#( I'm sure they can create the wildest stories )

[shrineofprophecy]

All the best, totally normal and amazingly precious ladies <3

[lurkingshan]

Love in the Big City Drama: Episodes 1-2 Book Club Discussion

I'm so happy to be back here with all you friends discussing this excellent show and the novel that inspired it. It has surpassed my wildest dreams in terms of both quality and authenticity to the tone and spirit of the novel, and I am so excited to talk about it!

As a reminder, these are the questions we originally discussed for Part 1 of the novel, and this is the meta round up, where you can see all the brilliant things you initially wrote about it. Here are your official discussion questions for episodes 1 and 2 of Love in the Big City, courtesy of @bengiyo:

With the move to the screen, more of Go Yeong's relationships are featured in Part 1. How does this change your impression of how Mi Ae fits into his life, compared to how you originally read his relationship with Jaehee?

What new insights did you gain from the adaptation's expansion of K3 (Kia) Guy from a few background lines into a fully realized character in Kim Nam Gyu?

In the novel, we see everything through Young's rather biting and cynical internal monologue, while in the drama we see other characters through a broader lens. With this different perspective, how does Mi Ae's outing of Go Yeong and the fallout change compared to the novel?

In order to make the show more cohesive and manage screen time, Sang Young Park has moved some elements of the story around, and in this first part he withheld the health scare for Go Yeong and also brought his friends, the T-aras, forward. How do these changes and the inclusion of the wider cast in Part 1 shift your perception of Go Yeong's college years?

As a reminder, you are welcome to use any or all of these as a jumping off point for your own posts, ignore them and post your own thing, or just participate by sharing and commenting on other people's posts. Please create new posts with the questions if you want to use them rather than adding on responses to this post--it will be easier to capture everyone's content if it's all in separate posts in the tag. I will be tracking everything posted in the [#litbc book club] tag and posting the weekly round up--look for that to go up next Monday ahead of the next set of discussion questions. Feel free to also directly tag me to make sure I don't miss your posts! I have tagged the regular book club participants below the cut, but anyone is welcome to join the discussion!

@becomingabeing @belladonna-and-the-sweetpeas @blalltheway @elimstillnotgarak

@colourme-feral @doyou000me @dramacraycray @dylogpenchester @fiction-is-queer

@hyeoni-comb @littleragondin @literally-a-five-headed-dragon @loveable-sea-lemon @my-rose-tinted-glasses

@neuroticbookworm @poetry-protest-pornography @profiterole-reads @serfergs @starryalpacasstuff

@stuffnonsenseandotherthings @thewayofsubtext @troubled-mind @twig-tea @wen-kexing-apologist

[jsmelodies]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Thank you for the tags, @popjunkie42 @littedidyouknow @crazy-ache @zencetera

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

(If you're in my answers consider yourself tagged if you'd like to play!!)

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

A nice 86k (I write slowly, y'all)

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

I finished my one multi chapter for Nessian week as well as a bunch of one shots!

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

...too many. Four, I believe? And one that I may go back to👀

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Definitely The Knight and His Witch! It was fun to escape canon for a bit, and it gave me some worldbuilding practice.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

Oh that would have to be I'd Go Back to the Winter for @laxibbeb, for a lot of different reasons. I was playing around with a different ship (Elucien!!), and it's probably the wildest idea I've ever come up with.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

The reception for Till the Dawn Breaks genuinely surprised me so much. Mostly because I wrote that within the span of 3-4 days, and wasn't sure if it was that good when I posted it.

And I try my best not to focus on stats, but that fic got so much engagement!

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Yes, if you like Elucien, check out I'd Go Back to the Winter!

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

So many! @laxibbeb @dustjacketdraws @climbthemountain2020 , and some of @podemechamardek's commissions!

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

@littedidyouknow - thank you for being you (and bullying me into finishing stuff)

Also I fear the 530k words you've written this year (can I steal some please)

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

I love all of you💕 @moodymelanist @c-e-d-dreamer @kale-theteaqueen @xxvalkyriesxx @wishcamper @unhealthyfanobsession @whyisaravenlike-awritingdesk @dustjacketmusings @underneath-the-sidras

Also @popjunkie42 @beesays @crazy-ache @foundress0fnothing and so many more!

(Technically some of these were late 2023 but I’m counting them)

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Not yet!

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

Finishing my first multi chapter fic! And also getting involved with the fandom more.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

I've been working a lot on my descriptions and story telling, and it's been so rewarding getting specific comments about that.

And something I'm still learning - that the story I want to write might not always be the story someone else wants to read, and that's ok.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

To love your writing, in whatever stage it's at. It's so easy to hate our own work, especially when we first start out.

Sometimes I'll go back and read my old chapters. Is it a little choppy? Do I see now that there was room for it to improve? Yes, of course. And I'm sure I'll think the same a year from now. But our writing all starts somewhere, and my writing wouldn't be where it is now if I didn't keep going.

And that makes those earlier chapters a lot easier to love.

Also, remember this is supposed to be fun!

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Nothing specific really, I just want to keep working on the fics I already have going and start the new ones I've been planning for a while.

I also have some original work that's been sitting on the back burner for a while, and I'd love to return to it.

Not tagging anyone else but feel free to join!

[esseastri]

Nicole's Favorite Books That She Read in 2024!

I think I missed doing this post the last few years, but let's get back on the train, shall we?

In no particular order, we have:

The Book of Ile-Rein, by Martha Wells: I've been gobbling up all the Martha Wells backlist that Tor has been reprinting, and I adored this set. Element of Fire was a classic and Death of the Necromancer was a romp. Both were fun for very different reasons, but as always I love Martha's characters too much.

Lady Eve's Last Con, by Rebecca Fairmow: Oh, what an absolute DELIGHT of a novel! Full of 1820s etiquette and elegance, 1920s glitz and glam, 2020s swag and shenanigans, and 2120s gravity and grit, this book is fast and fun. The characters are unforgettable, the plot is unputdownable, and the romance is to die for. The most fun you've had at a zero-g engagement gala, for sure.

The River Has Roots, by Amal El-Mohtar: Comes out in March 2025!: I cannot put into coherent words how very much I love Amal El-Mohtar's writing. It's just so beautiful. Lyrical and clever, intricate but open, so full of heart. This book was written with so much love, and it shows. I could wrap myself in this story like it's a scarf and just wander its sentences forever.

The City in Glass, by Nghi Vo: God, this book is so beautiful, but it made me full-body sob for an entire chapter, so I guess, be aware. This book is about grief. Loss and hurt and anger and grief. It is absolutely gorgeous.

Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler: It's really hard to rate this book because it was amazing and also horrifying. So many terrible things happen, but the book is beautiful, too. Despite the fact that everything that can go wrong in Lauren's life does, in fact, go wrong, she is so hopeful. She's got something to believe in, and she is so tenacious. I hated this book and I also loved it. And I am so deeply angry at every literature class I took that didn't teach Octavia Butler.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, by P Djeli Clark: I don't think P. Djèlí Clark is capable of writing a thing I don't like. His prose is just magical, his ideas are brilliant, his characters are wonderful, and his books just fill me with joy. This was hilarious and brutal and fun and sad and I loved it. I loved it so much.

Mammoths at the Gates, by Nghi Vo: If you haven't read the Singing Hills, don't start with this one, go back and read the first three. But then read this one. This one is about grief and it is beautiful.

Swordcrossed, by Freya Marske: The Midnight Bargain's less magical and much spicier cousin, this book is an absolute delight. I'm a sucker for a snarky con man with a heart of gold, so I was sold on Luca from page one, but Matti crept up on me and I found myself loving his seriousness and his sneaky sense of humor, too. Personally, I want the Maya and Sofia POV of this book, because I love those two women more than I can explain, but I'm content with the disaster boys getting the spotlight, too. A great, low-stakes romp though business espionage, sword lessons, guild intrigue, "sword lessons", and the wildest wedding this town has ever seen, Swordcrossed is just fun. So much fun.

A Novel Love Story, by Ashley Poston: This one is about how books by your favorite authors have the ability to change the course of your life, and I just wish Ashley could know that she's that author for me. I love this book.

Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones: I'm still not sure how I somehow managed to miss this book entirely, but god, it is SO SWEET and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It wraps up very quickly at the end, but honestly, that feels very Howl--slapdash and manic and wild. I love how Sophie is the embodiment of "This Might As Well Happen." I just really love them all. What a good book.

Godkiller, by Hannah Kaner: I loved Kissen from page one, and Elo is such a soft boy he was irresistible, and I love the worldbuilding of this strange, godful land sO MUCH. The circle of people creating gods who create people and destroy them so the people must destroy them is such a fascinating design for faith and belief, and I loved the exploration of it.

The Mars House, by Natasha Pulley: Have you ever gotten mad at an author for being too good at writing words? For taking deep, dark, heavy topics like prejudice and fear, anger and murder, right versus good versus kind--and making them beautiful and delicate? For taking harsh edges and writing them in such a way that they seem like soft candlelight? For taking real science and feeding enough fiction into it that you hope this is how the world turns out because maybe, if it were real, then things might be okay a long time from now? Anyway, I've finished this book and I am pissed off that I finished it because what the hell do I read now?

City of Bones, by Martha Wells: While I don't jive with the title of this book (and I'm not sure the book jives with it either), I loved everything else about it. Wells is an absolute master of characters, especially non-human characters that end up being the most human and the best of them. Khat is no exception, and falls in with Murderbot, Moon, and Kai on my favorites list. I love a person who is too deeply good for their own safety. And Wells writes these doofuses perfectly. It's a slow start and a soft story (surprisingly soft, considering how dark it can be), but if you can give it a little patience and attention, this book--like its main character--will open up to you and reward you greatly for your time.

[chuckeroo777]

Dungeon Meshi Volume 9 Part 2

Welcome back! Getting into the real meat of the volume now.

This episode sponsored by Sir Not Appearing in this Season.

Curious that they put this chart on the chapter titled "The Winged Lion." Hmmm. I'm sure it means nothing.

This is just, a really funny visual.

I like how this fake Marcille looks just like the fake Marcille created by the shapeshifter. This is just how Laios sees her, newly acquired bangs be damned.

Why would Senshi be upset? Anyway, I suspect the Succubi's thought process was something like, okay, let's grab his wildest sexual fantasy. What? He doesn't have any? Okay, how about a family member? No, he hates his parents, and he's too smart to fall for a fake Falin. Ummm... I guess I'll become his closest friend and hope for the best?

But seriously, how advanced is this telepathy? Not only does it manage to use Laios' monster facts to free itself, but it's able to pick up on his much more complex, deep-set desires. Oh, also I guess this dispels my musing about succubi only shapeshifting occasionally. This one does it again right away.

It's honestly really sweet how both times he's being offered his deepest desire, he only goes for it as long as his friends are safe.

As opposed to my own expensive tricks.

In Laios' dream, Marcille and Falin are acting like an old married couple. That's adorable. And more evidence that Laios doesn't have a crush on Marcille.

I love how this assumption is solely based on what he heard in chapter 17. Marcille's been studying this stuff. Of course she'd be good at it! Then when Marcille actually gets the chance to control a dungeon, it's a complete disaster.

Yeah, I'm calling bull. If that was all you were, why did Thistle lock you away? Honestly, it's really funny how just two chapters later, we'll learn exactly how full of shit this guy really is.

Finally, something Laios thinks is gross.

This is poignant and all, but it's undercut a little when we learn that elf cake is kinda dogshit.

Why does this happen? Did Cithis hit him with something when I didn't notice? Or does the lack of desires make Mithrun oddly boring?

Kabru's people fixation is so funny. He's known Mithrun for like an hour, and the fake is already indistinguishable. Oh! Maybe that's why he's uninterested. He's already gleaned everything he can from a surface level.

Please don't eat that. You don't know where it's been.

Kabru's nightmare is just beginning.

Yeah, don't forget. Until Senshi showed up, Laios was kinda bad at cooking monsters. Enthusiastic, but bad.

Of course he can. Bold of you to assume he will.

Lol, evil Laios here doesn't even plan to attack humans or anything.

Wishes are always bad news. Seriously, I'm struggling to think of a story where wishes have no strings attached.

What do you know. He IS capable of emoting.

We'll look at Mithrun's tragic backstory next time!

[womaninwinter]

Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask

😅 What's a story or scene you've created that you're a smidge embarrassed exists?

🤡 What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

🌞 Do you have a preferred time of day to write?

💖 What made you start writing?

🎉 What leads you to consider a fic a success?

✅ What's something that appears in your fics over and over and over again, even if you don't mean to?

🤯 What's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

(whoops I forgot about this for a hot second) thank you friend!!

😅 What's a story or scene you've created that you're a smidge embarrassed exists?

hm, there are soooo many fics from old fandoms that I am mortified that I wrote. Fortunately, they are all deleted. For L&Co, I am pretty proud of most of it, although I now see that some of my earlier fics are not as good as I thought they were at the time. And I'm not sure that I would reeeeally choose to write Cutting Room Floor again. But it had quite a big impact, so from that perspective, I'm glad I did.

🤡 What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

I love the moment between Lockwood and Quill in the last chapter of Gutted:

“What are you doing here?” His voice came out in its usual hospital rasp. Kipps put the heels of his stupid pointy boots on the edge of Lockwood’s bed. “You know how they say that there are things you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy?” Lockwood blinked at him. “I’ve heard of the concept.” “Well.” Kipps gestured at him with what appeared to be a disposable coffee cup. “Here we are.” Doped up as he was, it took Lockwood a second to parse this. Then he raised an eyebrow. “I’m your worst enemy?” “Don’t get a swelled head about it.” “I’m sixteen, Kipps. You’re nearly thirty. That’s kind of sad.” “I am not nearly —” Kipps broke off, apparently realising he was being baited. “That smack on the head didn’t make you any funnier.”

Just... really proud of this one.

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

Wildest ride for the reader or the writer?? For the reader, probably the Intruder, lol. That one starts crazy and stays crazy. For me as a writer, probably one I haven't actually published, because I started it and deleted it so many times. That was when I was having myself a lil freakout about fandom in general last summer. I am over that now, obvs.

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

babe, you know the answer to this one, hahahaha. It's Sleep Token. Eveeeerything is Sleep Token right now. Particularly Jaws/Blood Sport. I also listened to this a lot while writing the St Anthony fic.

🌞 Do you have a preferred time of day to write?

literally any time, I just want some freaking time to WRITE ugh!!! I generally manage to carve out half an hour in the evening, right before bed.

💖 What made you start writing?

turned 30 and almost immediately had a crisis, complete with brand new hyperfixation and 100k+ of fic.

🎉 What leads you to consider a fic a success?

Sometimes, when you write something well, you just know you've done good work and that's a kind of personal satisfaction no amount of gushing comments can give you. That said, I do also crave comments because I am a normal human being and I love attention.

✅ What's something that appears in your fics over and over and over again, even if you don't mean to?

Descriptions of food. Scripture quotes (okay, that one's on purpose). Advice my dad has given me. Characters struggling with self-loathing (I am FINE, fic is just cheaper than therapy and much more fun tbh)

🤯 What's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

Action is definitely hard to do and I will tend to keep action scenes as short as humanly possible.

[oliolioxenfreewrites]

Writer Questionnaire ❦

Taking a break from writing to catch up on my tags writing 2 books at once is not for the weak 😭 so thank you @drchenquill for the tag as always!

- how long have you had your writing tumblr/writerblr? a fast and loose estimate is fine!

At least since April or early May!

- what lead you to create it?

I wanted to connect with other writers and creatives to make new friends!

- what's your favorite thing about the writer community?

My favorite part is the absolute powerhouse of creativity and innovation. You all have this incredible knack for coming up with unique ideas that never fail to inspire me. Plus, they're hilarious! Their sense of humor adds a delightful twist to everything we do, making even the wildest ideas feel approachable and fun. Honestly, being around such talent and laughter is a constant source of my motivation and joy!

- what’s one thing you'd like in mutual to know about you?

No notification I receive on this app goes unnoticed. I'll be at work, smiling because someone found my writing and enjoyed it! It means so much to me and only makes me want to write even more!

- is there anything you'd like to see more of on your dash?

I would love more collaboration and interaction in my messages. I am open to discussing and exchanging ideas with another writer. I’m particularly interested in co-creating a planetary system and bouncing creative ideas back and forth.

- which wips or writing projects are you noodling about lately

I'm currently working on fleshing out a novel titled Journals from The Whitmore Estate, which is a modern/historical fiction story. The novel explores the slave and civil war era, and also delves into our near future. It centers around the actions of a power-hungry ancestor who sought to shift power dynamics, and the resulting centuries of generational backlash.

- how long have you been working on them?

Its been about a few months, I had to take a break to give myself new perspectives and coming to a decision on who the main character was!

- do you remember what inspired them/what got you started

I was looking at writing prompts and came across one that said something along the lines of “Your character inherits a manor from a distant relative. Upon moving in, they discover what lies within its walls, answering why your family has been plagued by bad luck for as long as anyone can remember.”

- how much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them?

Wayyy too much! Now rhat I've found the main character, I can't put it down!

- when someone ask the dreaded "what do you write about?" question what do you usually say?

“I write whatever comes to mind!” Or “You can read my writings to find out.” 😗

- name any characters you created. Side characters, protagonist, antagonist, characters who’ve never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you’d like!

Kirjani is my favorite oc to date! Her chosen family: Rick, Raelin, and Lena. The three sisters from the Isles of Aurorith! Imani, Jade and Jasmine, the first ocs I ever created, they deserve their story to be told. (I’m working on it!!) My scrapped character folder is at about 60 something, but the one I just couldn't figure out completely was their grandmother Queen Amara, those who've followed me for a while probably remember her! She was just a bit too sinister and I tried to work around certain motivations and rationality kept getting in the way ��� I might use her for another story of mine I've been thinking about

- who’s the most unhinged?

I think it would be between Amara or Kirjani for sure. One of them is justifiably so, the other… not so much LOL

- who comes the most naturally for you to write?

Jules a gay sophmore in high school who is grieving the sudden loss of his mother (I haven't introduced him yet!) He's the first character I've ever based on myself or someone like me rather.

- do you ever cringe at them?

Oh yeah, that’s when I'm writing his best romantic scenes. Love, especially teen romance is supposed to be cringy and awkward at times. That's what makes it so!

- how much control do you feel you have over your characters? do they ever “write themselves,” refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn’t expect? to what degree? are some less cooperative than others?

They literally form their own lives that I just go with, its their world I’m just living in and writing it! I'm considerably outnumbered lmao

- do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? and do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? for example, as asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on ao3, etc.

More than words can express, that's why I love sharing my characters and their personalities. I want to open discussions on humanity and how the human condition can create dynamically and perplexing people!

- what makes you want to follow another writeblr account? do you follow ‘em as you see ‘em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? do you follow based on wips, or vibes?

I don't really have enough mutuals or followers, so I follow people based on their creativity and if they're on Writeblr. I don't have much discernment at the moment :)

- what makes you decide against following?

Just depends. I guess I haven't found a page I've ever said, “Oh no, can't follow that,” too.

- do you interact with non-mutuals often?

Not really, and if I follow you and you don't follow me back, I will give you 24 hours before I unfollow. We're all creatives here; no one is more creative than the next person, in my opinion.

This was so much fun to answer, I have so many more tags to do, but I’m not gonna stress ah finishing them all today 🥲 I have some short stories I wanna post as well from the weekend.

I tag @leahpardo-pa-potato, @slenders1ckn3ss, and @coffeewritesfiction. + open tag to any writer interested!

[onebedtorulethemall]

Hi! I love your fics, TWR is one of my favorite coworker AUs to this day and BO deserves all the flowers it gets. I find it hard to leave comments sometimes as I’m reading since I usually need to chew on what I’ve read for a while to really decide what I want to say (and I never want to sound pushy for updates or whatever!), but I went back to leave a comment on one of your oneshots and found it deleted so that’s why I’m here. It was called A Life We Never Lived or something along those lines? The conversation you wrote between D/Hr involving the ring theory for grief literally lives in my brain. When Draco says something like “only you could create a system for grief and mismanage it”, maybe it was just a passing joke/throwaway line, but it felt so genuinely in character for both of them and really got to the core of why I love the Dramione dynamic in fics so much. Specifically post war/post canon with Hermione tackling her emotions with pure logic and not putting herself first, and Draco being kind of an ass but offering his own brand of support by recognizing shes struggling too and their sort of awkward kinship/healing together. It also just made me laugh out loud, your humor always comes through so well and that’s such a hard skill to develop! I know it wasn’t going to be overall lighthearted/HEA, but I loved what you had posted so far and just wanted to make sure you knew. Was there a reason you decided not to finish it/to delete it?

Ahaha! I really thought I'd gotten away with hiding that unfinished one-shot. It had all of 230 hits. Never in my wildest dreams did I think anyone would notice, let alone quote a line to me. Thank you, I'm incredibly flattered!

That poor fic was doomed from the start by an uncommitted author. The concept was to write a snapshot of their meeting on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts every year for a decade, with letters exchanged between meetings, a secret relationship, heartache, and an eventual painful breakup. Sort of a "right person, wrong time" quiet tragedy. I posted the first 3k and struggled through another unposted 5k before I called it quits.

Actually, I did a little mental postmortem on it when I took it down, because it confirmed some things about myself as a writer that I thought were good lessons. So, here you go:

1. I need a plot before I start. I mean, I knew this, but now I *extra* know it. I had only a rough idea of where I was going, and that is not enough for me. A pantser I am not.

2. I have to finish a fic before I post it. My fics are usually 95-100% complete before I post, and this was the exception that proves the rule. I'm not sure why the post-as-you-go method doesn't work for me, but writing became instantly 100x harder once I'd posted part of it (which I only did because of the fest deadline).

3. I'm not really in control of the plot. To me, creating an outline is the process of discovering the story, as though I'm documenting something that has already happened. I always feel as though there's really only one way a story can go, once I know the characters. Well, I figured out pretty quickly once I belatedly started plotting that this one does NOT have an unhappy ending, but rather an angsty yet ultimately happy one. And this was for the UHEA fest, so...

4. Just because I want to read it doesn't mean I want to write it. I could have finished it with a HEA and removed it from the fest, but once I realized it was a quiet story about the slow unfolding of a relationship over the course of a decade, I'm afraid that was the end of it. I think it would have been an understated, bittersweet, character-centric little relationship study, but none of those things light up my genre fiction-loving brain. Love to read it, but I just can't find the spark to write it. And thus died my dreams of ever writing literary fiction (kidding, I never had those).

So that's the story! I dug up the part you mentioned and had a fun time rereading. I liked it way more than I remembered, and I'm sorry it won't come to fruition. If I knew how to get myself to write something I wasn't wholly invested in, I would absolutely finish it for you.

From "Scenes From a Life We Never Lived":

Thank you so much for this ask. Sometimes if I'm having a bad writing day or if the imposter syndrome is hitting, I like to pretend someone out there is laughing at some stupid joke I wrote (or, since finishing my gothic, is having a pleasant nightmare). Usually my brain tries to convince me this is impossible. I stockpile your kind words as evidence.

[adviceformefromme]

hey, so mine is kinda wild. i've struggled with depression, suicidal thoughts, and bullying for like three years. last summer it reached a climax to the point that i attempted, but i looked at my life and decided "this is a hellhole, i need to get my shit together." so i'm trying, i've started working harder to get my grades better, i've cut off all of my toxic friends and made new ones, i'm working to get my dreams to come true, and life is better than its ever been.

but to be honest, it's still hard. there are some times where i just wanna give up completely. toss everything out of a window, bury myself in blankets, fall asleep, and never get up. i hate feeling this way while i'm trying to fix myself. can you help me?

Thank you for your honesty in sharing this! Some tips that come to mind:

Look at what triggers you to want to give up, to bury yourself? Slowly but surely start working on those triggers.. for example if you're giving too much of yourself away to men who don't value you, and you wind up feeling worthless, look at the behaviour that got you into the position. The trigger will show you where your deeper wounds are and from there you can start deeper healing.

Re-programme your subconcious mind with a voice recording that you play before bed. You want to record your own voice on your voice recorder on your phone, repeating a few simple affirmations that help and heal you, for example 'I am creating a beautiful life for myself, I love myself, i am worthy, I am worthy of living my dreams, i am worthy of love, i feel so much love from the universe, from the people in my life, i am grateful for this life, i am grateful for all the love around me' you want to record yourself for around 3-5 mins and play if before bed and as you wake up. The subconscious mind loves repetition.

Take inventory of the music you listen to, the external factors that affect your energy, and some adjusting. In my early 20s i suffered with terrible anxiety and depression and I was listening to the most depressing music on repeat. This was completely affecting my energy. Try binaural beats, or frequency healing music, sound healing on youtube, or any feel good music with UPLIFTING lyrics to make you feel good.

Move your body, keep the energy flowing. Depression and anxiety love a stagnant body, but when the energy is flowing it has a difficult time to exsist.

Something I heard once is that negative thoughts are just energies, they exist and they look for places to latch themselves and live within us. This helped me understand that feeling worried, stressed, depressed, was not who i was. They are just feelings that exisit and the more we give them attention the more they can exist within us. Have you ever noticed that when you get distracted your anxiety can go but then when you think about it, it returns like magic. This isn't about wrestling your negative thoughts, it just means taking a deep breath, and focusing on who you want to be. A vision board that is your wildest dreams is a great way to remember your purpose and move away from darker thoughts.

Read fiction. I can't recommend this enough, for a little escapism from the world, something that brings you joy, detaches you from the screen, and reconnects your heart to a story out of your current world.

Find a support system. There will be a number of authors, bloggers, youtubers who speak to your soul on your healing journey, go find them and relish in their message. There are people available to help you. Angels on earth everywhere, specifically picked to help you. Once you start finding healers and a message that pulls you out of your darkness you are halfway there.

I hope these help! Inbox is always open for extra support xoxoxox

[bokettochild]

🎢🧐⌛ for the ask game!

🎢 - Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

Definitely The Floor Is Lava. I had no clue where we were going when we did that one! I'd been writing snippets in response to cool sounding prompts and stuff for a while, and really, the first part of the story was just for funsies. @i-am-1142 and I got in a feedback loop though because they created more in response, and I'd write that prompt too. Every few hours, something new was changing, and I didn't ever know what it was going to be!

🧐 - Do you spend much time researching for your stories?

Depends on the story! I have a ton of Zelda lore in my head already, but occasionally, I look up more or delve further into something I know a little about.

For whumps, I often research illness or injuries in order to depict them best, but also so I know if what I'm wanting out of the whump will work at all. Treatment methods are usual subjects of research, but some herbology sneaks in too. I also did a whole lot of research of drugs used in alcohol for one whump, but never actually used the results :(

I've also looked into ship types, military ranking and rules, castle structure and terminology (I have a book for that one) and while i know some, I do constantly reference some books for knowledge on medieval living and whatnot!

⌛ - How long does it take you to write a fic, or a chapter?

Depends on a lot of factors:

who's POV am I working with?

what AU?

what situation?

As I'm sure you all know, I struggle a lot to write Sky, and both Legend and Warriors tend to have a lot to say at any given time. Really sensitive situations can have me either so caught up in the chaos that my hands fly, or I might be struggling t know what to go next with the issue.

On average, for Febuwhump, I could write most of the prompts in 2-6 hours, but some took longer, had to be rewritten, and others I had to start from scratch a few different times before landing on what I wanted. That's my average, I think, with most things.

[thecheshirehouse]

I'm Dreaming of a Cheshire Easter

by Molly Warton

The Cheshire Cat grinned an inane kind of a grin. He had a large variety of grins, which he would use on various special occasions, and this was a particularly inane sort of a grin, for he had Guests. He was spread on a sort of regal russian rug, carefully embroidered with all sorts of different patterns zig-zagging across each other, arguing over which one ought to be on the top, and this had been thrown carelessly upon a windowsill that looked for all the world like it was trying to escape into the spring-time country outside. The lambs gambolled in the fields, as lambs are apt to do; the daffodils swayed in the fields, as daffodils are apt to do; and the politicians walked around kicking puppies in the fields, as politicians are apt to do. 

The Cheshire Cat sat on a Cheshire Rug in his Cheshire House dreaming Cheshire dreams of days long past — and feeling very grateful that he wasn’t the Merseyside Cat, as Cheshire was a much better name. He suddenly remembered about the Guest, and grinned a little wider — in a vapid sort of manner, that being how he grinned. 

“Hello,” you said, poking your head round the Cheshire Door and looking into the Cheshire House, “I don’t suppose you have such a thing as a story about you, by any chance?”

When he saw you arrive, he frisked his tail in such a very frisky sort of a manner that you thought it a most frisky tail indeed. “Well,” said the Cat, “I may well do, but then again, I may not. You never can tell with stories. Except, of course, when you can.” 

By this point, of course, you were feeling a little confused, and said so. 

“Oh dear,” you said, “I’m feeling a little confused.” 

“There’s no need to repeat yourself,” said the Cat, good-naturedly. 

“But I didn’t repeat myself!” you said, rather indignantly. 

“Indeed you did,” said the Cat, “Once in your head, and once out loud.”

“But if I didn’t say it out loud,” you said, “you wouldn’t know what I had said.” 

“Ah,” said the Cat, “but if you only said it out loud, then I should.” 

Well, you weren’t quite sure what to say to that, so you said:

“How about that story?” 

“How about that story?” asked the Cat. 

“Well, would you very kindly mind telling it?” 

“There are many stories,” said the Cat enigmatically, “within my Cheshire House. Won’t you come in and see?” So you did. You came in, and you looked, and you saw, and there were all the stories, hanging there suspended in space like brilliant, glittering jewels, shining, sparkling in the morning light, and in you came, you weary traveller from parts unknown, and you took the chocolate egg that the Cat had very kindly passed you, and the stories you saw! Stories of Archons and Abraytha and Everywhere, of Lotto and Lords and Luca, of SAM and Shamblers and Zadellin, of worlds beyond your wildest dreams, and in you went, into a whole new world of adventure.

And the Cheshire Cat faded away behind you just as if he had never been there.

The Shamblers from the Stars were created by Robert Bloch and are now in the public domain.

The Cheshire Cat was created by Lewis Carroll and is now in the public domain.

Lotto, Luca, SAM © Elodie Christian

Abraytha Janus Colefia © Ostara Gale

The Zadellin crew © Theta Mandel

Archons © Aristide Twain

[munchbell45]

Three more for you ~

32. Do you have a word/expression that you always use in your writing?

9. Thoughts on cliffhangers.

39. Wildest AU scenario you have written?

Original Ask Meme for Context

9. I think a cliffhanger can be a fun way to end a chapter, creates some spicy tension. Most of my fics are so short that I don't use them, though.

Not as fond of ending a whole fic on a cliffhanger, in order to hype a sequel. Who knows if the sequel will even be done?

32. I feel like I use the word "however" a lot in my writing. I also tend to write a lot of hand-holding, cuddling, etc., but not sure if i have any stock phrases.

39. My unpublished WIPs include a few. My NaNoWriMo fic (which i really need to edit) is an AU where Tayuya, Kidomaru, and Salon survived the Sasuke Retrieval Arc (though Tayuya had to get leg prosthetics.) After Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, they took Oro's ring (intending to use it as a bargaining chip) and ran away.

They eventually fight Deidara and Tobi and are forced to join the Akatsuki. Eventual TayuDei ending. Man, I need to edit it, but I'm intimidated by editing a big-ass fic.

As for my published stories, I have done a few. None are fleshed out because they are either from one-shots or are short stories.

First, an AU where Yahiko never died and the Ame Orphans became co-rulers of the Hidden Rain (also Minato never died, but that was a side detail.) You can read it here.

Secondly, an AU where they were able to rescue Konan when she was kidnapped by Hanzo's men. You can read it here.

Third, I have done an AU where Konan survived her fight with Obito and stayed as the leader of the Hidden Rain after the Fourth War. I used it for a Konan/Reader fic (read it here,) and I have a Konan/Mei fic with the same AU concept.

Lastly, my most recent fic was in an AU where Tayuya and Kidomaru survived the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. Also, Deidara never fought Sasuke, but left the Akatsuki after Pain died because he opposed Obit's plans. You can read it here.

Most of my alternate setting AUs aren't too weird. However, the strangest would be one where Jugo (who is aged up to be in his late 20's or early 30's) and Tsunade are in a relationship. Jugo takes Tsunade to a cat cafe owned by Haku and Hinata. Haku and Hinata are also a couple because I thought that that would be cute. It's called Lots of Love and Lucky Paws, and you can read it here.

[birlwrites]

🎢, 🍦,💖,🤗,😬, 💔, 🤲?

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

oh, definitely career goals: tyrant - it's unhinged from chapter 1 and only gets more so

🍦 What’s the sweetest fic you’ve created so far?

i was torn so i picked 2 afslghjksdf - the first one is sun and shadow, aka the pjo au, and the second is the point of creation, which is a check please fic with lardo/ransom in which lardo is a composer and ransom is a poet and they make art for each other and it's very soft

💖 What made you start writing?

hmm i don't think there was ever a set Moment - i've always been coming up with stories, and i'm p sure my parents have some picture books/graphic novels/comics/idk what to call them drawn by yours truly at age <5. i started actually like, typing stories in a word processor in about 4th grade because my best friend was writing a story and i wanted to copy her

🤗 What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

3 things: first of all, try not to jump straight into posting your stuff somewhere like ao3. get a feel for what you like writing and what makes you happy before you start introducing things like 'how many people kudosed my fic today' - there is SO MUCH fic out there, and it can be very hard to build an audience/find your people, especially when you're just starting out. there's no reason to demoralize yourself right away. build up your sense of what YOU like before you start worrying about whether other people like it. (sharing your writing with your friends is different - they're your friends, not faceless internet people ashfkjhsf)

second of all, it's important to make sure that you're actually enjoying the process. writing fanfic should be fun - if it feels like a chore or an obligation, it might be time to step back and see if you've accidentally turned it into a job instead of something you do solely because you enjoy it

third of all, writing a complete fic beginning to end is a skill in and of itself. don't expect yourself to just sit down and bang out a multichap fic with flawless pacing and an amazing ending. that's something that requires practice. the best way to practice is to finish what you start. you don't have to finish absolutely everything - as i said, this should be fun - but just be aware that if you want to complete your fics in a satisfying way, you need to practice writing complete stories. one-shots are a great way to start!

😬 Which of your fics would you be most horrified for friends, family, or coworkers to stumble upon?

ohhhh man

honestly, the entire concept makes me wince, but tbh probably lachrimae. i feel like that's the one most likely to inspire the 'why aren't you writing original stories, you should be writing original stories' reaction

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

i have a few, all regulus angst - we've got implode--, survived by, and happy birthday, which i wrote when i was ~15 and, if i do say so myself, KILLED IT.

implode-- is about sirius rescuing a mostly-dead regulus from the cave, survived by is about sirius finding death eater regulus after evan's death (there's a theme LMAO - that's a fic i wouldn't be able to write these days, i'm too attached to evan now), and happy birthday is canon-compliant snapshots of regulus's life from age 11 to age 18

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

ABSOLUTELY. HERE'S LACHRIMAE

-

Voldemort says, "Do you consider yourself a fighter, Regulus?"

It could pass for conversational—silk floating on water. He hisses the tiniest bit on Regulus, a tiny whistle of air after precisely pronounced syllables like an ice cube against the back of Regulus's neck. Regulus's mask gleams at his side, awkward and useless in his hand—he can't put it on, but he can't put it away, and so there it stays, a glimmering ghost in the sun.

What sort of answer does Voldemort want? He doesn't want Regulus to fight, he wants to keep his Seer safe, but there has to be a reason he's asking, a reason he called Regulus in the first place.

Regulus doesn't consider himself a fighter. He's... flexible. He bends, goes around instead of through. Fire and brimstone have always been more Bellatrix's thing, and Voldemort must know that.

"You," Voldemort says, "have a habit of responding to my questions with silence."

Great.

-

send me fic writer emoji asks!

[polaesims]

Get to know you - Sims Style

Thank you @puffkins2000 for the tag! 💕

What’s your favorite Sims death?

Tbh I'm not big on killing my sims (boring, boooo) so I'd say good ol' old age, especially cause bitches be dying at the wildest moments. But if you want me to be more fancy, I love drowning specifically in floor.

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

Maxis Match all the way!!! I only use alpha or alpha-ish cc when I can't find MM alternative.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Nah, never and frankly I never had to... like my sims just stay one weight their entire life unless I play with a gym freak.

Do you move objects?

Always. The grid is my enemy, moo is my saviour.

Favorite Mod?

Consort Age Mod, cause I love generational gameplay and seeing my sims slowly go gray is so nostalgic to me, and Zodiac Sings Mod, cause I was tired of twins getting different zodiac signs...

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

For TS2 I got a lot of them at once cause they were hand-me-downs from my mum's friend's daughter. For TS3 it was Late Night, I remember it vividly cause my dad thought the lady in a bikini on the cover was inappropriate.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

Neither, cause I play in my native language (it's way more memable), but if I had to choose LIVing speaks to me more.

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

Long story, strap in. So when I was still in highschool, I created a joke save to share with my friends and I made this elderly man whom I named Andrzej and he was a menace. He was a womaniser alchemist, who had like 20 children (5 of which I kept in household, and they were as chaotic as their father) and then became a kung fu master, married a werewolf and finally impersonated a Goth family member and stole their fortune. I love him. Andrzej forever in my heart.

Have you made a simself?

Yep!! I posted her!! She's way prettier though cause girlie's symmetrical. I usually just drop myself and my bf into my world and see what story progression does with me. (as of now I have 3 kids as a kids hater ;-;)

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

The black one I guess... I rarely use the presets cause they're ugly af.

Favorite EA hair?

The one from Island Paradise, the updo with strands framing the face.

Favorite life stage?

Young Adult or teens. I like teens more when I make mischievous bastards.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I can't build to save my life, but I love to decorate!! I'm mostly for the gameplay though (and making sims).

Are you a CC creator?

Yep! I'm new to this but I hope I'll keep getting better.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

Not yet, I'm still figuring out Tumblr in general, but I have some mutuals, I hope to become friends with 😊!

Do you have any sims merch?

Nah, I never found anything subtle enough, cause I don't do on the nose merch very often (except band tees).

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

I used to use an UNGODLY amount of cheats...mostly cause I was a kid, but I would make a pretty sim with loads of CC, then play for a few months with that one sim (mostly being a hoe) and get bored eventually. Nowadays I'm a big generational player and I can play with one family for several years. Just a couple months ago I finally finished playing with a family I started 4 years ago.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

@sim-songs, @twinsimming, @pixelfrogslegs, @aroundthesims, @bioniczombie, @nectar-cellar, @nightospheresims, @rollo-rolls, @faerielandsims.

How long have you had Simblr?

Literally not even a month, but I felt instantly welcomed to this amazing community!!

How do you edit your pictures?

I use Procreate and then PicsArt on my iPad.

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite?

I just play TS3 nowadays so for that I will say Generations for sure!! I also can't live without University and Seasons. They are my big three.

I don’t know who to tag tbh... I feel like most of my mutuals already did that plus I'm new here so I'm kinda shy but let's say that I tag anyone that is interested in doing this and hadn't been tagged. Like you can say I tagged you!!

[bi-bats]

*twirling my hair and smiling cutely* heyyyyy bestie ive got ask game questions for you ☺️ xoxo

7, 14, 15, 28, 30, 33, 39, 40 please 💕

*twirling my hair and smiling cutely* BEAN I'M GONNA FIGHT YOU SOME OF THESE ARE REALLY REALLY HARD!!! I STILL LOVE YOU BUT DAMN YOU CAME FOR ME

7. Your favourite ao3 tag.

Hurt/comfort, according to my bookmarks!

14. Write and share the first sentence of a new fic. Just that.

Tim will not bleed out before he gets to Jason's door. Or before that, for that matter.

15. What's your favourite plotless fic you have written?

Maybe, Finally for SURE. There are zero plot points, I really just wanted to write Kon and Bart's first kiss.

28. Any writing advice that works for you and you feel like sharing?

Stop trying to create art in a vacuum! The longer I sit with an idea, the more I hate it, and the less likely I am to keep going with it. Share your art. With friends, online, in writing groups, whatever. This isn't to say that you can't make anything for you; plenty of my writing is just for me and won't see the light of day, because the point of writing it wasn't to make a story. But if you have a story you love or an idea you love, and it's starting to feel boring and bland to you or you finished a piece and just don't love it, find a soundboard.

30. Describe a fic that almost happened, but then it didn't.

Reverse Robins JayTim where Tim is Red Hood and Jason is Batman 😭

33. Give your writing a compliment.

This should not be the hardest question, but it was. I've really, really been struggling with my writing recently. It's just not what I want it to be whenever I put words on the page and I don't know why and daflsjdjfksldj I'm SO frustrated about it

That said: I think that the passion I have for writing really shows in my work.

39. Wildest AU scenario you have written?

I was between a few of these before I realized that the wildest scenario is actually the one where neither Tim nor Jason can die and so they stay in a really really toxic relationship because they don't have to worry about getting each other killed and the only time they know they were ever alive in the first place is when they're dying at each other's hands :))

40. Write a 9-word fic.

Blood pooled around Damian's blade. "I'd never hurt you."

Thank you for the ask anyways, I GUESS.

(just kidding, it was super fun and ily 💚💚💚)

askmaker askmaker make me an ask

[druidgroves]

ok here it is my whisper/deacon brain rot for their web weaving is under the cut. i'm mentally unwell about them.

1. trust no one

this one is pretty obvious. it's deacon's first and favorite lesson. little does he know that after coming out of vault 111, it was greta's modus operandi as well.

2. vulnerability is the last thing i want you to see in me, but the first thing i look for in you.

this quote was more deacon-focused, but it does apply to both of them. upon "first" meeting (that was face to face), deacon is still looking for any signs of cracking in whatever façade greta has created for herself by this point. he wants to pick people apart, but makes sure that no one can do the same to him. for greta, she isn't too great at emotions after being thawed out (she became a lot more withdrawn in that department, despite pretending to be an open book). she'll make sure she can pinpoint your vulnerabilities before you're even aware of them, just so you don't notice her own.

3. i don't understand your specific kind of crazy but i do admire your total dedication to it

this is peak whisper/deacon while doing shit for the railroad. they work together extremely well, in part due to whisper's career as a spy before the bombs (of which deacon has no idea about but he has Suspicions). a big part of their relationship is trying to outdo the other, constant one-upmanship; who can tell the most outlandish lies, put on the most well-crafted personas, or pull off the wildest stunt while clearing the way for safehouses. they are both insane.

4. i want to take a bite out of you, figure out what you're thinking

while working together, they obviously get to know each other--or they get to know as much of each other as they are willing to show. it's both fun and frustrating for them with neither wanting to fully give.

5. our eyes had the most devilish affair; meeting in secrecy in a room full of people.

these two dance around their feelings like they're legally obligated to, but they'll just say that neither of them have done anything about it because of "anti-fraternization" rules put in place by their fearless leader.

6. the nonsense has escalated

this was there purely because their nonsense (feelings) escalates. that's it.

7. the great pretender

i always see this as a deacon song But it fits both of them. they are both extremely lonely people in similar and different ways and put on different masks to compensate.

8. not because i don't trust you, but because i can't bare for you to see me as i really am.

another one showing how much they share and how much they don't. at this point in their story, greta has come clean about a lot of stuff: her real name, her career as a spy, looking for a son she isn't even sure she wants to find, as well as her familial connections to the calverts (who i argue could be partially to blame for the way the war went tbh). she has always lived with a lot of self-loathing and that's part of why she is the way she is, putting on different personas to hide the fact that she hates who she is. for deacon, this is when he tells her about the up deathclaws, about barbara, and about joining the railroad. they finally get to see the other's vulnerabilities.

9. sometimes you get so close to someone you end up on the other side of them.

in trying to understand each other, seeing each other's ugliest parts, they find that they might never understand each other completely. it doesn't quite drive a wedge between them as much as things are a little awkward between two people allergic to talking about their emotions.

10. how to disappear completely and never be found

so deacon talks about wanting to "bug out" and leave sometimes, but in this case, greta is the one who bounces after destroying the institute. she's got a lot to deal with internally and needs her space to process.

11. an exercise in love: i have left the door unlocked, just in case

deacon won't admit it, but he's always on the lookout for her after she disappears. he listens for her laugh, the sound of deliverer, anything, but she doesn't show for a while. but if he knows anything about his whisper, she'll come back again, and he'll be there waiting.