Reviewing 2020 | writing

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writing 2020: a summary

Masterlist 2020

• 57.918 words - a personal record
• 25 works, for 3 fandoms (mainly the witcher)

Favorite story

I love all the stories I wrote this year, but I ended up falling in love with Stitched together as I was figuring out Aiden’s characterization.

Best story

Quality-wise, nothing really jumps at me. I’ve definitely done good work, but at a level where I’m secure in my skill and secure in my ability to deliver consistently good shit. Which is a bit conceived maybe, but it also feels damn good. For the first time in forever, I sort of feel like I know what the hell I’m doing and I can sort of put it in my writing on purpose. Anyway, if I had to pick one I’ll mention Weirdly quiet, just because I decided I was going to stick an anaphora in it and it turned out pretty well.

Story most underappreciated by the universe in my opinion

Listen. I know it’s side characters with a bunch of original characters stuck in it, but Starless deserved more love. I should’ve probably expanded on it but I was in a hurry, okay? Maybe somewhen in 2021…

most fun story

Nobody can read it yet because it’s a locked commission, but Flames of Carnal Desire🔒 was so stupidly fun and sexy to write. I started writing it as a parody of a bodice ripper (because that’s what it is at the end of the day) but I really got into it, and I’m very satisfied with how it came out.

Sexiest story

I’ve written quite a few sexy stories this year. The Appeal of Subtlety, Matching pieces (take them off) and Repeatable mistakes are lighter in tone and less focused on miscommunication and intimacy issues, which is what I usually go for when I write about sex, so there’s that. Nevertheless, my usual brand was very present in When you can’t find your tongue and your rationale weeps (by either my chemical romance or fallout boy, judging by the length of the title), Change my mind, and Buttery and bright.

Story that shifted my own perception of the characters

I did a very weird thing when I started writing for the Witcher; I wrote Silver strings, which was set two years after Geralt and Jaskier met, and their relationship is very new, and then I immediately threw myself into Irreconcilable marks, where they’re both old and speak a whole different language among themselves because they’ve been together for so long - so that’s the shift.

biggest surprise

I never thought I would’ve written a kid fic, but lo and behold, Growing closer, growing wise happened. Sure, it was a commission, but I don’t have a habit of taking up commissions for things I wouldn’t enjoy writing. I just loved the idea so much when Lena described it to me… and then of course it took me three months to write it. A special mention to That’s what the ocean knows of a body, because it’s a commission for a crossover of fandoms I’m not in, and it’s in italian and it has a sex scene in it??? It was very very very unexpectedly fun.

biggest disappointment

None, strangely enough!! I love all my lopsided children equally this year. Maybe We’ve only just begun, but mostly because I never had feedback about it from the commissioner and it’s very niche so I probably won’t ever have any from anyone.

easiest story to write

I’m still offended about this but Good things come in three was stupid easy to write. I put off writing it for like, a year and a half, and then I sat down and I got it done in three days. Good things come in three (days) and are 7k words long, apparently.

“Holy crap that’s wrong even for you” story

I’ve written something similar to Melting before, but this time it’s just slightly worse, mostly because there is no real communication between the two of them and Crowley’s mindset is ambiguous and unreliable.

most unintentionally telling story

Change my mind, of course. A trans character with an alcohol problem and scared that not liking penetration will be the deal breaker for any relationship, so he forces himself to engage in it even if he’s not sure he enjoys it? I suddenly cannot read.