#(just vibes bc i didn't have anything in mind prior to happening to think of them)

[artist-rat]

swordtember 2023: queen, king, royal heir, royal guard, enchanter

[baejax-the-great]

[First, I was rereading "Agua Caliente" and I remembered a song that played a lot in my childhood (and I had kind of forgotten) bc the lyrics somehow matched the Patrochilles dynamic in this fic. This is kind of funny bc I would never in my life associate sertanejo (it's a type of country music, I think? Idk I've never heard country, but the aesthetic is kind of similar. Anyway, it's pretty popular here) with shipping an ancient Greek couple in modern AU, but ok. And I went to listen to this song again and now I'm listening to it on a loop, so thanks for that.]

Now the real question! It's perhaps a strange question, but do you plan what you write? Like, before you write, do you have the whole structured idea in mind? I could have sworn it was like that reading the fics, but then some notes on Ao3 and certain things you say on Tumblr started to make me reflect that maybe you don't plan as much as I thought… in that case, how do you manage to connect everything so well without looking like something was left out/without prior planning??? It's magic, technique, luck or actually do you plan?

Sorry if the question is a bit "???" but I'm REALLY thinking about this! I used to write fics years ago and I was in the "won't plan" group and as expected the fics came out obviously unplanned (but that was ok with me bc it was just to pass the time and I didn't expect it to be an engaging story or anything), and here's why this ask exists: it's precisely bc I was in the “won't plan” group that I'm really intrigued by the possibility of you NOT planning bc it just doesn't seem that way reading your fics...

The short answer is that I do plan what I write, but probably not enough.

I rarely start writing a fic with an entire idea. Often it's just a vibe. But I won't start posting a fic until I know exactly what the conflict is and how it will be resolved.

This was easy in ATG, for example, because I'd already written the resolution before I even decided to write the fic. Structuring it by Patroclus's age also helped, because I could make an outline with the stuff that needed to happen and then jam stuff I wanted to happen around it. That "Stuff" could be really specific--obviously Pat had to graduate school and Achilles had to go to the Olympics on specific years, and it was also like, this section should have them fighting. This section should have them getting along, but Achilles is hiding this big lie so there should be a weird tension.

In Sunset, it took me longer to figure out the conflict/resolution. Sure, I knew that Achilles was going to cry on a Chicago street corner and get naked in Pat's kitchen, but why was he there? How did he get there? I had already written Achilles settling in to Pat's place and the scene where he gets into the lake before I decided on Aphrodite being the key to explain this whole thing. Then I knew Pat had to die. But a lot of the stuff that happened in the middle was sort of on a whim (particularly Achilles getting on the wrong L train-that was definitely just an impulse I had while finishing that chapter). Tecmessa's chapter was also a later addition, and a deeply self-indulgent one, hah.

Agua was the least planned of these three, and in some ways it was because the idea was a lot simpler. After three years, Achilles runs into Patroclus again and they reconcile in some way. I knew exactly how Patroclus would feel about the whole thing (relieved, guilty, upset, wounded, hopeful, upset about feeling hopeful). My original plan was just to set up Achilles in his shop and his new life doing his best and have him run into Patroclus at the beach, and eventually they'd go to the desert. I wrote parts of their meeting first, and then I started writing the beginning and ended up scrapping most of that. I realized I was going to have to do a lot more writing for poor Achilles. My lack of planning here did cause some difficulties--I had like three versions of that date he went on with Pat with different endings. One involved Pat in the hospital, lmao. Zag and Meg coming to stay with Achilles were kind of whims, and I had meant to have Hypnos show up for "his turn" and have Achilles send him home because no, these were not team-building exercises, but then I forgot 😩.

The reason that I need to know the conflict/resolution at the start is because I do think all the scenes in a fic should relate to it in some way, either by building up the conflict or setting the groundwork for a resolution. Even for the impulsive scenes I add just for fun, I think about how they can do this. For example, Achilles getting lost on the L allowed me to build up Pat's unreasonable anxiety, show that Ajax was also feeling it to some extent, and end in Pat saying "fuck it" and just giving in to making out with his hot, ancient boyfriend. It was also something that happened to a friend who was visiting me from out of the country and didn't have a working cell phone. That moment of watching him through the window of the L as it slowly pulled away is just etched in my memory.

In Agua Caliente, almost anything could relate to the resolution, because the resolution was "Achilles having a life," thus it didn't require as much planning. Zagreus's apartment getting flooded (something that happened to me in grad school) showed Achilles attempting to be flexible with some success while allowing himself to become closer to Zagreus, which led to a point of connection with his kids. It also made it easier to explain why Achilles was doing Zag's delivery that day when he ran into Pat. There were only a couple things that truly needed to happen in AC for the fic to make sense, and that was a resolution with Achilles' kids and then with Patroclus, of course.

I do get loose threads sometimes, side conflicts or things that didn't end up going anywhere, and those things tend to annoy me until I figure out a way to resolve them or make them otherwise relevant. Or I don't. Or sometimes I realize I need to add something/someone into the fic, and it would have been smoother if I'd added it in an earlier chapter so it didn't seem like a convenient thing I'd just thought of to solve a problem. That's always annoying to me. But whatever. It's fanfic. That's the risk of posting while you write.

[breefarrow]

So I'm not sure what this Taylor business is, but if she were really that bad why would Zayn collaborate with her? He might have left the band, but I feel like if it's as bad as you say he wouldn't just go and do that to Harry & Louis

Hi anon this is bc larry and zayn do NOT talk and haven't talked since louis xfactor performance in 2016. Every OT4 interview where L or H was asked about zayn, or solo interviews where L or H are asked about zayn they NEVER said anything postive. Both L&H have made it very clear they haven't talked to zayn since he left 1D [only briefly in 2016]. Thus making it clear he left the band on bad terms with them and maybe liam [niall I'm unsure].

Here's a post I made some time ago explaining why I believe zayn left and why larry and zayn are not friends anymore based on facts of what has happened and things they have said [on video so you can tell by their demeanor/expression they mean it.]

So to me if zayn left on bad terms with larry and isn't really friends with them anymore I don't think he would care about larry's issues with taylor and would be/was perfectly ok collabing with her. Zayn collabing and possibly being friend with taylor makes sense given he isn't friends with larry anymore what DOESN'T make sense to me is fuckin niall who claims to be really close with them constantly praising taylor and singing on stage with her. How can he go from watching harry and seeing louis at festivals acting like he cares about them and then turn around and hang with taylor ???

Liam did say in a 1D interview niall was the type of person to "always be on the fence aka never taking sides on things" and niall seemed really offended by the statement but the more time goes on the more I'm like liam wasn't wrong that seems to be how niall is. And no one can sit here and say niall didn't realize what she was during in 2012 to 2014 bc niall as much as louis did back in those days made it clear he wasn't ok with what the things she was doing.

Example taking it back to 2013 VMAs taylor wins an award for a red song and naturally she feels the need to slight "the man who inspired the song that just won an award" aka harry. And right after she makes a comment about "the man" the camera shows the crowds reaction and all of 1D gave a visibly negative reaction. Harry was trying not to roll his eyes and gave off a vibe of whatever you do you I'll be a bigger person and not mention you. Zayn and liam were confused af and then you had niall and louis.

Niall who gave a wtf look then looked to louis basically giving louis a "is this b**** for real" look and of course louis iconic "fuck you" look to taylor on stage. Point is there are instances like this from bac in the day showing niall wasn't ok with what she was doing and heard all the shitty things she was saying about harry his close friend/bandmate and yet here he is years later praising her when he previously didn't like her and how she treated his close friends.

Side note red TV was all about Jake and slandering him as the "shitty ex" who inspired the album but OG red album came out right before h***or happened meaning the award season for OG red album happened right AFTER h**lor SO her and her team felt the need to act as if songs like IKYWT were for harry even tho it didn't line up timeline wise. Jake at that point was old news and h***or was fresh on people's mind so the slandered harry during 2013 award season. Even tho it didn't line up people did buy into it so much so some believe H&T started dating/met prior to the three month winter fling.

Lastly I know your OG ask was about zayn but with him it makes sense and really the question you asked makes sense towards niall. Bc it is something to wonder. How much can you actually care about L&H if you choose to constantly praise and even sing with someone who caused them a lot of trauma ??? [And there is plently of proof she and that stunt caused them long term issues.] Which is part of the reason I don't fully stan niall. I like his music but the whole does he ACTUALLY care about L&H deal makes me go 🤨. Along with the constantly praising of s***/m***st and gaslighting fans when all other members have negatively talked about s***/m***st but that's a whole other issue.