Round 102, Hour -23

[xandromedovna]

Note to self: if you intend to use HTML, use the HTML tab. Just some food for thought, Xavia.

Anywho, WELCOME TO ROUND 102, glad to see y'all in these trying times. What projects are you breaking out to combat the social distance blues (or are you stuck adventuring because you're suddenly essential)?

Comments

[alexseanchai]

I am stuck with a cat on me. She's using my wrist as her pillow; it's super adorable but also harder to type.

I wanna make progress on where the firelight fades. Failing that, *waves vaguely at ridic bunny hutch*

[xandromedovna]

just the right blend of endearing and aggravating, definitely a cat.

[kalloway]

Apparently one of our new customers is a big supplier to a $Government Agency, so I've been deemed essential. (None of us knew til we got handed our papers!) I'll be joining in after work today.

[xandromedovna]

congrats I guess haha wishing you all the luck and health!

[elucidate_this]

I want to finish a draft of my FTH fic. Alternately I am going to fuck around with my various WIPs.

question: is it too soon for a short funny fic wherein one character thinks the other has COVID19 and goes bananapants (like, tracking down a hazmat suit bananapants) and then nobody has COVID19 and they make out? I don't want to be disrespectful of the very real suffering, but, like, humor is one of my coping mechanisms and I think the story is pretty funny and I'm enjoying writing it. It will be clear from the start that nobody actually has COVID19.

[xandromedovna]

that's a complicated question, because on the one hand it's clearly a disaster but it's also completely shaping daily life across the globe and not to acknowledge it seems strange (and would probably feel weirdly anachronistic, like writing a fic set in 2001 where people can just go up to the gate at an airport) I guess in that sense it's a matter of "only time will tell" how this will shape society, and art, going forward. I think you'd have to strike a careful balance of not trivializing the crisis and emphasizing how their reactions are, while in-character, still laughably irresponsible and not to be emulated. One of the criticisms I've seen of fics that use historical tragedies as a backdrop--especially ones in living memory--is that they decentre the real tangible effects of the trauma and use it as an exotic setting for a romcom, usually in favour of characters whose position in the tragedy is either one of immense privilege or trauma porn fodder. You want to avoid both of those things.

that said, the more you overthink it, the more offensive it's likely to be, so I'd say be careful but write the story you need to see right now

[elucidate_this]

Thank you for such detailed feedback!

I think this fic might wander too close to centering a character of immense privilege, that was somewhat less true when I started it a week ago, but the world moves fast and I write slow which makes me ill suited for fic that contains currently unfolding events.

This will probably end up being something I get something from writing but not that I show anyone.

Thank you!

[smallredboy]

Heyoo! As always I forgot this was happening. It's 11 PM over here so I'm not doing anything yet, but perhaps I'll tackle my Big Bang fic tomorrow. Got lots of things to do w/ that.

[xandromedovna]

yay, glad you could make it! nighty night

[badly_knitted]

*waves* I've been getting out in the garden, clearing brambles while the good weather is here but next week is supposed to be cold so I'll be perhaps getting a bit more done at my desk.

I have a friend who does my shopping for me since I can't manage to go out often even at the best of times, but thanks to all the panic buyers there's precious little left on the shelves that I can eat because I have so many food intolerances. The next few weeks/months are going to be tough for me. I can't afford to lose more weight. I wish all those hoarders would think of others.

[xandromedovna]

*waves back* I'm sure your garden's pleased with the attention!

yeah the panic hoarding is gross, sorry :/

[badly_knitted]

It certainly needs it, it's so overgrown, but I'm making slow progress.

Thankfully I've managed to acquire suitable food for the next week, or two if I'm lucky. I will survive! Yay!