thefourthvine | Poll: Yuletide! Yay!

Here by friendsfriends...

I signed up for 63 fandoms this year which is twice as much as last year and twice as much as the year before. However, I'm hoping this trend doesn't continue. Also, this year there seem to just be more familiar fandoms. I don't know if this is because I've been on lj so long that I've just picked up a lot of random trivia or if the new way of running yuletide limited the oddball requests.

The only weird thing I do is that I don't offer to write in the fandoms for which I've written stories in the past two years (no O11 or Robin McKinley/Damar). I figure that I don't even want to tempt the odds of having to write in the same small fandom twice. The point of yuletide (to me) is to challenge yourself (plus to have that whole OMGWTF moment when you get the request email).

However, I'm hoping this trend doesn't continue.

Yeah. I mean, in five more years of Yuletide, you'd be signing up for every single fandom. And 63 is a lot, never mind the 126 you'd have to do next year to keep up the pattern. Here's hoping for a plateau for you next year! (My own pattern has been 3-22-30, so I'm coming up on my plateau already.)

The only weird thing I do is that I don't offer to write in the fandoms for which I've written stories in the past two years (no O11 or Robin McKinley/Damar).

That's been my plan, too, but this year I offered a previous year's fandom because I had a story idea. It's one out of 30 fandoms, so I'm only tempting the odds a tiny bit. And if I get it, I know I can write it!

The point of yuletide (to me) is to challenge yourself (plus to have that whole OMGWTF moment when you get the request email).

I sort of dread the OMGWTF moment. I look forward to it, too, but - you know how, in comics or cartoons or anime, they'll sometimes draw the characters with their eyes literally leaping out of the sockets? I think my moment of seeing my assignment probably looks like that.

I am four for four this year, and every year, even if I don't do any other challenge, I very much look forward to

yuletide. I don't do

yuletide for myself, actually getting something back is almost incidental at this point, but there's this sort of sheer despair/thrilling fear that comes with trying to write a story for someone you generally don't know that's a fabulous motivator. So, wait, yes, it is for me :) It's about how well I perform under duress and whether or not I'm pleased with the results, but moreso it's about seeing what everyone else turns out too. All year long the big fandoms tend to get all the play, but at Yuletide it's all about the teeny tiny fandoms of 5 or 10 or 25, and as a writer without a big fandom that makes me happy.

As for what I write, I don't tend to offer what I've written before, but I do offer some of the same fandoms that I've offered before. The numbers aren't as great as some people's are, not because I don't know a great number of fandoms, but because I don't think I could produce as good a story as I could in other fandoms. Does that make sense? Am I babbling? My bad.

I am four for four this year, and every year, even if I don't do any other challenge, I very much look forward to yuletide.

YES. Although I envy you your four-for-four status. I am three-for-four, and you will ever be above me. (Not like this is anything new.) I suppose you will get preferential treatment in the special hell as a result. A rack with a view, and so on. *whines*

But Yuletide is grand, and it's the one challenge I do at the end of the year; I have remained faithful despite all temptations. (And, wow, it's a tempting time of year - do other people not have crazy lives around this time, or do they just enjoy adding to the crazy with many many cool challenges?)

All year long the big fandoms tend to get all the play, but at Yuletide it's all about the teeny tiny fandoms of 5 or 10 or 25, and as a writer without a big fandom that makes me happy.

I prefer to think of you as a writer who transcends fandom. But, yeah, the focus on the small fandoms makes my heart EXPLODE WITH JOY.

As for what I write, I don't tend to offer what I've written before, but I do offer some of the same fandoms that I've offered before.

Good lord. Most of mine are ones I've offered before; I don't acquire enough new canon in any given year to start fresh with a brand-new list. *stunned by the very idea*

because I don't think I could produce as good a story as I could in other fandoms.

This makes total sense to me, and I just wish I knew what I could write a good story in before the fact. I tend to remove any fandoms that seem totally closed and inspiration-less to me; I mean, if I can't think of anything now, seems like a safe bet I'll be in bad shape if I actually get a request. But other than that, I just kind of have to hope (and OMG pray and offer sacrifices and so on) that I can do what my recipient wants.

Out of curiosity: did you request or volunteer for Entourage? Neither? Both? I'm just curious what people whose main fandoms are Yuletide-qualified do when Yuletide comes a-knockin'.

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hackthis.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 17:09 (UTC) - Expand

My way of chosing fandoms consists of changing my mind every other day, and checking obsessively the number of requests for "my" fandoms, because if there are a lot of people wanting one fandom, I can change my mind and pick one of the others!

I can't stop refreshing the fandoms page. It's a sickness. Lookit the pretty colours and the numbers and, and...

My way of chosing fandoms consists of changing my mind every other day, and checking obsessively the number of requests for "my" fandoms, because if there are a lot of people wanting one fandom, I can change my mind and pick one of the others!

I check obsessively, too, but more for purposes of gloating. Like, I just noticed that someone else requested my weirdest request, and now I want to FIND THAT PERSON and, like, hug her or something. And I want to track down every single person who volunteered to write my requested fandoms and beg and plead and throw tantrums until they do.

I - um. I don't have a lot of dignity when it comes to my tiniest non-fandoms. It's probably good that I don't have a way of finding out who these people are.

I can't stop refreshing the fandoms page. It's a sickness. Lookit the pretty colours and the numbers and, and...

God, I know. It's just so - and also - and wow.

Do you really think it's a sickness? Possibly I should get my itchy mouse button finger looked at, then. Because I have to go hit refresh right now.

(Last time I checked, we were up to 621 participants. If I were

elynross, I would be drinking heavily right about now.)

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delurker.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 10:14 (UTC) - Expand

I just signed up for the first time! I might be too busy for it, logically speaking, but I had ideas for requests, that had been simmering all year, and then people were offering in the new fandoms I nominated, and I got carried away. And I'm excited about the part where it actually forces me to finish and post a story. Excited, but terrified, so I tried to offer the fandoms where I thought I'd be more excited than terrified to get an assignment, which left me with 14. Things I love, things that wouldn't be a nightmare to obtain the source material to review, and especially things where I at least have an idea to start with or think I can pull off the style. There were some fandoms that I know and love but that the idea of writing doesn't grab me, and I shied away from those, mostly. And I mostly offered any characters, which I hope I won't regret...

What else should I babble about? I didn't offer any of the fandoms I requested, but there wasn't a general principle involved; for two of them, I don't really have ideas beyond my requests, and the other one I don't know all of the canon for and don't think I could find and review it in time.

Eee! Yuletide!

Yay! You're doing Yuletide! *embraces with glee*

I had ideas for requests, that had been simmering all year, and then people were offering in the new fandoms I nominated, and I got carried away.

*nods*

This is how Yuletide got me. I didn't even write fan fiction for the majority of the year before I first signed up, and I'd only posted two stories when the sign-ups went live. I mean, two stories in *any* fandom.

So I didn't mean to sign up. But, oh, there were requests I knew no one else would make but me, and if I do not speak for the tiny fandoms of my heart, who will? And, and - long story (that involves much wibbling, encouragement from assorted enablers, and a 102-degree fever while Best Beloved was out of town) short, I signed up.

I panicked when I got my assignment, but I managed to write it. And my recipient said she liked it. (She was

artyartie, by the way, and I can totally recommend her as the ideal first-timer's recipient.) And the thrill was so intense that I was hooked, and I've been coming back like a crack rat ever since.

things that wouldn't be a nightmare to obtain the source material to review

This is key. Last year, I wrote Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which was great fun - except the movie did not come out on DVD until late November, so I had these agonizing weeks between getting my assignment and getting the canon so I could start brainstorming and writing. It was torture. New rule: only stuff I already own the canon for.

And I mostly offered any characters, which I hope I won't regret.

You are brave. This is my first year of offering mostly any characters. The first year I did it, I offered only three fandoms, with limited characters for each (yeah, the Yuletide mods must've loved me, but, well, see above for the fever excuse). Last year, I offered 22 fandoms, of which one was any character. This year, half of mine are any character, and I am on tenterhooks to see what I get. Eeeee!

...And your username reminds me that I meant to volunteer for Sneakers, and somehow didn't; it must've gotten accidentally deleted from my spreadsheet. But, okay, no one has requested it, so I don't have to change my sign-up, thank god.

For volunteering, what's your approach?

Since this is my first time, my answer would be a combo of one and two. I chose fandoms that I was very familiar with and characters I thought I could write.

What is the single biggest reason you do Yuletide?

I chose number six, but I really hope it leads to number two.

I chose fandoms that I was very familiar with and characters I thought I could write.

*nods*

Then you are much smarter than I was when I first signed up. I got as far as, "canons I am very familiar with," and it just never occurred to me to think about whether or not I could write the characters.

I chose number six, but I really hope it leads to number two.

*crosses fingers for you*

I always offer a handful of "safe" fandoms, things I know I can write, and then one or two wild cards (a movie I've seen once, that kind of thing). I have a reasonable amount of confidence in my ability to come up with something given a prompt, and I like to challenge myself a little without panic. Mostly, I'm cautious when it comes to tone or style: with a few exceptions, I tend towards contemporary sources, or ones where the style is not a huge part of it. That's why I avoid Shakespeare, despite both knowing the source well and having ideas. It's the one cowardice I allow myself ;).

Mind you, I suspect I'll get the same fandom I've already written in twice, just because it happens like that.

I always offer a handful of "safe" fandoms, things I know I can write, and then one or two wild cards (a movie I've seen once, that kind of thing).

*nods*

I tend to consider even a movie I've seen once a "safe" fandom, provided it has the style I'm most comfortable writing. (I know what I can write. And it involves dialog. And more dialog. A lot of my sign-ups were for movies, and I'm sure you can see why.)

I like to challenge myself a little without panic.

Okay, I'm sorry, but I might have to hate you. Because this suggests, to me, that panic is not a part of your regular Yuletide routine. In which case I am sick with envy. Hatred may be my only recourse.

*sad*

That's why I avoid Shakespeare, despite both knowing the source well and having ideas. It's the one cowardice I allow myself ;).

Oh my god yes. I know the source, and I have ideas for about half the plays, but I never, ever sign up for them. It seems like - I don't know. Like the Yuletide equivalent of standing on the battlement saying, "Is that all you can conjure, Saruman?" Anyway. I'm scared, and that's all there is to it, and so I give myself what I think of as the Shakespeare Out. (It doesn't help that a lot of the existing Shakespeare FF, both in fandom and out, is so brilliant. I mean, am I going to sign up for Hamlet? No, because of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.)

Mind you, I suspect I'll get the same fandom I've already written in twice, just because it happens like that.

Huh. Most people are saying they don't volunteer for fandoms they've written before. I was feeling rather outre for offering one of the two fandoms I've already written - I mean, I had an idea, so I went ahead and did it, but it seemed weird.

(And I have to say that I really hope you don't get Dark Tower again. Someday, I want you to write a Yuletide story I can actually read.)

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cereta.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 12:53 (UTC) - Expand

oh, lord, I'm sure it's nothing new under the sun, but in general, I offer to write in fandoms that I find both intriguing and challenging, and something I wouldn't do on my own were it not for yuletide.

And that's why, actually, I started doing

midsummer2006, because I found in Yuletide, there were TONS of mini six-degrees-of-DS fandoms that I wasn't signing up for OR asking for, b/c it was stuff I would do myself or could bat my eyes and beg friends in my fandom to write for me ANYWAY. I look at Yuletide as a source to write/have written for me things that wouldn't happen any other way.

Have I ever told you how brilliant you are? Because you are. Brilliant. Midsummer proves it.

and something I wouldn't do on my own were it not for yuletide.

I'm starting to suspect that people who finish more than a story a year have a different PoV than those of us who, um, don't. Because there are no stories I'm guaranteed to do on my own without Yuletide, and so this consideration doesn't even enter into it.

Brilliant and productive. Wow.

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lynnmonster.livejournal.com - 2006-11-02 10:16 (UTC) - Expand

This yuletide thing is rather nifty. If I ever make enough progress on my drabble commitment that I stop feeling guilty (in the far, far distant future) I'll check it out.

Yuletide is indeed nifty, but, yeah, it's tough to go into with anything hanging over your head. (Okay. For me. I know people who do, like, four challenges and Yuletide and NaNo in the same two months. My personal suspicion is that they aren't human. Either that, or I'm not, because that would kill me.)

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kitaloon.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 20:22 (UTC) - Expand

Oh! And as to my requesting scheme, I request fandoms I want fic in, and wouldn't have the first idea where to find it, or who to bother to get it. Mostly. I um, could probably have bothered

jamjar for some of the one's I've requested, but I think I owe her fic, so better not to, really.

I request fandoms I want fic in, and wouldn't have the first idea where to find it, or who to bother to get it.

*nods*

I've already tried whining at the people who might be susceptible to my whines - um, both of them - for everything I requested. (I got brilliant Moby Dick FF that way, though! And I still owe a story in return, which is the downside of getting-stuff-through-whining.)

My answer for what I offer is somewhere between "everything I think I can write" and "if I have a story idea for them." Sort of. Having an idea is actually a bad thing, because if that takes root, then it might block or pull my inspiration away from whatever the request is. But I don't offer for everything I think I can write, either. It's really a two-factor decision --

1) do I *know* I could write in that fandom (which doesn't necessarily mean that I *have* written it before, just that I feel like I have at least one of the characters in my head), and

2) do I think I could write on command in that fandom *right now*, because if inspiration can't strike now, I have no guarantee that it will in the future.

And for me, those two together really keep me at at a low number. This year, for a variety of reasons, it's three. Thing is, to me Yuletide is about receiving happy-squeemaking gifts -- both my recipient and myself -- and not about challenging myself as a writer. Because maybe I'm a wuss, but I don't want to take the chance that me being challenged results in a story that's not as good as I'd like it to be, and possibly my recipient not being thrilled.

Thing is, to me Yuletide is about receiving happy-squeemaking gifts -- both my recipient and myself -- and not about challenging myself as a writer. Because maybe I'm a wuss, but I don't want to take the chance that me being challenged results in a story that's not as good as I'd like it to be, and possibly my recipient not being thrilled.

This makes sense, if there are fandoms you are comfortable enough to write - in other words, if all of Yuletide isn't basically outside your comfort zone as a writer.

For me, it is. ("Finishing a story" is outside my comfort zone, to be honest.) I know anything I get - any fandom, any request - is going to be a challenge. So the challenge really is making the story as much like my recipient's request as possible. The two can go hand in hand.

And Yuletide definitely stretches me as a writer; the first year, I had to write a first-person story in a very specific voice (James Herriot's voice, I found, is not easily imitated), and the second year, I had a request for "hot het porn," when I had never written any of those three things: nothing hot, nothing het, nothing porn, let alone the three together.

But if you do have safe fandoms, I can totally see the logic in keeping to them.

*envies you your safety fandoms*

This'll be my fourth year participating. I offered 74 fandoms - that was being strict with myself, not offering anything I've written in previous years or movies/books/shows which I'm not familiar with but I know my housemates own... Oddly enough, the fandoms I requested are also ones I really, really want to get to write in.

Your definition of "being strict" is my defintion of "wild and crazy." Um. Wow. I am impressed.

Oddly enough, the fandoms I requested are also ones I really, really want to get to write in.

So you won't be weirded out if you end up in a sort of 69 situation, with someone writing you a story in the same fandom you're writing in? I've always wondered if that would seem kind of odd and Ouroboros-y.

(no subject)

doyle_sb4.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 09:40 (UTC) - Expand

Last year I went nuts with the offering, and ended up having to write a thousand-word story for the song "Tweeter and the Monkeyman."

That was one of the hardest things to write, ever - you just don't get much to go on with a three-minute song.

So this year I trimmed a little. But it's still a lot of fandoms. I enjoy getting a nudge to do something I wouldn't have otherwise done. For instance, year before last I wrote a "Venture Brothers" bodyswap, and it was HUGE fun. And before that, when it was still rare pairings AND rare fandoms, I wrote a Frannie/Welsh Due South story that is still a favorite of mine.

I signed up for a lot of books this year. I'm looking forward to seeing what I get...

Last year I went nuts with the offering, and ended up having to write a thousand-word story for the song "Tweeter and the Monkeyman."

*giggles*

I saw that on the Big Huge List of All Fandoms Ever and immediately went, "But - wait! If you can request songs as fandoms, I have other things to nominate!" It was too late, of course.

But next year, I am so nominating "Jesse's Girl" (An '80s song that I am convinced is actually totally about transference - I mean, Jesse is the narrator's friend, and he just - well. I think narrator needs to ask himself whether he wants the girl, who doesn't even get a name, or Jesse. Threesome fic!) and "Appetite for Lightin' Dynamite" (It's by Citizen Cope, and it is, well. Very evocative. Darren/Ava would be awesome beyond all things.).

So, hey, next year, the story-about-a-song that you aren't writing could be for me!

But I hear you on the challenges of getting 1,000 words out of a three-minute song. And you can't even pad your word count with guitar solos.

And before that, when it was still rare pairings AND rare fandoms, I wrote a Frannie/Welsh Due South story that is still a favorite of mine.

One of my favorites, too. It's fabulous.

And, damn. Now I want to re-read it, and the archive's closed.

*off to check your site*

Although I selected "To get a story in one of the teeny fandoms of my heart!", if there had been clicky boxes, I would have also chosen "To write a story that will make someone dance and sing!", where the dancing and singing comes from the fact that a(nother) story in their tiny tiny fandom now exists yay. [That is my low-pressure mantra of Yuletide, so I can write better.
Me: It is not perfect!
Motivational me: Yes, but it exists! Think how happy that will make them.
Me: ...Okay. *writes a bit*
This is the plan.]

I am simultaneously full of glee over Yuletide (eee small fandoms = love!) and full of terror. If you ever wish to squee/flail about Yuletide, I'm there.

[That is my low-pressure mantra of Yuletide, so I can write better.
Me: It is not perfect!
Motivational me: Yes, but it exists! Think how happy that will make them.
Me: ...Okay. *writes a bit*
This is the plan.]

This is, in my opinion, the Yuletide Ethos.

And your mantra is excellent. It will keep you sane in the time to come. (If you get desperate, go to ff.net and look at the other stories in your assigned fandom. My first year, I was paralyzed with fear. And then I went to look at ff.net's miniscule collection of All Creatures Great and Small stories. There was pretty much only a painful Mary Sue series, as I recall. (It seems to have been taken down. Woo.) It made me feel much better to think that, no matter what I ended up writing, it would at least not have an OC who marries Siegfried and who James loooooooves.)

If you ever wish to squee/flail about Yuletide, I'm there.

Yay! And most definitely likewise. And, hey, if you get assigned a fandom I actually know, I'm here for beta purposes, too.

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delurker.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 10:08 (UTC) - Expand

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thefourthvine.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 10:30 (UTC) - Expand

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delurker.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 12:02 (UTC) - Expand

I never knew I was the kind of person who held fandom grudges until Yuletide, but the first year I tried to sign up, I was deeply in love (the first blush of love) with the rps fandom Afflection. This is a weird fandom, because if you go to the archive it looks big. However, that is entirely an optical illusion, as most of the stories there are UNDER 500 WORDS.

*cries bitter tears of disappointment*

Anyway, the year I tried to sign up, Afflection was disqualified as too big, while NCIS (which I had also chosen and also loved) was allowed, even though it was already a bigger fandom. I immediately dropped out. See, it wouldn't have mattered if I hadn't got my Afflection story, but the unfairness of it gutted me.

Sadly, my bitterness has never faded.

I read Yuletide though, and still love it from the outside. It's just that all my passion to sign up is dead. Luckily, there are so many great writers involved that I'll never be missed. :)

Huh. Interesting. What year did you try to sign up?

If it was 2003 or 2004, Afflection (Affleck/Damon, right?) was DQ'd not because it was too big but because it was RPF, and RPF wasn't allowed until Yuletide 2005. (The rules on what's allowed sort of flex from year to year, as the mods figure out what works best. They have a hell of a task, and I do not envy them at all, so I am completely behind the figuring-out-what-won't-make-them-crazy rules modifications.)

I'm pretty sure Damon/Affleck was in last year, but as an option under RPF - Miscellaneous Actors. (Like I said, last year was weird for RPF. It's tough to categorize.) Just, last year they clumped all the actors together and didn't have separate fandom categories for each pairing. (Now they half do and half don't, which is weird. Next year, when they start clean, it will probably be easier to have consistent categorization.)

At any rate, it is definitely not considered too big this year; it's in, as RPF - DamonAffleck, and there are two requests for it and four volunteers. So, hey, if you still read in the fandom, there might be stories in it this time.

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cupidsbow.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 10:25 (UTC) - Expand

I remembered that you were asking about fannish newsletters some time back, and know that it is easy to miss stuff, so if you haven't already seen it on

metafandom you may be interested to know there's a listing of them! You can find it here (http://www.selenayhaven.com/newsletters01.htm).

OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

*squeals with joy*

*hugs you tightly*

*zings off to examine link*

(And, ha! I think I've found a way to tell you and

delurker apart, and it seems to be working! (Um. I explained to you both about the color/pattern problem, right? That was back when I was still kind of murky about who I was talking to at any given time, so I can't be sure.) Let me know, please, if I seem to be consuing you two again, because I am determined to beat this thing.)

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dzurlady.livejournal.com - 2006-10-30 12:01 (UTC) - Expand

I'm doin a CSI Halloween challenge (due tomorrow, yee hah!),

yuletide, and

three_ships. This is the first time I've done the holiday challenge thing, and it's fun! Of course, the latter two haven't really started yet.

*is nervous*

I'm doin a CSI Halloween challenge

Oh, cool. I don't know the fandom, but from what I know of it, whoever thought of a Halloween challenge for it is brilliant.

This is the first time I've done the holiday challenge thing, and it's fun! Of course, the latter two haven't really started yet.

It really is. I was surprised, my first year of Yuletide, how much fun it is.

Of course, Yuletide is, thus far, the only true exchange I've done; maybe I'd find it less glee-inducing if I did these all year round? I dunno. Yuletide is special.

Here via... some bizarre combination of clicks from metafandom, I think. :D

This is my second year doing yuletide, and I have some carry-over from last years offerings and requests, and some new stuff. I did my first sign up being all "I'm going to challenge myself!" and then two hours later I re-did it going "OMGWTFBBQ I can't write Gormenghast fic!! What was I thinking??"

In general I tend to offer fandoms that I am pretty familiar with AND which I think I can write (which means no offering Lord Peter or Shakespeare, because HOMG I can't match the style). I tried to challenge myself a little bit this year by offering at least one thing I'd have to reacquiant myself with.

For requests... I'm feeling kind of ambivalent, actually. I requested two fandoms which were written last year because I've had an idea of what I wanted to see sitting around in my brain all year. But part of me feels like I should have gone for more obscure things (both of them had multiple yuletide fics last year). To balance that out my other two were 1) a fandom never before requested for which I have not seen any fic EVER and 2) a fandom requested before but not written, I don't think, for which there exist a few canon-esque novellas. I guess it just depends on luck of the draw whether I'll get matched with someone who has offered one of the more obscure or the less obscure ones. Part of me wants to go back and take out the two less obscure ones, but then again, I DO want to see these prompts written... hmmmm. Well, I'm too lazy to sign up all over again now, so I suppose I'll just leave it as is. Ah, laziness, the greatest force of all. :D

I'm in three other holiday challenges so let the headless chicken-age commence! Last year I ended up writing 11000 words... oy.

some bizarre combination of clicks from metafandom, I think.

*nods*

Clicking serendipity. We've all been there.

I did my first sign up being all "I'm going to challenge myself!" and then two hours later I re-did it going "OMGWTFBBQ I can't write Gormenghast fic!! What was I thinking??

On the one hand: Gormenghast FF = yay. On the other hand, I totally wouldn't volunteer to write it either, because SCARY. So I see your point, there.

In general I tend to offer fandoms that I am pretty familiar with AND which I think I can write (which means no offering Lord Peter or Shakespeare, because HOMG I can't match the style).

Style is key. I learned that my first year the hard way. (And I have what I call the Shakespeare Exemption, because - there are some things I just can not write, you know? I know, canon is canon, but - some canons are a wee bit elevated in status in my mind. I'd end up kneecapping myself because OMG writing Shakespeare. Treading in the footsteps of Tom Stoppard! So, none of that for me.)

But part of me feels like I should have gone for more obscure things (both of them had multiple yuletide fics last year).

It's your Yuletide gift! Request what you want! And, seriously, if you've been wanting them all year, then anything you substitute is going to be kind of second-best, so.

Ah, laziness, the greatest force of all.

It is the guiding force of my life.

I'm in three other holiday challenges so let the headless chicken-age commence! Last year I ended up writing 11000 words... oy.

OMG. You have my respect, because - I can barely manage the one. I signed up for a tiny non-exchange thingy to do in November, too, and I'm all freaking out: how will I balance it? Can I manage? So four holiday challenges is just - wow.

*awestruck*

Omg, I just signed up. This is all your fault. I read the fandoms list twice, first yesterday when I thought about signing up and decided not to do it and then today when I thought about it, decided not to do it, thought about it again, decided not to do it and then signed up anyway. On the other hand, if "the Anticipation phase" means terror, dread, and limb-numbing fear, then I'm right there with you!

(Seriously, I hope it's going to be fun. But I am also terrified. But I hope it will be fun. *tentatively positive*)

It was difficult to decide what to request, but then when I did, I realized I had all kinds of fun ideas for fics and that maybe I should try writing them myself, because the ideas seemed to be very specific and I doubt I could communicate what I wanted. Not that it won't be fun to receive any kind of fic at all, this was just surprisingly bunny-inducing. I had a hard time deciding what to offer as well: I ended up offering only three fandoms. I think the challenge will be (kind of) fun, though.

Oh, and since I didn't fill in the poll: my greatest hope is that I will get an interesting request and will write a story that will be good and please the receiver. My greatest fear is that I won't be able to write a good story.

This is all your fault.

This fills my heart with joy to hear.

On the other hand, if "the Anticipation phase" means terror, dread, and limb-numbing fear, then I'm right there with you!

Well, for me, the terror, dread, and limb-numbing fear doesn't kick in until after sign-ups close. Then I get my assignment, at which point I have this sort of Yuletide Tharn that I go into. When I shake that off, it is followed immediately by the onset of Yuletide Angst, which continues in various degrees and strengths until the story is finished.

(Which is not to suggest that it is is not a fun process, because it is. Totally fun. Really, it is. Just - like a rollercoaster. And the part leading up to the assignment is the tick-tick-tick of the coaster climbing higher and higher, and when I get the assignment email it's BAM! Freefall.)

Not that it won't be fun to receive any kind of fic at all, this was just surprisingly bunny-inducing.

Oh, totally. I tend to suggest the bunnies I haven't a hope of writing myself, because maybe my Santa will be able to. (And if not, hey - in the fandoms I requested, almost any story would make me happy.)

My greatest fear is that I won't be able to write a good story.

*nods*

Mine is disappointing my recipient. And at least 70% of the respondents had some variety of your fear or mine, so we're not alone. All terrified together.

Into the valley of Yuletide rode the ~~600~~ 837. (As of this count.)

If you really want a larger sampling, feel free to post a pointer to the Yuletide comm!

When it comes to offering and requesting fandoms, it's a new ball game for me, every year. Last year it was "Any fandom I've heard of and have access to!" while this year it's more "Wow, that sounds like FUN."

For requests, they get shuffled pretty good. I've never repeated a request that I've had filled (yet), but they don't necessarily stay static apart from that. In fact, I think only one of the ones this year is a repeat request.

When it comes to offering and requesting fandoms, it's a new ball game for me, every year. Last year it was "Any fandom I've heard of and have access to!" while this year it's more "Wow, that sounds like FUN."

I am stunned that you manage to write for Yuletide and mod it, and I will try to remember that in the throes of my annual Yuletide Angst this year. ("Could be worse: could be modding the challenge OMG.") But, yeah, given that you are, in fact, the mod, I think you should have FUN.

(My own process involves spreadsheets, followed by careful thought, followed by total panic, followed by an attempt to pull myself back from the brink of insanity, followed by offering a bunch of fandoms I will later not be able to recall my rationale for offering.)

In fact, I think only one of the ones this year is a repeat request.

Weirdo. I say this 'cause I dug up my assignment sheet from last year and found that, instead of repeating one fandom, as I'd thought, I actually repeated two - and in both cases, the details were almost precisely the same. I swear I did not intend for it to be so!

I'm consistent. What can I say?

(In other news: 835 as I type this OMG WHEEEEEE!)

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elynross.livejournal.com - 2006-11-02 19:04 (UTC) - Expand

When I pick fandoms, I try to stick with 8-10 that I feel confident about writing any character in. I change the slate around from year to year, and I try not to offer to write in the same fandoms that I request a story in. I don't usually have a burning story idea for any of them, but I think each of the universes that I offer to write in is cool.

*nods*

The idea of a sort of self-imposed limit or ceiling on offers is an interesting one, because I haven't heard that before; most people just kind of see what numbers come out. But it'd be a fun experiment to impose a limit, because - then I'd see which ones I really thought I could write, you know?

*makes mental note for next year*

Random pairing in a fandom I know? That's my favorite type of challenge, and what I did for the birthdays stories.

The name and timing bothered me enough that I didn't take part in the first couple of years, but there was my entire flist going nuts over something tailor made for me, and December is hard enough without that extra party. I could wish this was happening in August - but not enough to want to do anything about it myself. I respect the organizers for the tremendous job they do.

And I'm glad I loosened up. I had fun, I received one of the best stories from last year (

mctabby's A Little Princess story) and if my own story wasn't up to that standard well, maybe this year's will come close.

Random pairing in a fandom I know? That's my favorite type of challenge, and what I did for the birthdays stories.

You are a brave, brave woman. I have such a hard time writing romance or pairing stories that I try to steer clear of them, although last year I got a porn request and managed to write it, so it isn't impossible. But - random pairing! Very scary.

The name and timing bothered me enough that I didn't take part in the first couple of years, but there was my entire flist going nuts over something tailor made for me, and December is hard enough without that extra party.

Oh. Interesting. I hadn't considered that; I'm most emphatically Not a Christian, but I don't have any real religious beliefs at all, so the name doesn't bother me one way or the other. I can see why it would bother you, though.

But I'm glad you decided you could join in; it is such a lot of fun.

(And, oddly, for me - well, my family is such a weird agglomeration of religions that we have just about every major year-end holiday; some years it turns into kind of the Holiday Death March, with us dragging our asses through Yet Another Joyous and Special Occasion. But of all the holidays and specialness, Yuletide is the only one that has actual meaning to me (obviously, I don't mean religious meaning, as I don't really have that), that makes me excited and childlike and gleeful. I'm more excited about Yuletide as an adult than I was about either Hanukkah or Christmas as a kid, actually. Potentially pathetic, but true.)

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mamadeb.livejournal.com - 2006-11-02 23:45 (UTC) - Expand

i'm a yuletide newbie. but i made a decision rightaway to only offer fandoms i have easy access to the canon of. because i'm not involved in any tv/movie fandoms and have a limited collection of personal books, it seems particularly important...

(Side note: gorgeous icon. I admire it greatly.)

i'm a yuletide newbie.

Welcome to the party! I hope you have a blast. This is my third year, and the last two Yuletides were great for me.

but i made a decision rightaway to only offer fandoms i have easy access to the canon of.

This is a very wise decision. Last year, I got assigned Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which was a fabulous fandom for me - but the thing was, the movie didn't come out on DVD until the end of November. Which meant there were three agonizing weeks between getting my assignment and being able to write it. I'm happy with the story I wrote, and I loved writing in the fandom, so I'm glad I signed up for it - but this year, I tried hard to limit myself to only canon I already had on hand (or could very easily and quickly get, in a few irresistable cases). I wanted to save myself the pain of having time ticking by with no way to get started eeee.

I have five exchanges, a lot of beta-reading, and also yuletide. Heh. I might not be sane.

I am currently revising my request--my thing was to at least get it in, and then fix it, you know? As opposed to put off and forget. Last year I did one NYR, one assigned, and one pinch, and it was a lot of fun. Though the pinch was scary, man.

My offering strategy is this:

If I know it well, I offer, unless it is a source canon for which I have just nothing to say. Though even if I think I have nothing, if it's a canon I really know cold, I offer because surely I can come up with something.

If I know it and could fairly easily obtain the source and review it in a few hours, I offer. This is what wound up being the case for both the assignment and the pinch last year.

If I know enough about it to think a watch of a (movie) source would work, I offer. Like, a movie I've more or less seen in passing but not actually sat and watched, but I think I could.

If I know it, loved it but don't have a hugely firm handle, and think an excuse to reread a ten-book series in the next month would be lovely, I offer.

At the first run-through that netted about 40. I am thinking there are a couple I should remove, but there are several more I managed not to click on the first go, and will add. So.

Part of the fun, for me, is the whole opening up self and being willing to see where it takes me. This is actually what I find most appealing about most exchanges: writing to the prompt I didn't self-generate, and seeing where it goes.

I have five exchanges, a lot of beta-reading, and also yuletide. Heh. I might not be sane.

OMG. Even if you're sane now, will you be by the year's end? (I mean, I'm sure you can do it. But that schedule would have me whimpering and rocking in the corner somewhere. Yikes.)

My offering strategy is this

Hmm. I would say I'm a lot more conservative than you in my offering strategy, but oddly enough, my strategy netted 30 (which I then went back and made 31, because I noticed I'd forgotten at least one). So, at least by the numbers, I'm not a lot more conservative than you are.

This is actually what I find most appealing about most exchanges: writing to the prompt I didn't self-generate, and seeing where it goes.

This makes sense. For me, both years that I've done it, the great challenge and satisfaction of Yuletide has been getting a request I would never even have thought of, and then doing my very best to write it the way I think my recipient wants it. I've learned I could do things I never even suspected I could.

I volunteer to write any fandoms I would be willing to write LITERALLY anything for. Among questions I ask myself for each fandom:

- Would I be willing to write slash in this fandom?
- Would I be willing to write het in this fandom?
- Would I be capable of writing something comedic for this fandom?
- Would I be willing to write pairings for this fandom that contradict my personal pairing preferences (aka OTP-breaking)?
- Could I do a good job with all of the above?
- Would I be willing to write scenarios in this fandom that make me uncomfortable?
- Would I be willing to write about scenarios in this fandom that may be illegal in the state or country in which I live?
- Could I handle the notoriety of everyone on the internet knowing that I wrote any of the above for this fandom?
- Would the amount of research/rereading/re-watching I would have to do in order to write for this fandom require more time than I can realistically devote to it?

There are some other questions, but you get the idea. I sign up for any fandoms where I feel comfortable literally writing ANYTHING. I don't nance about with "this or that pairing" sign-ups. :D

I do indeed get the idea, and I am impressed. I have a lot less of a range as a writer, so I try to tailor my offers to limit the chances I'll be assigned something out of my range. (Stretching my range, which has happened the previous years I've done Yuletide, is great. Snapping my range - and my brain - in two, is obviously not so great, and so I try various strategies to lessen the risk of that.) So, for me, making half of my offers any character ones was a huge step this year. You're obviously much further down that road, and wow.

I like the approach of considering the possible outcomes, the various requests you might get; I do that, but not formally, and I think formal consideration in the form of actual questions might help me make better decisions next year.

*makes note*

- Would the amount of research/rereading/re-watching I would have to do in order to write for this fandom require more time than I can realistically devote to it?

This is a key one. It's why I don't offer any TV shows; it just takes me too long to watch an entire run of TV canon. (I guess maybe if it was a show I'd already seen all of, and it only ran for a season or two, I could do that. But I've seen so few shows that that is really unlikely; I can't think of a single one that qualifies.)

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Volunteering Approach

Re: Volunteering Approach