dailydreamer57

[dailydreamer57]

Hi Jordan, I'm just starting out writing my fic and I am a bit stuck so I'm seeking for some advice. How do you plan your fics? I have a few specific scenes in my head and I'm not sure whether I should write those and build my fic around it? Or I should plan out all the vital plot points

Hello darling! Sorry about the delay in getting to you!

Most of my stories are born out of one cool scene or concept, and then I create the branching storyline for either direction from that one moment in the plot.

I don’t have a specific method that I follow - each story’s development is different and I’m very much at the whim of my muse and imagination. But one structure that I have found helpful is this:

Identify your main characters and their details (e.g., their backstories, their traits, their flaws relevant to your fanfiction world / environment / AU). For example - in a non-magical AU, how would this impact the lives of character who were canonically magical?

Order your current scenes into a rough timeline and identify the gaps between them. For example - label them ‘Scene A’, ‘Scene B’ and ‘Scene C’ once you know what you’re working with.

Starting with your earliest scene, figure out how much build up you want until you reach it and then start working backwards until you’re satisfied with your story’s new initial starting point. For example - your original ‘Scene A’ might end up becoming your new ‘Scene H’. Relabel and reorder them as you go!

Think of potential in-between scenes that could occur to propel the story and characters along, and mark them down (these in-between scenes don’t have to be super detailed, but it will help you to flesh out your order). For example - “I know that at some point before ‘Scene F’ I want these two characters to have a fight, so I’ll just put it down as ‘Scene D’ for now”.

Repeat the above steps for all of your original scenes, until you have a tentative sequence of events between all of them.

Once you have a rough outline, identify your moments of conflict - and outline how these moments will impact the growth of your character. For example - ask yourself things like: Will they grow stronger or weaker because of this conflict? Will their previous progress continue or will they be stalled? How does it affect them emotionally as well as physically? Does their flaw play into this conflict at all? Have I foreshadowed things to my satisfaction?

Characters drive your story events forward, so consider what their motivations are at each point in the story. For example - ask what they want and how you, as the writer, can stop them from getting it.

Start planning how each conflict will be resolved. For example - did the character’s growth from a previous moment of conflict help them learn a new ability or piece of information that lets them overcome this next challenge?

These are just some small tips but I hope they help! The important thing about setting out your plot is understanding that everyone’s process is different, and that even if you don’t know all of the in-between moments just yet, you’ll discover them along the way.

Some people are super detailed in their outlining, others figure it out mid-way through. I had the ending of CS planned out pretty much from the beginning. The plot-twist to ybtm only came to me as I was writing it, and I had to go back and rewrite the first chapter to make it make sense.

Writing is very fluid, and you shouldn’t be afraid to start just because you don’t have all the pieces perfectly arranged.

[dailydreamer57]

It's my 5 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

[dailydreamer57]

In the spirit of encouraging people to comment on fanfics while also making it easier to do so, I feel obliged to share a browser extension for ao3 that has quite literally revolutionized the comment game for me.

I present to you: the floating ao3 comment box!

From what I've seen, a big problem for many people is that once you reach the comments at the bottom of a fic, your memory of it miraculously disappears. Anything you wanted to say is stuck ten paragraphs ago, and you barely remember what you thought while reading. This fixes that!

I'll give a little explanation on the features and how it works, but if you want to skip all that, here's the link.

The extension is visible as a small blue box in the upper left corner.

(Side note: The green colouring is not from the extension, that's me.)

If you click on it, you open a comment box window at the bottom of your screen but not at the bottom of the fic. I opened my own fic for demonstrative purposes.

The website also gives explanations on how exactly it functions, but I'll summarize regardless.

insert selection -> if you highlight a sentence in the fic it will be added in italics to the comment box

add to comment box -> once you're done writing your comment, you click this button and the entire thing will automatically copied to the ao3 comment box

delete -> self explanatory

on mulitchapter fics, you will be given the option to either add the comment to just the current chapter or the entire fic

The best part? You can simply close the window the same way you opened it and your progress will automatically be saved. So you can open it, comment on a paragraph, and then close it and keep reading without having the box in your face.

Comments are what keep writers going, and as both a writer and a reader, I think it's such an easy way of showing support and enthusiasm.

[dailydreamer57]

@childotkw omg such a good prompt, i had to share!!

Here’s another Tomarrymort fic prompt no one asked for:

Imagine a Professor Riddle/Voldemort AU in which MOD Harry is impersonating a squib working at Hogwarts (think Filch). & they meet when Tom is a 1st year & over time Tom becomes convinced that Harry is not a squib at all but some sort of immortal eldritch being impersonating a janitor. Because how tf has he not aged since he was a child? How does he seem to know everything about everyone? How does he keep messing up all his plans?!

I picture Harry having a similar vibe from the janitor from Scrubs. Just so casually putting a wrench in every one of Tom’s schemes just for shits and giggles. & Tom is just obsessed with him & proving that he’s not human dammit!

Professor Riddle (to Harry):

Harry (to Tom):

[dailydreamer57]

My conclusion after reading all Harry Potter books is that Voldemort is either busy unaliving people or he is busy in being possessive over harry or calling Harry mine .

There is no in between (one of many examples👇🏻)

[dailydreamer57]

Omg gorgeous! 😍

Head Auror Potter ⚡

[dailydreamer57]

it’s crazy how much diversity there can be in one species…these are all pictures of the same bird species (red-tailed hawk)

[dailydreamer57]

[dailydreamer57]

when no one has written the exact fic to scratch a very specific emotional itch and you absolutely do not have time to write it yourself but you still want to read it dammit

[dailydreamer57]

AO3 is down, I have a lot of Tomarry & Harrymort EPUBs, here they are. Most of them you'll have to download.

Banish Me to the Garden of Eden

Harry Potter had expected the green of the killing curse, not the red of a stunning spell. He couldn't have guessed that Voldemort would discover the truth first, and chose to trap his wayward horcrux. And in his new cage there is a very simple rule: behave and be rewarded, act out and be punished. He had been asked to die, never told to live.

In Due Thyme epub

Harry Potter has never decorated for the holidays before. Why has he started now? Better yet, why does Voldemort care—and why can't he stop? Their marriage of half a decade has worked flawlessly on the simple principle of, out of sight, out of mind. Neither of them are here by choice, after all, and the manor is large enough for them to avoid each other for months at a time without any trouble. It's safer that way for all involved. Voldemort had assumed they had an understanding on the matter.

But now, his halls are clogged with garlands and lights and Harry has wrought a subtle magic that keeps tugging on the Dark Lord's mind, pulling his attention away from more important matters—like paperwork and the running of a country without the assistance of competent minions. Celebrating the holidays is a waste of time anyway.

Now, if only Voldemort could convince the strange, uncertain yearning in his heart of the same thing.

Coriander

Five times Voldemort saves Harry from being love-potioned (or lust-bombed), intentionally or not - and one time he doesn't have to.

Entwined & Enraptured

Voldemort has won. Hogwarts and England are his, but satisfaction is fleeting when Harry Potter, who vanished during the battle, begins to appear in his dreams, fighting for survival in a frigid wasteland. As Voldemort grows close to Harry, murderous intent gives way to lustful desire and when he succeeds in bringing Harry back from the Drift, their lives are irrevocably changed forever.

Primeval EPUB

A vicious snarl thundered in the air, one that made the hairs in Harry’s arms stand on end, and then— Screams. Harry thought he knew terror, had known it from the moment he’d faced off Voldemort in his first year at Hogwarts. Now he knew better. Something wrenched in his stomach, petrified and noxious at the same time he saw Voldemort move and turn. Voldemort was— Harry gagged. AKA Voldemort's ritual goes horrifically wrong.

hostage EPUB

Love at First Sight EPUB

Voldemort rises from the cauldron with two dicks and some extra powers. Harry's mesmerized.

Murmuration (EPUB)

Exhausted and anemic from Umbridge's Blood Quill, Harry decides to relieve stress by writing Voldemort a parody of a letter, intimating that Harry wouldn't mind if Voldemort murdered Umbridge (not that he'd ever send it, of course). In a series of events culminating in Voldemort receiving that letter, Harry discovers what it means to request the aid of a possessive Dark Lord.

Kisses Cursed EPUB

Fairytale AU. Loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Some said he was once a man, cursed, and some that he sold his soul to demons and became one in turn. Others said that such evil as he could never have been human. That he was instead a nightmare, left lingering upon the earth a very long time ago. Harry just knew it wasn't safe to walk near the Riddle House after dark.

another day to find you

When Lord Voldemort last closed his eyes, his greatest enemy had bested him and he had felt the final vestiges of his ruptured soul sinking into his greatest fear. He opened his eyes again only to be met with a reality far too inconceivable to be true: Harry Potter cooking his breakfast in an apron.

splits your skin from end to end, down the center of the earth

Snape has just killed Dumbledore before Harry’s eyes, and he will not rest until he makes the man pay. But Snape isn’t the only Death Eater wanting to gain favor with the Dark Lord. No, there are ambitions far worse than even Snape’s, Harry learns. Ambitions that deliver him directly into Voldemort’s hands.

“I was so very nearly tricked, you see, but Lord Voldemort is not so easily fooled. No, I shall not kill you Harry, not yet. I think I should like to keep you instead.”

Freefall

A voice whispers to Harry in the still of the night, when he is on the verge of sleep and at his most vulnerable. A retelling of Deathly Hallows. Rated M for Harry/Voldemort slash.

Like My Very Own Blood

Minister Riddle won his election in part because he took the extremely charitable path of adopting a war orphan—Harry Potter, the child of a historically Light family—and raising the boy as his own. It was an investment worth making… or it had been, until his quiet, clever son grew into a brilliant, scheming Omega determined to seduce his adoptive father by any means necessary.

Or: Harry out-Slytherins the ultimate Slytherin, and Tom’s absentee parenting comes back to bite him on the ass.

(Or make him bite Harry on the ass. Or. Whatever. It’s all very bad-wrong and you should probably avoid this story unless you are morally bankrupt. Like me.)

Two Words In Green Ink (last 2 chaps ie Godric's Hollow are missing)

Eleven year old Harry didn't know how he knew--he didn't even know what it was he knew--but as he stood in Olivander's shop with Hagrid, he vowed that he would never tell a soul about the two words written on his wrist. Avada Kedavra. --- a story of souls told in three parts.

Mine

After the incident at the Department of Mysteries, Lord Voldemort discovers what Harry Potter is. He reaches out to his human horcrux through dreams, and the course of the Second Wizarding War is forever altered.

A dark fairy tale.

Harry Potter and the Seven Soup Bowls

Harry stumbles upon a house that belongs to a man named Voldemort. Inside the house he finds soup. And a bed. And maybe true love.

There’s A Potter On Me

Potter is attached to Voldemort in the most literal sense and the brat won't let go. Voldemort is... very confused. (Okay, maybe more homicidal than confused but that only lasts the first few hours.)

Monster Fucker

During their nightly gossiping session, Ginny poses a question about how snake-like Voldemort might be. They fantasize a bit, then go to bed and assume that that was it.

A week later and Harry just has to know.

With Every Guitar String Scar On My Hand

Severus rose and looked at him in anticipation and the Dark Lord's eyes remained fixed on him, "My Omega-"

Sorry, what? What? Severus just hallucinated. My Omega?

"-he hasn't presented yet but he went into a drop and from what I am inferring he was under a lot of undue stress," The Dark Lord informed him in detail, "I will let the healers take you to him but I must warn you until he breathes so do you and your godson, the minute anything happens to him I promise that I will kill you both."

Severus noticed how stiff Lucius became at the man's words. He then quickly made his way into the room to see Cissa and every other healer in the Dark Lord's service present, crowding around the bed. As he moved in the direction of the bed, the healers moved away and Severus felt the air leave his lungs. Fuck. Harry Potter was the Dark Lord's Omega. The realisation hit him like a truck and the need to apparate away from this grew stronger.

Or Harry disappears. Severus is summoned, threatened and horrified in that order. Narcissa is holding her sanity by a thread. Tom is smitten.

Nightshade

In his mind, in his heart, in his soul — Harry.

Female Harry Potter

Precious Horcrux - of course I have it, that is my dream fic, of course I downloaded it, and I managed to get full 10 chap pdf in between AO3 crashing, and then sent a full pdf to @youknowmevj

"Precious Horcrux..."

The two possessive, cloying words, hissed low, made Harrie feel nauseous.

"I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to keep you."

Let me know if you can't open a link of the epub/pdf bcs I had to unrestrict manually each one so I might have missed some. Happy reading! 🫡❤️

[dailydreamer57]

[dailydreamer57]

The way Aberforth said ‘he wants you too badly’ to Harry regarding Voldemort’s obsession with him in deathly hallows makes me blush , kick my feet and smile like an idiot

[dailydreamer57]

Ginny: Harry, are you seeing anyone?

Harry, thinking back to all the very vivid dreams he’s been having of Voldemort lately: Like hallucinations?

[dailydreamer57]

Hi so I’m an avid fic reader but I’ve recently wanted to get into writing even though I’ve never done it before, do you have any tips or recommendations for beginners?

Hello! Sorry it took me a while to reply! I've got a whole bunch of posts about writing that I'm happy to link for you!

General tips #1

General tips #2

General tips #3 (the long post)

Interacting with your audience

Outlining your stories

Being descriptive in your story

If you have any specific aspects of writing you'd like to know about at any point, feel free to send me an ask about those as well! I normally tag these kinds of asks as #writing tips so you can find a whole bunch under this tag too! Hope those help, darling!

[dailydreamer57]

Weak Words To Cut

Here are some weak words than you can often remove to strengthen your writing. I have made these changes as I edit my own novel, so I included examples from my writing to show you the difference.

When editing and cutting words, we are not talking about dialogue because everyone has a unique way of speaking, and it’s important to keep true to their voice.

Note: these are all general guidelines, and you don’t have to use all or any of them. Creative writing gives you a creative licence to choose how you write. Do what works best for you. Always.

Suddenly: technically speaking, everything happens suddenly, so use the word sparingly or it will lose its effect.

I don’t remember ever seeing a man in such little clothes before, and I suddenly despised the one piece left. I don’t remember ever seeing a man in such little clothes before, and I found myself despising the remaining piece.

Keep: When it disrupts your character’s life, and you want your reader to really take notice.

Cut: if removed and there is no change, then it’s not necessary

Then/Next: this is typically a filler word. All events happen in a sequential state, so it’s not always needed.

Then She was gone, her steps echoing through the halls.

Keep: You want to keep the word typically when something is changing in action, description, etc.

Cut: If removing the word does not change the meaning, then cut it. Typically if this word starts the sentence, it’s unnecessary.

Just: this is a filler word, and can almost always be removed.

I was just a game to him, nothing more.

Keep: if removing it makes your sentence confusing or changes the meaning, then keep it. Usually using the word words well as a limiter word. (Eg. it’s just me and my dogs tonight)

Cut: when it’s unnecessary and changes nothing.

Really/Very: these are weak qualifying/descriptive words, and you can absolutely find a better synonym

Your mother is really nice lovely.

Keep: typically these words are fine to keep when not used to enhance an adjective. (Eg. very next day, really think, very back of…)

Cut: if it’s being used to enhance a weak adjective, cut it and find a better word.

Is/Was: this is usually a passive voice, which isn’t usually the best for fiction novels, active voice is always preferred. Naturally this is a verb that you can’t cut from all places, so here are some tips.

Everyone was too busy focusing on their shopping to notice a human sliding between sales booths. Buyers and sellers occupied themselves with their shopping, too focused to notice a human sliding between sales booths.

Keep: when delivering information quickly its always best to just state the facts, so don’t worry about trying to find flowery words to describe everything.

Cut: If you can show what the person or object is doing instead of simply saying it, then change the sentence.

Started: every action has a start, so don’t write it unless you can tell me why it’s important now to know that’s it’s started.

The boy started to rant in his native tongue. The boy ranted in his native tongue.

Keep: if your scene is being interrupted or is still unfinished, then go ahead. This one is a little harder to see sometimes, so just see how you feel with it in vs removed.

Cut: it’s it’s unnecessary information, and nothing changes to the story or sentence when removed, axe it.

Seemed: again, this is more of a show don’t tell kind of thing

Time seemed to slow slowed as I held Vera tight against me.

Keep: if a character knows something intuitively

Cut: if you can show why the character is perceiving what’s happening

Definitely: this is typically just confirming facts that are already known to be true. Repetition is unnecessary without a purpose.

He definitely saw me, but I wasn’t mad about it. (This instance can for sure be removed, it’s unnecessary. However, I want this emphasis here, so I chose to keep it)

Keep: if it’s your character who is confirming facts as 100% accurate and ridding previous doubt

Cut: remove and nothing changes

Somewhat/Slightly: usually this is used when only trying to use a partial effect of a word, so the easiest fix is to change the word that it’s describing.

I looked away, slightly embarrassed.

Keep: if the words is truly the best way to describe what was happening in the sentence.

Cut: when you can use a better word to describe your action/emotion/whatever to be more accurate or it’s unnecessary.

Possibly/Likely/Probably/May/Might: much like some of the other weak words, these are just filler. Something either is or isn’t, and it’s best to describe here you can.

Probably Not with the way he was speaking to her.

Keep: if your character isn’t sure of something

Cut: if you can describe what���s happening, or it can be removed without changing the meaning

Somehow: this is usually an indicator of missing information

I thought I was an average girl in every way, and now I was somehow the first human to ever survive. (I don’t use somehow often. I am keeping it in this instance because none of the characters know how it happened yet.)

Keep: if your character is missing the information and doesn’t know how something became true or transpired

Cut: if you can explain how something came to be.

Adverbs: this is a great category of words to use in writing, but if used too often, it can distract from the story. A good rule is finding an even balance between adverbs and active verbs.

I squeezed her cold hand tightly in mine and made a promise to save her. Clenching her cold hand between mine, I promised to save her.

Keep: if it improves your writing by making it more clear and efficient.

Cut: if it makes more sense to use active verbs to describe what’s going on.

Totally/Completely/Absolutely: all filler words

He grinned at me, his plate almost completely full while mine was near empty. He grinned at me, his plate still full while mine sat devoid of even a crumb.

Keep: if it’s important to the story to know with 100% certainty, and this word gives the most accurate description

Cut: whenever it’s not needed

Thing/It: missing information/ lack of description

I was just accepting all the things they said as truth. I was just accepting all their fantastic explanations as truth.

Keep: if your character doesn’t know what it is

Cut: whenever you can find an actually description or name the object

Have any more words you think should be added to the list? If something does not make sense or you have questions, let me know down below.

If you’ve found this helpful: comment, like, reblog & follow for more :)

Happy Writing!

[dailydreamer57]

Ask & Answered

Tagged by @childotkw

TAG NINE PEOPLE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BETTER

Favourite colour(s): green/emerald green but also love dark bordeau reds :D

Favourite flavour(s): obviously chocolate or Xmas tastes, cherry spiced cake, but for savoury I love prawn cocktail and mousaka (I love to cook so I love playing with loads of different flavours from different countries)

Favourite genre: fantasy, futuristic, sci-fi, magical

Favourite music: oh god, my taste is all over the place, I like pop, rock and indie, house, ect...

Favourite movie(s): catch me if you can, matrix,

(any movies with anti heroes but my mind just went blank there, oh and serial killers xD)

Favourite series: The punisher, Prodigal son, Hannibal, Daredevil, legion, Veronica Mars (oh and I was obsessed with Dark Angel with Jessica Alba when I was a kid,) 24H, euphoria

Last song: 'Miguel - sure thing (sped up)'

Last series: Jack Ryan season 3

Last movie: Dr Strange and the multiverse (bit disappointed tbh)

Currently reading: loads of fanfics haha, just finished 'how large the teeth by MaidenMotherCrone (hp/voldemort fic and started her Aemon/lucerys fic' the beast you've made of me)

Currently watching: young royals

Currently working on: another sculptures

Tagging: @epic-solemnity @obsidianpen @cybrid @maquira713 @terrific-lunacy @k-s-morgan @slashyrogue @vivypotter @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger @purplewitch156 @shouldertallabyss @thefictionist @kitastrophea

Tag me back so I can read your replies :D