#also this is partially why i haven't been working on my wips

[nanenna]

For anyone who wants to see Danny be very, very sad:

Partially inspired by A Wisp of Who I Was (well, more like we both had similar ideas, I'm guessing we both saw a prompt but I can't remember where).

DP did happen just as the show (save for Phantom Planet because he can't be well known), which temporally puts all of those antics shortly before Batman kicked off the second age of superheroes. (Okay, technically Supes was the one to do it being big and flashy and splashing onto the scene, but Batsy was active before him so...)

Unfortunately the GIW gathered their forces, cut off Amity Park (much easier to do in the early days of the web) and pretty much turned the city into a war zone. Team Phantom (including the Doctors Fenton) of course push back, and one of the early things they did was shut down and destroy the portal and any information they didn't want the GIW to get. The Fentons at first argued they needed an escape for Danny if things ever got bad, but he pointed out how it was too much of a risk of the GIW ever getting their hands on it. Their main focus is getting as many people out of Amity Park (and the surrounding areas also caught in the GIW's blockades). But the GIW keeps capturing people, including the Dr.s Fenton.

Danny was captured, tortured, and rescued by Jazz, but he was so badly injured that she decided the best thing to do was to leave him someplace safe and fortified. See, the reason the Fentons felt secure turning their basement into a lab and carving into the wall the way they did is it's not a regular basement, it's a cold war era bunker. So Jazz leaves him a note, some supplies, locks down the bunker/basement/lab, then intentionally crashes the OPS into the house in such a way the door to the basement is buried. She attached a thermos full of raw ectoplasm on her belt and in front of the GIW is very protective of it. So when they eventually get their hands on it and all that comes out is a melted blob of quickly dissipating ectoplasm, they assume their white whale has been killed.

So when Danny does finally wake up it's to a destroyed and abandoned city, but when he tries to leave he can't. He also can't de-transform for some reason, stuck as a ghost haunting an abandoned city.

Nearly 20 years later (Danny's waking up is old enough to vote now) Danny finds a small group of flashily dressed people on the outskirts of Amity. This is... different. Danny's not quite sure what to do, so he takes them on a tour. Well, he kind of just goes through his regular day with people following him around. He shows them all the remains he'd found while exploring what was left of Amity over the years, he takes them to the abandoned GIW facility and the half covered mass grave behind it, he shows them the little memorial he made for Tucker that he keeps putting little trinkets that remind him of Tucker he finds, he shows them Sam laid out on her bed covered in long dried flowers and any other little trinkets he thinks she'd've liked, he ends by taking them down into the dark, cold, musty, closed off basement with the little blanket nest he'd originally woken up in and the untouched supplies Jazz had left for him and what little of her and their parents' things he'd salvaged and the destroyed portal frame with a bunch of rotting flowers and little space trinkets scattered over the floor.

"I'm tired," Danny said to the heroes.

"You should rest," they reply.

So Danny lays down on his dusty blanket nest. "I don't know what will happen."

"It'll be okay, we're right here with you, you're not alone anymore."

So Danny closes his eyes, relaxes, and falls asleep. A ring of light forms around his waist, then splits in two as it travels over him in opposite directions.

What's left behind is a living, breathing, emaciated, dehydrated, dirty, greasy teenager.

Cue JL panic as they suddenly have to figure out how to help this boy who they thought was just a ghost they were helping find peace to move on.

The thing I'm trying to figure out is: who from Amity survived? Obviously it can't be the Fentons or Jazz or Vlad, because he would obviously go with them rather than get adopted by someone. Gotta have Danny get adopted by a JL member (still deciding who). It's very important to me that Sam is one of the corpses he's been mindlessly watching mummify over the years. But Tucker? Tucker who's now the age their parents were when this all started? How would Tucker feel realizing Danny's been trapped in Amity this whole time and he never went back? Would Tucker have gone back? Would he have known about the fakeout with the thermos? If he did survive, would Danny know him? Does Danny have memory problems and keep thinking Tucker is Mr. Foley?

Note: Everyone in Amity found out about Danny's secret ID when the GIW situation turned bad.

For sure the Mansons are still around, I definitely want them to insist on seeing Danny when (if?) they find out he's still alive and young. The Foleys too, but how they react would change depending on if Tucker survived or not. Did Val survive? Did her dad? If she did and her dad didn't, how would that change her reaction to finding out about Danny? Are any of their other classmates still around?

Whoever was left would definitely have trauma from all THAT, but it's also been nearly 2 decades so they've also had time to work through at least some of it.

How does Danny cope though? I imagine he hasn't really processed anything in the interim because he was a ghost the entire time (his brain hasn't been physical and thus hasn't been processing) and he also spent most of it pretty dissociated. He's not even sure how long it's been. For him waking up human the first time is probably a tidal wave of all his grief, fear, and anger all at once. Then he gets to find out it hasn't just been a few years, but nearly 20. How does Danny cope? >:3

I have spent all day making myself sad thinking about a DPxDC fic idea that is just Danny psychological torture. How sad can I make Danny? UwU

[joelmillerisapunk]

get to know your moots

ty for the tags loves <3 @probablyreadinsmut @itwasntimethatdidit40 @ace-turned-confused @thundermartini @kedsandtubesocks and @reddedmiller

what's the origin of your blog title?: me being an uncreative basic bitch. but it's fine we are suffering through the consequences of the most uncreative username of all time.

OTP(s) + shipname: me, joel miller AND javier pena <3

favorite color: black and mint green (yes ik its very specific idk really what to say I even have a tattoo that is partially this color lol)

favorite game: rdr2, dreamlight valley, tlou, bg3, mariooooo, zelda, assasins creed

song stuck in your head: hold the line - toto and whatever is on my fic playlist

weirdest habit/trait?: probably a lot but the most annoying as a lot of us have mentioned is assuming no one really likes me. but also doing that thing where you start a task and then see something else that has to be done so by the time you have finished you've begun 50 other tasks

hobbies: video games, reading, writing stories, poems and music, pretending I can bake cute aesthetic things I find on Instagram reels, calligraphy, collecting sea glass and sea shells.

if you work, what's your profession? i worked on a cow farm

if you could have any job you wish what would it be? a sugar baby, someone who lives on a beach, but really anything in music bts or in front or a psychologist but instead I went to school two times for things I did not end up staying with haaaaaa

something you're good at: giving you compliments until you tell me to stfu

something you're bad at: i like this answer so same -> putting myself first, also as it's been said a few times socializing, and flirting

something you love: documentaries ommmg jdkfdakjf <3 <3, downtime when I can have it, also I always forget how much I love the sun until this time of year, hearing a favorite song you haven't heard in a long time, watching stuff with people whether its movies or youtube videos or shows

something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: video games, music, joel miller, the octopus lifecycle, Shakespeare, fun bts facts of my favorite movies and tv shows (I could spend days upon days looking up facts about how movies and shows are made and the little details in each of my favorite movies and shows)

something you hate: when its too hot or too cold, when I do that thing and don't buy snacks to be "healthy" and then wish I had a snack and math.

something you collect: i was collecting miniatures until they all got lost in a move, sea shells, coca cola memrobilia, Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, coral, anything vintage, trauma, and wips

something you forget: what don't I forget

what's your love language?: acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch

favorite movie/show: beauty and the beast, most keanu reeves movies as I've been binging them lately, lotr, how to lose a guy in 10 days, donnie darko,

favorite food: potatoes any day, any way, any form

favorite animal: cows, platypus', whales and dolphins

what were you like as a child? the quiet kid who was basically a mute because anxiety sucks and being perceived is frightening - lemme just fade into the floor

favorite subject at school? psychology, english because we could read Shakespeare and really cool books, science, music class, history, french, home ec, woodshop

least favorite subject? math and phys ed cause ya girl ain't a runner but yet they're all like "ohh its not that hard" but bro you're not even doing it

what's your best character trait? why are these questions so hard though? like idk my ability to make people feel comfortable?? i feel weird answering this lol

what's your worst character trait? i guess my inability to put myself first still and my dad jokes and sometimes I get quiet because I have a huge fear of rejection or abandonment

if you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? that I was on vacation instead of driving around for hours today or sleeping more that'd be great

if you could travel in time who would you like to meet? Beethoven, Shakespeare, my grandparents, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Frida Kahlo, idkkkk

recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!): there's so many this is rude asking for one so I'll give you two series. recently I read late night texts by @jolapeno and the wolf you feed by @arcanefox207 these series changed my brain chemistry for the best. I could scream on every rooftop in the world about these to every person in the world like please READ THEM!!!

npt: @arcanefox207 @gothcsz @syd-djarin @sunshinehaze1 @sunshineispunk @milla-frenchy @aurorawritestoescape @604to647 @myownwholewildworld @evolnoomym @slimybeth69 @almostfoxglove @lotusbxtch @baronessvonglitter me smooching you all through the phone <3 <3 <3 cause you all deserve every ounce of love and joy in the whole world

[machiroads]

Fic Writer Interview

Thank u @plusultraetc for the tag wheeeeee

How many works do you have on AO3?

8️⃣

What's your total AO3 word count?

251,850, 150k of which is one fic lmao

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Nine Lives, by an order of magnitude over 2nd place

Naruhata Noir

A Tumultuous Sea, You and Me (the mer-pirates fic)

Being No One, Going Nowhere (the 2 broken arms fic)

waiting on the seasons to change, waiting for the curtain to fall (the fortuneteller fic)

I am surprised to see the 2 broken arms fic in the top 5 tbh!

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I like to get responses to my own comments, so I try to reply to everyone's comments :]

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

Uhhhhh PROBABLY 9L since it ends with everyone going off to war haha oopsie

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Uhhhhhh probably merpirates? It's really gross and sappy. Dive into the ocean and kiss a mermaid in front of your entire crew. The 2 broken arms fic also got a pretty happy ending (Aizawa goes to bed and also maybe jerks it a little)

Do you write crossovers?

Not crossovers per se but I do enjoy a deep in the weeds AU

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I don't think so? The worst I get is people saying "wow almost no typos" which is very tame lmao

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Not yet! Kintsugi (the epilogue to 9L) will have some mild spice but I'm at a point in my life where I just couldn't be jazzed to write folks doing it sloppy style

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so except for that website that's scraped like a ton of fics a few months back

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I had one person request to translate 9L into Ukranian, though I never saw if they ended up doing it. Recently I've also had a couple people leave comments in Spanish so I assume they translated the story into Spanish somehow!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

The unpublished FFXII AU is partially co-written by Robbirdthe8th, but it's been parked for like a year and a half. Also I would be remiss to omit @kyurilin who might as well get bonus credits for the Nutstang

What's your all-time favorite ship?

I have been in fandom spaces for over a decade YOU CAN'T JUST MAKE ME CHOOSE A SINGLE ALL-TIME FAVORITE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. Perhaps a low-commitment list of OTPs from across the years:

Erasermic (obviously)

Edwin (FMA)

Netteflix (FE3H)

Asanoya (HQ!!)

Kanej (6 of Crows)

Yuchi (FB)

Asucaga (MSGS)

Soukana (FMP)

Maiko (ATLA)

Hanvi (DB)

Nejiten (Naruto)

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

Probably any of the Fire Emblem or Fruits Basket fics I started drafting in 2020/2021 before I figured out how to write fic lol

What are your writing strengths?

People tell me I am good at characterization! I think I'm also good at describing a setting, a skill that I exercise often in my technical writing.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Exposition, my nemesis. A necessary evil, but it's like pulling teeth, every time.

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

Short answer: I just. Don't.

Longer answer: I think there's a time and place for it, and I've seen both well-executed and clunky ways of doing it. I've never seen a need for it yet in anything I've written.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

BNHA was the first fandom I published anything for, though honourable mention goes to Fruits Basket and FE3H for convincing me that I can tell my own stories (and then get stuck trying to figure out how to write fiction woops).

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

Idk man I'm just vibing in my lane of erasermic et al right now

What's your favorite fic you've written?

Listen it's gotta be 9L. This fic is the reason I have made so many friends in this community. People have drawn fanart for it (one of which now lives permanently on my desk in the form of a mousepad, thank u Dragon). It is the story that got me into writing fic because it was a story that nobody else was telling, so I wrote the story that I wanted to read.

People still get to the endnotes on 9L and are like THIS IS YOUR FIRST FIC???? and yeah. I started writing fanfiction at the tender age of 28 and the first thing I decided was worth sharing is still my magnum opus. Anyone can write fic! Find a writer whose style you like, emulate it, and write the story you want to read. It's that simple.

[ms-moonlight-inn]

✨ AO3 Wrapped 2024 ✨

I can't believe we've reached the end of the year. It's been a beautiful treasure trove of fics and art this year, thank you to all the creators! And thank you for tagging me in this trip down '24 memory lane @energievie @mybrainismelted @jrooc @blue-disco-lights @em-harlsnow

1. How many words have you written this year? I got in 150,814 words this year on A03, plus the two @galladrabbles that I wrote, so 150,814 + 200 = 151,014.

2. How many works did you publish this year? 13! Holy shit, that's actually not bad. (Wait, actually 15 with the two Tumblr drabbles.)

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)

This year? Off, I'm just gonna mention the first one that came to mind: Eyes Of Disarray & Shame-proof. Wait, I also write Re-boyfriendling this year. Damn it! Why choose just one?

4. What work of yours has the most hits?

This year it's All I Wanna Do, which I co-wrote with @notherenewjersey.

5. What work of yours got more feedback than you expected? 

That would be All I Wanna Do with 157 individual comment threads.

6. Favorite title you used.

I'm particularly partial to Re-boyfriendling.

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist's songs did you pull from the most?

I only used lyrics once this year? That was "Antennas" by Rancid.

8. Pairing you wrote the most for this year? Ian & Mickey 

9. Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

I really like the rare pair I have (sporadically) been writing for The Bear: Baby Steps. 

10. What work was the quickest to write?

Nothing I write happens quickly. I'm a chronic overthinker; even when I'm not actively putting words in the page, my brain is still going in circles about the choices available to the storyline I'm working on.

11. What work took you the longest to write?

The Creamery. 

12. How many WIPs do you have in your docs for next year?

No comment. LOL

13. What's your longest work of the year?

All I Wanna Do, but only by a little bit.

14. What's your shortest work of the year?

Enough Ain't The Test

15. What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

The Big Bang fic I'm working in with @notherenewjersey.

16. What's your most common "Additional Tags" tag?

This year? Oof... I think it's "This is stupid." & "The writer regrets nothing."

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

Mickey.

18. The character who gave you the most trouble writing this year?

From the book, "King & the Dragonflies," Sandy Sanderson.

19. What's one pairing you want to explore next year?

Al of them! LOL.

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

It's a tie between Re-boyfrindling & Eyes of Disarray.

21. How many kudos in total did you get this year?

1,529. Not bad at all, especially considering that I haven't posted in forever. A huge thank you to all my readers.

22. Which work has the most comments?

All I Wanna Do

23. Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Yes! My favorite co-writer, @notherenewjersey, & I collab'ed a lot this year. Thank you, bb!

24. Did you write any gifts this year?

YES! I wrote Re-byfriending for @lingy910y.

25. Did you receive any gifts this year?

Yes! (sorry if my tired brain doesn't remember your @)

The Dock Scene (but not as you know it) by @bawlbrayker for me & @jrooc

A Tale of Two Foreskins by @bawlbrayker for me, @wehangout,  commonthugs, sleepyheadgallavich

HOTTOGO by @notherenewjersey for me

The very cool Gallavich/Blink 182 art that I received from @deathclassic. I have to find the link... I'll be back in a bit for that. FOUND IT! Click here.

26. What's your most common category/trope?

hurt/comfort

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Really depends on the state if my ADHD at the moment. Sometimes I require silence; other times, I thirve off of the chaos.

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

TBH, all of them. I love everything I write. If I didn't, nothing would ever get finished.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

From Happy Wish Night, Asshole, “Put your fucking leg down! We can see your balls!” Ian screams.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

I'm absolutely astounded everytime I post something & it receives positive attention. Every, Time.

OMG, I can't believe I finished this.

[piedoesnotequalpi]

🛶🛶

for the writing challenge game?

Make me work on my WIPs

Hi Cass :) I may have gone a little overboard, whoops

Anyway. Welcome to this fic that I still haven't fully decided the format for and also am debating whether to have it start in the 1970s or 1980s, featuring: Gender(TM)! Partially under a cut because this got long

--

“Stop fidgeting.”

Race guiltily looked up from where she’d been adjusting the folds of her skirt. “But–”

“Hannah.” Anna took one of her hands. “It’s fine. You look great.”

That’s not why I’m messing with my outfit, Race thought, but she knew Anna wouldn’t really hear what she was saying if she said it out loud, not when she’d responded to Race’s request of Could you call me Race this year? with But then we won’t be Anna and Hannah anymore! at the beginning of the summer. Race knew she’d probably still exchange letters with Anna when they went back to their respective hometowns at the end of the summer, maybe keep up their friendship as long as they both kept going to camp, but unless Anna changed significantly, she’d probably let their friendship fade out as they continued through high school and eventually college.

Sometimes Race wondered if her nickname would’ve stuck more if she’d picked it up her first year of camp, when she’d been a nine-year-old who was a head taller than most of her peers. Now that she was fourteen, she was stuck in a strange limbo of being accepted as a tomboy as long as she didn’t become more tomboyish, and going by an ambiguous nickname certainly fell under that heading.

The bus moved jerkily down a dirt road until it pulled up just outside the center of their brother camp. Race skipped the last step on her way out and nearly fell over in the process. She quickly moved to the side to let Anna out.

“I need help with these records!” Race heard someone yell from closer to the dining hall, and she was off before one of the counselors could notice.

The someone who needed help turned out to be a boy around her age.

“Heard you yelling,” Race explained. The boy gave her a once-over and shrugged.

“Get that box,” he said, gesturing at a box of slightly beat-up records. Race picked it up, and they headed over to the rec hall together.

“I’m Race, by the way,” Race said when the boy didn’t bother to introduce himself.

The boy raised an eyebrow. “That a camp name?”

“Sort of.” Race shrugged as best she could with the box of records. “I–I think I found it too late for it to catch on.”

“I’m Sean,” the boy said. “But people call me Spot.”

[thegeminisage]

tos ep rewrites/stid rewrite for the wip meme!!!

HIIII ty for asking

this isn't technically a fic per se, it's almost like a half-fic half-meta kind of deal - essentially it's an outline of what could be a fic if i had more time and patience. i did this for the first tos movie here and had a lot of fun doing it, and then i also did a small rewrite of "tholian web" here, and i had SO MUCH FUN DOING THEM but then i got side tracked and haven't done anymore. my plans for other episodes/stid are vaguely as follows:

the enemy within - loved this one conceptually but the crass rape jokes left a real sour taste in my mouth. i'd have less of that (or, if i had it, take it seriously) and more shenanigans where someone can't tell the two kirks apart because. they're both the real kirk!! that's the real point of the episode, right?

the conscience of the king - frankly, there was too much shakespeare here, even though it will always be my fav trek episode of all time. i also thought the lenore thing, while a great twist, could have been a little less "but kirk really secretly loved this woman 20 years younger than him!" and more "man this is crazy fucked up that is trying to honeypot this very young woman and surprise she is doing it back to him." more foreshadowing and drama, you know? the tos version wouldn't have to be gambler's knife but it could be something more than what it was considering the huge effect it had on fandom - i always kinda wished it had the vibes that obsession did.

the galileo seven - i thought this episode treated spock like he was kind of stupid. "why is my first command failing when i've been an asshole to everybody?" he has a human mother! he knows how emotions work! he is not stupid! i also thought there was a missed opportunity: they all talked about how callous it was for him to be picking a man to leave behind to lighten the ship, and he was so obviously going to choose himself, but it never went anywhere. let's do him more justice!

metamorphosis - let's chill with the horrific misogyny and have more fun with the accidental parallel kirk made in his really cool speech. like fuck it this is my edit let's just do spirk

mirror, mirror - this one is actually perfect as it is but i wish we'd had more time to se what the mirror kirk & co were doing in the prime universe.

journey to babel - this one is great but i don't think it takes either of spock's parents to task enough for him turning out like that. also, they tricked us into thinking amanda was the good cop in aos and then have her slap him in tos but then acted like that was just fine? girl, let's get into it

the paradise syndrome - i just want this episode without the heinous racism. please please please. easily easily EASILY my biggest trek disappointment ever

requiem for methuselah/the enterprise incident - these two go together as part of a more complex story based partially on the fact that they originally wanted kirk's breakdown in the latter episode to be a real result of the various um things that happened to him in season 3 and partially by the fact that requiem for methuselah WAS my november 5th and i am being completely serious. i didn't think i would ever feel that way again but i did at the end of that episode. you can read about the general idea here at the end of @maulthots close encounters powerpoint which i helped a little bit with.

honorable mention to episode premises i would have loved in a different context - lights of zetar where spock is the possessed one and an episode totally unrelated to wolf in the fold, the funniest tos ep after tribbles, where an enemy who feeds on fear jumps around the ship possessing people. that could have been great had it been in a serious episode and not been played by piglet's voice actor

and finally, star trek into darkness...everything about this movie was bad, except the warp core thing which was accidentally very very VERY good. so i'd rewrite it from the ground up, starting with recasting khan, because that was just a hateful thing to do. i don't have very many concrete ideas on this yet except you'd HAVE to get assad zaman for khan, right? because he can do that thing where he makes his eyes shake? he would have rocked it.

let people send you an ask with the WIP title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it!

[orphanheirs]

WIP Questionnaire

Thanks for the tag, @transthadymacdermot!!

What’s the first part of your WIP that you created?

The characters. They existed as deviantart ocs that I used to roleplay with in chatrooms before any semblance of a story existed. This was back in high school.

If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

I'll give a few examples here because there's a lot of songs I think fit the vibe of the story (I have a 4-hour long playlist of "soundtrack" songs)! All of these are based on pure vibes, not necessarily lyrics. For a TV show, I think a folk revival type song like "Over Again" by Stick in the Wheel or "Cannily Cannily" by Maddy Prior and Tim Hart would be sick. If it was a short instrumental intro song, an eerie tune like "More Bones to Sort" from the OTGW soundtrack or this song would work well. To get more general Rasputina is an artist whose overall sound is something that would work great for the story. If you don't know them they're a band that makes rock music with cellos and is very weird and goth about it.

What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

I love them all, but right now I have to admit my favorite is Tristan. It's definitely partially because he's the most developed right now, but also because he's the reason I revived the story after dropping it almost 10 years ago. I remembered him and thought he had potential and fell in love with him all over again. Coming up with ideas for his arc and his backstory got me excited for the overarching story again, and I changed him from a side character to a main character. I have a lot of fun with his personality and I relate to him a lot on a personal level.

What other pieces of media do you think your fanbase would share?

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Over the Garden Wall, Labyrinth, possibly Interview with the Vampire? and people who grew up with things like Hocus Pocus and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Maybe fans of Neil Gaiman? It's kind of hard to say though; I have no idea how the story would be marketed because it's..pretty weird lol.

What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

Not sure what the biggest of them all is, but my big three I guess would be plotting, research, and actually writing. I feel like I'm hitting my head on a wall when I try to outline story beats or whatever, so I think I'll just have to fly by the seat of my pants and plot as I go. Research also feels like a hurdle I need to get past because I want to base the story itself on actual mythology and folklore, and root the "real-world" parts of the story in the real historic regency period. Right now I know enough to share fun facts in a conversation, but in reality I don't know shit. I have a lot of work to do in that regard. Actually writing has been a challenge due to a combination of annoying factors including having very little free time in my life, executive dysfunction, and being? scared? of writing? because what if it comes out bad? Which I know is silly but it blocks me from writing a lot of the time nevertheless.

Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Right now I'm thinking Crispin has a pet bat named Sparrow. Crispin named the bat Sparrow because he literally thought it was a sparrow, that being the only flying creature he knew of at the time. Now he knows better, but Sparrow is still Sparrow. I haven't thought much about it, but I think Crispin's keeping of a pet is one of the things that indicates he's different from his family/species, i.e. he experiences empathy and longs for companionship. The demon Tristan summons can shapeshift, and takes the form of many different creatures throughout the story.

How do your characters travel/get around?

Considering the time period, the options are limited. There's a lot of walking in this story, but also getting from place to place by carriage or cart. There's likely to be some horseback riding as well. In terms of the supernatural, Crispin can "teleport" himself from point A to point B using magic--but not very far. I still need to figure out the specifics of that though. Tristan is greatly aided in getting around by the demon he summoned, who transforms into a flying black steed Tristan can ride on.

What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

Right now I'm bouncing around and writing snippets of scenes that come to mind/interest me most. I'm considering everything experimental at the moment, and not committing to anything actually being in the final novel. This is helping me get over my fear of writing, and I like it because sometimes I end up liking what I write more than I thought I would. I also *might* write the story in novella form first, try out some things with that, learn from it, and then expand and/or rewrite it as a full novel. Other than that I'm researching and brainstorming and drawing (which is part of my process)!

What aspects (tropes, maybe?) will you think draw your audience in?

Hmmm I think the fact it's a dark fantasy/horror story and the fact it's set in the regency period will attract people. The regency period and fantasy are both really popular right now (as far as I can tell). Also the fact that it has found family, which seems to be a popular trope. The fact it has queer characters might be appealing too. Other draws might be the Halloween aspect, and the deal with the devil trope. And if anyone likes enemies to friends and twist villains. There's also heavy use of gothic tropes and subverting them/combining them with folk horror tropes. Regency media (cough cough Jane Austen) tropes will also go under the knife of subversion.

What are your hopes for your WIP?

I hope to make it a published novel! Ideally traditionally published, but who knows if that'll happen lol. I also want the book to be illustrated, and to illustrate it myself. Besides that, I'd love to do some comics featuring the characters and maybe even short animations. (She said as if she had endless free time...)

Tagging: @ceph-the-ghost-writer, @finchmomentwrites, and @kaylinalexanderbooks !

[theawkwardterrier]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Blessedly tagged by @walkinginland and @flyinghome-againstthewind so I can participate in one of my favorite activities (talking about myself) during this boring workday!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

173, although I know there are a few that for various reasons I haven't posted on there

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

1,177,040 which...wow

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Most continuously the MCU (Captain America specifically), Buffyverse, Veronica Mars, and Outlander, but one-offs for many others

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Muscle Memory (Outlander, Jamie/Claire; 18 chapters, complete)

Wingspan (Veronica Mars, Logan/Veronica; 6 chapters, complete)

Here's All the Melting Thrill (And Here's the Kindling Fire) (Outlander, Jamie/Claire; 14 chapters, complete)

things left behind and the things that are ahead (MCU, Steve/Peggy; 43 chapters, complete)

After the War Is Over (Will There Be Any Home Sweet Home?) (Outlander, Jamie/Claire; 6 chapters, complete)

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

99% of the time, absolutely. I appreciate them so much, and want to express that, even if I'm a little overwhelmed and just end up saying "Thanks so much for reading!" Sometimes, however, if the comment strikes me as really negative or is trying to start some kind of debate that I don't want to get involved in, I'll just mark as read and move on.

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

I don't really write angsty endings! (Usually just angsty middles, and third act twists...) Probably my Veronica Mars fic, We Do Not Flinch, because even though the ending is definitely hopeful, not everything is fixed and the character death is not erased.

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

Um, basically all of them tbh! I love and reliably provide a happy ending. I guess I'll say Each Step Closer (On Our Way Together) because the whole thing is pretty light and the last section extra so.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Intellectually I know the answer is no. But I have gotten criticism, perhaps validly, about my portrayal of Peggy's emotions in Woman Borne, and also have gotten comments which express frustration with the choices my characters make, and that does feel hurtful in certain ways.

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

Ehhhhh, very, very lightly. Pretty much just gauzy linguistics and minimal mention of actual body parts - soulmate smut 🤷‍♀️

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

Haha, I've written a bunch of AUs that borrow from other fandoms and have a lot of fun with those, but I've only written one partially completed Buffy/Bones crossover

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I think that some of my fics have been included in the kind of automatic sweeps that republish on fake fic sites or ebook sites, but not by an actual person as far as I know.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, although I'd be happy to give permission if someone wanted to!

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

Lol, no and I can't imagine I'd be an easy writing partner 😂😬

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

Skipping because I've found that there isn't necessarily a permanence to it for me.

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

I don't really have WIPs that have been posted (because I know myself and that would be too stressful for me!) but the long planned out Chase/Cameron fic, or the Veronica Mars one where Wallace was a superhero, or the various ideas I've vaguely started writing within my head.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Mmmm...Occasional nice turns of phrase/unusual uses of language?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing visuals or action

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

Nervous about it and probably I do it wrong, but I do it anyway 😬

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter back in the day

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I am my own biggest fic critic and also my own biggest fan, so they are all dear to me. I do have a particular love for my Steggy fic things left behind and the things that are ahead and all the characters and bits of the universe that come along with it.

Tagging @roboticonography, @ghostcat3000, @ckerouac, @kairosimperative, and of course my always meme pal, @lavellenchanted!

[wraithsoutlaws]

Honestly I'd like to ask you about the thought behind all of Dagger's design cus it's so fuckin' sick and your art is sick (I'd buy an art book of Ur art) I'm like actually slightly ignoring the ask prompt thing u reblogged so I hope you don't mind but do Dagger's tattoos have any meaning? They're all very cool and I'm going to stop talking now before I ramble about how sick (positive) your art is

aaaaaAh omg i don't mind at all this made me so happy :') thank you so much i'm!! really flattered and happy you like 'em!! there is some meaning behind some of them, and some of them are just a little silly. i've also been in the process of actually trying to fully finalize them (they've sort of been ~up in the air~ for a long time/subject to change)

his most important tattoo is the heart/snake/dagger on his torso:

i've messed with the look of it a lot. originally the dagger went straight up his torso, but i think the angled placement works a little better. the right side is still a WIP, but it's probably more in line with what i want (partially because he's /also/ supposed to have a really big "M" shaped scar that covers his torso as well, and i think it looks really messy with all these elements running vertical on him which is why it hardly makes it into my art). ANYWAY, this one is meant to signify his self-transformation into the "Dagger" persona. the heart in the middle is representative of his humanity, or who he once was as a child. the snake is who he grew into and what generally harbors a lot of his self-hatred and guilt (which is sort of another post worth of Lore so I won't go there rn), and the knife represents who he makes himself, choosing to kill the other parts of who he is and severing himself from the past (including that humanity and guilt). It's his self-made rebirth, no longer beholden to the cycles and feelings of the person he used to be. the "unkillable" beneath the handle is a newer addition, but it's just edgelord enough that i know he'd have it. in a sense, he's killed himself already and now nobody else gets the pleasure of doing so.

now the rest of his tattoos are just kinda stupid and that's why i love them.

the "FVCK" tattoo on his left arm was the first one he got and he gave it to himself stick-n-poke style when he was 16.

the abomination on the right hasn't made it into artwork yet because i'm constantly changing my mind of where i want it. most likely it's on his left shoulder blade and it's pretty self-explanatory. the man loves cigarettes. he got this one in his late teens when he was riding with a group of smugglers between texas and mexico, drunk in front of a campfire, and of course, smoking. (it's worth mentioning that i haven't gotten tattoo mods for him, and though he keeps a big portion of the vanilla tattoos on the front, none of the back piece is canon for him.)

he has a rat king on his thigh (also self-explanatory), as well as cockroach's little rat prints running up the side of his leg.

the last Definite tattoo he has is a small scorpion on his back (as reference to the scorpion and the frog. dagger's in a constant cycle of self-destruction. he's both the scorpion and the frog).

[atalossofwords]

Hi all, this is a bit of an update as well as some maintenance of this blog!

I know I haven't posted in a while, and that's partially due to real-life circumstances (tests, family problems, job searching, and so on) but also because the brainworms have latched onto a fandom I'm not sure I will ever be able to write for, for reasons I'd love to ramble about. (If anyone wants my thoughts on Elden Ring and Genshin writing, feel free to ask!)

However, this past month has had things looking up! I wrote some more of Silver, as well as started on a project that I believe will help me write some of the WIPS that plage my brain but I somehow never make into a full story.

More info on my current projects below the cut!

For starters, I'm working on a series called TAXONOMY, which will be a multifandom series fell of one-shots and WIPS that take place in the Daemon AU world. For my ALSTG followers, I am planning a new fic with them! I should have polls out soon to see what everyone thinks about the main four daemons and so on.

I'm also very invested in a Social Media AU for all the MXTX works, telling the story of Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe getting married while they and all the other protags are either influencers or youtubers.

No idea if Ivantill "Performance" will ever actually get done, I may tweak things and make that a ballet AU, since I've been very into those!

At last, I'm not sure if this will every actually be opened, but I've been working on a roleplay server! I really like making Discord servers, Idk why the organization soothes me, so I may as well open it even if only 3 ppl join lmao.

A reminder, I'm still taking requests! If anyone has a quick idea, feel free to drop them in my askbox! They help me fight the writer's block.

[prince-of-elsinore]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

How many works do you have on ao3?

32. (Three are orphaned, all old fic; one spn fic is under anon)

What's your total ao3 word count?

627,118 words (I assume the anon fic is included in ao3 stats, and I added the orphans manually.) That's more than I expected, but it does stretch back to fic I started writing in 2011!

What fandoms do you write for?

Under my current pseud, Supernatural and The Outsiders. I have WIPs underway for both! I also have a languishing WIP for M*A*S*H* :( In the past I have written for the MCU, The Walking Dead, Hetalia, Teen Wolf, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Ephemeron (MCU, Starker), 1,393 kudos; 2. With A Bit Of Spit And Luck (SPN, Wincest), 401 kudos; 3. Is It Tomorrow (Or Just the End of Time) (SPN, Wincest), 304 kudos; 4. Closing Night (SPN, Wincest), 222 kudos; 5. Baton Rouge (SPN, Wincest), 205 kudos It's no surprise to me that my one MCU fic and the only multi-chapter fic on this list, though forever unfinished, has far and away the most kudos, and that all top 5 fics are rated E. If we knock Ephemeron off the top spot and just look at fics under my current pseud, then 5th place would go to Some Starless Night (Love May Come an' Tap You on the Shoulder) (SPN, Wincest), 184 kudos (and rated M!)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I haven't always in the past, though I always liked engaging with readers, but ever since I returned to fic in 2020 when I started writing for spn I've made sure to on principal. Not always quickly, but eventually. I'm really so grateful to the small fraction of readers who leave comments so I want to express my gratitude that they took the time! I also love giving thoughtful responses to thoughtful comments. Sometimes readers have unique insights into my work!

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

A lot of my fics have fairly bleak or bittersweet/mixed state endings (my favorite type!); of my current pseud fics, I'd say the bleakest is either Plano: Some Town Halfway In Between (SPN, John/Dean) or Road Risk (SPN, Wincest). If we're looking at all-time fics, the angst gets--uh, angstier: Ludovicus Caecus (APH, Germancest), based on Oedipus Rex, ends with Ludwig killing Gilbert, gouging out his own eyes, and carrying his brother's severed head around in a bag; and When the Dead Do Not Rest (APH, Germancest) ends with Ludwig keeping Gilbert's severed head in a chest. Although in that case he's sort of happy with the situation so maybe it doesn't count...

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

Baton Rouge (SPN, Wincest) and Like They Talk About In Books (The Outsiders, Ponypop) are pretty equally happy, with both ending on a hopeful note for the new relationship and the characters finding a sense of belonging in each other's arms <3

Do you get hate on fics?

Not outright! The worst I've gotten have been a couple rude, entitled comments along the lines of "why don't you write what I want you to write." I soundly told them off.

Do you write smut?

Yes :) I'm very thankful to various spn fandom smut events (Salt Burn Porn, Bro-Bang, and more) for helping me get my freak back on.

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

Not generally. I like to stay close to canon, for the most part. The only one I ever tried was my Teen Wolf/The Internship crossover Colors That Are Real, which used the fact that both starred Dylan O'Brien as the flimsy excuse for a twincest ship, lol

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Maybe more than one, I can't remember. I've definitely gotten several requests to translate, but idk how many of those people went through with it. The one I know of for sure is Ephemeron, which was translated at least partially into Chinese, and fully into Russian. I was actually really touched by what a robust following it had in Russian fandom. I used to go on the site and use google translate to read people's comments :)

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope.

What's your all-time favorite ship?

gotta go with the one, the only, the ultimate, Wincest.

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

That M*A*S*H* fic I mentioned. It's post-canon Beejhawk. I've considered posting the two chapters I have; they sort of work on their own.

What are your writing strengths?

Rhythm and tempo! Creating an atmosphere. Dialogue. Pacing. Voice.

What are your writing weaknesses?

For spn, I really rely on good betas to check my characterization. Canon is so sprawling and the characters change so much and are so essentially complex and contradictory; it really helps to have a trusted second set of eyes to say 'hmm I don't think Sam would do that in that way at this point in canon' or 'this sounds a little like early seasons Dean more than late seasons.' They also point out where language can sound more specific to the character, which doesn't always come easy with spn's lingo and references. But honestly my biggest weakness is consistency of output/motivation :(

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

To be avoided at all costs. And if it must be done, you better know what you're doing or at least do your damn homework and try to get a native speaker to check it over.

First fandom you wrote for?

Hetalia (APH) 😅

Favorite fic you've written?

Damn that's so hard haha. I think I'd have to go with Baton Rouge, but Plano: Some Town Halfway In Between is a close second. I'm also happy to report that my current WIPs, for spn and The Outsiders, may well become my new faves. I'm very excited about both projects!

Tagged by @buddyaldridges--Thank you for the tag! This was a fun restrospective! Tagging @nigeltde-fic, @flownwrong, @zmediaoutlet, @balefully, @nevergettingoverwincest and anyone who wants to do it!

[ginger-futch]

Apologies for not updating for a while; some shit's been going on, and I haven't had the creative energy to really make much until recently. I'll try and get some more updates on the Return AU when I get my head back into the game.

Meanwhile, I'm dropping my usual "don't cross the streams" attitude for a bit to open up commissions. If you can't afford a full commission from the prices above, you can also donate to my Ko-fi for a low cost request instead.

Additional info (and context) below:

Context: I got a new job last month, but so far it hasn't been going all too well. The owner of the establishment forced me to work off the clock one night and forgot to pay me the hours I was owed before I got formally put into the system, and when I asked to the manager about the potential wage theft, she got me the missing time on my next check. Shortly after, they hire a new guy - he's chill, a veteran in the field apparently, but perhaps most importantly, hopeless with technology and not especially observant - and this morning I realize I haven't been scheduled any shifts for this upcoming week. All the shifts I would have taken were given to the new guy, who I presume they decided would be easier to scam out of his pay. I'm not completely certain if this is retaliation for the complaints, but whatever the case, I'm not sure this job is going to last for very long at the rate it's going, and I now have plenty of free time on my hands. This, kids, is why you don't trust your employers. They're not your friends, no matter how chill and friendly they seem at first glance.

I'm totally fine drawing OCs, ships, blood and violence, mecha, anthro, and suggestive material. If you want specifics, you can just ask for details, I don't judge.

You can pay via Ko-fi, or send me your email address to do it via Paypal. Either one works fine by me, but I require partial payment before I send the first WIP.

I reserve the right to refuse a commission or request if it's inflammatory, offensive, or has potential to cause real people harm. That does include hate speech, suggestive drawings of minors, adult/minor shipping, among other things. If you're not sure if yours counts, feel free to ask. I don't bite.

[moon-ruled-rising]

20 Questions Writer Meme

Thanks for the tag @arielchelby

1: How many works do you have on Ao3?

Fifteen. Mostly Game of Thrones, but there's a Marvel one that's been on hiatus for years.

2: What's your total Ao3 word count?

319, 336.

3: What fandoms do you write for?

Predominately Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire but I have one Marvel one and I had two Stars Wars WIPs that got recycled. I also have an "original work" inspired by the TTRPG my friends and I were playing before our friend group fell apart, so that one might not get finished.

4: What are your top five fics by kudos?

— as the rain hides the stars

— begged and borrowed time

—Journey to the Past (surprisingly)

—Baby, Please Come Home

—your eyes shine brighter in the north

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

I try to. I don't normally comment on fics I read to begin with. (I know, I know, shame shame shame.) Sometimes I get a burst of energy to do it but sometimes I just don't know how to reply but I'm working on it because I love discussing my fics and interacting with readers.

6: What's the fic you wrote that has the angstiest ending?

... no comment because spoilers.

7: What's the fic you wrote that has the happiest ending?

The Glass Dagger and the Winter Rose with A Christmas Coincidence in a close second.

8: Do you get hate on fics?

When I first started writing more angst heavy stuff it wasn't received well. I was younger and not used to so much negative attention. Suffice to say, I lost the idgaf war. Now, not so much. I will get a rogue commenter every now and again with strong opinions about something I wrote— especially if I was trying something... experimental, I guess.

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

I do write smut. I've done explicit stuff but, as I've voiced recently, I'm not super into writing it. I live in the land of flowery prose and abstracts. Explicit smut is so focused on physical that I haven't found a way to blend the two so it slows me down and, as an Aries, I hate being slowed down. I will, however, write explicit material if it's porn with plot. My non-explicit stuff leans more... metaphysical, if that makes sense?? I guess you'll just have to read sad beautiful tragic and let me know.

10: Do you write crossovers?

Fusion, yes. Remixes, yes. There is a Game of Thrones/Marvel crack fic sitting in my random WIPs folder that might see the light of day but other than that, not really.

11: Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. I don't think I'm popular enough for that ... wait... I think that makes me a bigger target...

12: Have you ever had a fic translated?

No but I am open to it.

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

No. I've tried co-writing before but I always turn into that meme of Tyler the Creator: "Oh my God, can you let me do what I need to do." I'm not too great at collabs.

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

Jonerys, hands down. But I'm also partial to Obidala. Controversial, I know, but it intrigues me.

15: What's a WIP you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

*Sighs* My Marvel one. The idea has been in my head since 2015 and I would love to finish it but I fell out of love with Marvel after Endgame so it takes a lot to get myself to work on it. Although, with the resurgence of 2012 Avenger's Tower fics... who knows.

16: What are you writing strengths?

Honestly, I have no freaking clue. I think I'm good at extended metaphors and plot. Maybe prose but it sometimes gets away from me. I used to be really strong at dialogue but now it's hit or miss.

17: What are you writing weaknesses?

Characterization and emotions. I'm autistic, you do the math.

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

If it's plot relevant: yes. That won't stop me from doing Valyrian translations for fun.

19: First fandom you wrote for?

... ... ... rise of the brave tangled guardians... or was it Supernatural.... *buries face in hands and turns beet red despite the fact that none of those fics saw the light of day* But first fandom I wrote for and posted was... oh, I think it was Game of Thrones... or was it Supernatural...

20: Favorite fic you've written?

How could you ask me that? That's like asking a parent to chose their favori— begged and borrowed time, it's begged and borrowed time. It's my first time "bowling" (i set up the plot points and watch my characters knock them down and do their own thing) and I just have so much fun writing it and playing in the little canon divergent world I created.

As per usual, I leave this open to anyone who wants to join! Just a reminder that all fics linked in this post are only visible to registered users to prevent AI scraping, thank you in advance for your understanding!

[auncyen]

WIP List meme!

Tagged by @bad0mens, tagging @nautilusopus, @cateringisalie, and @darrelodin

Actively Working On (for a certain value of working on...I'm going to say wips I've touched recently lol)

Sneaky Santa fic it's partikari. I can say that without giving away who I got LOL

In Stars and Time Isabeau's First Impression of Sif this is mostly stalled in that it's just a character piece and idk like. I don't have a way of making it interesting yet.

In Stars and Time Alt Act 5 SO. I wrote an alternate scene for act 5 about a week or so ago I think? and I wasn't sure how to continue it but that sure has been floating in my brain now. without spoilering act 5 is the climax of ISAT so it'd basically be exploring a different way for things to hit a climax and how that might play out. I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA DO THIS AS A FIC, PARTIALLY BECAUSE I AM TAKING COLLEGE COURSES ATM BUT ALSO I WANNA GO BACK TO...

Backburnered Fics

Speaking of fics floating in my brain for a long time.

When the Cat Dragged In the Trickster-p5, au where Ann is the leader and the PT only know Ren as the delinquent transfer student who keeps getting falsely flagged on the Phansite until Morgana runs away and teams up with him. it feels like this fic is going to haunt me until I die or it gets finished LMFAO I haven't had any new p5 fic ideas recently, this 100% is what I'd be going back to writing in the fandom for if I do. Why has it been stalled forever? I hyped the next chapter up too much for myself. What other fic did I do that with?

Overcast. This is a mostly canon-compliant (I'm pulling a little timeline fuckery with crossed paths so the group has a half-sane itinerary) OT2 fic mostly exploring Hikari and Castti through each other's eyes. It started as Castti-through-Hikari but then I suddenly got an idea in the Timberain chapter and was like "NOW HIKARI". the problem: I feel like I have to do something really big with Hikari's Shadow besides what happens in canon and I'm not quite sure what that is. Like yes, he's having more trouble with it and I have one idea for how Castti might react to it, but...hrm. HRM.

Doubt Before Dawn. OT2, slight au during the Journey to Dawn chapter where Temenos' good intentions pave the way to hell. ...Okay they were mixed intentions but he didn't mean to hurt Throne. I think this is probably the backburnered fic I should go back to first even though/because it's the one I'm least "hyped" about because it is fairly straightforward in what it needs (just one more chapter).

[anincompletelist]

weekend wip game! :D

thank you thank you @daisymae-12 for the tag, I SO enjoyed reading through your current projects (and everyone else's that have been floating around!) I have so many of my own that I scream about privately but I suppose I can do it publicly as well with the right persuasion (this. definitely this.) anyway -

PLEASE feel free to do this and tag me if you haven't already. I LOVE reading about yall's current projects! <3 (also much love to @welcometololaland for creating this fun game!)

I hope you're all doing well! :D

-- anincompletelist/sarah

+

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more). (questions for artists/gifmakers here).

1. WIP List:

[hitman alex / prince henry au]

poetry fic (literally SO much poetry this is my Baby) [computer science major alex/english major + poet henry]

coworkers/fake dating au (part of firstprince first kisses)

[journalist+escort alex/prince henry]

boxer alex au / snippet here

truman show au [henry as truman/alex as lauren] !!! partially in script format

dog walker alex au (feat. DAVID!)

abdication au [lawyer alex] LOTS of family drama/henry angst and most of it takes place on a TRAIN which for some reason to me makes it so much more intriguing

drunk dial au [based on 'dial drunk' by noah kahan - canon divergent - years after the worst breakup of either of their lives, alex manages to get himself arrested during a trip to london and the only person he can think to call is henry, his ex. (things work out, of course. I am incapable of writing unhappy endings)]

bridesmaids au (june is getting married, brother alex and best friend henry are her (rival) ‘best men’/bridesmen who are always trying to compete to give her the best wedding possible)

lots of other little drabbles and oneshots -- honestly this list grows every day but these are the main ones!!

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

poetry fic!

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

poetry for sure, but truman fic is a close second!

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

it definitely changes day-to-day, even though it stresses me out to have a lot of projects going at once (skjhdjhs) I enjoy being able to switch around between them and write whatever I'm in the mood for!

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

probably truman au. I have big plans for it and I've fleshed out the characters really well and I feel like the trope is PERFECT for alex&henry and it (to my knowledge) hasn't been done before so! I want to do them justice. also it's surpassingly fun to write scenes in script format!!!

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

all of them, to a degree (the universal Creative Experience). but I think poetry fic? it deals with some heavier themes and the characters are so special to me (it also deals with a lot of my own personal struggles and features some of my own poetry) so I worry about it being perceived well or being relatable to other people.

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

I'm not sure if I will! when I wrote in other fandoms I had a lovely friend that would look them over for me and we'd talk about them, but they don't write for this fandom and I overthink SO much that if someone gives me criticism I may just scrap the entire scene sjkhkjhd. I kind of just post and hope for the best!

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block?

on a steady rotation :D perks of having so many wips that I can just switch it up when I get stuck!

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

I'm fully aware I sound like a broken record but definitely poetry fic. i can’t say too much without giving away some of the plot but he’s an older man who can relate to henry in a lot of ways and kind of becomes a part of their story <3 he’s only in a couple of scenes but they’re so important to the story!

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

hitman alex for SURE, but journalist/escort is definitely a close second.

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

oh gosh, it's between hitman / abdication / poetry / boxer / and truman ?? but honestly I can't write anything without a little angst, so! I feel like there's so many elements to their dynamic that are just perfect for it (with mandatory happy ending of course)!

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

most accurate? probably poetry fic. most fun to write? hitman.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

POETRY!!! it's literally the personification of autumn and warm blankets and falling leaves and old books and alex's cinnamon coffee (of course) and Henry runs a poetry club and they're both so soft and ugh it's just the best ever and I wish I could live in it. (in my own humble opinion).

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

as far as research goes, definitely poetry.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

I'm not really sure. I wrote in another fandom that I always felt like everything I posted had to cater to who was going to read it and it's been extremely liberating to write for RWRB and just post what *I* like or would want to read. I don't really care about hits, but my biggest hope with anything I post is always that it makes someone else feel seen/heard/validated or brightens their day/night a little, the way that so many other fics/art have for me. <3

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

YES. I have the angstiest dreams and anytime I hurt my own feelings I wake up and write it down immediately. (ESPECIALLY with hitman and journalist recently).

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't?

truman au for sure. it's written in alex's pov and we only see henry through script format for the first half. I'm really excited about it, I've never written anything like it before and I think it adds such a cool element to the story (if I can figure out how to format it correctly on ao3 jhskdhj - we'll cross that bridge when we get there I suppose).

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

coworkers and dogwalker I would consider to be 'funny' fics -- lots of banter and joking with each other and general lightheartedness!

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

not currently, but I LOVED writing June's character in this fic because I have a chronic illness myself and I liked getting to explore it from an outside perspective! I also would love to explore a bit more with henry's dad and their storyline at some point as well.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

here, have THREE!

henry's poetry club in poetry fic is called 'speak easy' and is held in an old speakeasy lounge

in the hitman fic, alex goes by the codename Ander in public

abdication au is inspired by a five minute scene in a james bond film that takes place on a train and just spun out from there kjshdjhs

YAY that was so much fun, thank you again for tagging me @daisymae-12 , had a super bad chronic illness day the last several days so this has been such a fun and much welcome distraction.

I don't have a lot of people that I know of that haven't done this, but off the top of my head -- @inexplicablymine (I know you shared wips but I'd love to hear more detail if you're interested in sharing!) @onward--upward @firstprincewrites @magicandarchery @sparklepocalypse and anyone else who comes across this post!

again, there's NO pressure at ALL but I would love to hear what y'all are working on and just what you're up to in general!

I hope all of you guys are doing well, I'm so ridiculously grateful for all of the work you guys put out and the difference that you make. have a wonderful weekend and take care! :D

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

2023 AO3 Stats Breakdown

I did this last year and I thought it was interesting for me to see if nothing else, so I'm doing it again this year! I didn't get my main goal done (which was finishing all my outstanding WIPs....or any of my wips....) but let's see what I did do!

Total Wordcount (approximate*): 62,285 words across 7 fics in 1 fandom

Most popular (by hits): Soldier, Poet, King (5,435) [Although if we'd like to go based on fics that were actually finished in 2023, the winner would be Why Not Me?, which I finished posting on January 29th and currently has 3,885 hits)

Most popular (by kudos): Why Not Me? (486)

Least Popular (by hits): The Romance of Anonymity (615)

Least Popular (by kudos): The Romance of Anonymity (100)

Highest Wordcount: Soldier, Poet, King (101,359) (up 22,669 words from last year, which would still put it above anything else in the list)

Lowest Wordcount: Outta Time (4,737)

*This year my approximate wordcount is EXTREMELY off. Partially because I know how much of SPK I wrote this year but not how much of Why Not Me? technically fell in 2023 so that one's more than it should be. Also, though, because I have two fics that I've been working on that I have posted absolutely nothing of, one of which is collaborative. These two projects together are another 200k easily, and while I don't know exactly how much I've contributed numerically to the collaborative fic, I've probably done roughly half, probably a bit less. That's still another ~150k that y'all haven't seen yet, and that's partly why my numbers feel so much lower than what they've been in the past.

Fic Breakdown

I only wrote for the MDZS/CQL fandom this year, and with the exception of Why Not Me? everything that I've written for has been 3zun (and that actually includes my secret projects as well). I haven't had nearly as much time to write this year as I would've liked due to real life shit, so when I do have the opportunity to write I'm much more likely to write about 3zun than anyone else as they remain my favorite ship. If we don't include Soldier, Poet, King and Why Not Me? in this year's lists, as I started them both in 2022, then in 2023 I wrote a total of 5 fics.

These 5 fics account for 35,422 words out of my total (dubious) wordcount as calculated by AO3.

1/5 was a total standalone oneshot: Cut From The Same, which was inspired by art/posts from littlesmartart and guqinandflute here on tumblr, was written for Polyship Week 2023, days 4 & 8 "Soulmates/Free Day" (I wanted to do it for day 4 but ran out of time, so I posted it on day 8 instead).

2/5 are parts of a new series: Outta Time and Roses Are Falling are the first two installments in the Orville Peck Cinematic Universe series, sparked by conversations between myself and littlesmartart about my tentative ongoing Brokeback Mountain AU, Orville Peck's music, and the appeal of cowboy culture in general.

2/5 are additions to ongoing series from 2022: The Romance of Anonymity is an installment in my 90's Strip Mall AU series, Tales From Jianghu Shopping Center, and was written to fulfill Polyship Week 2023 prompts for days 1 and 3, "Roadtrip" and "Bed Sharing", respectively. You're Safe Here is an extra for my 1970's Wangxian AU, The Sculptor, and the series is now called Lavender and Free Love. I wrote it for Polyship Week 2023 day 2, "Missing Scene" (which I didn't realize at the time meant a missing scene from somewhere in canon not from one of my own fics, but oops oh well).

With all that said - what did I actually write?

I almost exclusively posted one-shots this year, with the exception being The Romance of Anonymity, which is two brief chapters written for two separate prompts. Like I said, it's been a busy year in a lot of very good ways, but they weren't very conducive to hammering out chaptered/massive fics very quickly. That being said, Secret Project 1 is currently at 12.5 chapters with 103,939 words written, and by the time I'm done it'll probably wind up somewhere around 15 chapters/~130k at my current trajectory. Secret Project 2, the collaborative one, is currently at (I believe) 14 chapters, with ~111k words written, pre-final editing and logistics. It'll also include at least 4 extras which are currently being written. I also currently have two more active WIPs for the OPCU: a prequel NieLan-centered fic centered on Mingjue acquiring the ranch, and a post-main-timeline SangCheng fic the summer after the original fic(s) (that will also become its own series/universe like the 3zun works).

So big things coming in 2024!! I've been writing a lot behind the scenes, even with things like my first public exhibition back in May, working 40+ hours a week while also visting family back home over the summer, and now (as of September) working through the final year of my undergrad degree while simultaneously continuing to make professional connections so I'll (hopefully) have jobs to fall back on once I graduate in June.

What did I enjoy writing the most this year?

The Orville Peck Cinematic Universe, hands down. I absolutely love this universe and the art that littlesmartart makes as the other half of it, I'm slightly feral for my 3zun modern-day cowboys in love. The same as with Tales From Jianghu Shopping Center last year, I love love love having a fun, relaxing, low-stakes universe to play around in and write fluffy things that make me happy to help me offset some of the stresses of life, and I really love flexing my AU muscles to make sure everyone still (hopefully 😅) feels very natural and right in a setting so far removed from canon.

I didn't accomplish my goal of finishing any of my longstanding WIPs this year, but I'm okay with that! I still don't consider any of them to be abandoned and I do genuinely want to see them all finished one day, but for now I've given myself permission to let them sit there languishing while I make things that give me that good brain juice while my life is going through a lot of transition stages that leave me very little energy to enjoy my hobbies.

Looking ahead, this year I'll be graduating from art college; attempting to find a 'real' job that will satisfy immigration laws so I can continue to stay where I am and begin working on becoming a naturalized citizen; making and selling my ceramics on the side to begin building a solid studio practice in my local community; exhibiting my more artistic work in exhibitions both local and foreign as well as submitting it for awards to begin building up a CV; and trying to start saving money in the hopes that I can buy my house in a few years' time. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'm busy as all hell and that's not going to change anytime soon, but hopefully I'll have some good writing time in 2024 and continue to be active in this fandom/community that I love so much!

Y'all are really the best and thanks for another great year 🥰