HP genfic...slowly updating!

[starfishstar]

Hello hello, thought I'd mention this again, since I last posted about it months ago:

I've been slowly revising and posting a set of Harry Potter one-shots; each is set at various times post-canon and takes a glimpse into the life of various characters after the war. I just updated it, at long last, with the latest one! So far there are chapters about Cho, Viktor and Dean; still to come are Neville, and then one that's about both Ginny and Luna.

I'd also like to take this chance to thank emily_in_the_glass again for being such a great beta for this whole series!

I've decided I'm not going to cross-post here until the whole thing's complete, so right now it's only on AO3, if you want to read it there: More Than This World Can Contain. This latest chapter is about Dean Thomas, figuring out how to reconnect with his (Muggle) sister after all the (dangerous, scary, wizarding) things he experienced during the war.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


In other writing news, it's mostly non-news: I haven't been able to do much writing in months, because I really really really have to give all my time and attention to my thesis. (Also, I'm finally in the stage of writing up my analysis, after a million years of transcribing interviews, coding data, etc. So the thesis work now actually requires the writing-and-editing part of my brain, the part that thinks about how best to put words together and then moves paragraphs around into a more pleasing shape, which leaves little brain left over for creative writing.)

BUT. My local writing group is planning a retreat in November, where they rent cabins at a state park a couple hours away, super-cheap in the off-season, and squirrel themselves away for a couple days to do nothing but write. I don't know if I'll really have the time, but I decided I'll make the time. I signed up to go! Two days of writing in the woods in November – I'm already looking forward to it. Plus we might also do a shorter, local retreat in December. Plus I've been working on songwriting, for the first time in a long, long time! So I suppose there's more writing going on than I think there is. :-)

I'm again not signing up for Holmestice, and it again feels wrong. But I just can't conscience signing up for a fest I Take Very Seriously and Want to Do Very Well, during what will (hopefully) be my final couple of months on my thesis. Yes, indeed I have wondered lately if I could just sign up for this fest like a normal person, instead of taking it so freaking seriously... The "problem" (a blessing and a curse!) is that I've ended up so very committed to the "More Holmes" aspect of the fest, offering very rare Holmesian 'verses which then requires a lot of thought and refamiliarizing with whichever canon I end up matched on and, I don't know. It shouldn't be a big deal, but I take it So Seriously, and won't sign up if I'm not sure if I can give a thousand percent of myself to it... In fact, I never sign up for anything unless I'm already 100% sure from the outset that I can do it well. It's one of those perfectionist things that sounds like a positive personal quality, and I suppose mostly it is, but it can also be incredibly life debilitating. What I wouldn't give to be able to go through life even a little bit carelessly!

Still considering whether I might sign up for Yuletide, though; somehow that feels a little less high stakes. (It isn't really, though; it's still something that's important to me to do well, and where I can't know from the outset which canon I'll end up being matched on, and it could also take a lot of canon review and extra thought.) So probably I should NOT sign up, and reserve myself the option to write treats if something catches my eye.

Yeah, okay, I think I just talked myself into that being a better idea.

There are so many other things I've had to skip this year. Fests that caught my eye but there was just no way I could commit to. Meetings of my local writing group that I've dropped entirely over the summer. Thoughts about short fiction, and flash fiction, that have been quietly burning a hole in the back of my mind ever since I:

1) read the introduction to N.K. Jemisin's new book of short stories, where she talks about how she didn't want to write short stories, but realized that was what she needed to make herself learn in order to become a better novelist, and I immediately thought, oh, ugh, she's right, I need to learn how to write short stories. And:

2) attended a writing festival back in the spring that had a great workshop on flash fiction, which similiarly got me thinking, yes, this is the format in which to learn to establish character and story fast, hook the reader early, use words efficiently and powerfully. This is what I want to learn about and practice.

...And then I literally put the notes from that workshop in a literal drawer, to be returned to whenever I finally have time to think again about original fiction and learning-more-about-the-craft type stuff, and absolutely have not had a chance to even look at those notes since.

Someday, maybe soon, someday in my post-master's-degree life.
.

Comments

[sanguinity]

I am so tempted to use my powers for evil and talk you into doing Holmestice anyway.

[starfishstar]

A ha ha ha ha, you know, I kind of want you to! It really would be a good thing if I could learn to do it but do it simply, for once. Like, only offer one or two really simple things I KNOW I can do, and not try to be all virtuosic about my sign-up offerings. (What would those simple things even be though? Probably only BBC...and I don't even want to write BBC...) And then take my assignment and just write a simple, short one-shot and not feel GUILTY about not doing MORE, always MORE. But...but...I love Holmestice. I can't conceive of doing it but with only half a heart.

(I know I eventually need to learn to live life as less of a perfectionist ...but maybe right now is not the ideal time to first attempt it? I. Just. Don't. Know.)

[sanguinity]

(What would those simple things even be though?)

Cracky three-minute cartoons and comedy sketches, like Duck-tective and crap. Mimsie, the Remington Steele cat. Stuff like that.

...although if you're anything like me, given such a cracky source, you'd feel the pressure to turn out a Staggering Work of Genius EVEN MOAR, so maybe that's not such a great suggestion. (It also raises the question of who to match you on.)

I will point out, though, that "less than perfection" doesn't mean the same thing as "half a heart." Like, you can be absolutely passionate about something AND slam it together in a weekend. Your skills and experience are solid enough that you can do something quick and have it not be crap.

[starfishstar]

(Replying a month later...)

See that's exactly what I'm saying! The crack-ier and briefer the source material, the more care I would want to put into crafting something Really Good and Worthy of Having Been Done at All.

Though you're right, doing a fest with-less-effort-but-still-doing-it-well could mean something as simple a setting aside a single weekend to devote to doing it all at once – but in my life right now (even BEFORE the latest life disasters) I didn't feel I could be sure of promising even that. Thus, yeah, not having signed up for Holmestice. Thank you for the kind assessment of my skills, though!!

OMG, though, I am REALLY DIGGING the idea of an adorable meowing tiny kitten as Sherlock Holmes. How did I not know about that??

[sanguinity]

Given how these last weeks have gone for you, it's probably JUST AS WELL you didn't sign up for Holmestice, good lord. Although we would have happily gotten a pinch-hitter in for you -- you wouldn't have been on the hook for a work unless you wanted to be on the hook for a work.

I didn't know about the tiny meowing kitten in a deerstalker until graycardinal pointed it out... in a sign-up? Somewhere. It was definitely graycardinal, though, no question about that.

[starfishstar]

So true, if I'd signed up for anything, I'd have ended up having to cancel everything. Which doesn't matter a great deal in the grand scheme of things, but it still would have added to the sky-high stress level!

I do rather want there to someday be a fic about a tiny petulantly mewing kitten-Holmes, and I almost think I could be the one to write it (I've written cat-POV fic before!) but see, this is what I mean, I'd want it to be Really Really Good, and I'd end up tripping myself up with that.

Maybe someday a whole bunch of us can collaborate on the ultimate multiverse More Holmes crackfic, with the kitten and the whale and "Sherlock Holmes and I" with the dog, and so on. :-)

[sanguinity]

Oh, yes, even asking someone to find you a pinch-hitter is One More Thing to deal with! So you were smart to be conservative about your stress levels in the first place.

(That won't stop me from urging you to sign up in the future, should you decide to be conservative about your stress levels again!)

See, I want your tiny petulantly mewing kitten-Holmes story, and I'd want it even if it was merely Good. :-)

I've never collaborated on a fic before; I wouldn't have the least idea how to go about it!

[starfishstar]

Oh, please do continue urging me not to be too conservative in my always-too-conservative assessments – I appreciate it!

Okay, maybe someday I will manage to write a (Merely Good) Tiny Petulantly Mewing Kitten Holmes story, which character could perhaps be complemented by a Large Good-Natured Dog Narrator Best Friend...I'll file that away somewhere in the back of the brain. (Ha! That reminds me that today I stumbled across a copy of Bunnicula, which made me feel all fond and sentimental, and which actually is a bit in the same vein, a sleuthing cat and his dog best friend...and the dog is the one who writes up the stories... Belatedly it occurs to me that that was most probably a deliberate Holmes-and-Watson nod.)

[sanguinity]

I need to read Bunnicula again, but that observation made Grrlpup laugh very hard. :-D

And I look forward to that story! Have you read gardnerhill's cats-and-dogs AU?

[starfishstar]

Ooh, I don't think I have, I'll have to bookmark that one. I definitely LOVED "Murderous, Co-Dependent" by rageprufrock, a BBC-based fic in which both Sherlock and John are cats. It's an old favorite. (And if I remember right, there was a brief moment in BBC Sherlock fandom where cats were the preferred animal-Holmes, until otters gained ascendancy thanks to redscharlach. I have zero complaints, because both redscharlach & her otters are the best, but a cat does seem like a more fitting Holmes...)

[sanguinity]

Oh, that was fun! Thanks for the link!

I remember the cat-phase, but I missed the otter thing entirely, although I've seen mention of it. And photos, of course. (*clicks through*) And yet not nearly so many photos as that.

[starfishstar]

SO MANY OTTERS :D

[rachelindeed]

Hee hee, well I think you should do whatever you want! Sit the fests out if that will make your life easier and happier, I well remember the stress of trying to finish an academic program, and it always feels like there's never enough time. But if joining in would lift your spirits, there are ways to make it easier on yourself, I think.

At Holmestice, as at Yuletide, you have the option of picking up a treat if something catches your eye that you think you could enjoy doing but that wouldn't take over your life for too long :) And your recipient would have already gotten an Official Present, which takes some of the pressure off, so everyone could just enjoy the extra gift! Only goodness gives extras, as Holmes said!

Or, if there's a verse you genuinely love and are familiar with, it might lend itself to a vignette or a missing moment. And if you don't have time to write, podfic is another option. The software you need to record yourself is free and easy to use, and all you need is a quiet room and a beloved story to read aloud. I think you could easily do that over a weekend, and I know there are folks at the comm who'd be happy to help if you want to.

BUT we'd all also be happy to content ourselves with cheering you toward this marvelous real life finish line you're approaching and welcome you back when you feel ready to dive back in! There's no wrong answer here.

[starfishstar]

Hi, I did want to finally reply here, even though it's now a month later. :-)

Yes, I absolutely did think about doing treats for Holmestice! In an odd way, though, I feel like that's even harder; I think because if I sign up for real, then I've got an assignment and the built-in motivation of wanting to make my assigned recipient happy; if I just do a treat, it's all on me to both pick something and follow through on it, which somehow would require even more focus, it seems? I'm not sure. I did think about it though! And might still, in other rounds if not this one.

Also, it was so funny to me that you suggested podfic as the "easy" option, since to me that seems like a daunting "new" thing that would require a huge learning curve! I'm intrigued, though – what's the free software you use for podficcing? Maybe I'll try to pick up that skill at some point. :D (It would only ever be a super basic straight-up reading, though – not like Sanguinity who interwove violin music in that violin-centric podfic in a recent round, wow!)

Anyway, that's all just idle side thoughts at this point; mostly I wanted to say, thank you as always for your kind and thoughtful supportive perspective!

[scfrankles]

In fact, I never sign up for anything unless I'm already 100% sure from the outset that I can do it well. It's one of those perfectionist things that sounds like a positive personal quality, and I suppose mostly it is, but it can also be incredibly life debilitating.

I completely appreciate that this must be so frustrating for you. The retreat in November sounds so great though - I hope you have a wonderful time and simply enjoy your writing.

And I will forever wave the flag for flash fiction/microfiction ^__^ ...read the introduction to N.K. Jemisin's new book of short stories, where she talks about how she didn't want to write short stories, but realized that was what she needed to make herself learn in order to become a better novelist... I always slightly resent the implication that shorter forms of prose are maybe just a stepping stone to the ‘real thing,’ novels. But I absolutely agree that short stories and flash fiction are a great way to learn how to ‘use words efficiently and powerfully’. I think flash fiction is rather like poetry. Not in terms of the language used, but in terms of structure. You constantly have to make decisions about what is most important and necessary for the piece.

I hope you sort something out re Holmestice and Yuletide that works for you. And all good wishes for your thesis!

[starfishstar]

I've been meaning and meaning to finally come back and reply to this, because I feel like I left the topic hanging, and misrepresented N.K. Jemisin terribly! ;-)

I described what she said about short stories in way too succinct form; the longer version (though I read this a while ago and am still probably misrepresenting) was something like:

She wanted to be a novelist; and thus grudgingly agreed that okay, yes, she should probably practice writing short stories first; and then in the process of that realized just how important and valuable short stories are in their own right, not only as a stepping stone. And was really, really glad she'd made herself learn how to write them. :-)

For myself, I'd have to say I echo the grudging part (do I really have to learn how to write short stories? oh, fine, okay...) but that's not because I think they're less important than novels, it's because I think they're WAY, WAY HARDER than novels. Seriously, my stumbling block about learning how to write (better) short stories is that I don't have any faith that I can even do it at all. I'm pretty sure an entire novel is so much easier to write than a single, exquisitely crafted short story!

And I really want to learn more about flash fiction, too. I love the comparison you made to poetry! I think that's really apt, about the economy of language, and thus the importance of crafting every single word and phrase with such care. In a novel you can waste words (not that you should, but you can) but in flash fiction you have to be better than that. I've had some good things come out of writing drabbles or other strict word limits in terms of fic – it really does make me write harder and thus better – but writing original flash fiction? That's a whole different beast, and seriously daunting.