Fanfic Recap 2020

[xancredible]

I'll make a separate post for podfic again this year.

2016 a | 2016 b | 2016 c || 2017 || 2018 || 2019

There's not much change to last year once more. I did post a bunch of works this year but none of them had popular pairings.


Quick note: I'll be combining both versions of Standing Right in Front of You into one count again this year since it is the same fic only in different posting formats, and so the stats should be combined.

Quick note two: I'll use ⏫ to indicate that something has gone up in the ranks since last year, ⏹️ to indicate that it stayed where it was, and ⏬ that it moved down. ▶️ will show that it's new on the list.

What's your first and second most common work ratings? Any surprises?

Most common: Explicit (28)
Second most common: General Audiences (22)

What's your most common archive warning? Least common? Do you consider yourself an adventurous writer?

Most common: No Archive Warnings Apply (58)
Least common: Underage (1)

How many fics have you written in each relationship category? Is this more accidental, or do you have preferences?

M/M: 45
Gen: 12
Multi: 5
F/M: 3
F/F: 1
Other: 1

What are your top 4 fandoms by numbers? Are you still active in any of them, and do you tend to migrate a lot?

Merlin (TV): 38, last year I was proud to be done with this fandom and then I posted a new work this year because the anthology for which I wrote it finally got published.
Sherlock (TV): 7, no longer active, still trying hard to forget I ever was xD
Leverage: 6, no longer active, might go back one day?
Supernatural (RPF): 2, no longer active and no desire to go back

What are your top 4 character tags? Does this match how you feel about the characters, or are you puzzled?

Morgana (Merlin) (8)
Percival (Merlin) (6)
Lancelot (Merlin) (6)
Uther Pendragon (Merlin) (6)

What are your top 2 most used additional tags, and your bottom 2? What would happen if you combined all 4 of these into a fic?

Most used: AU - Modern Setting (24); Blow Jobs (14)
Least used: Friendship (7) Romance (6)

I'm pretty sure I HAVE combined all four of those into a fic.

Total Stories Published 2020: 6
Total Words Published: 55,041 words
Average Words Per Story: 9.173 words (reality is that I wrote 3 fics with ~15k, and then 3 that are significantly shorter)
Shortest Story: intermission
Longest: backcheck

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?

I finally finished the long thing I'd been writing since October 2019, so I wrote about as much as I expected while also not as much as I thought I might? After publishing the stories in summer, I thought about writing something else but didn't really find enough motivation.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write most?

Romance and Angst in the hockey fandom with a Connor McDavid-centric poly series.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?

Nothing unsurprising this year.

Did you take any writing risks this year?

Kind of? I didn't expect I'd be able to pull off the Davo series.

Do you have any fanfic or general writing goals for the new year?

Same as last year: Write more. Trust myself more. Experiment with unfamiliar pairings more. It's work but it's also working out.

From the past year of writing, what was your…

• Best written story of this year: deke because it had the msot beta-feedback out of everything I posted this year.
• Most popular story of this year: celly
• Personal favourite: line change - the entire series I'm very proud of
• Most under-appreciated: line change - same XD There's only rare pairs in there, so of course people will mostly not be interested.
• Most fun to write: intermission - it's because I had so much fun with this little scene that I posted it as an extra when it didn't fit into the main story.
• Story with the single sexiest moment: backcheck - although the other sexy parts of this series are also pretty good, if I do say so myself.
• Most "ha ha, I can’t believe I wrote this" story: line change - the entire thing amazes me.
• Most challenging to write: line change - look, I only wrote this series this year and it was all of my challenges and it's all my pride.
• Favourite character to write: James Neal.
• Favorite opening lines: "Merlin has missed Arthur for longer than the legend of King Arthur existed." from Lies I Tell Myself
• Favourite closing lines: "Fuck what other people think they know about him. Connor knows himself better than any of them ever could." from celly
• Other favourite lines: "Paulie’s derisive snort of disbelieving laughter not-withstanding, James is going to fucking ace courting Connor McDavid." from assist, but honestly anything from that part. I just loved writing Nealer's POV.
• Most telling fic: line change - look, it's a story about someone who's trans and coming to terms with allowing himself to *be* trans in the open. That's.... pretty personal for me.

Totals*

Includes ALL works, not just fic.

User Subscriptions: 159 [21 podfic] (2016: 28 | 2017: 47 | 2018: 104 | 2019: 135)
Kudos: 14,011 [1,718 podfic] (2018: 7,377 | 2019: 10,989 [1,387 kudos for podfics included])
Comment Threads: 952 [250 podfic] (2017: 272 | 2018: 548 | 2019: 800 [229 comment threads for podfic works included])
Bookmarks: 3,473 [203 podfic] (2017: 845 | 2018: 1,766 |2019: 2,645 [233 bookmarks for podfic works included])
Word Count: 605,438 [9,023 podfic] (2017: 464,789 | 2018: 527,641 | 2019: 546,677 [8,706 words for podfic works included])
Hits: 282,751 [66,862 podfic] (2017: 75,017 | 2018: 146,782 | 2019: 224,865 [52,231 hits on podfic works included])

I didn't exclude comments and the likes on podfic works in the years before because I didn't have enough podfic works published yet to make much of a dent.

No. of fics per fandom

Cabin Pressure: 1
Fullmetal Alchemist: 1
Supernatural RPF: 2
Sherlock (BBC): 5 (excl. art posts, double posts)
Leverage: 6
Hockey RPF: 7
Merlin: 34 (excl. art posts, double posts)

Whoo, Hockey jumped up to 2nd place!

Top 10 by Hits [1]

1. Inkling || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 6,823 words, 35,282 Hits (2017: 6,212 | 2018: 15,727 | 2019: 25,284) ⏹️


2. Standing Right in Front of You [Illustrated] + [Text Only] || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Mature, 78,020 words, 11,494 Hits (both versions counted as one ; 2018: 8,195 | 2019: 9,763) ⏹️


3. Road of Ruins || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 72,389 words, 9,050 Hits (2017: 3,584 | 2018: 5,961 | 2019: 7,581) ⏫


4. You Swiped Right || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 22,038 words, 8,399 Hits (2018: 4,831 | 2019: 6,681) ⏫


5. The Cat's Meow || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 8,666 words, 8,267 Hits (2018: 4,369 | 2019: 6,393) ⏫


6. All those things I told myself to forget (And to make it through) || Sherlock (BBC) | 2012, Explicit, 41,824 words, 7,507 Hits (2016: 6,140 | 2017: 6,718 | 2018: 7,002 | 2019: 7,002) ⏬


7. Love You All the Time || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 4,329 words, 7,355 Hits (2018: 3,554 | 2019: 5,527) ⏹️


8. Common Law || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 39,727 words, 6,508 Hits (2017: 3,075 | 2018: 4,386 | 2019: 5,434) ⏹️


9. Prologue of Eight Days a Week || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 869 words, 6,324 Hits ▶️


10. Enough to show I care || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 5,409 words, 6,063 Hits ▶️

One Sherlock fic finally dropped off entirely and the other sunk another 2 spots!!!! Of course my next goal is to have some hockey works up there instead of the avalanche of Merlin, but I'll probably have to write some more popular pairings for that first XD

Top 10 by Kudos [1]

1. Inkling || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 6,823 words, 3,422 Kudos (2017: 642 | 2018: 1,532 | 2019: 2,434) ⏹️


2. The Cat's Meow || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 8,666 words, 1,217 Kudos (2018: 637 | 2019: 929) ⏹️


3. Clickbait || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 4,910 words, 683 Kudos (2017: 323 | 2018: 477 | 2019: 578) ⏹️


4. You Swiped Right || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 22,038 words, 575 Kudos (2018: 345 | 2019: 461) ⏫


5. Standing Right in Front of You [Illustrated] + [Text Only] || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Mature, 78,020 words, 530 Kudos (both versions counted together) (2018: 389 |2019: 466) ⏬


6. Common Law || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 39,727 words, 510 Kudos (2017: 256 | 2018: 357 | 2019: 459) ⏬


7. No Winter Lasts Forever || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 37,579 words, 430 Kudos (2018: 262 | 2019: 366) ⏹️


8. A Prince’s Tale || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, General, 4,333 words, 378 Kudos (2017: 189 | 2018: 257 | 2019: 328) ⏹️


9. Road of Ruins || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 72,389 words, 285 Kudos (2017: 114 | 2018: 186 | 2019: 250) ⏹️


10. All those things I told myself to forget (And to make it through) || Sherlock (BBC) | 2012, Explicit, 41,824 words, 228 Kudos (2016: 149 | 2017: 188 | 2018: 200 | 2019: 220) ⏹️

Cannot believe that #1 gained somewhere around 1k of kudos in just a year. Still irrationally annoyed that #1 is #1, and not much changed. No new arrivals on this list, in fact, just some swapsies. If I'm really lucky, next year, #10 will be replaced by the hockey work that's currently in spot #11.

Top 10 by Bookmarks [1] **

1. Inkling || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 6,823 words, 656 Bookmarks (2017: 125 | 2018: 438 | 2019: 699) ⏹️


2. The Cat's Meow || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 8,666 words, 231 Bookmarks (2018: 174 | 2019: 252) ⏹️


3. Standing Right in Front of You [Illustrated] + [Text Only] || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Mature, 78,020 words, 174 Bookmarks (both versions counted together) (2017: 102 | 2018: 169 | 2019: 195) ⏹️


4. Common Law || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 39,727 words, 150 Bookmarks (2017: 67 | 2018: 134 | 2019: 172) ⏹️


5. You Swiped Right || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 22,038 words, 145 Bookmarks (2018: 125 | 2019: 162) ⏹️


6. No Winter Lasts Forever || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 37,579 words, 131 Bookmarks (2017: 22 | 2018: 89 | 2019: 136) ⏹️


7. Road of Ruins || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 72,389 words, 85 Bookmarks (2017: 35 | 2018: 78 | 2019: 97) ⏫


8. Clickbait || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 4,910 words, 82 Bookmarks (2017: 41 | 2018: 86 | 2019: 113) ⏬


9. A Prince’s Tale || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, General, 4,333 words, 69 Bookmarks (2017: 35 | 2018: 60 | 2019: 87) ⏹️


10. All those things I told myself to forget (And to make it through) || Sherlock (BBC) | 2012, Explicit, 41,824 words, 57 Bookmarks (2016: 51 | 2017: 48 | 2018: 66 | 2019: 76) ⏹️

All of these LOST bookmarks in the last year and yet the list features the exact same fics as last year.

Top 10 by Comments [1] **

1. Standing Right in Front of You [Illustrated] + [Text Only] || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Mature, 78,020 words, 156 Comments (in 76 Threads) (2016: 43 Threads | 2017: 105 Comments in 49 Threads | 2018: 125 Comments in 59 Threads | 2019: 133 Comments in 63 Threads) ⏹️


2. Inkling || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 6,823 words, 144 Comments (in 67 Threads) (2017: 55 Comments in 26 Threads | 2018: 83 Comments in 38 Threads | 2019: 112 Comments in 52 Threads) ⏫


3. The Cat's Meow || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 8,666 words, 139 Comments (in 69 Threads) (2018: 87 Comments in 44 Threads | 2019: 108 Comments in 54 Threads) ⏫


4. Common Law || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 39,727 words, 133 Comments (in 59 Threads) (2017: 86 Comments in 36 Threads | 2018: 103 Comments in 44 Threads | 2019: 125 Comments in 55 Threads) ⏬


5. You Swiped Right || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 22,038 words, 122 Comments (in 59 Threads) (2018: 68 Comments in 34 Threads | 2019: 93 Comments (in 46 Threads)) ⏹️


6. No Winter Lasts Forever || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 37,579 words, 74 Comments (in 34 Threads) (2017: 27 Comments in 12 Threads | 2018: 62 Comments in 28 Threads | 2019: 70 Comments (in 32 Threads)) ⏫


7. Road of Ruins || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 72,389 words, 73 Comments (in 33 Threads) (2017: 25 Comments in 12 Threads | 2018: 56 Comments in 25 Threads | 2019: 73 Comments in 33 Threads) ⏬


8. Clickbait || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Mature, 4,910 words, 55 Comments (in 27 Threads) (2017: 35 Comments in 17 Threads | 2018: 43 Comments in 21 Threads | 2019: 47 Comments in 23 Threads) ⏹️


9. and one makes three || Hockey RPF | 2018, Explicit, 4,164 words, 34 Comments (in 17 Threads) (2018: 30 Comments in 15 Threads | 2019: 34 Comments in 17 Threads) ⏹️


10. All those things I told myself to forget (And to make it through) || Sherlock (BBC) | 2012, Explicit, 41,824 words, 33 Comments (in 15 Threads) (2016: 14 Threads | 2017: 33 Comments in 15 Threads | 2018: 33 Comments in 15 Threads | 2019: 33 Comments in 15 Threads) ⏹️

That Sherlock fic is clinging to it's spot. The last few didn't even gain any new comments but the ones that do get comments are either already popular and in the upper spots, or not getting enough comments to make it onto the list :/.

Top 10 by wordcount [1]

1. Standing Right in Front of You [Text Only] || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Mature, 78,020 words ⏹️


2. Road of Ruins || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 72,389 words ⏹️


3. line change || Hockey RPF | 2020, Explicit, 51,578 words [counting entire series as one work as this is how I prefer it to be read] ▶️


4. All those things I told myself to forget (And to make it through) || Sherlock (BBC) | 2012, Explicit, 41,824 words ⏹️


5. Common Law || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 39,727 words ⏹️


6. No Winter Lasts Forever || Merlin (BBC) | 2017, Explicit, 37,579 words ⏹️


7. Christmas Holidays (Aren’t What They Used to Be) || Merlin (BBC) | 2016, Explicit, 32,557 words ⏹️


8. You Gotta Dance || Supernatural RPF | 2012, Explicit, 24,084 words ⏹️


9. You Swiped Right || Merlin (BBC) | 2018, Explicit, 22,038 words ⏹️


10. something in your smile (is so exciting) || Hockey RPF | 2019, Explicit, 17,366 words ⏬

No surprise that nothing much has changed here although I am happy that one of my new fics from this year made it onto the list while the one I posted last year is still on it, just a spot lower.

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* Note to myself #1: Kudos for works posted in previous years: 2008: 3 | 2009: 282 | 2012: 477 | 2013: 109 | 2015: 228 | 2016: 697 | 2017: 3,687 | 2018: 1,894. | 2019: 1030 | 2020: 23

** Note to myself #2: Check Bookmarks, Comments & Word Count in the actual works list rather than statistics because stats numbers are off for some reason but works sort correctly.

[1] Leaving out bonus materials and any content that isn't actual fiction. I did create an alternate pseudonym for podfics, etc. though, so the data should be more accurate. Also, I've added the year in which these fics were published as another point of reference.