end of year story rec

[erda]

I'm going to close out my year with my first story rec ever.


I've read so many extremely good stories that it's hard to pick any particular one to rec, but there are three stories I've read in the six months since I joined live journal that I often think of as gems of SGA writing. Every word in these stories hangs together so perfectly, making a cohesive whole that feels so right I can't imagine changing a single thing. They're just so much fun. The stories are Kid A by cesperanza, Touch by astolat and the one I want to (briefly, I promise) talk about:

Rock, Paper(No Scissors) by zelempa

What I love about it:

1. The notes between John and Rodney are hilarious.
2. OMG the hurt/comfort. It's inspired.
3. The story is extremely touching without being maudlin.
4. Best declaration of Rodney's love for John I've ever read: "Oh my God, you fucking dumbass grunt, will you JUST SHUT UP ALREADY"
5. Best declaration of John's love for Rodney I've ever read: "I protect you more. I always protect you more."
6. I love poetry. I've read a lot of poetry, I spend a lot of my spare time browsing around oldpoetry.com, so I speak sincerely when I say that John and Rodney's poems are near the top of my list of all-time favorite poems.
7. The story is full of internet slang. I just have a thing for slang.
8. This is the story I would show to someone who wanted to know what fanfiction is all about.

Bye now, I have to go read it again.

Comments

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Stop, I'm going to cry!

This is pretty much the first fanfiction story I wrote (there's a little bit of shorter warm-up stuff listed on my site, but it's the first real-sized one I wrote with a real plot and where I really cared about it & felt good writing it), and the response to it has been so amazing. It's like, whoa, this is why people write, huh? :D *resolves to write more in 2008* (http://community.livejournal.com/12in2008)

Kid A (http://www.trickster.org/speranza/cesper/KidA.html) has got to be one of my favorite stories of all time, along with MVP, Benched, and probably just about everything else cesperanza has written. I also have a complex network of fic recs just in case I ever need to introduce anyone to the various subgenres (astolat's A Beautiful Liftime Event (http://www.intimations.org/fanfic/stargate/lifetime_event.html) for kidfic! resonant8's Terms of Service (http://trickster.org/res/term.html) for slavefic!) God bless the SGA fandom.

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

Just want to say I love this story so much! Yes, you much write more.

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Spacedmonkey! *fangirls out* You did the Starlight vid! That vid has totally been like, a *guiding force* in my *life.*

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

*Flails* I'm always really stunned when people know my vids. Thank you. Am equally fanigirlly about Rocl, Paper (No Scissors) 'cause it's one of the fics I have printed out as a comfort read. *Still grinning madly!*

[sasha-feather.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm amazed that this is your first "real-sized" fic. It's so very excellent. Clearly I must scamper off to read more of your work...

[keefaq.livejournal.com]

We have so many amazing writers in this fandom it's a bit intimidating at times. I really hope you do write more. I'm always tempted by these writing challenges and exchanges, but they make me anxious, I don't think I'll ever by able to write under pressure. God, I'd love to have someone to introduce to (pester with?) the various subgenres.

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

I was kind of intimidated entering mcshep_match when I'd never really written anything of that kind before, but it turned out to be great because the prompts and constraints sparked ideas. I find it much more difficult to write without them. Plus, while fandom is already a great community to write in full of support and beta etc., you can feel kind of weird just going up to somebody and being like "Hi, help me hone my ideas! Beta my story!", and entering a contest provided a ready-made support system. I *could* ask other people on my team for critique and encouragement - it was *expected.*

That experience was also my first with really providing feedback (critique kind of feedback, not just "Your story rocks!" which is also important) on other people's stories, and I'm sure I was tiresome because my advice was always "SCENE 12 is GREAT! Cut EVERYTHING ELSE! PS. You missed a comma", but that said, if anybody wants beta help, feel free to message me. (Um. Maybe I will post that on my lj.)

[keefaq.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize how the contest worked. It is weird and awkward asking someone you don't know to beta for you, especially since I hate asking people to do stuff for me in general.

As talented and intelligent as you are, I doubt you'll ever have any trouble finding loads of people more than happy to discuss your story ideas and beta for you. I personally would be delighted if you are ever in need.

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

Love this story! You seem to have friended me. Hi.

[keefaq.livejournal.com]

Where is the Starlight vid? Dammit, I friended you so I wouldn't keep missing these vids and yet I've missed this one.

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

Cool. It's here. http://spacedmonkey13.imeem.com/video/RIfstXom/spacedmonkey_starlight_tv_video/

[sasha-feather.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you for this rec! I have now started the new year off right: by reading a totally amazing story. I loved it!!!

[keefaq.livejournal.com]

I love sharing a story this good. So glad you enjoyed it.