Countdown to Small Gifts 5/6: What Next?

[smallgiftsmods.livejournal.com]

Tell us a bit about what you'd like to see for this ship over the next year or so. Are there particular types of stories or interpretations of the characters you'd like to see more of in this fandom? Where is this ship headed?

Writers, are there stories you haven't told yet that you'd like to tackle one day? Artists, what's next for you?

Check out previous countdown posts:
Day 1: Introductions
Day 2: Head Canon
Day 3: Sentimental Favorites
Day 4: The Ultimate Remus/Sirius Poll

Comments

[fullmoon-dreams.livejournal.com]

The only fic I really want to write is a sequel to one of my AU stories. I got 60k written a couple of years ago but have still not finished it. Since I am not good at updating my stories these days due to other commitments I want to finish it before I post it anywhere. It won't be everyone's taste and hits several squick buttons for most readers. I do like pushing boundaries though.

[mindabbles.livejournal.com]

Wow. That sounds like a very impressive feat! One of the things I love about fanfic and these two is, now that canon is closed and their stories are so, um, defined, pushing the boundaries is a way to stay interested. I hope you finish!!!

[fullmoon-dreams.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I'll finish it one day, though goodness knows when. Whether it ever leaves my hard drive is another matter entirely.

[escribo.livejournal.com]

I want to finish my two WIPs and then I'd like to write...something. I don't know. I miss all the fests that used to happen. This fandom was rife with them and they were all fantastic. I'd love to see some of them come back this year.

[mindabbles.livejournal.com]

LOL, we want you to finish them, too. :) There were so many fests and communities with themes. The seasonal ones, for example. Hmmm, I wonder if there would be interest--even if it were small.

[escribo.livejournal.com]

The seasonal ones would be awesome. They were mostly defunct by the time I came around, so I'm sad to have missed them (dogdaysofsummer, scarvesnhats) but my favorite were mwpp_mischief, which always had fantastic fests, and rs_remix (because I'm a sucker for a remix). I'd even take a big bang at this point. I'm in a fandom now that has almost no presence on LJ (or Dreamwidth) and there's almost no community--no chatting back and forth, no challenges or fests (not even a holiday exchange), no encouragement for writers or artists to share. That's what I love best about this fandom, I think. There's always been a sense of that community. It's really brilliant and I think should absolutely be encouraged at every turn.

[grandilloquism.livejournal.com]

I have two WIPs that I'm about to try and finish now that I just validated my NaNo novel. One's a time travel AU I wrote 20K of a few years ago that I could never find an ending for but that I've been sort of side-eyeing lately. The other is just a few hundred words I've written of a fun sort of summery AU where there's no first war and Sirius is on the outs with but doesn't hate his family and he rents a summer cottage/manor house on the coast (because he thinks that's a reasonable thing to do) and invites everyone to come stay with him and I think Regulus shows up and there's a little bit of brotherly angst and lots of will they won't they R/S shmoop and, I don't know, antics and fun and very little plot, probably, but it's finally cold in Texas so of course I feel like writing summer things.


I'd also love to see more fests this year. It's pretty much the only time I can bring myself to finish something these days.

[mindabbles.livejournal.com]

LOL, that AU sounds like lots of fun. You completed NaNo?? wow. I am so impressed.

When did the fandom change to almost entirely fests and challenges? Was is two or three years ago? I mean, me too. I never write anything just to write it anymore. I'd never finish it anyway, without the deadline!!

[grandilloquism.livejournal.com]

My brain is mush and I haven't read anything all month but I did finish NaNo and am ridiculously pleased with myself!

I have a ton of WIP. I've always admired people that can motivate themselves without the threat of a deadline looming close because it's something I'm really bad at. Looking at this journal, the last time I posted something complete that wasn't for a fest was back in 2011, so yeah I'd say it's been a few years now that a lot of creators are just doing fests. I think part of it's to do with the sort of migration over to other sites, but-- and there's no way I can say that the HP fandom itself is at all small-- but I guess it's not as busy as it once was?

And just speaking for myself here, this ship is my capital letters OTP and while I will always come back to them, I am easily distracted by shiny new things. But I've known (or known of) some of the people in this fandom for five years or more, you know? Coming back to do fests and seeing the same familiar names and looking at their art and reading their words is just really nice and sort of nostalgic. But it's also really reassuring to see new faces and read about people that have just found r/s more recently and see their fresh take, but you also get to know that stuff is still new to them? Like it's really cool to me to see new people around because I know that someone somewhere is reading SBP or Stealing Harry for the first time and completely falling in love and that's also really nice. I don't know, I have a lot of thoughts about fandom and you caught me in a chatty mood.

[escribo.livejournal.com]

Maybe there should be a fest to encourage the completion of WIPs :D

I absolutely agree with you. I get (got) distracted but always come (came) back to R/S. Shall I be completely twee and say there's something magical about them :D

[rewrites24.livejournal.com]

WIP fest! lol yes! I need the motivation! I'd love to see a fest where authors adopt an abandoned fic and finish it. I think I saw that on the Harry/Draco front like a million years ago (or I dreamed it idk...).

[grandilloquism.livejournal.com]

I just really love writing these two? Like, I can connect with both of them really well and they've lived in my head for so long that it's impossible not to love them, but I also just find them really interesting? Like I could write them folding laundry on a sunday afternoon or fighting off space pirates or something and I'd enjoy writing both just as much because their relationships (to each other and the people around them) are really fun for me to explore and I keep coming back to that no matter what fandom or ship I might currently be reading.

I would sign up for a WIP fest so fast, by the way. That would be beautiful.

[fullmoon-dreams.livejournal.com]

Congrats on finishing your NaNo novel. I took part for my fifth year this November. Always fun to see how many people take part.

[grandilloquism.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This is my second year and my first time winning! I've seen a few people around that have participated, it's nice to be in such good company.

[veeagainst.livejournal.com]

I've got a Regulus POV fic to write and a Peter POV fic to write. Big plans!

[magnetic-pole.livejournal.com]

YAY! I'm especially excited about your Peter story--I always feel as if Peter is this last part of the puzzle that still needs figuring out. M.

[veeagainst.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And yes, I very much agree about Peter!

[huldrejenta.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone rather new to this fandom, I say more of Everything :D
But these days what I find perhaps most interesting are fics that explore various what-if scenarios, either small changes from canon that can have big consequences, or AUs where we see how the characters react when put in completely new surroundings and face new challenges.


I'm so happy there are some fests around, and I'd really like to see more. It pushes me to actually finish my fics, and it's nice to get to know people in the fandom.

[magnetic-pole.livejournal.com]

It pushes me to actually finish my fics, and it's nice to get to know people in the fandom.

*nods* The social part--writing for an audience you'll get to know a bit, talking about what aspects of the characters appeal to you, seeing other folks take on similar challenges--sustains me in a way just writing the fic never would.

More of everything! I like that. M.

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

I always feel like fandom needs more fic exploring Remus's feelings post-Halloween 1981, as he tries to figure out exactly how he missed Sirius being... you know, evil and/or insane.

I would like to... actually write a HP fic. >.>; Which I have yet to do.

[magnetic-pole.livejournal.com]

as he tries to figure out exactly how he missed Sirius being... you know, evil and/or insane.

I agree. The ambivalence Remus shows toward Sirius (or the possibility of Sirius' return) in PoA is really remarkable--he suspects Sirius may be back, and he's aware that the students might need to be protected from him, but he's reluctant to take positive steps toward apprehending him. There has to be a complex story behind that kind of attitude.

Meanwhile, about writing your first HP fic, we usually do a bonus round at the end of the month, if you're interested. We'll open up everyone's prompts again and invite everyone to participate, even with a very short fic. It's a fun thing to do for folks who didn't have time to participate the first time around. M.

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

I can't even imagine all the conflicting emotions - grief, betrayal, loss, disbelief - on top of being in love with (or to be honest, even just being friends with - that would be enough to completely mess you up) someone who was either an evil conniving racist and a very good actor, or someone who went completely mad.

Ugh, the whole thing is just so painful I sort of... want to read about it endlessly. >.>;;;;

I'd love to join the bonus round! Thank you so very much for letting me know about it!