romaine2424

[romaine2424]

early mornings… or something idk

[romaine2424]

HP Fest News Round-up: January 19, 2025

The latest edition of HP fest news round-up is out on Potterfests. If you want to know which Harry Potter fests are currently running, prompting, claiming, open for sign-up, posting, coming soon and so on, please visit the links below:

Dreamwidth Link Livejournal Link

For more HP fest news, visit Potterfests on Dreamwidth and Livejournal.

Other useful links (these are created by me):

2024 HP Fest Masterlists: DW | LJ

2025 HP Fest Masterlists: DW | LJ

HP Fest Schedule (by dates)

HP Fest Spreadsheet (by characters & pairings)

HP Monthly Prompt Challenges

[romaine2424]

Year in Review - Fest podfics

Care of Magical Creatures (and sequels) by @arsenicjade for @polypodweek (E, 73k, 8 hours, Hermione x Remus x Severus)

Summary: In the aftermath of the War, Hermione finds her way.

the dogfather (and sequels) by @nonasuch for @goodgodfathersiriusblack (T, 48k, 5 hours, Remus x Sirius)

Summary: “I’m not a reverse werewolf either,” says the man. “I’m your godfather.”

Stay by vendettadays for Femslash February (T, 21k, 2 hours, Hermione x Pansy)

Summary: When Minerva said that Pansy Parkinson was to be the new Arithmancy professor at Hogwarts, Hermione thought she was joking. Then she remembered, Minerva McGonagall never joked. (Or, the progression of Hermione and Pansy’s relationship as Transfiguration and Arithmancy professors during the course of the school year.)

Higher and Higher (Temptation) by birdsofshore for @dracotops-harry (E, 28k, 3 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Only Harry Potter could manage to put on a magical collar on impulse and find himself unable to take it off again. Now following Draco’s direct orders gives him intense pleasure, and Draco has a whole heap of troubles to deal with, not least the way Potter looks when the collar has him gasping with bliss. The whole situation would test the morals of a saint... and Draco’s no saint.

Silhouettes by @sweet-s0rr0w for @dronarryfest (E, 17k, 2 hours, Draco x Harry x Ron)

Summary: Draco's trying to fix the Burrow, Ron's trying to grieve, and Harry... well, just what is Harry actually doing, anyway? A tale of grief, gardening, and ghouls, bad memories, bad puns, and bad flirting, and nudity both accidental and very, very deliberate.

An Overly Considerate Friend by @the-francakes for @regulusblackfest (M, 8k, 47 mins, James x Regulus)

Summary: “Remus help! This is your fault!” James tried again. “I didn’t tell you to snog him, Prongs!” Moony snapped back. “TRUE. Technically, you didn’t. You didn’t say 'don’t snog Regulus,' you just said not to hit on him. WHICH I DIDN’T! So maybe protect me a little here please?” James floundered for excuses. Remus debated it for a moment - hopefully that please did itself justice and saved James’ life. “Snogging most definitely falls under flirting,” Remus decided educationally. All his friends were assholes, honestly. After tonight, James was going to start hanging out with Hufflepuffs.

One Night in the House of Black by @sleepstxtic for @ladiesofhpfest (M, 9k, 1 hour, Artemisia Black x Eunon Blackwood)

Summary: When a stranger comes knocking on the doors of her House, Artemisia Black must make a choice. What happens that night will determine the fate of her family forever.

As You Wish by @pineau-noir for @lcdrarry (T, 22k, 3 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Draco was raised on a farm in the small country of Wiltshire; his favourite pastimes were flying on his broom and tormenting the hired farm boy. Though his name was Harry, Draco never called him that. On Harry's forehead there was a scar shaped like a lightning bolt, so Draco called him Scarhead. Nothing gave Draco as much pleasure as ordering Harry around Or a story about fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, True Love, and miracles.

you're alive by @the-houseryn for @harrydracompreg (M, 27k, 3 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: The most boring shift in the world, filled with Muggle car ride games to pass the time, was interrupted by a tow-head boy begging for help to save his papa and ultimately changed Harry's life from there on out. For the better, of course.

Where the Heart Is by @kohakhearts (T, 16k, 2 hours, Harry & Severus)

Summary: After the events at the Department of Mysteries in June—and all that came after—Harry finds himself once again stranded at Number Four Privet Drive. With only his own thoughts to keep him company, he takes to writing letters to the only person he thinks can help, if only he were still alive to do so. As it turns out, though, sometimes help can arrive in even the most unexpected of forms too.

Masks by Inell for DCC Monthly Microcreations (E, 1.4k, 9 mins, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Keeping secrets is tiring.

Clair de Lune by @constitutionalweasleymonarchy for @ladiesofhpfest (G, 2k, 13 mins, Luna Lovegood)

Summary: How wonderful to be seen.

Consequenses and Preparations by ChokolatteJedi for @ladiesofhpfest (T, 1.5k, 9 mins, Lucius x Narcissa)

Summary: Narcissa finds out that Lucius not only let an object the Dark Lord entrusted him with be destroyed, but he was the reason there was a basilisk in their son's school. She decides to prevent any further Draco-endangering stupidity on his part and disposes of him. Not that anybody guesses it's her, of course, she is a Slytherin. And she's going to make sure her son acts like one, too.

the residue of design by @fleurting for DCC Monthly Microcreations (E, 4k, 26 mins, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Rita Skeeter temporarily comes out of retirement to do an exclusive interview with The Chosen One. For some reason, Draco's friends think this has something to do with him.

Fawning Over You by @toxik-angel for @hptransfest (E, 39k, 5 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Harry's not sure which would be worse: Ron and Hermione finding out he buys Draco Malfoy's premium pornography and an extra gift off his wishlist every week, or Draco Malfoy finding out Harry has a horrible, distracting, embarrassing crush on him. Alt title: Whore-ton Hears a Harry.

The Audacity of Lavender Brown by @malpal132 for @ladiesofhpfest (E, 6k, 42 mins, Charlie x Lavender)

Summary: Ron channels his anger through the blades of his skates and the hockey stick he uses on his professional team, but embarrassment isn’t an emotion he’s quite mastered. This disparity between them starts out small, then trickles into everything. For instance, he never kisses her with his tongue. Like, never. She straddles his lap and cards her fingers through his ginger hair, showing a bit of Victorian ankle every time she risks slipping her tongue past her own lips. It’s like his are vacuum-sealed shut. Instead of French sophistication, she’s more like a gerbil suckling from the sippy bottle attached to the side of its cage. She is abundant with nowhere to go.

Tempus Gratiae by @charlotterhea for @harryglots (M, 24k, 3 hours, Hermione x Severus)

Summary: Professor Snape verschwindet während Hermines 6. Schuljahr für eine Woche. Spurlos. Dann kehrt er zurück und alles ist wie vorher. Abgesehen von ein paar Details, die Hermines Neugier wecken. Aber erst sieben Jahre später fängt das Rätsel an, sich zu lösen.

The Chaperone by @annabtg for @ladiesofhpfest (T, 7k, 46 mins, James x Lily)

Summary: When Lily's father won't let her go out alone on a date with James, she has to resort to desperate measures: make it a double date with Petunia and Sirius.

Will you send me to Hogwarts? by @sleepstxtic for @ladiesofhpfest (G, 1k, 4 mins, Padma & Parvati Patil)

Summary: A letter to the Patil twins from their mother.

Tempus Gratiae (English version) by @charlotterhea for @etl-echo-audiobooks Time Collection (M, 24k, 3 hours, Hermione x Severus)

Summary: Professor Snape disappears for a week during Hermione's 6th year. Without a trace. Then he returns and everything is as before. Except for a few details that arouse Hermione's curiosity. But only seven years later the mystery begins to unravel.

A Case of You by @epitomereally for @hd-wireless (E, 97k, 12 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: Draco was doing just fine working as an Unspeakable in Paris, hanging out with his living and ghostly pals, inventing new spells, and definitely not thinking about Potter. Then, Lucius just had to break out of prison and turn his world upside down. Now, Draco has to return to England, where he is forced to confront how family ties bind us—and one infuriatingly fit Harry Potter.

Stick Shift by @stultiloquentia for @etl-echo-audiobooks Fantastic Fandoms Collection (E, 5k, 34 mins, Buffy x Spike)

Summary: Buffy stakes herself a vampire.

Still Clearly Up to the No-Good Things by @snsknene for DCC Monthly Microcreations (T, 4k, 26 mins, Draco x Harry)

Summary: “Tails,” Harry intoned to no-one in particular. “Harry,” Draco said kindly, “perhaps it is getting a bit too late for you. You are gibbering again.”

The Roommate by @romaine2424 for @hd-hurtcomfort-fest (M, 43k, 4 hours, Draco x Harry)

Summary: After one year in Azkaban, and two years of home arrest, Draco is going off to college. Myrrdin College is Oxford’s magical college, where one Harry Potter is currently attending. Both are going for their teaching certificates with Draco specialising in Potions and Harry in Defence Against the Dark Arts. The Headmistress has insisted all incoming professors must be degreed. However, the Board of Governors insist that Draco also must live in a Muggle house with limited allowance and take Muggle elective courses before he can become Hogwarts' new Potions Professor. Harry is coerced by others into helping Draco Malfoy survive in the Muggle world.

[romaine2424]

if you're trying to get into the head of your story's antagonist, try writing an "Am I the Asshole" reddit post from their perspective, explaining their problems and their plans for solving them. Let the voice and logic come through.

[romaine2424]

More Than A Legend: A Drarry Christmas Story (2023)

I'm reposting this fic because last year I released it on 12/23/2023 while everyone was involved with Holidays and Erised. *headdesk* So if you're looking for a fic this weekend to get into the Holiday spirit, you might give this one (18K) a read. It's a lot of fun!

Summary: Harry volunteers to be Father Christmas at Hogwarts, without truly understanding what it entails.

Notes from 2023: This fic was started in 2009 but never completed (5/7). It is now! The original chapters have all been edited and the final chapters finished!!! The amazing chapter header illustrations and images are by the most talented @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm on Tumblr. The story consists of seven parts. Some are longer than others. :)

Snippet:

"Essence of Father Christmas, eh?" Harry said with a grin. "So, who is it really?" Draco's eyes narrowed. "Father Christmas. His beard was cut, per tradition before he was buried. Or so the myth goes." Harry snorted. "Right, Malfoy. You're telling me that the man really existed." Even saying the words made him want to giggle. "Not a man, Potter, a wizard. The myth says he wasn't so much into gift-giving back then but believed in spreading the Christmas spirit in other ways. Only in the past four hundred years has Father Christmas given gifts to those who aren't naughty." Harry broke out in laughter. "So are you telling me I was naughty in my youth, and you weren't?" A blond eyebrow cocked up. "I didn't say he visited me. I probably would've hexed him. He hasn't physically been seen for decades. I'd always assumed it was just a way for parents to make their kids behave. McGonagall was the one who found the box with the modified Polyjuice recipe and his beard hidden in Snape's chambers last year." Harry set down the goblet on the bedside table, afraid it would spill over the top as he shook with laughter. "Snape, the wizard who stole Christmas!" "He saved it, Potter, you idiot. The evil one had stolen it, thinking it might make him immortal. Just drink it, Potter."

Hope you Enjoy,

Romaine

[romaine2424]

Hey

Hey Americans.

The federal government is about to get useless for at least a bit. This is a GREAT time to get involved in state level environmental orgs. That's where you're gonna be able to do the most for the next few years. Even a bit of casual volunteering can make a big difference.

I've done this off and on for years and when we go local we WIN. And friends winning feels good. This is how a lot of progressive agendas have won in this country. The whole US isn't out of this. People ARE still fighting climate change all around you.

You could be one of those people, in community with other people who are doing something.

doom and gloom "oooh everything is pointless oooh I'm so deep and edgy because I love trying to be the death of hope" people will just get blocked. I'm not talking to your crab-bucket ass.

[romaine2424]

PROMPTS

31 prompts for 31 days of December! Reminder that you do not have to participate every day. You can join us for 1 day or 10 days or 20 days or all 31, if you want, but no pressure. We're here to spread the love and have fun!

Day 1: First fic you read/first fic you remember reading

Day 2: a fic rated G

Day 3: a fic not on AO3

Day 4: a comfort fic

Day 5: a romantic fic

Day 6: fic for a ship you don't normally read

Day 7: the best of your OTP

Day 8: rec a fic that was recced to you

Day 9: a WIP

Day 10: a fest/event fic

Day 11: an underrated fic

Day 12: A fic from your favorite author

Day 13: a rare pair

Day 14: a fic rated T

Day 15: a fic over 50k

Day 16: a podfic

Day 17: a fic that makes you cry

Day 18: a fic that makes you laugh

Day 19: fanart

Day 20: a fic with fanart

Day 21: a fic rated M

Day 22: a series

Day 23: a crossover or AU fic

Day 24: Holiday (vacation)

Day 25: Holiday (national holiday)

Day 26: a fic under 5k

Day 27: smokin' hot fic

Day 28: a fic over 100k

Day 29: a fic rated E

Day 30: fic on your TBR that you're most excited to read

Day 31: Most recent fic you loved

[romaine2424]

This one's mine!

Title: What Doesn't Happen in Venice Stays In ... Creator: Anonymous Prompt: #88 Muggle Theme: Muggle Honeymoon Rating: Explicit Warnings/Content Notes: Established Relationship, POV Harry, Redeemed Draco, EWE, Post-War, Romance, Anal Fingering, Implied Consensual Sex While Using Polyjuice Potion  Summary: After a whirlwind year of dating, Harry and Draco are getting married. Never mind that their friends disapproved of their being together. They believed in each other, and Draco gleefully took on planning their honeymoon. The week they were to spend in Venice was scheduled down to the hour. It was perfect, according to Draco. But we all know what happens to the best laid plans. Will their marriage survive the first day? Will friendships with others ever recover? Will there be a happy ending? Of course, there will, but hold on for the bumpy ride. Enjoy! Word Count: 13,368 Creator’s Notes: Readers suspend your knowledge of the timeline when Gay Marriage became legal. Thank you! Major thanks to Nox Noir and Glassfire for inspiring me to finish this story. Your plot suggestions, edits, and revisions exceeded anything I hoped for. Both of you are fandom angels.

( What Doesn't Happen in Venice Stays In ... )

[romaine2424]

H/D MUGGLE FAIR 2024 MASTERLIST & REVEALS!

What an incredible fair we had this year! Events like this don’t come together on their own, so the mods would like to take a moment to express our gratitude:

♥ To our amazing authors and artists: Thank you for joining us for the 2024 fair! Your incredible talent and creativity are what made the event so special. This fair wouldn’t have been possible without you.

♥ To our readers and viewers: Thank you for taking the time to enjoy, comment, and show love to the works. Every single kudo and comment meant so much, and we’re so grateful for your support.

♥ To everyone who participated in the Fair Cup: You were fantastic! Your enthusiasm, dedication to reading, commenting, and rooting for your team made the experience so much fun.

♥ To those who shared their favorite stories and artworks through recommendations: We deeply appreciate your efforts to highlight amazing creations!

♥ To all the beta readers and cheerleaders who supported our participants: You’re incredible, and your encouragement made a big difference.

Let’s all give ourselves a well-deserved round of applause! And now, it’s time for the reveals!

With love, phoenixacid & sassy_cissa

Art 1. Elizah123 drew Drawn Together (Digital Art, Teen) 2. Digthewriter drew Smart Meets Snark (Digital Art, General) 3. RatKingPoe drew Tangled Tension Twister (Digital Art, Teen) 4. ItsPhantasmagoria drew To the Faire! (Digital Art, General) 5. petitanzu drew From Dusk til Dawn (Digital Art, General) 6. Black_cat16 drew Surprises in The Elevator (Digital Art, General) 7. digthewriter drew Breakthrough The Barriers (Digital Art, General) Art & Fic 8. Jaykray drew and wrote At a Glance (3k, Digital Art, General) 9. Rainjuly drew and wrote Starry, Silver Anchor (19k, Digital Art, Mature) 10. Squibnation10 drew and wrote Our Dream (18k, Digital Art, Mature) 11. Its-the-allure wrote Come As You Are (35k, Digital Art, Explicit)

Fic 12. xErised wrote Meet Me At Midnight (16k, Explicit) 13. Sita_Z wrote Five Times Draco Malfoy Used Muggle Things Incorrectly (and One Time He Didn’t) (9k, Teen) 14. DayDreamingFoxglove wrote Eating Away (3k, Explicit) 15. harDeehar wrote But Don't Miss (15k, Explicit) 16. skotini wrote In the Fight for Someone's Heart, the Best Armour is Armani (14k, Mature) 17. annanotherthing wrote Of All The Things You Could Be (Convenient Has Never Been One Of Them) (10k, Explicit) 18. slantindicular wrote Spellbound (23k, Mature) 19. Gnarf wrote Draco Malfoy is everywhere and Harry needs a break (3k, Mature) 20. Romaine wrote What Doesn't Happen in Venice Stays In ... (13k, Explicit) 21. meandminniemcg wrote My Father Won't Hear about This (5k, Teen) 22. Kaymardsa wrote Change the Ending (54k, Explicit) 23. DodgerKedavra wrote Each According to Its Kind (10k, Explicit) 24. Fool_Of_Took wrote (sex) Toys are a Guy's Best Friend (4k, Explicit) 25. luminae wrote taken for another spin (3k, General) 26. rei382 wrote Invaluable (33k, Explicit) 27. BelladonnaLee wrote Angelfish in the Bottle (29k, Teen) 28. maraudersaffair wrote Hurt Him and You Die (21k, Explicit) 29. bahkeks wrote Living Without (9k, Explicit) 30. DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes wrote Losing Count (4k, Explicit) 31. bluedahlia912 wrote Of All the Cities in All the World (11k, General) 32. Trishjames wrote Netflix and Chills (20k, Explicit) 33. Tigersilver wrote Third Wheel (17k, Teen) 34. sassy_cissa wrote There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. (34k, Explicit)

Podfic 35. Aulophobia read To have a Home (14 hours 45 minutes, Explicit) 36. Cailynwrites read A Game of Two Halves (2.5 Hours, Mature) in chronological order

[romaine2424]

To the people in the OTW Tumblr Inbox asking about how the OTW is responding to the American Election.

This is a separate post (and not a response to a specific message) because we all need to see it.

Folks have been asking Support (through the form) as well as the other social media mods, and we have now been given the following to tell you.

We are continuing to closely monitor political developments that may affect AO3 and the OTW as a whole. First, we want to assure you that there are several factors that tend to protect AO3 and its users from legal risks and challenges. These include that we are a non-profit, do not host images, do not use algorithms to promote or advertise content to users, are not aimed at children, and collect very little user data. The results of the 2024 U.S. election are deeply concerning, but the OTW remains committed to providing an inclusive space for fannish expression and will continue to fight for fans' free expression, both in court and through legislative efforts, in the U.S. and worldwide. We have seen that fans are a powerful force for promoting free expression, and we will continue to inform people about opportunities for their voices to be heard. If a bill is likely to be passed in the future that could impact our ability to provide services, our legal team will be prepared to offer updates, guidance, and legal support to our users. Fans are not alone in this fight. Both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/the-aclu-is-fighting-back-against-trump ) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/2024-us-election-over-eff-ready-whats-next ) made preparations for this outcome and have developed strategies to combat anticipated efforts to curtail online freedoms. We urge our users to support these organizations and others as they fight for your rights and ours.

<3 Mod Remi

[romaine2424]

How to show emotions

Part VII

How to show pride

standing tall

expanded posture, opening of the torso

lifted chin, head held high

big and confident smile

looking around to see if people recognize and admire what they are proud of

How to show enthusiasm

big smile and laughter

wide radiant eyes

raised eyebrows

jumping up and down or bouncing

clapping hands

big hand gestures

loud and high pitched voice

speaking quickly

How to show anxiety

not holding/breaking eye contact

fidgeting

heavy breathing

twitching in their face

often a blank stare or looking away

rigid posture

sweaty palms

bouncing their knees

rubbing palms against each other or clothing

How to show playfulness

laughing

giggling

grinning

using a playful tone

making a silly face

touching the other person teasingly

e.g. tickling, nudging, bumping into them

How to show being offended

stiffening up

hard line around the lips

frozen stare

narrowing of the eyes

Part I + Part II + Part III + Part IV + Part V + Part VI

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

[romaine2424]

This this this!

i stand with you in the face of a defensive misunderstanding of what critique is.

i think understanding what a critique actually is is a skill that increasingly is not taught. i remember going through freshman art courses feeling the frustration that all negative, nasty, unhelpful, and missed-the-point-entirely feedback is so commonly conflated with critique, and then critique gets a bad name because everyone remembers the time someone said their painting looked like an asshole (true story, altho now i think i would take it as a compliment) instead of the time a teacher or friend or classmate helped them uncover a hurtful bias or think of new ways to explore the same idea or how to connect it to related ideas or how to look up and understand other people's ideas on the same topic.

anyway i think you're great.

ahhh you're so kind to me!! i appreciate your support, and i think you are great also.

i have experience with giving and receiving critique as a student myself, and i think it was the best part of my degree! i majored in creative writing in college, and critique was just a generally accepted part of learning to become a writer. i don't even remember people being especially worried about receiving critique on their work. we had guidance on what kind of feedback was useful, but we were still at liberty to give it as we saw fit as like messy 19 year olds. the standard was that we gave it both written on printed copies of the work AND aloud in front of the whole class, and the writer receiving it was not permitted to speak during the critique. understanding how people are perceiving your work is important!

i don't have any particularly negative recollections of the critique process, although once in a high school writing class, the boys in the class told me that my male characters touched each other too gently and real boys are more rough with each other. in particular, they took issue with me writing that one boy nudged another. nudging is too soft. nudging is for girls. that was more than 20 years ago, and i still think about it sometimes because it was such an interesting perspective! i did not take their advice, though.

i should dig up that piece and see if it reads queer in any other ways. i think that's what they were getting at. (actually i once had a non-fiction class tell me i was in love with my roommate after reading an essay i wrote about her)(i did not listen to that advice either, but having 12 acquaintances tell you that you're gay in 2006 before you realize it yourself is Truly Something!)

i think people have conflated criticism and critique and think that being more openly analytical is the same thing as being negative. but analysis is so fun to me! analysis is why i joined fandom in the first place, and it's why i write fic! can we trust each other to be respectful and to speak in good faith even when we're not singing each other's praises? for me fandom would be better if we could.

oh i also want to clarify that i don't think it's impossible to demonstrate that you've thought deeply about a piece of fanwork while remaining completely positive. people do it all the time and do it very well!

i know i sometimes have tunnel vision wrt my own perspective. in a lot of situations, i wish it were more acceptable to be more direct, and i know people sometimes find the way i express myself to be kind of shocking. i know a lot of people like to be spoken to more indirectly than comes natural to me, and i don't mean to imply that my perspective is the only correct one or that there's no good reason to err on the side of gentleness/politeness in our responses to amateur art and writing. i just think that at a certain level of circumspection, it feels like we're all holding each other at arm's length.

i think for people who can't bear to feel exposed, making and sharing art is always going to be painful and difficult, and maybe too painful and difficult to enjoy the process unless they're sure of a soft landing. but like. the rewards of being loved only come after the mortifying ordeal of being known, right?

[romaine2424]

I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallowed ground

Drawtober/Boshtober ( @basiatlu ) Day 22: Hunt

[romaine2424]

H/D Muggle Fair Weekly Roundup: Week 2

Art Tangled Tension Twister (Digital Art, Teen)

Art & Fic Starry, Silver Anchor (19k, Digital Art, Mature)

Fic Of All The Things You Could Be (Convenient Has Never Been One Of Them) (10k, Explicit) Spellbound (23k, Mature) Draco Malfoy is everywhere and Harry needs a break (3k, Mature) What Doesn't Happen in Venice Stays In ... (13k, Explicit) My Father Won't Hear about This (5k, Teen) Change the Ending (54k, Explicit)

in chronological order

Muggle Fair Cup team members, please help us record how many entries you have entered as a team. You can also join our discord for discussions with other enthusiasts!

Do keep on commenting on our wonderful entries and help spread the word by reblogging our fanwork headers or by reccing the wonderful fanworks!

[romaine2424]

The Substitute

Cissy steps up to the plate

[romaine2424]

hi betts! i hope you're doing well. there's something i want to ask: what is it called when you start noticing that your writing is getting worse over time?

i was looking at some of the stuff i wrote back in 2019 and they were pretty good. 2021's writing was still okay but the ideas were less solidly formed, in 2023's writing there's a distinct lack in dialogue. and today i tried writing again and i couldn't even write complete sentences. honestly i've thought about quitting writing altogether but ugh! the muses will still whisper to me sometimes and i can't do anything about it but suffer in silence.

as a more experienced author, do you have any advice on how to deal with something like this? i really don't want to quit just yet.

have you tried rewriting? i think sometimes when you see yourself getting "worse" at writing you're actually just getting faster at it. especially since you're writing in fragments, to me that says you might be getting your ideas on the page with more rapidity. every single sentence is carved out of every word in your vocabulary, and as you get faster at that process, you end up relying on familiar sentence structures and imagery. over the years, i've coached a lot of writers who see themselves get "worse" but actually it just means a change in their process: the fast draft and the slow draft. you get through the first one, it sucks, you rewrite it from scratch. and because you've already processed the scene in your head, you can take your time with it on the second pass, in the same way an artist creates a sketch and then begins creating layers on top of it. as you improve as an artist, you build endurance to put down more layers, but your initial sketches may get sketchier.

if you're already a rewriter, it may be a cognitive issue. writing takes an insane amount of brain power, so if you're writing at a time of day where your brain's clocked out, done making words, your writing might reflect that. things like depression, stress, med changes...all of that that impact your writing.

and lastly, you may have hit a writing ceiling! when that happens, a good idea is to try some particular challenge to put you out of your comfort zone. changing up the style, voice, structure, anything that can help push you to the next skill level.

don't quit! sometimes "i think i'm worse at writing" is secretly an opportunity to change things up.

[romaine2424]

H/D Muggle Fair Weekly Roundup: Week 1

Art Drawn Together (Digital Art, Teen) Smart Meets Snark (Digital Art, General) Art & Fic At a Glance (3k, Digital Art, General)

Fic Meet Me At Midnight (16k, Explicit) Five Times Draco Malfoy Used Muggle Things Incorrectly (and One Time He Didn’t) (9k, Teen) Eating Away (3k, Explicit) But Don't Miss (15k, Explicit) In the Fight for Someone's Heart, the Best Armour is Armani (14k, Mature)

Podfic To have a Home (14 hours 45 minutes, Explicit)

in chronological order

Muggle Fair Cup team members, please help us record how many entries you have entered as a team. You can also join our discord for discussions with other enthusiasts!

Do keep on commenting on our wonderful entries and help spread the word by reblogging our fanwork headers or by reccing the wonderful fanworks!