2023 Fic Roundup

[rocky41_7]

No one tagged me, I just love doing this to reflect on the year :3 Mostly Silm fic to no one's surprise.



Total Words Published at end of year: 162,562, which is a huge jump up from 47k last year, something I attribute wholly to having graduated in the spring (not that life hasn't kept me busy since then). This is actually even higher than 2021, when I started doing an end-of-the-year reflection!
 

Fandoms: Tolkien with a one-off Arcane in there (might have been more if there were more Ambessa requests on the kink meme)
 

Highest Everything (raw kudos, hits, comments):

• Hits: As Little as Might be Thought (555)
• Kudos: As Little as Might be Thought (59)
• Comments: What the Water Gave Me (64)

New Things I Tried: Not totally new, but I think this was the first year I wrote chaptered Silm fic? I don't usually write fic that long but I got two this year so I'm pleased with that. Also, finally wrote and published Maglor/Thranduil and Maedhros/Thingol after ranting about them in DMs for literal years XD
 

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: What the Water Gave Me just because it's by far the longest thing I wrote.
 

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: Let Me Lie on Grasses so Green, but that was probably comparable with the other two fics in that "trio" of parent&child fics I wrote in February
 

Favorite Thing I Wrote: Honestly I was very happy with how Sandbox Love turned out! It really captured the energy I was going for with Galadriel's possibly-not-totally-sure unrequited (?) crush on Luthien and the realization that Luthien has sort of grown out of their friendship while Galadriel has not.
 

However I'm also quite pleased with both my Maglor/Thranduil pieces, which were both spawned as brainchildren of me and @meadowlarkx so they have a special place in my heart <3
 

Favorite Thing(s) I Read: I deserve an award for limiting this to 15 fics shhh no it wasn't originally supposed to be 10

• Less Wise by @meadowlarkx - I know I've flailed about this one multiple times this year already, but here we go again. Our brainchild pairing may be unusual, but I would implore you to give it a chance, particularly if you're a fan of either Maglor or Thranduil. Lark's characterizations here are so fantastic and the dynamic between them is so juicy! Maglor trying to redeem herself through service to Thranduil is so compelling!
• Berrypicking Time by swampdiamonds - This fic captures the best part of Finduilas/Nienor which is their healing and moving forward together. Both of them are trying so hard to process their own trauma, but they also want to help each other!
• It's the Secret That We Keep by Loriand_Lost - Beautiful fic exploring Galadriel’s relationships with both Celeborn and Luthien in Doriath. Absolutely fantastic characterization! And great smut scenes.
• The Pleasure of the King by Anonymous - Ahhh this is such a great fic. Azaghal and his wife Khoreti are quite eager to show Felagund the depths of hospitality in Belegost. Absolutely fantastic characterizations and such a fun time for everyone here. Also, origins of Finrod’s nipple piercings ;D
• Beware of Women with Beards and Men Without by TheLionInMyBed - Azaghal and Maedhros’ alliance was full of cultural misunderstandings, but they push their way through it. Delightful characterizations here, particularly of Azaghal who gets basically none in canon, and a funny but also touching relationship between them.
• Nesting by LiveOakWithMoss - It has great characterizations and a fascinatingly toxic Kidnap Fam dynamic, both between the twins and the Feanorians and between Maedhros and Maglor themselves. The whole thing is delightfully fucked up.
• A Poetry Lesson by HewerOfCaves - Gorgeous characterization for Ingwion and I love seeing cocky prince Maedhros in Tirion who’s hot and smart and he knows it. Also, hitting on someone in a library feels like such an incredibly Maedhros move.
• You are Coming Down with Me by TheLionInMyBed - Dark comedy look at the Kidnap Fam which takes, imo, a much more realistic look at how unhealthy the situation was for everyone involved, particularly the twins. Excellent characterizations!
• Daeron Nails It by Tallulah - I am in LOVE with this little fic, it incorporates so many delightful details about the court in Menegroth. I am so pleased to see I am not the only one picturing Thingol and Melian with the cringiest pet names for each other.
• A Fish Hook, an Open Eye by simaethae - Delicious. Maglor goes to the Havens at Sirion to try to wheedle cooperation out of Elwing, but she is not having it. Their argument takes a interesting turn in private. Love how desperate and pathetic Maglor is here.
• A House of Nettles by Ias - Amazing delicious sexy fic where Eowyn becomes haunted by the Witch King–former queen of Numenor Tar-Miriel. It is SO good.
• Strength Like a Tower by potatoesanddreams - This fic almost made me cry over a building. Fantastic look at how Elves connect to their environment.
• Bite Thy Wings and Let Thee Crawl by @meadowlarkx - I shit you not this fetish porn fic has one of the best theses on Morgoth I've seen in this fandom. Lark displays a particularly deft talent in being able to take what could easily be considered a comical fetish and imbue it with such terror.
• And by their blazing signify that a great princess falls, but doth not die by TheLionInMyBed - Absolutely obsessed, some of the best Elwing characterization I’ve ever seen. Gorgeous look at Elwing’s relationship with the other refugees of the Havens and at the Feanorians’ dynamic with them. One of the best Elwing fics I’ve ever read.
• Shadow of the Evening by RussetFiredrake - Captures that lady knight/noblewoman thing with Arwyn SO well…both characters are so loveable here.

Writing Goals for 2023: Nothing specific. Life is a bit in flux right now so I can't say what I'll have time or energy for.

 

Please note you are by no means required to follow my template or include individual fic stats at all! You can just answer the questions if you prefer (❁´◡`❁)