I find it very reassuring to have shared these thoughts about fanworks exchanges and challenges with you. It's really helping me with my own decision-making about where to put my fannish energies and where not to put them. I did not like how stressed out I got about some of the fic-writing commitments I was making, but because I did like much of what I ultimately wrote I though I "needed" that pressure in order to get writing done. Firewhiskey Fic has shown me what it's like to just relax and let the words flow as they will and ENJOY the process...AND enjoy interacting in comments with my fellow participants.

And as for what you said about collaborative work -- yes, that can be so tricky -- I've had a few good experiences there and a few bad experiences there. At this point I think I'd only do a collab again with someone with whom I've already done one that went well.