Christmas Meme #10
Dec. 12th, 2019 04:56![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keilissWhat is your favorite fic/s, out of the stories you have ever written? And why? (from Gabriel)
Oh wow, a tough one that might have a different answer if I did it again next week. I have others I love at least as much, it's like picking the favourite child! But okay, here's five, some are here because they made me grow as a writer and some because they were just special in their own way:
Hidden Within, an old fic set in early Third Age Imladris. Descriptions of the house, of life there, of Erestor's history and a little of how he came to be there. Erestor doesn't know Glorfindel well but ends up in a cliffside cave watching while he strengthens his new sword with ancient runes and words of power. One of those stories that lives with you for ages and then finally comes pouring out.
Sanctuary is the fic that does not get the love I want it to get. It is my baby. Elves in modern times, a quest to find Glorfindel before the final date for the remaining elves to sail, written with a tourist site and map open, lots of pictures of places I know or have passed through... South African road trip with Gil-galad, Erestor and Elrond (two of those people love their technology!) Writing it just made me really happy.
Boys of Summer. What can I say? I fought against writing this because it frankly intimidated the life out of me. My First Age writing starts on Balar, the Fifth Battle is not my normal playground. But - wrote it with the Silm and Atlas of Middle-earth open, did timelines, read about Roman armies and fighting techniques, gave it to Gildor, someone I had never been confident writing, and Glorfindel, and surprised myself. There's even an unplanned cameo from Maeglin. I literally dreamed about this fic, wrote notes of things that occurred to me standing in the supermarket check out... it took over my life.
A Plain Simple Love Story. Someone asked for exactly that in one of the Slashy Swaps, and that was its working title and in the end there was no reason to change it. It's an informal 'prequel' to Hidden Within and the story of how Erestor and Gil-galad met and slowly fell in love. There's a fair bit about Imladris, and the development of the library to the great repository and research centre it would become interspersed with a look at court life in Mithlond. In the end it's about two people in love and the little life-hitches along the way to confessing that love. It's also the only time I got a swap assignment and thought 'Yes, I know exactly what to do here...'
Season of Hope. That's where I found the way into my view of the inside of Elwing's complicated head and where she and Gil-galad started to develop an unlikely trust relationship. Also the midwinter - winter solstice - ceremony of the time and its meaning. And a rather nasty OC. The fic originally received several awards and I was of a mind to leave it off the list, keep the spot for the lessor known, but it's very special and dear to me. Their voices are their voices.
Special mention to Secret Garden, my first attempt at horror and I think one of the better things I've written as far as world building goes. Man-eating, partly sentient plants, a plot to steal the Rings of Power, danger in Mirkwood that has nothing to do with giant spiders, a mysterious female villain, and Erestor and Elladan as Mulder and Scully. Oh and there's Gildor again.
and A Little More Conversation. I think the summary says it all: A story told through letters of the friendship that grows between Glorfindel, sent to take charge of the newly-discovered valley of Imladris, and Erestor, an assistant to one of Gil-galad’s military advisors. Well, most of it. This was written for a 'ten letters' prompt. Turned out to be eleven, but that's how I roll. And it is where I got to walk the valley and see it through Glorfindel's eyes. Also where I learned about things like brick making, weaving, winter survival (not easy for a child of Africa). I still have all the notes... Loved working on this fic.
Oh wow, a tough one that might have a different answer if I did it again next week. I have others I love at least as much, it's like picking the favourite child! But okay, here's five, some are here because they made me grow as a writer and some because they were just special in their own way:
Hidden Within, an old fic set in early Third Age Imladris. Descriptions of the house, of life there, of Erestor's history and a little of how he came to be there. Erestor doesn't know Glorfindel well but ends up in a cliffside cave watching while he strengthens his new sword with ancient runes and words of power. One of those stories that lives with you for ages and then finally comes pouring out.
Sanctuary is the fic that does not get the love I want it to get. It is my baby. Elves in modern times, a quest to find Glorfindel before the final date for the remaining elves to sail, written with a tourist site and map open, lots of pictures of places I know or have passed through... South African road trip with Gil-galad, Erestor and Elrond (two of those people love their technology!) Writing it just made me really happy.
Boys of Summer. What can I say? I fought against writing this because it frankly intimidated the life out of me. My First Age writing starts on Balar, the Fifth Battle is not my normal playground. But - wrote it with the Silm and Atlas of Middle-earth open, did timelines, read about Roman armies and fighting techniques, gave it to Gildor, someone I had never been confident writing, and Glorfindel, and surprised myself. There's even an unplanned cameo from Maeglin. I literally dreamed about this fic, wrote notes of things that occurred to me standing in the supermarket check out... it took over my life.
A Plain Simple Love Story. Someone asked for exactly that in one of the Slashy Swaps, and that was its working title and in the end there was no reason to change it. It's an informal 'prequel' to Hidden Within and the story of how Erestor and Gil-galad met and slowly fell in love. There's a fair bit about Imladris, and the development of the library to the great repository and research centre it would become interspersed with a look at court life in Mithlond. In the end it's about two people in love and the little life-hitches along the way to confessing that love. It's also the only time I got a swap assignment and thought 'Yes, I know exactly what to do here...'
Season of Hope. That's where I found the way into my view of the inside of Elwing's complicated head and where she and Gil-galad started to develop an unlikely trust relationship. Also the midwinter - winter solstice - ceremony of the time and its meaning. And a rather nasty OC. The fic originally received several awards and I was of a mind to leave it off the list, keep the spot for the lessor known, but it's very special and dear to me. Their voices are their voices.
Special mention to Secret Garden, my first attempt at horror and I think one of the better things I've written as far as world building goes. Man-eating, partly sentient plants, a plot to steal the Rings of Power, danger in Mirkwood that has nothing to do with giant spiders, a mysterious female villain, and Erestor and Elladan as Mulder and Scully. Oh and there's Gildor again.
and A Little More Conversation. I think the summary says it all: A story told through letters of the friendship that grows between Glorfindel, sent to take charge of the newly-discovered valley of Imladris, and Erestor, an assistant to one of Gil-galad’s military advisors. Well, most of it. This was written for a 'ten letters' prompt. Turned out to be eleven, but that's how I roll. And it is where I got to walk the valley and see it through Glorfindel's eyes. Also where I learned about things like brick making, weaving, winter survival (not easy for a child of Africa). I still have all the notes... Loved working on this fic.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-12 08:39 (UTC)I like reading about other people's writing processes and how they came to know their characters. It's so fascinating. And thank you!
These all sound super and are just the sort of fics I would curl up with in bed with a cup of tea and big bar of chocolate and binge read.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-14 02:33 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-01-06 02:57 (UTC)