#I've got a long backlog of tags to fix

[royalarchivist]

Phil: Oh my goodness, it's our Lead Scientist, Lullah! What do you have to say for—

Lullah: women in stem letsgooo

[prettyboybuckley]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

tagged by @saybiwithme @bi-buckrights @zainclaw

How many works do you have on ao3?

160

What's your total ao3 word count?

1,070,239

What fandoms do you write for?

I've mostly written for 9-1-1, though I started off with Shameless (6 fics) and I have written some for Teen Wolf (5 fics). There's one 9-1-1 crossover with Schitt's Creek.

Top five fics by kudos:

parents always yelling (telling us to get our acts together)

i just want something to hold on to (and a little of that human touch)

I will come to you (even in my sleep)

open up again (i believe in second chances)

exes and the oh's

Do you respond to comments?

Always, even if it takes me months. I actually just caught up again (there's still a bunch to go, but right now the oldest is 17 days ago instead of 250 days...). It's just a rule I have for myself, and even with the backlog I've kept it up so far, so I'm not going to stop doing it now.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I'm not a big fan of angsty endings, I generally try to at least make it a hopeful ending or, in the case of the college au, use an epilogue to fix things.

But I guess sunny skies & summer highs qualifies as an angsty ending simply because of the cliffhanger (and yes, there is still going to be a continuation, I'm working on it 🙈).

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Choosing one out of 160 is really hard, but I think tell me, will you stay or will you run away is definitely one that deserves a mention here, because it already has a happy ending and then the epilogue just makes it even better 🥰

Do you get hate on fics?

Not commented on the fic itself, no. I've had some people talk shit about my fics on twitter, though, and not even vaguely but calling me by (user)name.

Do you write smut?

Is grass green? Yeah, I write smut 🤭 Thanks to two times kinktober, I have 95 explicit fics, by far the most used rating for my fics.

Craziest crossover:

let's have some fun tonight is my 9-1-1/Schitt's Creek crossover fic for 9-1-1 Rarepair Week, and my only crossover fic

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

My head over feet Buddie valentine's two-parter got posted as one chapter in Wattpad work with over 30 fics once. Filed a DMCA and Wattpad took it down within two hours.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Two of my fics have been translated into Russian afaik, one on ao3 and one on Ficbook

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Nope. It may be a nice challenge for the future? Not sure who I'd do it with.

All time favourite ship?

Gotta go for Buddie on that one, lol. Especially if you look at my writing history. But I often tend to hyperfixate on one ship at a time (current reading obsession is McDanno)

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Buck's POV of if love is art then you might be my masterpiece. I really want to, but at this point it's been two years since the original so I don't know if it'd be worth it either. (I know not everyone was happy about how I ended it, but I doubt any of them are still waiting for more). Writing a different POV of the same fic takes an amount of planning that my brain just really struggles with. And I could pick up where the last chapter (before the epilogue) picks up, but I think that way there would be some crucial information about Buck missing.

What are your writing strengths?

I've been told quite a lot of times that I am good at keeping characters, well, in character, even when putting them in partial or complete AU's. Of course, what is in character or not is subjective, but I do always challenge myself to work as much of the canon backstory and personality into who they are in the AU as possible.

And I like to think I'm pretty good at writing smut.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm terrible at pacing, which multiple of my long fics prove. It'll be drawn out first and then suddenly rushing. And being ESL I do struggle with things like sentence structure and grammar pretty regularly still.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

As long as there is some kind of translation provided somewhere I like it, but I'm not so quick to use it myself. Not beyond a few Spanish words here and there (generally pet names between Eddie and his family we've seen on the show or the occasional curse word when I feel it fits better than an English one, but I usually need to employ help from Spanish-speaking friends for those).

First fandom you wrote in?

Shameless! I binged that right before I started 9-1-1 and combined with the creative writing minor I was doing, it was actually what got me back into writing in general and what made me write my first ever fic.

Favorite fic you've written?

My in your arms i feel safe-series (which I always lovingly refer to as the ace kink fic) is definitely one of my favorites simply because of how personal it is to me and for the reason behind me writing it in the first place.

Other strong contenders are i would've loved you forever (it's never enough but i wanted it to be) and i'm begging you, come home to me (Teen Wolf, Thiam)

tagging @monsterrae1 @rogerzsteven @loserdiaz @watchyourbuck

[quickdeaths]

mun meme

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍!

★  NAME:  Bryn

★  PRONOUNS:  she/her.

★  BEST EXPERIENCE: Meeting my girlfriend through RP has to be at the top of the list, and meeting some really great friends too. Just talking about the IC stuff, idk, I'm pretty happy with how things have been going recently?

★  PREFERENCE OF COMMUNICATION: IMs are okay but discord is best! I am very chatty on discord sometimes, and the search function is really helpful for me when it comes to going back and finding old things. I'm also just on discord basically all day in some capacity, so I rarely miss things for long.

★  MOST ACTIVE MUSE: I can basically write any of my DR OCs at the drop of a hat, although Shinobu is the one who I am currently writing most, and have the easiest time writing because of that. I think for me, though, it's more "do I have energy/creativity to write right now at all" rather than if I have muse for a specific character or not - it's not usually the case that I struggle with a specific character at a time when I'm otherwise writing easily.

★  EXPERIENCE / HOW MANY YEARS: I started off on a forum in maybe 2006 or 2007, did some stuff on livejournal, had a cup of coffee at Gaia Online, and settled on Tumblr in maybe... 2012? 2013? I've done some things on discord (don't love it for RP) and google docs (it's okay) since then, and a handful of other places, but I think I'm just Here Now, like furniture.

★  RP PET PEEVES:  

I have talked about these all so many times so I'll try to keep it brief hahaha.

People who repeatedly drop threads without reaching out to say anything (this is my #1 pet peeve), and people who generally cycle "taking on too many asks/drafts, then dropping all of them, repeat."

People who habitually archive/delete and remake their blogs, especially if they don't make any changes to how they run things, who they interact with, etc. I see it as, like "bringing your bed to your new apartment and being confused as to why you still have bedbugs."

People who post tons of OOCs, as well as things like memes, starter calls, ship calls, etc. while having a massive backlog of drafts and inbox things already.

People who treat OCs/female characters/female OCs dismissively, or as stepping stone interactions.

★   PLOTS OR MEMES: Plots. I honestly don't like memes very much since I feel like they seldom lead to the kind of long-term interactions I like the most, but they're so entrenched on tumblr that I just kinda have to accept them. I would much rather talk to people and plot out loose thread ideas than send in a dialogue prompt from a movie I haven't seen and hope it gets answered and hope that that answer feels like something I can respond to and hope that my reply gets replied to and it's actually a thread. I like doing stuff that develops across multiple threads too, and plotting is much better for that.

★  ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S)?: Not really, I don't think. There are pieces of me in all of my characters, of course, and there are superficial similarities sometimes in terms of like, hobbies or interests, but I think the characters who feel like they got more of me mixed into them are like, D&D characters, or characters from my other blogs.

tagged by: @more-than-a-princess also tagging because tumblr is a functional website and perhaps putting things on a new line is the only fix: @timesunder @shishigirls @saburaito @sunbreathr

tagging: @lunaetis @guidedhearts @amaidol @infintasmal @corrpse also tagging myself since that seems to be the only way to not have it break someone else's tag very cool: @quickdeaths

[eldrith]

HIYAA! It’s me, the new tumblr acc person who asked u abt the text thing on ur own intro post, and i was wanting to ask for some tips on writing?

Ok so hold on let me compliment u first cuz u are actually so amazing!!! i’ve been following ur stuff for a while now (not rlly, since like summer 24 but shh) and honestly ur writing is so stunning and beaand breathtaking and legit made me pull up the dictionary like every two seconds (mostly cuz eng isnt my first language), like if shakespear himself was reborn to this time and age i’m convived he was born as u, cuz ur talent is INSANE?? like AAAAAAAAAAAA

anyway now that i got that out of my system (not rlly, i could write an entire essay on how beautiful and amazing ur writing is) i was hoping to ask for tips on writing? like general stuff yk? also i heard that its good to have a few drafts ready for when u start posting so it wont take long to get content out?

ughh srry for the ramble im stressing😭 also i kinda giggled when u said my blog will def be cute cuz the aesthetic it has rn………. 😀 its far from cute lol😭 i still think its pretty :3

hi cutie! sorry it took me a moment to answer this i've been so busy!!

first of STOP IT bc youre so sweet (& if you've been following me since summer '24 then you've been here the whole time bc i made this account in july!!! <3) the dictionary part ahahaha i get it!!! you're so kind to say such things i appreciate you & im so happy you like my writing!!

dw about rambling i literally don’t stop taking ever. & i believe you that ur blog is SO cute!!!!

i would be happy to share some tips ! i obviously am not the best source bc im not a professional writer and to each their own – but here's a (very long im sorry) list of what i recommend:

in terms of tumblr,

having a 'backlog' of fics in your arsenal is a great thing. i think even a plethora of diferent wips can be a great thing too (there's 11 unfinished wips in my folder rn that may not see the light of day), even if you're a slow writer (like me). that being said, it doesn't have to be that way — sometimes i post things right after finishing them just bc i want to share it!!!

along that vein, i know a lot of my moots here have schedules or structuring to posts. alerting their followers or posting teasers before (i do like to do this often), or scheduling fics to be posted on a certain day/time. i think this is wonderful; though i haven't been able to keep myself to such a routine, and literally just let things rip whenever.

time zone reblogging is a good way to ensure any readers around da globe see your fic! you can figure out some of the main time zones and schedule reblogs of your fics for those times. i sometimes do this too!

create your post draft w/ title/headers/warnings & tags etc beforehand bc it is SUCH a drag to do when you’re about to post a fic!!!

again, people are for the most part very kind here; don't feel like you have to be churning out fics just to keep people's attention. your writing will be wonderful & they will (they WILL. or else i will Get Them) be grateful that you chose to share it!!

in terms of general writing, i actually have so many thoughts on writing and preferences, but i dont want to be insane on main so here's just a few things off the dome—

love your story!! i think people's best works are when they become deeply invested with their own plot/characters. it's why i chose to leave certain characters, because i was no longer loving/enjoying my stories.

withhold information from your readers. i am a huge believer in the theory of omission. this seems to be a bit controversial on here; but i personally am in support of Hemingway's iceberg theory. overwhelming readers with information is boring. let them use their imagination to keep them & yourself from getting burnt out, & allow them to see what they'd like to within those gaps.

write first & edit later. this is something that took me a while to get into the habit of bc i always feel the need to fix things immediately. but it helps the writing process to get out your thoughts and structure first, then fine-comb it after. it saves energy & time!!!

especially in longer fics, avoid logical fallacy — ie., arguments that do not have adequate support. if your characters are fighting and it is for a reason that is not believable (same with a larger scale, like war), then it isn't as realistic nor entertaining to read!!! (i could elaborate but i could write so much on all of this HAH)

USE THE FIVE SENSES. all of them. they are your friend for creating imagery and i use them all the time. this also helps to avoid white room syndrome.

speaking of imagery: make use of both literal and figurative.

literal — obvious & realistic description of anything. ex; describing how black the wings of a raven are. simple& makes a huge difference in world building. figurative — my favorite; words and descriptions that imply certain ideas & need to be interpreted. describing how shadows slither around corners; implying distrust or paranoia, thoughts of serpents, etc. (this is where you have to have faith in your readers — perhaps i put too much faith in them sometimes lmao.)

my favorite way to ensure a cohesive work is to always anchor a motif. i always write with a clear recurring element in my works (could be some device, reference of some sort, words/verbal formula) which appears habitually. in every piece ive written there is at least one motif & usually more (i could cite examples but im not going to rn). it’s my favorite way of conveying emotion & importance. it help sets mood — and ties your whole fic together.

George Orwell has written a lot about never using the passive where you can use the active... this is obviously a preference; i have read countless astounding fics here that write in the passive, but i personally find myself more engaged in active tense. you’re IN the story, not being told of it.

DO NOT USE AI BOTS TO HELP GENERATE YOUR WRITING. ai is incredibly harmful to art; i understand folks who have english not as their native language attempt to use bots to 'polish' their writing, although it is so incredibly obvious when it is used — because computers use patterns. AI CANNOT CREATE, it can only replicate. it can only steal. they use repetitive words, phrases, and structures; all chat GPT fics read, in one way or another, the same; and have a non-human touch which is ingenuine. writers are beautiful and unique because they are different, because we all have a different relationship with english and writing. i often wonder if my translations come out incorrectly because my mother tongue is not english (however i've spoken it basically all my life, so i acknowledge it is different); though i think the charm in authors is their choice in expression. i hope people are confident with themselves, no matter their perceived skill level. i hope they know a robot will take away their intrinsic skill and natural talent. i hope they know it is incredibly obvious when chat bots are used to generate writing. and i see it in this fandom all the fucking time.

writers on writing; ie., some sources that help me:

ray bradbury on: I’ve kept everything I’ve ever cared about since childhood.' or: why personal experience is integral to writing fiction. (1963)

anaïs nin on how the excess of emotion is essential to writing.

ten rules of writing by nietzsche.

vonnegut/kafka: uncertainty is the crucible of creativity. or: the shapes of stories.

writing morally grey characters (character depth)

donna tartt on the writing process: an interview (must watch!!! shes my god)

okay i am DONE yapping. i hope some of this helps & if u have any comments or questions or anything im happy to hear what u think!!

[ghoooooooooooooooost]

kaiju no. 8..... good... i love u kafka hibino

tags got too long so i put them under the cut instead n then it got longer (not abt kn8 just blabbing abt stuff in general)

anyways i'm thinking of reviving my reading tag (#book eating event) bc tbh i need to go back to reading pages full of words that aren't my own n i still haven't finished boogiepop or umineko yet. if u know a vn or even a novel u think i'd like feel free to lmk n maybe i'll check it out as i finish those 2 series (WITH WARNINGS PLZ. no more repeats of every other time i asked for recs) i also have the stranger i'm pretty sure

kn8 rlly did end up being the only new show i watched this season along with a couple movies

no idea what (new) i'll watch for the next season if anything at all. maybe i'm finally free from seasonal anime (until kn8 s2 n drhdr s2 ofc). there's the new mononoke coming up soon but thats a movie

lots of anime reviewers say every season is the best season like woahh all these heavy hitters it's so packed but. well to avoid going into a mean rant i tend to not have the same taste as them at all so lately it's been feeling like theres nothing to watch thats recent (plus i'm not constantly going outta my way to keep up w shows i kno from the start r bad the way ppl like mothersbasement do)

n where the hell r the old menwait a minute

?? ok well i have to watch that one i read the manga so.

i have games in my backlog that i've been too scared to start bc i haven't fixed my battery issue with the laptop i use play them. maybe i'll stop caring n just let that thing explode all over my room cuz theres no way i can replace it any time soon... n i still got ynfgs to play but theres no reason to rush or force those

and ihave. to work. which rn is just job searching while doing comms; holds my head. still waiting for someone to hire me for their long old man yaoi horror vn

[firespirited]

Today I practiced shell stitch, had to redo the swatch several times as the tutorial video didn't specify to always start/end a row with either a single crochet or 3 double crochets. I like the shape much more than the 3 of a granny stitch, it somehow looks more polished. Video tutorials are really helpful but I'm just not yet at a point where the stitches are neat and easy to count and 'spaces' aren't really obvious. Being limited to 45 minute sessions means that it's over right as I'm starting to get into the groove. You know when it starts to seem intuitive?

I've had crochet stitching appear in my dreams so at least you know some of it is getting written to the hard drive. 😁

Fixed a cute red top (beads had been ripped off around the v-neck and I had just the right amount of ric-rac in silver) and I'm wearing that now. Accepting that a wardrobe change is inevitable would be easier if mail order clothes shopping wasn't full of really ugly tops. The moment you're XL in France, which for me was at 16 when I was just curvy not overweight, you're cut off from anything nice. You can get the brown-grey 'taupe' , the leopard print or shapeless sack of business carpet print. 🙃 I really want basics: 95% cotton, some stretch, long torso, v-necks in black white and blue. Seriously considering ebay UK and its import fees for some M&S classics. Maybe even the infamous Shein.

Finally got my bloods done! There was a backlog over the holidays. Must have been a mug full. We're looking for another intestinal opportunist and checking on the anemia and diabetes. The anti-fungal in december did something, I was able to actually taste christmas dinner and that was amazing. The cotton mouth isn't pain but it's been months of eating what feels like cardboard in varying textures. 😑

I've been busy sorting files: dumping stuff in folders instead of naming it properly came back to bite me. I used to have multiple freeware programs for renaming & making thumbnails and they got lost in the windows reinstall or just don't work any more. *Rename Master* is a freeware gem (all sorts of insert, replace and numbering options) . I really need to find a right click to autogenerate thumbnails program again.

Also been sorting out the to-do lists, gradually working down my massive 'keep' notes and bookmarks to create a document of things I'd like to watch, tagged all the 'reading' and 'listening' notes.

I'm putting together just pay postage bundles. $8 for A5 letter size, $30 for a big shoe box kilogram. Less in the EU. Stuff's on the website: the vintage heads, reroots that need paint, a bunch of incomplete imperfect monsters. Just let me know. I can also include fur wigs, glittery stretch fabrics and various small findings.

The plan is to wait for test results and go from there, continue slowly tidying and destashing, try size 46 tops for size, with doll projects to look forward to. Try to stay sane. 😂😘

[more-than-a-princess]

🪀 How do OOC posts make you feel? Do they affect your IC writing or flow, to know other muns better?

Mun Communication meme

It depends on the day and context.

As much as I'm not into some tumblr trends, I really do like the idea of having 'Munday,' a day to send in memes about the writer, their writing process, headcanons, anything that isn't IC thread content really! It can help writers approach and feel more approachable in the community, especially if there's someone you've wanted to write with but haven't felt comfortable sending them a message directly. A Munday meme/ask can help break the ice.

Besides that, I do like it when muns share photos of themselves or parts of their life on Mundays. I think it helps remind the community that the writers behind your mutuals aren't machines, they're people with lives offline too. I especially enjoy seeing all of your convention and cosplay posts, as that's a hobby I share with my mutuals who participate! I have such a backlog of photos/costumes I've never actually shared here.

I should, uh, fix that for some Mundays, especially as I have new ones planned.

Anyway, that's the sort of OOC content that doesn't tend to bother me. I wouldn't say it impacts my writing one way or another, but I generally like that sort of OOC content.

Here's what I tend not to like:

OOC content that overshares, especially consistently to the point there's more OOC than IC posting on your RP blog. Such as "I just got home from work time to write replies!" as the post. In the tags of some other content, I care less, but these sorts of posts can feel spammy after awhile. No one should expect to know when you're on/offline/available to write, in my opinion: do it at your own pace.

Answering asks/making posts pertaining to OOC conflicts/drama on a frequent basis. I think at some point, it just devolves to feeding the trolls. Don't feed the trolls: it's easier to block anons, delete, or just don't accept anons at all.

Though honestly, I've gotten to know other muns the best through plotting and chatting on discord. This is where most of my shitposting, romantic ship plotting, and spamming my partners with memes tends to happen. I love discord for this as opposed to doing so on dash! I give my handle to mutuals that are interested in developing a long term storyline and/or romantic ship, mainly.