#I’m working my way through all the thiam fic comments

[lovelylittlegrim]

The eternal conflict of feeling guilty for not responding to a comment on A03 AND feeling like a total idiot that’s bothering people when I do respond to a comment.

[stitchkiss]

Hi!!! I’ve been following you for a while and I see that you’re very active in the teen wolf/thiam fandom. I want to be more active too and I’ve noticed that you tend to leave really long comments on fics and I was wondering how you do that? I don’t always comment but I want to more, do you have any tips?

hello anon! what a question! i’m going to use comments i left on @raekensarcher’s fics as examples bc that’s where i do my best work.

but first let’s start with why commenting is so important: it is a great way to integrate yourself into fandoms and can even gain you mutuals/friends! i tricked jack into friendship by dropping comments left and right! commenting is also a great way to encourage writers and to keep a fandom alive! it’s basically the entire purpose. i find that writers are kind of like crows. you drop a nice and thoughtful comment and they’ll latch onto it (and possibly you) forever and so they keep putting them out bc they want to keep writing to keep this good shit going with you. help a crow, they bring you shiny things. you comment, they write. it’s a rapport that needs to be nourished bc it’s beneficial to both parties. fandoms are kinda like an ecosystem in this way. comments are like the food and water to keep this network thriving.

alright let’s get into it!

when i comment, i usually type my thoughts as i read, so basically like live blogging. i like reacting in real time. more than once i’ve typed out a prediction or inference about what’s to come and it turns out i was right, so i make sure to mention that too! pointing out an author’s foreshadowing/hints is a good way to let them know that you’re paying attention to what they write. sometimes (depending on the fic and how i feel) this method of commenting can be a little distracting from the actual fic, so reading through it all then going back might be more helpful to get your thoughts in order. this helps make the comment long BUT the length of the comment doesn’t actually matter bc it’s about what you’re saying/putting into the comment

so, what should you say? easy: tell the author your reactions to what they’re writing. humans are social beings, they thrive off interaction and authors LOVE knowing their words elicit emotions in people. writing is basically a superpower in that way! below are a few comments i’ve left on jack’s fics.

as you can see, my responses to what jack writes is very emotional and slightly violent.

there is no wrong way to comment a reaction. in fact you should utilize all the ways you can think of for variation. such as telling the author that you’re screaming, typing an all caps “AHHHH” to show you’re screaming, tell them that you’re crying, laughing, etc. add in keyboard smashes, hyperbole, and even use emojis. there’s a lot more but these are my go-to. (also, please, be cautious if you’re going to threaten yourself with bodily harm, especially when commenting on a stranger’s fic. jokes aren’t often translated well online and it can also make the author uncomfortable nevertheless)

moving on! notice how i quote the author. they LOVE that shit. they eat it up like candy fr. when i pull out quotes they’re usually the ones that effect me the most and stand out. this varies by person ofc but the reason i do this is to show the author that i’m noticing what they write and that i understand (hopefully) what they’re trying to say. it’s even better when the author tells you that you pointed out lines that mean a lot to them or it was their favorite to write. although i will mention that pointing out seemingly small scenes or “throwaway” lines matters just as much! like a slice-of-life moment in the bigger fic pie. if something strikes you, tell the author!

following that, reacting to lines and quoting them is good, but what will make your comment better is if you tell the author WHY you reacted the way you did or why that particular line stuck out so much to you. this often leads me to typing an analysis of what they’ve written about a character or situation. while i’m not the most articulate person out there i do try my best. for example:

analysis! these are harder to write bc they actually require brainpower. like this whole comment is longer than the lit paper i wrote that same week, i even checked the word count. i don’t think i need to explain literary analysis even tho ppl on tumblr sometimes tend to lack comprehension and critical thinking skills BUT i have faith in whoever is reading this bc you wouldn’t have read this far if you weren’t interested. go you! anyway, my analysis usually comes from understanding the source material and the character(s)/situation in question, but i apply this to how the author decides to write. paying attention to what they’re saying and how it challenges and/or confirms canon as well as your interpretation of it will make a good comment. fics are often character driven rather than action/plot driven so consider that. but honestly analysis is up to you and your understanding of a fandom/ship, so good luck if you chose to drop an essay.

there will often be themes in fics, point those out if you notice it! sometimes they’re subtle and sometimes that’s the basis of the fic. tell the author how the application of a chosen theme works with what they’re writing about. reoccurring details are deliberate and authors will love if you mention it!

i think this comment is a good example of a few things i’ve outlined so far! this fic has an underlying religious/christian theme so my comment (analysis) acts according to that as well as my understanding of theo raeken and religion.

if you notice something about the authors writing style, point it out! this is actually something you have to tread carefully with though, so make sure it’s nice and polite if you do decide to say something! authors are human and their fics can be a way for them to bare their soul, so make sure you’re not causing them anxiety by pointing out certain structures/formats of their writing. so again, make sure to be nice about it.

you can also tell the author what the fic means to you. fics can be so personal and you might relate to it more than you realize. if it hits it hits.

interlude on what NOT say: if an author doesn’t explicitly say you can leave constructive criticism then leave that shit out of your comment and stick with unconditional love and support. while it’s true that constructive criticism helps authors they don’t need it all the time, especially when they didn’t ask for it. fics are like their homes, they’re inviting you in so don’t be a dick and insult their curtains, alright?

finally, compliment the author! i am the kind of person that tells strangers that i love them so i usually default with that to wrap up a comment bc i got a lot of love to give and it has to come out somehow! if spontaneous declarations of love aren’t your thing for whatever reason then tell the author how amazing they are! complimenting the writing itself is probably the way to go if you’re allergic to affection but it does make the author really receptive and happy. it’s very cute. acknowledgment of their work will bring them to their knees i promise.

i will admit that commenting how i do takes time. i usually comment when i’m not busy like at night or on weekends. one time i even arranged my schedule with the sole purpose of leaving a hefty comment on a 20k+ multi chapter fic! obviously you don’t have to do that, but i am certifiably insane and like avoiding responsibility. hope this helps anon! :)

jack’s ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raekensarcher/pseuds/raekensarcher/works

[waterloou]

Year in review

Thanks for tagging meeeeee @theoceanismyinkwell @thiamsxbitch @ksbbb

post the top 5 works you’re most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

Broken Parts - literally have been working on this since the beginning of 2022 (🫠hdjdjdjf don’t have much to show for it but still). It’s my baby bc it’s my first big au fic like ever and it’s a rollercoaster for me bc I still don’t know the entire plot 😂. But I love it bc I like my writing in this and worldbuilding is so fuvking fun.

All Wrapped Up In One- this is here bc it’s pure fluff and it was probably my most popular commented fic ever. I was really happy people felt warm and safe reading it bc it felt like that writing it. It made me wanna write more soft stuff like this.

How Beautiful it is to be Loved - when I get fixated on a couple in a show it’s hard to write ab anything else, so I was really excited when I wrote this because I felt like I was able to do some Justice for other characters in the series as well.

My Heart Hasn’t Felt Like Mine in a Long Time but the Closest it’s felt is in Your Hands- I love writing kid Theo and hfjfjfjf I still like reading this fic and I was pretty proud when I posted it bc my writing was starting to look like stuff I liked to read. Also this is my first part of my chimera pack series and I’m happy how it started. Also writing Theo kinda really helped me fall back in love with writing again.

Theo Concept art for ‘The Ring’- I love this bc it looks like what my physical art looks like and idk it gave me such euphoria to see that.

(Honorable mention)

List your top 4 current WIPs that you’re excited to release in the new year.

1. As the bell tolls-i can’t say too much without giving it away but it’s ab church grims and groundskeepers. Yes it’s Thiam

2. Vernon Boyd fic when he was younger-I want to explore kinda what he went through before we see him on the show bc it’s fucking heartbreaking how little we knew ab him

3. Character exploration of the chimera pack-I already have Corey and Theos posted(they’re actually in my fave fics). Tracy’s is called ‘How to spit out a false ego” (explores her relationship with her anxiety, Theo, and the Kanima) and Josh’s is tentatively labeled “just to get high”

4. I know the first ch is out for these so I’m counting them as one but (short title) of my beautiful li and the ring I’m excited to work on more

Share your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing (or art) over the past year.

1. I CAN DRAW TORSOS I CAN DRAW TORSOS😭😭😭

2. I’ve started spending more time on my art=me liking the finished product more

3. Not doing art in one sitting and splitting it up so I can look at each part with fresh eyes

(For writing I could not tell you how I improved 😂)

Describe your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/art) for the new year.

1. Practice sketching more. I’m gonna see if I can do it daily and post it here no matter how bad it looks

2. Set aside time to write daily

Lastly, tell us your number 1 favorite line you’ve written this year! 

Tiny hands pressed against slowly fading raised cuts, fingers attempting to slot themselves in the creases.

^literally the reason one of my longer wips started bc I wanted to post this passage but had nowhere to put it

Tagging @veetlegeuse @s-s-southsideserpentine @humangrumpycat @bisexualterror @carmens-garden @metagalacticx @pottersfieldcustodian and anyone else who wants to participate!

[eneiryu]

Hey! I’ve spent the last few weeks churning through everything you’ve written on AO3, and I just adore your writing style. I’m a big thiam fan, and one of the things that gets me about your work with that pairing in particular is that most of your stories start at the same jumping point (end of canon) but they vary in plot so significantly - you’re so imaginative in what could potentially happen with Theo, with the pack, with Scott’s alpha skills, with so much post canon. There’s the trial and Theo’s tattoos, or Theo volunteering to be an undercover spy, or creating a wolfs bane vaccine at the operating theatre and Theo dying. And so many more!!! I love how you recycle plot points between stories but slightly differently; in one fic Corey and Theo fight over Theo physically visiting the chimera graves, in another Corey doesn’t mind and gives Theo permission to go, etc. I would love to read and pay for actual books you write one day (if you haven’t already and I’ve just missed out!!) because I’ve honestly read fic in so many genres for well over a decade now and it’s been a while since a writer has captivated me like you have. You’re a true artist, and it’s such an honour to be able to read and appreciate your work!! Thank you so much for sharing it with the world.

That is all so unbelievably kind, thank you. I was a long-time fic reader before I ever started writing, and even then it was mostly motivated by my own need for closure: I needed the whole unresolved whatever of Liam and Theo to work out one way or the other, so eventually I wrote it. But it’s constantly blown me away how well my stories have been received, and how much readers seem to enjoy them, and it truly never stops being a gift. I’ve become such a better writer over the years (of fic! I have not published anything outside of it, though again—I’m hugely flattered), and a lot of that has to do with the engagement I get from readers: the prompts, the comments, the likes/reblogs, the what-ifs, and—for those that have reached out one way or the other—the help actually working through plot points, beta reading, etc. I really can’t thank folks like you and others enough for still being interested after all these years, and giving me the motivation and the inspiration to keep exploring all those different variations. To sound potentially massively over-the-top about it, fic and fic writing is an extremely important part of my life, now, and the community of folks involved in it is a huge part of that.

So, to reiterate—thank you so much for the incredibly kind note. 😊

[parttimehuman]

Just curious. How do you gain a following? Seems impossible these days. Especially if my blog isn’t as popular as yours. I write everyday and I barely get noticed. This is why I hate fandoms. I feel left out.

How do I gain a following on tumblr? I reblog stuff that I like ramble a bit in the tags. I think you might overestimate my following a tiny bit though, this is not a popular blog as far as I know. 

As far as recognition for my writing goes, it’s become tough. I started writing Thiam in 2017 and people were starved for content back then. Literally everything got hits during that time. Obviously, that’s changed a lot. Naturally, since the show ended, the fandom has been getting smaller. So yeah, sometimes you gotta take those two comments on a fic and treasure them because more isn’t coming. 

Generally though, I think most of the people I interact with are those who’ve become friends of mine through fandom. I share links to my stories on two different discord servers. (Go to @officialthiamlibrary and join their server if you’re not already on there, I’d say that’s a pretty good way to interact with the fandom and promote your work.) Sometimes when I’m really feeling it I share links/snippets/aesthetics of my works on tumblr as well, where I guess more people at least get it on their dashbords, but in most cases that gets you a like and nothing more. 

Of course, how much your writing gets noticed also depends on what you write about. You didn’t specify which fandom and/or ship we’re talking about here, but obviously there are differences. I’ve published 53 fics on AO3 that have less than 50 kudos. 2 with under 100 hits. 8 that have only received one single comment. Because not a lot of people care about the rare pairs that I’m obsessed with. Some fandoms just aren’t big. Some topics just aren’t for everyone. A high rating or content that requires trigger warnings might cost you potential readers. Same goes for too few or too many tags, a bad summary, unpopular tropes, etc. 

But! I’m not here to discourage you. First of all, don’t be afraid to promote your work! Show it off on tumblr, tag it with your fandom, your ship, the main characters. And honestly the best advice I think I can give you is get in touch with the fandom! Leave comments on other writers’ fics. Reblog fanart and compliment the artists. Join discord servers and fandom events. Talk to people. Make friends. I swear, most people in fandom are crazy supportive. 

I hope this wasn’t entirely unhelpful to you, and that fandom will give you everything you want out of it. Have a great weekend, dear! 

[officialthiamlibrary]

Welcome to another profile on Behind the Screens, giving you personal insight on who your favorite creators are and what they do when they aren’t wowing you with their creative ability.

This week, I’m excited to bring to you our first artist, Dalyane, or Da-Smiley99. Although, in her case, a more appropriate title would be jack-of-all-trades. As our resident fic writer, song-inspired pic spam creator, and incorrect quote aficionado, she shares her inspiration behind incorrect quotes, her writing persona, her meta-author plans to dictate Thiam’s relationship, and much more! Take a look :)

So, Dalyane, let’s ease our way into things. Tell us about yourself. The catch: the word count should be equal to or less than the number of letters in your two favorite Teen Wolf characters’ name. 

Stiles Stilinski + Theodore Raeken = 25 : My name’s Dalyane, I’m a ray of sunshine in human form. What I want the most is to make people happy with what I do.

And, how did you find the Thiam pack? What about Theo x Liam drew you in?

To be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea. It just came smoothly to me. When I saw Theo and Liam interacting, I was just drawn into it. I was drawn by the silent conversations in their eyes, every word that came out of their mouths that sometimes meant something else or something they haven’t said, their mutual violence towards each other. (I absolutely hate violence, but I don’t know why I’m deeply hypnotized by their banter and their complicated Like/Hate relationship). 

I’m like the most oblivious person ever, I wouldn’t even know if somebody is hitting on me, but there’s something romance-worthy (Is that even a word?) about their complicated relationship that drew me in the Thiam fandom. 

Not mentioning Theo’s past, Liam eventually learned to trust him at some point even if he was still a little hostile towards Theo. A little part of himself learned to forgive him, so he could fight alongside him. In the entire sixth season, I felt like they developed a whole new relationship based on building trust. Apart, Liam and Theo are quite strong alone, but together they cooperate, fight and act like they were a “whole”. Liam may not trust Theo yet, but I felt like his body, his own being told the opposite. I was extremely glad to see their relationship grow with their characters. So long story short, I just basically just dived into it. And it’s without a damn shame that I can say that I don’t even regret liking them together. And it’s also not because of the amazing, beautiful and breathtaking gifsets on Tumblr...Not at all.

Yes!! That sums up their relationship perfectly and worded so well. Let’s keep that going for a moment. Say this was a ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ situation and you could alter their relationship, their lives with your writing. How would they live through the following scenarios:

a. Their First Date: 

Oh, they would know for sure they’re on a date, even if it’s not a date. Theo and Liam would hear my annoying voice every five minutes. Like Liam would ask Theo to hang out at his place, it’s just two dudes hanging out, nothing extraordinary really. But I would still break the nice atmosphere by saying random things that comes from their heads. Like -Wow, Theo’s ass looks great in those Jeans, Liam thought- or -Had Liam’s lips always been that pink?- and God, they would be as red as tomatoes. Awkward much.

b. Their child’s first boyfriend/girlfriend

Theo would absolutely refuse to admit or say out loud that he doesn’t like his child’s significant other. It would hurt his pride, but he doesn’t want to hurt his small bean and his husband, Liam. Of course it’s my job! Theo would be outraged, but it would be so worth it.

c. Their first conflict as an official couple

Because of me, their fight would last for 5 minutes maximum. They would be in a situation where Theo would get jealous because he thought some random guy was flirting with Liam, when in fact he was just being super friendly. So Theo was being an asshole out of jealousy. Liam would start getting angry at him, asking what was his problem but Theo wouldn’t respond. I would just whisper in the air: “Hey, he was jealous you dummy.“ Then they would apologize to each other, followed quickly by a make out session. Yeah, you’re welcome Thiam. 

Haha, honestly, they’d be lucky to have you running the show! Piggy-backing off the craziness you’d put them through, sometimes, characters  find themselves in situations they aren’t sure they can get out of. In your life, is there a time you found yourself in a situation like that and what did you do?

Oh god. Almost nothing happened to me in my life. But I will share this particularly embarrassing moment of me. So one day I was going to my high school, I was inside the school bus. But suddenly the bus stopped at my old middle school, then our chauffeur turned to us saying our high school was closed because of the snow. 

So we went inside the middle school to call our parents so they can pick us up. But that day my mom was working, so she wasn’t available. My grandma didn’t pick up the phone either. So I was like “I can’t stay here anyway, what should I do?” Then my stupid old self just got out of the school, walking all the way to my home. Yeah, I was pretty stupid back then.

 I was freezing and couldn’t see a damn thing in front of me because I was in the middle of a snowstorm. A random guy slowed his car close to me and asked me if I want to get in. Then I remembered what my mom said about getting in a car with a stranger, Oh hell no. I lied saying I was close to home, so he would leave me alone. It worked. 

30 minutes later I think, another car stopped close to me and a woman speaks to me, “Get in, I won’t let you freeze on the road.” I hesitated, obviously. Until I saw my friend in the passenger seat. Finally, I got home safely! I was incredibly embarrassed and horrified; I felt like an idiot. I never thought that I would get home. Holy molly, that was terrifying. When my mom asked why I was home early, I lied to her saying that the chauffeur brought all the students home in the morning. Well, I’ll never ever do that again.

Oh my goodness! Girl, I’m glad you got home ok and didn’t freeze to death! Before we jump into your work, who would be on your ultimate paintball/laser tag team. Any five characters from Teen Wolf. Also, Why?

I would have Stiles on my team, because he’s extremely smart and no doubt he would make up an excellent strategy on the field. I would have Theo, he’s also smart, but he’s a bit reckless and surely takes risks a lot so it can come in handy. I would have Malia, she’s a badass and would dominate the field with some girl power! (You go girl!) I would have Corey, he’s very subtle, doesn’t make a sound and he definitely would blend in the background and that is definitely handy for sure. What a great sneaky sniper. 

For the last member of my team, I would take Mason, he will probably use his charm and his charisma to lure the opposite team’s members. Or just make jokes and references to his favorite Tv shows. That kinda does the job too.

Perfect! And now your work! *Rubbing my hands together in anticipation*

You do a little bit of it all when it comes to creating for Thiam: fanfiction, fanart, edits, incorrect quotes. Which would you say is your favorite art form? And how do you balance creating them all? 

I guess my favorite form of art is writing. I had a talent for writing since I was a kid. I could express myself better on paper than with my voice. Many people had a hard time to believe that everything I wrote came from my mind, because I can’t express myself properly when I talk. For me, writing is an art and fanfics are masterpieces. Writing has been a way for me to escape the real world, my problems and my worries. Writing is a way for me to talk indirectly to readers and expressing my feelings to them through my writing. 

It’s kinda hard to balance my creativity in my posts, because I always do something different. If I see something I like on Tumblr, Instagram or Twitter, I tried to include it in them. I always try to get better. I’m trying to find my own style and keep it. I’m saying it again, I want to make people happy with what I do and when I get positive comments on my works, that makes me want to get  better. A part of me does all of this for my followers, to put a smile on their faces or make them laugh. Seeing them happy makes me happy too.

And, if your process was a person, describe them. What do they do? Wear? Listen to?

Well, she’s pretty thoughtful. She always paces back and forth in her room, trying to find a title to her work. She bases her work mostly on the title, that is most of the time based on a song. She’s always in PJ’s and some good old crocs. She just sit on her bed, listening to her favorite songs, TV shows, movies or her favorite YouTubers. She’s a little lazy girl, I guess. I can’t really blame her, it’s how she is. :)

What would you say is both your (and her) Writing Kryptonite, haha? How do you fight it?

It’s really strange, but I can’t write anything if I don’t listen to some music. Music always has been the source of my imagination, I just didn’t realize it until a few months ago. If I don’t have my phone and headphones on me, I can’t do anything. I need music to write. Depending to the meaning, the lyrics and the beat of the songs I listen to, my works change. If I write something sad, I listen to songs about heartbreak, death, breakups, etc. If I write something fluffy and happy, I will listen to songs about happy endings, falling in love, weddings,etc. 

When I know exactly what to write (theme, feeling expressed in it and other minimal things), I know instantly what song to listen to. Every time there’s music in my ears, I get in my own writing world and my hands just start tapping on my keyboard on their own. This is pretty unique, huh? Music gets me really emotional and I can’t do anything about it. It’s very strange. Since Music is the source of my creativity and imagination, it’s very rare that I have writer’s block.                  

To get rid of my writer’s block, I simply sit back on my couch and close my eyes, listening to some soft music. I take a break, because I can’t write something for a whole day, I would get a huge migraine. I would just relax and let everything come to me.

Your love for writing with music. Is that what inspires your song edits, like this one? What makes a song shout Thiam to you? How do you choose images that embody both the song, their relationship, and your writing for it?

I always choose a song that reflects their complicated relationship and what they’ve been through. I choose songs that are very specific for them, that express their banter, their problems and their backstories. Depending on the songs I choose for my edits, the colors, the pictures and themes are different with each one. For example, for a sad song, the colors and pictures of my edits will be darker, the theme of the edit will likely be sadness, sorrow, breakups,etc. For a more happy-go-lucky song, the colors and pictures will be clearer and brighter, and the theme of the edit will be happiness, calmness, comfort, etc. 

Everything I do in my edits will change with the song I choose. I chose pictures very carefully, they have to call to me (my creative style, I mean). When I find something perfect for my edits, I just know it. It’s hard to explain it, but I can feel it in my gut when I got something good. I’m a weird phenomenon.

And, incorrect quotes. How do those come to you too? Are they inspired by things you see of hear in everyday life? 

Most of them are inspired by my favorite YouTubers: Game Grumps. It’s a gaming channel, where two grown men play some video games while sassing each other, telling semi-bad jokes, swearing 95% of the time and saying perfect incorrect quotes material. Most of them came from the mouth of these awesome guys. Is it the time when I say you should check their channel out? Yeah, go check it, please. :)

Oh wow, one of my roommates watches their channel religiously!! I’ll have to join her sometimes, when I hear them blaring from her room haha. You’ve recently started a new multi-chapter fic, Catch & Release. Can you give us a quick summary, for anyone unfamiliar. 

The story happens one year after the events of season 6. A mysterious girl come knocking on Liam and Theo’s door, seeking their help. Her name is Skye Andrews.She’s a true Alpha who’s fighting against an hostile pack that plans to take Canada. When they saw that she wasn’t a threat and saying the truth, Liam and Theo accepted to help her, also accepting coming to Canada.

And did something inspire the concept?

I don’t even know. It just weirdly came to me just like that, while I was listening to the song “Catch & Release” by Matt Simons.The story made itself when I listened to the lyrics of the song. Now you know where the title came from.

Finally, you know I have to ask. Are there any spoilers you can slip us? 

Eventually you’ll get to know all of my original characters I included in the story. I can’t give any spoilers, because I still don’t know where this story is going. But here’s something I know for sure: Nolan/Alec and Thiam will be canon at some point in the story, I just don’t know when exactly. But if you want some precise informations, my ask box is always open.

Hahaha, fair enough. I guess we’ll have to read along and see. Ooh--perfect question segway. Bonus Question-if you could read only one author/fanfic writer for a whole year, who would you read? And what story of theirs would you horde?

Without hesitation, I say Captainmintyfresh (@Thiamfresh on Tumblr). I just adore her writing so much. It calls to me and her writing style absolutely hypnotized me. She’s incredibly talented and I just can’t stop reading her works. “Airplanes” is by far her best work. I think everyone should read it; it’s a piece of art, a masterpiece. I’m not even exaggerating. Her writing is truly amazing; it gives me the chills. I really wish I could write like that. She can capture the personality and the dynamic of the characters in the Teen Wolf universe. The way she writes their interactions is truly a treat. Seriously, If I could read her works forever, I would. She’s incredibly talented.

I share that sentiment, wholeheartedly. You’re not alone! Before we wrap, I want to ask about advice because I think it’s amazing when we’re given the opportunity to learn from one another. What’s the best writing/drawing/edit-creating advice you’ve ever gotten? Is there any wisdom you could gift us?

I didn’t get any advice in writing, but I would like to give some. If you are struggling with your writing, just take a breath and lean back to look at your work. If nothing comes out, it’s useless to work endlessly and working your brains out. Just take a break and work on it later. There’s no need to be rushed, take the time you need. Writing can be hard and demands a lot of concentration and creativity. Just take the time you need, take breaks and write everything you like. You are the creator of your story.

What’s next for you? Both in life and the creation world?

Well, I’m taking a year off of college. It was becoming too much for my brain to handle so much anxiety every day. In this year, I will eventually think about where I want to go and what I want to do. Maybe it will shorten my time for writing, but I want to do the most I can. I guess there’s nothing next in the creating segment, I’m just going to continue writing and drawing. But there’s nothing huge specifically.  

Any creating is always a perfect amount, so I’m sending you all the luck and inspiration juice in the world! Anything else you’d like to share, in general. The floor is all yours! :)

This concerns anybody reading this. I’m saying this for the third time now, but I’m writing fanfictions, doing edits, drawing fanarts and writing some incorrect quotes for you (all of you). I’m doing this to bring a smile on your faces, make you laugh and make you feel so many different emotions with my work. Seeing you guys happy, makes me incredibly happy. On everything that I do, don’t be shy and comment on my works. If you like my writing style, if you like how I make aesthetics, if you like my incorrect quotes or just quotes in general and if you like my fanarts, go ahead and tell me about those things. I probably won’t respond, because I have a social life outside of Tumblr and I’m actually pretty busy.I want to get better not just for myself, but for all of you. I don’t want to let anybody down and I don’t want to disappoint anybody. I really hope that I meet your expectations. I love each one of you (I’m definitely not crying right now).

Awww! And so with that, BTS presents Dalyane, Da-Smiley99! As always, you can keep the conversation going; respond to any of her thoughts, ask more questions, send a prompt, or simply swing by for a chat with Dalyane anytime. To quote her, she would be “absolutely thrilled” to receive your thoughts! If you’d like to dive into her works, check out both her AO3 and Tumblr.

Tumblr: Da-smiley99

AO3: Dasmiley99

Ask Box: Da-Smiley ask

A huge thank you to her for being so excited about our chat and sharing us piece of her life with us! 

Have a Thiam Creator you fan over, from any platform (AO3, Tumblr, Wattpad, Instagram, FFN, etc). Definitely drop us their names. Bonus points if you include any questions you’re dying to ask them. 

Likewise, if you as the creator, would like to be a part of the Behind the Screens series, give us a shout too! We’d love to get to know you, as well.

Mic drop!

[stitchkiss]

hey, love! can u answer all of them?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALL OF THEM!!!!! okay i will do it but only because you asked and i love you very much

✨What's a fic you've posted you wish you could breathe life into again and have people talking about it? (or simply a fic you wish got more credit)

well i only have 5 fics posted but probably this one because it’s my longest fic but i didn’t really expect a lot of recognition anyway because it’s a rare pair from a show that not many ppl like. it's not the best writing but worked hard on it and i’m proud of it and that’s really all i can ask for.

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

i really love when ppl point out sentences/situations and other things they like.

🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

i struggled really hard with my first thiam fic. the responses are all amazing but i found it so difficult to write something so vulnerable

🌻what makes you want to give up on writing? what makes you keep going?

something that makes me want to give up is the fear that i wont be able to write how i want. what keeps me going is all the lovely cheerleaders in my corner<333

🌿how does creating make you feel?

happy. i love getting my ideas out there and i like practicing writing

🍉in what ways has writing helped you process trauma and/or navigate through your own life?

tbh what i've written so far have all been fantasies. i haven't explored issues i face through writing yet but i do have ideas. i think my thiam stargazing fic was a kind of reflection of how i felt in a moment

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

im funny sometimes

🎈describe your style as a writer; is it fixed? does it change?

there are literally year long gaps between my fics so yes they def have changed. i feel like im more sure of myself and my writing each time i post and hopefully my writing gets better every time too!

🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/ validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don't, you should!)

every time. i love treating myself. i try to hype myself up by reading what i wrote and it works sometimes.

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

all of these ofc but i think characters because they're the driving force of all my writing amd im scared i dont write them correctly or they dont come off in the way i want to. i also feel like specific word choices and phrases really make or break a fic.

💝what is a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

the thiam stargazing one. you guys went nuts over it fr so thanks

🤍what's one fic of yours you think people didn't "get"?

i havent written anything really profound but i will say that there is a lot in my 18k caswen fic that i wish ppl would acknowledge.

🕯️I was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn't think it would take you?

thiam stargazing ofc. when i wrote it i felt like i was bigger than myself. idk how to explain it

💥find your least kudos'd fic - say something wonderful about it.

ohhh my anne/winnie fic! i will say that this was very bold of me to write because this pair is rare. so rare in fact that my fic was the first posted on a03 for that ship! pretty girlboss of me

🍭why did you start writing?

because i had ideas in my head and i needed to get them out.

💎why is writing important to you?

i think it's important to me because this is a way for me to take a break from my life by writing others'

🪄what is your post-writing/sharing aftercare? How do you take care of yourself or celebrate yourself when you've finished a fic?

every single time i've posted a work i eat chinese food then take a phat nap to distract myself.

🎙️which one of your fics would you like someone to make a pod-fic of?

probably the thiam cod one bc it's funny

🤲what do YOU get out of writing?

i like contributing to fandoms and ships and if i get praised along the way then that's alright with me too

💋when you leave comments on a fic, do you want to hear back from the writer?

ur comments on my comment. did i understand it? did you think what i said ab x thing was funny? idk everything. im a social butterfly i thrive off communication

☯️how do you think engaging with each other through tumblr, twitter, comments, kudos, creates healthy fandom experiences? How do you deal with that if you're not a social person/experience social anxiety?

encouragement literally creates art. and friendships! i literally made so many friends by commenting on their fics and interacting with them in general. fr this has been a very fun two months for me inthe teen wolf/thiam fandom. im thriving here in a way i didnt in other fandoms because i actually took a chance and talked to ppl. i have aniety but i love talking to ppl so it worked out

🦕(i can’t find the stupid blue emoji thing so ur getting a dinosaur) what steps do you take to not take things personally if a fic doesn't do well, or if your writing/ posting/sharing experience isn't going how you'd like it to?

if my fic doesnt do well then that's not my business. ppl like what they like and yeah it's a dick move to not tell a creator/artist you like their stuff whether through comments or kudos bc its so east to click one little button before swiping out of the tab but! the real ones have my back and i know it. i dont expect a lot when i post for thiam because the show ended literally five years ago and this ship is relatively small compared to others so i dont think much of it. if my fic doesnt do well its not on me because i know i did good

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

mmm okay i know i posted a wip game last week but i only did half so i'll drop the other half here (this is a treat specifically for you jaque).

cuddle monster liam: liam is a leech and he clings to theo when they sleep. theo's a little confused but accepts it anyway. i have this scene i want to write and it's one of the first times liam cuccled with him and it the basic part of it is liam just nudges his head under theos arm like a puppy and nuzzles his face into theo's chest bc he's cold.

look you: this is more of a concept than anything but basically theo and liam have thing thing where they say "look, you" or some kind of variation of that when the other is being a little shit or self depreciating.

tfw you do a 30 day relationship challenge when ur not even in a relationship: so corey and mason do a 30 day relationship challenge and they rope theo and liam into doing it too. i got the challenge off some website and i was like yes. there's gonna be 31 parts in theory but they wont be super long i think. i need all the creative juices going for this one.

getting shot with an arrow had never been this fun: theo and liam are complete idiots and they manage to get impaled with the SAME arrow and are stuck together for Reasons. it's shenanigan city up in here as they navigate how to get help. the important thing is that they have fun !

the morey split: mason and corey break up (or take a break or just arent talking i havent decided yet) and its up to theo and liam to get to the bottom of this and get them back together! they are terrible at it.

okay i think im done now