#I’ve read fanfics with better characterization lol

[vamparanormal]

there’s so many things going wrong with this tweet

[celestie0]

MASSIVE gojo x reader fanfic rec (no spoilers)

ok i know a lot of my followers are gojo girlies and i just need to put yall onto this fucking fanfiction because i just read the latest release for it and i’m genuinely tweaking rn🧍🏻‍��️

@lostfracturess ‘s amazing work called “symptoms & causes” - a medical au

[image pulled from her masterlist]

let me just…let me just try to even gather the reasons why you need to add this to your tbr lists (weekend is comin up too so perfect time)

characterization of gojo satoru.

gojo in this fic is characterized so fucking well, from chapter one. there are so many distinctive ways miss lostfractures goes about building his aura (word of mouth/reputation, dialogue, expository, primary interactions, secondary interactions, etc.) it reminds me of the show where gojo just has this energy to him that you can't tear yourself away from i picture him in this fic to be unrelenting, unforgiving, morally grey, with an undertone of softness yet still feral through it all,, basically gojo during shibuya arc LOL. i looove reading cute silly boy gojo fics sm (he’s so baby) but THIS fic explores the borderline wicked side of him that is so thrilling, unique, and rare to find i think in this fandom’s collection of works. it’s just so fucking good.

forbidden romance.

UGGHH i love stories w forbidden romance. in this one, it’s med student reader x professor gojo (additional power dynamics in that he’s a senior surgeon in her field and also a research mentor in her study of interest…TRIPLE THREAT DAMN). i love how miss lostfractures doesn’t shy away from reminding the reader that it’s wrong, and that they shouldn’t be doing this. that’s my fave part of forbidden romances like yesss remind me again why this is all so wrong but let’s still do it anyways LOL <333

reader’s voice.

i’ve LOVED reader since the beginning, so relatable, emotionally mature, all her flaws are so believable & her strengths are shown seamlessly. it’s just so much fun to read because i’ll literally have a thought like “hmm…that (something a character said/did) doesn’t sound very convincing” and then the next line will be something like “he didn’t sound very convincing” like!!! me and s&c reader?? we’re locked in like this fr🤞🏼 like gojo’s domain expansion fingers

escapism.

everything in this story feels so damn real it’s insane. the pacing is stunning, love the utilization of stacks of scenes that are sort of short but so concise, enough to be a smooth read but still descriptive enough to entirely transport you into the world that’s being built. cannot praise the writing in this story enough. also the variety of ways that scenarios are made that pull characters closer to one another?? so creative. as someone who works in a research lab, studied bio in college (some of the fkn biochem stuff that comes up in this fic gives me heart attacks lmfaooo pls im traumatized), and has worked in clinics/hospitals it just itches my brain so damn good. you’ll be convinced you’re a brilliant med student while you read this fic.

writing.

the writing is just. so. good. it’s so good. better than most PUBLISHED works i’ve read. i really can't say much other than that, you just have to go see for yourself.

—

if any of these reasons speak to you, i highly recommend you check the fic out. just a note tho it does have some dark themes but you can find all the tags/warnings on her page!

OK BYE

[superfallingstars]

Hello, do you have any marauders fic recs? I’m a big marauders fan but I’m so tired of reading fics where they feel completely out of character, and I feel like you might know something I don’t

Aw man I’m the wrong person to ask for this, I don’t really read fics very often lol. I’ll try to enlist the help of some people whose Marauders opinions I trust and who might have better recs than me (tbh I’m also curious to hear), but I’ll share the few that I’ve come across, too. Apologies if you've already read them.

I think my most relevant rec is The Night Will Always Win by betweenfactandbreakfast, which is a canon-compliant Marauders era fic from 1975-1981. Admittedly I haven’t finished it – tbh I liked it so much that I had to stop reading it, which sounds so incredibly dumb now that I wrote it out, but I was legitimately getting pissed off that I had to do things in real life instead of reading it lmao. Time to take a step back...! Either way, I’ve really enjoyed it so far. And I’ve seen @seriousbrat's inbox turn into a battleground of endless Snape vs. Marauders discourse, so I know their feelings on the characters are pretty similar to mine lol (and hiii I know you have been in this fandom for much longer than I have, so maybe you have some good recommendations?). Basically this is a good fic if you want everyone to be a terrible person <3

The other fic I can rec is Have Your Cake and Eat It by cunegonde, aka my favorite fic of all time (that I could scream about literally foreverrrr but I’ll try to reel myself in!). This is a good fic if you want everyone to be a good person. Also this fic has time travel in it, so it’s like, kind of Marauders era, but not quite? Even though it’s kind of cliche, it’s also incredibly earnest and thoughtfully done, and it has interesting (and imo, realistic!) characterizations of each of the Marauders. Tbf I’m definitely biased toward this author’s work because they basically only write Snupin (my personal fave pairing), but reading their stuff is like, genuinely why are you writing Harry Potter fanfiction and not a full-length original novel, because holy fuck I think you could actually pull that off. Like, I loved this fic so much that I (person who doesn't read fanfic) immediately read everything else they wrote and finished it all in two days... Also this fic made me cry for literally an hour straight (probably the strongest emotional reaction I’ve had to any piece of media ever lol) – even though I knew what was coming. It was just that good.

Unfortunately that’s literally all I got lol. I’m going to tag some people who I think have similar takes on the Marauders as I do – @seriousbrat @remus-poopin @big-scary-bird @saintsenara – hiii, add on if you’d like. And anyone else who has recommendations of Marauders fics with good characterization, feel free to chime in!

[another-lost-mc]

you are so real with being disappointed on nightbringer cause i feel the same way

Oh, I have complicated feelings about Nightbringer.

(I’ll use a Read More link here because of vague OG S4 discussion.)

I didn’t whale in OG but I was much more willing to spend extra money chasing cards I wanted. I was really motivated to catch up on all the story content too since I didn’t start playing until the later part of the pandemic. I know S3 and S4 aren’t the greatest bits of story-telling ever written but I had hopes for more Celestial Realm content (a visit and maybe Michael appearance) in S5 based on where Simeon’s storyline was heading.

(I usually picture MC traveling to the CR to see Michael in S5, and maybe another visit of new angels to the Devildom in S6 once tensions are resolved.)

Overall I really liked getting involved with the fandom and I started posting fanfics here. I was so happy with my curated little card collection of favs — Lucifer was my original favourite, followed by Simeon, Barbatos, Solomon and Asmo — and exploring the game with my writing.

And then Nightbringer was announced.

After I spent probably too much money collecting all the HDD cards I wanted not long before that.

And the cards weren’t going to be transferable to the new game! ISN’T THAT FUN?! (Solmare logic, probably.)

I mean, I get it. It’s the nature of gacha games and the motivation is to grow the player base and revenue potential.

Sure, whatever.

And some parts of Nightbringer are fine, while other parts leave me desperately wanting more. Detailed lore that ties into the OG game and characters I care about, more in-depth characterization. Another slow burn love interest would be nice too since NB completely changed the direction of Barb’s development compared to OG S4 (side-eyes Mephisto and Raphael as new potentials). Also, as time goes on, I find myself not really caring who Nightbringer is. Does it even matter anymore? Like…whatever, you do you, buddy. lol

My face if they reveal it’s Barbatos/Solomon/Michael all along:

Oh, and more ROMANCE? Hello??? The babysitter role and goofy family dynamics are satisfying to a point but then it gets stale. Some of the Devilgrams are boring too, and don’t get me started on the EVENTS. I enjoyed the vampire one last year that sparked a random writing frenzy of vampire AU fics, but so many of the events fall flat for me. Anyone else just use S or A Rank skips to breeze past the story bits because 90% of it is boring as hell? Yeah, same.

It sounds like a lot of complaints, but there’s still more about the game I love or I wouldn’t be here: my favs, most of the artwork, the music! The new Dateables song is so goofy - what are those lyrics? - but they didn’t autotune Simeon to death and he sounds so much better than he did in Question Love (the only song whose remix I like better than the original).

I love the people I’ve met in this fandom and being able to share story ideas and headcanons. It’s so exciting when new lessons and cards are announced because the player base gets invigorated again (even if things fall a little flat upon arrival). I’ve splurged on some merch (official and fan-made) and I love being self-indulgent and commissioning artwork of my favs and MC together.

Oh, and I love my OCs. 😚 @ them all.

[paigegonerogue]

Eight Questions

Thanks so much to the absolutely amazing @wordspinning for the tag!

Last podcast you listened to?

I’m not really much of a podcast listener myself, but I’ve been listening to The Reappearance of Rachel Price on Audible (I’m a huge Holly Jackson fans-As Good as Dead is one of my faves) and it’s really good! I’m at the end where things finally click into place and it’s quite exciting!

What was the last fanfic you read? What did you like about it?

I read I kept hold of everything, just in case by @treadlightlymydarlinggirl!

Such a good fic! It’s set between ep 8 and 9 and focuses on Ellie trying to process everything that happened by the questions she asks Joel. It’s seriously so good! The characterization, dialogue, and exploration of trauma are all just done so well it’s wild.

What’s an article or publication you read/liked/found interesting recently?

My professor had us all read a really interesting article about gendered spaces in gaming. I don’t remember the title, but it was interesting (but VERY long😭)

Open Pinterest and show the first thing it recommends you

SoC fanart. Love it!

Show something from your notes app!

Ah yes, the cliffhanger-filled, psychological torture I’m known for…

Share the last thing you liked!

The post that tagged me for this LOL

Show us a picture from your gallery that you’re proud of!

Could’ve been better but for being taken from an iPhone ten in a moving car I’d say it turned out well LOL

What’s the last YouTube video you watched?

Best video I watched recently ^^^

No pressure tags: @logan178 @renegadeknight @lochnessie @adhdprincess @bumblepony @becomethesun

[depression-napping]

(My time has come to post this, lol)

I Know What’s Beneath the Snow Fields by Zahra

Ok, quick poll Vincent/FFVII fans. I need to know.

I’m extremely biased about this fic because I’ve lived with it for so many years and I love it so much.

I started reading it when I was about 10-11 years old (about 20 years ago) and continued following it for regular updates for the next 5 years.

I saved the entire thing on my computer and even printed it out so I could read it during school 🤦‍♀️ I still go back and reread it occasionally even now.

This fanfic definitely changed my brain chemistry. I’d wager it’s probably 90% of the reason I got so obsessed with Vincent. 100 chapters of the best characterization of Vincent (and the Turks) anyone could ever ask for. Also featuring an OC that serves as the best foil to Vincent’s character than anything the Compilation has bothered to put together. (If you are looking for accurate depictions of Cloud or Rufus, though, this is not the fanfic for you, lol.)

It is a Vincent x Aeris pairing on the surface, but honestly it isn’t what you think—I can’t say more without spoiling the plot.

Honestly, I kind of regret that Dirge of Cerberus was not more like this fanfic (thoughts on the ship aside) because this fic does a better job at exploring and resolving his themes and even provides character growth that DoC did not really do.

If you haven’t read it, and you’re a Vincent fan, I highly recommend it.

[sassyandclassy94]

10 Questions for 10 Writers

Thank you SO much for the tag, @coneygoil !! You have no idea how much I love being included in these things🫶🏻

1. Is writing a hobby or a way of life?

Sadly, it’s just a hobby. My life’s kinda too busy to make it a lifestyle

2. A journal full of notes, or a clean completed manuscript?

A clean completed manuscript, thank you very much. Which is pretty ironic, given I’m a pretty chaotic woman.

3. Who (or what) is your writing inspiration?

SwanFire and ThePhoenixFeatherQuill. I went through a Once Upon a Time phase became a huge SwanFire shipper after my first rewatch and one night while I was lying in bed, I looked up SwanFire fanfics. The Phoenix’s masterlist was like, the first or second search result? So I clicked on it when lo and behold! The Spinner’s Son captured my interest. I clicked on it and fell in love. I looked for other medieval AUs but couldn’t find any so naturally, after seeing posts about writing what you went to read, I decided to try my own hand at writing one.

4. Which is worse: Someone you ‘idolize’ reading your first draft or listening to you sing?

Well… I’m not a singer (I sing WITH people sometimes) so, definitely having someone I look up to read my first draft. I remember when Red (an awesome writer who I also look up to and tumblr friend - check out his Into the Woods, it’s amazing!!) told me he checked out Secrets, Lies and Blessings after we met and started interacting during covid. I was mortified and wanted to crawl into a hole.

5. Has writing from someone else’s POV changed your perspective?

Um, maybe….? I delved into OC stuff this year and wrote a fic about Gale Cleven. Two people with totally different personalities and characterization than Baelfire and Emma so, I guess yes? Maybe it didn’t change my perspective but it’s helped me grow as a writer maybe? I don’t know, maybe I don’t understand this question…?

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

AO3 and FFN by far!! They’re my favorites and go-tos. I started out on those babies! I think FFN is slowly dying though😔

7. AO3 word count? And are you satisfied with it?

105,744 - No, I wish it was higher. If it was it’d mean I’m more prolific.

8. What movie/book gripped you irrevocably?

Once Upon a Time started my writing hobby. I needed Neal to be happy and I was gonna write that, darn it! But with running out of ideas, writing SwanFire for 6 years straight, and going through a kind of heartbreak, I got really burnt out and kinda stopped for a while. It was The Boys in the Boat and Masters of the Air that inspired me to start writing again❤️ Don and Gale, man! They have a hold on me!!

9. What’s the highest compliment you could ever be given, and have you been given it?

That my writing is better than I give it credit for. And yes, Red told me that four years ago. He said it more articulate than that though (former English teacher and all, lol!) and him saying that made me feel a little more confident in my writing. I’ve gotten some pretty nice compliments about keeping my characters’ personalities true to canon and that’s pretty high praise too because I go real out of my way to do that.

10. What defines your writing style?

I… don’t even know? Even though most of my stories are romance, there’s also a heavy emphasis on friendship because a good old fashioned friendship is important to me (e.g. Emma and Eleanor). Theyre also very emotional. Whether it’s someone falling in love, preparing for parenthood, or suffering from PTSD, I want my readers to feel what he/she is going through and to be able to relate to them on a personal and intimate level.

Tags: Not me racking my brain to think of all the writers who follow and/or engage with me, and/or are in my notes🤕 @phoenixwrites @ljf613 @solo-pitstop-vibes @okieedokes @swanfireprincessmydear @fictional-at-heart @redbone135 @heatherfield @strangethings-everywhere @plasmabluefire @themeepyfreak And whatever other writer sees this and wants to participate, please consider yourself tagged! You can even say I tagged you. I want you all, especially new writers, to be included🫶🏻 No cliques in SassyAndClassy’s house!!! Oh my gosh is that ten??? DID I DO IT???? We won’t talk about how long that took me to come up with all of you🥴 I hope none of you will be annoyed that I tagged you🫣

[prince-liest]

Hi (I almost never use tumblr so lmk if I’m doing smth wrong!!) I’ve read a few of your Hazbin Hotel fics on AO3 and I just have to ask, how do you manage to post things so quickly?! I’m trying to start my own Hazbin hotel fic and I’m so fixated on getting their characterization correct that it’s taking me like 3X longer than normal to write lol!! If you have any advice or tips that would be amazing but of course, no pressure. I was just so curious. You’re very talented!!

Definitely not doing anything wrong! :D I wish I had a better answer for you, but the honest truth is that it's a combination of me having a lot of writing experience AND that I just had a fuckton of free time the past four weeks. It's kinda funny that you sent this ask now, because I just started a rotation for school that is going to consume very literally like 90% of my waking life on the days I have shifts for about three weeks, so you're about to watch me write BARELY ANYTHING AT ALL, hahaha.

That said, I relate to you very aggressively on the matter of worrying about characterization. That was the number one thing stopping me from writing fanfic for years and a lot of how I got over it was practicing characterization in OC RPs where I had to work with various characters but didn't have to be so afraid of missing something and getting them wrong because they were my characters so I already knew everything about them.

I think for Hazbin Hotel in particular, a lot of how identifiable and zany the characters are comes from their dialogue and their physicality, so personally I've frequently been rewatching little bits of the show to take point on how the characters genuinely talk and act! For Alastor, for example, I actually frequently have to un-fancy his dialogue while I'm writing by referencing canon conversations he's had because it's so easy to code switch into making him as prim as his general vibe conveys when in reality he actually does not talk like that. For Charlie and Lucifer, a lot of their vibe comes from the lack of smoothness in their speech - they stutter, hem, haw, backpedal, etc. For Angel, I think the way he poses himself and when he chooses to make sex jokes and touch people (or respect their space!) says a lot as well.

Practice makes this a LOT easier, but for my very first fic, I ended up taking a lot of notes on what I felt like captured the vibes of a character! I don't really do this anymore, but it was very helpful initially for giving me an understanding of what goes into my perception of any particular characterization.

[steddieunderdogfics]

Today is all about @spicysix! In today's Mod Spotlight, we're highlighting Lui and all they bring to this space!!

Lui handles our Challenge Monday and Theme Weekend Days! They queue up and handle any initial recs for those days, as well as keeping track of how many recs we need for each day!

lui (she/they) has discovered fandom life over 13 years ago and went through multiple fandoms since then. currently focusing on Stranger Things, they're an occasional writer and avid reader, and a multishipper at heart - but Steddie is her favorite ship to read in the ST fandom. she took a role as a mod on Steddie Underdog Fics trying to embrace a side of fandom that they haven't before, and it's been a great to be a part of it!

Having Lui on the team has been a blessing! Not only is she easy to work with and so kind, she's really helped level up this space in so many ways. I'm so glad I get to work with her! - ohstars

As a part of our mod spotlight, Lui answered some questions from you all and our team! You can read them below.

Be sure to stay tuned for more recs and future mod spotlights in the future!

What drew you to Steddie?

The opposites-yet-so-similar situation they have going on. Rich guy versus poor guy? Popular versus the loser? Jock versus nerd? But both with hearts of gold… Self sacrificing idiots…. Older brother figures… Smart in some ways but stupid in others… Stuck to high school ideas and dynamics… All of it is tasty.

What is your favorite thing about modding this page?

Getting to know many new fics! My TBR list has grown over what I can manage since I’ve started modding. My companions, Stars and Shane are also amazing and it’s great working with them.

What are your favorite tropes to read?

Probably strangers or friends to lovers. Or like, a one sided rivalry (usually comes from Eddie, who haaaates King Steve while Just-A-Guy-Steve never thought about Eddie before the UD shit lmao). I’m also a sucker for Soulmates AU; and anyone who knows me knows this: my favorite EVER is the timeloop. Ugh. My beloved.

What is your preferred way to read and find fics?

I usually read (or put on my TBR list) whatever shows up on my timeline. From friends, mutuals, or reblogs. When I go straight to the Ao3 ship tag it’s usually to find a specific type of story to read before I sleep,, so I usually set the filters to completed, under 10k words, and no Explicit and go through whatever shows up.

What’s your guilty pleasure trope?

I no longer feel this feeling, but I have once been found feeling guilty for reading monsterfuckeries of omegaverse stuff. Omegaverse is not exactly my cup of tea, but sometimes it can be fun. Anyway, embrace the cringe.

What makes a fic an instant yes for you to read?

Well, timeloops as I’ve said, mutual pining, a good ol’ roadtrip fun. And happy endings. Sorry, but sad endings are a no-go to me.

Anonymous - Is there any older or lesser-known Steddie event from the past few years that you particularly love (if ongoing or recurring) or loved? Did you participate in any?

Hmm no, not that I can think of! Our fandom is very creative so we have amazing events all year round, thankfully! I also haven’t participated in any Steddie specific events because, funny enough, Steddie is the ship that I write the least for (even though it’s the one I read the most! lol)

@sidekick-hero - What makes a fanfic stand out for you?

I think characterization and lots and lots of emotion. With big ships like Steddie, it’s easy for us to fall into different characterizations and sometimes we write them almost as OCs - and that’s not a problem at all, I’m in the team “write whatever you love”, I wouldn’t even call it “mischaracterization”. But when a fic is able to stay within the character’s traits, it tastes better lmao Especially if the side characters are well written – it’s often hard for people who focus on a specific ship to be able to write well the side characters or even care about them and in a fandom like ST specially I think the other relationships are just as important as the main romantic one. I also really love when a fic makes me cry until I have a headache.

@worldswcollide - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming a mod in the future?

Only do it if you know you have the time to dedicate to it. It’s very upsetting to rely on someone only for them to never dedicate themselves fully to a commitment they made on their own choice. You also have to like what you’re doing. If you’re on a project like ours, you have to like this reccing interaction. If you’re on a bigbang project, you have to like being that leader and organizing dates and putting people in contact with each other. And it goes on, but you have to enjoy what you’re doing or you’re gonna resent it and other people involved will know. We always do.

Anonymous - Do you participate in any other fannish activities, like making playlists, gif edits, fanart, podcasts, Pinterest boards, etc?

Not anything that I share, no. I sometimes do moodboards or playlists specifically for my own fics, but besides that, writing and modding, I don’t do any other type of art (bc I lack talent and/or will to learn lol).

@sidekick-hero - What motivates you to mod for steddieunderdogfics?

The idea of shedding a spotlight on fics that can pass by unnoticed, I think. In a big ship like Steddie, that’s easy to happen because we’re two years past Eddie’s first appearance and we still get dozens of fics posted per day!! Being more in touch with the community in this way is fun!

@worldswcollide -  Are there skills you’ve learned as a mod that have helped you in your everyday life?

I think every time you have to work in a group you learn something new, because it’s always new people and new ways to work with them. But I can’t think of anything specific, you know?

Anonymous - Have you had a particular favorite Challenge Monday or weekend theme so far (maybe because of the theme, the recs, or the engagement, or for some other reason)?

Well. Timeloops Theme Weekend for starters of course lmao. I also loved all the engagement and recs we’ve had for fics with podfics challenge, even though I don’t listen to podfics (or podcasts at all lmao) I was happy to see people showing our podfic people the due praise! Fics with colors in the title was also a challenge that we’ve had so many recs we’re still queueing them till this day basically lol. It’s always amazing when we receive a lot of recs and responses.

@sidekick-hero - What do you like best about fandom?

That’s a hard one. But I think the general sense of so many people of different ages and places in the world come together to show love to an art or artist. There’s something so simple and beautiful about that. Dedicating our free time to talk, praise, watch, listen, create fanart for something! It gives me the good chills.

@worldswcollide - If you absolutely HAD to choose—enemies to lovers or friends to lovers? (At least when it comes to Steddie)

Ohhhhmygod why would you do this to me!!!!!!! I’m gonna go with friends to lovers because that is also what I love the most in real life I think – the mutual pining, the obliviousness, the potential angst while they don’t confess, all the little moments they have together, the always presents “you are so dense and blind and stupid and dinguses” from Robin… Love that, yeah.

Anonymous - Has your experience as a fic rec mod changed your perception of fandom (positive or negative, though I do hope positively!), either as a whole or specifically for the Steddie fandom?

Oh, I definitely have a lot more respect for modders now lmao Not that I didn’t before, but it’s always different when you see it/do it yourself. It takes a lot of dedication and organization.

@sidekick-hero - What makes modding fun to you?

Honestly in this specific case, I absolutely love the routine process of formatting the recs lmao I genuinely have fun with it. But also, to see the interactions, how people talk about the fics they’re reccing on their asks, and also I love going through the tags on reblogs and seeing people praising the fics or seeing the author so happy with the recs. It all warms my heart.

@worldswcollide - What has surprised you the most since becoming a mod?

How this fandom is still so alive!!! It’s insane to think Eddie was first shown to us two years ago already and people are still in love with him and the idea of making him and Steve kiss. The creativeness of this fandom, the many fics we get with so many different tropes, AUs, all the different situations we keep putting those blorbos in. How, even within the same trope, different authors can always put their own little things onto their fics and even when they’re similar, no two fics are ever written the same way.

Anonymous - Do you find yourself engaging in reading and writing differently now (for any fandom) because of your work as a mod, or have you changed how you interact with others in fandom spaces?

I feel like I comment more, especially on fics that have less comments or interactions overall.

@sidekick-hero - What makes you fall in love with a fanfic?

I think I said in a previous answer, the characterization but also the way a fic is written. Like, if it’s through Eddie’s POV I love when authors use a kind of fast paced writing with no pauses and many thoughts happening at the same time while he has a hard time thinking about something specific or focusing on only one thing and and and– cause I feel like Eddie’s head is a mess like that. When it’s a fix-it, how the author manages to save everything, how they pass on the grieving and bad feelings of being part of an apocalypse. When they remember the characters are all just kids. When they give them a break. If it’s an AU, how they put our boys out of the apocalyptic situation, how they make Steve still be Steve when he’s just a baker or a teacher or a nurse and not a high school jock with a savior complex anymore. Those little big details.

Anonymous - Do you try to read through every rec or have you found yourself wanting to read more recs than you can keep up with?

Absolutely the second option lmao Also there are a few themes/tropes that are not my cup of tea, so they don’t go to my TBR list, but the list is still huge anyway lmao But I love learning about new works and writers even if I don’t have the time to read them!

Today, all of our recs are from @spicysix specifically! You can always see their recs on our Fic Fridays by checking our #mod lui rec tag.

[cecilyv]

I’m asking you and your co-author this. I’m obsessed with your Buck/Tommy series. It’s one of the most well thought out and consistent pieces of fiction I’ve read in a while. I love your characterization of Tommy, and while we don’t know for sure yet that it will match how they move forward with the character in canon, it reads so true to what we’ve been given so far.

(Side note: I find that characters like Tommy are where fandom THRIVES because fanfic is inherently speculative so a character with bits of established history but with a lot unknown allows for rampant speculation from authors and fans. Like we have enough to have a blueprint for characterization but otherwise there is an immense amount of freedom for fandom to do whatever they want without it feeling “out of character” yet. I think it’s one of the many reasons Buck/Tommy became so popular so quickly. Their story is a blank slate.)

Y’all have built a relationship in that verse that is so real, and part of that is moments of tension that naturally happen between to grown people who are different. So you’ve shown us multiple times where Tommy is somewhat avoidant when he feels in a mood (when he goes to the gym in the 2nd fic, or when he gets snippy and buck leaves for the book store in fic 4, etc) and each time Buck has sort of been left to “read the room” so to speak and they’ve worked it out in a super realistic way.

I guess I wonder if you think that’s an aspect of their relationship they’ll eventually discuss head on or if it’s just something about each other they learn to live with. I can see it going both ways, it wouldn’t be unfair of Buck to snap at Tommy if it continues to happen and ask that Tommy just tell him when he needs space instead of getting snippy. But I also think it’s something he could just eventually know what to look for and give him that space w/o any conflict or being asked. Alternatively I don’t think it would be unfair of Tommy to outright say that he needs space sometimes and be irritated if that’s not given, but I also can see him just figuring out what he needs to do for himself in those times and figure out a way to avoid being snippy until he can get some space naturally (you already showed he does a decent job at that in fic 4 obviously)

Anyway as a chronic introvert and someone who requires a lot of alone time to feel centered and good I found those moments particularly interesting and would love to hear any thoughts to have on that point of friction between these two. Or any thoughts on them at all. I think I could read about your version of these characters for days and not get board lol.

Thanks!

Hey Nony! 

Thank you so much for the kind words. We really appreciate it and love our versions of Buck & Tommy from What Binds, too. 

Now for your question: 

@liminalmemories21 : It's an interesting question. I mean, I think to a certain extent they just learn to read each other better -- Buck figures out that Tommy leaving isn't 'leaving,' it's walking away to get space.  Tommy maybe learns when Buck is going to feel insecure and says "I'll be back in an hour," or "I have my phone, text me if you need me" -- just something that says he's coming back, and that he just needs a minute.

Cecily: I think it’s a lot of Buck realizing that Tommy's not leaving and he’s not mad; that’s not even really about him. Tommy can’t really voice what’s happening, say what he needs, but he does learn to say, “I’m going to the garage” or “heading to the gym” as he walks out of the room. Buck also starts to naturally give him space, like if they’ve both been home on the same 48, he tells Tommy he’s taking Dug for coffee or just disappears himself into the living room, headphones on while he boots up a game and Chris is on the other side. 

@liminalmemories21: Yeah, basically. Also, I think the longer Buck has Tommy, the more Tommy stays, the more sure he is that he'll recognize a big fight vs a little fight.  And that just takes time.  It's not something you can learn overnight, or believe down in your bones just because someone says so.

So there you go! And a sneak peek into how we hash out arguments between them on the back end. 

Thanks for the question! 

[ladytauria]

hey! 5, 11, 18, 23 from the ask game <333

mayaaa thank you <3

5) character you were most surprised to end up writing

very very surprised to have ended up writing for / enjoying writing for jason so much!! like, in hindsight it makes sense, as he’s the character i read for the most, but. yeah! did not expect that <3

11) what aspect of your writing do you think has most improved since you started writing?

i started posting fanfic at 12 & writing at 10, so. everything. but xD i think my ability to tell a coherent narrative has improved by leaps & bounds, even when i don’t have an idea of where i’m going when i start something. i also think i’ve gotten a better handle on description, which was an issue for me when i started, lol.

18) were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? what were they?

this is a surprisingly difficult question to answer bc i KNOW there are influences, many of them, but when i try to think of them i keep drawing blanks??? and then the ones i have thought of i keep going 👀 are you sure? is that right? did it influence you or do you just think about it all the time?

which like…

isn’t that what influencing is? but i digress, lmao.

anyway!!!

i know sarah j maas is a bit controversial BUT smth about reading her books made something click in my brain? & i feel like my writing voice actually solidified after

major envy for maggie stiefvater’s prose—reading the raven cycle made me nostalgic for a place i’d never been, which wasn’t something that had happened to me before xD anyway, genuinely love her writing

on the fanfic side

i think about “The Bird, The Fog, The Mist” by bacondoughnut constantly

“Reclaiming Innocence” by murtagh morzanson / cdelphiki is also always rotating in my head (i’ve read it 3 or 4 times) alongside the second (i think) fic in “In for a Penny”. both of them influence how i write younger jason

“The Penny Drops, The Penny Dreads” by batbirdies is the other fic i think of when i think of young jason/jason’s childhood.

the “i guess you were my first boy wonder” series by pissvinegarandacrowbar is jaydick & one of my favorite jason characterizations ever~

and then uh, i would not have fallen headfirst into jaytim / be a jaytim writer at all without “The Many Deaths of Jason Todd” by zoeleo! that catapulted me into loving jaytim <3 before that jaydick was my main ship (i still adore it~)

also every time i read your prose it inspires me to get more poetic with mine <3

23) any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing?

hmm 🤔 i’m not really sure any of my life experiences are particularly obscure. ah, but! when i was younger i came across this little graphic—the only 12 1/2 writing rules you’ll ever need. (i actually used it as my desktop background for ages lol). anyway, number 10— Go for walks. Dance. Pull weeds. Do the dishes. Write about it. that one really stuck with me for some reason, & led to me paying more attention to my body/feelings, especially if i was bored or uncomfortable, bc it was something i could potentially use for writing!

that sort of mental check in also has done wonders for like. keeping an eye on my mental / physical health too lol.

[ get to know the writer ask meme ]

[taegularities]

let me start by saying I apologize for the novel I’m about to write.

RIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

OH MY FUCKING GODDDDDDD

this was. hands down. the best chapter so far. and I am NOT just saying that bc IT finally happened, ok?

like… everything about it was so beautiful and I usually hate pregnancy scares/arcs but it didn’t feel out of place or forced at all and oh my GOD jungkook !!! like I cried literally the whole way through from when she went missing until the end of the chapter. I didn’t think it was possible to physically feel how much two fictional characters loves another but you did it, Rid. you have breathed so much life into them that I felt like it was playing out right in front of me.

and even before the angst when it’s just them appreciating being together after the move, it was so wonderful to read. sometimes stories get boring when the drama ebbs but it isn’t like that with them bc their emotions are just beautiful to see play out.

and then… you sly cutie… he finally fucking SAID it. and it was so worth the wait of course, and it just made me cry so hard bc I think we all need to hear that right? that even if we stay broken forever someone will still love us? and more importantly SHE needed to hear that. and she better say it back after that stunt she pulled 👊🏼

also usually I don’t really think of the real life counterpart when reading fanfics, at least not unless it’s meant to be set in our world. but this chapter was so jungkook, wasn’t it?

like… in the bathroom scene, when he’s asking to be let in and telling her he’s gonna stay I started thinking about how that’s what his lives are for us, ya know? at least I know for me when i’m at my lowest and metaphorically locked in a bathroom I get that notification and it’s exactly like him knocking on my door. and even the ily confession just reminded me so much of things he’s actually said about him wanting us to be happy and that he loves us unconditionally. maybe I just miss the real jungkook too much… either way. you’re characterization is magical and I will probably never move on from him.

I feel like I actually have so much more to say but my brain isn’t spitting it out… i’m sure i’ll be back.

also, not to brag(?) but these last few chapters of them being official have really reminded me of my boyfriend and I and I think that’s why i’ve loved them even more than the past chapters. it just makes my heart really warm.

anyway…. you’re a goddamn genius and I love you (that’s a reference now 😂)

the best chapter so far?? ALYSSA 😭 also not using the ily as a reference im gonna sue you fkjshjkfaasf

ahhh i know, a lot of people do not dig pregnancy scares and i totally understand, but i'm still so happy you guys gave it a chance and enjoyed it. honestly, kook's reaction to it was my main concern and point, and i was low(highkey lol) excited to finally get to it bc he's just so… ugh. a dream. i cried a lot, as well </3 i'm so emotional bc everyone's been saying they could feel the love through that scene alone and it makes me sooooo ahhhh 😭

and the fluff 🥺🦋 ngl, i was extremely scared that cmi might get boring or less interesting now that the angst is over, but… it's really so encouraging to know that you still love it so much. and also to know that the wait for THAT THING was worth it!! i agonised over that scene bc i needed that big moment to be super special eeee 😭 he'll be here, no matter how broken she is, and… vice versa :( she better say it back fr lmaooo!!

that chapter was so jungkook? this is the biggest fucking compliment ever 😭 i always try sooo hard to capture their personalities well (especially with cmi11.5!!), so this makes my heart flutter :( <3 reassuring her and loving her is definitely a jk thing to do. he has so much affection in his heart for the people around him sigh.

omg you already said so much, but if you wanna come back for more,,, gladly hehe 🥺 you and your boyfriend sound so so sweet together!! happy you could see glimpses of yourselves in this one. here's to so much more.. thank you again, love <3333

[erithel]

If I may I would also like to add somethings I’ve noticed in klance fics that I’ve read that I don’t really understand and/or agree with (I believe anyone can write whatever the hell they feel like writing but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with some of the things they write with and that’s fine)

1. Having one of the characters be extremely short and another extremely tall then having the shorter character (which is usually Keith from my experience of fanfics but it can be either or) more innocent..? I guess I’ll just say they make that character act very different from their canon self and the writers base they entire dynamic on that

2. Writers putting their own personal biases/beliefs into the fanfic, I don’t have a problem with this alone (like I said anyone can write whatever they want) but it’s when those biases OVERPOWER the actual relationship/dynamic of Keith and lance. And if that’s the case I really do need to question why the writer is writing a klance fix in the first place

3. Completely changing the Keith and lances canon characterization to the point where you can replace them with any other oc, like I’m fine of people want to change somethings or simply stuff to fit the story narrative better but it’s when they change too much, to the point where I’m questioning who these characters are even suppose to be

These are just some things in klance fics that I found I didn’t really like but who know maybe these things also exist in other ship fics or just fanfics in general.

I think it's safe to say this is a thing throughout all fandoms, not just klance.

And it's also safe to say that you and I have a similar taste in fics lol.

Of course anyone can write whatever the fuck they want. But I know for me, personally, I'm not gonna read anything all the way through if the characterization is so far off that it takes me out of the story.

I believe I've talked a bit about the different reasons people write fanfics before, but I think all of these things you listed here fall into a single category:

People who add these things into their fics are writing purely for themselves.

To be more specific, they don't really have too much interest in the ship itself, or the characters involved. They aren't interested in developing more content based on canon characters, or exploring the depths of those characters' personalities or traits. It is more a case of someone using a popular ship as a sort of catalyst to be able to tell whatever story they want to tell.

(And let's be honest, the height difference thing probably has more to do with a power dynamic of a perceived heteronormative relationship - especially if the shorter character is portrayed as either innocent or *sorry while I cringe* feisty.)

Writing consistent characterization is difficult in general, but it's the best feeling when something just fits so well that you could literally hear the actors saying those lines.

*cough* not to toot my own horn but -

I completely understand that fanfiction can often be an outlet for people to be creative. And it's a way for their work to get some notice - or at least more than any original work would. So it's not bad when people change the characterization or add in their own beliefs, like anon is saying here.

But oh man, is it definitely not for me!

I just wish it were more possible for people's original work to get recognized so they didn't have to resort to fanfiction to be able to tell their own stories, honestly.

[lostxmelody]

Not really a question but i’d just like to express that i’m a huge can of your fic, i’ve read it since chapter 1 and have been sucked in ever since. majority of the 0309 content made by fans often have them terribly mischaracterize making lots of people end up hating the ship instead cause all they think the fans are capable of doing are creating terrible stuff of them and just set a bad impression on the ship even when is just supposed to be a silly pairing cause milgram doesnt run on romance!! T__T including me i used to like (not like it too much) to say the least though i tried to be more open to it cause i was starving on fan content and just went on ahead on ao3 and said “fuck it i’m reading a fic of them” to which i did .. some of the fics are questionable though when i found yours i just knew it would be good from the start. The way you characterized Fuuta and his experience with his crime was just ODBAJhsjsjd /pos. The way you potrayed Mikoto’s social life, ideals and personality is so so close to his canon one if not that its quite exactly the same!! (to how i imagined it atleast) its refreshing to see people characterize him as someone that isnt a ‘big top hottie thats overly flirty and is an asshole and doesnt care about anyone’s feelings’ and the way you really showed and expanded the dynamic they’d have together (in an au) atleast was just well done, you elaborated it well in the fic. most of the people i’ve seen just makes them grumpy x sunshine, etc etc tropes not that its bad but i think they’d have more to if than just that especially with their crimes and ideals involved and how they view life. if you’d open a twitter account i’d totally support you like hell, big time i’d love to hear more about your thoughts on 0309, Mikoto / Milgram in general and maybe give your fic more attention it deserves one way or another <33 chapters are already 8/10 done! i cant believe its nearly done aswell. i’m not huge into shipping but i love the way you write the characters (even the side! Yuno + Mahiru + Shidou’s characterization is so good) pleaase give yourself more credit as a good writer in the milgram fandom!! i know you’re a busy person anyway (you seem like one) though i just wanna say thank you for taking the time to write life’s reflection and the other oneshot you wrote. Take care of yourself :D<333

thank you so much!! i havent delved much into other milgram fanfics, in this case talking specifically about 0309 because i know from past experiences in different fandoms that whenever i did that i'd become so worried about my own characterization that i just ended up dropping the entire idea and never writing it again.

writing a slash pairing the milgram fandom is a bit... i guess probably frowned upon, depending on who you ask. it's not meant to be a shipping scene but where theres a will theres a way lol. ive become really fascinated by their made-up dynamic. mikoto and fuuta have barely any canon interactions and whenever they did-- it was obvious that they don't even like the other. why ship that? well i can't provide an answer for everyone, but for me it's just because i like reading about two broken people healing and why not add a tinge of almost-enemies to lovers in there? lol

its funny you mention a twitter because i did make one about a month ago but immediately abandoned it because i didn't plan on using it... i guess i could though! i just end up overthinking everything i post but it would be nice to engage a little more with like-minded (read: 0309 truthers /hj) people

you can find that here! (barebones rn... but feel free to interact or whatever and i'll make it look better eventually)

thanks again for such a sweet comment!

[libra-lizard]

thanks for the tag! @dream-a-little-dreaam

1. What is your AO3 account?

libra_lizard (the little dash to underscore switch for pizazz)

2. How many words did you write total in 2022?

107,220 posted ; a stark difference from the 0 last year.

3. How many fics did you publish in 2022? How many multichapters vs oneshots?

Published: 7 Multichapters: 3 Oneshots: 4

4. What was your longest fic? Your shortest fic?

Longest: Jaded Skies (45K words and counting)

Shortest: i know it well (3,1800) I’m really so proud of how short this one is bcs my mind always wants to drag things out for to at least 7k

5. What was your most popular fic? Your least popular fic?

Most popular: i owe you a black eye and 2 kisses (5k hits)

Least popular: A Beginner's Guide to Fixing a Heart You Didn't Break (568 hits) Also haven’t abandoned this fics but have to edit the two chapters I already have written first. 

6. What fic didn’t perform as well as you thought it would?

Hmm, maybe I’m just a self-doubter bcs all of my fics perform better than I think they will 😂 Always posting new fics with the idea that this may be some highly specific plot that only I like so I’m always pleasantly surprised. 

Guess if I have to choose I’d say A Beginner's Guide to Fixing a Heart You Didn't Break for the low hit count but she’s just a baby so I believe in her. 

7. What fic performed way better than you thought it would?

Lol just choosing my least/most popular for these I guess bcs I would say i owe you a black eye and 2 kisses

It’s been MANY years since I was in high school, so I was hesitant that it would flow naturally but the response was great. Honestly got overwhelmed by the reception from chapter 1 and had to crush so many insecurities to write chapter 2. 

8. What was your favorite fic you wrote from 2022?

Definitely Let’s Try This Again Maybe it’s because it’s a gift but it’s the only fic of mine I can read back and enjoy. 

9. What was your favorite fic that somebody else wrote in 2022?

Nooooooo not just one. I’ll do seven for the number of fics I wrote but there are so many more. 

five star sweetheart by @melo-baby Not only is this like the pinnacle of creativity and romance but it spoke to a special little place in my heart. 

Prairie Doll by @sunshinebunnie Was late to this one but was such a fan of all their other works that I knew I’d love it…now i’m just obsessed. 

scenes on a couch;or, the best orange juice in southern california by @actnatural-ly In a shock to no one. Will forever be amazed at the way is held my heart for all 1,451 words. 

to bring you home by @stannisfactions  I talk about it enough but this really is such a fantastic work. The Fezhotel is a national landmark and I’m chaining myself to the doors if it’s ever in threat of being torn down.

God’s lonely man by @fiera-di-scarborough Could really pick like three different ones from Giorgia bcs I’m never done with a fic of hers without at least 3 favorite lines that made my heart stop, but what Lexi makes for Fez in this fic is just 🥺

Taste by @myfemininedivine Devoured it all in one night because I couldn’t stop reading. This one…this one leaves me breathless and the angst hits so good. 

Hollywood and Vine by @fantasydee The characterization in this one is just off the charts insanely good.

It’s also the fic i also credit with getting me writing fanfic because I made a tumblr to follow for updates then started following others then was like fuck it let me write this weird kidnapping fic that I’ve mapped out in my head and have been praying for someone else to write 

10. Tag your friends to do this year-end fic review as well!

@fiera-di-scarborough @macadeliks @sunshinebunnie

HUGE thanks to all Fexi writers for bringing me out of dark spots many many times in 2022. You are all so kind and special and hope to highlight many more works with more fic collages in 2023!

[zutaralesbian]

I like a lot all your opinions and metas, they are brilliant, so I have already sent you 3 asks 😂 I am glad you don't mind it. So I'm sending you another one, what is your favorite gallavich fanfic and your favorite author? Thank you 🥰

Awww thank you so much! 🥺

Tbh that’s a tough one because there are so many great fics for Gallavich. It’s definitely one of my better ships in that department and that’s partly why I’ve read so much of it. I don’t think I could give you just one fic or just one author but I’ll do my best to narrow it down somewhat lol.

As far as authors go:

Shamelessquestions: I think everyone who has dipped their toes into Gallavich fic has read at one of her fics. With such classics like TIPDIG or her newer ones like ORFNSP (and my personal favorite of hers, You Can Bite Me) she’s a hard one to kiss. Somehow the master of both comedy and angst.

BeckyHarvey29: Another classic author. She’s definitely one of the authors I would point out to everyone first getting into the ship.

devovitsuasartes: This person has such a knack for writing very unique (and sometimes weird) ideas and just making them great.

biblionerd07: Possibly my favorite author for Mickey’s characterization in particular.

Favorite fics (top 10 in no particular order just to narrow it down somewhat lol)

sideways by the amazing whaticameherefor ❤️ Canon divergent fics during/after S6 are one of my favorite categories of Gallavich fic and this one is my fave

maintenance by devovitsuasartes ❤️ Sci-fi AU where Ian is an android and Mickey a mechanic as they travel together on a space expedition. Trust me it’s so good.

The Fight For You by WishIHadWings ❤️ Post S7 canon divergence where Ian decides to find Mickey in Mexico. This was the first post S7 fic I read after 7x11 originally broke my heart so it was very therapeutic

all comes down to you by beckyharvey29 ❤️ AU where Ian is Mickey’s boss who he hates and they have to pretend to date. Lots of romcom tropey goodness

Kingdom of the Southern Son by 09cityskylights ❤️ King Ian/Warrior Mickey. I revisit this fic so often that it’s ridiculous. Tragically incomplete but there’s enough written to still get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

You Can Bite Me by Shamelessquestions ❤️ My personal favorite fic by the master. Vampire Ian/Hunter Mickey.

'til our compass stands still by biblionerd07 ❤️ Basically a re-write and much better version of Ian and Mickey’s storyline in S10. Instead of Paula, they both think the other killed Terry.

i had a dream (i got everything i wanted) by oforamuse ❤️ A post S6 canon divergence that takes place 9 years after 6x01. Lots of feels in this one.

The Thing About Living by lalazee ❤️ AU where Mickey is a patient with kidney failure and Ian is his med tech. This is a brand new fic but it truly swept me off my feet and I had to include it. Don’t worry it has a happy ending.

Two of Your Earth Minutes by the_rat_wins ❤️ Alien! Ian. Definitely something to read if you want fluff.

Like I said though, there are so many great stories and authors for this ship. So I know this list is nowhere close to covering all of the amazing ones.