This was an AMAZING experience, even better than last year (probably because my sleep, bad as it was, was a million times better than a year ago), and I can't thank you enough, other self.
I also enjoyed it more than last year! I think on my end because the division of labor really worked for me, not least in terms of how much time and the specific types of brainpower I had available this year (for example, major self-editing/rewriting, which I always find draining if rewarding, was something I was just not in the mindset for this Yuletide, so the part where I could just write you stuff and have you edit/rewrite it was really nice for me), but also:
Though really, I can see why writing emotional reactions to someone else's plot developments is easier than writing the plot developments they have in mind, so I think we ended up with a really good division of labor here.
Part of it was the plot, yeah -- even though you'd supplied me with a detailed outline, it was the sort where I could tell you had even more detailed ideas in mind -- but even more, with you the plot and the history are intertwined so much, and I just don't have the minutiae (or, often, the bulk*) history at my fingertips like you and selenak. But thanks to both of you (principally selenak, of course), I have the characterization at my fingertips, and also, like you say, because you'd supplied me with all the plot text, it was super easy to write emotional reactions around whatever was going on in the plot.
Whereas you may remember that when I was writing "Counterpoint" (which you supplied the plot for) or "Survived" (which Wilhelmine supplied the plot for) every two paragraphs or so I'd run into where I was inadvertently writing some sort of anachronism, or hanging a plot point on something that wasn't historically accurate. I mean, I'm very proud of those fics, but I feel like they were very... inefficient?... to write because I kept having to run things by you and then change them. Whereas the way "Grind" was set up was the most efficient in both directions! :D
I must confess (well, I've told you this before) that I also really liked being able to write/structure the emotional parts to exactly fit my id :) IDK how you felt about that, since I know our ids aren't always kept in the same place -- apparently it didn't bother you too much :) So that was a really nice present for me <3
* At times I did what I told mildred was a great job as a beta reader who knew nothing about the fandom, despite having been in it for more than a year *facepalm* Which was useful! Since she wanted it to be accessible to someone who wasn't in the fandom! But still sort of embarrassing.
Collaboration
I also enjoyed it more than last year! I think on my end because the division of labor really worked for me, not least in terms of how much time and the specific types of brainpower I had available this year (for example, major self-editing/rewriting, which I always find draining if rewarding, was something I was just not in the mindset for this Yuletide, so the part where I could just write you stuff and have you edit/rewrite it was really nice for me), but also:
Though really, I can see why writing emotional reactions to someone else's plot developments is easier than writing the plot developments they have in mind, so I think we ended up with a really good division of labor here.
Part of it was the plot, yeah -- even though you'd supplied me with a detailed outline, it was the sort where I could tell you had even more detailed ideas in mind -- but even more, with you the plot and the history are intertwined so much, and I just don't have the minutiae (or, often, the bulk*) history at my fingertips like you and
Whereas you may remember that when I was writing "Counterpoint" (which you supplied the plot for) or "Survived" (which Wilhelmine supplied the plot for) every two paragraphs or so I'd run into where I was inadvertently writing some sort of anachronism, or hanging a plot point on something that wasn't historically accurate. I mean, I'm very proud of those fics, but I feel like they were very... inefficient?... to write because I kept having to run things by you and then change them. Whereas the way "Grind" was set up was the most efficient in both directions! :D
I must confess (well, I've told you this before) that I also really liked being able to write/structure the emotional parts to exactly fit my id :) IDK how you felt about that, since I know our ids aren't always kept in the same place -- apparently it didn't bother you too much :) So that was a really nice present for me <3
* At times I did what I told mildred was a great job as a beta reader who knew nothing about the fandom, despite having been in it for more than a year *facepalm* Which was useful! Since she wanted it to be accessible to someone who wasn't in the fandom! But still sort of embarrassing.