#FanFic Writer asks

[justallihere]

17, 54, 76 ...& 85, but only if you want 😁

17. what is your favorite line you've ever written?

I come back to this line in ch 24 of sitq a lot. Something about Xaden realizing and admitting his feelings was very special to write, and not only do I love the imagery of it, I also love how different it is from the way he loves her now, out loud and unashamed.

He had small pieces of her that she only gave up when it was the two of them, little bits that he collected like coins, something to hide in his pocket and worry his thumb over in the dark.

54. what's a common writing tip you almost always follow?

Show, don't tell! I think at some points you do just have to tell things, but I also love playing around with different descriptions and imagery to describe how a character is feeling without actually saying the words.

76. what is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain?

They don't have to be relatable or redeemable. I think people get caught up in making their bad guys sympathetic, and personally I don't want that. Let them be reprehensible and proud of it.

85. what would be on a moodboard for your current wip(s)?

So @iamlivingmusic made a perfect moodboard for sitq here (and that one won't be a wip for much longer), so here are the vague vibes for the next fic:

[walkawaytall]

I am very stressed about a thing that I can’t discuss right now that I have literally no control over, so here’s some

fanfic writer asks

that I came up with all on my own. Ask ‘em, share ‘em, do whatever.

Have you pulled inspiration from media sources other than the property your fic is related to (a plot point from a TV show that has nothing to do with the characters/setting of the fic, a line from a book, etc.)? If so, for which story? Why did you find that media source compelling?

What is your favorite paragraph from (insert story title you want to know about here, or leave it blank for writer’s choice)? Is there a reason it’s your favorite?

What is the most amount of research you’ve done for the smallest detail? What was the detail and how much time/effort went into researching it?

Share a headcanon about (character name) in (story title)!

Is there a tiny detail in one of your fics that you feel goes tragically unnoticed?

What is your favorite type of feedback to receive (favorites/kudos, comments, DMs, complete and utter silence in the pursuit of remaining unperceived?)? If comments or DMs or anything else involving a reader writing, do you have a particular type of feedback that excites you more than other types?

Share a line or paragraph you’ve written that you don’t think will ever actually be posted in anything! (Or, if you don’t hoard cut sentences and passages like I do, share anything you want that has yet to see the light of day!)

Is there a story idea you have that you would love if it could appear fully realized but that you do not think you’ll ever write yourself?

Do you prefer to read angst or fluff? Which do you prefer to write?

If you could banish a single trope to live at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again by any human eyes (or at least your own), which trope would that be?

Conversely, if you had to pick a single trope to read for the next seven-and-half years, which trope would that be?

What are your thoughts on slow burn romances?

Are you secretly Tara Gilesbie aka XXXbloodyrists666XXX aka author of infamous Harry Potter fanfiction serial My Immortal? (you can trust me; I won’t tell anyone, pinky promise)

Has anyone ever created anything (art, a podfic, another fic, etc.) inspired by your work? Which work? How did you feel about that?

Is there any genre, trope, or style that you find particularly challenging to write? Do you enjoy the challenge or prefer to avoid it?

Is there a commonly held misconception about one of your stories that you’d like to correct for the masses?

What does your editing process look like?

Share a headcanon relating to (insert desired theme here)!

What was the very first fanwork you ever created? (I’m talking like maybe you made a little book out of construction paper and staples with your favorite Disney characters drawn in it when you were five years old or you drew a comic about a movie you saw when you were a preteen. That sort of thing.)

Is there anything about any one of your fics that you have been dying to discuss but haven’t had the chance to?

[skyfallscotland]

20 Questions for the Writers Tag Game!

I was tagged by @caeli0306

1. Total number of AO3 works

Nine!

2. Total AO3 word count 985,672! We're about to crack the mil, baby! And in just over a year, too 🥺💗

3. Fandoms I've written for

So many! But if we keep it to works currently posted: ACOTAR & The Empyrean series.

4. Top 5 fics by kudos

Truth & TalonFear & FlameMacchiatoFurykeep quiet (nothing comes as easy as you)

5. Do I respond to comments?

Yes, always! I love receiving them, so replying is the least I can do 💗

6. What has the angstiest ending?

...Truth & Talon, actually...

No, I'm just kidding....mostly... 👁👄👁 I'm saying Dangerous Devotion. 7. What has the happiest ending?

Fury, I think.

8. Have I received hate?

Not recently/in the Empyrean fandom (unless you count people telling me they're disappointed with my choices, lol, shoutout to that one girl who was sad Remi wasn't a virgin!) but I have before for sure.

9. Do I write smut? And what kind?

Sure. What kind like...kinks? Praise kink? Cockwarming? What do you mean what kind? 😭 The hot kind 💗

10. Do I write crossovers?

I have before, but I don't have any currently published.

11. Have I ever had a fic stolen?

Multiple times, lol. she's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment.

Honestly though, please don't do this. It's not a nice feeling. It doesn't help you, either, or anyone else. Wouldn't you rather contribute something new to the fandom you're in? 12. Have I ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Some of my older Tolkien works were translated into Russian and I've had offers for Remi's Version, but I prefer that translations stay on AO3 (with very limited exceptions) which I suppose limits some people.

13. Have I ever co-written a fic?

I mean, most of my ideas are bounced off @justallihere and we throw dialogue/ideas back and forth so we'll give her... 12% of the credit for my next work. But no, I've never properly co-written anything. I feel like it would be weird, right? Unless you're writing a POV each?

14. What is my all time favorite ship?

Xaden Riorson/Remi Sorrengail 😌

15. A WIP I'll never finish?

I really hope to finish the things I've started so far. I have a few on the go, but the brain does what it wants. Tattoo-artist Xaden is sitting right on the edge there. I have 10k words of a scribe Violet AU that I might never pick up again, so let's say that.

16. Writing strengths?

Feelings, apparently. Lots of people tell me I make them cry, lmao.

17. Writing weaknesses?

Battles, action, fight scenes. I hate them. I hate them so much I'll write in storylines that change the canon universe so I can skip them completely. Ick.

18. Do I like foreign language dialogue?

I just write, for example, 'he said in Tyrrish' after the dialogue, I like that sort of thing, I think it's indicative enough without doing all italics and strange indicators like people used to back in the day, lol.

19. First fandom I wrote for?

Lord of the Rings. Very short lived. Was told it was "the worst fic I've ever read in my life" and that was that. I was maybe thirteen at the time 😌

20. Favorite fic I've written?

I cannot and will not pick a favourite child, but I will say Fury is very close to me. It got me back into writing and it came at a time in my life where I was really struggling and finding who I wanted to be and really changing my life. Without Tessa, there wouldn't be Remi 💗

I feel like everyone I know has already been tagged by someone, so I'll just open it to the floor for anyone who wants to participate 🤷‍♀️

[stellanslashgeode]

Can you give me 23,27 and 31 for the ask game?

23. Where do you usually write?

I write smut on my work laptop. I did get a used Mac Mini from a coworker so I could have my own dedicated machine, but I loaned it to my ex. So, the two locations are at my computer table in my living room or at work.

27. Which fic do you think is your most adventurous?

Dissonance and Upheaval by a mile because I wrote it in the style of a 1920s-1930s pulp sci-fi magazine novella. There's going to be an honest to gosh medieval battle in that one. Only in this one Ahsoka has her lightsaber.

Inferno is close, as is Sundari Accelerando. Way of the Mynock will have a lot of action once we get further into the Rebels era.

31. Which fic would you most like to see made into a movie?

Heart of Kyber would make a very nice 90 minutes. But I would also love an anime version of my words in her voice.

You know what? Fuck it. Disney+ buy the rights for Let's Call it Love off me, you bastards.

[dragonflylady77]

Questions for fanfic authors

I was tagged by @xthelastknownsurvivorx

How many works do you have on AO3? 47 (holy shit!)

What's your total AO3 word count? 80,885

What fandoms do you write for? Mostly Stranger Things (harringrove), then a tiny bit of Red, White & Royal Blue (firstprince), a Spuffy one shot, and a Power Rangers 2017 one shot.

Do you respond to comments? I try to, yes. Then I find some I forgot to respond to and I feel really bad.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? not that I know of.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? yes, a long time ago. I was beta-ing a Spuffy fic for my bestie Kitty and I kinda wrote the 3rd (and last) chapter of that fic. I read it again a couple of years ago and OMG the head-hopping was bad and the smut was kinda cringe.

What's your all-time favourite ship? harringrove!!!! Even if I've been reading a ton of firstprince (and some tarlos, and also Lizzie/Darcy), my heart belongs to Billy and Steve.

What are your writing strengths? dialogue, banter, happy endings, fluff (just ask @shieldofiron.

What are your writing weaknesses? actions scenes, full on MM smut (still scares me a bit).

First fandom you wrote for? um, does NKOTB RPF when I was in my late teens count? Otherwise, Spuffy.

no pressure tags @ihni @onthewaytosomewhere @lalazeewrites @biillyhargroves @spaceofentropy @thissortofsorcery @shieldofiron @robthegoodfellow @fizzigigsimmer @adelacreations @forever-fixating @kiwiana-writes @anincompletelist @billyharringson @camaro-and-smokes

[m34gs]

10. What is the last line of dialogue you’ve written?

Thank you for this ask as well! (from this post)

I'll be using my Inconvenience Store Blue Exorcist fic again!

The last line of dialogue is:

Ryuji couldn’t help the fond smile that came to his lips. “I know.”

He's answering Rin, who didn't want people to get cursed, even if they're rotten rich bastards...lol

[asirensrage]

Sending hugs always!

🛒 What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

Please and thank you.

Hey! Thanks for asking!

Uhh...I'm not very good at looking objectively at my own work. I do like exploring things like obsession because I find the reasonings people use to justify things like that interesting. Also, how people deal with the unexpected (like someone obsessed with you or waking up in a new world lol).

Also, @vixenofcourse once told me that a common theme in a lot of the main ships I write is "the power of the common cause [...] tragic when they're not aligned and the potential is lost and earth-shaking when they have their shit together." which...I can see it when I look back at things lol.

Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask

[almostfoxglove]

🎁 🦋 🦈 for the ask game! 😊

hi sweetheart!! thank you so much for theseeee <3

🦋 Which character is your favorite to write?

I think it's a tie between our chain-smoking boy javier or an extremely heartsick, yearning joel miller specifically, which feel like very polar answers HA

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

HONESTLY javier p!! (though I did struggle with dave york too just because I'm not so familiar with him) but so much of javi's characterization is in the subtleties, so trying to get him to feel right is always a fun challenge :,) but I love himmmmm

🎁 Have a piece of a WIP you want to share?

okay it seems that somehow my wips are largely series finales - so I'll pop a peek at Lock the Gate part 3 below the cut to avoid spoiling!

💘 fanfic writer ask game

** ! SPOILERS FOR LOCK THE GATE FINALE BELOW ! **

[justhere4thevibez]

🛌🌷for the fanfic writer game, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease, my love!

of course, my love! Thanks for the ask 💛

🛌 What's a trope you haven't written, but want to?

Okay, so I would loveeeee to write an Arranged Marriage au for hellcheer, but generally those are set in the past when arranged marriage was more common and I'm not ready to put my whole pussy into historical research (and I refuse to write a horrifically inaccurate historical fic lol), so I probably won't 😂

🌷What's one of your fics that isn't as popular, but you hold dear?

oooh, gosh! that's a hard one! I love all my fics dearly, and most of the time they do better with my audience than I expect 😂 I will say though that You Got Me Good is an underrated one of mine. High Chrissy is the best, and I love her dearly 🥰 here's a lil snippet in case you missed this fun fic:

“Oh thank god, Eddie,” she said, clasping his shoulders with more force than he’d believed she was capable of. She squinted up at him, suddenly unsure. “You are Eddie, right?” “Yeah, sugar, that’s my name,” he said slowly, his lagging brain trying frantically to catch up with the scene before him. “Good.” She spoke each word distinctly, like they might escape her if she wasn’t careful. “I think I smoked weed.” “Umm, okay?” He wasn’t exactly sure where this was going. “Good for you?”

Send me fanfic writer asks!!!

[curator-on-ao3]

I was going to ask you something for the writing game, but it looks like folks have got you covered. So: is there a writing question NOT on the list you want someone to ask so you can answer?

Ooooh, thank you, @aquarterpastfour — what a fun opportunity! ❤️

To make up a question not on the list:

🥸: What's your opinion on characterization?

Hoo-boy. That’s a complicated question.

First, I’m going to put in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of characterization:

So this idea of artistic representation gets complicated in fanfic, right? Because we’re not writing our own conception of a character, we’re writing a character created by someone else and, in the case of Trek fandom and lots of other fandoms, that character has been re-interpreted (sometimes inconsistently) across episodes and possibly films written by many different people. Then you have fic writers who lack confidence in their characterization (I’ve seen stories tagged “OOC” that I thought were perfectly in character) and other fic writers who demean their peers for characterization that is different but still perfectly plausible.

In light of all this, I posit that any given fanfic is an interpretation of an overall characterization that can and should be able to stretch like a rubber band based on a fic’s individual world. A friend of mine one said, “Nothing is OOC if you back it up properly,” and I like that concept so much (for fic, ymmv for canon).

To be clear — I think believable, research-based, resonant characterization is important. But I also think characterization should naturally vary by an author’s interpretation of the source material. (I joked once that the most consistent characterization in Voyager fanfiction is Phoebe Janeway, and I believe this is possibly due to Phoebe’s extremely limited onscreen characterization [I know she’s in the novels] that leads to consistency that isn’t necessary for characters we truly know.)

Anyway, I could go on and on about characterization (clearly), and I thank you again for giving me a chance to talk about it, @aquarterpastfour! ❤️

| fic writing asks |

[wynnyfryd]

👻 🌻

Kissin u kissin u kissin u

👻 What is your wildest headcanon?

Claudia Henderson has a massive fantasize-but-never-bother crush on Mr. Clarke. He’s got a funky little mustache? He’s nice to her son??? She’s swoonin’ a little for sure

🌻 How often do you read your own fics?

Depends! If I’m writing them I like to reread the last 500-1000 words of the previous section before writing the next part so I can brush up on the plot/tone/details, etc. If it’s published then I don’t really look at them until someone leaves a super detailed comment and I go “awww. wait what tf are they talking about?” 😂

fanfic writer ask game

[justallihere]

1, 4, 23 & 58 🤗

1. do you know how you want the story to end when you start, or are you just stumbling through the figurative wilderness hoping to find a road?

A little bit of both. I usually know the very end goal, but the road to get there changes a lot. My initial (vague) plans for sitq have changed a lot, but where we’re going to end up is still essentially the same. I’m kind of right in the middle of planning and pantsing.

4. what is the plot bunny you’ve been carrying for the longest? optional bonus question: do you ever wonder why you haven’t written it yet and experience deep existential dread?

It’s a reincarnation fic called this life and every other—the title comes from Xaden’s love confession in Iron Flame: “It’s a damned good thing you love me, too, because you’re stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.” It is basically a dumping ground for a little bit of every fic idea I’ve ever had that I know I won’t ever flesh out completely.

In every life, it starts and ends the same.

Mira Sorrengail says to her sister, “Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson,” and Violet does the exact opposite.

I don’t really have any existential dread about it lol, I still poke it at every week or two, but I’ve decided to write it in present tense for the vibes and it’s hard to go back and forth with tenses when I have other things that take precedence. And if I don’t end up finishing it, that’s fine. I don’t have the energy to fight with my own brain, and I’d rather write things I love.

23. how do you deal with writers block?

Lots of complaining. Sometimes I write through it, and then go back and edit the garbage that comes out when I have time. Sometimes I read a book or write something else or do nothing. Just kinda depends where my brain is; I usually know if forcing it will make it better or worse.

58. what is the last thing that a fic made you google when you were writing it?

I don’t think I’ve googled much recently. I google name ideas a lot—last night I was searching up synonyms for “disturb” because I’d just used “undisturbed” in the paragraph right before it and needed a different word lol.

[johaerys-writes]

Hiiiiiii for Nameless:

If the fic required it, what did you research in order to write it?

Gosh what HAVEN'T I researched 🤣 I don't consider myself well-versed with western/cowboy media at all, like before starting Nameless I might have seen a handful of western films or series but that was about it. Ever since starting the fic I have been pretty much devouring anything I can get my hands on, be it books, films, series, documentaries, etc.

I've enjoyed some of Cormac McCarthy's western books, and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry has honestly been a treasure trove of information (haven't watched the series yet but planning to). I've also enjoyed watching a few of Clint Eastwood's classics, can never go wrong with those for inspo I think lol. And something that has been of tremendous help so far is Youtube; I've been watching a ton of videos on ranching, cattle keeping, horse training, rodeoing, you name it I've watched it. There are tons of ranchers sharing videos of their everyday life and various struggles they might encounter on the job and those are just incredible and extremely informative.

Thank you so much for the ask!! 💕

[fic writer asks]

[jolalibrary]

Hi gorgeous Jo!!

Can I get a 9 and 29 for the fic writer’s asks?

Loving you as always ❤️❤️❤️

hello my gorgeous friend! :hugssss:

9. start to finish, how long did it take you to write the last fic you posted?

the last fic technically i posted was chapter 20 of DMY, and as that was a series, i think I began it in the second or third week of january? so almost six months. but i finished writing it in the middle of june, and then i edited each week until i was done, done by chapter 19 so i could mourn. through all my completed series (across lots of fandoms) DMY is the one I've spent the longest with, and actually craved writing it each week unlike anything else. so, it left a mark on me for sure.

29. how easy it is for you to come up with titles?

i answered this one here but also to add on, sometimes they're lyrics from a song I've listened to as i was writing it (as i'm a "once I've found the song that fits the vibe, i listen over and over again" kinda gal).

loveeees you

ask me fanfic writer asks ✍️

[missiemoosie]

Fanfic writer interview~

Thank you for the tag, @sotwk~!

A note: I put links to each of the fics that get mentioned, but only logged in AO3 users can see them.

How many works do you have on AO3?

8

What's your total AO3 word count?

1,698,209

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

Her Dreams Became Nightmares [The Hobbit, Thorin x f!oc]

Of Sparrow and Drystan [PotC, Jack Sparrow x f!oc x genderfluid!oc]

Azying [The Hobbit, Bofur x f!oc x m!oc and rewrite of Finding Their Place]

Finding Their Place [The Hobbit, Bofur x f!oc]

Daughter of Death [Mulan (1998), no romance, f!oc]

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to as many comments as I can, though sometimes, I just don't have the energy. The ones I do reply to are usually ones that make me laugh or have non-spoilery questions~

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

Daughter of Death, definitely. Though, it's sequel, Daughter of Rebirth, might be tied with it.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Taming a Monster. Only because, other than the aforementioned Mulan fics, it's the only fic on my account that's actually finished LMAO

Do you write crossovers?

Not really. I do sometimes sneak little easter eggs into my fics, though. Like in Finding Their Place/Azying, Ned the Piemaker from Pushing Daisies is the brother to Adela. And in my PotC fic, I plan on Emil running into Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (among others).

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yeah. Some people didn't like that my oc for Taming a Monster was dark skinned. Not that she was half troll, but that she was dark-skinned in a Viking-Based fandom. Also got one hate comment on Of Sparrow and Drystan because someone was pissed Emil was actually a woman....But that's about it.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I sometimes do, but I don't post it. Because I don't need all my kinks out in the open. I'm nervous enough posting my drawn smut LOL

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I...don't think I have. I do know someone was translating Taming a Monster into Russian, so if ever anyone ever came across that, please know it was done with permission.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Speak of the devil, I just mentioned this =D

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope. My friend and I were going to try co-writing an Avengers fic a few years ago, but we never got around to it.

What's your all-time favorite ship?

We talking canon x canon? Or can we include oc x canon? Because, tbh, I don't really hardcore ship any canon x canon ships, aside from Will and Elizabeth from PotC or Kaz x Inej from Six of Crows. So maybe those? Or Bofur x Thorin. Otherwise, my favorite ships are mostly ot3s with an oc involved.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Daughter of Life, the final part of my Mulan series. I just got so incredibly burnt out on it that even thinking about it makes me feel like that one meme of Ben Affleck smoking.

What are your writing strengths?

People tell me it's my descriptions and keeping the characters...well, in character.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I struggle with shorter stories and that, in turn, gives me burn out. I've gotten better about writing shorter chapters over the last couple of years, though.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I do it sparingly, unless it's a made up language like Khuzdul. But even then, I try to keep it limited because I know there are people who actually speak neo-Khuzdul and would probably want to strangle me for the way I write it LOL

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

None, really. I just want to be able to get the gumption to work on my own stories soon LOL

What's your favorite fic you've written?

Since you say 'written', I'm assuming this means finished fics. So in this case, it'd have to be Taming a Monster. If we're talking fanfics in general, then Azying. It's got more of my headcanons and worldbuilding in it for the Hobbit than HDBN, since I allow myself more freedom to play around (and did I mention it's an everyone lives AU?)

Time for tags~! Most of the people I know who write fics have already been tagged, so there aren't too many I can add to the list. However, the ones I will add:

@arcadian-dragon-riding @kotaka-kun @oh--you--pretty--things and whoever else would like to do this~!

[breannasfluff]

For the ask game: 💕🏷️🤖

💕 What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

Oh man that's hard; there's so many now....Eldritch Drinks was a lot of fun.

🏷 Is there a tag you like to search for when looking for fanfics to read?

Platonic affection. Humor. I don't specifically look for Slow Burn, but there's enough of them in my bookmarks that I think I have a type haha. And I've probably read just about every one that has Feral Behavior. Acting on instincts is just, unf, so good. That said, the premise really needs to sell me on why.

🤖 Are non-fandom friends aware that you write fanfic?

Yep! I write too much for it not to come up in conversation.