#also shoutout to the 3 or 4 of you writing in the tags on those comics I love it

[zepskies]

NAVIGATION

Welcome to my little corner of the world!

About Me: Alex (she/her | 28) || Hopeless romantic, Dean Girl - EST 2014, Latina POC 🇨🇺🇵🇷🇩🇴☕️

Fandoms I currently write for: - Supernatural - The Boys - Big Sky - Tracker - Dark Angel - Smallville - 10 Inch Hero - Dawson’s Creek

Main Masterlist 📖

Writer's Room ✍🏽

Tag List 🔔

My tag lists are back open (for now)! Check out my Tag List Form here. You can also follow my fic library blog - @zepskieswrites - with notifications on so you never miss a new story.

Ask Me Stuff 💌

REQUESTS ARE CLOSED. I will only be accepting requests on Patreon. But please feel free to hit me up in my inbox with questions or comments about my work, about fandom and characters, creative writing, or even just life in general! 💜

Join Patreon 🌟

For early access to all of my stories, first sneak peeks and updates, bonus content, and more! Premium access patrons can also send me requests.~

(Bingo masterlists, podfics, podcast interviews I’ve done, writing questions answered, fic rec lists, what I do not write, and even more stuff below the cut):

Bingos

Jacklesverse Bingo 2024 Masterlist

Podfics

Stories that have been narrated in podcast form by Sandra, one of the lovely hosts of the Idling in the Impala podcast. Go here to check out the full YouTube playlist of podfics.

Podcast Interviews

September 24, 2024: Sandra and Kasey, the lovely hosts of @idlingintheimpalapodcast — the podcast for all things SPN and fanfiction — invited me on the pod for an interview…

We chatted about Dean Winchester and Jensen Ackles’ early roles, the best and worst seasons of SPN, the joys and pains of writing Soldier Boy, and much, much more.

For all the timestamps of key moments, fic recs, and SPN writer shoutouts, see this post (you'll find the link to the video there too).

About Writing

My thoughts on creative writing and fanfiction, the writing process, tips I've learned or been given, and questions people ask me.

Ways to Say I Love You

There Are Two Kinds of Writers: Architects & Adventurers

10 Top Favorite Romantic Comedy Movies

5 Tips to Stay Motivated to Write

5 Tips for Beating Writer's Block

Writing a Good Kiss/Romantic Scene

Where Do I Get My Writing Ideas?

Asking the "What If" Question & Developing Plot Ideas

How to Build a Tumblr Following (In My Experience) - 3 Tips

6 (More) Tips for Building a Tumblr Following (In My Experience)

What Does "Supporting Writers" Mean?

PSA on Tumblr Tags: Tag Lists & # Tags

4 Ways to Create a Tag List

Characters, Fandom & Fic Rec Lists

Why We Love The Boys: A Review of Supes Ain't Always Heroes

Tips on Writing Dean Winchester

3 Tips for Writing Soldier Boy (Ben)

Writing Angst with Soldier Boy (Ben)

Supernatural Fic Rec List

Dean Winchester AU Fic Rec List

Beau Arlen Fic Rec List

Soldier Boy Fic Rec List

August 2024 Fic Recs

**Author's Note

All 18+ content is labelled across my stories, as well as any dark themes or trigger warnings. So minors, please don't interact with those posts. Also, I do not read or write:

RPF (real person fiction)

Wincest

Non-con

[danpuff-ao3]

Thanks for the tag @cindle-writes!

"Self-rec time! What are your favorite five fics that you've written and why? After replying to this ask, feel free to pass on to five other writers to spread the love. 💗"

Tagging: @perverse-idyll @writcraft @lizzy0305 @ripeteeth @lqtraintracks @threadbearao3 and whoever else might want to play!

It was hard to narrow down, as I've written well over 100 fics in my time (most available on AO3, but I still have some secrets). This has been good to look at and think about in light of my recent writerly struggles. Gave me a nice reminder of what I love and what I've accomplished.

1.) Contempt | Devotion

I'm counting them together, since they're the same story from different perspectives. Nothing will ever top them for me. They are THE Snarry story for me. They've been my OTP for 20+ years, and those works are years and years of dedication (and devotion, ha) to this ship. It's all the feelings I've ever had about them. It's the version of them, as individuals and together, that most resonates with me.

It is, as I often say, the story of my soul. I ripped these words out of my teeth, out of my bones, and wrote them with my blood. It was an agonizing process, and one I would do again and again, because I could not be more proud of anything, and it still amazes me that I created this story. That I finally pulled it out of my soul and put it to words. All of the passion I have for them, all of my history with this ship, all of it is right there.

(Also shoutout to the other little ficlets in the series; this version of Snarry will always have my heart.)

2.) Collateral Damage

While Contempt is the Snarry of my dreams, Collateral Damage is the DRON of my dreams.

Draco and Ron are my secondary OTP, and while I could write and rewrite Snarry to death, I have a hard time revisiting Dron as the main relationship, because I feel like I put everything I had for them into this one story.

The fic is written in Draco's POV, which I loved and was such a treat. I loved exploring Draco and Ron as individuals, and as a couple, and considering them more than I ever had before. It was fun playing with some real enemies-to-lovers, and seeing it become something really passionate and loving and fun (but also angsty, because I'm ME, hello).

It's a tale of revenge and insecurity, and fooling yourself while you try to fool others. I tried to really love on Draco and Ron both, while also diving into their respective flaws, and while I already loved them, writing this fic made me love them all the more.

3.) The Curse of Anteros

Another Snarry, of course. This one is such a love story, in some ways, though there's plenty of questionable (objectionable) content there. But for me, that made it all the more romantic, this sort of love conquers all, even in the worst of scenarios. My boys survived toxicity, and a curse, and life.

It's also a concept I've played with for quite some time, inspired by a Charmed episode (which was itself inspired by a film called Ladyhawke). It was a fun exercise in watching them grow, and watching time move on, with their connection unchanged. The story spans decades, and really, I'm not sure I've written anything more romantic!

Also features art by my dear friend @mrviran which is phenomenal and I am still totally awed by what they created for this story!! It was fun inventing a creature together, too <3

4.) A Matter of Time

Another Snarry which also holds a special place in my heart. It was a unique experience of trying new things. For one, it was alternating POV, which I don't normally care for; for me it's hard to maintain flow along with maintaining character voices. But ALSO it was told in reverse chronological order, which I'd been dying to try! Also...the angst. I love it.

And the END!!!! The end kills me and I love it. </3

5.) Cruel Summer

I waffled with choosing 5, because I felt like it should be Orange Blossoms, and I think part of me was scared to put this one on the list. You know...devastating and dead dovey as it is. It's a Sirry fic, one that I'd been cooking up in my noggin' for a few years.

I wanted to play with a darker side to Sirry, and portraying a very unhealthy and troubling relationship which really only felt natural with all that Harry and Sirius had been through. I wanted to do them and the concept justice, which I really think I did, and I'm really proud of how it came out. There's more story to tell...the real story, I think, will be the aftermath, but we'll see if it ever actually comes to fruition. In the meantime, I really love this story, awful as the content is.

[watercolor-hearts]

Thank you to @rednyx-sf for tagging me in this, it wasn't an easy list but I really liked making it. 😊

Pairing/Shippy list!

Here are the rules:

1. List your top seven ships.

2. Put them all in order for your love for them; 7 to 1, 1 being your favourite.

3. Name the fandom.

4. Put a picture of the guys in question.

-

(There will be a few FE ships too but I didn't count them as individuals, I just put them as a second ship to certain numbers.)

7. Simi | Sebastian Vettel/Kimi Räikkönen [Formula 1]

I would like to apologise to all of my Simi fan followers for this. 😃

I love Simi, they're my comfort pairing when it comes to reading (and writing) but to be honest I prefer ships that are still active, have new content etc. and not only old pictures, videos etc. So yeah, this is the reason why they're seventh for me.

6. Galex | George Russell/Alex Albon [Formula 1]

I don't really know what to add to this. I just like them. ❤ (Also, for me they're the most difficult to write because they have a personality that's (for me) very difficult to portray right.)

Also, funfact, I don't really like the popular Galex fanfics. This is the ship where I prefer the reality and my imagination, and not the fanfics.

5. Dando | Daniel Ricciardo/Lando Norris [Formula 1]

Dando was THE hurt/comfort ship for me last season. This photo of them is in my top3 favorite Formula 1 related photos.

I have a very strange relationship with Lando but I loved them together. ❤

4. Sam/Mitch | Sam Bird/Mitch Evans [Formula E]

Do I need to add more? I don't think so. Cock hug and lovely lifting is all I neeed. They were insane for this. ❤

4. Carlando | Carlos Sainz Jr./Lando Norris [Formula 1]

Again, can't really add anything, I just like them. I like a lot of ships, I don't have any rules like if I like Carlando then I don't like any other Carlos and Lando ships. I'm here for the comfort, it doesn't really matter which ship gives it to me. Also, I'm kinda open to polyamory so shipping for me is a bit different than to others. 😃

So yeah, they're cute, I like them.

3. JEV/André/Sam | Jean-Éric Vergne/André Lotterer/Sam Bird

I don't even have a pic of all of them together (and I can only put ten in one post) but I read a story or two with them being in an open or polyamorous relationship and I really liked them. I have a feeling that Jeandré is the ship that is perfectly ideal to transform into a triad because I think they can be mature enough to communicate well and manage the relationship well.

3. Riccussell | Daniel Ricciardo/George Russell [Formula 1]

I love Daniel and I love George, so this ship is perfect for me. ❤ George's support to Daniel last year was everything to me. They're my special little ship. 🥺❤

2. Maximilian/James | Maximilian Günther/James Rossiter [Formula E]

When I joined the FE fandom and Maximilian became my chosen one, I was kind of surprised that there wasn't really any Maximilian ships. And then somehow Maximilian and James became a thing and GUYS the stories on Ao3. The stories. Oh my god. They're AMAZING. Like truly amazing. I don't really like to read long single chapter stories (over 5K is long for me, 15K is my limit, I don't really read longer ones if they're in one piece) but I love reading those Maximilian and James stories because it's amazing how well those authors can capture their personality. Sometimes I'm a bit jealous because I still don't know enough about the FE drivers' personalities to write about them (yes, I'm too lazy to watch the documentaries and things like that). So yeah, shoutout to the Maximilian/James authors on Ao3, you're doing God's work, guys! ❤

2. Charlos | Carlos Sainz Jr/Charles Leclerc [Formula 1]

The heart eyes. The "baby"s. The touches. The jokes. The "violence". They're everything. They've grown on me and I think about them a lot and I don't know what I'll do when they won't be teammates anymore. They're so perfect together. Another emotional hurt/comfort ship. The pain is almost always there, I don't have to introduce Ferrari to you, so yeah, hugs and cuddles and comfort and understanding and everything. And love. ❤

1. Jeandré | Jean-Éric Vergne/André Lotterer

The husbands (my original husbands were Vandevries | Nyck de Vries/Stoffel Vandoorne but I couldn't really fit them here but still wanted to mention them because they're special to me as they were the ones I wrote my first English story about). They're so funny and perfect together, another comfort ship like almost all the others. 😂 I love how close they're to each other. ❤

1. Maxiel | Max Verstappen/Daniel Ricciardo [Formula 1]

Okay, so, Maxiel is my number one, the order of the list can change every hour but Maxiel will always be my number one. They were the ones that make me fall in love with Formula 1. Max's past and his relationship with Daniel is also a really good hurt/comfort material to fanfics and exactly this is what I look for in fanfics in this fandom.

I wanted to be a Maxiel author for so long but for some reason I still only have a zine that is Maxiel, but I have some Maxiel stories planned, I'm just really slow writing them because it's usually easier to write for the prompts I get and sadly I don't really get Maxiel prompts so my Maxiel stories are only in my head for now. :(

But yeah, I have one/two very specific Maxiel ideas and I hope one day I'll be able to write and post them.

-

Tagging @charlosgoggles and @wolfsbanesbite, if you haven't done it yet and you want to. 😊❤

[lolotr]

fanfic author 20 questions!

I am late to the party, but i was tagged by @shadowquill17, thanks my love <3 <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

51

2. What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

162,166 total words! Not too shabby

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I've written for a bunch of fandoms, but these days it's mostly Dead Boy Detectives. in theory i have other fandoms, but none that i'm so feral for at the moment

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

all of them are DBD which is kind of astonishing to me, this fandom never ceases to amaze 1. after the insects have laid their claim 2. like breathing 3. terms of endearment 4. a certain step towards falling in love 5. you can throw a party full of everyone you know

5. Do you respond to comments?

yes, every single one, no matter how old the fic is! i might be a little slow or miss one every so often, but i really try hard to respond to every one i get. comments mean the absolute world to me, so i want to thank everyone who takes time out of their day to tell me they enjoyed my work <3 <3 i also LOVE when fanfic writers respond to me, so i assume other people do, too

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

i am an angst with a happy ending sort of bitch, but probably one of the fics i wrote during the Nothing Much To Do Radio Silence (TM) when we were all losing our minds with no updates. haven't read those in forever, so maybe Something to Do, Someone to Blame? or maybe it isn't cinema that i wrote for Nothing Like the Sun? or maybe Tropes for Keleidotrope?

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

gosh, so many. again, i write mostly happy ending stuff, so it's hard to pick just one. maybe my fourth favorite public building to visit, if i had to pick one that hasn't been mentioned already. though after the insects have laid their claim has a VERY happy and corny ending that i will forever be proud of haha

8. Do you get hate on fics?

no, thank goodness

9. Do you write smut?

yeah! i'm new to it, but it's a lot of fun

10. Do you write crossovers?

not usually, but i'll stick characters from one universe into a similar universe because something resonates (like Heartstopper Squared or The Quest of the Maddening Mace), but i don't usually write characters meeting or anything like that.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of! *fingers crossed*

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

no, but if anyone wants to do so, just make sure to tag me in it and go right ahead!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

yeah! i have stuff in progress (that we haven't worked on in a while sorry @courfaeriedust) but i've also definitely written collabs that i've published, i think?

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Charles and Edwin from Dead Boy Detectives have such a special place in my heart, and I really hope this hyperfixation doesn't go anywhere, but in terms of pure longevity? Merlin and Arthur from BBC Merlin. I've been reading that shit for a decade. Special shoutout to Alex and Henry from Red, White, and Royal Blue, and Drew and Harrison from Keleidotrope, because I'm still insane about you all too, don't worry.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

THAT IS QUITTER TALK AND I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT. but to give a kind of cutesie answer, i'm not sure i'll ever be done with the libraryverse. there's so much story there, and i keep having ideas for it, so maybe i'll be able to keep playing in it forever. that would be kind of nice.

16. What are your writing strengths?

why are you making me say nice things about myself. why. overall, i think i'm good at dialogue. i actually wrote a whole manuscript in instant messages because i love writing dialogue so much. i'm pretty good at getting into characters' voices, whether they're my own or someone else's, and i find a lot of joy in writing everything from banter to flirting to meaningful conversations (but some of those are easier than others lol)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

action, descriptions, things that aren't dialogue. i also tend to keep my writing kind of short, so i don't always allow for moments to breathe the way they should.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

woooooof the only other language i speak is hebrew (and not amazingly well) so probably not. if i ever got good enough at another language, maybe? but english is my first and by far my strongest language, so I don't think i'd ever be able to express myself well

19. First fandom you wrote for?

as far as i remember, Lord of the Rings. (no you will never find it.)

20. Favorite fics you’ve written?

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE, THEY'RE ALL MY CHILDREN. how about this, you tell ME what your fave stories of mine are, because im tired of linking things. and because i thrive on praise lol

i am too lazy to tag people specifically, so anyone who writes fic is welcome to answer!

[oftlunarialmoon]

How to Make Animal Crossing New Horizons DIY Recipe Cards IRL!

Ciao lovelies! If you're anything like me, you might be a little obsessed with Animal Crossing New Horizons! As a big fan of Animal Crossing New Leaf, I had high expectations for Animal Crossing New Horizons (ACNH) and I was NOT disappointed. But hey, this isn't a review of the game, nope, today I'm going to show you how to make those handy little DIY recipe cards in real life! Keep reading to find out how to make Animal Crossing New Horizons DIY Recipe Cards IRL!

This project is super simple, fun, and makes a great cosplay prop! 

Here's what you'll need to make it!

You will need:

-White Cardstock 

-Scissors

-Pencil

-Markers (I'm using mostly Crayola SuperTip markers, not sponsored, I just really like them and want to share my exact process. The other marker I'm using is a brown BIC Fine Point permanent marker, also not sponsored.)

-Double sided tape or glue (optional and not pictured)

How to Make It!

Step 1: Draw out a 6" by 4" rectangle on the white cardstock.

Step 2: Cut it out, and round the corners. Cut out as many as you want. 

Step 3: Draw a rounded corners rectangle inside the cutout, and draw an acorn. Make sure to draw the top and "body" separate. I used a reference from the game to make sure it looked right.

Step 4: Color it in! I blended some colors of the Crayola SuperTip markers to make the background color. Next I used the yellow for the top, and a dark brown BIC permanent marker for the body.

Step Five (Optional): Use double sided tape or glue to attach another cut-out to the back for stability/durability.

What could you use this for, besides a cosplay prop?

You could: 

Write down real recipes for food on them and keep them in a recipe box in your kitchen!

Make them into cards for loved ones/friends!

Write grocery or to-do lists on them for a fun boost to your normal day!

Make them into playing cards!

Make them into message cards for yourself or others!

There are lots of possibilities for these cards!

Want to see more ACNH crafts? Let me know in the comments below!

If you make these, or any of our DIY's, tag us on Instagram using our account or #OFTreaders to get a shoutout!

[dxppercxdxver]

tagged in '20 questions for fic writers' by my good pal @chiropteracupola! ty friend :3 (i think much of this will be similar to the last one of these i did. Oh Whale.)

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

29!

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

145,559

3. what fandoms do you write for?

i have never written for one fandom Consistently but i suppose at the moment the fandom occupying most of my time is the old Team Fortress 2. but like mine and @chiropteracupola's Old Timey version (shoutout to you flintlock fortress <3). but i also have been somewhat plugging away at an rls kidnapped fic so

4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Out Of the Blue (detroit: become human/detroit evolution)

Take it From the Top (detroit: become human/detroit evolution)

Cardamine (detroit: become human)

I Loved You, I Always Do (detroit: become human/detroit evolution)

Cigarettes and Outer Space (detroit: become human/detroit evolution)

i am. Noticing A Trend lmao (also not one but Two richard edwards lyrics titles. hmm.)

5. do you respond to comments? why or why not?

sooooometimes? occasionally i am moved by the desire to Empty Out My Inbox, at which point i reply to all the unread comments in there, but otherwise i normally reply to comments by friends and comments on more recent fics. the older stuff, especially the de artfest stuff, gets more frequently ignored lmao (although someone commented the loveliest thing the other day on one of those fics <3)

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

there are several in contention for this! (i feel) an overwhelming need (the moors) is a character study from a very upsetting play wherein the protagonist is literally eaten at the end, which is A Bit Not Good. i can't stand to see you bleed (the wolf and the watchman) has a more ambiguous ending but also ends with the distinct possibility that cecil will just straight up Die a few minutes off page and everyone is very sad about it. blizzard of pumice piled six feet high (goncharov) does of course end with mutually assured destruction and a fun little murder-suicide-murder situation that they are both resignedly sad about. there are a couple others that Are Angsty but not so much as these i think

7. what’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

once again, a couple options here! first is leave your body at the door (killjoys), which is a huge epic of legacy and mourning and ends with a bittersweet but also incredibly triumphant chapter about love and family. much as the ending itself is tinged with sadness, considering the amount of Torment we had to get through to wind up there puts this fic on the map for this category! alsoooo i think The (G)Hosts of Satellite's Past (mystery science theater 3000) gets up there, because it's basically just. tooth-rottingly sweet found family nonsense in space

8. do you get hate on fics?

not that i can remember? but it's also entirely possible i've just deleted a few of those comments and subsequently forgotten about them lmao. although it must be said that someone commented on my mst3k fic being VERY NITPICKY about my adherence to the given canon of the show and the liveshows and the livestreams and i'm like. bitch. i have not watched every livestream ever and i do not pay attention to the liveshows. also the show's canon can't agree with itself leave me alone shshjsjhs

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

uhhh i did a couple times at one point? but that was many years ago and it was never published. nowadays i've almost considered it exclusively for The Bit (ie relationships where I Think It Would Be Terribly Funny) but also The Bit has not yet overcome my Anxiety and Lack Of Skill. buuuut i will occasionally write The Craziest Metaphorical Shit You Will Ever See. meaning. that cannibalism is also an allegory y'know?

10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

i've certainly pondered many in my time but i'm unsure i've actually published any— WAIT I JUST REMEMBERED SPYTOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT SENTENCE. whoopsies. so yes! i do! i've only published one of them and it was a spies are forever/hadestown crossover that got Massively bigger than i ever intended (so much fanart! curt mega saw one of the pieces! hadestown official put one of the pieces on their story! shoutout to all you lovely artists and writers! @szollibisz / @considerablecolors / @teethworm / @owen-not-carvour <333333). there is also an Ancient artifact buried in my google docs that hasn't seen the light of day that's. a voltron: legendary defender/crazyhead crossover? to date it's one of my longest incomplete works and rereading it, despite how old it is, is remarkably pleasant like i was possessed by some sort of Good At Writing gremlin and it's surprisingly good. wonder if i should dredge some of that monstrosity up someday.....

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of? but also i'm not sure why i Would know that

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

if i have, no one has credited me or informed me of it

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

in terms of unpublished works, i have written So many fics with @nico-demons, since we were cringey middle schoolers together, but when looking at what's actually on my ao3, the only collaboration is with @chiropteracupola! while we don't actually share documents writing our flintlock fortress works, we have a massive shared bank of Lore and double check with each other constantly while we're working on our fics. so it's co-written not in practicality, but in literally every other capactiy

14. what’s your all time favourite ship?

o god i never have an answer for this. i cycle through fandoms so quickly it's hard for ships to have a huge staying power? but given that we're entering year two of this ship in earnest and year like. seven. of this ship in a half-pondered capacity, i'm gonna have to give it to joel robinson/mike nelson of mystery science theater! they will never ever leave my head!!!!!

15. what’s a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

oof i have a Couple of these. first and foremost is contagion (gravity falls), a monster falls/timeskip gravity falls concept that i plotted SO MUCH OF and then got so intimidated by i could only write a couple pages before feeling like whatever i wrote wouldn't match up with what i'd been imagining. much as i'd love to muscle through someday and actually get the concept down, i find it Unlikely that'll ever actually happen. same with a joel/mike mst3k fic concept that i've been kicking around for a couple years surrounding mike's return to earth and trying to find joel again. once again, i got out over my skis and got so scared of executing the concept it's hard for me to imagine i ever get to it shjshjs

16. what are your writing strengths?

i've been told on numerous occasions that i'm really good at mimicking character voice (and possibly author voice, but that's usually more secondary)! i have a very sound and rhythm based memory, so writing dialogue has always been a strong point of mine, as i can basically hear what the character would be saying in their way of saying it. i also consider myself really good at crafting well thought out/intricate plots!

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

FINISHING THINGS. JESUS CHRIST. i'm so bad at mustering any sort of followthrough on projects that are either longer than my usual or i've been working on past a couple of weeks of inspiration. a part of this i'm Sure is the adhd but also i'm miserable at writing anything to completion past a few one shots.

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

depends on the context, depends on the language. flintlock fortress in particular has characters of Many Nationalities coming together in a very specific context? thus far i've been rather loath to write extended sections of dialogue in other languages, but i can usually manage small sections, especially french (took it for three years in high school and apparently Something stuck). otherwise i tend to skirt around it or double check with people more familiar with it

19. first fandom you wrote for?

i was discussing this with @chiropteracupola the other day actually!! my first fic Ever saved to my google drive is a wild kratts/my little pony crossover! and i would continue to cross mlp over with Many Things! so i would say my little pony was my first written-for fandom, purely based on the fact that it served as such frequent crossover material

20. favourite fic you’ve written?

this is an interesting one! i have a few fics that have a special place in my heart for different reasons. i'm incredibly fond of Try Again, Die Again (detroit: become human/detroit evolution) because i felt insanely clever and actually managed to execute the concept i wanted in a way that was very close to what i originally imagined. it's one of my more action-packed stories and upon rereading it i'm actually still really proud of it. another one i'm extraordinarily fond of is strangely enough Where The Sun Can't Find Me (spies are forever), which is a short little werewolf!curt one shot! just the right amount of Meat to appeal to me and i really like the prose style i went with for it. honorable mention once more goes to leave your body at the door (killjoys) but i've talked about her already so. Moving On. lastly i loooove don't give it a hand, offer it a soul (team fortress 2/haunted by your hand crossover), because it's a Ghost Story and Ghost Romance and A Little Gross and Full Of Sadness. what fun what fun :3

taggin'! @nico-demons, @firstmatedville, @considerablecolors, @natdrinkstea, and @wilhelmina-murray-harker :3

[jrooc]

Writer Interview

Tagged by @mybrainismelted and @creepkinginc 🥰

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

8 (1 is a collab)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

175K

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Actually I recently passed 1000 kudos on Ao3 which was a pretty exciting milestone.

1 - Drunk Text 2 - Prosthetic Love. 3 - Redemption Tale 4 - In My Veins Like Lightning 5 - Staring at the Sun

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! It takes me a couple of days 'cause I'm freaking out in excitement and therefore can't put together a coherent response that doesn't sound idiotic. I used to get so nervous about saying the right thing I sometimes wouldnt when I started writing but I soooo appreciate comments I try to respond.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Confessions But I'm a happy ending kinda lady usually 😉

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Staring at the Sun probably

7. Do you write crossovers?

I don't but love those who do. Special mention to @loftec's MIB/Gallavich collab

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No, but I've seen other people get it and it kills me. People have questioned my character's choices, and that's fair.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do! It's pretty vanilla but I'm trying to get better. Shoutout to those who write amazing smut (Looking at you @whatthebodygraspsnot)

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! I have a collab with the hilarious @mybrainismelted on Weed Dreams (Although it's mostly Kat hilarity with me assisting here and there). It's the funnest project I've done 'cause we're just being silly and having a good time.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Gallavich, all day.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Maybe some Weed Dreams chapters floating in my head

15. What are your writing strengths?

Ummm unclear. Some days I feel like I am great at dialogue. Some days I'm awful. I'd like to think I can convey emotion?

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

A lot of them. Explaining environments and what people are wearing without losing the story flow. (So much respect for writers like @ian-galagher can write that so well, it's very impressive!)

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

It's very cool. If you can make it work in a way that flows. If I spoke another language I'd definitely give it a shot.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Shameless

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Not sure!

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

In My Veins Like Lightning although its still a WIP. Just love these idiot bike boys! And the response to it has been so lovely. Also writing about Ian drooling over Mickey's thighs in Lycra is my happy brain rot.

Tagging anyone mentioned above! And @mmmichyyy @juliakayyy @notherenewjersey @ms-moonlight-inn @crestfallercanyon @ifallonblackdays @sgtmickeyslaughter @stocious @spoonfulstar @dancermk

[jennyandvastraflint]

20 Questions for Writers

Thank you @capybaraonabicycle for tagging me in this!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Hehe... 161. Well, it happens?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

727,396 (holy shit when did THAT happen.)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Predominantly Doctor Who, especially the Paternoster Gang. 133 of my fics are about Doctor Who, and out of those, 85 are Paternoster Gang. (also technically one of my fics is tagged Torchwood, but it was a fic focusing on Victorian Torchwood and the Paternosters)

Other than that, we have:

Avatar: Legend of Korra (17)

Guild Wars 2 (Video Game) (12)

Star Trek: Voyager (7)

The Dragon Prince (Cartoon) (4)

The Owl House (Cartoon) (3)

The Worst Witch - All Media Types (3)

The Worst Witch (TV 2017) (3)

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (2)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I will say, the top 2 were subjected to some bot spamming me (I had issues with like. a dozen spam comments on each of them as well), so I'm going to add seven in total here.

Pure (Amaya/Janai, The Dragon Prince): After the Judgement of Light, Amaya gets to stay in Janai's quarters. While there she thinks about the Judgement, and when Janai comes in, she can't resist a little flirting and teasing.

Support (Annika/Neha, The Dragon Prince): Annika is to be crowned in two weeks. Not feeling up to the challenges of becoming a queen (alone), she asks Neha for support.

Songs of Love and Death (Jenny Flint/Madame Vastra, The Paternoster Gang, Doctor Who): [...] Amidst the looming threat of their families for the both of them, a connection grows between [Jenny and Vastra], and they are tested by the very worst the world has to offer, causing them to lose each other for a time. As they find back to each other, they are both changed and have to battle old demons while trying to carve out a living for themselves together.

I feel your magic every time I'm with you (Hardbroom/Pentangle, The Worst Witch (2017)): After the love potion wears off, Hecate is shaken. She had to observe everything she had done under its control without being able to stop it. When she transfers to her room and breaks down, she doesn't expect Pippa being there.

Spider Lin (Lin Beifong/Kya II, Avatar: Legend of Korra): Lin patrolling the city at night, saving someone… A very specific someone… :D

Shirt (Or: Lilith coming out) (Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, The Owl House): Lilith asks Eda to sit down with her; she wants to tell her something she discovered about herself.

Face Paint (Amaya/Janai, The Dragon Prince): Janai wakes up to find Amaya already awake and eating the breakfast that was meant for her. Amaya notices Janai's face paint is smudged since she went to bed without taking it off. Janai goes to fix it.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Always! I love hearing thoughts of my readers and I love engaging with them because isn't that what fandom is about, community. If poked I will absolutely tell you all of my thoughts, and if you become friends with me you will receive snippets and sneak peeks of fics before I post them <3 I love you, readers! (shoutout to @capybaraonabicycle for always leaving me incredibly detailed comments, I am eating them for lunch every day <3)

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This made me pause for a moment because I don't write many fics that STAY angsty, I mostly write happy endings despite the angst, but I think Until the dance ends would have to be my answer! It's a fic in which Vastra dances with Jenny, but it has a sad twist to it.

Runner-ups would probably be They say when your soul dies (oh god this fic is screaming for an edit actually) which is set during the final few minutes of The Ghost Writers audio, and The Girl of Silver which has a surprisingly sad ending I think? It's essentially about a young girl asking the Paternoster Gang to come save her.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I write a lot of fluff or hurt/comfort, and since you, dear tagger already know Butterfly Queen, I'll go with something you are not yet familiar with! (I have enough to choose from, soooo...)

I love the happy, soft ending to Like Leaves Falling especially after the initial angst in the fic...

Jenny lay back down, pulling the heavy blanket over her body. As Vastra left, Jenny whispered, “Thank you” after her. Vastra stopped, turned to her, and smiled. “Always, Jenny.”

I think you would also enjoy A Lonely Place which is a sort of fantasy AU for the Gang, and it has such a sweet ending, I was crying from joy at it while writing <3 It's especially something for you if you'd like a slightly longer fic that isn't just a OneShot of a few thousand words

Strax cleared his throat. "If…" He seemed all shy, all of a sudden. "If Vastra goes there tomorrow, then… maybe I could too? As… emotional support for Vastra, of course!" Jenny gave him a wide grin. "Sure, emotional support. But yeah, the more the merrier!" Slowly, Strax inched his chair closer until he sat to Vastra’s right. Then, very carefully, he placed his big arms around the two of them and lightly squeezed. Jenny and Vastra did the same. With a kiss to the top of Jenny’s head, Vastra murmured, "Sounds perfect."

yellowing like old photographs also has a really sweet and joyful ending (which I do not want to spoil via a snippet here, though!)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not as of yet, except for some Christian spam shit that was like "Omg that's disgusting you need jesus" on some of my non-archive locked fics,

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

No, not as of yet. I'm tempted to try it just for shits and giggles, but it doesn't do anything for me. I've written a few makeout scenes tho <3

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Not really, I've only written one between the Victorian Torchwood sapphics who appeared for like five minutes in the show in S2, and the Paternoster Gang (because honestly? Why not).

Here it is: Meeting Torchwood (not on the best of terms).

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of...

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've actually translated two of my works into German myself! Die Ritterin und die Drachin is a translation of The Knight and the Dragon, a Paternoster Gang fairytale AU (I originally wrote the German one for a course at uni, without naming names of course XD) The second one is a Thasmin fic with background Osgate called Das Licht hinter deinen Augen (or The light behind your eyes), set post-PotD and it has Yaz living together with Hologram!Thirteen who is made into a solidogram thanks to Osgood's help.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not that I can think of, but I'd love to! (So, if anyone is interested, hit me up!)

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Do I, really, have to say that hjdjgsjkfg It's OBVIOUSLY T*nrose :D /sarcasm.

No, it's Jenny/Vastra, of course. It's like my entire thing.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

In terms of WIPs and ideas I haven't published yet, too many to count, but from the published ones probably "Dear Kate" or: Osgood's Unsent Letters. It's essentially meant to be Osgood writing letters she'll never let anyone see addressed to Kate during the years she was gone from like 2017 to 2021...

16. What are your writing strengths?

I like to think dialogue and character voices, as well as introspection. Correct me if I'm misguided, but I'd consider my fics to be written very true to the characters' voices, capturing what makes them out while exploring aspects that canon often likes to leave unexplored (for instance, loneliness, trauma, loss, and what that does to a person). I'd also like to think I write quite fun and comedic scenes at times.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Definitely descriptions of surroundings, and I know I can get too carried away in introspection. While this (hopefully) doesn't hold true as much anymore, I struggled following a red thread throughout my work without getting side-tracked.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think it's pretty cool, though if you don't speak the language you could consult someone who does to make sure it's correct. I used German dialogue in one of my fic chapters for a rather comedic scene where Vastra's translator stops working on a holiday!

“As I was saying, madame, these- Bausteine sind erst seit kurzem auf dem Markt. Sie sind aus Deutschland gekommen und haben auch hier schnell Beliebtheit gefunden. Wir verkaufen sie als Sets, die in vielen Kombinationen aufgebaut werden können,“ the shop keeper said, in a language neither of them understood. „Um,“ Vastra made, staring at the man. She staggered a step back. Jenny was by her side immediately and steadied her. “Hey, no need to be scared. Ev’rythin’s fine,” she whispered, not sure what was happening herself. “Oh! Madam, Ihr Kleid raucht,“ he stumbled, agitatedly pointing at Vastra’s dress. They both followed his pointing with their eyes to Vastra’s pocket. Clouds of smoke quelled out of it, and Vastra reached in to produce her smoking and spitting translator. “By the goddess,” she cursed under her breath. Jenny’s brain was churning. She had attempted to read some fairy tales without the translator in the library as Vastra had been using it. Clearing her throat, she stepped forth and pointed at the set to their right. “Wir… das haben?,” she stumbled over the syllables. Her pronunciation sounded nothing like the man’s German, and she cringed. “Äh, ja, gerne. Soll ich es einpacken?“ Before Jenny could continue her terrible German, a wheezing noise sounded in the distance. She hardly took a note of it at first until Vastra’s head perked up. The shop keeper sighed and repeated his question, “Soll ich- wrap it?” English. That Jenny understood.

(Songs of Love and Death: Chapter 94)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Sailor Moon with Haruka/Michiru back when I was 13! Or well, it was the first I published for. I wrote for Professor Layton a few years before that, being obsessed with Descole and writing funky adventures XD

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Well, the Turn Loose the Mermaids series is definitely among them! It has Pirate!Jenny and Mermaid!Vastra falling in love and having a lovely crew <3

I love so many of my fics, but here's a few that I adore and that I think you'd love as well!

Unspoken words spoken

A whirring noise announces the arrival of a TARDIS, and out of it stumbles the Flux TARDIS team. The Paternoster Gang wasn't quite prepared for a visit, but welcome them even with initial misunderstanding between Dan and Strax. During an infestation brought about by a certain Time Lord, Jenny and Vastra each try and encourage the Doctor and Yaz to communicate with each other. In all the chaos, Dan happens to build an unlikely kind-of-friendship with a certain Sontaran, and confessions between the Doctor and Yaz are made, and words both left unspoken, are finally spoken.

Your beauty never ever scared me

In a forest stood a castle, hidden away from human eyes. When Jenny gets lost during a storm, a kind woman offers her refuge in the castle. What Jenny didn't know when she came there, all the inhabitants were cursed once, living with their curses as best as they can. Now Jenny must choose one person to take with her, one person whose curse she can lift. If she manages to make out whose curse was the first, all others will unravel. A Jenny/Vastra Fairytale AU

a kindest heart made me believe the world as i wish it to be

Late at night, Vastra offers to help Jenny get ready for bed by brushing and braiding her hair. Jenny accepts the offer.

Crimson

Bloodlust. Rage. Hurt. That was what Vastra felt when she heard a young woman weakly cry for help, when she rushed to round the corner, when she saw a human surrounded by men, all grinning wickedly and pressing a knife to the young human’s throat. Vastra kills to save Jenny on their first meeting.

This was loads of fun! I hope you (and any other Paternoster fan honestly) finds themselves some fic to read here!

I'm tagging @casualscribbler @jennyvastraflint @ellenripley08 @theglasscat @pookachuka @marvellouspinecone @heathtrash and quite frankly anyone else who would like to participate!!

[kusuguricafe]

Top 23 of 2023

tagging anyone who'd like to join in!

Part 1: Fandom Faves

01. Favorite new fandoms of the year: Buddy Daddies, Paradox Live The Animation, and Tears of the Kingdom

02. Favorite new ships since this year: kazurei and lynlumi

03. Favorite anime/TV shows of the year: Buddy Daddies and Paradox Live again

04. Favorite movies of the year: Did. Did I watch any mov-OH BARBIE

05. Favorite characters of the year: Mister Lyney~ ❤️ and Furina!

06. Favorite soundtrack of the year: Paralive and the opening song to Buddy Daddies

07. Favorite book/manga/comic of the year: Umibe no Étranger (as in I first read it this year)

08. Favorite games of the year: Genshin Impact, Splatoon 3, and the Pokémon Violet DLC

09. Highlight of this year to remember: Waterparks being my top artist on Spotify and receiving a special thank you video from Awsten 😫 and Furina's character demo (the chaos at the end killed me)

Part 2: Community Review

10. Favorite Tumblr moments of 2023: Crab day and the Mirko cosplay craze at the beginning of the year

11. Favorite fan art of the year: Commissions of my oc by @rand0m-s1nner and @lovelymessybubbly, this scara by @shyticklemonster, and this deku request also by @lovelymessybubbly

12. Favorite fic of the year: This is really tough... I definitely have to include this lynlumi commission and this scara fic by @ticklygiggles, this bakudeku fic by @thetickleeraven, and the sequel to Upgrade, Downgrade I requested by @otomiyaa

13. Favorite ask game of the year: Definitely @otomiyaa's Genshin Profile Tag Game!

14. My top achievements as a writer/artist/creator/blogger: Getting a little more creative with my writing inspiration, and how much of a hit the New Year's bunny fics were 🐰

15. My own best fic/post of the year: Personally, this bakudeku fic I wrote for Tickletober was my favorite 🧡💚

16. My most underappreciated fic/post of the year: Denki Makes a Splash!

17. A post of mine that got more popularity than expected: This Paralive clip

18. Something I changed on my blog since this year: My username and theme! Went from princess 👑 to café ☕️

Part 3: Next Year

19. Something I didn’t post this year but would like to do next year: A fair amount of fics from my to write list

20. Goals for next year: Keep writing things that make people happy 💕

21. 2024 releases I look forward to the most: Hopefully the Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC, and I'm also always looking forward to more Genshin updates

22. Something else I look forward to next year: Waterparks concert and MIKU EXPO!!!!

Part 4: Spreading Love

23. Shoutouts to people who made my 2023 a better year: @otomiyaa for always being there for us, even after her original blog got nuked (R.I.P.), @ticklygiggles for the incredible fics she provides us with, @lovelymessybubbly for being a sweetie and for the amazing character sheet of Mocha-chan, @wertzunge for the constant stream of content (how does he do it??), @mai-mei for the translations (you're a godsend fr), and to everyone who left a kindhearted comment (even the keysmashes, especially the keysmashes) on or sent me a message about any of my fics—reading those always makes my day 💖💖💖 like seriously, you have no idea how happy you all have made me

[mixsethaddams]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @mojowitchcraft

1. How many works do you have on AO3? Twenty as of right now

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 293,097. I know there's a lot of writers who'll get to that same level with one or two of their long fics but it's still a lot for me 😅

3. What fandoms do you write for? Just Stranger Things these days

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? The Bartender Was A Trap with 2135, Eddie/Hotdude Official Megathread! with 1887, Slither with 1360, Could you coo, could you care? with 1202, and good to me with 1004.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? As often as I can! It means a lot when people take the time to leave comments. I mostly don't reply when someone is trying to 'well actually...' me about something though

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I don't tend to write a lot of sad endings or angst for actual fics. I have some posts on here that have sad endings though. Maybe this one probably that I'd written for febuwhump is the saddest/most angsty?

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I only write happy endings! But definitely either Slither or wasted crying . There were people cheering for those ones

8. Do you get hate on fics? Yeah I got a lot of hate from some people about crushcrushcrush because of the Eddie/Chrissy relationship tag. This version of the characters was in an unhappy and, as we later find out, mutually toxic relationship and I had maybe two or three chapters planned out to explore how it got to that point between them and have her as a much bigger character. I folded under a lot of really horrible things being said to me in anon asks here and guest comments on ao3, and cut it down to a single chapter with everything crammed in, reduced her character down to (as I refer to her) a cardboard cutout pantomime villain, and took the tag off. I wish I had have been able to just brush it off and plow through to give the story the chance it deserved, but I'm still glad I was able to do what I did with it.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I do indeed. I claim not to, but let's be honest with ourselves. Its entirely mlm right now but I do have some wlw written and hidden away. I haven't written straight boy/girl sex in a very long time but I have some that I want to do as part of a series of follow ups to The magic number

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I haven't! But I do think that Eddie Munson would spit in Gator Tillman's mouth the first chance he got.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I have, yes. That's entirely why I created my whole online 'persona' and started trying to show some sort of presence. I had a few too many things taken and claimed as someone else's and I just got sick of it.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No! The opportunity would be a lot of fun though, with the right person

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? Honestly Steddie. It's the only one that's held my attention for so long

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I have a really cute Farmer's Market AU for Steddie but I can't find a way to tell the story I want to with it

16. What are your writing strengths? I'm good at characterizations

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Sometimes I over describe things because I myself have trouble visualising it or making a link between point A and point B and assume the reader would too.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I've never tried it because I know I'd be relying so heavily on google translate and I don't want it to sound jarring or stilted.

19. First fandom you wrote for? ...Green Day RPF.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Slither has a very special place in my heart obviously. When He Loved Me was a cathartic and freeing way to help myself work through various things while telling the story. I also need to give a shoutout to my first Stranger Things fic, which was an Eddie/OFC story called What happens next? based in canon after Vecna is beaten. I really love the story I told there and I really like the way I wrote Eddie especially. It's cute and fun and I'm proud of it.

zero pressure tags:

@henderdads @infinite-orangepeel @steddielations @thorniest-rose @eddywoww @steddierthings @lexirosewrites @3minsover

[astromechs]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @thecasualauthor18 ; thank you!

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

it looks like i've got 77 right now

2.  What's your total AO3 word count?

180,976

3. What fandoms do you write for?

most of it is marvel and star wars, have a modest collection for the peacemaker tv series, and then side trips into other things!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

this might be all i ever wanted (all i ever wanted to happen to me) — 226 kudos

whatever happens (happens to the both of us) — 172 kudos

we've come a long, long way together — 171 kudos

why don't you close your eyes and reinvent me — 170 kudos

feeling's running straight to my bones — 132 kudos

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i really need to get better about this, because i have been slacking bad lol; i love each and every one and appreciate them so, so much, but i get flustered and then i forget to reply and i'm a hot mess ghfdjks

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

i think i tend to favor open/ambiguous endings, more than outright angsty ones? probably almost paradise, though; the one time i acknowledged mcu gamora died and she was still dead at the end of this, so that was depressing by my standards. also my two canon compliant rogue one fics because i mean... gestures to what canon compliant means.

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

obviously that time rick astley saved the world in that fic of mine from 2009.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

shoutout to that one weirdo who left me anon hate over... checks notes... carol danvers and jessica drew kissing. i even had to report that to ao3 because it was legit harassment, and for what.

9. Do you write smut. If so, what kind?

i did a calculation recently and like 2/3 of the fics i've published in the past two years have been smut. oops.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i do love inventing ships out of nothing and making you all see my vision — so while a lot of what i've published on that front has been confined to comic characters who've never interacted before, i do have more in my head.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of......

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes! anything that's worth my love (is worth the fight) was translated into chinese, and that's still, like, the neatest thing that's ever happened to me.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

i've played around with sharing universes with friends and swapping ideas! and a couple of co-written series we dabbled in.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

honestly? yeah, it's rebelcaptain. straight up. what you've all witnessed this year is the culmination of 1) my pandemic character arc of having zero shame of what i fling to my ao3 account anymore, and 2) that particular pandora's box getting reopened thanks to andor getting released at the end of last year because being insane about them has lived in me like a sleeper agent since 2016.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

ugh unfortunately the marvel cosmic star wars au will probably never get done

16. What are your writing strengths?

getting into character's heads and having the reader experience their emotions, maybe? idk maybe tension between characters, sexual or otherwise? maybe smut? maybe humor?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i hate titles so much. hate hate HATE. song lyrics are my life hack for that.

also what is a plot

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

if i don't know the language, i'm not confident i'm going to get it right, so i usually just take the comics approach of < words go here > if this ever comes up.

19. First Fandom you wrote for?

i wrote some unhinged star wars prequels (specifically anidala) fics in high school, and i also started writing unhinged matrix fics around that time. no, none of you will see any of those.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

keep whatever it is (that's compelling you on) — because it's the culmination of a story that had lived in my head for years but i didn't think i was skilled enough to carry out, so i was proud i finally wrote it

Going On An Adventure 🧜‍♂️ by peaceluvr69 — is my comedic magnum opus tbh and i made myself laugh stupid the entire time i was writing it, so that has to count for something

here's hoping we collide — i really do genuinely love how this story turned out 🥹 to the point that i actually keep thinking about making a branch universe off of this to give that jyn and that cassian from five years prior to rogue one more chances to know each other and also be... prickly little assholes in a funny way, because they're funny. i imagine the hell they'd raise together and it warms my heart.

tagging (no pressure!): @quarantineddreamer ; @frostbitepandaaaaa ; @sgtjamesrogers ; @ezracomehome ; @luciechat ; @rebelrainfall

[italeean]

Top 22 of 2022 Tag Game

Thanks @otomiya-tickles and @myreygn for the tag!!

Since it's my first year, everything should count as new to me, so I'll also put "older" fandoms and ships

Part 1: Fandom Faves

01 - Favorite Fandoms of the Year

Genshin Impact, Haikyuu, Bungo Stray Dogs, Kuroko no Basket, Boku no Hero Academia, Yuukoku no Moriarty

02 - Favorite Ships of the Year

Genshin Impact - Xiaother, Kazuscara, Cynari, Kavetham ❤️ BSD - Shin Soukoku, Ranpoe ❤️ Haikyuu - Bokuaka, Kuroken, Kurotsukki, Yakulev ❤️ BNHA - Todobaku, Tododeku ❤️ Yuukoku no Moriarty - Sherliam

03 - Favorite Anime/TV Show of the Year

Yuukoku no Moriarty, Gakuen Babysitters, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, Dahmer

04 - Favorite Movie of the Year

MHA World Heroes Mission

05 - Favorite Character of the Year

BSD - Akutagawa ❤️ BNHA - Dabi and Todoroki (can't decide) ❤️ Genshin Impact - Tighnari and Scaramouche (can't decide again) ❤️ Haikyuu - Kuroo ❤️ Yuukoku no Moriarty - William ❤️ Free! Iwatobi Swim Club - Ikuya

06 - Favorite Soundtrack of the Year

Ruu's Song from Genshin Impact (it was the first time I cried for a videogame)

07 - Favorite Book/Manga/Comic of the Year

Uno, Nessuno, Centomila (One, No one, 100 Thousand) by Pirandello ❤️ Il Gatto che insegnava ad essere Felici (The Cat that taught how to be happy) ❤️ Boku no Hero Academia

08 - Favorite Game of the Year

Genshin Impact obviously

09 - Highlights of the Year

Welp... time to sound sappy ig 🫣 Making an account here and meeting all those new amazing friends

Part 2: Community Review

10 - Favorite Tumblr Moments of 2022

Squealing Santa and Tickletober!! I've seen and I'm seeing so many amazing works!! It makes me feel like a kid in a candy store 😻

11 - Favorite Fanart of the Year

Aaaahh too many to choose 😵‍💫 I'd say this one, this one, this one, this one (a gift for me), this one (another gift), this one and this one (gift for my first milestone

12 - Favorite Fic of the Year

AGAIN!! Too manyyy 😵 I'll go with this one (it's so good and the fact that it was written for me makes it even more special) and this one (AAAAAAAAHHH SO CUTE)

13 - Favorite Ask Game of the Year

Probably the one I'll host in a few days 😅

14 - My Top Achievements as a Writer

Probably my milestones for this year and managing to balance my writing time study time, chores time and free time

15 - My own Best Fic of the Year

If I consider the notes, I'd have to say this one, but if it comes to personal taste I'm choosing this one with no doubts

16 - My most Underappreciated Fic of the Year

I don't really have one... honestly I'm not that well-known as a writer and all my fic received more love and appreciation than I could've ever asked for!!

17 - A Post of Mine that got more Popularity than Expected

This one. It's not exactly a conventional pairing (OBVIOUSLY PLATONIC) but it got really appreciated and it made me pleasantly surprised and extremely happy ^_^

18 - Something I Changed on My Blog since This Year

It's my first year here, so I don't have anything 😅

Part 3: Next Year

19 - Something I didn't post This Year but I'd like to post Next Year

Some sequels for some of my drabbles (from my drabble event)

20 - Goals for Next Year

Keeping a constant writing schedule and showing as much appreciation as possible to the other talented creators around here

21 - 2023 Releases I look forward the Most

Attack on Titan, the new season of BNHA, Genshin updates and THE FINAL MOVIE OF FREE! (pls where are you?? 😭💔)

Part 4: Spreading Love

22 - Shoutouts to People who made my 2022 a Better Year

@jettori my first friend around here!! Having you through this journey is a gift I still don't think I deserve 🥹

@fanfic-chan @rattypattyy @kaerichan-yatta @tickles-and-cuddles @tickly-floof @xsezzie MY LITTLE GREMLINS!! I LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH <333

@mai-mei well... you've "officially adopted" me so I'll say it directly 😹 BEST. BIG. SISTER. EVER.

@wertzunge always so sweet and supportive 💙🥹 I think you understood that I almost see you as a big brother

@myreygn there's only a true sweetheart among us and it's you. PERIOD. ❤️‍🔥

@xiaosstepstool I'll never get tired of saying this: BEST. MOM. FRIEND. (Who's actually a baby in denial) ✨️🍡

@eliasiis the one who's not in charge LITTLE KID... You're truly a sunshine, always brighting my days 💛

@otomiya-tickles @skribblz @intheticklecloset Not only did I experience the emotion of having three of my idols notice and appreciate my work, but I also got the chance of talking to you without being an anon!! It was so much nicer and you all are three amazing people that I'll always carry in my heart

@intheheartofarainbow @kaaveh @simplysmilingdrew @fresh-thomato @vampirecorset @leeviathaaaan @rand0m-s1nner @lovinglyroses Thank you all so much for existing and being part of my life. You're all so precious ❤️🥹

[chai-hat-tea]

2023 writing self evaluation

I was tagged by the bestest and my favourite @beardyboyzx ❤️❤️

1. List of works published this year:

Oh man this is kinda long lol:

Basic White Bitch

Heat Waves

Read Like a Headline

The Lonely Dance of my Despair

Share a Single Page

Wish it Could be the Same as it was

Saved you to Find me

Twogether we’re Alone, and we’re Finally Home

And if you’re Thinking of me, I’m Probably Thinking of you

Saving Sweet Creature

Sweet Merry Loumas

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

All of them! Writing was hard for me on many levels, so to pull these off, I’m very very happy about it. And I’ve also not fully hated (more like cringed hard) reading my works so I guess that’s improvement 

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

Well no I’m proud of all of them, but what I’m not proud about is how I finished everything so last minute and I mostly wrote only one shots/short fics. Nothing was over 10k really. 

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

I think the poem in The Lonely Dance of my Despair. Because I was originally going to copy a poem off the Internet but I felt so wrong and guilty for doing that and then I whipped this baby up in less than 5 minutes. Didn’t think I had it in me:

How can life go on

When I feel stuck here.

Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide

Life has left me far behind.

How can the rainbow disappear

When every colour bleeds into oblivion

The remnants of them leaving gashes

Deeper than the sadness that lays within

How can time fly

When I know not what or who am I

As the clock ticks by

I feel further lost outside

How can I go on

When everything holds me back

Chains me down in the trenches

And my magic sinks deeper in

As the escape moves fast ahead  

5. Share or describe a favorite review you received:

I don’t receive a lot of comments, but I’m blessed and lucky that all the comments I receive are only positive and encouraging. Also, I can’t choose. All comments are great comments (unless they’re meant to be nasty).

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

Oh the entire year lol. I’ve been in the worst place mentally, so writing on top of real life was so so hard. I’m glad to simply pull this off. 

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

I’ve had a bunch of those. I don’t remember the specifics, but when I read a few of my fics, I was so surprised I managed to come up with things. And during the wordplay fest, I also wrote for the travelling fic fest and so I legit had no time to read what I wrote because I was having the worst time at school (as a teacher, not a student thankfully) so I literally wrote and posted whatever @beardyboyzx betaed without checking. To the point I didn’t even know what I was writing. Literally functioned on autopilot that month. And then she would tell me about a scene she found adorable and I would blank out because I didn’t even realise I wrote it. So yeah, I think that’s pretty cool. 

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

I grew because I didn’t cringe or get embarrassed while reading my fic? I think that’s a decent growth. 

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

The year didn’t start great, so I don’t know what to expect for the rest of it. But I do hope I somehow learn to stop procrastinating and pushing everything to the last minute. I’ve also noticed a sort of pattern in the way I write and I hope I can break that and learn to write differently. 

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

Oh @beardyboyzx and @thinlinez have been literal saviours. I’ve had proper meltdowns that both have helped me through differently and I’m so so thankful to have met both of them and can talk to them about everything apart from the fandom and fic. Like no amount of thank yous can ever suffice. 

I met a lovely, kind human in @always-in-love-x and she’s helped me so much the past year! I can’t wait to implement what we planned this year!!

Shoutout to @kisochkalena for helping me out with moodboards as well! If I had to make moodboards on top of writing my fics during wordplay and travelling fic fests, I would’ve cried proper tears. 

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Oh yeah plenty! I don’t want to get into specifics but yes there was a bit. 

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

Just write. Don’t focus on the hits, kudos, and comments. I know it’s easier said than done, but you first need to do this for yourself than others. Validation is temporary and fickle, it’s always going to be you.

13. Tag three writers whose answers you’d like to read. ;)

Would love to know about @jaerie, @greenfeelings and @mercurial-madhouse! Anyone else who sees this is welcome too :))

[dangerousbandsymbol]

7 + 1 twenty one pilots ask:

i was tagged by @pantaloonwarrior @dasloddl and @silverlininghills thank you guys! 💜

1. when/how did you discover them? + what was the first song you listened to?

i consider my 'official' discovery of twenty one pilots in january 2019 when the chlorine mv dropped and randomly got on my youtube homepage and blew my mind

though before that i had already heard stressed out/ride/heathens, i think the very first song i heard from them was ride

2. have you been on concert(s)?

sadly no... my dream is to go one of those small venue shows like they did during takeover tour

3. do you remember where you were when trench dropped (if you were a fan by then)?

i wasn't a yet fan back then but what i would give to be in the trench rollout dmaorg updates yellow everywhere era!!

4. favourite thing about the clique?

how we weren't just drawn to the music but the message behind it—and everyone on here is so nice i love y'all and also we have the best artists (drawing/writing/making music)

5. any memorable/funny/interesting quote (from interviews/bts footage/…) you especially like?

i learned the word plausible from the boys, also shoutout to will smith for being such a great friend and providing them places to shoot music videos in

6. what would you want to ask/tell them if you got the chance?

i would like to tell them they're not alone in their struggles either, they're always helping us with their music but it'd be nice that they were the ones being supported for once, i would ask tyler what were the nicher inspirations for the dema/trench world, i'd thank josh dun for overcoming his fear of public speaking because i'm the same look up to him so much

7. which tattoo would you like to know the meaning of (if you do)?

tyler's •|i|• Ø i+! ].[ tattoo, josh's sleeve

i have like three additional questions so here we go:

which album cover do you like best? (from dasloddl)

i love them all but if i had to choose, self titled. because it started as just a sketch drawn by a friend of the band, and nobody had expected it to mean so much to people years later. so i really love that authenticity and that how by looking at it you feel connected to tyler in 2009

I’d love to hear about some memorable moment you had because of this band, it can be anything, whatever you’re comfortable sharing <3 (from pantaloonwarrior)

around a month ago i found a random personalised mug at my school left by a past student and the drawings on the mug were a reference to neon gravestones... that moment of connection with someone in the same place but different times really moved and if i never discovered this band i would've never had this experience <3 (i made a post abt it here)

what do you think the genre/vibe of the next album is going to be? (from silverlininghills)

trench but ever better—gritty & eerie & crisp & euphoric & light & heavy

+1 for @vulture-who-feeds-on-pain @kaminokilljoy @lane-doubter @spookiestbandito: if the boys released a mashup of 2+ of their songs (think sai livestream version songs), which songs would you want to see mixed together?

[in-arlathan]

Writer's Round-up 2022

It's that time of the year again! Time to have a look at what I've achieved and celebrate a bit! <3

Thank you @midnightprelude and @barbex for the tags. Tagging forward to @johaerys-writes, @mogwaei, @serial-chillr, @faerieavalon, @juliafied, @dreadfutures, @baejax-the-great, @thebookworm0001, @rosella-writes and anyone who likes to join.

Let's goooooo!!

Words written (published or not, WIPs included!): So, having a look at my writing tracker, it seems like I've written 110,515 new words in 2022. This includes a lot of WIPs that I started and then put on hold or had to put in the trash because they weren't working. All in all, my writing year looks like this:

Adding to that, I published around 100k words across 4 novellas. I had to edit those original works a lot in 2022, so I'm not counting them as “new words written” but I celebrate the publication of those works nonetheless.

Smut scenes: Like, 4? I think? I'm not really a smut writer, although I do like to write them from time to time.

New things I tried: Hmmm… I'm not sure if I tried new stuff this year. I've continued working on the stories I had already started and picked up writing original works again. But I did participate in exchanges like @dasmutquisition and @arlathanxchange for the first time, which was really cool. The exchanges were a surprise to me and made me write for ships I've never written for, which was a challenge and a rewarding experience at the same time. I also did a giveaway at the start of the year that resulted in 3 fics that were so much fun to write! So I guess gifting others with fics was a new thing I tried in 2022.

Fic I spent the most time on: “The Rebel's Ascension”. This fic was such a massive undertaking and took a lot of time to write and edit.

Fic I spent the least time on: I was talking to @noire-pandora one day on Twitter, and then the silly idea of “A Wolf's Wardrobe” emerged. It took me about 30 minutes to write.

Favorite thing I wrote: No surprise here: “The Rebel's Ascension”. I spend more than 3 years on that fic and I'm super proud of it. I can't believe I finally finished it in 2022.

Favorite thing I read: I didn't read that much fic this year (sadly) but I absolutely loved “Ouroboros” by cedarmoons. I also want to give a shoutout to “An Immodest Proposal” by @midnightprelude, which was a gift I received for an exchange.

Writing goals for next year: All in all, I'm pretty happy with the things I wrote and all the projects I've got planned to write in 2023 including “The Rebel's Ruin”, some other DA fics and more original works. That being said, I really REALLY want to increase my yearly word count to 200k. There are so many stories I want to tell and I really need to get a move on. Let's see if I can do it. :)

And that's it for this year. I wish you all the best for 2023. <3

[roseclaw]

Twenty questions for fic writers

Thank you to @jaimebluesq for tagging me! :D

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 148 (not including WIPs and drafts) - and I have not imported my old fics from ff.net. Some of those fics are old enough to legally drink in the US.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,166,072 (plus another... 70/80k in my drafts :D I'll be posting a fic every day in December, so head's up!)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently exclusively writing for MDZS/The Untamed

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

No surprise here: Come Go With Me - I'm so happy the world loves my surfer au.

Chad versus the Kissing Booth - This was so fun to write!

Pretty in Pink - HSM wing!fic

First-Time Spark - this is a surprise, because no one comments on it. But it is a canon fic.

Peaches and Cream - XD a 5+1 fic that's all rimming (obviously rated E)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try! I am very bad at it sometimes. I'll be flailing at the screen in excitement and can only reply with a "thank you very much" which doesn't seem enough.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I wrote a first person pov fic where the character dies in battle mid-thought. :D

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

I try to have most of them end happily these days. Or at least hopefully. The world needs more hope.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. I have my ao3 fics locked down to users only. (Lemme know if you need an invite!) But shoutout to that one person who told me they couldn't continue with a fic because A-Yuan was not wangxian's child. Like. He's not their child in canon either? I'm not sure what you were looking for in a fic about JC?

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

All sorts of smut :D Vanilla to kinky. Toys included.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

My most balls to the wall crossover was CSI: Miami, Stargate, Dr. Who, and Torchwood. :D It was so much fun.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. I have noticed people picking out aspects of certain fics and using them as their own. I'm okay with that. That's flattering. (Also please write more silverfox!JC) Whereas stealing my words wholesale and having them read by ai on youtube is horrific and I wish a very "please die" on anyone who does that.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope. I did receive a comment asking if someone could translate one of my fics into Russian once, but I never heard from them again.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not a fic, but a series! Slayer'verse with @saekokato

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I'm not sure. I have a type, though. Like Rodney/Ronon, Chad/Ryan, Bob/Frank, and JC/NHS. I don't think I even wrote any Rodney/Ronon. Weird.

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

Sangcheng cyberpunk bodyguard au. My writing and interpretation of the characters has changed too much since I set it aside. However, I am cautiously optimistic that someday I will finish my winery au. Same with the Miss Fisher au.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Scene layering

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Not whole dialogue, but words and phrases. I played around with it in my Tortall/MDZS crossover. But NHS *needs* to say "Da-ge" and JL needs to say "Jiujiu." Period.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Online? It was Gundam Wing.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

I've written a lot of stories, and a lot of the time it's "the next one will be better" but I still love my surfer au. Even though looking back at it, I can see how my writing has changed since. And I really like my western that it's in the middle of posting. It's such a juicy au that I was able to sink my teeth into. But it's not really a fan favorite. Whatcha gonna do.

Tagging: anyone else who'd like to play!