roosting chickens - fic exchanges, secret santas, and pinch-hits

[tielan]

So, last year's Pacific Rim Secret Santa required no pinch-hits. Not a one.

Clearly they were saving up for this year, where I'm up to 5 cancellations already, and that's even before I start going through who's defaulted and who's still to come.

At least the Captain Hill shippers have been more forthcoming. I don't mind so much if it's late, so long as it comes in and I'm told that it's going to be late but it's coming in. (And then it comes in, of course. Empty promises are nobody's friend.)

For Yuletide I've done my assignment and a pinch-hit I picked up. I'm quite happy with the assignment - would have liked a stronger storyline, but what I have is still good. I think the PH needs a bit more work, but it's solid and it's there.

Comments

[theladyscribe]

I had 22 people sign up for the hockey mini-exchange I'm running (minimum 500 words), and I have people defaulting on it, too! But everyone I know seems to be waaay behind on Christmas/holiday stuff (not just fic) this year, so IDK. Something in the air, maybe?

(Also, you will definitely get my story, but it is SITUATION: BEARS right now, so it will probably be the last thing to arrive. I am so sorry. /o\)

[tielan]

Thanks. That's fine.

As long as it's there by Christmas Eve 'cause that'll be my CHristmas Day, I open the archive, go to lunch, you guys get to read your gifts Christmas Eve, happytimes!

I'm less worried about the pinch-hitters, because they're people I know and trust who'll tell me what's going on.

[havocthecat]

Defaults and pinch hits are the sole reason I'm not interested in running ficathons any longer. I don't care why you defaulted; if it wasn't a life-threatening emergency, do you think you could have at least TOLD ME ABOUT IT? That's all!

[tielan]

There's a pattern to the defaults, actually. A little circle of Newt/Hermanns who most likely got annoyed when I called one of their number a prima donna who only wanted to write two specific pairings and wouldn't do gen versions and wanted a reassignment a WEEK after I'd sent out the assignments.

Not one of them has responded to the emails. Not one of them has submitted an assignment.

I imagine that the point is to leave me high and dry and looking bad scrambling for pinch-hits. Luckily, they were their own little circle of wank, and the fact that they've all defaulted just means this little closed circle of gifting doesn't actually receive anything at all.

Karma's a bitch.

[havocthecat]

Oh, no, you mean that entire group has decided they want to have their own private little bitchfest just because of that one person? Good grief. Well, I suppose that at least you don't need to find anyone else to write for them - and if they're going to be like that, I, at least, am relieved you don't need to inflict them on anyone else!

[tielan]

I don't know it for sure, but considering Prima Donna listed Newt/Hermann in her first request and so did the four people who didn't post their assignment and didn't let me know they were defaulting, I'm seeing a pattern.

Considering that the one person who did click the default button but didn't send me a message also listed Newt/Hermann in their first request...

Yeah, I'm smelling collusion.

The diff between the four who defaulted with extreme prejudice, and the one who defaulted right before the due date is that the last person actually has a decent reputation in fandom - ie. I've seen them in other fandoms.

[beatrice_otter]

Oh, ouch! It averages out to about normal, but eek!