Year in Review: Writing

[azuremew]

Total number of completed stories: N/A
Total word count: See Above?

lmao. I swear, I won't be so vague beyond that point, but I have so much fic that is not posted here that I haven't a clue exactly how many exist or the word count. Also, this meme was taken from several people, but on my list, kirstenlouise technically wins as the first. :P

And with that note, carry on . . .

Overall Thoughts

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?

More. I expected lots of collaboration with lycanthrophile and mini-fics to explore my characters, but I did not expect to be hit by a freight train. Thank you, Inception, for not only running me over but dragging me into the dreamworld again.

What's your own favorite story of the year?

It would have to be Reflections of Men I wanted to write Fischer fic, and I had this feeling when Peter Browning put his hand on Fischer's shoulder that there was more to tell, and it was told, and I'm still surprised that the series is still going, that I have ideas, and that there is a response. It's super exciting to find out my format made sense, damned 1st and 2nd person with rotating Before/After - what the fuck was I thinking? I'm not used to fandoms.

Did you take any writing risks this year?

Er, before Inception, I wrote one rape scene with two vampires. Otherwise, it was mostly fade-to-black and implied. I've always wanted to explore the darkness in people, what is taboo, point of view, the psychology of it all, and consequence. I get it a lot while writing with lycanthrophile, but never quite like this. This . . . it's intense, breathtaking, and bloody beautiful. AND WRITING IN FIRST PERSON. I cannot express how much I love kirstenlouise for pushing that I should listen to it. If she hadn't, I probably would have gone with my comfort zone of 3rd.

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the New Year?

Broadening my perspective. One of my memorable moments was when hesselives wanted Arthur/Eames/Fischer when I offered Fischer/Other or Fischer/Other/Other. I was very narrow in my vision because of all the Arthur/Eames out there, so tackling them with Fischer was not desire AT ALL. But I reminded myself that I'm an open person. Besides, she gave me SIX FEET UNDER to write off of, so who can deny that? So besides continuing Incunabula, I want to step out and try other pairings. Maybe continue more on the Cobb/Nash, the Eames/Yusuf, or some Gen story that's related to Incunabula to not go completely off the tracks, etc, etc.

Oh, and continuing my original fic and figuring out what the fuck we're doing with Carl and Michael. <3

Best & Worst Of

My best story of this year: My Temptation and Salvation for it's epic length, character development, fun with 1st to 3rd point of view changes, and all the twists and turns. That was a fun ride.

My most popular story of this year: Er, all of the above? Only because I have about the same number of comments from the same people. It's okay. I love you guys and know that I'm writing to an incredibly select group.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Er, all of the above? It's depressing when quality is lost because it's not part of the mainstream, popular crowd. I can't help that I write against the current.

Most fun story to write: So Give Me Something to Believe was a pain to write, but then I threw in the flu, and it all kind of turned into a fluffy piece that has me loving Arthur/Fischer.

Story with the single sexiest moment: I have no idea. Someone answer this for me? Although the scene for Between You and Me, Part 2 was an interesting write. Not the Eames/Fischer/Yusuf - that was just . . . difficult, but the basement display. I love anyone that can pull off the complexity of BDSM or D/s relationships.

Most "Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story: Nothing and EVERYTHING. I started out in this fandom thinking that there has to be something fucking wrong with me for wanting to write Incunabula. Then I read kirstenlouise 's Browning/Fischer fic and thought, "Huh, so I'm not the only one." Now, it all just happens as part of character growth and plot.

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters: I shall repeat: My Temptation and Salvation because I didn't care much for Arthur until I started researching, considering, this.

Hardest story to write: MY SECRET SANTA FIC. Which I can't comment about until after it's revealed, so yeah. I'll explain later.

Biggest Disappointment: Driven by Impulse sits with no comments. Poor thing. I realize that it's strange, more poetry than prose, and it's Fischer validating everything Browning did as fine. It was difficult to write, so if it was executed poorly, I'm not surprised.

Biggest Surprise: Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery because HEY GUYS, I WROTE PORN! Not only that, but a violent rape scene, and I never wrote that before. Seriously. This whole writing porn is strange for me - seriously. I'm surprised that I can articulate anything good considering how utterly rare I wrote/explored erotica as a genre. This tale also managed to shock the shite out of lycanthrophile as the writer for Carl in this massive collaboration called Savin' Me. Note, it's not even Inception-related, but it's so good if you want to check out some dark, vampire drama I write when not obsessing. <3

Most Unintentionally Telling Story: Robert Fischer in general. While my life doesn't compare to his, I do have that feeling of being invalid, unloved, unstable, and seriously fucked up from time to time. Life gets out of control, but there are people that give a damn.

And on a slightly related note, inception_noir has a post open to prompts that allows Anonymous Comments, AND I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU GUYS LOVE THE DARK. Don't worry, there will be a specific, rarepair post and others later. <3

Comments

[lycanthrophile]

I don't comment nearly enough on your fic. Not because I chat with you constantly online, but I'm more often than not blown away by your writing and can't find the words to express it. And random gibberish from flailing madly at the keyboard just doesn't cut it. ;)

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Gibberish! YAY! I love the gibberish. Although I adore whenever you say 'wow' and cannot think of a single other word to go with it because it means it really took your breath away. The moment after you read that scene with Darien/Michael, I knew I did good. I knew I could write this dark genre. You gave me that.

[lycanthrophile]

That scene (and how many times have I read it while editing and getting the site online) continues to make me shiver. And then you wonder why I am questioning my writing abilities.

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

I wonder because of how well you responded with Carl. Seriously.

[lycanthrophile]

Pffft... I go and read the stuff I wrote and see missed opportunities.

[icrackthecodes.livejournal.com]

This evening I am going to endeavour to post a long, rambly comment on every single fic you've written. I'm very good at reading fic but I often forget to comment >_< which is a shame because I know how I'd feel if no one commented on something I wrote.

I recommended the Incunabula series to non-fandom friends who both said they wished they knew more about Inception because they really enjoyed it.

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Eep. I really do need to do that with yours. I've told people - great, wonderful writers that enjoy dark fic, about you, and yet I fail miserably at expression my adoration every time I try to comment - mostly because I can't help staring at the fic, reading certain lines over and over . . .

I just - it's silly, but it took a while to have the confidence to poke because of how utterly great it was. eames_fischer was my first stop, so you know what was my first read, what started this desire to write in the fandom, even though I usually shy away from canon characters. Eames/Fischer, still my OTP even if they're not quite together in my fic.

[icrackthecodes.livejournal.com]

You're too kind. Really.

Eames/Fischer will always be my OTP. I rewatched Inception this weekend and the whole snow fortress/hospital bit gets me every time. When Eames is watching Robert at the bedside... just... eeeeeeeee.

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

<3

[icrackthecodes.livejournal.com]

How have I never seen that before? :o

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

The misspell? :P

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Back to your tabs, you! :P

And bwahahahaha. Yeah. I would have never thought in a million years before Inception that I would ever write this, let alone meet such fantastic people. This icon is forever staring at yours, by the way.

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Tee hee. And gosh darn it, this reminds me that I should get back to your fic.

Here, I'll tease:
It starts off simply. Time and place determined days before. A hotel, one of many, could be any, but he prefers the ones more vibrant, alive with people even late at night. It tests our limits, the ability to move unnoticed yet find each other in the lobby without a single, spoken word or nod. One stop, and the night is over, we go empty-handed, heads lowered in defeat. That is all that keeps us calm, slow despite the pounding in our hearts and heat that stems into our bellies. He is ten steps behind me, closing in to the elevators. A button is pressed at five. Upon opening, we are less than an inch. I breathe in, smelling the cigarette smoke. It is less potent than the surrounding aromas – someone's cologne, hair spray, and whatever else people use to mask their truths. But the cigarette smoke, I breathe it in and remember nights before, of plucking the cancer stick from his lips and taking a drag.

And for some damned reason they're more in love in this fic than in Incunabula. WHAT THE FUCK, GUYS?!?!

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Oh, and, um, er, Jeanne? I'm sorry, but Fischer kind of, sort of, buried Arthur . . .

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

No, no, not dead! Although he might be a little claustrophobic in the end?

*giggles*

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

For the record, I was too tired last night to write the actual scene, so instead there's a note: Arthur buried alive. (Oops.)

[hesselives.livejournal.com]

HOLY SHIT. \O/

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

There was a request for dark, and I got to insert plot freely?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_likimeya/]

I feel awful because I've never read anything by you. I'm just not into dark themes unless they are strictly canon… (Although my latest fic seems to prove that a lie. Huh, weird.) I'm not into ot3, either. Ahh, this comment sucks, sorry!! Next year, everything will be different! :)

It's depressing when quality is lost because it's not part of the mainstream, popular crowd. I can't help that I write against the current.
Agreed, but I'm sure there are lots of people out there who, like me, are silently shaking their head at the amount of crap in the world that is praised to heaven, so take heart. =)

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

No worries, hon. Dark is . . . not for everyone. Just like I cannot write crack to save my life, but the love for Fischer/Cillian lives on, yeah? ;) I do have plans for something not dark and just amusing in the near future.

And admittedly, until I was prompted directly, I never did OT3s either. It was a strange, amazing year in writing. Figuring out the dynamics makes things incredibly challenging.

[kirstenlouise.livejournal.com]

Isn't your Saito/Fischer technically a completed story? Still, it's a little bit funny just because you've written quite a lot, but it's all part of the same unfinished arc.

The narcissist in me is all pleased how many times my name pops up here, LOL. But it makes me really happy to have been influential to you! I do my best to encourage. :)

I anxiously await the explanation for why your SS was so difficult. I have a feeling I know which one is yours, just because your writing is very distinctive, but I could be wrong. :-p

Pretty much every scene with Fischer being used and abused was ridiculously sexy, in a horrible, horrible way. JUST SO YOU KNOW.

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Technically. Saito/Fischer is the only piece that has nothing to do with Incunabula, if we don't include inception_bang and some earlier Eames/Fischer I wrote.

You have no idea how many times I pray that you'll write another Browning/Fischer fic. Or anything. But that especially. There is something delicious about the more dark, devious stories, the taboo in some societies, the perspective, and you, you create this in such an intelligent manner that is striking. All the while keeping the human voice intact and writing different pairings. It is such a thrill to read.

And lol, I do have a certain style, don't I? AT LEAST IT'S NOT IN THE FIRST PERSON! That's the only hint, and it's a Fischer fic, obviously. :P

[kirstenlouise.livejournal.com]

Have you read the Browning/Fischer posted today at incept_santa? It's pretty much phenomenal. You can read it here.

Seriously, I left the most embarrassingly long comment, lol.

Yeah, but it's a good thing. You definitely stick out. :)

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

I CANNOT FIND THE WORDS TO COMMENT!

Seriously. I read it once, went to watch TV because it would've been all squee's and bouncing and OMFG and attempting to steal your present. <3 So I went to watch the season finale of Six Feet Under and came back, read it again, and still, no words, no words at all.

. . . I feel like typing "What she said." and point up.

[kirstenlouise.livejournal.com]

LOL, THAT WAS TOTALLY MY INITIAL REACTION.

It's taken hours to wipe the stupid grin off my face and just put real words down. It's soooooooooo good. ♥

:-p

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

There. I tried. And did you see the naked Fischer forgerness sent me?!?! Oh lordy, that is the most sweetest thing I have seen. Thank you Jeremy for being at work and therefore missing my insanely loud, "FISCHER/EAMES!" squee. :P

[kirstenlouise.livejournal.com]

I have seen it. He's lovely, especially the bow around his cock. <3

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Okay, I think I'm breathing properly again. Phew. And is it odd that I kind of sort of want to make a Friends of Friends community of like minds that can share anything, including non-Inception? Just to get out of the swarming headache of the others?

[hesselives.livejournal.com]

*breathes* oh, azure. you have no idea how thrilled i am that Inception brought all of us together. fucking amazing, is what it is. <3 we all spur each other on and encourage gorgeous works to come into being, i love you guys so much! and i would definitely be interested in the Friends of Friends thing, just so Inception isn't the only obsession we have in common. ;)

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

I find it sweet, how in the beginning, all of us, or at least most of us, were a bit afraid to IM each other. Maybe because we thought the other one was too good of a writer to be friends, or something silly like that. I remember feeling like that with several people that I talk to now.

And we have Inception and Kabuki now, yes? And coffee. Because everyone loves coffee. And chocolate. Mmmmmm . . . chocolate.

[coldthermistor.livejournal.com]

...I really need to slowly make my way through your fic. I'm guilty of procrastination, really, so while it's on the list...

Dark, vampire, drama? Wouldn't happen to be World of Darkness related, would it? I only vaguely remember it because of a Mage: The Ascension campaign. Was pretty fun while it lasted, and all.

And first person is always tricky to write and absolutely bril when pulled off well :D

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Hoo-boy, you found me out. *sheepish grin* The World of Darkness is merged with Inception for my Big Bang piece. I'm rather addicted still. It ebbs and flows. Nothing quite like spending 15k in the head of a century old man, let alone explaining how.

Ah, procrastination, we are good, bittersweet friends. I should keep broadening my spectrum, including reading yours as well.

[coldthermistor.livejournal.com]

Awesome. My GM wanted to get us to Vampire: The Masquerade, but I can't remember what campaign came along, so we never got to try it out after all :/ Still! I can quite figure which summary must be your big bang then. All I can say is, it looks terribly interesting!

LOL. IKR. I think I'm a specialist in procrastinating by now. Fix up big bangs...secret santas...read fics...revise mathematics...Shee. Life, what life?

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I am so thrilled someone other than me and my beta will know what I'm posting, lol. Or at least have some idea. Ah, the old, faded fandoms.

I prefer to believe that this is a life, even if it is different from others. It's enjoyable, yes? One would hope so at the least. Except maybe the math portion? :)

[coldthermistor.livejournal.com]

...is it sad that I misread your summary the first time, though? For some reason, I swear I thought it was 'Fischer is a vampire' and I was like whooaaaaaaaa. Still. World of Darkness is absolutely epic and fun and it's always nice to see an interesting crossover :D

Well. Yes. Kind of. Especially the math. Also, can I ask a question? I've seen Incunabula referenced several times, and figured it's a series. What characterises the series, though, and is there any order I'm supposed to read the fics in? Sorry if it's somewhere - I've tried but can't pull it out :/

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

Oh, Incunabula, the tale of Fischer that does not end, I swear. It is a series, organized here to not drive you mad. Post-Inception, Arthur has Eames check on Fischer to make sure the idea took with, um, other interests? It kept going from there . . .

[coldthermistor.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, okay. Sorry, I missed that one. *facepalm* Thank you!

[the-azure-blue.livejournal.com]

*grin* NP. It's the forwarded date that gets you.