What do I want?

[lightofdaye]

So Early I was looking over the sign up form for smutty_claus exchange and looking at the bits asking for what pairings I'd like and what kinks I like.

And I'm drawing a total blank. I mean I'll read a lot of things especially at hp_humpdrabbles, where things are so short and punchy. but right now I couldn't tell you want sort of fic I want to read at all. Or who should be in it or what.

I'm like totally feel-less at the moment for the fandom. Is it possible to grow out of HP? :(

edit: just to clarify, in case, smutty_claus sign-ups aren't for ages (sept), assuming its even going this year. I was just looking at it to be prepared and try to gather my fandom thoughts.

Comments

[tamlane.livejournal.com]

Those forms always make me draw a blank!

It appears that lots of people have grown out of HP. :(

[lightofdaye]

Previous years. I've just put down Harry, harry, harry. And now I am not so sure. I blame your broadening of my horizons :P

[tamlane.livejournal.com]

I am proud to take the blame. :D

I'm with nearlyconscious as far as focusing on kinks and genres, especially for exchanges. I know there are some ironclad kinks that get you going *coughpeggingcough*.

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

Haha :D Yeah I always draw a blank myself on pairings, tbh, because... my OTP is Daphne/Pansy, I adore Harry/Pansy, I love Draco/Harry, and lots of others, but then... I can read pretty much anything? But the kinks, ooooh, the list of my kinks is very, very, very long ^-^ And I can't think of any genre I would really dislike -- I only have a few squicks (gore, that kind of things, but it's generic, rly).

[lightofdaye]

*blushIdontknowhowyougotthatideablush*

wait,t wait, waittttt

[nevrafire.livejournal.com]

grow out of the hp fandom? that's a bit ultimatum-y isn't it?

I mean just because you're not feeling super wheee excited doesnt mean you have to quit? it could be you're having too things to worry about and are tired or overwhelmed....

all these fests coming up at once is a bit overwhelm-y.

and like, like you said you like a lot of more pairings and stuff now, no? that's not really burn out- that "I have too many choices to pick from!"

which is not really bad- but confusing?

please dont leave. you're one of the best active hp fanficcers left. the fandom wouldn't be the same without you in it. :(

Re: wait,t wait, waittttt

[lightofdaye]

I'm not planning on quiting just yet. If nothing else I've got to try and write something for fortheloveofhp.

As to the many pairings thing, I meant, I'll read anything het that appears on my friends list but i'm not super-excited for/wanting to hunt down anything in particular.

AND AND ANDDDD

[nevrafire.livejournal.com]

The fandom definitely needs more Het- Well written Het. (which your stuff is a golden example off!) it's currently overflowing with bad slash and I hate it.

I mean when fandom goes all DRARRY! and Albus potter/ Every male character EVER, you come with your mighty well written pen and give us--- Harry/demelza, harry/pansy ALBUS/MOLLY II!

you're like water in the scorching desert!

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

Nah, I'd say don't worry, seriously. I mean, there are periods, and sign up forms are definitely not the easiest to fill. I remember editing at least 5 times once! I'm quite flexible myself, you know? I know for sure that I love well-written Harry/Pansy, for instance, because one of my favourite authors is just a virtuose with it. But then again, Tam made Cormac/Lily Luna wonderful for me. OF ALL PAIRINGS, I mean c'mon :D So I think you might want to list what you *don't* want, and what you like besides pairings; character-driven, plotty, PWP, super angsty, fluffy, etc. Also there are many things to be taken into account for writing ; if you like epistolary smut, dysfunctional dynamics, dubcon, ambiguous endings, etc. I suggest you look at forms from other fests, forms filled in by other people (previous years, for instance!), and ideas might come to you. I think sometimes, you might want to trust people's headcanon on characters, and just indicate what you like in a fic regardless of the characters, no? I mean, I know I'd love a fic with characters I never really cared about if it's well-written (again, the Tam example, she made me super involved in fics about characters I had never read about before, Bill, Charlie, etc).
BOTTOM LINE DON'T QUIT THE BOAT AND SIGN-UP FOR SMUTTY CLAUS YOU ARE AWESOME (and if you are assigned to me I'll make you a super hot present, promise <3).

[tamlane.livejournal.com]

if you like epistolary smut, dysfunctional dynamics, dubcon, ambiguous endings, etc.

OMG GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!! lol

Also... *blushes and toes ground*

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

Tehehehe, lacking in the list, UST, power struggle and age difference :D

;)

[tamlane.livejournal.com]

Also M/F/F fic, which is sorely lacking in HP fandom.

In fact, if you've never read Daye's Substitute My Coke For Gin, go do that like right now. And then help me convince him to write more M/F/F fic because GUH.

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

I agree, M/F/F is really lacking.

Oooh I'm going to do that! Thanks for the rec :)

[lightofdaye]

Thanks for the advice. :-D i know what you mean about Tam, she got me to read 60K of Dramione for goodness' sake. A previous unheard of feat!

And hopefully I will sign up for smutty claus if it runs. I'll probably have figured something out by september. This is assuming it runs, I hope it does but it didn't even fill up its membership limit last year.

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

Lol yep some writers would just have you read anything (Dramione is also a pairing I normally never read, BUT I did read some because some writers had produced it and I had read everything else on their masterlists, lol).

Oh I really do hope smutty_claus runs, it's a good fest, and the fandom needs diversity! Maybe they could set up a poll to see if people would like to sign-up, read review etc. I know I might be busier next year than this year, but I'll definitely sign up nonetheless... Exchange type fests are my fave :)

[lightofdaye]

I like exchange fests too. At least then when I'm scratching my head and bawling that I can't write anything I have someone else to blame for the unhelpful prompts I have.

[nearlyconscious.livejournal.com]

LOL yeah I see what you mean. I usually draw, so I guess that's cheating :D Writer's block can strike me even for a prompt I'm super excited about anyway... But then sometimes I'll go on a roll and write a one-shot super easily... Go figure!

[luna-plath.livejournal.com]

Everyone goes through phases where they're more into fandom or less into it. Whenever I feel like that it's mostly because I haven't read any good fic in a while. Maybe you should just look for stories, things to make your creative ideas start flowing. Sometimes I'll think of popular pairings and wonder what the appeal is, so I'll read a fic I wouldn't normally read and sometimes I actually like it, like Snape/Harry.

[lightofdaye]

I guess you're right about not reading good fic lately. Aside from my flist I don't know where to go.

[luna-plath.livejournal.com]

Old fest communities are good. Also check out delicious and the tags for good stories. If you make a delicious account you can save recs or links to old fics and you can look through the tags for a pairing or fandom to find frequently saved links. That's how I find stories with Harry/female characters. There's also Ao3 but not everything on there is good. But you can scan the number of kudos/comments to determine that.

There's a rec website called Know It Alls where there are lots of great stories organized by pairing/genre. And the recs on crack_broom are always good to look through, along with the quibbler_report for rare pairings and links to art.

If you want any recs let me know :D I should be posting an entry soon with all the Harry/Luna recs I did in May for crack_broom.

[lightofdaye]

Thanks for the links, Luna. They're great. They'll take some time to look through though.

[nutmeg-44.livejournal.com]

I think you can but I don't think you are. Maybe you just don't want to read anything too long. I have to write something for blaisebigbang and I'm drawing a blank because it has to be 5000 words.

Perhaps you could think about what pairing got you into HP fanfic and just request that as your 'safety' pairing. For me that's Draco/Ginny. It might work.

[lightofdaye]

That's a good idea. Harry/Luna was basically my first ship, but I'm always hesitant to request that and i've never attempted to write it myself because Luna is so very easy to get very wrong.

I think Harry/Pansy is my fallback pairing for writing.

[nutmeg-44.livejournal.com]

If you don't pick a favourite pairing to request then give a few options but make the prompt more about the kinks and the other things you like in a story like costumes or balls or other random things like a word or phrase or setting.

Were you planning to sign up for samhain_smut? Because prompting/sign-ups for that is coming up soon.

[lightofdaye]

Prompting is open at the moment! I actually entered a couple recently. Makes my current blehness, seem even more odd. lol.

If I see something that really sets the sparks flying for a prompt I'll sign up. But i'm going to be strict and say it has to be something that i'm getting brain waves for rather than something i think i ought to be able to write for.

[nutmeg-44.livejournal.com]

I wrote for it last year but I think I'm going to sit this one out. I'm having enough trouble with my blaisebigbang entry (trouble like I haven't started it yet) and deadline is July 15. I'm just going to concentrate on the chaptered fic I have posting on fanfiction.net.

I look forward to reading your entries, though.