Little Squee

[amberfocus]

So, I checked my stats today at Teaspoon and am doing a little happy dance because 110 people have now favorited Wolf Moon.  Up until this story the most I got was 62 for A Place in Time, which I thought was really cool considering I wrote it pretty early on and didn't have much of a following at that point.  But this...110...that just makes me go squee.  I just passed my sixth month anniversary of writing fanfic on the 18th, so you can imagine how overjoyed this makes me.

And to think I fought the Wolf Moon plot bunny for a week or so before giving in and writing it down and starting the story.  Of course, the only reason I fought it so hard was because even then I saw the scope and size of it, though it was a lot more nebulous.  But now with an additional 11 stories in the series planned, well, epic almost feels like an understatement.  A very scary understatement.  But I'm still going to do it.  I do so love a challenge when it comes to writing.

It's also now surpassed my most reviewed story as well, which was You Reap What You Sow at 389.  Four more reviews to go and it'll have hit 400.  Wow, I'm floored.  Makes me wonder what it might have been if I hadn't brought so many of my reviewers over here so they didn't have to wait on Teaspoon mods to put a chapter up.  (Over 12 hours yesterday, don't know how much longer as I went to sleep but it was up at 7:45 this morning). 

Oh, I know it's all so silly to be happy over these goofy things, but you know what?  I still am.  It makes me go Squeeeeee!

Comments

[sunnytyler001.livejournal.com]

Your stories so deserved to be favourited! They're all awesome!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. You're sweet.

[amyo67.livejournal.com]

You deserve to be happy about it. You do a great job. Yippee for you! Have a great day. Keep up the great work.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. So kind of you.

[starrynights24.livejournal.com]

Oh you absolutely should be thrilled to pieces about that! You're a fantastic writer, and these are fantastic stories!

I'm actually glad that you brought it over here, as it has given me the opportunity to review it.

Congratulations!

*bounces in excitement for amberfocus*

*hugs*

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks. I'm just so glad people like them, you know?

[nattieb.livejournal.com]

You have some of the best stories, it is no surprise. That is awesome though. If it would help, I'd be happy to review in both places!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I don't know, isn't that kind of cheating? Maybe. Well, only if you want to... *laughs*

Congratulations, well deserved!

[azriona.livejournal.com]

I think it only makes sense that you're that popular. But Wolf Moon was the first DH fanfic I read, so I might be biased.

As long as you don't go getting a big head about it and squashing on all us little people who often don't know what we're talking about.... *grin*

(And what's the point of silly things if you can't be happy over them, anyway?)

Re: Congratulations, well deserved!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. What's a big head? *laughs* I love my readers. They are so encouraging and lovely and I'd never ever want to do anything to scare them away, although sometimes I do tease a bit, but that's just me. It's so much fun to read the reviews, I enjoy them, I love the feedback, it really feeds the flame for me and makes it even more of a joy to write than it already is.

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

I understand the excitement. I actually prefer the interaction on LJ, you can link to things, you can use icons that comment on your comment, you can keep a conversation going if it warrants it... But there's something exciting about seeing the statistics on TSP - I was stunned to see one of my stories hit over 1000 views of the first chapter! And it makes me more likely to comment on other people's work, I shamefully admit.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I prefer the interaction here, too. I've become an icon addict and I love the bantering back and forth that you really can't do on Teaspoon. But I love stats. I got addicted to them back when I wrote my first blog a couple years ago and had over 100,000 hits before my first year. It was so exciting to see my readership grow and it's just as exciting doing it writing fiction as it was doing it writing real life. Especially since fiction writing has always been my main goal.

I think I comment more on other people's work for the same reason. *grins*

[linwick.livejournal.com]

Well, the only reason I haven't favorited Wolf Moon is that I have you listed as a favorite author. I really like all your stuff. Thanks for writing these great stories.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. I keep rather obsessive track of that list, too. *grins* I have a lot of people who have done that, I think. I can tell by the reviews. And you are so welcome. As long as I have plots in my head, I will write them.

[wiggiemomsi.livejournal.com]

I love bouncing back and forth, from LJ to teaspoon, whenever I get the message that you've updated. Heck, I've been leaving reviews both places; I always find something new to comment about on my second read .. and third ... and fourth .... :O) *Does happy for amberfocus dance*

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and they're usually such cute reviews, too! And to think you used to just lurk. I remember the first day you popped up to comment on my twentieth story, I think it was, though you'd had me favorited since my first. By the way, chapter 42 is up now!

[fishface44.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! From the beginning your stories have been great! What I love is that your enjoyment of the stories and characters continues to shine right out of the chapters. You just get better and better, and I love reading your fics! Thank you for all your work and for sharing it with us!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. And you've been a fantastic reviewer right from the start. I don't think I ever would have finished Just Another Shop Girl without your support.

I do love my characters so I'm happy that joy comes through in my writing. And you're welcome.

[fishface44.livejournal.com]

I loved Just Another Shop Girl! I still think fondly of the Tirawls! Wildly memorable! (The drayguins reminded me of them too. And when the TARDIS spoke of them as her cousins recently it was very, very sweet.)
As you often do, you made my day! :)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

See, I loved it, too, but I think Teaspoon was very heavily Ten loaded at the time. Now with so many Nine fans around it might have done better. It is one I'm intending to post here where people obviously like Nine (understatement). And I loved the Tirawls. Yes, I thought of them when I created the drayguins, too. Though much less fierce and way more loveable, I think.

Oh, hmmm...I wonder if I can bring them into one of these stories? I'll have to think on it. They've reoccurred in Time Eternal series and Jack's Path series so it's not out of the question to bring them in to this series. Even though those two are connected and this series is seperate.

And you always make my day, too with your terrific reviews. *smiles*

[katecarter.livejournal.com]

I need some hints...how did you get so popular, so quickly?! I've been writing fanfic off and on for, oh, five years, maybe six, and I've been writing Doctor Who fanfic since October, and I'm lucky to get a half-dozen reviews a story/chapter. And some of them have actually been pretty good (not all, but some).

Is it the sheer volume?

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I'm very conscious of having a good balance of humor, romance, and angst or hurt/comfort in every story, unless it's fluff and then usually no angst unless it's of the "I don't know if he/she wants me or is going to leave me" variety followed by fluff and reassurances. I try never to make the characters totally hateful or angry, especially Jackie like so many do. One-note Jackie turns me off. And I think some people read just for the smut lately. I've only been writing fanfic since September 18th myself and I'm still so thrilled at every review I receive.

One thing I always do and have always done is answer every single review I get on a story (though not the one essay I did as I posted it and totally forgot about it) because I like that connection with my readers and also I don't like it when I leave a review for someone and it's not acknowledged even with a simple one word thanks, so I don't do it to others who have taken the time to tell me something nice about my story. I don't know if you do or not, but you've always replied to my reviews, that I do know. I think that reviewing other people and encouraging them leads to them usually reading something of yours in thanks and reviewing in return and if you're lucky you've hooked a new reader.

I do think posting updates regularly has helped my popularity. People know that if they start reading a story I've written that it's going to be 1. finished someday within a reasonable amount of time and 2. not left hanging for a month or two at a time between chapter updates (unless it's Andromeda Rising, sorry, and I will get back to it after Torchwood season 2 ends and they quit messing with my backstory) which can be so frustrating as a reader to get throughly involved in something and then boom, nothing.

All I can say is that I like your stories and I think they should be more popular than they are. I've had you on my favorite authors list for a very long time, and it's not a very long list, only 23 people on it. I haven't had time to read much of anything in a very long time and those are ongoing stories I've been involved in for awhile, I've been so focused on writing. I loved Domestic, the ending killed me. I loved I Lied. It made me cry. I loved What it Means. It was so very sweet. I'm not sure I've read anything else of yours but those were good enough for me to favorite you on.

I guess, just keep writing and updating as frequently as you can. You've got the talent. Eventually people will notice. I hope that ramble was somewhat helpful. I feel a bit useless answering questions like these.

[katecarter.livejournal.com]

Yes, because it reassured me that I'm not the only one who thinks I'm good!
(although speaking of eventually finishing a story, are we going to get any OTVB updates soon?)
That is very helpful. I think I'll just keep writing about a ton and a half and review about twice as much! Thanks!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yes, I will update OTVB as soon as my plot bunny Gabriel stops hiding. I've had a bit of writer's block and my mind has been so consumed with Wolf Moon, it's been hard to focus on anything else. I'm rereading OTVB right now in hopes of jump staring my muse but I'm only on chapter ten and only reading a couple a day.

[katecarter.livejournal.com]

Been there, done that...there right now, actually. Good luck finding the plot bunny (they're wiggly little things!)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Aren't they?