staceymcgillicuddy

[staceymcgillicuddy]

7, 15, 64!

Thank you, friend!

7. How do you choose which POV to write from?

It depends on the fic, but for something like Soul, I tried to pick the POV of the person who was having the more interesting emotional journey. Usually, though, it has to do with which character is withholding more information at any given time, versus which one is pulling and reacting to that. Or, sometimes, I just need the reader not to know something yet, which necessitates using one or the other.

15. How do you write smut scenes? Do you get very visual or detailed? How important is it to be realistic?

It depends on the scene. I try to get as detailed as seems necessary, but if I'm not writing a porny one-shot, I keep it at a level where like... yeah, someone's getting a blow job, but I'm not going into the consistency of the jizz. Realism is pretty big for me, nothing takes me out of a scene faster than when the sex happens and the characters I've loved getting to know turn into blow-up doll dirty talk robots. (There's, mercifully, not too much of that in Hellcheer!)

64. Something you love to see in smut.

Kind of the same thing I like to write -- realism, laughter, people doing their best with something that is, arguably, the most hilarious and weird thing we do as a species, while also being totally natural and lovely.

Oh, and accurate representations of kink will always make me smile.

Fic Writer Asks

[staceymcgillicuddy]

First of all I would just like to say that To get my soul known again is one of my absolute favourite stories of all time, so thank you for writing it and sharing it on the internet. Also, 24 and 72 for the writer's ask, please!

You are so sweet, thank you so much! I'm so glad it resonated with you!

24. Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

Anything that starts with "always" or "never." There's almost never (heh) good advice following those words.

72. What order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

I'm a chronological writer! If I write the fun scenes first, I will never go back and fill in the rest of it. Doing it that way also forces me to have a reason for every scene, and to ensure that I reduce filler as much as possible (though, with fanfiction, half the fun is that there's gonna be filler because they're my blorbos, dammit).

Writer Asks

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Glad to hear you’re writing again! 56 and 68 please!

Thank you, I'm glad to be writing again!

56. What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on?

This is going to sound weird, but I pride myself on my ability to self-edit and spend time on revisions before I hit publish. I definitely don't kill all my darlings, but I'm proud of the process I've set up for my work over the years.

68. What, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

Oh, this one is so interesting! I would say that I just try and keep myself present when I'm out in the world. I observe people and situations and file certain things away in my mental Rolodex for later reference. I honestly wonder if part of the reason my writing has suffered this past year is that I've sort of hidden away from the world because of grief and a couple of other things. Maybe if I put myself out there more, I'll be re-inspired!

Thank you again for the asks! <3

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Get to know your fic writer!

Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi-chaptered fics?

Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic

Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Do you like constructive criticism?

Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

How do you choose which POV to write from?

Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story?

Do you comment on stories you read?

Cltr+f "blinks" on your WIP & copy paste the first sentence/paragraph that comes up

Link your three favorite fics right now

how does receiving or not receiving feedback/support impact you?

what’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

how do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?

How do you write smut scenes? Do you get very visual or detailed? How important is it to be realistic?

How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block)

Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

Have you noticed any patterns in your fics? Words/expressions that appear a lot, themes, common settings, etc?

Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story?

Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (style, pov, genre, tropes, etc)

Best writing advice for other writers?

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

What fic do you wish you got more of a response on?

Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

On average, how much writing do you get done in a day?

What’s your revision or editing process like?

Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

Do you start with the characters or the plot when writing?

Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

Do you want to be published some day?

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

What is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain? 

How do you write kissing scenes?

How do you choose where to end a chapter?

Would you ever write commissions?

Share a snippet from a WIP

If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

Do you take a sadistic joy in whumping your characters, or are you more the "If you hurt them I would kill everyone and then myself" kind of person?

What mistakes do you keep making no matter how many times your beta corrects you?

Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh?

How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc)

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

What do you look for in a beta?

Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

How long is your longest fic?

What’s your total AO3 word count?

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on?

Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished? 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most? (Brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, etc) 

Does anyone in your personal life know you write fic? if not, would you tell anyone?

Have you had a writer you admire comment on your fic? What was that like?

Why do you continue writing fics?

Thoughts on cliffhangers?

Something you hate to see in smut.

Something you love to see in smut.

Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project

How do you deal with writing pressure (ie. pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc.)?

Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas?

What, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

What work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?

When asked, are you embarrassed or enthusiastic to tell people that you write?

When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

What order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

What do you think makes your writing stand out from other works?

You’ve posted a fic anonymously. How would someone be able to guess that you’d written it?

What scene in [Fanfic Name] took the longest to write? What was difficult about it? 

Did you have any ideas that didn’t make the final cut of [Fanfic Name]? 

Do you have a favorite scene you’ve written from [Fanfic Name] story/chapter? 

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Witness me, I wrote today for the first time since uh... well, the screenshot speaks for itself. I don't think that was the last time I wrote anything, but it's certainly not far off when I last made an effort.

No guarantees, but if I can manage to bang out a few more of these, I might get a new chapter of something up before I perish at the ripe old age of 89.

(Wow, though, getting back into character voices after 7 months away is um. A journey. I foresee a lot of rewrites.)

[staceymcgillicuddy]

11, 17, 24

Thank you! Mwah!

11. Would you like to try any new fanfic genres or tropes this year?

Not really! If I see something that speaks to me, maybe, but I'd mostly just like to get back to writing regularly in the fandom I already enjoy.

17. Do you typically answer all comments/reviews individually? Do you plan to change the way you interact with your readers this year?

I try to! I definitely fell off after finishing soul and that's mostly because my whole life blew up around the same time.

24. By the end of this year, you want your fandom to think of you as “that author who _______.”

"Published something"

[staceymcgillicuddy]

8 and 12 for the fic writer asks!

Thank you!

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

I have a Sapphic Hellcheer thing that I've noodled around with a half-dozen times and never committed to. I started it way back in 2023 (lol) when I first heard Chappell Roan, and in the time since I started it and now, she's blown up and conquered the world. So, we'll see!

12. Will you change anything about the way you edit or rewrite this year?

I'd honestly like to just get back to having a regular writing habit. Last year kicked my ass, and it's looking to continue for a while this year, but perhaps I can motivate myself to do 15-20 minutes a day.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Fanfic asks for the new year

[staceymcgillicuddy]

anonymously tell me what my specialty as a fanfiction writer is

[staceymcgillicuddy]

hi … you’re the reason i got into hellcheer. i discovered your trucker au on a random night and that was it for me. gone! destroyed! completely indebted!

Oh my gosh, I'm sorry I didn't see this for a few days -- I haven't been on Tumblr as much lately.

Thank you so much for this, it really means the world. I've been going through some ups and downs in real life, so coming online to find something like this really made me smile. I'm so glad the story meant something to you, and I really do intend to get back to writing Hellcheer eventually! In the meantime, here's hoping you've discovered the myriad of other fantastic Hellcheer authors in this tiny, lovely fandom! 💚🧡💚🧡💚🧡💚🧡

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Dropping in to say that I'm watching the holiday movie where Lacey Chabert falls in love with a come-to-life snowman played by Ted from Schitt's Creek and honestly, custom made for me.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Just saw that it's your birthday today! Happy birthday! 😊

Thank you! It was a very nice one, indeed!

[staceymcgillicuddy]

You share a birthday with some pretty famous Bagginses!

It might not be your eleventy first, but I hope it’s a great one 🎉

I do! It makes me happy every time I remember that, so thank you for the reminder. I can only hope to one day make it to eleventy-one, but as I have no ring of power within my grasp... seems unlikely. :D

[staceymcgillicuddy]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you’re having a beautiful day!

THANK YOU! PRETTY GOOD SO FAR I got flowers and yesterday all my virgo friends and I went out for lunch (and were upset that the music was too loud in the restaurant #virgo) and my puppy is biting me maybe 10-15% less than he was three days ago.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

it's my birthday and i got on to check some happy birthday messages and this is the most i've been on tumblr in months. hope everyone is keeping well! i have a cake and dinner plans and my adhd is like "that's too much birthday" ala kendall roy so we'll see if i have a meltdown and if my father offers me a billion dollar buyout to leave the company.

succession jokes. timely stuff.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

hope you're doing better!

Thanks, Nonnie! I got a puppy, so yes, doing better. Even if I'd forgotten what having a puppy is like, and am now trapped in an endless cycle of "where puppy, why puppy, outside puppy!"

I keep telling myself that in 4-6 months I'll have a well-trained buddy instead of this little t-rex who tries to eat my fingers, but... patience is in short supply sometimes.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

hi, hope you're okay. *kisses forehead*

hi friend! i am... well, okay is relative. i know i have been m.i.a. for months here and in fandom discord and there are a lot of reasons for that. general summation would be that my dog died, i had to get surgery, i have been sick in other ways, and the depression/anxiety spiral resulting from all of that has basically sucked me dry and turned me into a desiccated husk of a person who lies on the couch and cries 99.9% of the time.

it has also vacuumed any and all creative mojo out of me so that i am even struggling to get done the story for the upcoming hellcheer zine that i'm a part of, so 50% more fun there, too. i'm managing to keep up with rl work (in a high stress position) and that's about it, which i think is also not helping the situation but like, money. money is good to have, as is health insurance.

this feels like such a bummer response but it's more like i'm in this limbo of feeling shitty, but not shitty enough to tip the scales one way or the other, if that makes sense?

anyway, all that to say, i hope YOU are good and that fandom is good and that one day my motivation and will to engage with other human beings returns from the war.