A Love Letter to Yuletide
Dec. 27th, 2011 02:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eirenicalSo... apparently there has been a bit of unYulelike behavior over on AO3. I won't expound on it here, but my reaction comment was immediate and sad and reactionary and when I was done writing it, I wanted to share it with more than just those who would read that post on the yuletide_admin comm.
So, here it is, in response to the bad feelings, I give you...
This was my very first Yuletide and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
elynross... Wow. The work you and the other mods do is incredible and I can't believe that people would take advantage of all this generosity just to abuse it.
So, I'd just like to take this opportunity as a first-time Yuletider to say a few things.
First, on fics I received: I received four incredible gift fics for Yuletide. I had made several detailed and specific requests under the express understanding that optional details are optional and I tried to make sure my author(s) knew that I knew that. I hope they did. Some authors took me up on optional details, some did not. The ones who did not may not have given me what I thought I wanted... but because they wrote what was in their hearts to write, that passion came across and they gave me stories that were better than what I thought I wanted. I am deeply in heartfelt love with each and every one of these four stories and extremely grateful for the authors who wrote them. I mentally cuddled them before going to bed that first night. Er... the stories, that is, not the authors. That would have just been weird if they're not into virtual PDAs. ^_^ (OK, I'm a cheeseball, I'll admit it.)
Second, on fics I wrote: I also wrote four fics for Yuletide, all over a thousand words -- maybe a little ambitious for a first Yuletide, but I was feeling productive and in the spirit. I haven't had a bazillion hits or comments or kudos, but they're small fandoms and I wasn't expecting that. I will say that the fanlove and gratitude I have gotten on all four of them (both from my recipients and others), and the encouragement to continue writing in those fandoms, has had me beaming away for a solid 48 hours, now.
This entire fic exchange has been the most wonderful fandom experience I have had since I was 18 and Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2 fandom was all that was out there for me. Fandom has changed a lot over these last 15 years and not all for the better, I'm afraid. I've always held the Yuletide small fandom exchange up on a sort of pedestal because of the sheer quantity of quality fanfic it produces every year and the true holiday spirit it seems to do so in. It's been kind of a "last bastion of what fandom should be" for me and I'd hate to see bad feelings corrupt that.
Maybe this is naive and maybe I've said too much, but, well... there it is.
I love the mods.
I love my authors.
I love my recipients.
I love all the rest of you who wrote so many fics that I want to read that it will take me the next four months to read through them all and enjoy and give appropriate feedback.
You all rock!
Happy Yuletide. ^_^
So, here it is, in response to the bad feelings, I give you...
This was my very first Yuletide and
elynross... Wow. The work you and the other mods do is incredible and I can't believe that people would take advantage of all this generosity just to abuse it.So, I'd just like to take this opportunity as a first-time Yuletider to say a few things.
First, on fics I received: I received four incredible gift fics for Yuletide. I had made several detailed and specific requests under the express understanding that optional details are optional and I tried to make sure my author(s) knew that I knew that. I hope they did. Some authors took me up on optional details, some did not. The ones who did not may not have given me what I thought I wanted... but because they wrote what was in their hearts to write, that passion came across and they gave me stories that were better than what I thought I wanted. I am deeply in heartfelt love with each and every one of these four stories and extremely grateful for the authors who wrote them. I mentally cuddled them before going to bed that first night. Er... the stories, that is, not the authors. That would have just been weird if they're not into virtual PDAs. ^_^ (OK, I'm a cheeseball, I'll admit it.)
Second, on fics I wrote: I also wrote four fics for Yuletide, all over a thousand words -- maybe a little ambitious for a first Yuletide, but I was feeling productive and in the spirit. I haven't had a bazillion hits or comments or kudos, but they're small fandoms and I wasn't expecting that. I will say that the fanlove and gratitude I have gotten on all four of them (both from my recipients and others), and the encouragement to continue writing in those fandoms, has had me beaming away for a solid 48 hours, now.
This entire fic exchange has been the most wonderful fandom experience I have had since I was 18 and Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2 fandom was all that was out there for me. Fandom has changed a lot over these last 15 years and not all for the better, I'm afraid. I've always held the Yuletide small fandom exchange up on a sort of pedestal because of the sheer quantity of quality fanfic it produces every year and the true holiday spirit it seems to do so in. It's been kind of a "last bastion of what fandom should be" for me and I'd hate to see bad feelings corrupt that.
Maybe this is naive and maybe I've said too much, but, well... there it is.
I love the mods.
I love my authors.
I love my recipients.
I love all the rest of you who wrote so many fics that I want to read that it will take me the next four months to read through them all and enjoy and give appropriate feedback.
You all rock!
Happy Yuletide. ^_^
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 07:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:17 pm (UTC)Side funny note: One of my four stories was written for a friend and she guessed it was me. *snerts* Anonymity fail. *chuckles* At least she liked the story. ;)
no subject
Date: 2012-01-01 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-01 11:40 pm (UTC)Ooo... yeah. The DT fic... eh-heh. Totally opposite side of the spectrum from the Solarbabies fic. Hope I didn't freak you out on that one. -.-;;;
no subject
Date: 2012-01-02 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-02 01:16 am (UTC)If you're looking for a "safe" PR fic... probably the safest one I've written is "Taking Root" -- you can find it on my actual webpage, chibis.net (http://www.chibis.net/) -- but it's a PR Zeo story... and kind of long. And older. O_o;;; Like... 12 years older. My writing has matured some since then. Still. ^_^
I really need to quit babbling at you. Really. -.-;;;
no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:17 pm (UTC)I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When my family is driving me nuts, or the holidays are too much, there's this amazing, amazing thing happening that always makes me smile. I love all the new fic and the creativity and I just love you all.
From all us Yuletide Lurkers out there - THANK YOU SO MUCH.
You make my holiday season amazing. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 08:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-28 03:59 am (UTC)(Secondarily... this trying before judging works on clothing shopping, too. ^_~)
no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:26 am (UTC)http://yuletide-admin.livejournal.com/132372.html (http://yuletide-admin.livejournal.com/132372.html)
I suppose that in a fic exchange this huge, there are bound to be the occasional hiccups. The idea is not to take those hiccups out on the wrong people and to understand that they happen, right? Keep to the spirit of the exchange. *nodnod*
gratuitous subject line use of love
Date: 2011-12-27 09:37 pm (UTC)Re: gratuitous subject line use of love
Date: 2012-01-04 02:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 09:39 pm (UTC)The tone of things (not just in fandom, everywhere) is set from the top, and Elyn and Astolat and everyone involved have set a tone from the beginning that's all about love and acceptance and just sharing the joy in whatever way people want to/can.
The overwhelming feeling I had this year was gratitude and excitement and joy - and it wasn't just for receiving fic, though I received amazing, AMAZING fic -- but seriously (and this sounds so sappy) the joy of trying to craft something to make someone else happy, in fandoms we both loved. And that joy? I saw that everywhere, along with a spirit of helpfulness to each other as we worked to write. So many people, just excited to try to make gifts for people. <333
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:30 am (UTC)And I've heard Yuletide referred to as "the cult of nice"... but you know something? I'm OK with that. We write stories the entire rest of the year and leave ourselves open to criticism and fandom wank. We get beat upon by the online community and by the world at large. Is it so wrong to want to participate in something where the entire goal is to spread good feelings for others and for yourself? I don't think so. I'm grateful for the "cult of nice." It's given me a warm glow of happy feelings to start the new year with and that can only ever be a positive thing. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 09:47 pm (UTC)This year I am just a treat writer not a participant but Yuletide has always been an enjoyable, friendly experience. It is sad to learn that a few made it less than that for some.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-28 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-27 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:32 am (UTC)BABY'S FIRST WONDERFUL YULETIDE?????
Date: 2011-12-28 03:51 am (UTC)/also a cheeseball
<3
Re: BABY'S FIRST WONDERFUL YULETIDE?????
Date: 2011-12-28 03:54 am (UTC)I'm glad. ^_^ On both counts.
Re: BABY'S FIRST WONDERFUL YULETIDE?????
Date: 2011-12-28 07:33 am (UTC)/COMPLAIN
/COMPLAINCOMPLAIN
...I'm really not generally a complainer. I just really want comment subjects.
/siiiiigh
no subject
Date: 2011-12-28 03:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-28 08:08 am (UTC)Thank you for tese words!
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-29 07:53 am (UTC)My first year was much the same - I really, REALLY wanted porn (though I was very PC in not expressing desire for any one thing over the other!) leading up to Yuletide. Then the piece that I did get was not porny at all and so much more amazing than I ever anticipated that I wondered how I could have ever wished for porn XD.
Mind you the next year I GOT porn and it gave me just as much squeeful joy. :D Now just the idea of my poor tiny fandoms-of-my-heart getting more fic at Yuletide is enough to make me wiggle with joy... and one of the things I like MOST is when other people come out of the woodwork to request in my fandoms. <3
Wishing you many happy Yuletides to come!!
Date: 2012-01-02 03:22 am (UTC)I always feel awkward asking for porn because I feel like I don't want to own up to my own kinks. -.-;;; (Which is lame, because we all have them.) Also, because the point of every fanfic does not have to be porn... and sometimes I forget that and then I'm doubly embarrassed that I forgot in the first place. *sheepish grin* I was glad to be reminded though... in both directions.
And you know... one of my recipients suspected I'd written her fic after reading this post... and when I read your comment here, your LJ name looked familiar (thinking I may have spoken to you on IRC like... the night fics were due ^_^). Combine that with your icon and something about the tone of the comment and I had a sudden wonder about a fic I'd received...
YOU. You wrote me Flatliners. *_* *tail wag* You are awesome. Seriously. THANK YOU! ^_________________^
Re:
Date: 2012-01-03 08:41 pm (UTC)In any case. Thank YOU for requesting Flatliners! Secretly, the only thing about Yuletide that makes me happier than -getting- Kiefer fic is seeing other people ASK for Kiefer fic, and I try and fill as much as I can. It was actually my reason for joining Yuletide back in the day, since challenges seem to be the only thing that makes more fic in my tiny little fandoms. <3 God, I was up 'till like, 4am on Christmas Eve trying to pump out some Dark City smut for madness. Yours was much easier to write, though my partner-in-crime was trying to convince me that fisting was a great!idea!, what. Oh god.
Anyway - I adore Dave and Nelson though I don't write them near as much as I should. If you want more kink let me know as I have a bunch, some plotty and some not.
Speaking of plotty, if you haven't already, I highly recommend the Flatliners fic that Llwyden wrote for me this year, which is so expertly wrought and heart-wrenching with a side of hot mistake!sex. I'm so in love with it, even if I just want to FIX EVERYTHING and make them happy. XD
Happy New Year!!
Re:
Date: 2012-01-04 02:57 am (UTC)And I completely hear you. I used to write solely in big fandoms -- as mentioned, I started out in Sailor Moon back in the mid-late '90s -- but lately (and I apologize if I sound like a fandom snob), the larger fandoms are being taken over more and more by younger and younger writers... and thus by more and more wank. It's disheartening and certainly sped my withdrawal into smaller and smaller fandoms. When there are a total of 10 people over the entire Internet writing for a fandom and maybe 10-15 reading it... well. Hits and comments get awfully scarce. So when you find like-minded individuals (Thank you, Yuletide!! XD) it's an amazing experience.
As for kink, well... I used to think my preferences were fairly vanilla (well, as vanilla as they can be when you're starting from NC-17 slash ^_~). But, uh... the more I read (and now the more I write, HOLYOHMYGOODNESSWHATISTHATABOUT?)... the more I'm forced to accept that there are a lot of kinks I'm completely OK with -- or even find ridiculously hawt -- that I never would have dreamed I would be. *coughs* Fisting would be one. -.-;;; So, uh... yeah. I would not be averse to you exploring that idea. Especially, with these two. Nelson would agree to it just to prove he would. O_o;;; So, please, whatever kink you have for them... SHARE!! ^_^
I had some ideas for fic for them, actually, and had nearly decided that I had to write it myself if no one else would -- how I ended up writing Hair and Book of Mormon fanfic to begin with -- and then Yuletide came along and I derailed. But now I feel I owe you a gargantuan "Thank You" for this -- especially as you eeked it in just in the nick of time and it was WONDERFUL -- so... I may just reconsider. ;) We'll see what I can do.
*snaps up fic linky and toddles off after it*
For what it's worth, this sort of exchange has been my favorite part of the entire Yuletide experience. Just getting an opportunity to start up a dialogue with other people who love my fandoms as much as I do. LJ has been feeling a little threadbare of friends for me lately, so this has been amazing. ^_^ Thank you for being willing to babble with me!
ETA: And re: part of your fic comment response to consolidate
Again, I'm glad my prompt gave you something new to see in these two. I'm honestly fascinated with the competitive aspect between the two of them and that's what's been most calling me to fic for them -- the way they push and pull at each other and are so codependent even while trying so hard to prove they aren't. I <3 them so. *_* ^_^ *_*
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 03:14 am (UTC)Are you? There seem to be quite a few floating around the periphery of my life these days... ^_^
Sorry to disappoint! *sheepish grin*
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 06:07 am (UTC)I've been pretty lucky with big fandoms. They don't tend to get wanky (or at least, not before I leave them). Primeval has been the anomaly, which is bizarre because the canon is so silly. XD And the fandom has got me to admit to SO many bizarre kinks...
Nelson seems to be so high strung to me, always about the bravado and being so strong(arrogant) and capable and at the end of the day needs Dave to strip away the layers and unwind.
Ok, links!
My plotty stuff is all on AO3 (though I use 'plotty' losely because it's still porn)
Fluff
More Fluff
And then here's so more PWP stuff.
Shower Sex
Spanking
Ball Gags XD
Sex in the Church
no subject
Date: 2012-01-05 06:05 pm (UTC)The ironic thing is that at the core of it, it's not really making fun of anything. It's more about the idea that having faith in something -- no matter what you have faith in -- is the important thing. <3 ^_^ <3 Love.
*coughs* Back to Flatliners.
Big fandoms always get wanky. It's their nature. Even small ones if they draw those audiences. It's a shame, really. I wish more fandoms ran like Yuletide -- with their "cult of nice". Not that I mind constructive criticism. Far from it. I just don't appreciate when people get nasty about it, like they're forgetting there is a person at the other end of the computer.
Primeval. *_* I confess, I lost steam a bit when Stephen and Nick "left" but I keep intending to get back to it. I did love that show and I kind of adored the new characters they brought in and, dude... Andrew Lee Potts. Come on. He's so geektastically adorable. ^_^
*snaps up the fic links* I'm traveling and don't have a lot of time to read, but I will devour these as soon as I do. *_*
And I agree with your Nelson assessment, BTW. What I love most about him is how it seems like that bravado is almost dependent on having David behind him to back him up. I mean... the look on his face at the beginning when he thinks David might be leaving school? You can't tell me he isn't heartbroken there. It's as though he can be as brave and arrogant as he needs to be, as long as he has David to look after his vulnerable side. *_* Love that.
And I have no idea what fandom it was that started me on kinks, but the one that disturbs me most is the penchant for dub!con/non!con I've picked up. O_o;;; There are a few that disturb me to the point that I won't go near them, but barring those... these days I'm willing to give most at least a shot. ;)
Looking forward to having time to read your fics! :D