A Distraction at the Bus Stop

Well, yesterday I posted my intoabar fic The Adventure of the Two Doctors: Dame Hilda Bracket meets Dr. Watson. As I’ve mentioned before, my initial reaction was disappointment when I was assigned an ACD Holmes character for the second year running. But putting those two characters together has turned out very well, and the fic makes a lovely companion piece to my Evadne & Irene Adler story. I’m so glad now that I was assigned Dr. Watson. (However, I think I will be dropping ACD Holmes from next year’s intoabar sign-up. Time to try pastures new…)

Also, I’ve received my holmestice assignment. Naturally I can’t discuss any of the details but I can say that it’s fine. *collapses in relief* I haven’t come up with an idea yet but I’m going to have a proper think tomorrow.

My heroinebigbang fic now stands at just a smidgen under 26,000 words. I’ve got a full draft to work on--the first half is pretty much done, and I’ve made a list of things I need to look at in the second half. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever written but I’m reasonably happy with the standard of it, and it’s taught me a lot about writing at length and sustaining a story. The rough draft is technically due 4th May--unfortunately though, it does look likely that this round of Heroine Big Bang won’t be formally happening. Which is a shame, but I will be keeping to the schedule and I’ll be posting my finished fic sometime in early June. And I am grateful to the challenge for giving me a target and deadlines.

So, there definitely isn’t going to be accompanying artwork for that fic. But all the excitement over getting artwork for my smallfandombang fic has got me thinking about trying to create my own fanart. I’m not sure I could ever manage drawing using computer software but when I was young I did learn to draw manually to a reasonable standard. It’s a skill I let slide and I rather regret that. I’d like to start again and create my own pictures of Hilda and Evadne’s adventures. I’m not saying I’ll get up to the standard of the art for my Dear Ladies smallfandombang fic but it’s something to aim for. And maybe when the next round comes up, I’ll be able to take part as an artist as well as a writer.

My gift fic has been posted on acd_holmesfest, and it's astounding ^^ It's called Literary Shortcomings - please go and have a look!

If you're reading my journal, then you're aware that I like microfiction (essentially it floats my boat so much it's a hovercraft). The author of my gift was aware of this too and chose to use a microfiction format - I had never come across it before but apparently it belongs to the 1sentence comm. A table containing 50 single word prompts was chosen and one sentence was written for each prompt. The sentences were then combined to make an examination of Holmes and Watson's relationship.

All the sentences stand alone, with their prompts as titles, but they take you through the whole of Holmes and Watson's friendship from Watson being wounded to the events of His Last Bow. Some of the sentences are funny, some are moving, some make you think. As I say, they're all separate but as you go from one to the next, the cumulative effect grows. It's really rather powerful.

And the writing is gorgeous. It's like being given a box filled with exquisitely painted miniatures, or tiny, beautiful objects. They are designed to go in one particular order but you can pick them up individually and look at them and study them, or put them together in smaller groups. Fanciful I know, but that is sort of how I feel about the fic - it does feel as though I've been given many little stories, each with its own personality, pictures and colours.

I'm so touched that the author chose to use a microfiction format - it makes the gift feel so personal. I'd been pretty confident that I was going to receive something good in the fest but this is beyond what I was expecting. It really is perfect for me.

Just wanted to do one last plug for this fest! It's into the final week now - finishing on 7th March. Please consider having a go - you can find the prompt list here.

February does seem to be have been Microfiction Month for me. I've written two 221Bs, a drabble and a double drabble for the Drabble Fest so far. Just tinkering with submission no. 5, but I'm going to submit it to fan_flashworks first. (I want to start working towards my Cross-Pollinator badge. *rubs hands together and cackles avariciously*) And I'm hoping to fit in no. 6 before the fest comes to an end.

I've also written a six word story, a 60 word story and a 221B for the watsons_woes Short, Sweet and Whumped challenge. And of course my usual 60s for sherlock60. All in all it's been bliss. *sighs*

Also, I'm feeling entirely positive about acd_holmesfest. Obviously can't go into details but I'm happy and comfortable with my assignment, I've booked my beta, I've put together a thorough 1,000 word plan, and I've got a title. Small matter now of actually writing it, but I think I know what I'm doing ^^