requests mostly stay the same, because most of my requests are from canons I've loved for a very long time, and my love for them (and my complete inability to understand why other people don't love them OMG) doesn't change from year to year, even though my other fannish interests do. It's just a question of putting down the one I always do, then picking three others from the larger list of Yuletide wants that I keep in my head.

I do sometimes add to the larger list, though.

I spend the entire year figuring out what I'm going to ask for when Yuletide comes around.

Ha! I had a question about that on the poll, but I cut it, for reasons of not inducing total exhaustion in poll-takers. Because I keep a list all year, adding and subtracting and considering, and sometimes turning to Best Beloved and saying, "Yuletide fandom! Remind me!" And I know MMWD has known what she would request for Yuletide this year since Jan 2. So I was wondering how other people worked it.

Oddly, I assumed that people whose requests were all new each year were less likely to keep a list. I'm not sure why I assumed that, now.

I offer fandoms when I know the canon; when I could comfortably write genfic about any of the major characters; when none of the most plausible/fannishly probable pairings horrify me; and (most importantly) when, at the time of signup, I feel like writing something in the fandom.

This is remarkably similar to my own algorithm (which, coincidentally, also resulted in me offering precisely 30 fandoms this year). I do try to eliminate fandoms where I'm not comfortable with the likely pairings, but sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what the pairings might be.

When I saw that certain fandoms had more than one requester and more than one offerer, there was chair-bouncing and squealing.

Oh my god, I know. Although for Certain Fandoms, I wanted to be able to, like, get the names of all the people who offered to write them, and then promise them my first born or something if they'd just please write a story now OMG.

It's remarkably cool, though, being able to see for sure what's been requested, and how many people have requested and volunteered for each one. I am in love with the new site features.

*goes back to refresh the fandom list again*

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

This will be my third year of Yuletide and I can't ever see myself not participating. It and Remix Redux are the challenges I look forward to most. I have always been extremely pleased with the stories I wrote, especially last year when I wrote a pinch hit for Seinfeld. It was something I never would have chosen on my own because the chances of failing to nail the tone just right are so high, but once I committed to it, I just put on some DVDs (I had gotten season one for Christmas the year before, so I didn't have to scramble for them) and sat down and wrote it and it ended up being a real hit with the recipient and the few others who were willing to give it a try. The comments all said how it felt just like an episode of the show, which is pretty much the highest praise I can think of.

Last year I did four challenges (five fics, because of the aforementioned pinch hit), but this year I dropped the Star Wars and LotRiPS ones and am just doing Yuletide and Harry Potter, though I did volunteer to pinch hit for the LotRiPS one and signed up for the Yuletide pinch hit list, too.

For requesting, the first slots go to films or books I've read during the year and felt needed fic. If there's one or more empty slots left, they go to stuff I requested and no one wrote last year. I made sure to make LJ posts and tag them when I was reading books and had ideas, so I could remember them when Yuletide came around. This year it was Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, His Dark Materials, and Everything Is Illuminated. The fourth slot went to I ♥ Huckabees, which I requested last year and no one took up, and for which I know of only three fics, two of which are by me.

For volunteering, I pretty much choose everything I am familiar enough with to write. I chose 28 fandoms this time, 12 of which I specified characters or pairings for. There were a couple others which I felt I could write, but I didn't really see fic possibilities in them myself, so I didn't check them, but I think there were only two or three like that. I did indeed volunteer to write all the fandoms I requested, and to be honest, I'd be happier if I got to write them than to read them. They're all fic ideas I'd write on my own eventually, but something like Yuletide would spur me on to do so.

The main reason I do Yuletide is to write cool fic in small fandoms and actually have a chance of it getting read. I also love writing something that the recipient really, really loves. I wouldn't mind at all if I didn't get any fic in exchange.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Wow! You wrote the Seinfeld story last year? Best Beloved loves that one. (I haven't read it. Apparently you'd need to know the canon to get it, and I don't even know what the canon is about, so I haven't looked at it even enough to know who the writer was.)

For requesting, the first slots go to films or books I've read during the year and felt needed fic.

Oh, interesting - it's cool to see how you decided to request what you requested. I do almost the reverse of what you do; I tend to volunteer to write canons I've recently encountered that I think need stories, but for requesting, the new canons have to queue up behind the ones I've loved forever and wanted FF for basically since I got into fandom. First come, first served is apparently my brain's policy on Yuletide fandoms.

There were a couple others which I felt I could write, but I didn't really see fic possibilities in them myself, so I didn't check them

*nods*

I had that problem with a few canons, too. Some canons are just very, very closed; there's not a lot of room to work stories in around the cracks. So there were a few fandoms I stared at for several long minutes and then deleted from my sign-up spreadsheet on the grounds of total inability to even imagine a story in them.

I wouldn't mind at all if I didn't get any fic in exchange.

Me neither. I mean, I love getting a story, and it is amazingly joy-inducing to have stories in some of my favorite tiny or non-existent fandoms, but it's a lagniappe, almost - the excitement and writing are the big deals.

Of course, it's a really great lagniappe, so I'm very happy I do get a story. But I would still gladly do Yuletide if I didn't get one.

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I haven't played the last two years, but I've seen three mentions on f-list this week of the Yuletide sign up, and It's Worn Me Down. (So, basically it's your fault.)

I've chosen a few less obscure fandoms I already know I can play in, and some very obscure fandoms that I just happen to have read/watched - now, let the roulette wheel spin.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

So, basically it's your fault.

I am very proud.

now, let the roulette wheel spin.

I'm in the bouncing up and down OMG roulette wheel spin NOW phase. I want my assignment so I can start taking long walks and hashing out a plot!

*impatient*

[mcshepylove.livejournal.com]

ok ok you convinced me! *arm twisted behind back* now i have to wait for them to add the fandoms that i want to request that aren't on the list yet. *grumble* always have to be different/cause trouble */grumble*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Oh, whoops! Sorry - I didn't mean to be confusing. Fandom nominations are closed now (they were last week), so you're limited to just the fandoms that are already on the list. But there's almost 1500 of them, so that's a lot to choose from! (And you can always nominate the fandoms that aren't on there next year; if you friend the comm, you'll see when they start gearing up.)

[zhynchan.livejournal.com]

Oh, God, yuletide, I've been vacillating about joining or not. >_<; I mean, I saw the list of unfulfilled requests las year and I wept for the fandoms I loved that weren't picked, and it was terrible. >_<;

[zhynchan.livejournal.com]

OH GOD VAGRANT STORY....*facepalms*
Tempted, so god darned tempted.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

*jumps up and down*

I'm so glad the site is back up! The new shiny colored list is the best thing ever.

*refreshes AGAIN*

And I know what you mean about the phases. First there's the wibbling and the writing down and erasing of fandoms. Then there's the waiting for the assignment. Then the getting of the assignment and cries of "OMG what was I thinking?

So far, my favorite/most terrifying Yuletide experience is when I wrote a pinch hit in one day, frantic beta'ing included. Whew.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

The new shiny colored list is the best thing ever.

I know. I secretly fear I crashed it because I could not stop reloading.

First there's the wibbling and the writing down and erasing of fandoms. Then there's the waiting for the assignment. Then the getting of the assignment and cries of "OMG what was I thinking?

Forget not the other phases, including:

• Despair of Ever Writing Anything (Before the Deadline, Anyway)
  
• Whining to Your Friends About How Your Write Is Done Broke and You Got Four Hundred Children and a Crop in the Field
  
• Getting Stuck in the Middle and Wanting to Die
  
• Sending the Story off to Beta and Suddenly Wanting to Live Again
  
• Having the Story Finished Thank You God
  
• Waiting So Impatiently for Christmas
  
• Using up a Full Year's Allottment of Squee and Capital Letters on Christmas Morning

(I'm getting a head start on the capital letter abuse.)

So far, my favorite/most terrifying Yuletide experience is when I wrote a pinch hit in one day, frantic beta'ing included. Whew.

*stares at you*

Clearly, you are not a mere mortal. (And your beta isn't, either.) Wow.

[artyartie.livejournal.com]

Yuletide! This is my third year and I just love it, though writing last year's story was tough - I don't know how many plot bunnies died for that story. But it did make me go out and buy Master and Commander!

This year I went through all the fandoms, listed the ones I thought I could write and the ones I wanted myself, then choe from that list for signup. The feature that shows requests/people who signed up to write it is awesome! All of the fandoms I volunteered are game, I think.

But it's just the greatest thing to get your story, shiny and new, on Christmas morning! This is definetly one of the coolest fandom-related projects I've ever done.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

(Side note: I love your icon. Wombats! And Christmas! Yay!)

This year I went through all the fandoms, listed the ones I thought I could write and the ones I wanted myself, then choe from that list for signup.

I actually turned the tab-delineated list into a table, then removed all the ones I didn't know, then whittled the list down further by removing the ones I didn't think I could write. And then I took a deep breath and signed up for all the ones left on the list. (This is opposed to the previous years, where I looked for ones I could do. The process of elimination seems to end in me signing up for more fandoms.)

I still think fondly of the year I got you for Yuletide, by the way; you were my first recipient ever, and I was scared to death. And it was such a relief to realize I could do two of the fandoms on your request list. In every way, you were a wonderful recipient.

[watersword]

I only do NYR, becaue I have finals and two fandom-specific Christmas exchanges, and I can't handle three fic deadlines within a few weeks. But I write more than one NYR story!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Wow. You are truly blessed with Good Yuletide Karma, doing more than one NYR story. If you ever sign up for Yuletide proper, I am sure the Yuletide Gods will smile upon you.

(And if I still had finals, I don't think I could Yuletide even without the other two exchanges. Your organizing skills must be fearsome.)