I think it's really hard to be in a fandom that is mostly slanted toward one pairing or one genre, and be writing in something different. After being in House fandom where I was writing a popular pairing, it took me ages to get used to being in a fandom that only really had two writers and six or seven fans. But having that other writer made all the difference. I couldn't have done it if I wasn't essentially writing for her. It became all about the quality of feedback rather than the quantity. But I did still need that feedback, though I wish I didn't, and could be one of those (mythical, I think) creatures who truly writes for themselves.