#also writing these help me not hit a writer’s block because it helps my creativity going

[childrenofcain-if]

i am writing the main story. just so you know that i need time to finish chapters that are more than 100k words when i’m a full time uni student.

if you have so little faith in me when i’ve put so much thought, time and effort into this story, you should do us both a favour and leave. you’re saving yourself the non-existent ‘disappointment’ and i’m saving myself the headache of reading through more of these stupid asks.

i have no obligation to write for you. i’ll do it when i feel like it. stop acting like you’re paying me to write. the audacity you have would make people think like you’re providing me paychecks every month tf? i’m not your servant, goofy.

you don’t like the scenarios? fine, great. but many of my readers do so i suggest you just move along now and boss around some other IF author.

[nanowrimo]

4 Tips for Autistic Writers

Autistic writers can face unique challenges when it comes to writing. NaNo Participant Auden Halligan has tips to handle some of those challenges!

So, you’ve just sat down at your desk, all ready to work on your next chapter, but you just can’t seem to start. Something is itching at your brain, and no matter how hard you think, you can’t figure it out. For autistic writers, that itch might be even harder to get around when compounded with autistic inertia, introspection issues, and sensory processing disorder — even if we were super excited to get started, sometimes the stumbling blocks are enough to keep us from going anywhere at all.

Here are four tips to identify your struggles and work around them rather than against them as an autistic writer!

1. Schedule your writing time appropriately

While keeping a schedule can help you stave off unwanted change in your routine, the need to switch to another task when the clock strikes the hour sometimes feels like a monumental task, one that eventually becomes detrimental to your creative pursuits.

If switching tasks is the biggest hurdle to your writing, setting a designated writing time with no other plans around it could do the trick. Oftentimes, just one hour of time to transition from doing dishes to sitting down at your computer to write is exactly what you need to get past that point and find your writing headspace.

2. Make sure your sensory environment is right

Sometimes getting into that writing headspace is harder than normal, but you can’t put your finger on a reason. Chances are, you’re not quite ready until you have your sensory needs met and you can fully focus on your story.

Personally, I like to be on the couch with my water bottle, a playlist at just the right volume, and a comfortable jacket or hoodie on. For you, the ideal sensory space might involve a desk and a snack, a pet nearby, and a quiet room. For others, it could be outside or even at a library or coffee shop. Autistic people are all different and so are their sensory needs, so this one is super subjective — do what works best for you!

3. Take breaks often

Writing can be exhausting, and if you’re struggling to keep going, you might need to take a pause. If you’re like me and struggle with remembering to hydrate and eat once you’re deep in a task, use your break to get some water and a snack. If you’re having trouble staying focused, get up and move around and stim or go outside to give your brain a reset. If you feel like you’ve gotten some good progress done, however small, reward yourself — do something related to your special interest, dance with a pet, and celebrate your little (or big!) win!

The pomodoro method is a good way to keep yourself from working too long without a break, and if that doesn’t work for you, methods like the Eisenhower method with breaks interspersed and even simply inserting breaks into your scheduled writing time are just as valid.

4. Don’t be afraid to skip around

Another thing that often trips us autistic people up is needing to follow the story down its natural progression, from start to middle all the way to the finish. But inevitably, once we’ve gotten past the initial excitement of having the project started, we hit a stumbling block…and the project gets abandoned. I’ve left behind countless projects because I lost interest after hitting a scene I wasn’t excited for after just a few chapters.

To combat this, try writing out of order! Skip ahead to the scene directly after your stumbling block. You could also skip to the next scene your favorite character is in or even to the climax if it helps you move forward. If you’re having trouble putting your first words down, try writing a random scene in the middle of your story to get into the groove of writing your characters.

Alternately, if you can’t abide by the out of order method and really need to get your characters from Point A to Point B, try putting the scene you’re stuck on in brackets. For example:

[Character 1 and Character 2 fight over the decision to kick Character 3 off the team. 2 leaves in anger.]

It’s simple, efficient, and gets you out of that particular rut so you can keep moving toward that sweet, sweet conversation you’ve wanted to write since Day 1.

Now go forth and write, my friends!

Auden Halligan is a creator through and through. She’s been writing her entire life, but didn’t start participating in NaNoWriMo until 2017–right now she’s working on developing a TV series (or two!) and has several novels and short films in the drafting phase. Auden is currently a college student studying film production and hoping to minor in disability studies. You can find her on her very sparse Twitter at ink.and.spite. Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

If you’re an autistic writer, check out the Pillow Fort in the NaNoWriMo forums! It’s a group for people who are neurodivergent, have disabilities, mental health concerns, or physical challenges that affect their lives.

[lxvebun]

flurry of colours

synopsis: asking the genshin boyfriends what color they see you as

content: Alhaitham/Kazuha/Wriothesley x gender neutral reader. Fluff! Use of nickname darling/dove. Wrio is pretty short I wasn't entirely sure how to write him😭. English is not my first language so i'm sorry for any mistakes♡

D*rk content blogs do not interact (*a)

Alhaitham

"It's not your problem if Kaveh's struggling with his color schemes, darling" he replies quickly, not even bothering to look up from the page in his book.

"Archons, Haitham, it's not like that. Just look at me and imagine what color I radiate :)

he sighs a little, closing the book but keeping his fingers between the pages. Even if he thinks it's a bit of a silly question, he does take a moment to let his eyes trace over you, shamelessly letting them linger on your lips too. for a second you think he's actually going to answer your question but then you see him failing to suppress a smirk and his gaze meets yours with an expression you can only describe as Are you serious?

"Humor me Alhaitham"

Alright, let me think.. he completely closes his book this time, placing it in front of him on his desk and rests his head on his hand

"Colors can actually invoke a lot of thoughts and impressions. Most people associate red with warmth, and passion, but also with danger or fear depending on the context. A lot of people view black as a masking color be it clothes to hide certain parts of yourself or the shadows in your nightmares, but you can also see it as a protective color as it doesn't reflect. Blue is usually related to the sea, the lighter tones with sunny mornings walking along the shore, darker tones of blue can relate to the deep cold unknown depth that's hidden from prying eyes......if I had to describe you a color..it would be green. Not necessarily because of the associations with it, wisdom, calmness, and hope. which do apply to you don't get me wrong, but green is my favorite color, and you're my favorite person. Simple as that. Now, care to read with me for a bit?

*he's so annoying but he does it so well. Bites him*

Kazuha and wrio under the cut♡

Kazuha

kazuha has been a bit gloomy as of lately. His usual flowery words have lost their petals, His leatherbound notebook has not made an appearance in a while, neither have the little poems he writes for you to wake up to, and his fingers are clean, not covered with his usual, and at this point, you believed to be permanent, ink stains. It's clear he's been going through the infamous writers block. something that most artist go through and also get out of but it's nonetheless an infuriating part of being an creative individual. But since Kazuha has made you his muse as he told you many many times before, who are you to not try and help inspire your lovely boyfriend.

It takes you a while of bringing him to random locations for sunset walks or stargazing and asking him random questions until one finally hits the spot. His eyes immediately lighting up as he turns to you with such a warm expression of love and adoration you're pretty sure your heart skipped a beat

"That's a very beautiful question, dove"

He takes a moment to think about it, eyes lovingly tracing over every little detail of you, the backlight of the sun, the glimmer of the waves shining in your eyes

"I don't think describing you as one color does you justice. You shift hues as softly and gently as the day shifts into night, and the sun makes place for the moon in the sky. But if I do have to say just one, I see hints of purple in you, but that could also be because the color reminds me of my hometown and everytime I look at you, my soul feels at home" He answers with a new found excitement in his voice

"Actually, maybe I can use this for a poem-"

*i'm projecting can you tell?*

Wriothesley

You often come down into the fortress to spend some time with him on his break. With both of you living on different levels of Fontaine, you'll take any chance you can get to be around him and even when it's not officially his break time, he could never say no to you....or tea time

That's why you're here now sitting on the edge of his desk as he hastily discared the paperwork to make room for the teapot and biscuits. As quickly as the tea flows, the conversation passes from deep and meaningful, romantic ones, to terrible jokes and banter as both of you just talk about whatever comes to mind.

So he doesn't raise an eyebrow when you ask him what colors remind him of you. it's quite endearing how he just goes along with whatever silly questions or requests you throw at him without making you feel embarrassed about it

"Probably between a pearlescent white and a warm honey yellow."

"Interesting answer...why?"

"the colours remind me of the sun and the moon, and living at the bottom of the ocean here in the fortress we don't have either of those of course. You're the closest thing I have to feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin or experiencing calm atmosphere of the moonlight. And to be honest I prefer you over the real thing♡"

Hes so cute *cries*

Thank you for reading angels!♡

[meggahamicide]

How do yall make great art? Also, how do you get out of art and writers block?

I have been trapped in art and writers block for like- a few weeks.

First of all, thank you for liking my art and thank you for the support! It genuinely means so much to me!

As for how I make art? Just a lot of practice and patience, if I'm being honest. I've been drawing since I was a kid and never really stopped, so that helped me cultivate my skills to where they are now.

But for the next question, I'd like to preface it by saying writer's/art block is different for every person, so what works for me might not work for you. Normally, my writer's/art block stems from me being a perfectionist. If something's not going right, I tend to let that build in my head until everything I create doesn't reach the standard that I hold myself to, which is more often than not way too high. Which can lead to burnout.

Acknowledging the problem is my first step. Ultimately, for me, if the creativity isn't happening or I'm stressing myself out trying to draw or write when nothing's working right, I'm just going around in circles and that's not helping anyone. So to work to fix it, I have to take a step back. Anything that I've built up in my head, pieces that I want to perfect or stories that have a set goal in mind, are sent to the backburner for the moment.

I always try to take at least a day when I've reached the point where I can't create anymore. Sometimes, that works, sometimes it doesn't, but if it doesn't, my next step is to focus on creating works purely for me. My thoughts when I do these works aren't to think of the end and what will come of finishing the pieces, but instead on just creating for the sake of creating. This is when I do little doodles in a sketchbook or study a screenshot from a show and I focus entirely on not being perfect. I try to never go into these drawings with the intention of finishing and/or posting them, because that's putting expectation on a drawing that is meant to be relaxing.

The best thing I can do for myself when I'm hit with art block is to take away all outside influences and relax. Creativity is not something that can be forced, at least not for me, so I use these art block pieces to let loose where I usually hold myself to a rigid structure. And i go into each of them figuring that they are never going to see the light of day, so there's no reason to be ashamed by how they turn out.

In the off chance that nothing is working, sometimes I just stop creating for a while. It's maybe not the best course of action, but it gives me a fresh mind when I return to drawing/writing.

[antimony-medusa]

medusa antimony-medusa. I just want to say thank you to you for all you do in the fandom event sphere of things <3 I have struggled for a few years now with writers block and with my own inability to feel comfortable getting involved in fandom events for various reasons but I saw u posting about extreme timed challenge this year and went. okay you know what. that sounds fun, and it's such a short event, if I hate it and am bad at it at least it will be over quick. and then I had so much fun and made so many treats during the course of that little event that I have been locked in ever since and have been non stop writing for events for the rest of the year. I went from not publishing anything in years to writing and posting over 10k in three months. I've found my spark for writing again and I've found so much joy in the general exchange community. I can't believe in so little time I've damn near hit the other extreme and am at risk of burnout from writing TOO much LMAOO but genuinely this has been so much fun and I just want to say thank u for the welcoming event environment you've made, you opened the door for me to be able to find joy in writing and in creating for fandom again and I will always be thankful for that :') <3

I have had this open on my desktop for several days because I just start covering my face and don't know what to say.

Thank you, I'm so glad that my exchanges have helped you come back to writing. I had not really written for almost a decade before I discovered fanfic and started writing for the joy of it, and it's been an incredible delight and relief in a hard period of my life to know that if I'm having a bad day, I can sit down and rotate the blorbos for a hundred words or something and feel better. A big part of me getting myself to write consistently has been joining exchanges myself, so I challenge myself to write to other people's prompts and have deadlines that make me sit down and work. So. That is to say. I'm so touched and delighted that I was able to share part of what works for me for being creative through exchanges, and thank you so much for telling me.

I do get a lot of inherent satisfaction out of the mechanics of exchanges, spreadsheets and the like, but if no one was enjoying it I'd just make different spreadsheets. Knowing that people are enjoying it and it's bringing creativity to the world is literally why I do all the admin stuff. So just picture me hiding my head in my hands overcome by emotions. Thank you for your letter. AND ALSO IT"S CAUSE I HAVE SEVERAL GREAT MOD TEAMS. SHOUTOUT MOD TEAM.

[infinity-or-oblivion]

so my loa batkids au has gained a little traction and i’ve hit a bit of a wall when it comes to writing new stuff so here’s an infodump to hopefully kill my writers block xoxoxo

first of all, jason. my forever number one blorbo. there’s a bit of a role reversal here because compared to all the rest of them, jason arguably had it the easiest. like we’re not going to compare traumas but an argument could be made. i honestly don’t remember if i mentioned it at all in the actual series yet, but the story i have for jason is that his childhood with willis and catherine was about the same as canon/commonly accepted fanon, meaning he was homeless around nine years old. however, instead of living on the streets for years, it was only a few months tops before meeting bruce.

and bruce! this is very fun to me, but basically i was thinking that if he didn’t raise dick, then why couldn’t this version of bruce be younger? so bruce becomes batman in his early twenties, which is also around the time that he visits the league of assassins for training and damian is conceived. (for a little more about that, here) and bruce is roughly 25 when he finds a tiny 9-10 year old jason trying to steal his tires. just imagine that it’s so fucking adorable and heartbreaking ANYWAYS bruce, despite being overall a disaster, doesn’t let a malnourished 10 year old out to fight crime right away, so there’s a couple years between when jason first meets bruce and when he becomes a child soldier yayyyy!!!! but legit, it makes a lot of difference to jason, because you know how canon!jason has some self-esteem issues (for lack of a better term) around bruce not really loving him/seeing him as a son because bruce started training him as robin (and as dick’s replacement) immediately after adopting him- you know that whole thing? yeah well here, despite jason actually offering to help bruce as a vigilante, this bruce is like hell nah you’re literally ten years old and the size of a six year old no way, and those few years in between really stick in jason’s mind as solid proof that bruce really does love him, not for what use he can provide, but simply as a son. also being the only child definitely helps with that

(that little detail of jason and bruce’s relationship is slightly inspired by minimum height requirement, which is absolute batfam gold btw)

okay so. slight pet peeve of mine is in aus where dick isn’t the first robin, the legacy is still called robin for whatever reason (lookin at you reverse robins aus) because!!!!! how dare you erase mary and john grayson’s importance!!!!! (look there’s more nuance to it than that i know but. to put it simply it feels like flying graysons erasure to me) so in this au, jason can’t possibly be called robin. the real robin has been missing for roughly seven years at this point

and listen. i tried to be creative and come up with something cool and original for jason’s vigilante name i really did, but apparently i used all of my naming talent on nighthawk (fucking love that name for dick it’s so fantastic) so we just have bluejay. womp womp

also! on my list of things to expand on: main timeline stephanie!!! i’ve had an absolute blast making myself cry while writing every heart sings a song, incomplete and those who wish to sing always find a song, but spoiler steph will always be my babygirl. and duke!!!! i have not written barely anything for duke in this universe but believe me i have some Thoughts. perhaps even Ideas. basically a lot of steph&duke and steph&babs and steph&duke&babs because i love my little underrated trio

also just more babs in general, because like. i’ve had so many tiny little snippets of cass and babs and their sweet little relationship just sitting in my notes for literal years now that i really just need to organize and expand into their own fic. and yet. i have not done that. but rest assured cass&babs are very very important to me

such is the curse of female fanfic writers: always destined to fixate more on the male poor little meow meows than the female bad bitches. seriously what the fuck is up with that guys i don’t get it why does this happen

[deaf-solitude]

Bloodsucker Pt. 2 (Vampire!Frenchie x GN!Reader)

Takes place post-season 1, pre-season 2 once again!

Pairing: Vampire!Frenchie x GN!Reader

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: Blood, death, detailed violence, vampire feeding, fluff???, they’re goofy your honour

((Oh my god I’m SO sorry for how long I’ve been gone, writer's block hit me like a mf but I’M FINALLY BACK!! Back with pt 2 of the vampire!Frenchie fic B). I took some liberties on the mechanics/weaknesses of vampires in this part (i.e. they can go out in the sun (but are prone to sunburns), how they act when they haven’t been able to feed in a while, etc), which I hope doesn’t screw up anything too much. If anyone would like an explanation of how vampires work in this AU, lmk and I’ll make a more detailed post about it. Also this came out a lot more platonic than i intended I’m so sorry lol. ALSO ALSO i probably wont write a part 3 unless it’s explicitly asked for, and if you guys do want a pt 3, let me know what you’d like to see in it and maybe i'll get around to it :D anyway, enjoy!))

To say you were now incredibly worried was an understatement.

Over the few days since the whole vampire accusation, things had only looked worse and worse for Frenchie. The opportunities to feed on bodies after raids were practically nonexistent because of the newly implemented rules and the crew had gotten annoyingly creative in their attempts to “ward off” the suspected vampire among them. You were afraid you were never going to be able to get the smell of garlic out of your nose after this all blew over since they had been hanging up bulbs and cloves everywhere you could imagine; you had even found a bulb stashed away in the storage closet you usually napped in, which you were quick to throw out of the nearest porthole.

Despite the crew’s valiant efforts, Frenchie had informed you that garlic didn’t actually repel vampires, but it did cause what you chalked up to be a minor allergic reaction in them. This was good news since Jim had forced every person on the ship to eat a raw clove shortly after the initial incident. You were never fond of garlic, so the experience was less than pleasant, but having to deal with a bleary-eyed and runny-nosed Frenchie afterward might’ve been worse.

But what really had you worried was the raids. Blackbeard’s strict schedule of at least one raid per day didn’t let up in the slightest with the discovery of a vampire on board, and as time went on, you noticed Frenchie acting… weirder than normal.

The exhaustion came first, which was one of the symptoms you expected from him not being able to feed. It started with him getting more tired than usual as the day went on, and then taking longer to wake up in the mornings. Next thing you knew, he started joining you on your cat naps in the closet, where you’d have to practically drag him out while he was still half asleep to avoid getting caught. Now, even in the middle of the day, he fought to keep his eyes open, and you had often caught him falling asleep standing up while leaning against a post.

Then there was the weakness. You had never been a particularly strong person before being forced into Blackbeard’s crew, but you knew Frenchie was at least a bit stronger than you due to his height. He had always been able to handle larger crates of treasure easily with the help of Jim, but now he could hardly keep himself on two feet, let alone transport cargo. There were several times when you’d send Frenchie down with a crate, you’d hear a loud clunk shortly after, and when you rushed down to check on him, the crate would be tipped over on the floor with Frenchie standing out of breath next to it and complaining that his arms hurt. It was even easier to tackle and drag him around now since he had little strength to pull away.

This didn’t prove useful in raids, both for his well-being and your mental health.

You had practically adopted the role of his bodyguard, having to save his ass from combatants on multiple occasions. In one particular instance, the raid had started fine. Sure, Frenchie was a bit drowsy, but it was nothing too concerning to you at the time. A few minutes later you were desperately trying to yank an enraged man off of Frenchie, who was pinned underneath him and screaming for you to do something. Jim eventually stomped over and repeatedly stabbed the attacker in the back, causing him to crumple over right on top of Frenchie. After Jim quickly returned to their combat, you then spent another minute trying to haul the now dead man off of Frenchie, who could barely lift the body an inch off of his chest.

Today, you decided to keep a keener eye on your companion as you boarded a new ship. While Blackbeard did his usual drawn-out and dramatic entrance, you were already watching Frenchie out of the corner of your eye, who was standing beside you. Well, standing the best he could. He was swaying slightly in place, his eyes repeatedly fluttering shut and jolting open again once he realized they had closed. You bit your cheek and turned your attention back to Blackbeard. He was fucked.

It wasn’t long before Blackbeard finished his spiel and the crew leapt into action, eager to slaughter any adversary they could get their hands on. You took a breath to try and calm your nerves before lightly slapping Frenchie on the back in an attempt to wake him up a bit more, rushing forward to join your crewmates soon after. He jumped at the contact and swivelled his head to see who had hit him, when he very suddenly realized that they were, in fact, in the middle of raiding a ship. He cursed under his breath before sluggishly following after you, clumsily setting up his “claws” in his hands.

As blood started to spill, you saw Frenchie perk up, whirling around to stare at a man who had just recently been felled by Fang. What he failed to notice was another man coming up behind him, sword drawn and ready to strike. You were quick to cross the deck towards the two, slicing a gash into the man’s chest without hesitation before turning to Frenchie. He was about to lunge for the body when you caught the scruff of his jacket, yanking him back. “Are you fuckin’ mental?” You hissed, struggling to keep Frenchie in place.

“Wh-huh? No, no, I’m good,” he slurred, his eyes locked onto the body as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. You groaned, slapping his face lightly. That caught his attention and his head snapped back to look at you with a glare. You paid the nasty look no mind, pulling Frenchie slightly closer to you as your face darkened with annoyance.

“Behave,” you growled before letting go of his jacket to twirl around and deflect an oncoming sword with your own. Frenchie rolled his eyes, mumbling something about how he wasn’t a dog and that he could control himself, gracelessly lunging at another poor sailor soon after.

You had just knocked the sword out of your opponent's hand when you heard the tear of flesh and the choked scream that could only be accredited to Frenchie’s handy work. When you turned around to check on him, he was salivating above the bleeding man with wide, unfocused eyes. He almost got a bite in had you not immediately abandoned your own scuffle to drag him away from the dying man once again.

The raid turned into one big game of keep away between you and Frenchie, much to your dismay. You’d turn your back on him for a second to focus on not being killed, and when you looked back at him a moment later, he’d be hovering over another dead or dying body that you inevitably had to yank him back from, and the process would repeat. You were starting to worry that it looked far too suspicious to be normal, but not much was normal about the crew anyway with the way they ripped apart seamen and pirates alike.

Speaking of, the crew had torn this ship’s crew to shreds in record time, and soon everyone was standing in piles of blood, guts, and gore of their own making. Not a single soul was left alive aboard that ship.

You stopped your fretting over Frenchie for a second as you took in the sight of both the countless bodies that littered the bloodied deck, and the numb faces of your crewmates. Your heart sunk in your chest for a brief moment; the crew couldn’t keep doing this for much longer. The heavy footsteps of Blackbeard spurred you from your grief, instinctively yanking Frenchie back to your side after he had tried (and failed) to sneak over to another body.

Blackbeard’s cold gaze studied the crew, tilting his head slightly before speaking: “Alright, collect the plunder and let’s move on, lads.” His nonchalant voice cut through the melancholy mood of the crew like a hot knife, everyone flinching slightly before being quickly propelled into action. You huffed as you watched Blackbeard retreat to the confines of the Revenge, slowly turning to look at Frenchie with an agitated glare. He faltered under your gaze, taking on the expression and posture of a kicked puppy.

“You owe me big time,” you grumbled, poking an accusing finger into Frenchie’s chest. Before he could get a single apology or excuse in, you practically dragged Frenchie–who had started frequently stumbling as he walked–off of the raided ship and onto the Revenge. Despite your annoyance, you were quick to offer your support to him, letting him lean on you as the two of you trudged off that damned ship. He had protested, saying that you two had to haul treasure, but you knew he’d drop it anyway and kept walking.

It was hard to stay mad at Frenchie, it really was. The longer you walked in silence, the more guilty you felt about the whole situation.

You brought him down to his room and sat him on the bed, eying him warily as he flopped over onto the mattress and groggily blinked up at the ceiling. “So what exactly happens if you don’t drink blood for a long time?” You started, nervously wringing your hands out as you sat on the other end of the bed.

“Umm, I d-don’t know for sure,” he muttered, his head lolling from side to side as he struggled to keep himself awake, “I th-think I dry up and die or something.” You weren’t sure about the dying part, but you had noticed his cheeks becoming increasingly hollow over the past couple of days.

Again, you couldn’t help but feel like this was your fault. If you had just ignored that stupid gap in the wall, the crew never would have found out. You sighed, bouncing your knee nervously as you thought of what to do.

…Well, you did have an idea in mind, but you weren’t sure about going through with it.

Your mouth started moving on its own before you could really think the idea through: “What if I…” you paused, biting your lip with uncertainty. When Frenchie looked up at you with big eyes and that stupid pout, you knew you’d lost.

“What if I let you… feed on me?” You mumbled, your words hardly above a whisper, but Frenchie heard them loud and clear. He nearly jumped you, actually, taking hold of your shoulders and leaning forward with dizzying speed.

“Really? Like right now?” He exclaimed suddenly, sounding more energetic than he had in days. You grimaced, averting your gaze before sighing in defeat.

“I suppose. Can’t have my napping buddy shrivelling up on me now, can I?” You joked nervously, but it went right over Frenchie’s head as he grinned brightly.

“Oh my God, you’re the best!” He praised, engulfing you in a tight embrace. You wheezed, patting his back with a strained smile on your face.

“Yep. No problem,” you huffed, struggling to breathe, “just, uh, give me a sec to gather myself, yeah?” Frenchie nodded, willing to go along with anything to let him feed on you at this point. You sighed heavily, scooting backwards on the bed and leaning up against the wall, unbuttoning a few of your shirt’s top buttons to expose more of your shoulder.

“N-nothing too obvious, okay? Below the neck, preferably,” you stammered, watching warily as Frenchie practically foamed at the mouth. You straightened your back slightly, your fingers digging nervously into the tattered sheets of Frenchie’s bed as he slowly crawled on after you. It was… extremely creepy, with the way his eyes were blown wide and his lethargic movements mimicking that of a cat stalking its prey.

“Yeah, yep, ‘course,” he replied mindlessly, drawing closer and closer to you. He positioned himself dangerously close to the junction between your neck and shoulder, his warm breath fanning against your skin sending a shiver up your spine.

“How much do you think this is gonna hurt?” You questioned to give yourself a distraction, unable to stop yourself from shaking as Frenchie grabbed your shoulders to keep you still. You figured the answer was obvious, but maybe you were overestimating how painful it would be in your mind.

“A lot,” Frenchie stated bluntly before suddenly sinking his fangs into the flesh between your neck and shoulder.

You were not overestimating it.

If anything, you were severely underestimating how much it would hurt, and Frenchie’s blunt statement did nothing to describe the pain you felt.

You had to stop yourself from screaming, quickly slapping your hand over your mouth after a sharp inhale. It felt like two giant needles had just been stabbed into your shoulder, stinging like hell and almost making you queasy enough to pass out. Despite that, you clung to your consciousness, fighting to keep yourself quiet as Frenchie started to drink your blood properly. A cold creeping feeling crawled its way down your spine from your shoulder: it was excruciatingly painful and uncomfortable as you got colder and colder, but you held out for Frenchie’s sake.

Speaking of Frenchie, you couldn’t help but notice how incredibly… intimate this seemed on his part. Forget the location of the bite, Frenchie was making some questionable noises and hums as he continued to feed on you, pushing his body against yours and feverishly grasping at the other side of your neck. You could’ve sworn you saw his eyes roll back, but it was difficult to tell from this angle.

Before you could ponder that thought any longer, you started to get woozy, feeling unnaturally cold. “Frenchie,” you whined weakly, attempting to gently nudge him away. He didn’t budge, pressing himself against you further. You sighed, and with the little strength you had left, pushed against him with all your might. “Frenchie, get off!” You hissed, finally spurring him out of his daze as his fangs withdrew from your flesh. He stumbled backwards from the force, but managed to land on his feet as he was shoved off of the bed.

His breathing was heavy as he stared at you for a few seconds, his mouth parted slightly and his pupils still blown wide. It took a moment for him to process your sorry state before his skittish demeanor returned, gulping in what seemed like awe as he dragged his hands down the back of his neck to try and ground himself. He wasn’t really sure what to do now; usually his “meals” were already dead or dying. Not sure if he should move closer to you again, he could only quietly apologize: “S-sorry, sorry. God, that was…”

“Good?” You heaved, bracing yourself with your hands against your knees while your head was bowed in exhaustion. You stared up at Frenchie through bleary eyes, who had your blood smeared all over his face, looking very pleased with himself because of it.

“Oh, better than good. I haven’t had fresh blood in ages, and yours tasted heavenly.” Frenchie marveled, freezing after his unintentional hushed statement as he stared at you with wide eyes. You did unfortunately hear him, raising a brow at his mortified expression while your lips quirked into a small, teasing smile. His face flushed but he didn’t comment any further on the notion, looking away as his tongue darted out to nervously lick away some of the blood still left on his lips.

Before you could unpack all of that, a splitting migraine invaded your skull, causing your vision to go blurry as you made a strained sound of pain. You tried to hold yourself upright, but you could feel yourself quickly tipping forward from the sudden wave of dizziness that hit you.

Before you could fall far, Frenchie had swiftly caught you in his arms with a concerned cry of your name. “Oh Jesus fucking Christ, I haven’t killed you, have I?” You could faintly hear as you clung to your consciousness, trying your best to right yourself to no avail. You could feel yourself being gently picked up and moved slightly, and then placed back down on a soft surface.

“Fuck, fuck, I’ve killed them. What am I gonna tell the crew? Where am I gonna hide the body?” You could hear Frenchie fretting, the guilt finally kicking in for him. You groaned hearing his outlandish thoughts spoken aloud, weakly reaching your hand in his direction.

“I’m not dead, you fucker,” you croaked, trying to blink your heavy eyelids open.

You could hear Frenchie gasp, and a sound that vaguely sounded like something falling to the floor beside you. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me! I-I got carried away,” he apologized profusely, taking one of your hands in both of his own like you were on your deathbed. You snorted softly, a wobbly smile spreading across your face at the action.

“Relax. I don’t think you could kill me if you tried,” you teased in a weak voice, finally managing to get your eyes open to give him a look. You had expected him to be standing above you, but after a second of your eyes searching the room, you found that he had kneeled down on the floor next to the bed. You had to stop yourself from bursting into laughter at the sight.

Frenchie’s face scrunched up in confusion at your comment before a look of confusion and slight offence overtook it. “What the fuck’s that s’posed to mean? And why are you… giggling?” You managed to laugh weakly at his reaction as you turned your head away, bringing a small smile to Frenchie’s face in the process.

“N-nothing, it’s-” you cut yourself off with more hushed laughter as you looked at him again, bringing your free hand up to cover your mouth in an attempt to stifle your outburst.

“Is it because I’m kneeling? Because I’m worried that I killed my closest friend?” Frenchie taunted, though it was obvious that his words were all playful by the huge grin that spread across his face. You couldn’t stop laughing as he continued to speak, turning away from him to try and hide your face. You had no coherent answer for him, and that only encouraged Frenchie’s teasing.

“Wow. I just… this is unbelievable. I never thought you’d stoop so low, laughing at my… my concern for you,” he snarked, putting a hand on his chest in mock offence.

“Stop, stop! God, it hurts,” you exclaimed through strained giggles, clutching your stomach in pain with a wide grin on your face as your constant laughter started to give you a cramp.

Frenchie hadn’t taken your exclamation the right way initially, thinking that he actually did something to hurt you. His expression dropped almost immediately, trying to figure out what he had done as he started to withdraw his hand from yours. “O-oh, I-”

You were just as quick to snatch his hand back up when you noticed that he had started to pull away, nearly gasping as you did so. “N-no, no! You’re fine, Frenchie. It just hurts to laugh so much,” you explained hastily with a warm smile, easing his concerns.

It had been so long since you’d laughed that hard.

Frenchie’s face lit up with relief, and then quickly turned red with embarrassment. He smiled sheepishly, quite thankful that you had kept his hand in yours as he gave yours a soft squeeze. “Ah, right…”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of you as you laid on his bed, your eyes drifting down to where your hands interlocked. You had taken to idly running your thumb over Frenchie’s knuckles, a soothing gesture that you were focused on.

“B-but seriously; thank you. I, uhm… I needed that.” He mumbled, watching you run your thumbs over his knuckles with a soft expression.

“Yeah, clearly. I mean, fuck, do I even need to mention what just took place during the raid?” You ragged, playfully rolling your eyes as the lightheadedness slowly dissipated from your body. You sat up slowly with Frenchie’s help, hissing quietly as the puncture wounds on between your neck and shoulder were jostled.

Frenchie scoffed exasperatedly, slapping your arm lightly as a light blush spread across his face again. “Will you shut up? It wasn’t that bad.”

You gave Frenchie an unimpressed look, raising your eyebrows. You opened your mouth to rebuke him, but he was quick to shush you before a single sound could come from you.

“I don’t need you to recount it, thank you.”

You laughed again, hesitantly cupping one side of Frenchie’s face with your hand, who was still kneeling on the floor. “You're welcome,” you smiled, pressing a quick kiss to Frenchie’s forehead. He blinked in surprise, inhaling sharply at the soft gesture of affection. A conflicted expression crossed his face as he looked up at you with wide eyes.

”Why… why are you doing this for me, anyways?” He questioned quietly, pouting slightly. You pursed your lips, not exactly sure why you were going to such lengths for him in the first place; you had barely known him for more than a few months, and yet here you were, risking your life for him.

”…Because you’re my friend, and that’s what friends do,” you answered hesitantly, still not totally confident in your reasoning.

Frenchie seemed to catch onto this, looking amused as he raised a brow at you: “Yeah, because normal people are always letting their vampire friends feed on them.”

You groaned, dragging a hand down your face. “Shut up. I just care about you, okay? Is that illegal now? Am I going to be arrested?” You argued playfully, rolling your eyes.

Frenchie chuckled, still not quite content with your answer. “You care about a vampire? A monster?”

”I do. Shoot me,” you snapped sarcastically, choosing not to comment on his monster classification just yet. That seemed like a completely different problem to unpack, and you were too exhausted—both physically and mentally—to properly address it just yet.

Frenchie barked out another laugh, finally dragging himself off of the floor to sit next to you on the bed. “Okay, whatever you say, you weirdo,” he finally caved, dropping the subject for now. You snorted at his name calling, shaking your head with a smile.

Frenchie’s eyes drifted back to the puncture wounds at the base of your neck, wincing at how deep they were. They weren’t bleeding, but there was blood smeared around the area from how hurriedly he was feeding. Heat rose to his face again at the thought, but he quickly tried to distract himself from it by getting up to get a rag and some bandages.

”Let’s get you patched up, yeah?” He smiled bashfully at you, nervously wiping at his mouth again in case there was any blood left behind. You chuckled at the gesture, bringing your legs up onto the bed to sit criss crossed.

”That’d be appreciated, yes.”

[honeyhotteoks]

Hi Chai! I would love to hear your responses to fic writer asks: 5 (if it's from tnt or across stardust I'll die >.<), 24 (because I'm a creative too and am curious/would love some strategies to add to my toolbox!), 28 (would also love to hear how you get through your least favourite parts of the writing process/make them more fun for yourself!)

of course!! tysm for sending these in

5: first sentence of the fifth paragraph of an unpublished WIP

A body breaks through the guards to your side, making a desperate beeline for one of the boys behind you, the girl’s face streaked with tears and hands outstretched, her shoulder checking yours hard as she pushes her way through into the interior circle.  (across stardust)

24: how do you recharge when you’re not feeling creative?

honestly after years and years of dealing with writer's block i think i do have some good strategies for this, but the first thing is to make sure you stop any kind of thoughts of shame or being unkind to yourself. i used to do that all the time and it always left me feeling worse. as far as some actual strategies? below is a little list-- - close all those WIPs and notes and just go read some fun stuff. become the reader, get inspired by the amazing things other authors are doing. - movies! tv! watch some good stuff that has inspired you in the past or that just makes you feel good. i love writing dialogue, so i always reach for shows that have dialogue beats i love. buffy, the west wing, er, gilmore girls, things that just hit the notes i like to listen to - when you get an idea for something, just write it down or do a loose outline. if you're the type that sits down and is like "chapter one...." and waits for the beginning, try writing out of order or following passion projects. this has gotten me back into writing every time. - follow little daydreams. i'm the type that makes up stories before i go to bed to fall asleep, and every night i'm just throwing yunho into random scenarios in my mind, i can't tell you how many of these turned into fics. - put some effort into creating a fun or aesthetic writing space. my desk area is aesthetic, very vibey, super mellow with golden lightning etc., and with some lowkey music it always helps me get in the right headspace. - if you're writing kpop stuff, watch some old lives. it always helps me find their voices and their mannerisms and sometimes i'll just see scenes appear based on stories they tell, little things they do, etc. - if none of that works or if you're in a real slump? let yourself take a break. go out in the world and forget about writing. all of a sudden you'll find it again in the weirdest little places.

28: your least favorite part of the writing process

so i write in scenes mainly and write them super out of order. for example, with tnt i wrote the minseok claim attempt, the initial heat scene in the locker room, and the woo/san/hwa drinking and conversation scenes first. totally disconnected and i knew what i wanted to happen, but there were all these middle bits to write. so overtime i kept writing scenes but all the transitional parts (like fading into sleep and getting to the next day etc.) all are actually really tough for me to write and i avoid doing them until like the day of posting. it's a wild way to write, but so far it's worked for me.... but it's definitely my least favorite part.

[topazadine]

Why Mindfulness Is a Key Practice for Writers

A writer’s brain is chaos most of the time. We are all over the place, ping-ponging amongst a bramble of curious thoughts and half-snatched ideas. It can get pretty overwhelming in there, and this can distract us from our ultimate goal: to make something amazing that people love.

More than that, over-cogitation can cause burnout. When you’re on alert all the time, puzzling through difficult passages and plot holes, then you’ll quickly find yourself with no energy to continue your work.

But what if the antidote is to be head empty, no thoughts? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could simply rocket into the blissful void of Orange Cat Energy – whenever you want?

Well you can, my friend. That’s where mindfulness comes into play.

What Is Mindfulness?

I think everyone can benefit from mindfulness, but many get very intimidated by the concept because they have preconceived notions of what it actually means.

Mindful defines it as such:

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

That’s really all it is. You live precisely in the moment, not thinking about the future and not fretting over the past.

That means you’re not worrying about your writer’s block or spinning yourself into circles about whether you are a good writer (you are) or if you will get published someday (I believe in you!). You just are … being.

Why Is Mindfulness Important for Writers?

Your brain is an energy-hungry organ. It gobbles up one-fifth of your body’s nutritional input, despite being only 2% of your body weight.

That three-pound succubus is voracious, but there comes to a point where it is expending so much energy that it tires you out. This is especially true if you are going through any stressors or have subconscious frustrations that take up even more of your neural expenditure.

Just as your body needs time to recover from a strenuous exercise, so too does your mind need a bit of a reset. While sleep is awesome, it is also a time when your brain is cleaning itself out, flushing toxins, and building new connections. Yes, your poor brain really doesn’t get much of a break – ever.

But you can provide that break through mindfulness. During mindfulness, you don’t focus on the higher-level thinking that creativity demands; instead, you consider the little things that make life pleasant, emerging from this void space with a newfound appreciation and focus.

The Benefits of Mindfulness on Your Craft

Many of us writers want everything we do to help our work in some way; we live and breathe our writing, and we don’t want to waste a second without learning something new. And that’s great! Mindfulness can help with that, too.

When you take time each day to be a real part of this world, you’ll find you notice things that you never thought about before, such as the soft sound of snowing plinking down or the color of a nearby roof when the sun hits it just right. This can be tremendous fodder for building even more sumptuous descriptions into your writing.

Diving down into your inner self also allows you to feel how feelings really feel in your body. A prickle of irritation at a loud sound makes your neck tingle; contentment fills your stomach with a warm heaviness. Really focusing on something makes me feel as if I’m leaning into a spectral wind, and the edges of my vision darken into nothingness.

Knowing how each of these things impact you can help you build that into characterizations and connect with readers in a very meaningful, visceral way.

And of course, a stray thought about how to move your plot forward may appear. You can note it, appreciate it, and file it away for later, moving back into your comfy space of full attention on every sensation.

Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness doesn’t need to involve donning a saffron robe and chanting over a brazier filled with fragrant herbs – though it totally can if you’ve got the gumption. Go off!

However, most of us have other stuff to do with our lives and can’t head off to a monastery whenever we feel a bit work-heavy. Here’s how you can incorporant a sprinkle of serenity into your everyday life: custom-tailored to the writer mindset.

Meditation

Meditation is an excellent way to practice mindfulness, but when I started out, I found silent meditation to be almost more anxiety-inducing than not meditating at all. While I’ve built up my tolerance for it, I still don’t like it; instead, I prefer mantra meditation.

With mantra meditation, you repeat a phrase, silently or out loud, over and over again. If you are doing it religiously, you are supposed to recite it 108 times, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

I am a Nichiren Buddhist, so I use the mantra “nam myoho renge kyo;” however, there are many lists of excellent mantras you can use instead. You can also make your own in your native tongue, but I have found that reciting something in a different language makes it easier to turn my mind off.

Mantra meditation works for a very simple reason: it is neurologically impossible to focus on two things at once. Even if you feel like you’re having two thoughts simultaneously, you’re actually not. If you are reciting a mantra, you’re not thinking about anything else, and this can clear up mental blockage.

No need to get the words perfect if you are practicing for relaxation. Listen to an audio of someone chanting it, and then go as slow or as fast as you want. Many people like the most simple mantra – “om” – because it requires no training whatsoever: just one long, drawn out syllable.

Take a deep breath, say “om,” and draw it out until your lungs are completely empty. There! Don’t you feel better?

Forest Bathing

Nature is all around us, even if we often ignore it. The otherworldly glory of a spiderweb, the curious antics of a squirrel, or the fragile grace of a deer browsing can all be magical experiences – if only you’ll let them.

Forest bathing as a concept is based in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, which translates literally to forest bath. All it means is to spend some time outdoors with your phone off, relaxing and taking in the wilderness with all five of your senses.

Studies demonstrate that forest bathing helps to lower the heartrate and reduce stress. There is something innately healing about being surrounded by greenery, getting some fresh air, and appreciating the warm sunlight on your skin.

Of course, not all of us have two hours to go meander through a forest, or even have one within close proximity. And that’s okay! You can still benefit from nature bathing: consider it a low-dose form of nature bathing.

I like to sit by my living room window and watch the animals go by. Through taking the time to put down my phone and admire the world, I have seen the most beautiful sights, like a spider taking down a fly within seconds or a groundhog nibbling on my dandelions. These sound mundane, but as artists, we have a natural sense of whimsy that helps to make even the smallest experiences into a magical, world-grounding moment.

Just a few minutes of paying close attention to the nature outside, whether that is clouds skirting by or grass waving gently in the wind, can do marvels for your soul.

Cleaning

It’s an old stereotype that writers will organize their home top to bottom before they’ll actually sit down at their desk and write, but honestly? There’s a reason.

By organizing your physical space, you are reducing your mental burden.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners explains:

Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.   Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.   The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.   In 2011, neuroscience researchers using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and other physiological measurements found clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity.

Now, I am a super messy person: many creatives are. A bit of clutter can be fine, but it can get to a point where it interferes with your happiness and leads to a cluttered mind, too.

You don’t need to become a minimalist, but organization can go a long way, and even washing dishes can help give you a sense of accomplishment that helps you get back to your document. When I feel antsy, I often find myself sweeping the floor, clearing out the cobwebs just as I want to banish those lurking in my brain.

Exercise

And finally, we get to exercise. Not only does it provide neurogenic benefits, but exercise is a mindful activity: you are focused on your movements and what your body is doing rather than anything outside of the gym.

Whether it is tramping along on a treadmill or lifting weights, you can seriously harm yourself if you’re not paying attention, which forces you to let go of everything else that you’re worried about.

I, being the freak I am, like exercise on hard mode, where I could seriously injure myself if I am not paying attention. As such, I am a huge fan of rock climbing and horseback riding, which are pretty much the ultimate practice of mindfulness. For rock climbing, you must be perfectly aware of your body at all times, down to the tiniest toe placement, or you'll go flying off the wall. And for horseback riding, all you have the space for is Horse, and your love of Horse, and how you'd give up your first-born child if Horse told you to.

Some people get an endorphin rush that provides them with a sense of well-being, but some are unfortunate enough not to experience such happiness, particularly those with chronic fatigue. However, the act of losing yourself in an activity can still provide you with the calm necessary to plow on when you’re done, and that is well worth it.

Mindfulness Shouldn’t Be Difficult

In fact, the more that you practice mindfulness, the more you will find that you enjoy it. This simple work of living with intention will enhance your appreciation for everyday life – and allow you ample mental rest for the hard work of writing.

There’s no need to go on some grand spirit journey to Tibet or an exotic island; you don’t even need a candle, yoga mat, or special incense. You don’t have to set up an altar or make it a spiritual practice at all.

Nearly anything can be a practice in mindfulness if it is done intentionally and with full awareness. Whatever you enjoy doing, stop and take a deep breath, then focus your whole being on that thing.

Don’t multi-task; don’t let your mind wander to other things. Whether that is walking your dog, playing with your children, or sweeping the floor, commit yourself to fully immersing in it. Engage all five senses and pass no judgment on what you feel, whether that is a siren wailing by or the unpleasant perfume of a stranger. Simply note it and let it flow past.

If you find mindfulness difficult, note that too, and accept your current feelings without shame or judgment. It’s okay. That’s part of mindfulness as well.

Now that you're being mindful, perhaps you'll consider purchasing my debut novel?

9 Years Yearning is a coming-of-age gay romance set in a fantasy world with poetry magic. It follows two young men as they grow from sorta-enemies, to frenemies, to friends, and finally to lovers.

If you do read it, please don't forget to leave a review!

Reviews are essential to getting visibility on Amazon, so every single one is golden to me.

[the-golden-comet]

Hi hello! I noticed you also write and i guess I wanted to ask, how do you manage to write when the words don't want to word? Like no matter how many times you write and rewrite the sentence, it doesn't seem to do the scene in your head justice. I usually just stay away from the WIP to give me time to construct the words, but then I feel kinda guilty bc then im not writing. Any advice would be greatly and graciously appreciated!

Hi there! Thank you so much for the ask! ✨

Usually if I hit a writer’s block, I try to read a chapter back to respark my motivation. Some people do a “ten-sentence prior,” but I feel that sometimes my brain needs a little more context. This also refreshes my memory as to what happened in the WIP before I get to writing again, and jog back the writing flow.

When I write, I plan out “major plots” (aka my fun plots) that I work towards in my writing. These can be a certain trope that you like, a chapter you REALLY want to get to, a conflict you want to explore, or an idea you just want to write about. This typically returns my writing flow as my brain spins ideas that lead to those major plot points. Don’t worry if the ideas are cliché, because you can fine-tune them in the editing phase. Or, keep the clichés if they makes you happy. Just get all those ideas out there ✨

If that doesn’t work, there is nothing wrong with wanting to take a little break. Forcing yourself to write will tank your motivation faster than Sonic on four shots of espresso. Writer burnout occurs when writers feel they have to push the creativity through, losing sight of why they wanted to write in the first place: because they enjoy it, and find joy, entertainment, and purpose. You can’t force the brain to think if it’s tired and screaming at you to get your other needs fulfilled.

Never feel guilty about breaks. They are healthy for you mentally, physically, and emotionally. If you’re trying to stick to a consistent writing schedule, what I do to help motivate is to watch one of my favorite movies to start forming ideas, or reading other people’s works. That way my body and mind are in a relaxed state, yet I’m still gathering ideas and motivation for my stories, which is all a part of the writing process. I found that engaging in other arts and media help inspire me to be creative, and I can then channel that to my stories too.

This goes without saying, but drink plenty of water. Brain fog and confusion occurs frequently from dehydration. Going on a walk, or sometimes even looking outside the window and looking for objects with certain colors (like green trees, red cars, yellow lights, etc.) is a nice brain exercise. Engaging in the five senses helps ground yourself and can refocus your mind back to your document.

I hope these tips and tricks help! Thank you again for stopping by my ask box! 💫✨

[rofell]

Hi folks.

I wanted to share some thoughts and love about creativity. Fair warning this is going to be sappy. Please don't let it fool you - I am still a grumpy cynic mostly focused on sharing fics, GO smut, and slowed down gifs of Michael Sheen's tongue. But anyway.

This fandom unlocked a world of creativity for me. Creativity that I thought was lost to me. Dreams I thought I would never come back to. I thought the ship had sailed - yes, I wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, but I'm an adult now and it wasn't going to happen. I had made peace with it.

But when this fandom took me by its wily claws I discovered that not only could I actually write a little bit of fanfic, yes, sure, but I *needed* to write. It poured out of me - all of this observation, and emotion, and creation I didn't realize had been bubbling along under the surface this whole time.

I bring this up because I'm about to hit a milestone. When I first starting writing fic I asked myself "How will I know if I'm successful?" The answer I came up with was "Well, most 'established' fics I see get to 10K hits, and if I can do that, I will have made it."

This was the wrong benchmark. I have since become highly skeptical of AO3 stats and even more skeptical of chasing fame and acclaim.

I was successful the first time I wrote a scene of fiction and burst through a 15+ year writers' block.

I was successful with the first story I finished. I think there is so much to be gained and so much to be said for finishing. your. stories.

I was successful the first time I provided beta to someone else, and learned so much in the act of examining someone else's work, and gained so much in the richness of community.

I have been successful this whole time. And the creativity has been one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. I'm now working on a piece that is deeply vulnerable and challenging to write. It may never see the light of day but I. will. finish. it. and I will enjoy the gifts that writing it provides.

All of that is true and - I'm also about to hit that first, silly benchmark I set for myself.

The Cure for a Broken Heart is about to hit 10K hits. This was my first long fic, still the longest thing I've ever written. It was a labour of love and written with the help of so many of the wonderful folks at @whickberstreetwriters. (@azeutreciathewicked @springofviolets @playdohangel thank you again for your time and your insights)

So to anyone else who needs the push - do the thing. Make the thing. Finish the thing. It doesn't matter if it's good or if it's seen. It can be just for you. But life is not for being perfect. It's for creating and discovering and savouring.

xo,

Ro

[journey-to-the-attic]

Hi Kin. I wanted to ask, how did you manage things like writer's block or creative burnout while writing JTTA? I'm midway through a longfic now and it's kind of exhausting. I feel like I'm whining but I barely get any comments or asks or anything.

hi anon! honestly i'm not sure if i was the right person to ask this, because i... kind of didn't? as in, i didn't really have these problems - boring answer, i know!

i got lucky because i hit a sweet spot where the base story and characters were strong, but with just enough gaps in plot, worldbuilding, development, etc. such that the momentum of filling everything in carried me through the whole process. but there were definitely a lot of occasions where i sat there thinking "okay i have no idea what to do now"

in those cases, often i had to just step back and ruminate on it for a little while - i've pretty much constantly got little ideas bouncing around my head, and sometimes they hit each other like snowballs and form into more fully-fledged plot points, scenes, dialogue, so on. i try to keep track of these in notes apps, personal discord channels, etc, and dip into them if i'm stuck on something!

not sure if your fic is for obey me, but this could still apply even if not - with all the pop quizzes and devilgrams that put the characters in a bunch of new contexts, it's helpful seeing how that character's static vs dynamic traits persist/change depending on them, and often that'll give you inspiration as well. depending on what you've got available, you could browse through source material, or brainstorm aus, whichever you enjoy most

i'm really not sure HOW i've stuck with obey me for so long, but somehow it's just stuck with me. i don't remember being so invested in it before jtta, so that's probably why, but i just really love these guys, and i suppose that's why i never burnt out of it? i think it was also because i knew what story i wanted to tell, and i really wanted to make sure ik got her happy ending, and that carried me through as well

seriously, though - do take breaks. every writer's mileage varies, so take a step back whenever you need to. writing fics should be fun! sometimes it does feel like a chore, and it becomes more like 'the only thing i hate more than writing is not writing', but it happens to all of us. sometimes you've just got to rest until your second wind comes along

in terms of comments and such... yeah, it's a tough one! the unfortunate thing is that a vast majority of readers - even if they really enjoyed your writing! - won't leave a comment. don't take this as a direct reflection on your writing! often the reader can't think of what to say, is too shy, or quite simply forgot

again though... i'm not sure if i'm the best person to ask for advice here! i started publishing jtta without much expectation for an audience, given the genre of game it's written for, so any attention was more a nice surprise than anything. i suppose that, later on, when the fic was more well-established, i did start holding some expectation of response - and it really is tough when you don't get as much of one as you were hoping for

i've seen people talking about how the ask culture on tumblr has died down a lot in recent times, so i'm sure you're not the only one feeling like this! all i can suggest is trying to find more friends (mutuals?) and... networking, i guess? i've seen advice saying to share your fic within communities of writers, too

i can't honestly say if these things'll work, because i'm very bad about interacting with a wider fandom in anything - i usually keep to myself, so often i don't have much of an expectation for how and when people come chat. as in real life, i'm only a chatterbox when approached first haha

i'm not sure how helpful this has been, but i'm rooting for you! if you'd like to share your fic here, please do - though i understand if that's something you'd rather keep to yourself as well.

creating things is a joy - it might take some searching to find a circle, but the beauty of the internet is that you will, somewhere out there! wishing you the best ^^

[frannyzooey]

Do you have any advice for new writers? It can feel a little sad when you pour your heart and soul into something and it feels like it isn’t being read. I definitely am experiencing a writers block and I can’t tell if its because it’s hurting me emotionally to keep writing stories that feel like they may be underwhelming to the fandom. I still love reading fics and am thinking of possibly just writing for myself but not posting anymore. I hate to feel that way, especially when this is a virtual space lol, but just trying to understand from other authors what kept/keeps them going.

BOY HOWDY DO I

First of all, give yourself a hug, okay? A nice big squeeze -- you were brave and strong and creative and made something from nothing and took the steps to share it and that takes fucking GUTS, okay? The nerves you have to overcome to even do that in the first place are immense, and YOU DID IT. ❤

Second of all, lemme hit on a few points here:

"It can feel a little sad when you pour your heart and soul into something and it feels like it isn’t being read"

Listen, I know this pain. I know it might seem like I don't since I do get interaction, but I didn't always (and still don't, depending on the subject of the fic) -- and I get this. It's really sad! Writing is something that can be so personal, by default it affects you emotionally no matter what reception it gets. But also, when feels like it isn't being read is a special kind of pain, because the whole reason we share on this site in the first place is to find the people who want to scream with us. If you don't have those people, it can seem very very lonely. I get it.

"I definitely am experiencing a writers block and I can’t tell if its because it’s hurting me emotionally to keep writing stories that feel like they may be underwhelming to the fandom."

If you aren't in a good headspace, it's going to affect your ability to create. Period. ESPECIALLY when you're hurting emotionally. Feelings like those take up all the brain space, and I would never encourage anyone to force themselves to write while they feel like that. Give yourself some grace, be kind to yourself, and take a break from the site. I have many, many thoughts on this place and how it has a direct correlation to self esteem and self worth, and if you're feeling these things, I can tell you right now, it's this site. Take a break, my lovely ❤ I take them all the time when I get this way! They help immensely.

"I still love reading fics and am thinking of possibly just writing for myself but not posting anymore."

Honest to God, this is legitimately the only way to go. You HAVE to write for yourself, because if you don't, what are you writing for? The story is YOURS to tell. The characters are YOURS to shape. The ideas come from YOUR mind and YOUR heart. No one else can write it the way you do. Everyone wants interaction and yes, finding your community to share these personal things with makes it all the more fun and satisfying, but it HAS to start with you writing it for yourself.

This might not be true for everyone, but what keeps me motivated to write is exactly that: writing for myself. I think "what do I want to read", or "what do I want to share", or "what scenario do I want to explore" -- and the entire time, I am only considering myself as the audience. That way, when I do work on it and write it, it's all the more satisfying because I am the only one I am trying to please -- if that makes sense? If you wrote it for yourself and you are happy with it, then you have accomplished the greatest, hardest part about writing and you should be fucking PROUD. "I'm gonna give myself everything I've ever wanted" is the theme!

Sharing it with others is a privilege you extent to strangers, and if they don't take to it like you hope, the blow will be softened because you have this cushion of joy and contentment that you wrapped yourself in before sharing. ❤

If you feel like taking the time to write for yourself and not post, do it! What I typically find is that a break from this site allows your self esteem to build back up, which decreases the bad headspace, which allows you more room for creative thoughts, which lends itself to better (and happier) writing, which makes it easier at the end of the day to share with a nice hefty inner heart full of self confidence and worth, which makes everything easier. ❤

This is very long lol and I am SORRY -- I have a lot of opinions on this topic. If you want to chat more, DM me!

[perverse-idyll]

Fic Stats Tag Game

Rules: Give us the links to your fic with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the least words.

Thank you @danpuff-ao3 and @likelightinglass for tagging me! I've got an hour to relax, and this is just about my speed at the moment: something fun but not demanding. (One hour, my arse. It took me three days!) Who else would enjoy doing this? @ac1d6urn, @ripeteeth, @squibstress, @yletylyf?

Most Hits

The White Road, Snarry, 48K. I knew the answer to this one without having to check. TWR is my most popular fic by every metric and the one most Snarry readers know me by, not to mention it's old enough now to be a high school sophomore (or possibly an A level student). I'm happy I somehow managed to pull off a nonlinear fic, plus I was so, so in love with the Snarry ship and all its possibilities, and I think that shines through. I let myself explore Lily's character and responded in fic to the way Snape's story ended; gave Lily and Severus one last chance to face some hard truths; and - well, no need to flog it, there are just a lot of scenes in this fic that make me clutch my heart to this day. And I let myself be a bit romantic about my OTP! With a happy ending and everything! (Okay, I'm always romantic about Snarry, but you can't always tell that from my fics.)

If you have any desire to hear me natter on with more Writerly Thoughts about this fic, I recorded an interview with ChaosBlue over here: Fanfic Maverick episode 25

Second Most Kudos

Soft Touch, Snarry, ~15K. This was a sleeper hit. I never expected it to be popular, and it's not a fic people love, exactly. But the combination of mindfucky unethical massage kink plus character study brought readers to the yard - although, really, I doubt it has much to do with the "character study" part. I'm going to cheat here and borrow a bookmarker's comment to describe it: "Very sensual almost eerily so. Actually somehow slightly creepy at times yet very seductive at others. A weird read." I like how they can't seem to make up their mind! Because, yeah, IMO the appeal lies in that uncomfortable overlap between sensuality and creepiness, and the touch-starved atmosphere that hangs over it all.

Third Most Comments

The Afterlight, Snarry, WIP, currently at 46K. This is one of three melodramatic and, yes, romantic Snarry WIPs on my plate - ridiculous amounts of whump and/or emotional turmoil, plus a triple whammy of overwrought happy endings (but only after I put them through hell). Apparently after the last 10 years of Life Shite, my fannish desires are all about shameless self-indulgence now. This one has a serial killer subplot that's giving me conniptions, but I'm in love with the ending so I need the fic to get all the way there. It also ponders, in a "one dark thread running through the whole work" sense, what it means to die and come back, and I'll just say that Snape experienced death very differently than Harry did. I suspect this fic has as many comments as it does because readers were kindly encouraging me to continue after years of me not posting very much. I'm currently finishing up a Snape/McGonagall fic, but The Afterlight is next on the menu. Fourth Most Bookmarks

Warm, Snarry, ~11K. Hah! My PWP made the list! It's also a character study of Snape and Harry with an established couple dynamic, but come on, those bookmarks aren't about the settled kind of domestic bliss. They're more about the "naked by the fireside fucking each other's brains out" bliss. I wrote this fic for a prompt and to help me scrape the rust off my creative wheels after several years of writer's block. In doing so, I found that porn without plot doesn't come naturally to me. Or established relationship, either. Where's the angst? I muttered constantly to myself about the paucity of sexy anatomical slang and the problems with pacing a fairly drama-free fic. (Solution? Don't write 10K words of PWP when 3K words will do.)

Fifth Most Words

The Blood of Stars, Snarry, WIP, ~44K. This is the fic that started my journey into the melodramatic & romantic combo, but it hasn't been updated since 2014 (aka The Worst Year of My Life). However, it's alive! I've picked it up again and have been scribbling and revising scenes in between working on three other fics. This was also the start of my So What If It's Messy and Imperfect phase, which is a challenge as a perfectionist but a necessity in my current circumstances if I presume to have delusions of ever finishing anything ever again. It's a challenge in another sense, too, since I committed myself to writing Harry's section in first-person POV, just to see if I can. (The jury's still out on that.) It's also got book-ended sections written in third-person Snape (an obscure and hard-to-master dialect)(kidding), and I'm not terribly confident writing from his POV, either. But the fic's got one of those can't-stay-away-from-each-other plots (I love these), and Harry being unfaithful to Ginny (yes, I know, don't send the OOC police after me). It's full of emotional flailing and obsession and beloved characters behaving badly and Snape coming to a tragic end - but wait! There's also Love after Death and Snape having meltdowns and in the end sort of getting everything he ever wanted. In case it isn't obvious, I am wallowing like a pig in mud. I love this fic. 🥰

Fic with the Least Words

Truce, Doctor Who, Twelve/Clara, a classic drabble of 100 words. This won't make sense to anyone who hasn't seen their series arc and the last encounter between them. It's a drop in the bucket of my undying love for them, but alas, my fealty has already been pledged to my endless Snapely WIPs. But Twelve and Clara deserve so much more than I'm able to give them.

[eddiestattoos]

🍄 📚🌿

Share a headcanon for one of your favourite ships or pairings?

Oh boy. Hm. I'll say I love the idea of Chloe/Ollie and Clark/Lois babysitting for each other and those kids just. Living their best life not even bothered because they're always with some of their favourite people

What's the last thing you wrote in your notes app?

I don't use my notes app for much writing stuff, but my last note was a line from a fic I was trying to find again (I found it but I apparently did not delete the note.) Next one remotely fandom related is a series of quotes from CSI scenes (specifically Nick & Sara scenes for a series I never started before that moment faded into 911. One day I'm sure it'll come back from the war

Give some advice on writer's block and low creativity?

Gee. Hitting me with the tough ones here. Sometimes you really just have to fight for it. Find even any kind of plot point and try to work with it. It might not end the same way it started but who cares! Whatever helps! Also if you need to just put it aside and start/work on something else, do it! Try not to cave to the pressure of a certain deadline or wanting to provide for the audience. Your audience will love you no matter what and if they don't, they're not the audience you're looking for. I definitely had to not let myself feel pressured to post that Atlantis fic more consistently once I started. It's been a process. But I'm almost there.

[musicribbons]

hi! hope ur doing well, im a big fan of Pursuit and Sunflower. with the evolution and popularity of AI growing faster and stronger, what views do you have with the usage of AI in writing creative works? i.e., using it to proofread works, to give you ideas or a backbone for a story, etc--not major writing or letting it do the work for u, but giving it jobs that an editor or a person could do. im at a crossroads with that and idk how ethical or right it is, so what do you think?

Hello! I hope you're also doing well. This is going to be a little long…

This is a great question. I'm still trying to find where I stand on the ethics of using AI for work since a lot of is overhyped, environmentally destructive, and financially unsustainable. So I'll share what my current thoughts on the use of AI is. I am going to touch on how AI is used professionally before how it's used creatively though.

If you talk to anyone who runs a business or freelances, they'll say that you get to pick two: fast, quality, and cost. I've started to use AI, specifically ChatGPT, for some of my professional work. My clients demand fast and high quality work. Sometimes, the only way to close that gap and the impossible time budget expectations is to use AI.

Now how do I use AI in my work? Mostly to generate a first rough draft for whatever I'm working on. But the caveat here is that I've had to feed a lot of data and my own work into ChatGPT to finally get something close to an acceptable rough draft for me to review and refine until it's good enough for me to show my clients. Sometimes, if I need a completely different writing style, because the client wants that, I'll ask ChatGPT to do that for me. Stylistically, my professional writing is pretty technical. Sometimes, my clients want something more bubbly and exciting. ChatGPT comes in handy here, but I still need to go through everything to make sure that it has the core point and didn't make something up.

Going off on my last point, ChatGPT definitely hallucinates. I only use ChatGPT for things where I can cross-reference the source materials I'm working with and I'm personally an expert in. I can't use ChatGPT at all for any of my medical/academic projects. It just lies and makes up scholarly sources. It also fully cannot do word counts. It's incapable of it. It's so bad that sometimes it's hilarious, albeit, I get pretty frustrated with it.

At the end of the day, ChatGPT is like a keen intern that tends to work faster than a human being. However, it lacks all the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that we develop as humans. I am personally not afraid of ever being replaced by ChatGPT. My clients can try, but they'd be in a real world of hurt. I know organizations who have fired several employees thinking that AI could replace them and save money. Surprise! It couldn't replace humans, and AI is just a tool that humans created and use.

Okay, I know you were specifically asking about creative works. I personally found that AI isn't great at proof reading. You can definitely ask it on how you could improve your writing, but sometimes, it's a hit-or-miss. You still need to do the bulk of the heavy lifting and feed it a lot of your original work.

I mean, you can definitely use AI to give you ideas or an outline, because tropes are just formulaic versions of stories and characters that we've repeatedly used in our literature and creative works throughout history. But you still had to have a rough idea of what you want and create a prompt for that.

I personally think it's also fine to use if you have really bad writer's block, and you need to get unstuck. I don't think it makes you a bad writer or person for using tools at your disposal. If you're the sole creator of your writing and you're doing all the writing, it's still yours. If a friend helped you get unstuck at a plot point, would it mean your story is no longer yours? No, not really. You might give them a shoutout. (You do not need to give AI a shoutout.)

Now the ethics of how AI is being created, scraping data, and has impossible energy requirements? I have a lot of feelings about that. I just try to use AI as ethically as I can as an individual, and that includes not treating it like Google when I can use a search engine and only using it when I actually need to use it.

I hope that answers your question. It's also okay that both of us will have evolving opinions and stances on the use of AI as the tech and policy landscapes evolves. I think it's a bit early to tell how things are going to go. I just know that it's a lot of hype, and a lot of tech critics don't think the AI hype is going to last.

(I hope I don't get cancelled on Tumblr lol) There's also a great podcast interview on the "The Journal" by the Wall Street Journal who talks to Hans Zimmer about how a movie used AI to create a soundtrack that sounded like what he would've composed (but likely didn't want to or could pay for him). I really liked his perspective on the use of AI in music. It might be worth a listen!