Of This and Other Worlds

Over the past few days Jemima, seemag and lizbee have been reflecting on whether it's arrogant (or inaccurate) to call one's fic a "gift". Jemima thinks "gift" is a perfectly reasonable term. Seema prefers some term other than "gift". And Liz has just amused herself by making a "My fic is a gift" icon, which produced this delightful response from ajhalluk.

I can see everybody's point -- I agreed somewhat with Jemima and even more with Seema -- but none of the descriptions I'd yet heard really seemed to quite describe the way I feel about writing. Then, just this morning, it came to me in a flash of inspiration.

I am a busker.

Here I stand on my little corner of the Internet, playing my fanfic tunes for anyone and everyone to hear, and hoping that some of them will be kind enough to leave some feedback in exchange. Some people pass by without stopping or sparing my fic a glance. Others hesitate a minute before deciding "Nah, I can't get into that old-fashioned het stuff" and moving on. Still more readers wander about in the background until the story is done, more or less enjoying the fic but unwilling or unable to FB. And then there are the few encouraging souls who toss a few coins of criticism and/or praise in the review jar and ask, "Do you do requests?"

Yep, that analogy suits me just fine.