sandy_s: (count btvs by awmp)
sandy_s ([personal profile] sandy_s) wrote2016-01-10 02:04 pm

Snowflake Challenge

snow16.png

Okay, I'm going to try this and do all the entries in one post!


Day 1

In your own space, talk about why you are doing the Fandom Snowflake Challenge? What drew you to it as a participant? What do you hope to accomplish by doing these challenges?


Mostly I want to do it so I can give kudos to some people on my flist who deserve kudos! I hope there are some kudos challenges... :o)


Day 2

In your own space, create a list of at least three fannish things you'd love to receive, something you've wanted but were afraid to ask for - a fannish wish-list of sorts. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your wish-list if you feel comfortable doing so. Maybe someone will grant a wish.


Oh, man. This is tough because I don't like asking for things...lol. *sigh* Do I have to do this one? Hmmmm...well, I don't expect to receive any of these at all.

Well, I would maybe like a banner for one of my fics... my friends who used to spoil me with banners for my stories have left fandom.

Can that be all now? lol


Day 3

In your own space, post a rec for at least three fanworks that you have created. It can be your favorite fanworks that you've created, or fanworks you feel no one ever saw, or fanworks you say would define you as a creator.


This is a tough one, too. I don't really have favorite fanworks I've created because each story is special to me for one reason or another.

1. This year, I'm pretty proud of finishing Setting Up House because I got inspired to finish it after watching Season Six and Seven again while I was doing IVF treatments in Denver. I was determined to finish it for Seasonal Spuffy since it was the 10th anniversary round and I hadn't worked on it in 10 years. I think I hammered the the last 30,000 words or so in September and spent October reworking/editing the earlier chapters without changing them too much.

2. One of the fics that seems to have hit home emotionally for a lot of people (that told me anyway) was Peripheral Vision because it's from the POV of Buffy and Spike's daughter. I wrote it for [livejournal.com profile] ghostgirl13 for her birthday a long time ago, and I remember that she really liked it for personal reasons. And I also wrote this fic after my Oma passed away...it was sort of a sublimation of my own grief because we lost touch with her for several years when she developed dementia (for lots of reasons too personal to post). When she passed, I think there was a lot left unresolved for me, and writing this fic really helped me.

3. The final fic that's really special to me is Harnessing Sunlight, which was written for the reverse Artathon on [livejournal.com profile] watchersdiaries. I used one of my friend's banners to inspire the fic, and several of my fandom friends really helped beta the story and help me through it. It was an amazing experience! It also was a fic that sort of hit some of my kinks, too...post-apocalyptic and scifi-ish! (Yes, I'm a closet Star Trek fan and Star Wars, too, but everyone is a Star Wars fan these days.)


Day 4

In your own space, create a fanwork. Make a drabble, a ficlet, a podfic, or an icon, art or meta or a rec list. Arts and crafts. Draft a critical essay about a particular media. Put together a picspam or a fanmix. Write a review of a Broadway show, a movie, a concert, a poetry reading, a museum trip, a you-should-be-listening-to-this-band essay. Compose some limericks, haikus, free-form poetry, 5-word stories. Document a particular bit of real person canon. Take some pictures. Draw a stick-figure comic. Create something.


Hmm...I don't have anything new right now! But I'll post something here once I finish it!


Day 5

Leave feedback for a fanwork. Or multiple fanworks. It can be as simple as I liked this to a detailed list of all the things you loved about the fanwork. The key is to leave some sort of feedback.

If you've already left feedback in the course of a previous challenge, it totally counts. But you're free to leave more feedback.


Will do! I have some fics to catch up on today, namely one by [livejournal.com profile] the_moonmoth and [livejournal.com profile] velvetwhip! Yay! It will be my goal by the end of today.


Day 6

In your own space, create your own challenge. What’s something you want to see more people doing in fandom? Is there something you’ve tried that you think other people would enjoy if they gave it a go? Dare your friends to try it out, and have fun with it.


Hmmm... I'm not sure about this because I sorta still feel out of the loop on the way fandom is now.

I guess maybe one of my goals is to meet new people in fandom because most of my previous fandom friends have left fandom! Maybe that could be a good challenge, too...connecting old with new!


Day 7

In your own space, share a favorite piece of original canon (a TV episode, a song, a favorite interview, a book, a scene from a movie, etc) and explain why you love it so much.


Surprisingly, I'm not choosing a Buffy/Spike scene because there are too many to choose from.

I love the scene at the end of Graduation, Part Two where Giles tries to engage Buffy in conversation...

Giles puts a hand on her shoulder: "Are you all right?"
Buffy lays her head to one side: "I'm tired."
Giles smiles: "I should imagine so. It's been quite a couple of days."
Buffy tiredly: "I haven't processed everything yet. (with a small laugh) My brain isn't really functioning on the higher levels. (takes a deep breath) It's pretty much: fire bad; tree pretty."
Giles shakes his head: "Understandable. Well, when it's working again congratulate it on a good campaign. You did very well."
Buffy nods: "Thank you. I will."
Giles puts his glasses on: "I ah… I managed to ferret this out of the wreckage. Now, it may not interest you, but… (reaches into his jacket and pulls out a high school diploma) I'd say you earned it." Hands it to Buffy who looks at it and takes it.
Giles taking a deep breath and looking around: "There is a certain (takes off his glasses) dramatic irony that's attached to all this. A Synchronicity that borders on… on predestination, one might say."
Buffy looks at him: "Fire bad; tree pretty.'


I almost always think of this scene when I've gone through something big or after a long day with lots of stress at work, putting out fires on the inpatient unit where I work. It's so fitting and true!


Day 8

Comment to someone you haven't ever interacted with before or introduce yourself to someone you've interacted with and friend/follow them.


Done!


Day 9

In your own space, set some goals for the coming year. They can be fannish or not, public or private.


1. To read more fanfic... There's so much now and I feel intimidated about where to start with this. If anyone has any recs, I'm much more a plot-driven reader and love me some Buffy/Spike...although I'm open to other pairings, too, now thanks to [livejournal.com profile] velvetwhip. *hugs*

2. Finish maybe another series that I never finished.

3. Have my husband help me get Photoshop on my new computer so I can finish my website and make more art.


Day 10

In your own space, post a rec for fannish and/or creative resources and spaces. Tell us where you go to dig up canon facts for your fandom, or where you get all the juicy details about your favorite ship. Where do you like to hang out and squee like a squeeing thing?


Hmmm...I don't really have a resource place that I often use. Google is my friend if I want to look up something...that and I ask my flist! I used to know all sorts of resources but many of those places have shut down.

I must say that I'm so pleased that [livejournal.com profile] su_herald is still around after all these years! I've been using them a LOT lately to find stories to read and fun articles/meta to read, so huge thanks to everyone who runs that community and keeps it alive! So many kudos to you!

[identity profile] velvetwhip.livejournal.com 2016-01-10 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I am glad to see you toot your own horn a bit! You should! Your stories are super!

Also, thank you for the nice things you said about me. Gosh are you kind!


Gabrielle

[identity profile] sandy-s.livejournal.com 2016-01-11 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
Haha...it is a bit uncomfortable for me.

You're so sweet! I am hoping there are some kudos challenges coming up... like I read about in your posts from last year!

[identity profile] slaymesoftly.livejournal.com 2016-01-10 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Good job catching up on this. I'm so far behind I don't even know if I can catch up. Too many "Oh, I can't/don't want to/shouldn't do that" prompts. :) Since you feel out of it with fandom, I think reading more fanfics and introducing yourself to new people is the way to go. You'll soon have a who new circle of friends to go with the older ones still here.

[identity profile] sandy-s.livejournal.com 2016-01-11 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
It was a spur of the moment decision to do it! :o) Yep...trying to read more fanfics...like I don't remember reading a ton of your stuff and loved your Seasonal Spuffy stuff! Rec me a new one of yours... :o)

[identity profile] slaymesoftly.livejournal.com 2016-01-11 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
One of my new ones? Hmmm. Define "new" LOL. I think I did a decent job on Home is Where They Have to Let You In, but it's long and probably several years old? And Normal is Just a Word - that's about 2 years old, I think, but also long. I dunno. Lots of shorter things, but nothing that jumped out at me as being exciting. Tell me what you like, and I'll have a better idea what to share. My latest was I'll Be Home For Christmas, which is about the same length as my SS fic and was written at the same time.

I should try to catch up with it. It's a good way to support fandom. *sigh*

[identity profile] red-satin-doll.livejournal.com 2016-01-12 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
And I thought I was cramming in my post? You put ten days together and made it all immensely readable and enjoyable. I AM NOT WORTHY *bows low*

I almost always think of this scene when I've gone through something big or after a long day with lots of stress at work, putting out fires on the inpatient unit where I work.

That is just the sweetest thing I've heard in a long time!

And hey, if you ever master photoshop maybe you can teach me! (my sweetie and i just got it and - I need like a one-on-one course to grasp it.)

[identity profile] nmcil12.livejournal.com 2016-02-23 08:22 am (UTC)(link)
Enjoyed reading your snow flakes and big Thanks for posting the links to those earlier stories - I have put them on my "to read list" - and again, big congratulations on going back and completing that 10 year WIP. I read it during the 10 year anniversary of Seasonal Spuffy. BTW - I would be honored to do some banners for you. You can PM me at Elysian Fields or here - but I don't post regularly here so I would probably miss your PM.