BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2016

**Posted by Yitzock** November 24, 2016 3:20 pm

I am hoping to get mine finished by November 30th or December 1st. I have several assignments to write right now, so I haven't written as much at this point as I would have liked. But I have written part of my story, and I think the rest will come faster than the beginning did now that I've gotten through the setting up of things.

**Posted by Vhanja** November 24, 2016 9:41 pm

I've written quite a bit of the first draft tonight, and I can already see that this fic will be the longest I've written so far - and probably also the most complex. This is going to be a challenge - a good one!

**Posted by Vhanja** November 27, 2016 7:05 pm

There, done with the main writing of the story!

Now i just need to let it be until tomorrow, where I can look upon it with more fresh eyes and weed away the worst errors before sending it over to a beta reader.

**Posted by OpalJade** November 29, 2016 1:35 am

Hello, I'm writing a short(ish) Johnlock filler for this community and I was wondering if anyone was available to beta? (Pretty please!)
Not sure if I'm asking at the right spot since everyone here is probably busy writing their own story.

**Posted by ukaunz** November 29, 2016 7:32 am

I'm beta reading a couple of stories right now, but if you don't mind waiting a bit, I will read yours too. I'll PM you my email address.

**Posted by OpalJade** November 29, 2016 12:14 pm

Thanks, that's great.

**Posted by Vhanja** November 29, 2016 6:39 pm

Schmiezi - do you have an e-mail address where we send the fics?

Edit: I'm having formatting issues. I've converted the document to html, but when I paste it into the forum to test it, all the spaces between paragraphs are gone.

Last edited by Vhanja (November 29, 2016 6:55 pm)

**Posted by SusiGo** November 29, 2016 7:00 pm

Vhanja, have you used this BBCode Converter?

http://www.seabreezecomputers.com/html2bbcode/

I had problems as well and this one was much better than the other I had tried.

**Posted by nakahara** November 29, 2016 7:06 pm

I will definitely finish my story around 5-th of December. It´s nearing its end, but I need to write a bit more to give it a proper conclusion.

**Posted by Vhanja** November 29, 2016 8:06 pm

SusiGo wrote:
Vhanja, have you used this BBCode Converter?

http://www.seabreezecomputers.com/html2bbcode/

I had problems as well and this one was much better than the other I had tried.

I tried it, but it was no difference. Not sure if I did it correctly, though. I can't remember what I did for the Midyear challenge, I didn't have any issues then. The html-file looks fine.

**Posted by Schmiezi** November 29, 2016 11:08 pm

All those who need my email, please send me a pm. :-)

I am looking forward to getting your fics. Yay!

**Posted by Vhanja** November 30, 2016 9:39 pm

I am probably dim, but I am not sure I understand why I am converting my fic to html in the first place? If I put the bbc codes (ie for Italic text) in the fic, is there a reason why it can't remain in word (doc) format?

Not that it makes any difference, I still don't get the paragraphs separated.

**Posted by SusiGo** November 30, 2016 9:49 pm

As far as I know, you cannot send a BBCode text as file. Could this be the reason?

**Posted by ukaunz** November 30, 2016 10:50 pm

Can't you copy and paste BBCode from a text file? I don't really know.

I think it's a case of not being able to paste directly from a Word or another text doc, because lose all your formatting, but there's no way to convert Word/text to BBCode. You can convert Word to HTML, and then HTML to BBCode, but sometimes it goes wrong. That's my experience so far.

Last edited by ukaunz (November 30, 2016 10:55 pm)

**Posted by Schmiezi** December 1, 2016 4:22 am

You just can't. Not sure why but it never worked in the past.

BTW, this year I will mainly (have to) post the fics from school, before school starts. That means I will not have too much time to manually change the formating and repair things like I did the last years.

AND I've decided to post the fics in the same order I'll get them.

Aaaaand I will do so with the first fic today!!! :-)))) Should be in less that two hours!

**Posted by ukaunz** December 1, 2016 5:02 am

I can help up until December 22 if you like, just let me know

**Posted by Schmiezi** December 1, 2016 5:30 am

ukaunz wrote:
I can help up until December 22 if you like, just let me know

Gladly! :-) I'll send you a pm.

Last edited by Schmiezi (December 1, 2016 5:31 am)

**Posted by Vhanja** December 1, 2016 10:42 am

But if I put BBC Code into my word document, and copy/paste into the forum, that should work, shouldn't it? I've done it manualy since I don't have that much, for instane the i-codes/tags for italics etc.

**Posted by Schmiezi** December 1, 2016 10:48 am

Through a Glass, Darkly

Dear author,

what a perfect present. This is so much more than I hoped for. I have only read it once but will read it again and again.

I love how you used the mind palace. It is exactly what I am hoping for S4!!! I don't want to give spoilers, so let me just say that I admire how you've turned EMP into a fic.

Your language is wonderful to read, so many powerful sentences that underline the gravity of the whole situation.

Sherlock is portrayed spot on. Pool soul, getting lost inside his mind, trying to work it all out.

Your John is perfection for me, too! Just how I love him. Intelligent and caring, regretting his reaction at the reunion, by Sherlock's side in hospital.

The lack of fluff is no problem at all, the fic is perfect the way it is. If this were how S4 starts I would be in heaven.

**Posted by Vhanja** December 1, 2016 1:19 pm

Through a Glass, Darkly

What a wonderful fic. Really well written, and I also loved how your portrayed Sherlock and John. I felt they were both very close to canon, and I could so easily see picture this before me while reading it.

I think your use of MP mixed with the scenes we already know was very cleverly done. You managed to create a really tense and strong atmosphere throughout the story.

Talk about starting this challenge with a bang!