Fannish Friday: A fanwork of yours that you enjoy revisiting

[lirazel]

This conversation is inspired by the fact that I got my oil changed this morning and I spent the waiting time rereading my arranged-marriage-and-also-domestic-abuse-and-sibling-solidarity fic, and you know what? It's good! I wrote it for me, because it was what I wanted to read, and I did what I wanted to with it.

I never find rereading my own fic quite as enjoyable as reading really really good fic by someone else, because I know all the beats and the reasons why and everything. But it's still so much more enjoyable than most other kinds of fic because I can cater to my own id and my own desires. Very few other writes ever write exactly what I want, you know?

In addition to my CQL fic, I really enjoy revisiting my Vast of Night fic and my Seraphina fic and my White Christmas (2011) fic and my Raven Cycle fic. I enjoy them so much every time!

Interestingly, that CQL fic and the Raven Cycle ones are two of the most popular fics I've ever written, while almost no one has ever read my Seraphina fic and yet I don't care because I love it. The White Christmas and Vast of Night ones have found a small but very enthusiastic audience, which is gratifying. I love creating stuff that other people love!

So now please tell me about a fanwork--a fic or a vid or a graphic or a piece of meta or something--that you created that you still get pleasure out of when you revisit it.

Comments

[sophia_sol]

I love rereading my own writing too, sometimes! I write fairly short fics that are almost entirely gen so they fit only a very specific niche of the kinds of things I enjoy reading, but I think I'm pretty good at writing those things and sometimes it really scratches the itch. Even some things I wrote a decade ago, when I was a less-skilled writer!

Some of my faves right now include Promises, about the narrator from the poem The Cremation of Sam McGee, and One Cannot Ask Loneliness, about the elder sister of the main character from the short story Queen of Atlantis.

[lirazel]

"Scratching the itch" is the best way to describe those I-wrote-this-for-me-I-reread-it-for-me fics!

[tetralogy]

Ooh, great question! I actually love rereading my own fic; my motivation for writing is almost always "No one in this fandom is writing exactly what I want! I guess I'll just have to do it myself!!1!!" so nothing quite scratches the itch the same as my own work.

I have an "Author's Favorites" series, which happens to contain the fics I go back to the most. Though I don't tend to revisit the Dragon Age fics because 1) lingering fandom baggage and 2) IMO I've gotten a lot better at writing since then.

[vriddy]

I love the idea of an "author's favs" series :D

[tetralogy]

I can't remember where I heard about it, but it's a great way to (potentially) get more eyes on less popular stuff you love.

[sunshine304]

I do at times reread some of my fic, too. :D Usually, the funnier ones like Hanguang-Jun's flawless taste in men or A more practical approach because lighthearted fun is always good.
I wrote them for me in the first place, so completely ignoring them afterwards seems weird. XD

[lirazel]

I wrote them for me in the first place, so completely ignoring them afterwards seems weird. XD

Haha, exactly this!!!

[nyctanthes]

For me it's the first vid I made and the second fic I wrote (same canon). I spent So. Much. Time. on them. They were some of my earliest fanworks (also my return to writing after decades), and I was super passionate about the source. I worked on them for months, and when I look at them now, years later, I wouldn't change a thing.

I wrote more, a lot more, in the same canon, but those works are harder to read because my editing wasn't as rigorous (maniacal) as it was for that first piece. It makes a difference!

[lirazel]

I spent So. Much. Time. on them. They were some of my earliest fanworks (also my return to writing after decades), and I was super passionate about the source. I worked on them for months, and when I look at them now, years later, I wouldn't change a thing.
I love this so very much!

[elisi]

I never find rereading my own fic quite as enjoyable as reading really really good fic by someone else, because I know all the beats and the reasons why and everything. But it's still so much more enjoyable than most other kinds of fic because I can cater to my own id and my own desires.
WELL. I have been writing for for almost 20 years now, and sometimes when I re-read a story I have forgotten plot points! It's delightful. I get all curious to see what happens next. *g* More generally, then I enjoy my own fic, yes. I, too, very much write for myself. When I'm lucky others enjoy it too!

[lirazel]

sometimes when I re-read a story I have forgotten plot points! It's delightful. I get all curious to see what happens next.

This is so delightful!!!

[vriddy]

The fic of mine I reread the most is a BNHA fix-it fic written for both my ship, and a friend's main ship I ended up really fond of. They meet earlier than in canon, and knowing each other changes enough details that some of the terrible, terrible things that happened to all of them just... don't. Sometimes, that's what you need :D I shoved so many headcanons of ours in there, and we did the beta-reading live while squeeing, and there are so many fond memories associated with that fic.

In general, if I'm in severe need of comfort and a bit fragile, re-reading my own fic works the best for me because I know even the fanon mentioned in passing will agree with my tastes. I don't really mind knowing the twists, I've written enough that's there's always something I forgot about lurking in there :D (..Sometimes, the something is a typo despite being on my 10th re-read 🥲)

[lirazel]

Sometimes, that's what you need :D I shoved so many headcanons of ours in there, and we did the beta-reading live while squeeing, and there are so many fond memories associated with that fic.

Oh yes!!! Absolutely!!!

(..Sometimes, the something is a typo despite being on my 10th re-read 🥲)

Oh my gosh, I KNOW.

[vriddy]

I swear someone comes in to add in new typos every time I stop looking... 😂

[chestnut_pod]

It really can be fun to reread ones own! Sometimes it's been long enough that certain things are still surprises, too.

I've reread my miserable pregnancy fic "a reason to live" a few times recently. A fandom acquaintance put out a very different take on that period, and I wanted to compare the two. It was a rewarding experience!

[lirazel]

Sometimes it's been long enough that certain things are still surprises, too.

That's true! I don't often forget plot points or anything like that, but sometimes I am pleasantly surprised at my own turns of phrase!

A fandom acquaintance put out a very different take on that period, and I wanted to compare the two. It was a rewarding experience!

Ooh, I love the idea of revisiting your own thoughts after being introduced to a new take.

[deird1]

I still get enjoyment from many of mine, but definitely my favourite is Application. I really loved writing in Faith's voice.

[lirazel]

There are some characters whose POV is just so rewarding to write, aren't there? And it's not always the ones you expect, but then you get to writing them and you're like, "This is clicking!"