#I'm so excited but i promised myself not to post until it's actually finished or ik I'll just drop maybe 😭

[piease-iove-me]

who wants to see my unnecessarily detailed list of character roles for the PacRim fic? uh? uh???

edit. check rb

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Good Omens graphic novel update: December 2024

We promised a graphic novel treat for December to send off 2024, which we have at the end of the update, so let's dive in!

Colleen has been working diligently ahead of the graphic novel going to print next month, which she discussed over on Patreon. For those looking for more behind the scenes on both Good Omens and Colleen's work more broadly, we recommend either following her Substack, or subscribing via Patreon, as she approaches the finish line.

A snapshot from our production HQ where dummy books of the graphic novel, slipcase and other editions of Good Omens have been arriving thick and fast. The graphic novel (slipcased version shown) has quite the heft to it. It's going to be such a magnificent object inside and out.

Here, we're testing out the various papers, finishes, embellishments and more – everything is falling into place!

Merch-wise, some more delights. The A.Z. Fell & Co tote bag design is in, one side in celebration of our favourite angelic bookseller, the other as if it's been purchased from the bookshop itself, so you can take your pick.

We've got more pins that will be available in the 3-pin set add ons. While the full list will be available in 2025, we're happy to share a few more to get excited about:

On the trading card front, have a look at some of the base deck designs by Steve Gregson and Kirsty Hunter in situ as this all comes together rather nicely, and causes a heated game or two behind the scenes.

And, a quick admin note to wrap up that we always recommend checking the FAQ page as a first port of call for any queries. If you have questions tied to specific tiers, we'd suggest checking the last few updates if your answer can't be found on the FAQ. If there is any information required for your pledge, we will be in touch. We will be back at full steam in the New Year!

Thank you.

So, to wrap up this year's updates, we give you the draft of the full first scene of the graphic novel, artwork by Colleen Doran and lettering by Lois Buhalis. If you'd like to wait until the graphic novel publishes in Spring, skip everything after the ducks!

To 2025 🥂

Until next time.

+ post from Colleen Doran:

Good Omens: You Get...Stuff Like This

In the most recent Good Omens update at the Kickstarter, a few people got upset at the suggestion that you have to get past my paywall here to see Good Omens updates.

Except you really don't, and the post doesn't actually say you do. You get a bit more, like pics of my studio, a discussion of tools and process - but not all of that is exclusively about Good Omens.

I think the Dunmanifestin team just wanted to draw a little attention to my blogs and other works, for which I am very grateful.

As my Patreon supporters already know, Good Omens info posted here gets to the Substack and Kickstarter eventually. And since most of my posts here aren't just about Good Omens, but my other projects and personal stuff, as well as links to our weekly Virtual Art Studio sessions, I think I'm justified in keeping that material behind a paywall.

In fact, I don't think I've posted much stuff about Good Omens since the summer: pages of flats like the one you see above, a few studio photos, and color tweaks.

Also, me boo-hooing about my nerves and health.

But for those who feel left out missing even this small amount of stuff, then the screen shot above is for you.

That's called a flat.

It's a prelim color before adding final color.

Here's what the final color looks like.

So I've posted a handful of this sort of thing since this summer, but frankly, there's even more of my sketches and so on posted at my Instagram that aren't here at all.

For those who don't know, I am doing most of the color myself on the book, but I am working with assistants. I'm not sure how much the Dunmanifestin team wants out there before the big reveals, but here's a snippet of a sky.

In the first image, my flat color.

And after my assistant worked on it.

Here, I've done a repaint. Sometimes I do very extensive repaints after the assistant works on a page. Sometimes not so much. I didn't use assistants on many pages at all. About 80% of the labor on the color of the book is my work.

However, the assistants have been a big help, and I am very appreciative of them.

I will make a point to go through all my prior posts and get every single bit of art that you haven't seen and make it public for all of you in the coming weeks. I need to excise it from previous posts. As I respect the privacy of all my readers, I never make prior posts public without their permission as they may not want their comments or identities to be public.

Thanks so much for everything!

[hacked-by-jake]

[MC (they-them) × Jake × fluff]

MC stepped out of the police station, relieved to have finally finished the last report on the Hannah case, feeling the warmth of the sun on their face and the crisp spring air filling their lungs. They glanced at their watch, already mentally mapping out their route to the next town where their expertise was needed. But before they could take another step, a mysterious figure clad in black approached them, sunglasses hiding his eyes, a hood obscuring his features.

"Are you MC?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

They nodded cautiously as he handed them a sealed envelope without another word. Without waiting for a response, the enigmatic figure vanished into the bustling street. Intrigued and slightly unnerved, MC tore open the letter, their curiosity piqued by the unexpected delivery, despite already having a premonition about the sender of this letter..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

𝘔𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘊,

I'm sending this letter to assure you of my safety.

As I sit here, penning these words to you, my heart races with both excitement and trepidation. The events that unfolded during our recent mission have left me both exhilarated and wounded, both physically and emotionally. But above all else, they've left me longing for your reassuring presence.

I write to you now, not from a place of despair, but from a place of hope and determination. Despite the close call and the injuries sustained, I want you to know that I am safe and on the path to recovery. The mine left me with several, light injuries. The burns may sting, but they are nothing compared to the ache in my heart from being away from you.

MC, our partnership has been nothing short of extraordinary. Together, we've faced challenges that most would shy away from, and emerged victorious against all odds. The way you fearlessly tackled every obstacle, with unwavering resolve, fills me with an indescribable pride. You are the true hero in this story.

Yet, amidst the chaos and danger, I can't shake the feeling of guilt for putting you in harm's way. Please know that it was never my intention to cause you worry or pain. If anything, I am in awe of your strength and resilience, and I am eternally grateful for your unwavering support.

As we embark on this temporary separation, I find solace in the knowledge that it is only a matter of time before we reunite. I've been informed about the City near Duskwood, where they requested your assistance. Moonvale awaits us with its mysteries and challenges, and I have no doubt that together, we will conquer whatever obstacles lie ahead.

Until then, my love, take comfort in the knowledge that I carry you with me always, in every beat of my heart and every thought that crosses my mind. Stay strong, stay safe, and know that I am counting down the moments until we can be together again.

I, too, will personally ensure your safety. Nymos and I are committed to clearing your path and doing whatever it takes to protect you. I've shared my vulnerability with you before, and in light of the recent events at Grim Rock, I find myself even more dependent and at your mercy.

I'm incredibly proud of you for cracking the case and saving my sister. The challenges you confronted, the horrors you endured, and the loss of Richy... I can only begin to fathom the emotional anguish you're experiencing, but I vow to be your unwavering support, concealed in the shadows, yet ever-present by your side, even if you cannot perceive me. I will never leave you alone.

MC, my love, I promise you, we will see each other again when the time comes.

With all my heart,

Jake

A/n: A little thing after the release of the date, just a little idea. Actually, I just wanted to post the letter, but decided to add the first part, just as an introduction. Letters from Jake are just great, aren’t they? :) I was a bit proud for the wording here. Even if the first part is pretty short and not so detailed. But well, writing Jake is a stress-lovely something. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading and I hope you will have a fantastic day/evening/night! 💚

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

What's Coming Up In 2025?

aka a list of fanfiction WIPs I really want to complete in the new year

So I wanted to make a post of my WIPs, getting excited about things I want to work on this upcoming year. Especially because I have recently been reflecting on fics I have written and been reminded of things I want to write in the future. Please keep in mind - this list is not a schedule, and it sure as hell is not a list of promises. Just because I am posting this list does not mean it's a checklist of things that are going to get done. I anticipate that realistically, I am going to actually finish, edit, and post maybe five of the fics on this list while getting caught up and distracted by brand new ideas - and if I can finish more than that, it'll be fucking fantastic. But please know - this is not a checklist, this is just a list of my WIPs that I really love and hope to finish. (And this is just a small portion of my WIPs - I have literally over 100, probably closer to 200.)

But I really wanted to let you guys know what my mindset is going into the new year and I do want to encourage you guys to share your opinions on which fics you would like to see me spend my time on (I am considering picking four or five of these that I am most excited about to be part of a poll to see which fic will be my first fic of the year, though I think that the second part of The Jaws of Life will have to be the very first thing I post in 2025.) Anyway - if you read this list, please let me know which fic ideas you like the best! To me, there is a big difference between nagging someone to post something (which is basically just asking someone when something will be posted) vs encouraging someone about their ideas and telling them that you are excited about upcoming ideas to show your support - which, the latter is always something I enjoy.

Also please let me know if there's any fics on this list that you guys want to see a preview for!

And if you don't follow me and you're not a regular on my blog, please keep in mind that this is my main blog and my fanfiction blog is a side blog, so if you want to see any of these fics when they get posted, please follow @sundrop-writes and turn on notifications there!!

(The Rest of) The Hiatus Fics

I am a bit disappointed that I didn't get these edited and posted before the end of the year, but I did want to give myself room to explore new ideas, and I'm glad that I did. But I really, really want to get the rest of them edited and posted this year! And I would really like to write more Maze Runner fics, and I am willing to bet that I probably will during the editing process for these fics.

Some Kind Of Disaster - Gally (TMR) x Fem!Reader. Best Friends to Lovers/Lovers Reunited. Emotional Angst, Hurt and Comfort, Smut. Set during The Death Cure. You had every reason to believe Gally was dead, so when a mysterious stranger pulls off his mask and reveals himself to be the one person you had been missing so badly - you are shocked. And then you show him just how badly you had been missing him. (6,800 words est.) - PREVIEW HERE

English Blood // American Heartache - Gally (TMR) x Fem!Reader x Newt (TMR). Established Monogamous Relationship to Polyamory. (Very slight) Emotional Angst and Smut. Set post Death Cure/Safe Haven Era. Newt Lives AU. (Sequel to the above fic.) When you get to the Safe Haven, you believe that you have everything you ever wanted, everything you ever needed. So why do you have a nagging feeling that something is missing? Turns out, that 'missing’ thing was the addition of your best friend Newt to your bed, which your boyfriend Gally is more than happy to provide. (20,300 words est.)

Trouble Is - Thomas (TMR) x Fem!Reader. (Pining) Friends to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Sex Pollen. Set during The Scorch Trials. Just as the group finds safety outside of the Maze, you are separated off from everyone as the only girl, and not being able to see you slowly drives Thomas insane. Until one day, he’s locked in a room with you - but there’s nothing suspicious about that, right? (6,900 words est.) - PREVIEW HERE

Freak Like Me - Dom!Lydia Martin x Sub!GN!Reader. Established FWB Relationship. Smut/PWP. Set during Season 2. Jackson may have broken up with Lydia, but his loss is absolutely your gain. (2,100 words est.)

Teen Wolf Fics

This is a fandom that I had so much fun writing for this year, and I am so, so excited to write more for it in the upcoming year.

Bark Like You Want It aka The Isaac Closet Rut Fic - Sub!Isaac Lahey x Fem!Thick!Reader. Acquaintances/Friends to Lovers. Smut. Set during Season 3. You and Isaac get stuck restocking the janitor's closet together during a detention punishment, and being in tight closed space with you, being drowned in your scent accidentally sends Isaac into a rut. (8,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Derek Rescues You From SA' - Derek Hale x Fem!Reader. Acquaintances/Friends to Lovers. Hurt and Comfort. Set during Season 2. When Matt uses the Kanima to hold Scott, Stiles, and their parents hostage at the police station, you attempt to come to their rescue - but you end up poisoned by the beast's paralytic venom, which puts you right in the path of Matt's wrath. And seeing you threatened gives Derek a true rush of adrenaline to get the venom out of his own system in order to come to your rescue before it's too late. (9,000 words est.)

The Curse of Curves - Jackson Whittemore x Fem!Thick!Reader. Enemies Who Fuck. Smut/PWP. Hate Sex. Set around Season 1. You and Jackson have despised each other for as long as you have known each other - but when you come back from a summer abroad with a new look, he starts acting even more infuriating toward you. You hate that the only way to shut him up is with your mouth against his. (8,000 words est.)

These next two fics are ideas that me and @star-mum discussed in the comments of this fic that I absolutely cannot get out of my head now and I really wanna write them.

Untitled aka 'The One Where They Get Caught' - Isaac Lahey x Scott's (Half) Sister Fem!Reader. Friends to Friends with Benefits to Lovers (feat. Protective Older Brother Scott). Smut, Emotional Angst, Happy Ending. Secret Relationship. Set during Season 3. When Isaac moves in with you and Scott after Derek kicks him out, Scott makes sure that he knows you are off limits. You are his 'innocent' little sister and he doesn't want anyone even looking at you the wrong way. But it's not long before you and Isaac can't help the temptation and it becomes a spark - and the two of you get heated behind closed doors. Which causes a huge blow up between the two best friends when Scott finds out. (10,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Stiles Wears Panties' - Switch!Isaac Lahey x Stiles' Dom Girlfiend Fem!Reader x Sub!Stiles Stilinski. (Set in the same universe as Stupid For You, but not a direct sequel.) Teasing Frenemy Joins Pre-Existing Relationship. Smut/PWP. Threesome. Set during Season 3. Isaac and Stiles run late after a cross country practice and Stiles (unknowingly) strips down in front of Isaac, thinking that he's alone in the locker room, revealing a pair of lace panties under his clothes that you had him wearing because it turns you on. This leads to mockery from Isaac - which quickly turns to sexual teasing when Stiles brings up your name. Obviously, a threesome ensues. (10,000 words est.)

I would also really love to start a 'Your First Kiss With The Teen Wolf Characters' Series similar to the one I have been doing with the Titans characters. (Maybe I'll call the series 'Your First Kiss With The Pack'?) I have been having so much fun with the Titans one, and I see a lot of potential with it in other fandoms - I think a 'First Kiss' moment is so much fun to write, and it really brings me back to my roots of writing simple romance, which I really love. I'm not sure which character I would start with first - maybe I would do a poll for that, but if there's a particular character you wanna see with this prompt first, definitely let me know.

(Also, I don't have a specific idea, but I really, really want to write an Allison fic. The only idea I really have is maybe a smut fic involving knife kink. Someone please pressure me to write this. I really want to write an Allison knife kink fic!!! Allison deserves more love.)

EDIT (adding these fics)

Untitled - Sequel to Blood In The Water - Void!Stiles Stilinski x Fem!Reader. Extreme Angst, Horror, Gore. Set during Season 3. You are rudely awoken in the hospital after narrowly surviving a stabbing that Void intended to kill you. But he ensures you that now, he has a greater, grander purpose for you. (10,000 words est.) 

Untitled aka The POTSie Reader Fic - Teen Wolf Gen Fic feat. POTSie/Disabled Fem!Reader. General Humor, Drama, and Slight Body Horror. Set during Season 2, Episode 4. Scott and Stiles constantly rope you into things. It’s difficult to get into trouble when they have you to fall back on as a distraction - a weak looking girl who faints is something that authority figures never question. Stiles thinks you’re just another liability when he gets stuck in the school’s swimming pool with Derek’s 200 pound paralyzed body weighing him down and a mutant lizard circling, looking for its next kill. But it turns out, you’re going to be the one to save all their lives. 

DC Titans Fics

This is a fandom I will always write more for. This is currently the fandom I have written the most for on my AO3 and I will always come back to it, and I am really excited for these ideas!!

My first and biggest priority of this year is Part 2 of The Jaws of Life (Jason Todd x GN!Reader) - if you have read part one, thank you so much! I am so, so excited to edit and post the second part. The reason I haven't done so yet is because I wanted to give myself a relaxing holiday break and I didn't want to rush editing the second part, because it needs a lot of love and care to be as perfect as it needs to be. I am so excited about it though.

Death of An Executioner - Jason Todd x GN!Reader. Lovers Fighting. Hurt and Comfort, Extreme Angst, Happy Ending. Set during Season 3. Sequel to the above fic. You and Jason are standing on rocky ground. He feels like he owes Crane his life because the man literally brought him back from the dead, but you don't care about that - you just want to ditch Gotham and run away to chase peace somewhere else. Things get a lot more complicated when Crane realises he can use you to his advantage, and Jason finally has to go crawling back to the Titans, begging for their help. (10,000 words est.) (This will be the sequel to The Jaws of Life, ending out the story as a perfect trilogy. It is my ultimate goal to write this story sometime during 2025, finishing out the arc of the trilogy with my ideal perfect ending.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Nightwing Fucks A Criminal' - Dick Grayson x Criminal Consult Fem!Reader. Ex Lovers Who Drive Each Other Insane (and Fuck). Smut/PWP. Set during Season 3. When Batman abandons Gotham, the Titans are faced with a brand new threat, and Barbara recommends that Dick go to Arkham to visit a convicted criminal that Bruce had been using as a consult on cases. Dick doesn't like the idea, and he downright hates it when he finds out that the person Bruce had been consulting with was you: his ex-girlfriend, someone he had been dating for a whole year before he found out that you were moonlighting as one of Gotham's most dangerous criminals. But he needs your help on this case. He didn't anticipate your cell walls being plastered with pictures of him and articles about his work the Titans. And when he goes to leave, you manage to reel him in with your words, still knowing how to crawl inside his brain and drive him mad, even after all this time apart. (5,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Gar Transforms For The First Time (or The First Three Times)' - Gar Logan x GN!Reader. Friends to Lovers. Emotional Angst, Hurt and Comfort, Happy Ending. Set Pre-Season 1. While bandaging you up after a fight, Gar sees a scar on your shoulder that he knows had to be from his claws, but he spirals into shock and horror when he realizes he has no memory of when it happened. This leads you into telling him the story of his very first transformation, and him truly remembering when he learned to gain control of his animal side, and more importantly - why.

Also, I really want to work more on the 'One Moment Per Episode With Dick Grayson' Series. I really want to write more of these between working on other fics. It's a lot of fun and I really want to make more progress on it!

Harry Potter Fics

Another fandom that I will always come back to. I am so excited about the ideas I have here, and even just the first idea I have on this list is sooo stuck in my head and it makes me tempted to not make a poll at all and to just write this fic lmao.

Untitled aka 'The One Where Fred is Obsessed With Your Ass' (aka Punishment Anal with Fred) - Fred Weasley x Fem!Ravenclaw!Reader. Annoyances/Enemies to 'Lovers'. Smut/PWP. One day in class, Fred chases his impulsive mischief and boldly grabs your ass - in response, you smack him with a paper that you're holding. Naturally, McGonagall doesn't see what he did, and only sees your retaliation. Being forced to apologise to the prankster makes you determined to get him caught in the act, which gets you caught in a loop of wearing short skirts in front of him and bending over around him and eventually, screaming and yelling at him when he grabs your ass and smacks it and nobody else ever catches him doing it. And the whole cat and mouse game comes to a head when you get caught in the Gryffindor common room late one night and he catches you alone, finally tired of your teasing and ready to show you a darker side of his mischievous personality. (8,000 words est.)

Liquid Lust - Fred Weasley x Fem!Ravencalw!Reader x George Weasley. Annoyances to 'Lovers'. Smut/PWP. Sex Pollen. Fred and George ask to test out a new Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes product on you, and though you are hesitant at first, you are tricked by their smooth talking and their clever tongues. You want to go back on your agreement when you find out that the product enhances pre-existing lust, and this will be apt to reveal your ripe attraction to them - but it turns out, this might be the most successful product they have ever made. (9,000 words est.)

Water Fountain - Harry Potter x Fem!Slytherin!Reader (x Draco Malfoy). Friends to 'Enemies' to 'Lovers'. Emotional Angst and Smut. Love Triangle. You and Harry used to be best friends. You tried not to make it awkward when you developed a crush on him - but your friendship crashed and burned when he made it clear that he would much rather spend time chasing after a certain gorgeous Ravenclaw than actually talking to you. Yet in the same breath, when you start dating his rival, jealousy rears its ugly head, and Harry can't keep his mouth shut - and when his anger turns toward you, the unexpected happens. (10,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where You Accidentally Drug Ron With Sex Pollen' - Ron Weasley x Fem!Ravenclaw!Reader. Best Friends to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Sex Pollen/Lust Potion. Ron is upset that you're indoors working on a project for Slughorn's class when it's a gorgeous, sunny Saturday, and while bugging you to come outside, he accidentally adds an ingredient to your potion project - one of his bright ginger hairs. This triggers a reaction in the potion that makes the potion fumes only affect him, and sends him into a lustful haze, making him want to fuck the person he is most attracted to - which just so happens to be you. (6,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Ron Dates A Slytherin' - Ron Weasley x Fem!Slytherin!Reader. Acquaintances to Lovers. Fluff, Getting Together. Being a Slytherin means that you are supposed to be natural enemies with every single Gryffindor, but you can't help it if one of them truly captures your heart. The members of your house have noticed it, and when you end up getting teased for it, you are surprised when your crush comes to your rescue, leading to something more. (5,000 words est.)

I also really want to do a 'Your First Kiss With The Harry Potter Characters' Series, and I already have a draft planned out for an idea of how do to this with George - because I feel like I don't write enough for him and I feel like it would be really fun to start with him.

Eggsy Unwin/Kingsman Fics

I could rewatch these movies 10,000 times and every single time, I wanna write a fic about this man. I love him so much and this character is so fucking HOT!!! They really put porn in this series by putting such a hot man in a suit and making him fight and swear and the accent. Like damn.

Diamond In The Rough - Eggsy Unwin x Rich Heiress Fem!Reader x Roxy Morton. Strangers to 'Lovers'. Smut/PWP. Seducing Their Target. Roxy and Eggsy are sent on a mission to 'win you over' because they believe that you might have vital information that could take down your father's elite criminal empire. They are surprised to find out that you are much more than the dumb airhead party girl that the media portrays you as, and in fact, you're more than eager to hand over what they want after you get what you want. (10,000 words est.)

Heartbeat - Eggsy Unwin x Fem!Thick!Reader. Childhood Friends to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Set between the two films. You know it's so incredibly cliche - falling for your childhood best friend. But he grew up to be too fit, and the whole 'friends with benefits' thing didn't benefit you when you started falling in love with him. Too bad for you, he broke your heart when he rudely snubbed you and then disappeared for months, only to show up out of the blue wearing an expensive bespoke suit and talking about - loving you back? (10,000 words est.)

Also for the record, I do really wanna write a Merlin x Reader fic, I just don't have a solid idea for one yet (maybe him with another tech? idk)

The Walking Dead Fics

I really, really love writing for The Walking Dead, but I don't do it as often as I would like - I think it's because the show is so amazing that I am intimidated to write for something that is already so amazing and perfect. But I have so many ideas for this fandom, and I really, really wanna write more TWD fics.

Untitled aka 'The One Where The Reader Dies To Save Eugene' - Rosita Espinosa x Fem!Reader (and Platonic!GREATM x Fem!Reader.) Best Friends/Star-Crossed Lovers. Extreme Emotional Angst, Hurt No Comfort. Set during Season 5. You and Rosita were friends before the world went to shit - just barely. She saved you from your own unique apocalypse, and you haven't looked back since. If being with her means taking shit from a mouthy redhead and doing whatever it takes to protect the mullet-haired saviour of the world, you'll do it. Even if it means taking a deadly bite and having to say goodbye to your best friend. She's more than worth it. (6,000 words.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Maggie Fucks Your and Glenn's Brains Out in Gregory's Bed' - Sub!Glenn Rhee x Sub!Fem!Reader x Dom!Maggie Rhee. Established Poly Relationship. Smut/PWP. Set during Season 6. Maggie is the unofficial leader of The Hilltop, and because Gregory has been pissing her off lately (and because her pregnancy hormones from her newly discovered pregnancy are making her equal parts irritable and extremely horny) she decides to get silent revenge on him by tying Glenn to his bed and forcing you to ride his cock with your hands tied behind his back, hoping to get you pregnant too so that your babies can grow up close in age. It's slow torture for you and Glenn, but whatever Mommy wants, she gets. (5,000 words est.) (This is completely self indulgent, but I absolutely do not fucking care.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Rosita and Abraham Tame A Brat Together' - Dom!Rosita Espinosa x Sub!Fem!Reader x Dom!Abraham Ford. Established Poly Relationship. Smut/PWP. Set during Season 6. Rosita thinks that you need to brush up on your gun training, but you whine and complain about it the whole time - why do you need to learn how to use weapons when you have two hot, sexy, competent protectors? She's not happy with your attitude, and she rats you out to Abraham when he comes home from working on the expansion - and shit, you're in for it now. (5,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Glenn Spies On You Blowing Daryl' - Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader (x Glenn Rhee). Acquiantences to Friends With Benefits. Smut/PWP. Set Pre-Season 1. Heavily inspired by this scene from the Norman Reedus film Night of the Templar. One day Daryl takes you hunting to teach you how to use his crossbow, and when Glenn goes looking for you, he comes across the two of you in the woods just in time to overhear a conversation about how you used to be a prostitute to make money (when money still meant something to world). Jokingly, Daryl asks for a 'sample', and this leads to Glenn accidentally witnessing you dropping to your knees and sucking him off. (7,000 words est.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Daryl Gets A Boner While Saving Your Life' - Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader. Acquaintances to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Set during Season 2. Forced Proximity. While the group is stalled on the highway and trying to make the best of it by collecting supplies from the cars, a horrifyingly large herd comes through and Daryl saves you by pulling you under a car and making sure you stay there - but this means that your body is trapped tight against his and he has no where to run to when nature takes over, meaning that you definitely feel it when his undeniable attraction for you presents itself. (9,000 words est.)

EDIT:

Untitled aka The Longer Daryl Fic - Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader. Strangers to Lovers. Emotional Angst, Hurt and Comfort, Relationship Journey, Eventual Smut. Set during S2 to S6. You and Daryl likely wouldn’t have met if not for the world crawling with dead-alive corpses, and even when you did meet - it wasn’t perfect. But somehow, the two of you became entwined, and now - you will always find your way back to him. Will be an arc in 3 Parts, will be posted in 3 long oneshots. 

Criminal Minds Fics

Now, I am putting this on the list very tentatively. If people can't behave themselves, I am very likely to take this off the list and pretend it never happened. For the record, I don't want to be known as a Criminal Minds writer. I don't want people harassing me to ONLY write for this fandom, especially if they only want me to write PWP and smut for Reid when there is so much more I want to do. CM is a piece of media that I love dearly, and I really want to re-ignite that love - especially because @nctzenkane said that I do some of my "best, most ambitious" work for this fandom, and whenever he encourages me to do something, I am way, way more likely to do it. The list of fics below are fics that I regret not getting around to writing, so... hopefully I can actually get the motivation to complete them.

Jet Pack Blues - Derek Morgan x Fem!Reader. Co-Workers to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Forced Proximity. When Derek finds out that you're planning on leaving the BAU, he's incredibly hurt, and he spends the next several hours of the jet ride that just the two of you are on trying his best to convince you to stay - first with words, and then with the power of his cock. (6,000 words est.) (One of my biggest regrets is not writing a Derek smut fic, so I feel like I really need to get this out of my system.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where JJ Fucks The Nanny Against The Counter' - Dom!MILF!JJ x Younger!Nanny!Fem!Reader. Mutual Pining/Age Gap Crush to 'Lovers'. Smut/PWP. You have been the Nanny in the Jareau-LaMontange household for a while. The kids love you, and you take joy in cooking and doing the household chores as needed. One day, JJ comes home very late and expects to find you already gone, only to see you folding laundry. You make up excuses about why you're there, but the entire tone shifts when she catches you with a pair of her panties in your pocket. She's certainly not going to make you go home now. (5,000 words est.) (Also fyi this wouldn't be a cheating fic, I want to imply that Will would be okay with it and probably do a sequel where Will joins in because we all need Puppy Eyes Will x Younger Reader x Milf JJ in our lives.)

Untitled aka 'The One Where Spencer Fucks You With His Cane' - Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader. Mutual Pining, Co-Workers to Lovers. Smut/PWP. Set during Season 5. You have been acting incredibly weird around Reid ever seen he returned to work after being shot, needing a cane to support himself while recovering from his injury. One day, he finally finds out why. (7,000 words est.) (This is a fic I talked about before that I shelved, but I just can't get it out of my head.)

And dare I say - Lessons For A Genius Lesson Three? A lot of people said that they wanted to see a 'love confession' for part three of this series, and that is really not what I wanted. I don't want this porn series to go down the typical 'love story' route. I want it to be smutty filth.

I also really, really want to write something with Serial Killer!Reader. You guys may know - I love writing horror as much as I love writing smut, and I would fucking love to write something where the Reader character is a crazed, unhinged morally corrupt character because I think it would be genuinely downright fun.

I also think it would be really fun to write another case fic where the reader is part of the team and it focuses more on the actual detective work, but I want a really good concept for it first. But idk - I don't want to be known just as a CM writer. I want more room to explore other fandoms without people nagging me down for stuff just from this fandom.

EDIT:

Untitled aka The Serial Killer Reader Fic - ‘UnSub’ Reader, Gen BAU Fic. Extreme Angst, Gore, Horror, Mystery, Drama. Set during Season 1 and Season 6 (tentatively). You are a brilliant, prestigious woman. You are talented. And there is no way that the BAU is going to catch you. Not when you’re using every single trick that the great Jason Gideon taught you. (10,000 words est (or more) - will likely be multi-part.) 

Mics Fics (Mostly Horror Movie Related)

Like I said above, I love writing horror related fics. Most of the fics on this section of the list are a combination of smut and horror, which I think is where I really, really shine. I would like to get at least one of these fics done for Halloween, because it's like four or five years running now that I have attempted to write a Halloween fic and not gotten it done on time. Maybe I should start writing my Halloween fic in like July or something this time lmao.

Untitled Cabin Fever Fic - Paul (Rider Strong) - Fem!Reader. Friends to Lovers. Smut and Gore/Horror. Set during the film. You are looking forward to a peaceful, picturesque vacation with your friends, and it turns into a dream when your good friend Paul admits to returning romantic feelings for you and the two of you have sex with the gorgeous lake and the peaceful woods as a backdrop. It could only get better from here, right? (9,000 words est.)

GMFU (Got Me Fucked Up) - Ghostface!Jade West x Fem!Reader x Ghostface!Beck Oliver. Friends to 'Lovers'. Smut/PWP. Fear Kink. Victorious Scream AU. You have been receiving harassing phone calls and generally been feeling creeped out due to the string of recent murders in town lately, so you invite your friend Beck over to stay with you so you don't have to be alone. Turns out, he invited someone else along too. (9,000 words est.) (This one is entirely self indulgent because I think that Beck and Jade would be the perfect Ghostface duo.)

In Too Deep - Nick Jones (House of Wax) x Fem!Reader. Exes to Lovers. Smut, Emotional Angst, and Horror/Gore. Hurt No Comfort. When you are invited on a trip to see a football game out of state, you end up thinking it's a big mistake when your ex is also on the trip, and he spends the entire car ride glaring at you. It seems like an even worse idea when you're stuck sharing a tent with him. But after some feelings and a cigarette are shared, you find out - the trip wasn't such a bad idea after all. (10,000 words est.)

EDIT:

Untitled aka ‘The One That Came To Me In A Dream’ - Alex Karev x Surgical Intern Fem!Reader. Strangers to Friends With Benefits to Lovers. Smut, Emotional Angst. Set during Season 3. Partway through the MAGIC intern year, you are ‘transferred’ to Seattle Grace from another hospital in another state, and nobody seems to know anything about your background. Because Bailey is your resident, her other interns are incredibly curious about where you’re from and why you’re transferring so suddenly - Alex is the only one who doesn’t seem to care, especially when the two of you start having mindless crazy animal sex with absolutely no strings attached. However, he starts to care very much when Cristina discovers a bomb in the hospital in the patient room where all of you hang out, and somehow - you know how to defuse it. (10,000 words est, or more. Will likely be a multi-part arc.) 

I also really want to do more re-posts of my older fics. I have a lot of fics that are only on AO3 that I want to be on Tumblr, and when I re-post them, I love adding a new scene or new scenes to them and polishing them up a bit. It's so much fun for me. So I might post some polls to see which older fics you guys want to see polished and re-posted!

I have a lot more WIPs than this, but these are the ones I am most excited about. So please do let me know which ones you like the best out of the ones I have mentioned in this post, and I will prioritise whichever ones you guys are most excited about!!

[farfromstrange]

Lizzi’s Valentine’s Special & Follower Celebration

Dear Everyone,

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I thought, since this silly little blog hit over 1.1k followers yesterday, I want to give you something special.

First of all, though, I want to thank you. I’ve been on here since (and I checked with the archive) July 19, 2022. I can't believe that it has been almost two years. I started watching Daredevil after watching Spider-Man: No Way Home in December of 2021 and hearing Matt Murdock say, "I'm a really good lawyer," after catching a brick. So, I started watching the show, and that was during a time I was really miserable. Mentally and physically, I wasn't in a good place, but after watching Daredevil for the first time and falling in love with Charlie Cox as a genuine person and an actor, it felt like I found a reason to keep going.

I started writing fanfiction again, which I kind of neglected because I felt like this hobby of mine wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't inspired at all until I watched the show. If I hadn't, I probably would not have gotten back into writing and using it as an outlet for my feelings, and I probably wouldn't be where I am today. Thanks to Charlie's portrayal of Matt Murdock, and watching his interviews, I felt like I could do the things that I love again and follow my dreams. He's the reason I chose to major in English. And while I owe him that much, I owe you guys here on Tumblr and AO3 even more.

When I first posted here, I didn't think people would even be interested in what I had to say and write. But then more and more people started visiting my profile, you guys started following me, and it kept me motivated to keep writing, even when I'm miserable, and I sometimes only post once every blue moon.

I feel so honored that you guys chose to follow a silly little blog run by a silly little 20-something-year-old whose first language isn't even English (but made it her entire personality), and who chose to write about traumatized dark-haired characters portrayed by Charlie Cox. I'm overwhelmed by the love you continue to show me, and every time one of you chooses to reblog or comment on one of my works, saying that it resonated with you, I feel like I'm doing something right. I'm sharing my ideas, my own experiences, my wishes, and even my deepest, darkest dreams through my writing like it's a fucking diary, and you eat it up every single time.

I'm just so glad that this community exists, as chaotic as it sometimes is, and that you chose to stick around, even when I suck at keeping promises sometimes. You keep teaching me new things about who I am, my writing, and how important it is to put myself first. I don't know if you've heard it lately, but you guys are incredible and I appreciate the hell out of every single one of you.

Thanks to Tumblr, I made lifelong friends (especially looking at you, @blackshadowswriter) and found like-minded people that made me feel less alone. That alone was worth making this account and continuing to post on here.

You may think that I'm being dramatic, but for someone who has never really experienced the kind of validation this community gives me, I want to celebrate this milestone. It means more to me than I can even put into words. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I love you all so much! Please, don't ever forget how amazing you are.

That being said, I've got some exciting things planned.

The other day, I found a folder in my Docs titled "the vault". I completely forgot about it because I usually keep my WIPs in a different folder. As it turns out, I made that folder for fics that I originally never planned to post, or ones that I'd finished but wasn't happy with. It’s many, but it’s a few. Some are deeper than others. I also jotted down rough ideas and outlines last year that I stuffed in there, some of which I've actually shared with you but never started working on. Until now. And the contents of that vault are what I want to give to you now.

INTRODUCING: The Vault

6 stories from the vault. 1 bonus fic. 7 days.

I went through a myriad of emotions while I wrote these. For some, I actually bled my soul onto paper. For others, it was merely a brain fart that led to their existence. They're sad, horny, and at times angry, but some of those were originally written for me, and only me. Those that weren't started as a few sentences in a folder before I forgot they existed. Either way, I don't want them to catch dust. And I wouldn't want to share them with anyone else.

Starting February 14th, I will be posting one fic every day until February 20th. My ���The Vault” works are Matt Murdock x Reader works, but I've made an exception for the bonus fic. I won't tell you what they are about, but I will give you a list of installments and what kind of fic they are so you know what to be excited about (and maybe which ones are not your cup of tea).

-> The number at the end tells you the date I will be posting it on, but I put it in chronological order as well.

INSTALLMENTS:

1. If You Need To Be Mean (angst, hurt/comfort) 14.

2. Mismatched Bridesmaid (fluff, smut) 15.

3. Weed Cookies (humor, fluff, cw: accidental drug use) 16.

4. the grudge (songfic, angst, hurt/comfort, cw: death of a parent) 17.

5. Halloween (Smut) 18.

6. I Want To Fuck A Priest (Smut, cw: priest!Matt) 19.

BONUS:

7. Now That We Don’t Talk (Part 2 of Is It Over Now?) -> Frank Castle x Reader (smut, angst) 20.

A few more words: You are free to send me an ask if you want to know more, but be prepared that I won't be answering in much detail. I don't want to spoil the fun. I would, however, not mind talking about them as vaguely as possible (if you’re interested).

Thank you all. For everything. And I hope you stick around to read these little gems.

With love from yours truly,

Lizzi <3

[cloud-somersault]

Hey, how are you doing? I hope you’re alright. 💕 I’ve been reading your status updates on Constellations and the Epilogue, and I just wanted to let you know that I think you’re amazing. Your writing is incredible and I love it. Your stories are so well thought out and the characters are ✨on point✨, and the plot is complex and detailed and aaahhh! It has me hooked! 🤩

And I understand how it hurts when you put so much effort and love into a story, only to post it and not see others be anywhere near as excited or invested as you are. I know how discouraging it can be. And it may be a little silly, but I do want to apologize for not commenting lately—life took some difficult turns for me healthwise around the end of last year and I haven’t been able to catch up! I’m still on Chapter 4 of Constellations! 😭 BUT Chapter 5 is open on my phone, and I am READY to read it as soon as I have the time (and mental energy, but that’s a whole ‘nother issue 😩). Don’t worry that your writing isn’t enough, or be discouraged if some readers don’t catch hints while others are figuring it all out seemingly too easily. Everybody reads and comprehends stuff differently, and it’s not a sign that your writing is bad if they don’t catch it! Honestly, I’m pretty bad at catching hints the first time I read a story unless they’re pretty darn obvious. I don’t usually notice subtle hints until the second, or third, or even seventh read-through, haha! (on the bright side, rereading stories and rewatching TV shows is always fun!) 😅

I guess what I really wanted to say is… don’t give up hope. Don’t lose your love and enthusiasm for your works, or feel like they aren’t worth writing because others don’t seem interested in them. At the heart of it all… at the end of the day… write because you love to. Because it makes you happy. And know that it doesn’t have to be “perfect”—the main goal should be that you enjoy it. That’s something I’m trying to teach myself, too. 💕

Thank you for taking the time to write this message and send it. I appreciate you're very kind words 💕I'm doing okay, I just had to take a step back for a bit from socials and stuff. I'm gonna keep that up for a while.

Please don't apologize for not commenting or taking your time reading. Your health always comes first, and I'm sorry if I came off as childish or needy, that wasn't my intention. Two things just happened that set me off and the timing of it was incredibly poor 😓

Please take your time reading; none of it is going anywhere, and don't feel obligated to leave comments either. i'm realizing that, even if chapters are short or long, finding the time to finish things is difficult, and everyone lives different lives. And I'm sorry about all the spoilers on this blog, I'll tag that better from now on.

But I really do think I got confused or disjointed in my perceptions; everyone here knows so much because i've been asked questions and given answers and people have interacted, so people following me here have more context than the average ao3 user. But I've kinda been expecting everyone to be on the same page, which will never be true.

I'm also the same way where it takes me a while to pick up on hints. I actually changed my writing style to prevent this. I got tired of reading books in college where you had to dive into every little thing. the hints and clues weren't obvious to me. I decided then that, when I wrote, I wanted things to be bold, obvious, but beautiful. I didn't want to make readers feel like they're missing something. I wanted them to trust that every answer, every clue would be answered in time. I made that promise to myself a decade ago, and being reminded of how different people interpret things just...made me remember.

I take writing really seriously, probably too seriously, but I've been doing it for so long and I love doing it. I want to be good at it. When it feels like I've gone back on that promise to myself, I get frustrated. I think of ways I could've fixed things. But I also remember that those books and those writing styles just weren't for me. I wasn't the target audience.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but I wanted to explain why I got upset. I still love Constellations and I'm posting it on ao3 out of convenience, really. It's easier to reference and search there in one "Entire Work" than to have 5 documents open. The fact that others can see and read and have fun is a bonus. But I'm committed to telling this story, and I'm gonna finish with a bang.

Thank you, I won't forget why I'm doing this and that my thoughts/feelings come first! 😤I hope your health concerns are taken care of soon. Take it easy, and thanks again! 💕

[seekerreads]

3 over-hyped, 3 appropriately-hyped, 3 under-hyped books!

been meaning to do this for foreverrrrr and i'm finally getting around to it!! i've been feeling a bit burnt out on reading so i think i might take a little reading break until the new year, so i can do some cool little posts in the mean time!! (spoiler warnings abound, all books are listed in the tags if you want to avoid!! if i hate on a book you love i promise it'll be okay!! act your age please and thanks!)

3 over-hyped books:

✧.* title: The Haunting of Hill House

✧.* author: Shirley Jackson

✧.* explanation: i heard RAVE reviews about this book for a while before i picked up, including people genuinely calling it the sort of founding father of new-age horror novels. here's the thing though: this book is not scary. there are points where it definitely tries to be and i don't know if it's the book showing it's age or if the author just isn't good at writing horror but it's not effective in the least. most of the book is just the characters going "wow this house is creepy!" and the creepiest the house is 99% of the time is just the rooms being arranged weird or the furniture being old fashioned. the one big 'scary' scene was so incredibly trite and low-hanging fruit that it kinda pissed me off. and the ending was supposed to be this big scary twist but it had virtually no build-up and just had me rolling my eyes. definitely didn't enjoy this one.

✧.* title: The Fellowship of the Ring

✧.* author: J.R.R Tolkien

✧.* explanation: let me just start by saying i absolutely adore this series. the movies are fantastic and i love them. i love the story itself, but the book? oh my god. genuinely the slowest thing i've ever read and you can't even say it was for a reason because most of the reason for the slowness is the absolute BLOAT added to the book through traveling scenes. this book made me hate traveling scenes as a whole in any book. and i understand the purpose of having them and explaining the surroundings to set the scene but i'm talking about paragraphs upon paragraphs of the dryest scenery description and "we walked a lot and got tired" that you've ever seen. i had to force myself to finish this book by setting a timer every day. love the story but the books are just NOT for me.

✧.* title: Carmilla

✧.* author: J. Sheridan Le Fanu

✧.* description: this was not queer. this was not scary. there was barely any vampire happenings in this book at ALL. i was soooo excited to read this and so incredibly disappointed when it boiled down to "pretty mysterious lady lives with other lady for a while and says some vaguely lovey-dovey things that can also completely read as the poetic language of friendship of the time and then they just kill her in her coffin without an actual confrontation or confirmation of her being a vampire the end!". absolute waste of time. still hoping to maybe find a good retelling though because the potential is there!

3 appropriately-hyped:

✧.* title: Six of Crows

✧.* author: Leigh Bardugo

✧.* explanation: it is what it is. the SoC duology is fucking phenomenal and there's just no denying it. breathtaking heists, intricate world-building, gritty and sharp character work, complex and heartfelt friendships, and romances so sweet they'll bring your cold dead heart back to life. 5 stars across the board.

✧.* title: The Six Deaths of the Saint

✧.* author: Alix E. Harrow

✧.* explanation: the things this story manages to accomplish in 30 pages should be STUDIED. i can't give too much detail because it's so short that it could be spoiled but the way this could EASILY be a full 300-page novel and still manages to pack in enough depth and emotion and growth in a fraction of that space is truly incredible. you just need to read this. it's so short and you NEED to read it.

✧.* title: Red, White & Royal Blue

✧.* author: Casey McQuiston

✧.* explanation: unfortunately the girlies are not wrong about this book!! an absolutely charming time as long as you can suspend your disbelief politics-wise, but even though I didn't specifically ignore that un-realism it still didn't bother me too much, and i've lived within the american political system all my life. this is such a comfort read for me; there is enough conflict to drive a plot but it's very much a heartwarming, lighthearted read and the happy ending is satisfying every time.

3 under-hyped:

✧.* title: Fireborne

✧.* author: Rosaria Munda

✧.* explanation: this is my favorite series of ALL time. not only is it about dragonriders (!!!) but this series tackles so many hard-hitting and timely topics in such a heartbreaking and sharp way that i was absolutely riveted throughout all 3 books. this series truly has everything i want in a fantasy story: deep and complex characters, relationships with depth and conflict, characters who struggle with their morality and choices, and a world on the brink of revolution. i recommend this series to absolutely anyone who will listen.

✧.* title: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

✧.* author: Clare Pooley

✧.* explanation: this is what i like to call a "state of the human condition" book. this one takes you across the entire gambit of emotion and individual experience that gives books with a larger cast like this the absolute oomph it really needed. seeing these total strangers come together and form a sort of found family for no other reason than they shared the same train during their commute was so beautiful and makes you believe in the inherent goodness of humans.

✧.* title: An Accident of Stars

✧.* author: Foz Meadows

✧.* explanation: it took me working through a bit of hesitation to pick this one up because it IS a portal fantasy (a genre which has always given me wattpad-vibes) but i am so, so glad i did. this is one of the most unique and complex fantasy worlds i have ever encountered in fiction. and even though it's a portal fantasy this series does a REALLY good job of not just focusing on the portaled character (though she does get time) but also on all the other characters she interacts with and their own stories and plotlines. i really need to reread this one; it was like nothing i'd ever read before.

(divider credit: @finnegancosmos )

[kingwithpaintedfingers]

An Update on the Status of My A03 Fics!

Hihi! I have no idea if anyone who follows this blog reads any of my fics on AO3, but if you do, then you might like to know what the heck is going on with my fics, and why I haven't posted any updates in over six months.

First of all, I am alive! I wrote a lot of fics in the summer of 2022 when I had just gotten active in a fan server on Discord where there was a lot of encouragement to write fanfiction. In the spring of 2023, I started a medical assistantship course, and in order to keep myself focused in class, I turned off notifications for the server. And then I just kind of...didn't turn them back on???? In my defense, I was intimidated by the amount of time it would take for me to backread everything I missed, and that eventually snowballed into me just no longer looking at that server. I should honestly become active in it again, because it did a lot for my writing productivity. I also have a lot of hobbies both in real life and on my computer, and those take up a lot of my time as well. So that's why I didn't post much last year and haven't posted anything yet this year.

But I want to let you all know, that I do fully intend to complete the fanfics I have already started on AO3, and I do intend to write the sequels I promised a year and a half ago.

So without further ado, here is a status report on the incomplete fics and series I have on my AO3:

How to Live With Fire: One of my most popular fics! I have two sequels planned, and a rough idea of what I want to happen in each of them. Both of them are probably going to be only a few chapters long. The delay on this one is mostly on Part 2, since Part 2 has only the vaguest ideas of what I want to do with it (how Mortarion and Vulkan become a longterm couple, and how their legions react to this change). The trouble with this one is, I haven't read any Salamanders novels, let alone ones that take place during the Horus Heresy. I think I will at least have to read Deathfire for this one. I am praying that I don't have to read Vulkan Lives, since I understand that one has less tasty Salamanders content than I would like, and way more John Grammaticus than I find tasteful. But I will still try Deathfire at the very least, if I can find a physical copy at the library or a used bookstore or something.

A Matter of Trust: Another one that's going to end up being a trilogy. I have figured out what happens, now I just need to read the Plague Wars trilogy, because those events are going to be kind of important to the rest of the plot. Again, I'd like to read physical copies of the books so that I can flip through them easily. I'm going to see if I can find copies of the first two novels through the local libraries. Fingers crossed!

Until the Bitter End: Ohhhh, this one's gonna make me cry...this one is mostly hinging on me rereading The Buried Dagger and taking notes. Much lower barrier for entry for this one, since I've read it so often that I mostly remember where to find the events I'm looking for.

Lantern and the Child: This one is going to have like, a billion chapters. It's going to become episodic for a while, but I'm looking forward to it. In this case, it's a case of figuring out which characters I want to introduce. The idea of it being episodic is kind of exciting for me, because it feels like it will be a fun thing to do, and because it goes along with a writing conceit that my co-creator and I have for this AU, that it's the events of a theoretical (very dark) Pokemon anime.

This Once Nearly Was Mine: This one should literally be the easiest one to complete, I am ashamed that I haven't finished it. There's only one chapter left, and I don't even have to come up with all of the events. Again, this one is going to dip into Horus Heresy events that I haven't actually read, but I think I've heard enough from osmosis that I can skip most of it. I just need to, y'know, actually sit down and fucking write it.

Deep's Embrace: I've got an outline! And I've even got some scenes written out! As I type this post, I am preparing to submit chapter 2. I'm having a lot of fun with this fic, as you could probably all tell.

Anyway, that's basically it for now. If you have any questions, please let me know! And if you have any friends who you know enjoy my fics but aren't following me or aren't on Tumblr, please link them to this post so that they know just what the hell is going on with me.

[facet-project]

october devlog!! (two days late, thank you tumblr for glitching out on me on halloween :/)

AAA. OKAY. finished a big thing today since i was like "this update is going to be late Anyway i might as well fix this one issue before i upload"

but before that. did you know i've been working on this project for One Calendar Year??? i feel like it hasn't been very serious until this latest build but maybe that's recency bias talking. anyway cool stuff below the cut

anyway! what i did this month... unfortunately there was a hardware snag in the music production thing, and i've gotten it fixed! which is technically music progress but not in a way that is exciting. so instead i actually went and finished the basic player character movement!

this thing was a MEAN BITCH to code in for like. a lot of reasons. which i won't get into right now unless someone's super curious. but trust me when i say this took so long to actually Get The Way I Wanted

(sorry she's walking on a blank grey background... i don't want to show the testing field Just Yet)

just a little up/down/left/right walk animation for now!! there are still some tweaks i need to do to the animation manager and the controls - of course, i will be doing this Forever And Ever. especially when i start making other things to put on the map. and as i was testing this i realized there were a couple spare pixels out of place (shoutout to the magically growing shirt collar on the walking upwards animation)

(and i'm still trying to figure out if i'm going to make a bespoke running animation or if it's just going to be making the player faster and having things like the ponytail flow farther behind... it doesn't really matter for now that can be a Later Decision)

but also, i made a promise to myself that i wouldn't post about any game characters until they're In the game. and the player character for nightshade mode, which is what i'm building first, is a character... so i might round up some of her concept art and make a post about her sometime this month.

i'm going to stop promising what i'm going to work on Next Month because it always seems like i have to change directions midway through?? maybe that's stage fright since i'm Posting about it. but i do want to finish off some of these player animations and get some other ones in there, like the ones where you're using tools and sitting and such. but also i need to fix a save bug too... we'll see what i actually get to doing this month.

but as far as Next Longterm Goals... it took me about eight months to get from Zero Code to the end of the prototype build... and then after that i've been spending these months kind of organizing what i need to do next

so Next is... doing the same thing i did last year, but with more knowledge and purpose this time.

i'm hoping to get another one-week build of the game done by june, but with all of the game's systems in place and without placeholder text or visual assets. i'm going to measure how feasible that is at the end of the year before making another pact with my brother to hold me accountable for doing that, see if i need to adjust the goalposts, but i think i can do that. (and then after that, it's making all of the content for spring, summer, fall, winter... but for now we're sticking with spring)

[dutifullylazybread]

I am so in love with your story Deeply and Immovably So. I am heavily invested, I am a bit embarrassed to say that right as I found your story I was writing my own fic falling into the same theme of Tav and Rolan living in the tower together. I am currently rewriting my story to make sure I keep our stories different.

I guess I wanted to ask you a question, how did you mange to write a story all in one go? I tend to write in fragments and post my chapters one at a time. I guess If you could give me some advice on writing series and how you approach it?

Your amazing and can't wait for the chapter update on Friday!

I'm so glad you like the story!! :D. I'm honestly not worried about there being similarities between our fics. One key point for Rolan's character is establishing a home for his family after what happens in Elturel. On top of that, Tav (even a Balduran Tav) doesn't actually have a home that we can ever visit, so gravitating towards staying in the tower makes a lot of sense! So if that is a big part of your story and it would be strongly affected by you changing that part of it, don't feel like you must make those revisions. I'd rather you be happy with where you story is than worry about similarities like that. Regardless, I'm really excited to read your fic! If you'd like, please drop me a link when you begin posting! :)

As far as how I wrote the fic all out? I won't lie, I haven't really ever thought about my process, so when you asked, I sorta resembled Patrick (more below the image, I promise!):

That being said though, I can definitely share how I wrote the fic and how I am working with the story now, but my big rule with writing is that writers should do what works best for them--what works for me might not necessarily work for someone else. So if what works best for you is posting as you finish chapters, then absolutely do that. There are some extremely talented writers in the Rolan x Tav corner that do the same or something similar. If you haven't read @underdark-dreams's A Strand to Climb, @lemonsrosesandlavender's Sharp Teeth, or @graysparrowao3's What If Rolan Was A Companion? I highly recommend them (and not just these fics--the rest of their repertoires are delicious too!).

This is my tl;dr for my explanation below--I can be super long-winded (I'm sorry about that!!). Like I said, this is what works for me, but if you don't think these things jive with you, then do what you feel is best for you and your story. :)

Write the story out first. Don't edit until you have finished the fic.

If you run into a writing wall, work on a different scene and come back later.

While it's fun to add in details, a lot of that can be supplied during your editing/revisions stages. Worrying too much about this can bog you down when you're in the middle of writing.

Don't immediately jump into editing your story after finishing a chapter. Take anywhere from a few days to a week to let the draft sit before you work on it again.

Avoid burnout - take care of yourself and take brain breaks.

Here are the longer explanations:

Write the story out first. Don't edit until you have finished writing the fic.

I started writing the Rolan x Tav story as my NaNoWriMo project back in November and I kept working on it through December. For those who may not be familiar, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, and the goal is to write 50,000 words in a month. These do not have to be good words, they just have to be words on a page. So already out of the gate, I knew that, if I wrote this fic, it might not be well-written at first, but it would be a story. I had to give myself permission to write a bad draft, basically, and that is sometimes the hardest thing in the world (I am still irked by it). If you're anything like me, the thought of not having perfection on the page during a first writing pass feels awful. BUT I do sincerely believe it is why I wrote as much as I did in two months. Because I just focused on writing and not editing. And, if I could tell I was getting close to hitting a wall, I would make a note in my manuscript to come back, and then I'd keep writing the chapter. My notes are parentheses that basically say (Add more detail here), (make scene more sexy), (Review dialogue exchange). It's really weird to write down, but when I'm writing and struggling, it honestly feels like my brain is coming up against an actual wall. Basically, I'm giving myself a headache. BUT this is my warning sign to come back later, because I'm getting too lost in the weeds and I won't be happy with the end result of whatever I force out.

2. If you run into a writing wall, work on a different scene and come back later.

The rationale for coming back and working through the wall later comes from a combination of reasons: 1) From past experience, forcing myself through a block can work, but it is the most agonizing experience ever. And it is exhausting. Writing can be exhausting, that is okay. BUT, what if I force myself through the block and then I'm unhappy with the result? For me personally, pushing against a block/wall can feed into burnout. So 2) it's better to take a break and work on a part of the story that I am excited to pursue and then revisit the wall later, because 3) if you let yourself take a brain break, you're going to come back and find that the wall isn't really a wall anymore. If anything, it's a really fun idea. You just needed to come back when the lighting was different.

3. While it's fun to add in details, a lot of that can be supplied during your editing/revisions stages. Worrying too much about this can bog you down when you're in the middle of writing.

I find that, while I am in the drafting stages, I often write at a pelt. I do my best to write the first draft well, but I write so quickly that I might not pause to ask, "So what does the setting look like exactly? What color is the sky? How does the Chionthar look at this moment? What does it smell like?" Some of those details might make it in while I'm drafting, but I think that I focus in on those during editing/revision, because that is when I let myself slow down and focus on the details.

4. Don't immediately jump into editing your story after finishing a chapter. Take anywhere from a few days to a week to let the draft sit before you work on it again.

Due to how I wrote this fic, I didn't actually revisit a lot of these chapters until about a month or two later. And that has led to a combination of "Hey, this isn't too bad," to "What were you thinking??" BUT, I do sit quite firmly in the camp that taking a few days to just breathe and not immediately jumping into editing helped give me a fresh perspective. When we spend so much time working on our stories, it goes without saying that we are very close to what we are working on, and sometimes that can work against us. SO, putting some distance between yourself and the chapter in question can help you identify what needs to be cleaned up/revised when you return to it.

5. Avoid burnout - take care of yourself and take brain breaks.

In my experience, one thing that stopped me from working on long fics was burnout. For previous fanfic projects I tried to work on, all of my free time would be poured into writing, and not a lot of it would be used to relax. I would work on these stories nonstop. I would argue that this is probably why several long-form fanfictions don't get finished by several writers (and that's not even considering how school, work, and family obligations might also take a toll on your energy). The last thing you want is to feel apathetic or frustrated over the thought of working on your story, so taking the time to relax and take care of yourself. While I think having a writing habit is extremely helpful, I also think taking an evening to just relax once a week is just as nice. Typically, I start writing around 7 pm every night, and I'll wrap up around 10:30 pm - 11:00 pm. BUT, I don't do any intense work on Mondays (since that is D&D night in my house).

I hope that this helps! But again, do what you think is best for you. I'm super excited to read your fic!!! :D

[worldismyne]

Seeing how you actually are able to keep your promise of weekly chapters, any tipps to commiting to a schedulde? I often think with all my free time I should be able to do the same with my storys but I just get burnt out or distracted and then self loath cause when I actually have the will again I have work responsibilities or other important stuff going on

Don't commit to an upload schedule until the first draft is finished.

Write to entertain yourself, not to meet a deadline.

Write as much as you can while the idea is new and exciting.

When soft writing and/or brain storming, I like to make a playlist specific to that story. The scenes I have that are tied to specific songs are the easiest to write.

Find the 1 hr on your days off that you have the most energy. (For me it's right after breakfast). Try as often as you can to write then. Even once every other week, is amazing.

It's okay to leave fics unfinished.

Your freetime where you rest is important

Listen to audiobooks in the same genre that you're aiming to write.

Whenever stuck, don't google, put < get there > and keep writing. When editing go back and either add to the scene or just cut it. 9/10 if I think a scene needs something to start it off, it actually doesn't.

(Longer explination of my process under the cut).

DON'T COMMIT TO AN UPLOAD SCHEDULE UNTIL IT'S ALREADY DONE.

I write as much as I can while hyperfixating on a story without posting it. So the draft for the fic I'm uploading atm was finished three months ago. I started uploading when I had 16 chapters written (or 4 months of backlog).

I can't count on how long an idea will hold my interest, or if I have enough material to stretch it out over multiple chapters. (I only just recently got into one shots. If you look at my other fics, I average around 20 k for a 'long' fic, because I get bored). So don't hold yourself to a strict length. Write the important, most engadging parts, walk away, come back and make sure it flows.

The important thing is I'm writing to entertain myself. Writing for a self imposed deadline or to meet audience expectations always burns me out. (No amount of kudos or comments will ever combat that)

I work 3, 12 hr night shifts a week, so a lot of the writing I do is during downtime at work. I personally find it difficult to write at home and spend a great deal of time recovering from working. The body needs that time to recover and it took years of unlearning that rest and self care are unproductive or a waste of time. If your work doesn't allow you that luxury, have a place out of the house you go to for longer periods of writing.

The playlist thing is a lifesaver, never discount the importance of soft writing. I literally can not visualize things, so music helps me have an outline to plot out scenes or chapters (i.e. what tone am I trying to capture). Also works to reignte the spark of inspiration. The time I'm most active is the morning, but that time often gets eaten up by real life, however it's easy to budget a half hour of time to that peak writing time. Those lil bits add up. If you haven't made progress on something in a while, it isn't a bad thing that you've prioritized other things. The writing process should be fun. It's like playing pretend, but you get to keep it afterward.

It's okay to abandon fics.

I still reread unfinished fics people posted, because what they had up was full of passion. A lot of the fics I couldn't finish were either the scope of the story was too big for what I wanted to write or the direction I was taking the fic wasn't working. Crest of the Dragon was on a 6 year hiatus before I was able to come up with an ending I liked. I was surprised people who'd followed it and left tumblr came back just to congradulate me for finishing it. Your readers will understand if you have to step away from something for a while. Updating serially often puts fic writers in a corner, by having the WIP up for everyone to see.

Burnout is usually not from the writing, but the real life shit going on around us. It can take years to figure out the main source and how to deal with it. Mental and emotional rest are important. I'm a bit neuro spicy, so there are straight up weeks where I have to resign myself to not creating anything. Having the back log helps in those instances, since l typically make things in fevered burst and then have to recoop.

Recently figured out listening to disc world novels has helped with my SE fic. It has good examples of absurdest humor, world building and general descriptions. I don't have time to read, but a lot of audio books are free on youtube. If you really, really get stuck, seeing how a pro tackles things can help even subconciously.

<get there> is my new friend. I'm not big on writing non-linearly. For longer stories, I'll parse out the main story beats and then hope the characters develope in that direction. Sometimes they go off the rails on me, or a planned subplot gets scraped. So, for this fic, I had all the mystery reveals spaced out between the two storylines. For character arcs, I go on explorative vibes.

All this to say, writing for me is an escape, and most of the time I'm doing it when I'm in a position where my options are either be on my phone or write. If I got 15 min or more, I choose write. If I got a sentence out, that counts.

It doesn't have to be perfect, or finished, or written in a timely matter. It just has to be, as long as what you're writing entertains you. Worry about uploading once you're done with it.

[taintedsoul-if]

It has been a while since I've posted on Tumblr hasn't It? I am the type of person that doesn't like talking about myself. But I feel as if I owe it to you all to give a bit of crumbs about what is going on as of late.

So for the past couple months I've been "struggling" with unemployment. 🙄 honestly I shouldn't even say struggling. When I left my last job a few months ago I swore to myself that I would never enter the BPO sector ever again. It's too much for me. But I understand, leave your problems/introverted personality at the door and be more professional. They all said but it just wasn't for me. Long story short ever since I made that promise to myself I've been home everyday just doing what I love. (Writing)

Two weeks ago I think.... an extended family member of mine mentioned an opening at her company. (Which is not BPO related! 😌) i just knew I had to jump on that opportunity. Let's be honest here, I am the type that gets anxious when there's no money in my pocket. 😅. And this is a new year... I have much that I want to accomplish.

Anyways my first interview was actually Sunday. And I passed that with flying colours. 🤧. The next phase of my interview will be a test which I've been studying for. Studying is basically what I do every single day. I get up at 5 in the morning and I study until 5 in the evening. I am a mediocre person that tends to give up sometimes lol. I wash my face with tears because most times I just feel like I'm wasting my time on something that I'll never be able to achieve. (🙄) This takes me back to highschool days. And I'll just stop there haha. But I am confident that I'll pass this exam with flying colours, get my employee ID badge and work my honest daypay. So that is what I've been doing.

I've neglected my babies but I feel like it will be worth it in the end. The update might be slow but it'll get there. So forgive me!

Though you guys don't have to worry.... I've already said it more than once and I'll say it again, I do plan to finish this IF of mine. I'll get back to writing Friday after I've completed my test. Time away from my IF has given me time to think about the true direction of my story. I might do some big changes to chapter1. Add a bit more dialogue and characters? But I must ask.

I was rolling over backstories for how Ada and the MC met. Let me create a poll cause I've always wanted to create one! *excited* 🤣

😅 and lastly for the ask in my ask box... I'll most certainly answer some of those this weekend. As always I do hope you're all staying safe during this time. Have a pleasant day one and all and I'll be seeing you all this weekend! 😋 later!

[bluevelvet-room]

@redblessingz replied:

if i may add (this is mostly the naokei in my head, it's also fine if it doesnt align with yours!): in p2ep if you choose nanjo route, there'll be flashback of both naoya and nanjo making a promise to achieve their dreams, and nanjo mentioned that if it werent for naoya, he might've gone off track and said what a great guy he is, so it's confirmed that naoya and nanjo has form a strong friendship/bond after the events of p1. I'd like to think that they've gone (1/?)

through something regarding Nanjo's late butler Yamaoka and possibly Nanjo being more open to share abt his troubles including his family and the company he'll inherit, and in return, Naoya (my naokei and naoya is strongly based from the manga although i actually never finished reading it myself) share more abt his life after his twin brother's passing and they help each other by comforting, healing and slowly get over the death of their beloved family members and (2/?)

has since become very close, often spend time together during their school years and can understand each other without the need of saying a word. And YES i also think that their relationship doesnt evolve into romantic one until post-reunion bcs of internalized homophobia on nanjo's side, thinking if they did get into relationship it'll ruin his family's name, and they had mutual feelings but werent brave enough to actually confess it, though they might've picked (3/?)

up the hints but keep brushing it off thinking it's just their imagination (but it's actually NOT), and yeah after the reunion, they confessed, and like you said earlier they had heartfelt conversation then FUCK lol. (Sorry for the spoiler on p2ep part and sorry for the ling rambling too, i got a little bit too excited talking abt naokei since it's been years I've talked abt it with someone 😭)

i love this version of naokei a lot too!! it's a very common idea i see when absolutely scraping the tumblr barrel for naokei content. it is worth noting that whenever i write persona stuff i always just delete homophobia from the world (unless it works for a very specific purpose, like me explaining yosuke's actions in persona 4 as internalized homophobia) bc i enjoy not having to think about it in my fictional universes lol HOWEVER of course nanjo would suffer from internalized homophobia (if it existed in my world) !!!!!!!!! also i hope u dont mind me putting this in a new post to respond, this is a side blog so i can't respond directly. also also don't worry about persona 2 spoilers i've already spoiled myself plenty cuz i'm too lazy to play the games just yet but i do need to know some of the stuff for my writing

[eureka-its-zico]

Hiiiiiii, it's me, Gouda 🧀 anon, but I am not on anon! lol I sorted out my Trumblr from all the cringy shit from years ago finally so I don't have to be embarrassed what I have on here haha (I saw you said you've been on Tumblr since 2015, well I've been on here since probably 2009 and yeah... Had to go down the memory lane and it was a bit cringe 😂)

I saw your message that Chapter 4 will be posted tonight and the giddy feelings that I felt, boy oh boy... Could barely contain myself in my chair!

This has been such a lovely update! It was amazing to see more interactions between Doc and Zoro. And his POV is just *chef's kiss*. It really helps to see that there's more to each of them than the other sees. And honestly, Zoro is being stupid because he can fulfil his promise and still get Doc so... *side eye* lol

I am honestly so curious to see what you have planned going forward: with Doc and Straw Hats AND Doc and Zoro. And if you grace us with even more Zoro POV to see his inner battle - I will devour it 😂

Also, I have to say - him bringing the beer and him bringing back the flower as an apology were one of my favourite parts in this chapter. Especially this one:

What he wouldn’t tell you, is because they only grew at certain times and usually in the snow, it made them one of the most resilient flowers because they could grow under any conditions. 

ALSO, oh my God, this interaction in particular too:

“What do I gotta do to hear one of these world-famous Doc jokes?” He waited until his face was neutral to look back at you. Both hands rested on his swords as he watched you fill the bottle to the brim and place it securely inside your satchel.  “For that kind of service? You have to be dying.”

We know what happens later and now I will wait with baited breath for doesn't matter how many chapters to see whether Doc actually says that joke 😂

I also love the ending, the fact that Nami is considerate enough to offer for Doc something to wear. It's a small interaction though I would think that it gives them a small part to bond to some extent ❤

As always, an amazing update and I am so happy to see these two continue to bond, even if they are both acting silly now. Really curious and excited for the next part to see how Doc reacts to Sanji and maybe even how Zoro reacts if Sanji flirts with Doc?! 😂

I have so many feelings to this story, I have to admit, I read Chapter 3 five times. Then I went to read Chapter 2. And then I read all chapters from the first one before this update because I have an insane amount of brain rot for OPLA Zoro and it's been consuming me this week 😂🙃 Also, because it's been bringing me joy and making me smile at a time in my life where I'm feeling a bit lost.

Sending you so much love and thank you for the update. I had a shit week so this has been such a mood booster that it is hard to put it into words how much I appreciate you and how happy I am that I discovered you and Chaos in Their Bones.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Jenn ❤

Osiyo my Gouda 🧀 Nonnie turned to my cheesy!! I am so happy to hear from you! The fact you did an intense cleansing of your tumblr makes me feel like I should probably do the same BUT 2009, you say?!? My bestie started a tumblr around that time too, I believe. What was it like? Was it wild? Lol

It makes me so happy to know you enjoyed the updated chapter! I was honestly very nervous about it cause I wrote it starting yesterday around 5 pm and finished by roughly 9:30 am. I just knew that once Sanji was introduced the story was going to be a bit more hefty, per say. There is the drinking scene, and I wanted Doc and Nami to have some time together, because she deserves a good wholesome friendship, okay?!

I’m so glad you love Zoro’s POV! It always makes me nervous because he is such a moody baby, but also extremely devoted to keeping his word/promises. I thought it was important to show his side and struggle, because he is so devoted to fulfilling his promise that I can envision him being completely blinded by that determination. I mean, look how he responds to poor Nami 😩😩

Oh man, we know Sanji flirts with EVERY woman lol so flirting is definitely implied and I may or may not have already pre-written the dialogue for most of that scene 🤣

I cannot believe you’ve reread Chaos in Their Bones so many times! But also, I completely understand why you would after reading the rest of your message. It is an absolute honor and a privilege to be a part of something that is bringing you joy in a time when you feel like it is most needed. I always look forward to your reviews and to see how you liked chapters. It means a lot to me to see your 🧀 in my ask box. I am incredibly sorry this week wasn’t any good, but just know I am sending you lots of love and good vibes that hopefully next week is better than this one. Sending you virtual hugs and Much Love 🖤

[splishsplashyouropinionistrash]

hey everyone, I'm still alive! and! I have a writing update!

I haven't done any writing.

okok that's not totally true, I've done bits and pieces since I published 'i still talk to you' (link here, I had fun with that one) but I'm nowhere close to having anything ready to publish. Still, I figured I'd give y'all a (totally sober, for once) update on where I'm at in the stories I've promised.

So, okay, the big one first: TMHYHM. I've got about 3k of chapter 9 done, so we're about halfway through it. I'm starting school again in a few days (senior year, woohoo) and I always seem to write better at school, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it'll get done in the next few weeks. About ten days from now is the one year anniversary of me 1: starting my AO3 account and 2: publishing chapter one of TMHYHM which is.... both exciting and a little sad? Genuinely didn't expect this story to take so long, but here we are.

A lovely commenter pointed out that I must put a lot into each chapter, and I honestly hadn't really thought much about it but they're right. I'm not gonna ramble about it for much longer, but every chapter takes a lot of time and energy. There was the re-read I did to write down the main plot points I wanted to hit every chapter, and then scouring the internet for quotes to put in once I decided I wanted to go that direction, and then I re-read each individual chapter twice; the first time to get more specific with what happens each chapter, finding places to put extra scenes etc. and a second time to figure out a chapter title. Actually writing the chapters is a lot too. I put a lot of myself and my experience into my interpretation of Andrew, and I feel like it fleshes him out more, but it also makes these chapters so much more mentally draining to write. Anyway, all that to say: happy early birthday to TMHYHM and thank you all for your patience.

Okay anyway, some of you may remember that I started teasing a hospital/amnesia fic (here, here, and here) a month ago during the AO3 outage, and I've almost got three chapters finished (halfway done !) I decided a few months ago that I wasn't going to post multi-part fics until after they're finished from now on, so as soon as I finish the whole thing it'll be up. I took a break from it for a little while, but when I came back and read through it today I genuinely cried a little? I'm evil guys why do I write these things??

Third: the minyard triplets. I'm going to be so honest here, I have not made any progress since last time I updated yall. Looking back at the story, I'm honestly kinda starting to hate it? I don't know, I still like parts of it but it just doesn't feel anywhere close to being my best work. I'll keep working on it and hopefully finish it soon, but I don't know when it'll be done. I had thought about turning it into a series, but I'm just not sure how attainable that is anymore.

Also, you may or may not have read my last fic, but if you did: I'm working on an alternate ending!!! I can't say much (cause spoilers) but I'm working very hard on it so keep an eye out for that one. Not sure if it'll be a separate fic or just a second chapter, but it's coming.

ok uhhhhhh.... i think that's it? TLDR: I don't have a lot of answers for y'all, but I'm working on things.

Oh, also? I'm writing a book. So fics might go on the backburner for a little bit lol. Let me know if that's something you'd like to hear more about though, I'm super excited.

Thank you for all your love and support <3

[breitweisergallery]

1, 2, 6, 18, and 25 from the asks list! 1/2/6 for TDJ fics and 18/25 for took talks revelations

is there a story you’re holding off on writing for some reason?

I posted most of the snippets of things I had started and never finished. I spent a lot of time in @thedeviljudges 's dms talking about the political au where Gaon worked in Yohan's office, and also the fae one. I was really excited to possibly one day work on the fae one because there was something about it that just felt fun. We don't have enough magic in the aus for TDJ.

what work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?

Almost definitely the earliest ones. I wrote my first 3 (?) TDJ fics while having only watched about half the show, I think? It took me almost six months to watch the final episode so a lot of even my early fics were written before I'd finished the show.

something you would go back and change in your writing that it’s too late/complicated to change now

I mean... I started rewriting the entirety of imagining the integration because I just didn't love how it was going.

I'm really bad at not posting the second I have something written and I feel like if I finished projects and then posted them things would go a little better. :')

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

Oh, god yeah. It definitely depends on fic vs fiction, genre, etc.

I mentioned in a previous ask that I almost always return to Hannibal and Harry Potter as fandoms that influenced me greatly. For a while I had thought about putting together an outright list of fics across the, like, 85 fandoms that I still read for on occasion that influenced me either in writing choices or writing style.

For published writing, the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales, Edgar Allan Poe, Tolkien, The Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan, and (coming close to doxxing myself here but) Alan Silberberg is actually a friend of mine and he himself as a person has been a major influence on my choice to go into writing professionally.

copy paste a few sentences or a paragraph that you're particularly proud of

Gonna hit you with the opening scene to the novel I've been working on because why not? (writing below the cut)

An unholy rhythm kept in line by the marching of soldiers atop the cobblestone streets of Aktas echoes through the streets is not enough to cover the tolling of the bells from the northwest side of the Courtyard. The bell call to all the promise of another death, another head removed from a so-called false prophet. Crowds whisper and gather in the Courtyard, approaching from the narrow alleys between the Worship Hall and the Mess.

One man pushes past, through the crowds, towards the city at large. His blue robes mark him a man of faith; the staff held in his hand mark him a Bav, a carrier of the magic of the gods. Even beneath the light cloth of his hood, his eyes are sharp, too sharp — odd enough that many look away upon seeing him, avoiding eye contact as best they can. Few murmur the proper greeting, “may the sun shine light on you, Bav,” and fewer still bow their heads; even in a city so filled with the faith, the people are a superstitious lot.

The Bav cuts down a quiet alley, each step confident and sure even as he scans the empty space for any person, any thing, that might whisper all the way to the Khonhey of his activities outside of the Church.

The sounds of boots atop cobblestone stops suddenly. The bells ring out one more time before silence falls and the Bav turns his head to look behind him as a roar of a crowd goes up. His pace quickens through the alleys, until he reaches a near-empty street and hurries to a dust-covered door, rapping on it sharply with his staff. “It’s me,” he says softly, his voice and tone alike soft and almost musical. The door opens and a gloved hand shoots out, pulling him inside and just as quickly shuts and locks the door behind him.

“Were you seen?” the man inside asks, glancing over his shoulder at the now-closed door.

“No. They are all focused on the commotion at the Gallows,” the Bav replies, letting out a long breath. “We need to move our plans up, Sime. He’s nearly been caught three times this week alone. I recommended caution and he doesn’t listen.”

“He’s young. Can you blame him?” Tahsim Anyis turns, picking a jug up from the table. “Drink?” He pours without waiting for a reply, extending the cup behind him to the Bav. “We’ll need a serious distraction to get him out of the city. And then we’ll both be dead men walking, you and I.”

“As if we are not already,” the Bav mutters and takes a long drink.