Sign up, or no?

[wallwalker]

I am thinking very, very seriously about whether or not to sign up for FFEX. I mean, I've enjoyed it in the past! I have! And I'd like to support all of the effort that's gone into it, especially this year. But... I have to decide whether or not I can actually do it. Last year I did my absolute best but still felt like I didn't finish the story I wanted to tell, so I felt bad about my output. This year... I don't know if it'll be different or not. I'm feeling a little better but I have less free time. Having a netbook to use (and hopefully having an actual computer to use within a week or so) will help immensely. And I'll have more free time on my own, which... sometimes helps and sometimes hurts, depending on my mood from day to day.
I've always gotten very nice things out of it, though. So I might go ahead and give it another shot.

Thinking about this made me realize something about the way I approach exchanges in general and why I need to maybe change my approach. Typically, using a maximum of four prompts as an example, three of my prompts on this sort of exchange will somehow be oddball requests (a type of fandom not common in the exchange, a pairing that I've never seen anyone do before, something like that.) Then, for my last prompt, I'll think, "Hm, I should add something a little bit less unusual. It'll make me easier to match." So I'll add something more typical to the mix. That last one, inevitably, is what I'm matched on.

It isn't that I don't enjoy what I get, because I do. But I'm thinking that I need to be more consistent on requesting these things that I've been hoping someone would write for years, and not worry about being hard to match until it actually turns out that I am. If that makes sense.

Meh. Either way, I need to decide before I go to work tomorrow morning, or I'll miss my chance.

Comments

[stealth_noodle]

Why is it that good moods and free time never seem to align? It's like productivity waits for a time crunch.

And I say go for the unusual four pack! I for one love seeing rare fandoms and pairings come out of FFEX. :D

[renay]

We always encourage people to ask for the things they want, even if it seems hard to match. Believe me, we've had super tough matches in the past result in some of the most amazing fanwork ever, so never think you're being problematic by requesting across the board unusual. We love unusual stuff! :D

[crankyoldman]

As a consistently oddball requester who REALLY enjoys filling out oddball requests myself, you are not alone!

[lassarina]

Oddball requests can be the most fun, honestly. I don't mind at all being matched on them or picking them out of the lineup in lieu of what I was matched on! I vote you put down what you really want to see, if you sign up.

*snugglins*

[seventhe]

And if you're still on the fence, I'll just throw out that this year I have set up the matcher to be very favorable to small, rare fandoms. Obviously we can only match you with the people who sign up and I can't guarantee anything, but if you can think of a 4th prompt that will really tickle your fancy I would say, go for it and let us see what we can do. *g*

[wallwalker]

I went ahead and signed up, but I don't know that my fandoms were that rare - I just tend to ask for unusual things. XD

I was mostly worried about my end of things, but I think I can handle things better this year. We'll see!

[wallwalker]

I know, right? I'm giving it a shot anyway, though. The netbook should help!

I went ahead and signed up, and all of my prompts are a bit out there (at least to me they seem that way,) so let's see how it goes!

[stealth_noodle]

Hurrah!