#AND THE ONLY ONES THAT WOULD EVOLVE AND THRIVE ARE AO3 AUTHORS

[wuzhiqi-enj0yer]

NEW YORK COULD BE FLOODED AND THEY STILL MAKING US GO TO SCHOOOOLLLLL

[teastyun]

some spicy Abby x reader recs ✂️

author‘s note: no gatekeeping in this household! please let me know if any of the links won’t work and if you'd like some Ellie recs

spicy ellie recs

• Fuck Me Yourself, Bitch by oh_stars_im_tired (ao3)

ᰔᩚ enemies to lovers - top!Abby, bottom!reader

↬ unresolved tension,, made me wish Abby was real UGH it’s so gut wrenchingly good (overall one of the best Abby x reader author on ao3!!)

↬ also slightly angsty but the smut makes it even

• Lead me from the dark by danicruel (ao3)

ᰔᩚ friends to lovers - top!Abby, bottom!reader

↬ after a blackout in the stadium the reader and Abby find themselves in reader‘s dorm

↬ so wholesome,, made me blush so hard

↬ girl in red references <3

↬ love the author since they include all types of readers in their fics + their writing style is *chefs kiss*

• sweet temptations by elsdolly

ᰔᩚ best friends to lovers - top!Abby, bottom!fem reader

↬ mourning turns into love aaaaaah

↬ Abby looses control and it's soo hot

surprise visit by atomicami

ᰔᩚ enemies to fuck buddies/lovers? - top!Abby, bottom!reader

↬ contractor/engineer Abby x reader as Joel's daughter 🫣

↬ both parts are soo good and the author has such a smooth writing style!! def recommend checking them out too

you-know-who by lucidfairies

ᰔᩚ (age gap) unresolved tension to finally banging lol - top!Abby, unexperienced bottom!reader

↬ reader's dad's business party and wet crush turns into reality aaaaah

↬ she's such a mommy in this one (i was thriving)

trash talk by graceheartspedro

ᰔᩚ enemies to fuck enemies (crying) - top! Abby, bottom! reader

↬ slight angsty undertone due to the angsty relationship but the hate sex *chefs kiss*

↬ part two healed my heart omg and Manny is such a mood 😦

nsfw alphabet w abby by catfern

↬ felt like an Abby dictionary and i loved every second of reading it

↬ author has such a relatable writing style!!

↬ if butter was a fanfic it would be this?? idk how to explain this hahahah

run. by publicenemy666

ᰔᩚ slasher!abby, fem! reader

↬ hear me out,, i normally dislike reading horror where spice is involved, but this was sooo interestingly plotted i couldn't stop reading it aaaaah

↬ all in all such a detailed writing style that it makes it so intriguing

and they were roommates by angelkissiies

ᰔᩚ roomates/friends to friends with benefits - top!Abby, bottom!reader

↬ my FAVOURITE trope and it hit all the spots

↬ the title made me giggle so much i instantly liked the author 😭

come over by ourautmn86

ᰔᩚ enemies to fuck buddies? - top!Abby, bottom!fem reader

↬ Y'ALL this is embarrassing but i was at point in my cycle where not only my 🐱 was shacking but my WALLET too bc this fic made me impulsively order a dildo?? 😭 i wish i was kidding but you count that as a sign that it's a very good fanfic hahaha

↬ love the author's writing style and the way the plot just smoothly evolves in their fits!!

thanks for reading &lt;3

[ejunkiet]

hi hello i’m LOVING the updates on ropes and fangs and I really can’t wait to see where this project takes you (already the growth in writing from the first snippet to the one you just posted aarargagarg i could go off about how much ur style has evolved but but that’s not truly why i’m here)

what advice would you give to someone who really wants to branch out into writing “homebrew” work who really has only written fan work. where would u recommend posting or how? if you have Any Idea of who Else I could bother about this pls let me know

I’ve been wanting to post some of my more original work for a series I’ve been writing but I just. Don’t Know How (fan work is already something I struggle with cause I can’t seem to write anything that means to someone else what it means for me)

jfhdask BLESS you, moth; your timing is impeccable, as I was working on r&f this morning >:3 <33

so. ADVICE. You've been writing Homebrew Blorbos, and you want to get other people interested in them. The first thing I will say, is that it is hard, and it will always be hard. getting people invested in your worlds/characters takes work, and without the fandom platform, it's difficult to direct traffic your way in the first place. i.e. ao3 has an original fiction category which is good for hosting a work you don't want to publish, but it's not as if people follow that tag there.

I love reading original work, but I need one of two things to get me to read it: one, I love the author's fanwork and want to read more of their writing (if I love your fic, I will read your book okay); and two, the concept itself is interesting / what I'm looking for -- but for that, I need to find it first.

so. how do you get traffic your way?

tumblr is a good means for advertising. so. there are online writing communities on tumblr that only write original work, and only write the kinds of things I'm interested in reading. it's how I found a few authors whose books I've bought >:3 my advice is to look into tags that contain the same themes / dynamics of your original work, and see how other people are posting their work / talking about their work, and what gets the most traffic. learn from others!

I won't be posting large sections of my original work on tumblr, because once something is out there, it's out there. people can and do steal fiction and self publish it on amazon. also, as much as I love tumblr, it's not a good place for publishing full works, as it's clunky as hell, and posts older than a month vanish into the nether.

so you need to decide what your want to do with your original work. will it become a book? will you post it as an online serial, and then rework this first draft into a book? (like the gabe and odessa fic!) aside from tumblr (which has a thriving short story / serial story community), ao3 (for fic hosting) and amazon (you can publish your story as a serial there, although it's US restricted, and difficult to get noticed amidst the crowd), I don't know really of any other good original fiction hosting platforms aside from self publishing.

(real publishing is a nightmare, and if that's your goal, kudos to you! I know a few authors in fandom going that route for different genres, and they are incredible writers, but breaking through is goddamn difficult.)

but if you just want people to read it, and give you feedback, then talk about it!! post snippets / chapters, talk about the characters, utilise the tags on tumblr and ao3 to find people with similar interests.

...one thing I will say though, as a final note, is from what I've seen, the quality of original work by people not in fandom <<<< people in fandom. you've had years of practice writing characters and scenes, and once you make that leap into original work, you're pretty much set <3

[5uptic]

hey fanfic spotlight again:)

arm candy by amsves (5up/Fundy, general rating, m/m | 300 words)

Summary: The first thing Fundy does after the stream ends is lean over and engulf 5up in his arms.

a chance encounter by mangoedges (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 450 words)

Summary: Who would have thought Apollo would find his soulmate now?

Desecration Smile by AllianettemiE5 (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1k words)

Summary: No summary.

She said to me, Oh Death / Come close my eyes by Anonymous (Apollo/Steve, general rating, m/m | 1k words)

Summary: Steve thought the words on his wrist were the coolest thing ever, but they just didn’t make sense. No, really; he even asked 5up–had called him in a possibly drunk state on his twentieth birthday, when a prickling sensation on his arm made him think that he was about to die, 5up, help, and was reminded drily that it was his soulmark, dumbass–and the best his smartest friend (self-proclaimed) could offer was, “Maybe your soulmate’s a poet?” Completely useless. Steve remembered hanging up on him, the click of his mobile cutting off his indignant exclamation. It was only the next day that he looked, properly looked, at his soulmark and tried to make sense of it. Nope. That didn’t work out either; he blamed the hangover. For the longest time ever, he just dismissed it as the universe fucking up. A slash in the middle of a phrase? Ridiculous.

why’d you only call me when you’re high? by LVTO (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1k words)

Summary: “I miss you,” Steve mumbles through the phone, and his voice has that soft, honest tone that it always does when he’s like this. 5up’s heart clenches. It’s these moments that keep him from leaving like he should’ve done four months ago, these soft-spoken truths that time and time again have him believing that maybe, maybe this time will be different. It never is. or 5up receives a phone call and ponders his life.

jealousy, jealousy by planetwitch (5up/Fundy, teen rating, m/m | 1.1k words)

Summary: 5up and Fundy are best friends and have never crossed that line into something more. Until Fundy gets jealous at 5up's constant admiration for a certain 6 foot tall musician.

mimi's menagerie of the miraculous & the mundane by 5280ft (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.1k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: a drabble for the word of the day, every day, for 100 days.

5up & Co. Throw Yarn at a Wall (and more) by WhenTheFogClears (general rating, gen | 1.3k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: Hafu neither confirmed nor denied, instead snatching the half unraveled ball of yarn out of his hands forcefully, a cheshire grin finding its way onto her face. Before 5up could clearly decipher the situation, she flung it at him, smacking him directly in the center of his face. or 5up loves throwing yarn at walls, and everyone else quickly picks it up from him. But in different ways.

Inside My Mind by SilverSprinklez10 (5up/Apollo, Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.4k words)

Summary: Soulmates are usually a blessing.  But sometimes, a soulmate connection can feel like a curse.

(2021, 190 x 172 cm, oil on canvas) by 5280ft (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.9k words)

Summary: Nobody ever painted anything if they’ve never painted the way 5up closes his eyes when he laughs, how his slender fingers wrap around a new tube of paint, how his smile is all teeth and eye-crinkling. Cabanel’s Fallen Angel has curls, but they aren’t 5up’s, are they? Hyllas, in the nymphs, has fair and delicate hands but 5up’s are prettier, especially when he accidentally squirts paint everywhere and slams his palms on the table and goes “fuck!” Steve cackles until he can’t breathe.

Don't Take Me Tongue-Tied by AoDity, LovelyDayForIt (5up/Sleepy, 5up/Apollo, teen rating, m/m | 2.2k words)

Summary: "Sleepy found the ring by luck, something that matches his lover's graceful beauty that he could still afford. Twisted strands of thin silver with a little shimmering opal in the center, it was perfect." Aka: Sleepy's love for Five brought him heartache. If they try, there's still a chance the two could be happy.

implying that the ferris wheel's your body (and i'd really love admission to it) by homeward_bound (David/Hafu/Steve, mature rating, multi | 2.2k words)

Summary: Steve might be drunk out of his mind, but David's just really hot, okay? [or, steve propositions david, kind of. hafu and dumbdog bear witness to his lapse in judgement.]

mi casa es su casa by some_spooky_shit_right_there (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 2.9k words)

Summary: Apollo's soulmate is cautious. Except, apparently, when it comes to coffee. Because, for the fifth time this week, Apollo wakes up to a burnt tongue. It's annoying. He can't really be mad though, because he has given his soulmate so much worse. The occasional burnt tongue is a meager act of penance, comparatively.

I love you too (I love you too) by some_spooky_shit_right_there (5up/Apollo/Steve, general rating, multi | 3.9k words)

Summary: Apollo comes into 5up's coffee shop. He always gets a cup of coffee and either a bagel or a croissant. He always seems tired, and he never comes in on weekends. Steve would really love to find out just who, exactly, he is.

i'm more fool than wise by 5fu (5up/Steve, unrated, m/m | 5.8k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: Steven Suptic is a brilliant crewmate - ask anyone. Okay so don't ask Janet. Or Dk. Or Koji. You know what, don't even ask - it's pretty obvious he is. But when new recruit and stunningly intelligent 5up boards the Crewfu, Steve isn't so sure he can compete. Not that he cares. Totally. Absolutely. On their mission to gather intel on Polus and find out what happened to the previous crew that disappeared from the planet three years earlier, Steve may realize that maybe he was indeed more fool than wise - and maybe it wasn't a bad thing.

i was praying that you and me might end up together by Qupid (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 7.8k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: Four years at Polus University. Four first weeks of school. Two strangers become two friends, and maybe even something more. Apollo hates being seen, hates having attention drawn to him, hates living in a world that feels like a game where everyone knows the rules except him. Steve thrives on attention, purposefully draws the gaze of everyone in the room, making his own rules as he floats through life. They're a match made in hell, but Apollo finds that when Steve looks at him, gives him nothing but attention, he doesn't mind being seen after all.

Long Journey Home by some_spooky_shit_right_there (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 9.6k words)

Summary: Homesick and lonesome and I'm feeling kind of blue Feeling kind of blue, boys, feeling kind of blue Homesick and lonesome and I'm feeling kind of blue I'm on my long journey home

there’s so many ways to say “i love you” and i wouldn’t wanna waste ‘em (on someone who, don’t feel it too) by Dear_MaedaysUnwelcomedGhost (5up/Steve, 5up/Hafu, 5up/Ellum, 5up/Kimi, teen rating, multi | 13k words, chaptered)

Summary: Love was a strange thing, 5up found. It was everywhere. And not in the way it may seem. It wasn’t in the adverts of perfect couples with artificial lighting. It wasn’t in the glittery cards made by factories or the flowers sold at grocery stores. Not in the TV shows made to bring in cash and be thrown out, with couples who don’t have anything to hold onto but brief infatuation and physical attraction. But in the friendly smiles of strangers as they pass by. In a mother cutting fruit up for their child. Running a hand through the hair of your partner, as their eyes flutter close and to sleep. Helping a stranger pick up their dropped papers, asking for nothing in return. In the graffiti on the wall by the alleyway you walk by everyday to get to work. To the goods baked by small independent bakeries. Flowers planted in parks to make it just a little nicer, or the ones growing out of pavement cracks with determination.

Also!

GuardianPuppy‘s this city needs to be destroyed or at least painted in a different color collection.

spaded_ace’s Casino in the Sky collection.

5fu’s among all this pain collection.

FAQ:

Wait what is this: pretty straight to the point! i’ll regularly share crewfu-related fanfictions to this blog :)

How regularly is “regularly”?: great question! LOL. it depends on the flow of fanfics that get uploaded, which i do not have any control over, but i’m looking forward to do this twice a month. after all, it’s only me doing this and i often run on a tight schedule.

What’s the format like?:

[title of fic with link] by [author of the fic with link] ([main pairing(s)], [fic rating: eg, general rating], [relationship: eg, m/m] | [word count in k], [added prompt to specify if it’s complete or not])

Summary: [summary provided by the author. if it doesn’t have a summary, a “No summary” prompt will be put instead]

(What does WIP mean again?): Work In Progress :)

Why are you doing this?: from the beginning, my blog has hosted conversations about RPF (real people fiction) and crewfu pairings. this has evolved into people sending me updates about certain fics in the crewfu tags every now and then, but i wanna take the next step and just do these things myself. after all, i’m already lurking in the tags often to see the fics that get posted. as someone who is both a writer and a reader, i wanna appreciate fanfic writers and help out other people that want to read fanfic and consume more fandom content!

Will it be AO3 only?: well, ao3 has a very helpful tag system that makes finding fics incredibly easy, as well as allowing people with no accounts to like and comment on fics, so that’s the site i will personally look in for fanworks. but if there are any fics you’ve written or liked in any other platforms, such as wattpad, you can always contact me through my inbox (send an ask or a dm!), and i’ll make sure to include for the next fanfic spotlight :)

Does it mean you won’t reply to fic asks anymore?: yeah, i guess. since i’ll be doing the searching myself it seems counterproductive. but if i ever skip a fic or again, it’s in another platform, or you’ve posted/read the fic a while ago and you want to get more traction on it, hit me up and i’ll take it into consideration!

Will you read every single one of the fics on your list?: oh no. again, i run on a tight schedule, and also i have my own taste when it comes to fics. i won’t be reviewing fics or any of the sort, and my intention extends to simply sharing these fics to this page so people will have easier access to them :) that’s where ao3 tagging becomes SUPER useful!!!

So what’s the criteria for the way you’ll sort out the fics in your list?: word count, going from lowest to highest. in case of fics in other platforms, i guess i’ll put them at the top of the list. i’ll also be looking for fairly recent fics, so let me know if you want any old-ish fic to be included.

I see you talking mostly about 5up/Steve and Steve/Apollo. Can I still send/see other crewfu fics?: why yes absolutely! my goal is to push every fic which heavily features regular crewfu characters - 5uptic and supdog just happen to be very popular pairings. so, to give you a list: core 4 (5up, hafu, dk, steve), apollo, aipha, annie, janet, kimi, ellum, koji… you know the drill. it doesn’t have to be centered on a relationship, or about 5up in specific, etc. my only requirement is that any of the previously mentioned members are a central part of the fic or are HEAVILY featured in it (sorry, minecraft fics with 50+ tags who only mention 5up as an afterthought won’t make the cut :/).

Isn’t shipping Bad™?: well, it’s a little more nuanced than that. i will go out of my way to discourage and shame people who often violate CCs’ boundaries by acting like so and so has a crush on this person, or that this and that are Actually Into Each Other or secretly dating. any sort of tinhat bullshit is a big nono (think larries). but i run on the assumption that people who write rpf understand that what they’re doing is simply write a completely fictional story using real life personalities, and understand the boundaries necessary to do it - aka they’re not tinhats, they understand they can’t assume everything about CCs’ thoughts and personalities, they understand that what they’re writing is strictly fiction, they keep these works only in fandom circles, etc. (but again, it’s only one me doing this, so please be kind if i don’t happen to know that this person is Actually a tinhat or whatever).

show fic: NO. (seriously. i don’t feel comfortable putting my ao3 account out there. please respect my privacy on these trying times <3)

I REALLY don’t care about your rpf/fic talk: fair! i’ll be tagging every single one of these posts as “fanfic spotlight”, so just mute the tag using tumblr settings so you’ll never have to look at these! likewise, you can follow the tag if you want to keep up with it, or search it on my blog to look at the other entries you might have missed.

Hey, my fic is here and I don’t feel comfortable with it being shared over here: no problem! let me know as soon as you can and i’ll take it down <3

[dessarious]

Writing Craft: The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing Ch1

AO3   Intro   Next

The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing Chapter 1: Taming the Beast by N.M Kelby

In this article the author compares creating and refining your story ideas to training a dog. I’m going to leave out the metaphor and just give the bare bones of the advice.

The biggest take away from the first section is: “Ideas often start with boundless energy, vying for your attention. But when you get them on the page, they don’t always live up to how you thought they would be” pg. 5

This is a huge issue, especially for new writers. You finally get words on a page but immediately get discouraged because it’s not as good as it seemed in your head and/or your inner critic takes hold and trashes your efforts. (Whether that trashing is justified or not is a moot point) Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Before I get into this specific author’s take I want to throw out a couple ‘standard’ thoughts on the subject.

‘You can’t edit a blank page.’ It’s one of those truisms that make me want to bash my head into a wall whenever I encounter it, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Basically try to think of your writing, especially first drafts, as practice. You’re not going to start out perfect but the more you work on it the better you’ll get at it, and by extension the better the piece itself will get. If you come to the table thinking your writing needs to be perfect, you’re just setting yourself up for failure.

‘All art is a work in progress, even when it’s finished.’ I don’t think I’ve seen this stated anywhere but given the number of times I’ve seen authors complain about parts of their published works they wish they’d done differently, I’m just going to throw it out there. Perfection is unattainable and someone will always find fault in what you do. So don’t try and be perfect, try instead to a) be consistent and b) improve your vision. And what I mean by that is develop a writing routine that works for you and make sure when you write and edit you’re making the story clearer for the reader. For first drafts that’s simple because anything you write will be clearer than nothing. (okay, given some of the garbage that’s come out of my head that’s not strictly true but even bad writing is practice on the way to good writing so it’s still useful)

Establish a calm, centered mind

In this section the author gives their thoughts on creating your writing space, writing routine, and not siking yourself out.

“Nonexistent boundaries, unfocused expectations, and lack of routine are the writer’s downfall.” pg. 5

Okay, I’ll agree with this to a point. Especially when you’re first starting out developing your writing habits, and making sure the people around you respect that, can be crucial. However, don’t get so rigid that you can’t adapt to change. Shit happens and you may need to adjust either for life or because your writing needs themselves evolve and change. The best way for you to write right now, may not still be the best way in six months or a year. It’s best not to assume what does and doesn’t work for you now will always be the same. As to the part about expectations… that’s going to be very specific to each author. It’s good to have goals for your writing but if the thought of a specific word count or getting an entire chapter out stresses you out to the point you can’t write, chose a less concrete goal. Anything from I’ll spend at least ten minutes free writing or brainstorming and then see what I can get done on my current WIP to I’ll spend ten minutes thinking about ideas are completely valid. Yes, at some point you want to get words on paper, but forcing yourself to write on demand is a process and it’s usually a bad idea to frustrate yourself to the point you just give up.

The author makes some other points that I’ll summarize: Don’t panic, nothing’s perfect the first time around. Some writing days are better than others, it’s okay to take a break or sleep on it. Don’t place yourself in competitive situations while you’re working on a book. Don’t compare you WIP to the latest bestseller. Write from an authentic part of yourself. Set a pace that works for you and don’t compare it to others. (pgs. 5 & 6)

This is overall good advice in my opinion. The words ‘Don’t Panic’ always bring to mind Hitchers Guide to the Galaxy for me and it’s sound advice. Unless you’re working on a deadline there really isn’t a need to panic, and even then, all it’s likely to do is make things worse.

Some writing days are better than others. This is true no matter who you are. It doesn’t have to mean that your actual writing is bad either. All this means is that some days you won’t be on your A game, at least not for the project you’re currently focusing on. If you need to step away, do it. If you need to work on something else, do that. If you need to completely rework something you already wrote, go for it. Don’t get upset if your brain won’t focus where you think it needs to be. Trust your subconscious to know when you need a breather.

Don’t place yourself in competitive situations. Okay, this one is person specific. Some people thrive off of competition while others shut down completely. You need to feel out what’s best for you but at the beginning it can be one more stressor that sets you up for failure. My suggestion would be to get into a seminormal writing habit before you add something like this into the mix, but again, everyone is different.

Don’t compare you WIP to a bestseller. This should be self evident but almost everyone does it. You think about how much better published works are compared to yours and it freaks you out. The thing about published works is that you don’t see everything that happened before. All the starts and stops and horrible prose that was edited out. It’s the difference between seeing a car for sale at a dealer and seeing it at the beginning of the assembly line in the manufacturing plant. Comparing the two is obviously going to make your WIP look like garbage, at least to you, and that’s not conducive to keeping you excited about your project.

Set a pace that works for you. Basically everything is about what works for you, but in this case it just means don’t compare yourself to authors that put out a book every six months and assume you’re lacking in some way. Especially as a new writer you need to figure out so much before you even worry about pace. Fast is not necessarily good and slow isn’t necessarily bad. Just find your own rhythm and screw anyone who thinks it’s wrong.

Study Your Breed

This section is basically a suggestion that you should figure out the standards that your readers will expect from you in a certain genre so that you know what you can and can’t put in a story. It’s sound advice to a point, and certainly it’s helpful to know what the conventions are before you break them, but this is another one of those issues that’s writer specific.

Yes, if you label a book as a mystery and there’s no mystery people will be a bit peeved. This goes more to story structure in my opinion and some writers my find it constricting to even label their work as a specific genre at the onset, let alone force their writing into a certain mold.

The writer of this article strikes me as a plotter, so if you’re not this may be something you need to look into after you’ve finished a draft to help with getting it published, but if you get stressed out thinking about it before you even start, just ignore it until then. If, on the other hand, you plan everything out in advance, it's very helpful to have genre guidelines to add to your roadmap so you know you’re hitting the right concepts.

Also don’t confuse structure with how you tell a story. The author gives the example of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Wicked. Two stories set in the same basic world and time with vastly different tellings. Given the same plot, it’s unlikely bordering on impossible that two authors will come up with the same story. (I only say bordering on because someone will find an example of it happening just to spite me if I say it’s actually impossible)

Train Your Focus

This section more than any other is what tells me this Author is a plotter. I had to try and read it a few times before my brain didn’t immediately ‘nope’ out. This is one of those things that I needed to read with the thought that I could implement this in the editing rather than the creation stage, but here’s the jist of the authors advice.

“Everything in the story must work to tell the tale.” Pg 8 Sound advice but this author is talking about making all these decisions upfront and not working on anything that doesn’t fit into your outline. Personally I can’t do that, but it seems rather rigid even for a plotter. To each their own though. She says to brainstorm but when it comes time to write, don’t put things in just because you like them. Again, as a pantser this advice is useless to me until the editing phase when I need to fix things because I’ll have no idea if it advances the story until I’m done with it. For plotters it may make sense to do it this way. I will say that no writing is wasted writing. Even if you can’t use it for what you’re currently writing, save everything because you may find a place for it later. The same goes for research. You took the time to do it so don’t throw it out just because you decided not to use it for one project.

Walk Your Inner Dog

This is basically a summary and example of her advice so far but there are two things that are new.

“While you write a book, it’s art. When you’re finished, it’s business. Never confuse the two.” Pg. 10 In other words, don’t worry about marketability until you’re finished writing. This is a highly contentious subject. Some people will tell you you have to consider marketability from the start, others say that it will destroy what will make your writing stand out. As I’ve never published a book, I don’t have a good opinion, but considering I have an issue with ‘write with the reader in mind’ I’m pretty sure it would break my brain if I was constantly trying to decide if my writing would sell.

From Idea to Page in Four Simple Steps.

“You need to realistically outline and throw out what bogs readers down.” Pg 10 Okay, again, this isn’t something that will work for me in the creation stage but it’s something I need to implement in editing. If you can do it at the onset, it will be less work later, but not everyone can see the story in advance.

Step 1: Always begin with your protagonist. This advice is more about making sure they show up within the first page or so of the story than saying that you have to begin your brainstorming around a specific character. It’s solid advice so that your readers have a character to be invested in at the onset.

Step 2: Establish time and place. This is again for the reader. If they’re wondering where the characters are they can lose focus. I don’t necessarily agree that it’s always necessary but it’s a fair general guideline to follow if you’re unsure.

Step 3: Announce the Stakes. In other words, why should we care? Conflict drives story so the sooner you introduce it, no matter how small, the better in most cases. Not many readers are willing to go through five pages of description before you tell them why any of it matters.

Step 4: Organize. For plotters this happens at the beginning and all the way through. For most pantsers it happens at the end, but eventually it does need to be done.

That’s it for Chapter 1 and I think my thoughts were longer than the actual chapter, so sorry about that. Let me know if this was helpful or if you’d rather I be more succinct.

AO3   Intro    Next

Kofi

Tag List

@magica-est-in-aerem @18-fandoms-unite-08 @xxxshinx @whatsupwithjinx @krispydefendorpolice @corabeth11 @claaydoh @dramatic-squirrel @novicevoice @mariae2900 @rebecarojas07

[fyeahcodegays]

suzalulu fics for when ao3 isn’t enough

a couple of gen mixed in, but if you have rose tinted shades they’ll work fine

btw these aren’t necessarily exclusive to ffn; some authors have imported their works between sites and thus you might come across something you’ve read in ao3 already.

I may or may not have been depressed that I can’t find fic recs besides this one (which has a lotta good fics, I thrived here) and the lj rec lists dont even load so yeah.

on another note, in the midst of making this, I also found this fic rec (the best playground for my angst loving heart tbh) so I decided to remove the overlaps I found.

i’m personally a fan of dark fic (more like unhealthy codependence) so there’s that I guess

1. In Birdcages | toujourspret

Escaping is only the illusion of freedom when your wings have been clipped.

2. Guileless | J Plash

“Stay with me,” Suzaku whispers, and pretends he doesn’t see the lie when Lelouch says “okay”. Because Lelouch can’t be Zero, not again. All the evidence proves it. And Suzaku couldn’t love Zero like this. 

3. To Err Is Human | tastes-like-ciel

All Zero had to do was string together a few words to bring the knight to his knees. Suzaku never stood a chance and Lelouch never saw the betrayal coming.

4. The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend | tastes-like-ciel

Zero and Suzaku call for a truce in order to defeat a common enemy in their never ending war for Lelouch’s affections. Their enemy’s name? Gino.

5. Excused Absences | YamiPaladinofChaos

Maybe Zero’s meeting with his secret lover?“ The Black Knights discuss their leader’s absence.

6. Scarred But Not Stronger | YamiPaladinofChaos

Suzaku always makes Lelouch stand up again, even when neither of them really wants it. Nunnally and Suzaku, after Kaminejima.

7. Abandon Thyself | Sanjuno

“The strongest soldier cannot balance long upon the blade that does divide his honor and his heart, and whatever way he falls, the cut will kill him.” ― Susanna Kearsley, The Firebird

8. Sleeping Beauty | tastes-like-ciel

And so the brave and noble Prince Suzaku rescued the lovely Princess Lelouch and, in doing so, created a fairytale bound to be told long after they were dead and gone. AU. NOT a Genderswitch.

9. Battleship Grey | tastes-like-ciel

On the day of Nunnally’s kidnapping, Suzaku was absent because of military duties. With no one to aid him, Lelouch was forced to face Mao on his own.

10. Leading Moves | elarielf

Lelouch may be the “girly” one and the “uke” in the relationship, but the whole world knows who wears the pants in his and Suzaku’s relationship.

11. Just Another Game | elarielf

Lelouch takes Suzaku to one of his chess matches, only this time Lelouch loses. The other player orders Suzaku to screw Lelouch over the chess table while he watches.

12. Higame | elarielf

Suzaku thought that all the times Lelouch went out to gamble with Rivalz they were really having sex.

13. Retribution | spare

But somewhere between grabbing Lelouch by the collar of his shirt and shoving him against the wall and glaring into his eyes—one violet, the other glowing red even in the dim light, Suzaku had miscalculated.

14. Get Your Hands Off My Girl… Er, Guy… | elarielf

AU, in which Suzaku and Lelouch go to a club with Rivalz and a guy starts to flirt with Lelouch… So Suzaku gets angry, and at the end they start to fight for Lelouch.

15. Walk On In | Tainted Ink And Paper

Lelouch had an odd habit of taking strays… especially unwanted ones. Suzaku, the Japanese biker who waltzes into his home without permission, comes with more baggage than he can handle… like the Black Knights, like Zero.

16. Mismatched Yarn | Cat In My Fridge

Because in the end, when everything else had been stripped away, there was still one thing Lelouch had to give: himself.

17. All That Remains | LawliPop

Something terrible has happened.

18. Forever, With You | VirtualDraconium

They thought Zero Requiem would be the end of their problems. However, due to unexpected events a considerable amount of time later, the two are brought together once more. Very post-turn 25.

19. Requiem | LawliPop

It was the word on everyone’s lips. A quiet murmur that steadily grew louder with each passing second until it evolved into a celebratory chant.

20. Pure Hearted Love | DnKS-giRLs

What if, instead of waging war against Japan, Britannia sought after an alliance by arranging a political marriage between them? What if the two parties involved was Lelouch vi Britannia and Kururugi Suzaku?

21. Snapshots | DnKS-giRLs

A collection of one shots following the event of Pure Hearted Love. Some mere snapshots portraying the live of Lelouch vi Britannia and Kururugi Suzaku as the royal couple of The Holy Empire of Britannia.

22. Juicy Footage | Coral Blush

Gino thinks Lelouch is sexy, and Suzaku wonders if it’s possible to break his friend’s fingers when no one is looking.

23. In My Memory | KiraxMomo

When all you have are memories, you cling to them. When those memories start to fade, what do you do?

24. Twisted | pretense

“Protect Lelouch and Kill Zero… Well isn’t that just grand?”

25. Mosaic | abovethenightsky

Through the years, the pieces fall into place. It takes Lelouch and Suzaku a little while to learn, but eventually they do. Follows the dynamic duo through R1 and R2, and cycles of fluff, angst, and forgiveness.

26. Revision |  DnKS-giRLs

After the regicide, Zero found himself walking to Emperor Lelouch’s bedroom with fear in his heart. Yes, this is a CRACK fic.

27. The Royal Command | Seto’s Darkness

After defeating Britannia in a bitter war, Suzaku Kururugi is the Prince of Japan who takes a liking to the purple-eyed prisoner, Lelouch.

28. At The World’s End | Seto’s Darkness

Lelouch has always copied Suzaku, the stronger of the two of them. And Suzaku will always protect Lelouch, no matter what.

29. The Moments Between | Zure96

After Charles erases Lelouch’s memory of Zero and Nunnally he has another plan for him before sending him back to Ashford to draw out C.C. Placed in Suzaku’s care, will the newly appointed Knight of Seven abuse his power? Or will he do his duty?

30. Windowless | ucco

Euphemia may hold the title of being Suzaku’s girlfriend, but she’ll never own his heart.

31. The Elegy of Suzaku Kururugi | Coeurlito

The Zero Requiem was not the end. For Suzaku Kururugi, it will never be the end.

32. Thunder and Lightning | Jynova

Thunder and lightning. Two different words denoting the same entity. Two parts of the same phenomena, separated only by the expanse of time. Lelouch Vi Britannia/Lelouch Lamperouge/Zero/99th Emperor of Britannia/Emperor of the World, strikes so brightly. Suzaku Kururugi, plain and simple in his thundering justice.

33. Wrong | faecree

After Euphie’s confession to him, Suzaku simply felt wrong. And, when something feels wrong, isn’t the best way to properly remedy the situation to counter it with something “right” instead?

34. Safe and Sound | Lovelily Lion

In a different world they were ordinary boys caught in a dystopian society bent on watching them lay down their lives. Lelouch grieves over the lover he never had and Suzaku finds a way to get back to him at all costs.

35. Ariadne’s Thread | anlaaria

It could have been perfect. Inception AU.

36. the disloyal order of sunflowers | tenshiplz

Marianne’s eldest son—eight years old and proud of it—the eleventh Prince to the Britannian throne, had attempted to escape three times in the past two days over that wall, but this fourth time was the charm.

37. Fanfic ABCs | Cat In My Fridge

Turning lesbian seemed like the logical thing to do when Suzaku and Lelouch kept being MIA having sex in yaoi fanfiction. At the time, anyway.

38. Retrograde | Libek

At the end of R1, on a whim, Lelouch receives a very different punishment for his actions. Now everyone must deal with the consequences. Themes of “white” slavery, and yes, he does now technically belong to Suzaku.

39. A Friendly Chat | Vermillion Lies

Emperor Charles and Suzaku have a brief conversation regarding memories.

40. Behind Those Wonderful Double Grand Doors |  DnKS-giRLs

That day, the four ladies of Ashford Academy heard some very interesting things behind the closed door of student council room. And what part exactly does aloe gel play in that?

41. Selfish | shimo hyozan

If he was just given the chance, he would’ve been selfish.

42. In Loving Memory | Strawberry Scented Paperclip

An accident has left Suzaku with no recollection of the past two years. He doesn’t mind much, but who’s that dark haired stranger haunting his dreams, and why is his girlfriend acting so distant?

43. The Emperor’s Waltz | realms of fic

Empires may grow and crumble, but music plays forever. 

44. Seeing Double | elarielf

Two Suzakus teaming up against Lelouch, Rock'n'Dolless’s Kiss doujin style. Consensual; semi-public outdoors. …because there can’t be too much Suzaku?

45. Absolution | ficshun

Suzaku must make a choice when confronted with the truth of Zero’s identity.

Bonus Round: cgkinkmemeii fill personal faves

Lelouch is alive with a code, sex with Suzaku ensues

Lelouch turns to Refrain, dubcon

Lelouch switch between good au and canon

Suzalulu RP as each other 

Photographer!zaku

Decayed by rex_sun sidestory (by rex_sun)

MMORPG pk Zero

Student Council/table-kun

Continue? [Yes/No]

Lelouch has fujo fangirls

Cold!lelouch, Passionate!zero

Conflicted!zaku after R1

eyes are windows to the soul

post-R1 non-con

ghost!lelouch

[calenheniel]

The Lost Prince, a frozen fanfic | I.

Frozen | Hans, Elsa | Fantasy, Drama | G+

Legend tells of the lost kingdom of Arendelle, and history records the many, many adventurers lost in search of it.

Follow updates: #TLPFrozen

Author’s Note: Based on an anon prompt, “every word’s only to please.” An AU somewhere between Frozen and The Snow Queen, and it’s supposed to read more or less as a fable. Started as a drabble and then turned into this; I recommend reading the original fairy tale for a refresher, before getting into this one. Big thanks to @yumi-michiyo​ for beta-reading, @jii-ro​ for initial thoughts and friends IRL for reading, too.

I should also note that I am trying something different with this fic: I will be publishing it in serial form on Tumblr (Dickens-style), and then finally as one complete one-shot on FF.Net, AO3, etc. This should give the piece the proper room to grow and breathe and evolve, so your feedback will be critical in developing it further. Please do reply, reblog, and send me asks or PMs with any questions or suggestions! 

Prologue

Legend tells of a once-great kingdom in the North, upon which befell a most terrible fate.

Legend tells of a mysterious and powerful Snow Queen, who covered all the lands in ice with a single breath.

Legend tells of a heart, brave and true, that has the power to break the curse of eternal winter.

Legend tells of many things, but only to those who would believe them.

I.

Hans didn't look back once on the day he left for Arendelle.

It was his twenty-third birthday, though few knew or cared to remember the occasion. Red-haired and olive-eyed, he was the youngest of thirteen boys born to the Westergards, a noble family with roots dating back to the beginning of the first settlements in the Southern Isles. As one son among many, he had often been overlooked, ignored, and sometimes forgotten altogether.

Where his brothers thrived on competing and fighting with one another for their late father's praise, Hans recoiled from it. Where his brothers embarked on military and trade careers of great renown, Hans hesitated. Where his brothers found suitable wives (and then lovers) to bear children that would carry on the Westergard name, Hans waited, and was alone.

And so he found himself at the port town of Flakstad on a crisp and bright morning, carrying only a large knapsack with him. He was dressed plainly, wearing a dark brown jacket over clothes thick enough to withstand a journey by sea. The only things he saved from his previous life were his fine white kid-skin gloves and his sword, both of which he wore on that day. They had been his mother's last presents to him before her passing the year before, and they were the only items about which he felt even remotely sentimental.

From his perch by the dock, he looked over the trade ship upon which he had booked passage. It was not elegant or grand, like the ones his brothers commanded in the Navy, nor was it sleek and new, as he could tell from the numerous places where holes had been repaired in the hull and beak. Nevertheless, there was something exciting about it to him. Perhaps, for example, it had survived many rough storms at sea, or been attacked by pirates and looted. He imagined all of these scenarios with a small grin, and they took his mind off home.

He had some time before the ship was set to leave port, and checked over the contents of his sack. He realized that his compass was missing and frowned, asking a nearby stranger where he could purchase another in spite of the early hour. The man pointed to a shop on the other side of the road, and when Hans saw it, his frown deepened.

It was a dark and dingy old wooden house, with black markings on its sides after years of collecting soot and grime from the chimney. How anyone could call it a "shop," he thought, was questionable. Nonetheless, he knocked on the door. "Hello?" he called, though no one answered. He walked to the windows, and saw that no lights were lit inside. He sighed, assuming defeat, and began to walk away.

It was then that the entrance creaked open, and a crone as old and dilapidated as the house itself appeared in the doorway. "Did you knock, young man?" she asked, offering a mostly toothless smile to him. Her right hand, resting on a cane, shook with the effort of holding herself up.

Hans considered lying to her, but upon remembering his need, he pushed away his reticence. "Yes," he replied, and instinctively plastered on his largest, politest smile. He observed her frayed and unkempt gray hair, as well as the liver spots dotting her skin, and swallowed his distaste. "I'm sorry to come so early, ma'am, but I was told I might be able to purchase a compass from you?"

The crone's dark brown eyes, cloudy with the beginnings of glaucoma, regarded him with curiosity. She paused, and then nodded, at which he felt relieved. "Yes, yes, I have just the thing," she said, and motioned for him to follow her into the house. She placed her cane against the wall, and her hands shook as she drew out a box of matches from a drawer in a side table by the door, then opened the cover of a lantern atop the table.

Hans grew impatient with her struggle. "Here, let me help you," he offered in a gentle voice, and she made a small noise of thanks as he struck the match and lit the candle inside, lifting the lantern so that she could see. His smile felt painted on. "That's better."

"How kind you are," the crone complimented, and took her cane again as she led him further and further into the dank and dark clutter of the shop, kicking things out of their path every so often. He saw only glimpses of what was inside - torn maps on the walls, books with pages falling out of their spines, a mounted reindeer head, a staff and orb - but it was far too dim to make out anything clearly. He struggled to keep from holding his nose at the stench inside, which reminded him of rotting fish.

"It's just back here—ah, yes," she said, "right there, in my desk." The smell got worse the closer they got to the back of the shop, until Hans could not help but cough when the crone finally bumped into the edge of her desk. She laughed a little to herself, mumbling about her clumsiness in old age, and he continued to hold the lantern for her as she put her cane down again, and rifled through the various drawers.

He squinted down discreetly at his pocket watch, surprised when he read the time, and without realizing it, his foot began to tap against the ground.

"In a hurry, are we?" she asked, chuckling as he stopped his foot and blushed in embarrassment. "That's all right, that's all right," she reassured him, "you are young, after all. I was impatient, too, at your age."

She continued to mumble on about youth and folly and other things, and though Hans kept smiling at her, he had long since tuned out of the conversation. It was only when she paused in her rambling and shuffling around in the drawers that his attention was drawn to her again. "Have you found something?" he asked.

"Yes, and it's what you're looking for, I believe." She held up a compass to the lantern light, and he grimaced when he saw its barely-legible face. She rubbed a wrinkled palm across it, moving the dirt to the side. "Ah, there it is!" she exclaimed, pointing to its arrow. She moved the compass from side to side, watching as it pointed due north, and then nodded as she handed it to him. "Still works as well as the day I found it."

He looked at the item with skepticism, though he had to admit that it did, indeed, work. "How much… do you want for it, ma'am?" he asked at length, making her laugh.

"That depends on what you intend to use it for," she answered with a spry twinkle in her dark eyes. She glanced at the white gloves that covered his hands. "Are you off with the Navy lads? Or on your own adventure of some kind?"

Hans thought of his brothers and father, and went stiff. "On my own."

"To find your own place," the crone said, and nodded. "Oh, yes. I understand."

Hans's eyes widened, and he gripped the compass so hard that if it were any flimsier, it might have broken. The crone had voiced aloud something he had only ever said in his private thoughts—but it was impossible, he thought, for her to have known that. He reassured himself with the idea that it was mere coincidence, though his grip on the compass did not loosen.

She smiled her dreadful, toothless smile at him again. "But where are you going, dearie? That ship you intend to board is going north, isn't it?"

His lips pressed into a firm line. "Indeed it is, ma'am," he replied. "To the Northern Countries." Without knowing why, he added: "Though I'll be disembarking at Farsund."

Her brow lifted as her hands, which had been shaking until then, became still. "Farsund? How odd. Small town, poor people," she commented, looking thoughtful. "Why there? You won't find what you're looking for in such a place."

He was irritated by her presumptuousness. "Well, I'm not staying there," he told her, keeping his voice even. "But it's the closest I can get to—"

He stopped, realizing he had said too much, but it was too late. "Arendelle," she finished, and sighed. She shook her head. "You intend to go and find the lost kingdom." There was warning in her gaze as she continued: "It is a fool's errand, my boy."

Hans rose to the challenge. "It is what I intend to do," he affirmed, "fool's errand or not."

"The Snow Queen of the North Mountain rules those lands," she said, "beautiful and fierce, but with a heart of ice." The crone became more animated as she told the familiar story. "If not for her, Arendelle would still be there, and the young princesses ruling in peace—though, of course," she added with a gleam in her eye, "there are some who say that it was the elder princess herself who brought the Snow Queen to her kingdom."

His ears perked up at this detail. It was one he had not heard before, and in spite of his inclination towards disbelief, he was curious. "Brought her to Arendelle? But how?"

The crone shrugged. "No one knows," she replied, "but it is said that when she was born, the princess was cursed by trolls with a strange sickness, and so was kept hidden away for many years in the castle. Then, when the young princesses' parents died suddenly at sea, she was to be crowned Queen. But on the evening before her coronation," she went on, her eyes wide, "terrified that her curse would be discovered, she sought out the Snow Queen, whose powerful magic she thought could heal her." She sighed, and rested against the desk. "But the Snow Queen only brought destruction, and the two young princesses were never seen again."

She looked wistfully into the distance. "Now, only one with a heart that is brave and true can—"

"'Break the curse of eternal winter,' yes, I know," he cut her off, making her frown. The crone's ridiculous talk of trolls and curses and mysterious illnesses made him remember his purpose there. "I've heard the legends, and I'm not afraid. There must be a logical explanation for Arendelle's disappearance, and I intend to discover it."

"At what cost?" the crone asked. "Your life? You have many years in you yet, young man. Don't let the Snow Queen take them from you."

He shrugged. "She will do no such thing, because she doesn't exist, and I'll prove it." He placed the lantern down on the desk, and held the compass out to her. "Now, how much did you want for this?"

She pushed away his outstretched hand, pressing the compass to his heart. "Nothing, boy," she replied. "You'll be needing it more than I ever did, if Arendelle is what you seek." Her hand dropped from his, and grasped the handle of the lantern. "Now go, before your ship sets sail without you."

Hans nodded and mumbled thanks to her as he walked briskly out of the shop, wincing as vibrant daylight greeted his green eyes. He looked down to check his watch once more and picked up the pace, running to the docks. The ship was already boarding, and its passengers - mostly tradesmen and deckhands - were making their way up the gangplank. He followed suit, and then paused when onboard, examining the ship again.

Where the rough edges and stained masts had charmed him before, he now saw them with a sense of foreboding. He scrutinized every patched-up tear, every creaky floorboard, and every unfriendly look from the other men at his clothes or sword with a wary eye. Finally, he turned his gaze to the compass the crone had given him - still pointing due north - but noticed it had stained his fine white gloves, and frowned.

He thought of her cautionary tale, and looked back at the shop—but whatever light had shone from the lantern had been extinguished, and it was just as dark as when he had first arrived.