yuletide curious

[chelseagirl]

I say this timidly, because I haven't written fic in ages, but . . .

every year I feel kind of wistful when people talk about Yuletide. And there are some fandoms there I could get excited about writing (Sleepy Hollow, of course, but I also saw a few others).

On the other hand, it's a Really Bad Time of the Year for people who teach.

And it makes me feel like such an outsider because I just went to the offers via someone's page and when I searched on my own, couldn't find anything. So that doesn't make me feel like people who aren't already in the know are particularly welcomed.

Advice? Should I try it? And *how* would I try it -- where do I go? Or am I already too late because I wasn't in on the last stage.

Comments

[samskeyti]

It's not too late at all! If you have an AO3, just head over here and follow the tutorial and links. If you don't want to commit to the exchange, you can stalk letters and write a treat for Yuletide Madness (and that doesn't even have to reach 1000 words).

You know you want to!

[chelseagirl]

I think stalking letters might take more time than just writing the story, though?

I will say, just the responses I'm getting here and on LJ have made me feel more a part of fandom than I have for a long time. Between that and my newfound love for Sleepy Hollow, perhaps I can get my inner fangirl to come out and play a bit more. :-)

[retsuko]

I have the same dilemma, too, for the same teaching reasons as yourself. Perhaps you could look at the list of pinch hits and see if any of those are something you could do?

[chelseagirl]

I think I might go for it; I'm telling myself that since I'm not singing in a December/holiday concert this year, so I don't have massive rehearsals/performances at the same time as final grading . . .

What do you teach? I'm English/Writing, currently adjuncting at three different universities, though luckily all in Manhattan. (The travel could be a lot worse, but sometimes it makes my head spin . . . )

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

I don't think it is too late--signups just started yesterday and htey close next week. If you do not have an AO3 account, that might explain nothing showing up. If you have one, try signing into it.

I requested some more AO3 invites if you want one, even if you don't want to try Yuletide, it is a nice place to put your fic.

I read Yuletide for quite a while before doing a pinch hit. You might find trying a pinch hit might be easier for you, at least to start.

::hugs you::

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I don't have an AO3 account -- I'm not sure I'm excited enough about my past fics anymore to want to post them. But maybe I should get one, even if for commenting mostly.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

When the invites come through, I'll send you one so you have the option if you want to do it.

[loz]

I have an invite already, if you want one?

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, please.

[loz]

Can I have your email address, please?

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

csiemann at gmail

(I am apparently no longer concerned about privacy because I'm pretty sure anyone who actually sees this, in LJ's declining days, already knows who I am . . . )

[loz]

Sent ;)

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Also here's the Yuletide faq:

http://archiveofourown.org/collections/yuletide/profile#faq

And watching yuletide_admin and yuletide might be helpful.

[cliosfolly.livejournal.com]

You could sign up to be a pinch hitter? Those come out weeks before the deadline, so you could wait to ask for one that has prompts you really like. I've done this for a few years, feeling the same considerations as you described above. Nothing's come along that I either wanted or got when I asked for it, but it feels like a good compromise.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

That's what I did last year. I liked pinch hitting!

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Signups are still open! A03 accounts are good to have because...well, they're free and convenient for archiving. It's actually kind of hard to become a pinch hitter, you basically have to spend hours watching the queue and hitting the button at just the right second. However, you don't have to be a Yuletide participant to write Treats (i.e., you cherry-pick the list of prompts).

This is my third Yuletide, I don't think it's All That but on balance it's worth it. You only have to write a 1,000 word story. Admittedly there are times when writing a Post-It note telling yourself to pick up a quart of milk is difficult given your workload, but it's much less of a demand than a Big Bang, and it's the year's largest and most indulgent audience for fic.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I think executrix may have tipped the balance -- I do NOT imagine me having time to watch queues; easier to just write. ;-)

[executrix.livejournal.com]

OMG I'm an Influence!

FWIW I spent a lot of yesterday happily excited about ideas I got for two of the fandoms I offered. Of course I offered 10 so will probably get an assignment that completely flummoxes me...

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I have QUESTIONS like . . . how many can you offer. But I'm betting the FAQ will be my answer there. ;-)

[executrix.livejournal.com]

You must offer 6, can offer 10. However, there is a special rule for "bucket offers" where you can offer even more than 10 fandoms if you are willing to offer "Any" character rather than being able to pick characters from the set of nominated characters.

[ancarett]

I've done Yuletide for, erm, four years now? *checks* Oops, no, since 2007 so six years so far and planning for a seventh.

The aspect of the exchange that makes it workable, even for swamped academic types, is the 1000-word mark. Write a super-short story, a compelling vignette, an interesting piece and that's all. You don't have to write an opus. Just something in a requested fandom that will fill the request.

Learning to be happy with enough and not to seek perfection is a useful lesson at this time of year, too!

I don't have an invitation to hand but I see that loz offered one - if you're interested in the exchange, it can be great fun and the more friends, the merrier!

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I've been watching my flist get excited about it for years now; thinking maybe I will take the leap.