#I'd like to thank my writers (me) and my editors (me) and my amazing support system (all of you)

[baby-yongbok]

I didn't think.. I- don't.. how..

I'm actually speechless for two reasons:

1) THERE'S 2K PEOPLE FOLLOWING ME. 2K PEOPLE SAW MY WORK AND DECIDED THAT I WAS WORTH FOLLOWING. ME? ME! THANK YOU.

2) I haven't finished my 2k special and uh... it's kinda time for it to be done... let me uh.. get to work on that..

In all seriousness, thank you to everyone who has followed me and supported my work up until now and I hope that you continue to support me as I build the blog with more fluffy, filthy and heartbreaking stories. You've made me one happy girl. I appreciate you all. 💝🫶🏾💝

[detroit-grand-prix]

It's still morning here but here's my corny end-of-year thing:

After coming from the ridiculousness of figure skating with what happened at the Olympics, my fave taking a hiatus to finish school (we love an educated king), and the lack of any information about a certain sports anime movie, I was feeling pretty disillusioned and was looking for something new to get in to. Plus, I was still feeling a bit depressed from my divorce that stemmed from me coming out as a lesbian and et cetera. 2021 was a wild year for me and I was still reeling from it at the beginning of 2022.

My year started out with me moving out of my mom's house and into a shared house with a bunch of girls that were literally a decade younger than me. And then I got a new job that I didn't feel ready for. I was depressed and anxious all the time, and incredibly lonely as well.

One day, I found this stupid video on Reddit as I was just scrolling through things, as you do. I sent it to my friend Adelle, who I knew was a big F1 fan.

Then, she convinced me to watch Drive to Survive just as the 2022 Formula 1 season was starting, and the rest was history.

It's been wonderful. It's not only given me a new sport to pay attention to, but it's brought me new friends from all over the world, and has been, unexpectedly, a wellspring of creativity for me. I hadn't written fanfic in years (like, going on two decades - yes, I'm old, shut up) prior to falling into the F1 rabbit hole. Now I've written an entire 120k word novel and then some. Finding other F1 fanfic writers has given me the opportunity to work collaboratively, and flex my editor muscles as well, which is pretty much a dream come true.

I especially need to thank @fuckyeahhangman and @totowlff. You two have become my best friends, my emotional support Brasileiras, and outstanding creative partners. I hope you both have the same creative energy and inspiration that you've given me this year. I needed it.

Also, special shout-out to @totoscharm (even though I don't know how active she is on tumblr any more). I know this was an awful year for you, but you deserve to have an amazing 2023. I don't know how ~manifesting~ works or anything and I'm not religious so I don't pray but I really hope the universe gives you the year you deserve, which is a great one.

I think the best sort of... analogy of how my year went was that if you told me in 2021 that this year I'd impulse-buy a flight to Boston to see some Scottish woman who is a retired racing driver and her absurdly tall Austrian husband give a talk at Harvard, I'd wonder what the hell you'd been drinking, but, it happened. I gained a new hero and role model, and got to meet her. I know they say never to never meet your heroes but mine is absurdly kind.

Anyway, I hope everyone has an outstanding New Year. Thanks for being here, reading what I write, and humoring me.

[xjoonchildx]

Hi Ana,

I hope you've been well. I'm super shy and normally, reaching out to folks, much less to one of my favourite authors on here (Greedy!Yoongi will always have my heart), would drown me in anxiety, but I finally managed to read Kanalia (I'd had that on hold for years) and I just had to tell you how much of a wonderful writer you are.

I'm an editor by profession and aspiring writer by hobby, and I loved every part of the story. The characterisation, the yearning and the passion, the final realisation that if the King wasn't going to keep to his word, all bets were off... It made me cry but also brightened up my sunday morning, so much so that I've come straight here to ramble all this at you after spending a couple of hours sobbing into my pillow while reading it.

Ngl, i wondered if it would veer off into a humdrum love triangle, as these things so often do, and I was pleasantly surprised that it did not. The scene at the stables, especially, chefs kiss! Although, I've got to wonder - this Hoseok had shades of Anthony Bridgerton - was that something you were going for? The subtlety in there was very well done.

I also loved the FL and the way her motivations and character arc progressed. It was done logically and skillfully and I felt myself wishing again and again, while reading through, that some of the traditionally published authors I've read possessed the skillset that you and many others, not just in the BTS fandom but also elsewhere, have.

I've been reading fanfiction for such a long time and nothing has ever come close to how well written Kanalia is, imo. It has always astounded me that so many people are simply hanging around in this world, writing such amazing fics, simply for the fun of it. I've written, both for work and otherwise, and I know how difficult it is.

Fandom is wonderful and Ana, you and your friends are such a lovely, wonderful part of it. Please keep writing.

(Please excuse the familiarity with which I've written - I've read your work and lurked on your blog for so long, it feels like you're a friend. I apologise if I sound too familiar 😄)

wow, anon. where do i even begin with this kind, supportive, motivating message? i'm humbled 😭💕😭

first, let me thank you for reaching out even though you're shy. i know for some people it's kind of daunting to speak to internet strangers, but i assure you this ask made my day/week/month/year.

second, thank you endlessly for your kind words about greedy and kanalia. the fact that you are an editor makes this feedback even more precious to me (and an aspiring writer 👀). this story took me a long time to write (as you know) and the fact that people stuck with me through that long process is just the best.

i super appreciate your feedback about the plot developments, too. i know a lot of people were expecting a very dramatic confrontation between LJ and the King, but something about that angle didn't feel right to me. i saw both of them living these shadow lives as the most likely and most successful option and certainly there is still drama in them both choosing to seek their happiness in other people.

as to the bridgerton angle, i have yet to get through a full season of bridgerton and it's not because it's not right up my alley -- this is actually my favorite kind of historical romance! i'm just lacking for time lately so i'm going to pick it back up because the few episodes i did get through i really enjoyed. but i've read many a historical romance, so no doubt there are some similarities.

your girl is weak for an outwardly-cold, inwardly-mush man as my fics are a testament to 😂

the thing about this wonderful message is that it's scratched that part of my brain that yearns to write a real book. a real series. i have a dream to convert the guarded series into real books (along with stories sketched out for the remaining members) and i don't know what's keeping me from trying. i'm in this awful space where i've accepted a promotion at work and the time commitment that i have to put in is crowding out my real passions and that sucks.

i don't have aspirations of being at the very top of my field, because even though i know i'm very good at my job it's not my passion. and don't i want to give myself time and space to be able to do my real passion? i really, really do. and when i go back and skim through the guarded series i see so many things that i want to change and tweak and make better. transforming that story is a dream of mine, and maybe it's time for me to stop making excuses and actually chase a dream.

anyways, sorry for the rambling. just know that this message means the world to me. maybe one day i'll be able to come here and tell you that i've finally made my dream come true 💕

[thefanficmonster]

so

i got harshly talked down as a writer because apparently you, who is younger than me, is a more better writer than me, who is taking creative writing as a college course, could ever be

i have nothing against you, i have to admit that you are a good writer

but please, tell your fucking fans to calm the fuck down

i know i make spelling errors sometimes and i get corpse's and other streamer's personalities "wrong" and you do them so much better apparently

but please all those unwanted "constructive" criticism from your readers is not making it easy for me to fight depression and to have motivation to continue writing and pass my course

i'm not trying to be a better writer than you and i'm not saying that i'm better

just like artists with their different art styles, writers have different writing styles; yours and mine are very different

you're a great writer, the fact that you're so much younger than me amazes me and it makes me proud as a writer

but as a fellow writer, please, put your fans to a leash and calm them the fuck down

you don't have to show this message in public if you don't want to, i went anonymous for the reason that i don't want your fans to see more reason to come after me

but please, if not as a fellow writer then as a fellow human, have mercy on me and my mental health

i just wanna be left alone... is that too much to ask for?

Ok, so, I've read this a hundred times by now and am yet to pick my jaw up off the floor or wrap my brain around the fact that someone would do this.

Hello, darling. I'm really, really, truly sorry you've had to experience this sort of disheartening from my fans. I had no idea there was ever such a thing going on and I never thought someone would go as far as to compare other writers on here to me, let alone diminish other people's work with mine as a reference.

I don't know who needs to hear this but I'll say it and I fucking mean it: DON'T EVER COMPARE WRITERS OR ARTISTS OR ANY CONTENT CREATORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIMINISHING THEIR WORK.

I don't support, in fact, I'm horrified that my fans, people I think so highly of and love so dearly would do such a thing.

If you've been on my blog long enough you know me as a person and if that's the case you'd know that I'd never approve of something like this being done! I never thought I'd be so disappointed in some of you.

Guys, I understand that you appreciate my work and I can't thank you enough for that, but that doesn't mean you can do this! All content creators put their heart and soul in what they do and that's what makes every fic, drawing, edit, etc. so special. Every work of art is a reflection of the artist and I hope you realize that when you're insulting the work, you're doing plenty of emotional damage to the person who created it! Constructive criticism doesn't revolve around putting people down nor does it involve comparing two or more people's works when they were born from a completely different mind and soul.

RESPECT CONTENT CREATORS OF ALL KINDS: WRITERS, ARTISTS, EDITORS ETC.

And if you, Anon, would like to reach out to me in private so I can deliver a more personal apology, please do so. I can't express to you how sorry I am that you've had to experience this and if there's any way I can help besides this please let me know. My DMs and inbox are always open

~ Vy

[momolady]

I'd like to share something with you, as a writer for over a decade: grammar is entirely overrated, and constantly mistaken for style. I used to exhaust myself editing until I saw the quote"learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them as an artist", which now hangs above my writing desk. Unless these people start paying for that extra "polish", ignore them. I'm honestly happy to find someone who writes monsters with the passion and positivity that you do, and I hope you just keep writing!

Thank you so much! That advice is honestly something I want hanging on my wall now as well. It means a lot to me that other writers come out and voice their support, I’m glad to know we have each other’s backs. I don’t mind some constructive criticism but honestly, I’m putting this junk out for free for everyone. If I were charging I would get an editor. But this has been something dumb and fun for me and it’s making me happy. It’s a monstrous bonus that so many others are happy as well reading them. I make my stories accessible so grammar may not be my priority. The characters and story are my priority. Thanks again! You’ve given me some amazing advice I’ll treasure. 

[world-of-fire-and-flight]

Aww thank you! I'm still learning as I go, but I've certainly learned a lot on how to drive things to support publishing/promotion/exposure over the last year or so, but it's also very freeing as a writer to know that these bits your cutting from the main story (especially when it's a scene you love) aren't "wasted" or "dead" scenes - they're just bonus content😊 Once I told myself that, editing became a lot easier and I was okay with being a little ruthless on that front when it came to it.

Me too! I can never get enough fluffy scenes! Ummm all three? It really depends on the project tbh. Some stories for me are more about the character development than a plot per se (as in like character vs self stories where there may be other conflicts in the story but it's not the main plot) and then in other stories it's all about the world because it's new and needs to be fleshed out. Of the three, I definitely like describing and building worlds the best. What about you? Characters, worldbuilding, or plot?

Yes! I've been talking with a lot of writers as a result of this tag game about pantsing vs plotting, and it's the exact same thing with every other pantser I've met! I 110% agree that trying to plot a novel or even just too far ahead makes me feel trapped or it just completely staunches the flow because I'm trying so hard to stick to the outline even the words are going in a different direction! I wonder how plotters handle situations like that or if they've daydreamed and fleshed their plan out so well that the words do what they planned🤔

My editing process is a basically read the whole thing over and make notes in the margin (I print it out just because it's easier for me read, but if I don't I skip this part and edit as I read through it because printing it essentially means double the work). These notes are usually things like "expand," "transition issues," *description of what needs to/should happen here*, and I'll admit to flagging typos. This is also where I mark things for deletion and describe what I'm replacing it with if at all.

Then I take those notes and start revising. The first revision is a major overhaul where I'm basically rewriting the whole book, which if I don't print it out and mark it up, is what I'd be doing while rereading it. Deleting things, fixing typos as I find them, expanding scenes, clarifying sentences, etc. all the editing works

Once I finish the second draft, I reread it all again and make it up. By this time, I'm not really looking to make major changes unless there's an issue with continuity, that just isn't working for the scope of the novel, or whatever the case may be (maybe I thought of something better? It happens lol). This is kind of akin to the copyediting phase in that I'm not really for structural issues within the narrative (unless they're glaringly obvious and need to be tweaked a little more for me to consider them fixed).

Once that's done, I reread it again and look for things like awkward wording, typos, I like to make sure the transitions between paragraphs, chapters, and chapter breaks are okay.

And then I read it again. By this point, I could decide it's ready for professional editing or I might do another pass because things aren't quite the way I want them yet. It's a lot of personal preference when it comes to the way I edit and considering the kinds of books I read and have enjoyed over the years to help make my own writing better, and then of course daydreaming if there's parts that I'm struggling to really flesh out or smooth out from its rough draft phase.

As far as finding editors goes, I've never hired an editor on my own. I worked with a self-publishing services company called Paper Raven Books (I'm not sure where in the world you are, but I'm in the US so I'm not sure if looking into their workshops is viable for you or not, but I'd definitely check out some of their workshops if you can as well as Writer's Digest because they had an amazing self-publishing workshop last summer with Michael La Ronn and he covered how to find editors and what to look for). But anyway, PRB put me in touch with three fantastic editors (all of whom freelance I believe), so I can't really help much in that department other than to echo the advice I've found on the internet (like asking for editing samples and using places like Reedsy and Upwork and that editors charge per word not by hour because you can't prove how many hours they spend on your novel etc). I know that the Alliance of Independent Authors has an index of service ratings to help indie authors avoid scammers, so I would definitely check writing guilds/associations like that and see if they have any recommendations. Sorry I can't be of more help though💜

Hello! Nice meeting you :D first I would like to applaud to the amazing organisation of your blog✨.

Second, this is the first time I'm seeing a writeblr/author blog combing a whump blog and requests and I'm stunned it's possible. How did you do it? Do you have any tips on that?

Third, my getting to know people routine is asking what your favourite tropes to write are :D

@writingonesdreams

Hi! I love your Tears of Iron posts! I probably have a whole slew of them in my tbr! I'm so invested in it and I love Zephyr (I mean all of them really but Zephyr might be my favorite😊)

Ahahaha, thank you! It probably wouldn't be as organized if I hadn't started doing all the housekeeping on like day one😅 Laying the foundation early has made it easy to keep it up lol

I....have no idea....it just kinda happened??? I started off filling prompts (and making sure things had proper warnings cause I gravitated toward hero x villain stuff which is probably where the whump came in) to help get my foot in the door because I'd been a lurker on writeblr for years. Around the same time, I was getting ready to announce that I was self-publishing and wanted to promote my book everywhere I could. Thanks to the lovely writing community here, I started to use my blog as both a way to introduce Fire & Flight and fill prompts because I enjoyed doing it. The whump just sorta happened and I wasn't ~officially~ taking requests until recently....but I never exactly said no if someone mentioned wanting a continuation in the notes😅 I just like connecting with people and writeblr's been so welcoming and chill that it was easy to just do it all I guess😂

As for tropes: I don't really set out to write tropes, but they certainly choose me😜 Some of my favorites are found family, friends to lovers, and slow burn! I'd love to write a worthy redemption arc one day but alas, I don't think I've written a character worthy enough to pull it off satisfactorially. Enemies (to friends) to lovers is another I'd love to try my hand at because the tension! The conflicted feelings! The struggle to overcome why they were enemies in the first place! It's seems like such a fun trope to write!

[snxfall]

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I didn't think.. I- don't.. how..

I'm actually speechless for two reasons:

1) THERE'S 2K PEOPLE FOLLOWING ME. 2K PEOPLE SAW MY WORK AND DECIDED THAT I WAS WORTH FOLLOWING. ME? ME! THANK YOU.

2) I haven't finished my 2k special and uh... it's kinda time for it to be done... let me uh.. get to work on that..

In all seriousness, thank you to everyone who has followed me and supported my work up until now and I hope that you continue to support me as I build the blog with more fluffy, filthy and heartbreaking stories. You've made me one happy girl. I appreciate you all. 💝🫶🏾💝