Well, that's interesting.

I had a Grey's Anatomy epiphany over my coffee this morning. I don't actually tend to drink coffee though, which should prolly tell you all you need to know. ( Thar be an unpopular opinion here, just saying... )

Now on to important things: I wrote SGA, BSG (twice!) and HP/O11 last week. What do I focus on now? Got some pretty pictures to bribe me with? Music? Crack? I'm always good for crack. Speaking of crack also, I can't imagine that there's anybody reading this who hasn't already found their way to seperis's SGA-does-Oz WIP, Crimes Against Humanity, but if you're not, WHY NOT? Guns! Assassins! Blowing shit up! Prison riots! *sighs happily*

Ari alert!

My mind is a bit foggy from the weekend, but Jesus fuck, if it weren't for kattiya I would've completely forgotten:


Tonight on The Travel Channel:
Jeremy Piven's Journey of a Lifetime: India
Airing at 9pm EST/PST (repeating at midnight)<-- check your listings
Do not be forgetting to watch this, people.*


*There will be a test in the morning.

** Look at the images from the viewing party!

( Ari in India spam -- Previews )

Meta rec.

I think one of the hardest things for any writer (or artist) is trying to remember what you bring to the table at the end of the day, i.e. what makes your writing strong, what makes you different, what makes you better, or worse, or just what makes you a unique snowflake*. What is your motivation? I think it's easy to get bogged down in the fannish experience, to get frustrated and annoyed, or to lose sight of what you enjoy. I think somedays everybody wants to pack it in. If you can get past that though, if you can remember who you do this for, I think you'll be okay.

I don't think anyone can possibly be as hard on a writer (or artist) as a they are on themselves, and sometimes that can really fuck you up.** Sometimes you find yourself comparing stories***, and feedback, and the way your stories measure up in your brain, and you just want to shoot yourself in the foot. There are stories that I've written that nobody's liked, and there are stories that are loved that make me cringe. There are stories by other authors that have made me want to weep with how brilliant the written word can be. This used to drive me crazy -- now I just revel in someone else's gift. Everyone is someone else's fan.

The important thing is that you try not to compare quite so much, to someone else, or to yourself. It's imperative that you keep going, that you keep trying, that you believe in yourself when nobody else does, because you've got to be in the game to hit it out the park. Like cesperanza says,

"Me, I am all about the game--fandom's the game! I want to be in the game!--and like, I can live with posting a story that's "eh" or a flashfiction that's a bunt, because hey, wow, the next one will be better, and at least I'm still playing. And being in the game means that sometimes you suck--you go out, you swing, you strike out, but hey, you wave your bat at the couple of fans who are happy to see you anyway, and then you go in the bullpen and ice your shoulder and watch your teammates play, knowing you've got to go out there again in about half an hour.



*Don't listen to Tyler.

**You being the general you, or you know, me.

***I try not to compare, but let's be honest, that shit doesn't always tend to work so well.