Snowflake Challenge day 1

[turps]

Day 1

In your own space, talk about why you're participating in Snowflake and, if you’ve participated in the past, how the challenge has affected you. What drew you to it? What did you take away from it? What do you hope to accomplish this year? Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.


For me, the Snowflake challenge strengthens fannish bonds. I love the sense of community that rapidly becomes apparent, and that people comment so readily, both to people known to them and strangers. But at the same time, this is a challenge that recognises that to some people, interaction is hard, or something they don't want to do, and that's fine. It helps strengthen the idea that everyone is important in fandom, from the most active to the lurkers.

I've done this challenge for years now, and have met many new awesome people along the way, many I still read/comment with now. And I love that, too. It's like all around you fannish doors are thrown open, as people from your own fandom or other fandoms take a moment to say hi. And who knows, one of those fandoms may be your next big thing.

What do I hope to accomplish? Daily posting I hope. In the very distant past I'd post daily without thought, and sometimes I wonder what the hell I found to talk about. But I did find stuff, and like now, I very much enjoyed talking to people via comments. So, yeah, daily posting will be great.

Non snowflake related. Bandom exchange authors have been revealed, and I can say I wrote A Not So Wonderful Life for akamine_chan who also wrote the fabulous Not Touched the Stars for me, and really, when I think about it it had her touch all over it.

So yeah, my story. It has a not-elf called Brad, Gerard facing death, bad times, mentions of self cest fanfic writing, and future happiness. Knowing Aka I tried to strike a balance of angst while remembering it was a holiday exchange, and I'm pleased with the end result.

Thank you, Aka, both for my story and helping run what remains a fantastic challenge.

Comments

[sperrywink]

Strengthening bonds is so right on. ANd yeah, it is nice to acknowledge both the heavy active people to the more lurking people. They all have a place in fandom.

♥

I hope Aka liked your story, but I'm so glad you are pleased with the results!

[turps]

I love that fandom has a place for everyone.

It was a fun story to write, even if I did wonder about balance. Then had a long thought about warnings. Then another long thought *g*

[sperrywink]

Ahaha, yeah, I didn't even think of warnings!! That is a tricky one. Is he dead or not?????

[winterlover]

I‘m starting the snowflake challenge with replying to your entry. You motivated me to take part this year and I‘ll try, even if I‘m not home yet after spending new years at friends.
I always enjoy lurking at your DW and I like your enthusiasm in your posts. So I‘m looking forward to the next year hoping that I‘ll be pulled into more fandom participation.

Your bandom exchange fic was one of the first I read and enjoyed it a lot. Glad you did it.

[turps]

Well, that's an excellent start. Trying counts for everything, and I'll look forward to seeing your responses.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. And this relates nicely to fandom participation because I saw you kudos lots of the other stories and I think that it's fantastic that you always take the time to leave those, just letting the writers know they've been read and enjoyed.

[spikedluv]

It's like all around you fannish doors are thrown open, as people from your own fandom or other fandoms take a moment to say hi.

This is so true! There are so many people you might never meet otherwise because your fandom paths haven't yet crossed yet.

Hello!

[ysabetwordsmith]

You sound interesting. I have subscribed to your blog.

[cold_clarity]

\o/ to daily posting! that's a noble goal.

ALSO i haven't yet written my comment to you for bandom holidays, but i'd like to state here, for the record, that i really enjoyed your piece and a comment is forthcoming.

[teigh_corvus]

Daily posting. Gosh, that's a beautiful dream that I fully support. :)

And yeah, Snowflake really is like everyone throws their doors wide. It's just brilliant, really.

[frausorge]

Doors thrown open is a very nice image. Go you for doing the exchange, and how neat that you guys ended up in a gifting loop!

[silveradept]

I very much like the idea of a corridor of doors popping open and people spilling out of them into the hallway to make small talk and see that others are doing the same things. Sometimes it feels low we only do it for however long it takes for us to get to our next class, but challenges like this help remind us that it should be more recess, less lecture.

[eglantiere]

yeeeee, snowflake challenge! i missed it :D

[turps]

It's such a great challenge.

Now I have to remember what a busy flist feels like again *g*

[turps]

Sometimes it feels low we only do it for however long it takes for us to get to our next class, but challenges like this help remind us that it should be more recess, less lecture.

That's a really nice way of thinking about things. You're right, sometimes it is good to just enjoy and not focus on an end result.

[turps]

It really is. I do enjoy communicating with new people, even if it's only for this period of time.

The gifting loop made me smile. I remain happy it happened.

[turps]

I think back to years past when I posted multiple times a day and honestly don't know how I did it. I'm sure my life didn't have enough interest to support that *g*

It is, I look forward to Snowflake time.

[turps]

I'm glad you think so. Hopefully, it'll happen, for Snowflake time, anyway.

Thank you, and honestly, no need to comment. It's enough to know you liked.

Re: Hello!

[turps]

Hello!

And I've done the same back.

[turps]

This is so true! There are so many people you might never meet otherwise because your fandom paths haven't yet crossed yet.

Exactly! It's such a great excuse to meet people.

[turlough]

Daily posting would be totally awesome!!

[turps]

Hopefully, I can achieve that.

Two down already, so it's a good start.

[teigh_corvus]

Hee! I don't know - I remember being pretty darn interested in what you had to say. Having a lively fandom helps, but the you factor's always been the biggest draw, IMO. I'm sure you have oodles of awesome to share.

Me too. Honestly, it's sometimes the only thing that gets me through the holidays.

[anotherslashfan]

But at the same time, this is a challenge that recognises that to some people, interaction is hard, or something they don't want to do, and that's fine. It helps strengthen the idea that everyone is important in fandom, from the most active to the lurkers.

One of the reasons I enjoy you and your DW so much is that you are instinctively, it seems, so incredibly welcoming to everybody ♥.

[turps]

One of the reasons I enjoy you and your DW so much is that you are instinctively, it seems, so incredibly welcoming to everybody ♥.

Thank you for that ♥