#and I am thankful they do leave kudos and enjoy my content

[morathicain]

Okay hey, I may be grumpy and a bit whiny but really. There are new people going through all my 3wbf fics which IS an honour and I’m happy they apparently like them and enjoy them and hell, it’s my favourite fandom to write for for 4 years now and I’m always happy when new people join. But ... there’s not a single comment by them. Not ONE! And like, that’s 43 fics right now, over 200k of words and not one “hey I like this”? Nothing? I don’t expect much, but I’ve poured my damned soul into writing those and yes, I would have written them purely for myself as well (the fandom is small, let’s be honest, I don’t expect much) but is it really too much to ask for at least one comment? When you go through 43 fics by the same person, apparently enjoying their content?

Thanks for the kudos but yes, please consider leaving ��something” in the comments, no matter how basic it may seem, it will really make my day <3

@everyone who does leave comments already, thank you and I love you!

[f1fnatic]

BUT I THOUGHT SHE WAS UNFAITHFUL? ⤿ d. ricciardo 3

→ ( in which. . . ) you star in a movie as the lead actress. in said movie, you date your co-star. the fans of your boyfriend don't like the idea, so they spread rumors in response to you and your co-stars friendship. but, little do they know, it's not you they should be worried about.

→ ( fanfic genre. . . ) social media au

→ ( face claim. . . ) sydney sweeney

→ ( pairing. . . ) daniel ricciardo x actress!reader

→ ( content warnings/disclaimers. . . ) rumors of cheating, eventual cheating, cyber bullying, language, toxic fans

→ ( author's note. . . ) this was sitting in my drafts for so very long and i just finished it in class, i am so happy i am able to post something after such a long hiatus. I hope you enjoy! see end for more

─ INSTAGRAM ↴

y/nnnn

liked by glenpowell, danielricciardo, alexademie, lewishamilton and 3,126,731 others

tagged: glenpowell, sonypictures, and anyonebutyoumovie

happy to announce that anyone but you in theaters NOW! go watch it >:)

view 865,729 comments

y/nlover ugh cannot wait to watch!

alexademie pretty pretty girl

y/nnnn all you lexie :(

danielricciardo so unbelievably proud of you roo ��️

y/nnnn thank you badger ☹️

glenpowell such an honor to work with you!

y/nnnn i can say the same!

y/nhater don't you think that her and glen are too close to be co-stars?

y/nhater2 i'm thinking the same thing there's no way she didn't cheat

y/nfan wtf are u talking ab? y/n would NOT do that to danny they are happy together

lewishamilton free tickets 👀

landonorris 👀

maxverstappen1 👀

charles_leclerc 👀

y/nnnn sonypictures what do you think?

sonypictures I'm sure we can work something out.

danielricciardo

liked by y/nnnn, glenpowell, landonorris, scottyjames31, and 3,421,874 others

tagged: y/nnnn

words cannot express how proud i am of you, my love. you have poured so much blood, sweat, and tears into this movie. i know it has been hard, especially the long shoot hours, the frantic facetimes in between scenes can vouch for that and so can the texts. i will definitely miss the on-set pictures/updates.

i love you so much y/n. i don't know how i could be any prouder. p.s. i better get a private showing if you know what i mean 😉

view 831,341 comments

landonorris gross there are children on this app

hunterschafer cutie pies

zendaya is that blond single?

danielricciardo not atm no get in line

y/nnnn danny be nice.

danielricciardo sry love 🫡

y/nfan LMAO

georgerussell63 get a room 🤮

drlover she is such a slut

alexademie actual goals

y/nnnn awe danny i love you too

y/nnnn definitely NOT crying right now!!!

lewishamilton she is lying she facetimed me SOBBING

y/nnn i called you in CONFIDENCE. CONFIDENCE LEWIS.

y/nnnn you are the sweetest, most supportive person i have ever met. i could not have gotten through this without you ❤

danielricciardo there is no one else i rather support ❤

y/ndanny they are meant for each other

y/nhater what a fucking whore

y/ndanny2 the best couple

─ TWITTER ↴

─ IMESSAGE ↴

─ TWITTER ↴

imessage ↴

—————————————————————

Unknown Contact i stole ur mans 😜

—————————————————————

lexieee 😚 i am so so sorry my love, he didnt deserve you ❤️

—————————————————————

Lando Norris He treated you like shit anyways

—————————————————————

alrighty, finished! thank you so much for reading, so sorry for the radio silence, ive been super unmotivated and consumed with school 💔 anyways, requests and feedback are welcome! make sure to leave a comment and kudos as well (only if you want :P)

[pfhwrittes]

Heeeeyyyyy p. I am an awkward soul with an awkward question, but how does ao3 work? I noticed a lot of writers are speaking of migrating there and doing things that I don’t quite understand LMAO. I tried looking into the website but honestly, it seems so daunting and I am a terrified chicken who would rather recede into the pits of hell than do something “wrong” on that website.

I dunno if you are the right person to request of this, but you are always so kind when answering questions so i figured who else is better than to scream into the void at?

Pls disregard if you aren’t interested in answering/don’t feel like it!

Have a great day/night/evening/tea time 😽

hi anon! don't feel bad for reaching out, one of my favourite things in the world is showing people how to do things (you know that chill coworker who goes "okay, so i do it like this..." when they show you things? that's who i want to be in the world). if my handy guide doesn't make sense to you, please please please feel free to come back and ask clarifying questions and i'll wrack my brain on how best to help you!

i'd be remiss if i didn't point you in the direction of AO3's guide on how to search and browse the archive first of all. it's a bit wordy so if that isn't to your liking i've made a little video below the cut on how to use ao3 on a laptop below the cut:

Warnings for potential flickering, scrolling motions and flashing.

[ID: A 3 minute video with no audio showing a basic guide on how to use AO3. /END ID]

so that's a pretty bare bones way of using ao3 as non-member!

step 1: search for the fandom you want to explore.

step 2: use the drop down menu to tailor your fanwork selection to something you might want to read by using the filters on the right hand side.

tags are the ingredient list of what you can expect to find in a fic, you can also search by using the tags if there's something in particular you've taken a fancy to (or you can use the "exclude" button to avoid seeing it - just like i excluded konig from my selections).

the rating system is used to filter out mature content, if you click on something rated M, E or Not Rated you should get a little warning at the top advising you that the work you're about to view may include adult content and you agree that you wish to see that content.

step 3: check the tags and summary to see what piques your interest (in my case i chose @boolger 's "a love letter to gaz" because i thought it was fitting).

step 4: click on your desired fic or fanwork and enjoy!

step 5: leave a kudos AND a comment (it doesn't have to be lengthy, it can be a little note to say "i loved this! thank you for writing it!) when you're done.

i recommend asking for an invite to join ao3 so you can see all the lovely archive locked fanworks (fanworks that are hidden from non-members) like mine! it doesn't take long to get an invitation and you can still browse the archive as a non-member in the meantime.

anyway, i hope this helped just a little bit for you anon.

[chronically-ghosted]

i totally agree that it’s ridiculous for people to write fics for films that haven’t been released yet, but the problem isn’t the smut itself. people have every right to write porn if that scratches the itch.

i think your main point is the most important: it’s impossible to write a thoughtful, inspired fic when we don’t even know the story it’s based on. no one knows who this character is or what he’s like.

at this point, everyone should just call a spade a spade and write pedro rpf. all they care about is seeing his face in different situations.

so my earlier post was not so much a statement on Pedro Pascal Character fanfiction/porn, but the commercialization of art and I interpreted the thoughts and opinions of others through the lens of the medium I most often express myself with, which is fanfiction.

let me be clear: i have no problem with smut - pwp or otherwise. people are allowed to write whatever they want, about whoever they want, with whatever tropes make them happy.

my overall focus (and granted it was probably very muddled by the end of those - what, like three reblogs?) was an interrogation of fanfiction as art, and the state of art in this modern era. and after doing some more thinking and listening to more people much smarter than me (thank you to everyone who dm-ed me directly to talk further about this), my opinion is thus: the creation of content (not art) is more ubiquitous today is not because we are getting more stupid as a society, not because of our failing attention spans, not because we are on the brink of moral collapse but because we physically do not have the mental strength to be intellectually curious as a direct result of constant, distracting, emotionally-draining stimuli.

i can explain what i mean below the cut with two primary examples, specifically regarding the shift in fanfiction cult, and yes, the prominence of smutty oneshots in the pedro pascal character fandom of which this blog is a part of.

I have been in various fandoms for almost twenty years. I have been writing fanfiction for almost that same amount of time. In recent years, I've noticed two trends that initially discouraged me, but that I now believe is a symptom of our adjustment to a modern, constantly online era.

A severe lack of engagement within the artistic artifacts of a fandom

The quality of the fanfiction itself (because yes I do consider fanfiction to be an artform) has gone down hill - mostly.

Lack of engagement:

Art is inherently created to be shared. This is especially true for fandom because the community lives or dies by how many people are interacting with each other and sharing ideas (news, theories, fanart, fanfic, etc). If you say a fandom is dead, it means there haven't been any new posts or fic about it in years. So I don't wanna hear it when people say, "oh write for yourself, you shouldn't be chasing engagement" because that is antithetical to the very concept of fanfiction.

In recent years, I have seen and experienced myself engagement in my work only so far as a like or kudo. This is not how it used to be. Message boards (yes I am that old) and niche fandom sites were constantly abuzz with media sharing and excitement, and everyone enjoyed some version of praise (unless you got hit by the antis but they're never fun anyway). Initially I blamed this drop in engagement on laziness: people just want the next thing, they can't be bothered to appreciate the hard work writers put in and they just see content and art as the same thing - stuff to consume.

But I myself am GUILTY of minimal reblogs and comments and I LOVE what I'm writing - the impact certain works leave me with is long, long lasting but for some goddamn reason, I can't sit down and praise the author's works. Am I lazy? Possibly, but this is also not an isolated behavior and it's on the rise: people do not have time to engage with fandom/fanfic like they used to. Most people I know have worked at least two or three jobs at some point in their lives to just to make rent. This gen z is the first generation in DECADES to be worse off economically than their parents. With an interest rate at 8%, who the fuck can afford the security of a home anymore? We work ourselves to the bone for scraps and the realization that The Dream has officially died. And so what do we want to do in the free time we do have? Engage with the very bare minimum. We want to read things that we can at best skim, things we don't have to think about or engage with in any meaningful way. We want a way to turn off the noise of the next apocalypse and sometimes the best we can do is the tap of a thumb.

Which brings me to my next point: what the fuck happened to thoughtful fanfiction?

But this question is inextricably linked to the points above: oneshots are easier to write, faster to write, and if you write fic that is basically "Mad libs porn" (without ever engaging in the actual medium because it is literally not released yet), you are doing the most minimal work for the most amount of engagement. But I can't fault ANYONE for doing that. It feels good to be told your smut is "so hot" or "this exploded my panties" and in this era where the time available to create is so fucking small and minimized of course you're going to write for the most popular character, whether or not you're interested in the source material because we want our art to matter to someone. Intellectual pundits loooove to lambast our "shorter attention spans" but fuck, when are we allowed the time to think - in between this "100 year storm" that's happened twice in the past five years, or the global pandemic that turned millions of deaths into a political punching bag, or the next video of a white woman crying wolf to the police over an innocent black man, or - or - or - or

In a day where reality and the world as we know seems to be holding onto a thread, we turn to comfort: comforting tropes (dbf to rape/kidnap fantasies), comforting fanfic (pwp), and comforting ways to engage with fandom. There is nothing wrong with wanting your art to be appreciated and there's nothing wrong with inherently wrong with pwp - but I do believe its symptomatic of a MUCH larger and more sinister movement within ALL art right now.

I come from the generation who banished fanfic authors for scrubbing off the filing numbers to their fics and publishing it as original content because, in our communities, they were selling out. Fanfiction is inherently an act of rebellion. Every time you write fanfiction you break canon, an established structure with its own rules and boundaries. So by trying to appeal to the masses, to curb your own writing to fit whatever is mainstream, you are doing a disservice to yourself AND to the art of fanfiction. If something you write becomes popular, wonderful, great, you are very lucky and there is nothing wrong with that either. But do not sell out your 13 beloved fans who WILL take the time to leave a comment, who WILL take the time to reblog because your weird little fic spoke to them on a fundamental level and now is with them for the rest of their lives - in favor of a 100 thumb taps.

If you've made it here, thank you very much for reading. I've added some links to some additional references to see how this concept of "populist" art is having a serious negative down turn in the quality of art, but is also not any one individuals personal failings:

Why the world is addicted to background tv by Kayleigh Day

How Modern Audience are failing cinema by Like Stories of Old

Rupi Kaur episode of Rehash podcast

I'm always here to talk fic and art and what makes you excited about your writing. Much love and please rest. We need you here.

[50shadesofoctarine]

Why you should write that AO3 comment:

Hello! I am an AO3 author and professional fandom dipshit. This is an "essay" on why you should leave that comment on the fanfic you just read.

Table of Contents:

"Commenting is too much effort!"

"I don't know what to write!"

Do you want more fanfic?

Fan creators are human beings, not AI content generators.

You can count it as charity work on your metaphysical taxes.

"Commenting is too much effort!"

Yes, writing a comment takes energy. I'm an introvert, I get that. I have two counter arguments to this point.

AO3 comments are not the SAT:

This is a comment from my latest fic, Quantum Entangled.

Three words and a heart. It requires zero consideration, it isn't specific to the fic, it's something you could copy-paste, even. A comment like this is better than nothing. I'll let my reply from AO3 explain why:

"You know what, I appreciate this way more than you'd probably expect. The temptation to lurk is a strong one, both for social anxiety reasons and internet content-consumption culture reasons. But when people lurk, I can't tell that they've enjoyed the story. The more people that lurk instead of interacting, the more I assume that my work wasn't good enough, irrespective of the reader's actual feelings. So this was a very welcome comment to read. Thank you for indicating your enjoyment. I will endeavour to write more stuff for you to lurk on in the future. :)"

A comment like this, one that is as thoughtless and low effort as possible, is still a comment. Something that denotes a reader's interest. Because, and I can't be clear enough about this, I HAVE NO OTHER WAY OF KNOWING THAT YOU LIKED IT. Kudos and comments are my only window into the reader's experience.

Sure, I'd love more detailed and thorough comments on my work, but, if that expectation is the thing that's going to stop you from commenting at all, I'd prefer the bland copy-paste appreciation.

Onto my second argument.

Do you know what also takes effort? WRITING THE DAMN FIC:

You do not get to complain about being forced to type a congratulatory handful of words after reading that 200k slow-burn fantasy au. Do you know how many hours went into that thing? Do you? Because I can guarantee that it was A LOT. All that writers are asking for is a single emoji. A kudos, at the very least. Consider the effort that went into the creation that you've just experienced and give just a thimble full of it back.

Authors lay out a feast for you to devour. They're only requesting a "thank you".

"I don't know what to write!"

Like in the previous example, an AO3 comment can be as simple as three words saying that you appreciated it. Just an acknowledgement that you were there. It doesn't have to be fancy.

But if you want fancy...?

Here's one of my comments, from Tishae's Better Together.

Let me break it down for you.

"Stunning. This au is so well developed. I love how you managed to maintain tension after the point that they discover that their feelings are requited. This was brilliantly paced, and the action (esp the ending) was so engaging."

The comment opens with appreciation. (Think of it as a sandwich with love as the bread. It starts and ends with my enjoyment.)

There are specific details about what I liked.

"If I may ask, what was the crime that the Metatron committed? Maybe I'm bad at reading between the lines or maybe I missed something, but I'm really curious as to what dirt they have on him. Victimless? Bad enough for imprisonment, but not so morally reprehensible as to make Anathema reveal it? Did he embezzle? That's all I can really think of."

Continues with a specific question about the story and plot.

Shows that I was critically engaged and actively considering the story.

You don't have to have questions about every fic that you read, but don't be afraid to ask them if you do. I love it when people ask me about my work.

"Thank you for the delicious food. I honestly thought that you were going to have Crowley's final look be something in grey (black and white being the theme of the show, metaphorically representing separation/binary, so Aziraphale was uncomfortable with it due to the implications. Grey, symbolising unity/shades of grey as an idiom, would then be the biggest middle finger to the Metatron) but I do really like what you came up with."

Gratitude.

Thoughts about how I read the plot. (This is something I particularly love to read as an author. Please tell me what's going on in that funky lil' brain of yours!!)

"I'm hoping this comment provides plenty of dopamine. If the task activation and instant gratification parts of your brain light up, you might be more likely to write GO content again. Love your work, thanks for sharing it. I hope you gain 3 inches of metaphorical dick length. Please keep writing."

Encouragement to keep writing. (This is the best way to ensure that creators remain in the fandom)

A funny comment to sign off.

Now that you know what to comment, let's start on the real reasons why you should.

Do you want more fanfic?

Fun fact! Fanfictious Authoria are a species that sustain themselves entirely on a diet of brain worms, unfinished WIPs, and kudos. As one of the three fundamental food groups, removing kudos from the fandom ecosystem causes a complete collapse of the natural order. In times of unprecedented scarcity, entire populations of Fanfictious Authoria can die out completely. This means that the production of fanfiction, in that particular region of fandom, stops entirely, often causing major ecological damage, and the subsequent deaths of fan species in the same genus. (Like the Fanfictious Artia, or the Fanfictious Editour, both of which subsist on fanfiction based diets to survive.)

In conservation efforts, experts are imploring readers to donate kudos and comments toward any fandom region that they want to stay alive.

But I digress.

When I want more content, I tell the author. Ask and you shall receive; it's the best way to convince an author/artist to make more.

My comment on @mrghostrat's And They Were Streamers

You liked it? Then COMMENT! Not for the author's sake, but for your own. You want to see the ending of a WIP? Well, it'd be a terrible shame if the author gave up on it because they thought no one was reading... They don't know that you enjoy their work until you TELL THEM. They're not psychic, you have to help them hear you. Commenting on the things you like influences the creators of said things to attribute the act of making content (and, notably, making the type of content that specifically appeals to you) with the dopamine hit of reading your reaction. Treat them like Pavlov's dogs. Ring the kudos-bell.

Fan creators are human beings, not AI content generators.

They have real human feelings and real human egos. The contemporary attitude towards media engagement is skewed towards algorithmic, instant, and uncritical consumption. This is pumping straight gasoline into the beautiful lakes of our fandom ecosystem. Fandom cannot afford to treat its creators like mechanical text generators. We are not an unfeeling assembly line, only there to produce content. We are enthusiasts, engaging in our hobby. No fan creator has to show you anything. They are fully within their rights to keep their works hidden in their computer files, never to see the light of day. Every fanfic on AO3 is only there because someone had the grace to share it with you. You are not entitled to an author's work, just as they are not entitled to your kudos. We have a mutually beneficial arrangement. Do not forget your part in this symbiosis.

It's a problem that extends beyond AO3. Tumblr is a less enthusiastic place than it used to be. Fandom as a whole is drifting towards a consumption mindset. I, for one, am sick of it. Reblog things, like them, share them. Make fanart of fanart. Who gives a shit? Do the cringy thing. You don't have to cultivate your blog aesthetic. Be who you are, like what you like, and have enthusiasm about all of it. Fandom should be an expression of radical self acceptance. Embrace it. Leave essays about fics that you liked. Reblog the essays of other's when you see them. Exist in the mutual joy of seeing and being seen. You are not just an external observer, absorbing content from a distance. You are here too. Wave back at us. Say 'hi.'

You can count it as charity work on your metaphysical taxes.

My final appeal is a moral one.

Commenting on AO3 is just a kind thing to do.

You are your actions. Are you the kind of person who does the kind thing when no one is watching? When no one will care?

Fanfiction is a hobby, and I'm not here to guilt you about how you spend your leisure time. I'm only here to say that there is a kindness you could be giving the world.

If you are one of the people that performs this kindness, I thank you.

[surr3al1sm]

I just wanted to come on here and make a little celebration post because Maybe Loving You is Dangerous has officially hit 100 kudo's! That number is like genuinely insane to me because I was expecting it to get like 30, max. I cannot believe it oh my god. I'm so grateful for everyone that has read my fic so far, that has left a kudo's, that has left a comment. It all really means the world to me, thank you so much. I truly wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you guys. I'm so happy you enjoyed the story so far, and I'm so excited for what's coming next because I get to have some fun. I hope you guys will like it! Now, surpisingly or not, I am very bad at talking about myself and my accomplishments. And since it's my celebration post I get to do what I want. Today that is being nice to some other writers. So I decided to leave a little note to the authors that inspired me to write and actually publish this fic under the cut. (So if you got tagged, that might be why). Feel free to read these notes if you want to, it's truly just me being an insufferable fanboy. If you did not get tagged, but we are mutuals (or friends) just know that you might have also had a role in the inspiration and motivation departments of this fic.

A note to @halfratsalready: I'm sure this comes as a surpise to no one, and I warned you I was going to tag you in something. But yeah, being very real and sappy with you: you're like one of my biggest inspirations for this. I was, and still am, absolutely enamored by the Lose Yourself series. I honestly feel confident enough to say that its my favourite Just Dance fic, ever. It's genuinely so well written and you executed everything so perfectly. I loved inserting it into my weekly schedule and I felt so inspired to write afterwards. I'm going to be a little sneaky and say that the whole reason I started even thinking about possibly writing a pre-canon fic. So truly, MLYiD owes Lose Yourself it's life. I joke around sometimes and call you my target audience, but honestly? You are. Everything I write is with your enjoyment in mind. I really do catch myself thinking "I hope Oboe likes this" while writing lol. I will forever be your nbr 1 fanboy, and I am so glad that we're friends. I wouldn't have it any other way.

A note to @libra-cant-just-dance: Hello there! You're the only one in here I haven't talked to, but I still wanted to tag you and tell you how much I love your fic. The Tainted City was such a great fic. I loved the plot and your story telling and the way you describe things is just so amazing. I really look up to it. The Tainted City was a bigger inspiration for my other fic than for this one, but honestly without it I doubt I would have ever started posting fics. So really, I owe you one at this point. Your fics are amazing and I cannot wait to see what you end up doing with Mirrored Walls!

A note to @lightning-and-sparks: Thorns was the first Just Dance fanfic I have ever read, and it will always be one of my favourites. I genuinely enjoy the story and you're such a good author as well. I'm so glad it's back and that I get to read weekly updated for it again. As you know, it is a very big inspiration for MLYiD and I might have accidentally stolen a few things from it but that was all in good faith and because it was all so good that I just had to. Keep it up, I need infinite Throns content (please.)

[anincompletelist]

happy rwrb thanksgiving! :D

in honor of how ridiculously grateful I am for the space and community this fandom has brought to my life, I wanted to create something to give back in the lead up to thanksgiving!

below the cut you'll find an (incomplete) list of ways that you can support the writers and artists that continue to give us such wonderful content. <3

+

firstly, of course, you can support casey + the crew by streaming the film or buying the book!

ways to support writers/fics:

(on ao3) ☆ subscribe to the author ☆ leave kudos ☆ leave a comment ☆ bookmark + add a nice comment in the bookmarkers tags (they're public!) ☆ check the recent works for the fandom to find some lesser known works + subscribe to the pairing for notifications ☆ if you don't like/agree with something or don't have something nice to say, kindly press the back button ☆ this is a good source for other ao3 related support! ☆ this is a good source for learning how to compose comments on ao3!

(on tumblr) ☆ reblog the author's fic posts ☆ leave nice comments in the tags ☆ send a nice ask/anon about their work ☆ create a fic rec list ☆ comment underneath the post ☆ follow their blog for updates/etc. ☆ follow the tags you're interested in to stay updated on the latest works ☆ once again, if you don't have anything nice to say, you can always choose not to interact with the content! be kind!

ways to support artists/artwork:

☆ purchase from their shops (if they have one!) ☆ commission them (if they accept custom orders!) ☆ 'buy them a coffee' / donate to their ko-fi (if applicable) ☆ reblog/retweet/share their art on whatever platform they post on (but do NOT repost/remove watermark/etc.) ☆ reach out to the artist to find out how you can best support them ☆ follow their accounts to stay updated when they post new pieces! ☆ talk about what you liked in the tags or in a comment/message ☆ if you don't like the art/etc., kindly scroll past!

self-promo:

☆ reblog/re-share your own art/writing to make sure it reaches different time zones and demographics ☆ make sure you're tagging your fics and art accordingly to reach your target audience ☆ interact with your readers/viewers for more engagement ☆ get involved in tag games etc. here on tumblr ☆ join (or create!) fests and challenges that you and other writers/artists can take part in ☆ support others in return & be kind!

--

feel free to reblog and add your own ideas if I missed any! there are a million ways to show appreciation, but this is a good start!

no matter why you're here -- whether you're an author, an artist, any other kind of creator, or someone who enjoys the art created by them, publicly or privately, you play such an important role and are actively making this space an uplifting, inspiring community to be a part of. thank you, and continue to create, support, and be kind to one another! :D

I hope you're all having a lovely week, and happy early thanksgiving!

-- anincompletelist / sarah

[twotangledsisters]

You’re awesome for posting fic updates not only consistently, but daily! Any tips for keeping up with writing?

Thank you so much! I love updates and writing being a part of my routine and I'm glad other people enjoy it too!

And sure, I can think of some tips:

First, there's a mixture of inspiration and forcefulness. I remember when I was really little I read a post somewhere about how if you want to take something seriously, you have to take it seriously on the days when you're inspired and on the days you're not. That changed how I treat art forever!

But years and years later I learnt a more important lesson, to never overlook the power of inspiration.

It's through a mixture of both that I can really keep up with writing. If I only wrote when inspired, sooner or later I'd get a loooong writing block that would leave me simply paralysed. But I'll often do the 'just one chapter' method, and often writing just a few paragraphs will get me back into the flow. But if I'm still very blocked after a chapter, that's fine.

But if I am inspired, I will follow that. Even if it takes my story in weird directions that weren't planned! A good example is that Caine rescuing Cass in the final S1 fic wasn't planned, she wasn't planned to come along in S2 and certainly did not expect her to fall in love... A lot of their scenes came from me writing while inspired.

Now, stuff such as Eugene's near death in S1 finale, the way Koto framed him, the way Cass had to deal with accusations of witchcraft, those stuff were planned way ahead of time!

It's really important to keep that balance, to have plans and also leave room for inspiration to run wild!

An added bonus, if you feel an intense desire to go write a fic that's completely different to the one you're trying to work on, just let inspiration win. I was struggling a bit with the 'Day of Animals' arc in tangled sisters the other day, then I got the urge to do a little Cass oneshot, so I wrote the oneshot in one sitting and have had zero issues writing since.

Sometimes you can unblock writing block with MORE writing! As long as you're letting inspiration guide you.

Second is to take breaks! I update every day but I do not write every day. I write a few times a week and usually have at least one really long session!

One of my currently updating fics 'Always By Your Side' I wrote half of it in like a week, took a few months break, then wrote the rest and started publishing!

Sometimes long breaks can really help. I've taken several long breaks with Tangled Sisters.

Third is stay ahead. With 'Always By Your Side' I have it completely written so I just proof read on the day of upload. Tangled Sisters I keep track of in Notion:

Look how cute my fanfic section is!

I'm usually at least 30 chapters ahead but I did take a writing break recently. Soon as I get the next arc done I expect to be well ahead again.

Fourth, motivation! This one isn't entirely your control, but a huge factor for keeping up is just that I'm super motivated! I can thank the amazing people who comment every day, those who comment occasionally, those who leave kudos or send nice asks like this one!

It does sooo much to make me smile and excited for the stories I'm telling.

And if you look at my fanfic section of notion, I have that little box titled kind words, the content actually changed every time I reload the page, it's linked to a little table where I keep track of all the kind words regarding my fics that I've gotten on Ao3 and tumblr! (I also have several bits of fanart by the amazing @rebecagpfs in that page who I cannot thank enough!!!)

So, although you don't have full control over motivation, having a notebook to collect those kind words can help!

Fifth would be talk to people. Have at least one person who's cool with spoilers cause brainstorming is just easier with somebody else! For me @the-writer1988 has got me through sooo many writer's blocks! Often times I just ramble at her until the problem resolves itself, other times it'd be a more active back and forth. But writing friends supporting each other, always great!

And hey, to anybody who wants to ramble about their fics to me I'm always open! I love hearing about people's fics and am huge on the writer supporting writers sorta mentality!

Sixth is just have fun! If you enjoy what you're writing it's going to be sooo much easier than if you don't.

I do want to point out though, every writer's different! I can sit down and write 10k words in one sitting, but a lot of people can't, just like I need five hour to do a drawing many artists can do in an hour.

Writing is an art and you get faster with experience.

Also, I do daily updates because I adore consistency! Having that routine is amazing for me and I think it's lovely for some readers. But I also accomplish that via very short chapters! Sometimes as short as just 600-700 words. Many authors opt for longer chapters that upload weekly but there still writing the same amount!

So yeah, I do hope this helped!

Thank you so much for the ask :D And if anything didn't make sense, please tell me, it's almost 1am here I just noticed but I really wanted to answer this before bed!

[berlynn-wohl]

i wonder if you plan to continue the adventures of sir loren and sir aiken. it is probably the loveliest thing ive ever read on ao3. took me nearly a year to read it all, but every word of it was 10000% worth savoring. i just wanted to say i adore those not so little guys and wish you the best.

Thank you so much for taking the time -- I am thrilled whenever anyone lets me know that they have enjoyed the adventures of The Gay Knights Who Solve Mysteries And Are Gay.

So, I actually have two more stories in mind, one 100% sketched out (i.e. I know what will happen in the beginning, middle, and end) and one maybe 50% sketched out (I know how they get into trouble but I haven't figured out how they get out yet).

As for "will I actually write them," I'm sure I will eventually. But when you're writing OCs, you have to rely far more on internal motivation -- readers are just not going to get as excited about OCs as they are about fanfic, so when you post content about your OCs, you have to accept that after working for weeks on a 30-50k story, you will get fewer comments, fewer kudos, fewer hits. And having been in fandom for over 20 years, I've gotten used to the external motivation.

(Also I have a million hobbies, so sometimes I won't write for eight months, and then I'll suddenly be like "hmm what if I wrote forty thousand words RIGHT NOW")

However, your Ask has reminded me that people did indeed enjoy those stories, and did leave some lovely comments, and there are folks who would appreciate my adding to the Loren/Aiken omnibus. I'll see what I can do, just because you asked so nicely. ;)

And for anyone reading this who is not already familiar with Sir Loren and Sir Aiken's adventures, here is a gorgeous cover by the amazing Max Kennedy to give you an idea of the vibe:

[zablife]

1.8K Follower Celebration

Hello lovelies, I am sharing this a bit late bc life has been busy, but I've reached 1.8K followers and wanted to say thank you! It means so much to me when people read and reblog/comment on my fics and moodboards! This will be the laziest celebration I've ever hosted bc I won't actually be writing anything...and neither will you. If you're curious what will be happening, keep reading.

I'm tired of seeing lovely content go to waste on this platform after as little as a week! This is your chance to share a beloved work that didn't get the kudos it deserved. How to participate:

❧Via ask, send me the link to one fic of yours that you'd like to breathe life into and let's get it circulating again for others to enjoy!

❧Do it quickly tho bc I'll post a complete list on 22 May so I don't get overwhelmed with a reading list I can't finish in a timely manner.

❧Since I'd like to read some unfamiliar work, please check to see if I've read it. I ALWAYS reblog with a comment so it should be easy to find out if I've seen it.

❧I like attention too (obvs) so I invite you to dig into my back catalogue and leave some love in the form of a reblog or comment. I'll adore you forever 💕

❧ Happy reading!

Tagging some v talented moots: @runnning-outof-time, @shelbydelrey, @raincoffeeandfandoms, @cillmequick, @theshelbyclan, @look-at-the-soul, @solomons-finest-rum, @dearshelby, @murderousginger, @noforkingclue, @gypsy-girl-08, @huntingingoodwill, @peakyswritings, @mythos-writes, @notyour-valentine, @evita-shelby, @toms-cherry-trees, @moral-terpitude, @little-diable, @pherelesytsia, @areyenotfondofmelobster, @dandelionprints, @hb-writes, @buttercupsandboys, @justlulu, @dreamlandcreations, @l1-l4, @writeroutoftime, @teenwolf-theoriginals, @amysteryspot, @call-sign-shark, @madame-wilsonn, @the-makingsofgreatness, @flysafepapi, @theshelbyslimited, @potter-solomons, @findinghisredrighthand, @shelbywhiterose, @multifandomwriter56, @there-goes-thefighter, @hecatemoon87, @midnightmagpiemama, @midnightswithdearkatytspb, @mgcldydrms, @pacifymebby, @shelby-fangirl00, @brummiereader, @peakyltd, @jomarch-wannabe

[servetolive]

This was touched upon in a previous post of mine but I decided I wanted to elaborate.

So I'm in a smaller fandom (sort of, I don't have any friends engaging with me over it) and writing niche stuff that I'm very proud of. It's honestly my best work. Unlike my previous major project it has received little traction.

And that's fine. This has forced me to write *for myself* only without expecting feedback and dopamine and I am finally there. I am having the greatest time writing this.

But you have no idea how much it makes my day when someone DOES comment. It means I'm seen. I want to see my readers, too, because it means there's someone out there that I can relate to in the crazy world of derivative fiction and smut.

There's a lot of complaints about people not commenting, which are valid and true. It's a little ridiculous when your story receives a million kudos but no other social feedback.

But I'm going to go out on a limb and say this:

Everything is so isolated these days and revolves around popular fanartists, that there really is no longer a sense of fandom community in the welcoming way it existed before. It's worse for writers. Unless we can draw, we can't compete with visual artists and even though many hundreds of readers spend time with our stories and characters, they have dick to say about it.

It is extremely painful for many to spend so much hard work on something and get 500 kudos and 5 comments. Social anxiety shouldn't be an excuse on the fucking internet, but it is, and here is why:

Many writers do not respond to comments at all. I can't tell you how many times I poured my heart out to a writer about how deeply their story touched me and received NOTHING in response. Everything in human society is give or take. So if you're not acknowledging a compliment from someone, why the fuck should they say anything to you at all? This practice has led MANY commenters too scared to comment because of rejection by someone they look up to.

Commenting is already putting a reader in a vulnerable place and if writers don't appreciate that they've come to YOU, to compliment you on something you worked hard on that struck a chord with them, and you don't respond with even a "thank you!" it leaves such a shitty feeling behind. It's also rude as fuck.

"Guess they don't care that I love this thing they spent so much effort on." Even I, who loves doing long, gushing, analytical comments, have stopped because of the lack of response when I take the time out of my busy day to write a detailed comment about how much I love this work.

There is a horrible stench of consumerism in fandom at current. "U create, I enjoy." there's not much exchange of information or love or creativity. Social media culture has destroyed that and facilitated putting certain content creators on a pedastal, while ignoring others. Writers that don't engage with their audiences when it's as simple as a reply button *make people not want to share their love for your work.*

I don't know why that is. I don't get it. "I'm too busy" bitch you weren't too busy to write that fic and enjoy the dopamine the comments gave you when you opened up your email and saw comments on AO3. I cannot fathom someone telling me that they love what I put my heart and soul into and stonewalling or ignoring them. It comes off as "yeah, I know 💅🏿💅🏾 💅🏽 💅🏼"

I'm old enough to have figured out to write for the pleasure of it and not chase dopamine from others (that gives ppl control over your emotions and your story). But it's bittersweet. Nobody wants to put their blood sweat and tears into something to see this kudos- comment-hits ratio. (half of the comments are my responses)

The point of writing is to share something with your readers and explore the human condition through a story that the reader can be a part of. This is hard to do, and we're not making money off of it. Just like readers need to comment if they want to see more of something from an author, fanfiction writers should show some appreciation for the people that gas us up.

They're kind of the reason we're doing this, otherwise we'd just live in our heads without the bother or writers block, being late to work because of a chapter we became obsessed with, or getting over the anxiety of posting something that came from you, that others may not enjoy.

You post your shit to be seen. It's hard to be seen these days in the Internet Age. So, if people see you, you should at least thank them.

/tedtalk

[bookwormbynight]

Having a following on the internet is probably one of the strangest things - if not the strangest thing - I've ever had to adjust to. My Tumblr account was a blank slate that hadn't followed a single person or liked a single post until July of this year. I posted bad fanfiction that got fifty views and five kudos since I was twelve that nobody noticed or cared when I orphaned or deleted. I was a fly on the wall for the vast majority of my life.

I wouldn't say I'm famous now, but I'm aware I have eyes on me. I have 70 followers, I get regular feedback on thoughts I used to text to my four irl friends who would have rolled their eyes and moved on, I get people asking my opinion on things or using my platform to share theirs because that's a legitimate avenue now, I get dms I'd never gotten before in my life, people asking me for things, I have people scrutinizing my actions and my moral character (I, a stranger on the internet), I have people recognizing my old comments from years ago and getting excited now, and I have people telling me that I caused in them the exact reactions I used to have that made me want to do this in the first place.

This isn't a complaint or a brag or a "I'm leaving" post, to be clear. I just think it's nuts. Do you guys have any idea how much this experienced has changed me, the habits I have, the way I view myself? This is my hobby.

My ego has swollen and my anxiety has heightened and I have to teach myself how to be a person in an entirely new plane of existence, and god, that is weird.

And I'm sure many of you can relate to that! I'm not special! Pretty much all of the people I regularly interact with also post content, oftentimes getting reactions far larger than mine, and it's almost like friends but also not because I don't know you and you don't know me and if I fuck up you don't know if that's a part of who I am or a mistake I made, because I haven't done, maybe can't do, anything to give you a foundation of trust in the public square. We're a community of strangers on display for everyone to see.

Is this something possible to explain to someone who has never experienced it? Would I have understood before I knew? It doesn't matter. I would have done it anyway.

Tumblr life aside, I started writing because I wanted to be able to replicate the emotions that stories gave me. When I became obsessed, or cried, or jumped up and down, or threw my phone at the wall all because of something that does not actually exist - isn't that just incredible? Those memories of mine? Those feelings? Imagine being able to pass it on, to give that gift to someone else, I've done that.

Twelve year old me would have died if she saw where she would be in six years.

Thank you so much, sincerely, to everyone who's let me know they enjoyed one of my fics. Go write your own, write another one. Give me those feelings, accomplish that. And I'm sending love.

[f1fnatic]

XNDA ⤿ l. hamilton 44

→ ( in which. . . ) you, a famous musician, release a new album with an unknown feature. you both post suspicious photos of random people on your respective social medias. your fans start to connect you with a highly decorated formula one driver.

→ ( part. . . ) 1 of 2

→ ( fanfic genre. . . ) social media au

→ ( face claim. . . ) christina aguilera

→ ( pairing. . . ) lewis hamilton x singer!reader

→ ( content warnings/disclaimers. . . ) fluff, setting the plot

→ ( author's note. . . ) this is my first ever social media au, it was super fun to mess around with this fic. i hope you enjoy! see end for more.

→ ( masterlist )

─ INSTAGRAM ↴

y/nmusic

liked by theweeknd, lewishamilton, pharell and 2,873,409 others

y/music i am so excited to announce my 8th studio album liberation! i have worked so hard to produce this and had so much fun creating this album.

i would like to thank everyone who featured in these songs, you were all such a joy to work with! i would also like to thank my person for being my rock and helping me when i felt that this project was not moving/going anywhere, i love you so much <3

view 584,893 comments

user5 so excited!!

user17 mother is mothering

pharell it was a pleasure to work with you liked by y/nmusic

f1lover lewis is lurking...

lewishamilton cannot wait to listen 🖤

f1ishamilton THE HEART???

roscoe4ever EXCUSE ME??? WHAT IS THIS?

user12 who is the "rock"...

user29 "my person" ???!!!?!?!?!

gwenstefani so so so proud of u ❤ liked by y/nmusic

─ TWITTER ↴

─ INSTAGRAM ↴

y/nmusic

📍 brackley, england

liked by lewishamilton, pharrell, taylorswift, gwenstefani and 3,173,562 others

y/nmusic a weekend away ❤️

view 298,754 comments

user4 hope you had fun!!

y/nmusic i did thank you 🫶🏻

user4 OH MY GOD Y/N???

f1lvr lewis is lurking AGAIN.

gwenstefani girl who are u holding hands with?

y/nmusic calling u rn dw gwen

y/nstan LOL not even gwen knows this is crazy

y/nfan gf who is the guy 🤨

y/nfan2 there goes another parasocial relationship

y/nlover3 scratching my eyes out (i am so happy for her)

lh444 the location???

roscoe4ever RIGHT like hello??

taylorswift i miss you ml ☹️

y/nmusic i'll be back soon dw!

lewishamilton

📍 brackley, england

liked by y/nmusic, sebastianvettel, fencer, roscoelovescoco and 4,367,981 others

lewishamilton recharging with the ones i love most 🖤

tagged: roscoelovescoco

view 458,512 comments

lewisfan i am soooooooo normal about this (i am going crazy)

lewisfan2 me too (i am actually ripping my hair out)

roscoelovescoco love's you's dad's 🐾

lh444 sometimes i forget that lewis runs his dogs account, i remember, and then get the ick

y/nfan7 what is y/n doing here

sebastianvettel you look like you are having fun! liked by y/nmusic and lewishamilton

lewisfan3 the matching shoes 😭

lewisy/nshipper not him using the same black heart emoji he used on the liberation announcement?

y/nfan okay grandma lets get u back to bed

─ TWITTER ↴

i am back!! i am so sorry for taking such a long hiatus, i have had no motivation to write, i get ideas but then hate how i make them. i hope you all enjoy this fic! thank you for reading! requests and feedback are welcome! make sure to leave a comment and kudos as well (only if you want :P)

[trust-sancus]

NO LONGER ACTIVE

This has been on my mind for a while, but I’ve finally come to the conclusion that it’s best I step back from the tmnt fandom.

I knew going into it and making videos on tiktok would lead to an unhealthy obsession with creating and engaging in fandom content, to the point that I’d completely neglect my original art and other matters in my life. But I did so anyway for the momentary satisfaction that fandom brings.

But in truth, it has been eating at me that I am unable to focus my time nor energy toward my original work, and now it dawns on me that nearly an entire year has passed & that is a lot of time that has been wasted. Yes, it was fun, and I’m glad my work was able to bring some enjoyment to others, and that I was able to enjoy others’ work as well…..but ultimately, it has kept me trapped in place in terms of where I want to be in life.

I need to get back to creating original artwork, so I can build my business and really start toward the life/future I want.

I’ll always have a love for tmnt; that much is clear. I mean, I’ve loved them for the better part of 28 years, so I know they’ll always be a special interest of mine. But I need to keep that love contained, for my own sake, and not spend my time interacting as much with the fandom as I have been.

Not that I don’t care for you guys (you’ve been awesome tbh). It’s just that I lack the ability to focus my energy toward two things at once, and in this case, my dreams, my career, and my future livelihood have to come first. Sorry if this is a disappointment to anyone.

I really did want to create a comic for my tmnt iteration. Maybe someday I will, once I am further along with building my business. But really, I know that’s likely wishful thinking & it would be better to put my time toward original comics rather than fan comics, if I am to do any at all.

I might still draw my turtles on occasion and post them here (no promises though). And I will probably check in to maybe look at fanart occasionally. I may also randomly update my current fanfics, if only because I sometimes use writing as an outlet. But aside from that, I will no longer be very active on here, so please do not expect any prompt replies should you message me or tag me in anything.

The tmnt fan iteration blog still has a bit more scheduled, but I probably won’t reblog anything else there once it catches up, as I won’t be on here enough to look for new iteration posts.

Kudos to anyone who has actually read all of this. Sorry I tend to ramble. Didn’t want to leave any unanswered questions. Sorry if this all seems pretty sudden (it’s been a long time coming for me).

Thanks for being cool, and I wish y’all the best.

[suleikashideaway]

Updated September 12, 2024

Chapter 13: Preventative Measures

Chapter length: 4,149

Chapter Summary: 

Cid was looking directly at Squall as if it were the first time he was seeing him. “Do you really believe that?” “Yes!” Squall yelled, his voice cracking. “And it's worth trying, even if you're right and we can't stop it from happening. We have to try!”

—

A week late on this update, but I’m happy to get it more Squall out into the world! 

I cannot tell you how many times I had convinced myself that I wouldn’t care about stats, but guys! People are reading this story!! And commenting! And leaving kudos! I am astounded that the hit count is now over 470, and the kudos count is 27. And three bookmarks?! What!???! Truly astonished. And eternally grateful.

I know this story is not everyone’s…ahem, cup of tea…but to those of you who have given it a chance, I thank you. And to those who have left comment after comment (you know who you are, you beautiful people), you guys add months to my life with every notif in my inbox. Pretty sure you’ll be reaching the fanfic equivalent of sainthood sometime soon. I love you guys so much.

Anyway, enough sappiness, I hope you enjoy the latest installment! Squall is still a bit angies but let’s be real, he needs it. 

More about Time Will Tell under the cut!

Fic Summary: Carefree, fun-loving, passionate, free spirited, can also mean impulsive, reckless, obsessive, thoughtless. Rinoa Heartilly is learning the dangers of her own personality, and who she will become if she continues down this path. 

Squall Leonhart is fully awake now, no longer a pawn in someone else’s plan. He’s ready to take charge of his own fate. But what if fate has other plans? 

Rating: M

Warnings: No archive warnings apply

Chapters: 13/?

Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII

Relationships: Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart, Selphie Tilmitt/Irvine Kinneas, Zell Dincht/Library Girl, Rinoa Heartilly & Selphie Tilmitt, Ellone & Squall Leonhart, Squall Leonhart & Quistis Trepe, Squall Leonhart & Irvine Kinneas, Ellone & Rinoa Heartilly

Characters: Rinoa Heartilly, Squall Leonhart, Cid Kramer, Edea Kramer, Selphie Tilmitt, Irvine Kinneas, Zell Dincht, Quistis Trepe, Library Girl, Laguna Loire, Ellone, Kiros Seagill, Ward Zabac, Fury Carraway, Seifer Almasy, Original Characters

Tags: Angst with a happy ending, Fluff in early chapters, Self discovery, Navigating relationships, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Codependency, Sexual content, Drug & Alcohol use, Canon-typical violence, Debunking a fan theory, Friendship, Fandom blind, Post-canon, What is time anyway, Fate & Destiny, Tags to be added

[lis4ux]

Thank you!!!! What you said about the Jiara fic comunity is so real!!!!

I am a small writer and I post every now and then and the biggest difference is that I don’t really promote my content on social media to the fandom not even on Tumblr (‘cause tbh I don’t want people I know irl to see it lol) so because of that I don’t really have a familiar “name” in the fandom and I rarely receive any feedback on AO3 even though the clicks aren’t bad at all.

I feel like the fandom has a certain amount of very well known authors (or even creators of fan art) that we all know and interact with a lot (which I also LOVE so much) and then doesn’t pay much attention to smaller creators, if you go on Ao3 on the Jiara tag there are actually multiple fics being uploaded every week and many more still in work and the majority of them are actually very well written pieces and such good content.

I personally don’t think that my work is anywhere close to some of the best fic we have in the fandom but it’s not bad at all either and after years of writing for Jiara and multiple fic uploaded (which again aren’t doing bad in terms of hits of kudos) I just received my first comment a couple of weeks ago and it’s so true that it makes all the difference.

There’s a multi chapter fic I’ve been working on for months that I kept in the drafts for so long and lately I’ve neglected it ‘cause of lack of motivation, after that comment I got back my inspiration and spent days writing, to the point that now it’s almost done.

I don’t think any of us write for the purpose of validation or getting praise, we do it ‘cause we enjoy it and we are passionate about the characters and the show, but it’s nice when you’ve shared your ideas and what you’ve spent so much of your time on with the fandom to get some interaction to simply make it known “hey I see you and I’ve spent some time on this, your time invested wasn’t for nothing”.

Smaller writers who aren’t interacting with the fandom on social media are there too and are creating beautiful stories almost daily, some people are just not willing to try something new from people they don’t know…also I suggest to go dig to some of the old stuff from years ago, there are so many hidden gems that never got the deserved attention 👏🏼

I agree completely!

I use the Kiara Carrera/jj maybank tag and I see new stuff up all the time! I also really enjoy the older works, they’re what got me into writing my own honestly.

So happy that you are continuing to write and know that if I come across your work I will most definitely be leaving a comment 🖤