Fics and Fests

[kelly_chambliss]

The hp_darkfest reveals have been posted here. I have several new favorite authors! I didn't know any of these writers well enough to guess who had written what, but it's interesting that the people who write the most perceptive comments also tend to be the people who write the best stories. Now there's a surprise, eh? There are still a couple of longer fics that I'd like to read at some point.

I sometimes speculate about what it would be like to have one of the super-popular pairings or characters as one's OTP or OTC -- what fun it must be when just about every other fest post features one of your faves. I've had something close to this experience only once (last year, when so many hp_beholder entries were Minerva-centric), and it was downright exciting to check my flist every day, especially since the quality of the writing was so high.

On the other hand, having less-popular OTCs has its perks, too: the pleasures are more intense, and you need not worry about the law of diminishing returns. When the Minerva and/or older-women fics do show up, they're like a fine, rich dessert, something to linger over and savor. (Speaking of which: therealsnape's gift has just been posted to hp_yule_balls -- it's Minerva/Hooch!!)

On the writing front, I managed to finish my short entry for mini_fest (two weeks late, I'm sorry to say). No matter how much I procrastinate (and that would be muchly), I'm a person who never misses deadlines, so I am quite chagrined at this mighty fail. But the mods were kind and accepted the story despite my moral lapse.

And I signed up for the Winter Fic Exchange at rarepair_shorts. No, this does not count as one of my three spring fests! For one thing, it's a WINTER fest, which makes a difference, see? For another, the fic can be a maximum of only 2000 words, which is practically nothing after the several 6-10K fics I've written recently. Now go over there and sign up, will you? I need your fun pairings to save me from being assigned some next gen m/m.

I'm enjoying this weekend to spend on fannish things, since over 40 term papers will be coming my way next week, to say nothing of final exams after that. But I actually don't mind this end-of-semester rush, despite the pressures. You simply have to get things done, and I like the sense of completion that comes when it's all over. And it's so concentrated that it frees you from other RL worries. I mean, I can't possibly worry about cleaning out closets or doing holiday shopping when I have grading deadlines to meet, can I? (Total geek that I am, I used to love finals weeks when I was a student, too; exams allowed me to synthesize and reinforce the material in ways I never would have done otherwise.)

Comments

[woldy]

Part of me envies the super-popular-pairing shippers, but I just don't think it's in my nature. I'm English enough to be bloody-minded about supporting the underdog, so I always want to hear about the characters who other people are ignoring - especially when they are women (which they usually are *sigh*).

It's been great to see all these femslash fics posted early in Yule Balls and I hope it continues throughout the fest. I'm going to head over to the Minerva/Hooch fic right now...

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I'm saving the Minerva/Hooch for later -- setting up rewards for myself is always a good incentive for doing the unpleasant stuff, whatever it is.

I always want to hear about the characters who other people are ignoring - especially when they are women (which they usually are *sigh*).

Too true. My next-door neighbor, in her 90s, says that if you really want to be ignored, try being female, old, and black. She says she's been in stores where sometimes clerks literally seem not to see her. "I just screech at 'em," she told me. "They may not see me, but they'll hear me right enough."

[miss-morland.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking about doing the rarepair_shorts exchange, for the reasons you mention... Not sure what pairings to request, though. *thinks*

the pleasures are more intense, and you need not worry about the law of diminishing returns.

This is pretty much why I love finding fic in smaller fandoms -- just the joy of discovering that something exists, and that it's good...

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

This is pretty much why I love finding fic in smaller fandoms -- just the joy of discovering that something exists

And from a writer's standpoint (ie, getting readers), I think it's better to be in a smaller pond; you're by definition a bigger fish from the start. I can't imagine starting out as, say, a Harry/Draco writer now; you wouldn't even be a fish in the pond -- just plankton.

[tetleythesecond]

The [info]hp_darkfest reveals have been posted here. I have several new favorite authors!
Me too! I'm still not finished reading all I want to read; it's been a great fest, and one where I don't want to spoil it by reading too many at a time. And I had got exactly one author right (you'll never guess who that was...)

On the other hand, having less-popular OTCs has its perks, too: the pleasures are more intense, and you need not worry about the law of diminishing returns.
I'm all with you there. You tend to relish things more when the supply is just a little bit short of the demand. There's no danger of saturation setting in any time soon. And with the quality of the Minerva writers out there, who would want to have any other OTC? <3

Hooray for therealsnape's gift being posted! I'll save it as a reward for when I return from the doggie walk in the pouring rain.

Now go over there and sign up, will you?
Yes Ma'am.

Enjoy the free time before the term papers and exams, and the not-having-to-clean-out-closets!

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

And I had got exactly one author right (you'll never guess who that was...)

It was for one of the Albus/Scorpius stories, I'm sure /g/

Hope the dog-walking was only moderately drenching!

[tetleythesecond]

It was for one of the Albus/Scorpius stories, I'm sure /g/

Are you joking? I only read Scorpius with Hugo!

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

I agree that supporting less popular OTPs is somehow more fun. The community tends to be smaller and easier to keep up with, good fanfics are easier to find and the excitement never really stops. Just imagine you had to keep up with Snape/Hermione, you'd have to sift through so much every day!

My OTPs in any fandom has always been underdogs, until I began to ship Roslin/Adama, one of the most popular OTPs of Battlestar Galactica, a couple of weeks back. It's the first time I'm going with the masses, and it does have its advantages too. Most of all simply the fact that you don't have to defend your ship in front of other fans, no one pulls a face, no one makes fun, which is a nice change.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Just imagine you had to keep up with Snape/Hermione

You'd simply have to rely on people's recs, I think. Or maybe not: if you were really a shipper, you'd probably want to take a look at them all eventually.

Interesting idea about not having to defend one's ship. I haven't gotten too much flak about my HP favorites. Most people are either polite or else they just don't hang around me /g/

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

Dear Miss Granger Chambliss,
You're doing it again! You know you had far too many subjects last year, and you know that Time-Turners aren't a real solution.

Of course, I forsaw that you'd find a way around your self-imposed restrictions, which were far too sensible to be true.
So I'm using this fest to twist your arm (just a little): I'll sign up with all of your favourite pairings if and only if you promise to stick to this and the three upcoming big fests.

I hate doing this to you, but at least I can truthfully say that I'm not doing it for the Greater Good of the writing community (they'll want you to sign up for every fest under the sun, and they'll probably send me Howlers for this) but for your own good. I don't want you so stressed out from meeting deadlines that you decide to drop out of the fandom entirely ...

Deal?
And yes, this does mean refusing the Pansy Big Bang.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Deal?

Deal! One winter fest, three springies (hp_beholder, femmefest, hp_rarities) -- and if a teacher-fest or Minerva-fest or old-lady-smut fest comes along, we can all add a fourth.

Not only will it save me stress, but it will save all of you from innumerable whinging posts about how much work I have to do and how many fics I'm procrastinating on!

(Dropping out of the fandom isn't likely, though! Far too much fun.)

And yes, this does mean refusing the Pansy Big Bang.

Oops, then. Sorry -- deal's off. I was taking the Pansy BB and the Draco BB as givens, of course. You mean you weren't?

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

I was taking the Pansy BB and the Draco BB as givens, of course.
Consider it a Lesson, my dear.
A propos lessons, thanks for the exceedingly kind and flattering words.

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Smiles at the last paragraph. I stress and stress about the revision and time-tabling, but when it comes down to it and I forget about the actual marks I'm working toward...I adore the revision. I love cementing in my mind all the knowledge I previously gleaned. It's fantastic!

Yes, I had one panic attack before my first 'final'/end-of-year exam - it was my longest exam and for a two-semester course. When I sat down and read the questions I was excited. I wrote my four essays and came outside.

I said, "I've heard these exams were supposed to be dreadful, but I found that quite enjoyable! What did you think of this question...?" My friends wanted to kick me in the teeth. A few days later I watched HP1 (I believe) and realised my quote had been incredibly similar to Hermione's. Sighs and shakes head, chuckling. Hopefully I'll remember that for next year. Although my stats exam is just multiple choice, and I wonder how much I'll enjoy memorising definitions and analysing where the p-stat comes from... Ah well, I'm sure I'll enjoy it when the time comes. :)

Now the question is, should I join any fests? I wonder if I'll have any creativity left in me after this final week and my impending 50%-of-the-module test...

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Now the question is, should I join any fests?

Mais oui!

Love your Hermione-like exam story. I was the same way.

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

should I join any fests
Why should we be the only ones to suffer have all the fun?
We could do with some good femmeslash out there, and your Kittyhawk stories are a delight ...
So sign up, will you? Now.

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Yes ma'am! I can't turn down the teacher tone.

And I really should finish my Hermione Bang at some point. It didn't work out to get the 20k at the right time, but I still have 13k of words to put toward something!

[tetleythesecond]

I second what Kelly and Madam Snape say. I just looked at some of the pairings requested over there, and I'd say that really needs to be balanced off by some nice femslash, don't you think?

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Laughter.

Well, if you check again, you MIGHT just see a little Crocus on the list. It's a slight possibility. Femmeslash...well, who in possession of a right mind could ever turn it down?

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

Where's your sign-up, then? Kelly, Cranky and I are all duly registered ...

[tetleythesecond]

Being written as we speak. An old voman is not an express train, as we Germs like to say. I want to give due thought to what I'm going to inflict upon you.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

An old voman is not an express train, as we Germs like to say

Haha! I love you Germs.

[celestinenox]

I sometimes speculate about what it would be like to have one of the super-popular pairings or characters as one's OTP

Me too. I only have two real HP OTPs, and you would think one would be super popular, but... well, in the face of the Snape/Lily fans out there, James/Lily pales. (And I really only ship James/Lily because I've played James in RPGs, and the James in my head and completely, utterly Lilysexual.)

The other is Sirius/Parvati, only in AU stories or RPGs where Sirius didn't die (or by some quirk of the RPG is alive again). Again, I blame RPG, because I was the Parvati in the RPG pairing, and the Sirius was perfect. Still Sirius, in that he was emotionally immature enough to have a relationship with a woman much younger than him, but still in many ways older and more mature than her, thus there were interesting moments of clash between them that didn't make their relationship one of "Oooh, we're in love, so all of the potential obstacles to making it work disappear and we'll be happy forever and ever and ever!"

It's the Sirius/Parvati one that really gives me trouble, because I love it with an absurd passion, and requested it in exchanges but no one ever chooses that prompt. Though not because of the specific names in the pairing, I think, but... I've noticed a trend of "I only write slash, het is not my thing, it's GROSS!" :/ Which I can't understand, because I will write and have written any orientation. Slash, femmeslash, het, it's all good to me (I just don't do incest or chan, hence the necessity of the Sirius/Parvati needing to be AU).

Sorry. I babble. You'll either get used to it or take me off your FList. ^_^*

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I confess that I never thought of Sirius/Parvati, but as you describe the dynamic, it sounds fun. There's enough room in canon for Parvati to be mature for her age, which would help balance Sirius's immaturity.

Sorry. I babble. You'll either get used to it or take me off your FList

Ha! Not a problem. I'm a terminal talker myself. . .

[celestinenox]

RPGs does strange things for my OTPs. XD So do fests and exchanges, because I never know what I'll be asked to write. Due to another RPG, I also sort of ship Pomfrey/Pince. ^_^

Sirius/Parvati is a really fun ship, mostly because I don't play or write her as very mature. So there are times when she and Sirius get along really well, but there are also times when Sirius' age and experience means he does have more maturity than she does, and it's definitely interesting.

:D Well then, we should get along well enough.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Pomfrey/Pince -- sounds good to me!

[purplefluffycat.livejournal.com]

I sometimes speculate about what it would be like to have one of the super-popular pairings or characters as one's OTP or OTC

I've often thought about this, too. My life in fandom has almost always operated in a small pond - either rarepairs within a large fandom, or fandoms which are altogether pretty small (e.g. Jeeves and Wooster, or Keeping Up Appearances). As others have said above, I think the sense of excitement can be retained more easily when supply of fic/art never quite keeps up with demand - it means that each new piece is interesting and exciting. Also, I have found it a delight to 'meet' people who share such unusual/rarefied tastes ;-) There is often something of a natural bond between those who are passionate about a really rare pairing or fandom, which is difficult to replicate in a larger pool. Moreover, as my tastes often run to 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' characters, I find that those who share enthusiasm for such fanworks are often wonderfully thoughtful, non-superficial people, with whom it is a joy to converse.

On the flip-side, though, I have recently entered a fandom in which I'm naturally drawn to an extremely popular pairing: Kirk/Spock. On one hand, it is a joy to see so much new material every day - but at the same time, it can be overwhelming, and I often find that the pairing is written in a way that doesn't fit with my take on the characters. In practice, then, I think sub-communities tend to informally form within the following of a large ship. For example - those who like their Kirk/Spock dark, or particularly kinky, or plotty and thoughtful, or fairly juevenille and puppy-love-ish, or with mpreg, or satirically cracky, or... the list goes on and on. It has actually been a fascinating challenge to find my way around such a monolithic ship, and I think I'm getting to the stage now where I can carve out a niche and identify which fics are going to be the ones that I really enjoy.

Thanks for the intteresting question/comment :-)

PurpleFluffyCat x

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Kirk/Spock! Is this the reboot, or TOS? Either way, the fandom for that pairing is huge; I think "overwhelming" is the only word for it. Back in my days as Capt. Janeway shipper, the TOS and Kirk/Spock fans were by far the majority on the newsgroups. The big lists -- ASC and ASCEM -- were probably 75-80% K/S'ers. It could be hard for others series/ships to get paid attention to, or so it felt to some of us. We weren't unwelcome; we were just in a distinct minority.

But most of us managed to find our own niches with those who liked our pairings and characters. I'm not surprised to hear that K/S fans have smaller subgroups, too. It's rather like living in NYC, I think -- sure, it's huge, but eventually you make a place for yourself in your own neighborhood. You get to know the neighbors, and the guys in the corner deli get to know you, etc.

is often something of a natural bond between those who are passionate about a really rare pairing or fandom, which is difficult to replicate in a larger pool

Definitely. I've made such good friends in my own HP niche,a and I'm still in touch with some of the people I met in Star Trek Voyager fandom ten years ago. (I love the idea of having "rarefied tastes"; it's a term with so many fun possibilities /g/)

(PS--Are you moving away from HP fandom? I know at least a couple of people who have been completely seduced away from HP by K/S reboot :))

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

A question from the clueless germ: What does mpreg stand for? I've come across it a couple of times, but I'm slow with abbreviations...

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

"mpreg" stands for "male pregnancy" -- stories about males becoming pregnant (through whatever magical or sci-fi means), enduring the nine months, giving birth, etc.

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

"male pregnancy"
o.O Seriously? Like Arnie in Junior? Okay, my goal for tomorrow is to find and read a mpreg story...

[purplefluffycat.livejournal.com]

Kirk/Spock! Is this the reboot, or TOS?

Ah, that's a little complicated. I had never seen anything 'Star Trek' until a sci-fi fan dragged me to see the new movie (surprising, I know!), so Reboot was my first contact with the world. I liked the movie (far more than I had expected to, at least), but I didn't quite love it. It did make me curious though - curious enough to get hold of TOS on DVD, and that was where the infatuation started ;-)

It has been very exciting to commune with a 'historical' fandom, as it were; to read slash fics that were written considerably before I was born, and to appreciate the high level of innate slashiness in a series that is widely credited with the invention of slash in the first place! It feels a little like 'coming home', from a fandom perspective. Also, as I tend to prefer older characters, TOS Kirk and Spock are more naturally to my taste than their Reboot counterparts. I also note that Spock is very much the type of character toward whom I tend to gravitate: intelligent, reserved, somewhat socially ill-at-ease, somewhat snarky (see: Snape, Jeeves....)

Are you moving away from HP fandom?

I very much doubt it ;-) I've always had interest in more than one fandom at a time, and I'm thinking that ST is an addition, not a replacement. To put things into a perspective, I've written five exchange/sign-up based fics in the past couple of months - of which 3 were HP, one was ST, and one (that I'm currently working on) is for yuletide. I love my HP rarepairs and the super people I have 'met' through HP fandom far to much to give that up! :-)

PurpleFluffyCat x