#and there’s a couple fanfics I’ve read

[seokjinsonlyone]

hellouuu! so i’ve been trying to find something to read abt the boys (bts) but i can’t seem to find anything 🫠

can you recommend me some fanfics pls pls i want to get out of this slumpppp

hmmm lemme see 🤔

478 series by @jiminrings

true love by @lovieku

lover to lean on by @sketchguk

yeah i think that’s all i’ve read in the past couple months in terms of specific fics BUT i’ll link you to some lovely writers you can scope out!!

@ki-yomii @pantoneyoongi @soft4gguk @satnin-darling @girlygguk @kkaetnipjeon @ugh-yoongi @ubemango @alphabetboyluvr @hoseoksluna @daechwitatamic @hot-soop @kimnjss @chryblossomjjk @gukslut @inkedtae

not everyone listed is currently active but good reading all the same! hope that helps 🫶

[write-it-like-disaster]

I wouldn’t say that I’m old exactly, but I will say that I’m probably quite a bit older than the average tumblr user, so my fan fiction experience is a bit different.

I come from a time (“it’s been 84 years…”) when there was very little LGBTQIA+ representation in media, and the characters that were around tended to be minor, with limited background and development (I sure did love Maggie Doyle, though. Can I get an ‘amen’?). The gayest thing on TV up through my high school years was probably Will & Grace and Tara and Willow from Buffy.

Like, seriously, that was it. The L Word didn’t even come out til my second year of college. And it wasn’t until after the Clexa debacle that media eased up on the ‘bury your gays’ trope and we finally started to get lasting, fully developed queer characters.

So, what I’m saying is, is that for a very very long time queer folk especially had to create their own content, based off of subtext and lots of imagination. And even then, there wasn’t an amazing database to go to, to pull up whatever pairing for whatever show you wanted. It took some digging. I remember logging on to the AOL (dial up mind you) and somehow stumbling across a Spice Girls vampire AU fic on someone’s personal website when I was in middle school and just being COMPLETELY OBSESSED with it, scouring the internet for Buffy/Faith and Maggie Doyle fanfic, consuming everything I could find. And this made me feel normal and not so alone, because I knew there were other people out there reading this stuff too.

I wrote fanfic when I was in high school, but never even considered sharing it, too afraid I’d be found out somehow by people in real life but also because I didn’t think my writing was good enough for others to read. I couldn’t even fathom that anyone would want to read my gay little stories (though I have to say, several of them were probably better than some of the stuff I’ve written as an adult). And then I just stopped. Life got busy and fanfic just wasn’t an outlet that I had time for.

I didn’t start to consistently read or write fanfic again til a couple of years ago (so that’s a 20+ year gap, yikes) but it’s been awesome to have that sense of community and belonging again. And this time around I felt comfortable enough to actually share my work with others, it’s been so nice, especially hearing that something I wrote resonated with a reader or gave them goosebumps or just impacted them in some way. I never thought my writing would be able to do that!

So, knowing how much it can mean to an author and how much work goes into writing a fic, I always try to leave positive comments on works I read and like. I guess because I don’t take it for granted, having all these amazing stories at my fingertips, and I’m incredibly grateful.

What does fanfiction mean to you?

I'm asking this question because today I came across some ugly, mean-spirited, catty behavior towards a fic author that I haven't seen in a very, very long time, and I think it's important we discuss it as a community.

Y'all know how long I've been doing this? Fanfiction, that is.

Eighteen years.

I've posted across different platforms, on different handles, in different ways for a long, long time. More than half of my life at this point, from fourteen years old.

Fanfiction is how I personally engage with fandom the most. It's THE most important thing to me, frankly, because it is the common thread between each and every single fandom I have ever participated in.

It's self-expression to me. Folk art. Collaborative and fun. I truly hope that most people who engage in fanfiction learn what it is to beta for someone even if you don't write yourself. It can be a fantastic experience in and of itself. Being the backboard to someone else's ideas, watching as they take genuine joy out of spinning a story together to put onto the page, seeing it come to life before anyone else and feeling almost as proud as the author themselves after they finally post it.

It's ultimately why I decided to make this post far more positive and productive than the angry, grumpy, blood boiling rant that I initially was churning over in my mind after the horrible posts I saw earlier.

I'll detail them here purely for context because I think it's important to recognize toxic fandom behavior when we see it. And speak out when we stumble across it.

The first post lauded itself as an 'honest review' of a popular fanfiction in a community I am a part of. That honest review was nothing more than a pop-critique filled with a sort of catty, snarky write up that is so popular nowadays online purely to gain clout more than to act as actual, constructive criticism. It was unnecessary and acted as though the fanfiction author was a professional, New York Times Bestseller rather than someone devoting hours of their free time and effort into a hobby that is ultimately meant to be fun and pleasant.

The second post by the same person claimed that their friend had challenged them to write their own version of the premise of this fanfiction under a read more cut. It spent some time applying a thin veneer of so-called respect to the original author, but was merely nothing more than contempt really. I simply fail to see the need to ever do this while publicly attaching an author's name and work title and arrogantly parade your own work as superior to their own. Why tear down someone else?

I pushed back against them directly on this post, they took it down, but not before childishly trying to excuse their actions and claiming that 'if someone is publicly posting, then they should be able to handle vocal criticism.'

But you know what? One, what that person was doing was not constructive criticism. I think back to the beta session I had with a friend right after this incident and I think to myself, how sad must it be that this is what this person thinks is valuable criticism. That this is the way they chose to engage with the fanfiction community and thought they were in the right to do so.

Two, and perhaps even more importantly, people are accountable for the things that they post. The things that they say. It would have cost this person nothing to never make those posts in the first place. To never risk an author coming across a mean-spirited and malicious teardown of the work they put hours into and risk harming their self-esteem, mental health, or confidence in their own writing.

Because we do not know who these people are behind their handles. We do not know if they're new to writing. If they are experienced but going through a tough time. There are real people who write the content you choose to consume.

Fanfiction is a collaborative process. Writers provide the free content, and it is the reader's responsibility to know when their input would be valuable.

Is what you have to say helpful? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

If the feedback you want to provide does not hit at least two of those things, what you have to say does not matter. Period.

And I daresay that in the vast majority of cases, kindness should be considered mandatory out of the three.

In return, writers will often throw in ideas they've read out of reviews, they'll reach out to their most ardent followers for things like beta-ing or joining a discord server nowadays. There's always been a give and take in this community.

Fanfiction is a cornerstone of fandom for a reason. And it is particularly important in the queer community, going all the way back to actual physical magazines in which people mailed in their KirkxSpock fic decades ago. Over time we've experimented on the process, moved to countless different platforms, survived collapses of all sorts of communities, only to rally over and over again around each other to be able to tell the tales we wanted to see but were not getting as queer folk amongst mainstream media.

And in that time, it's been long agreed on in this space that you do not tear down another writer to build yourself up. Ever. Period. This has long been the only thing in fanfiction that has been aggressively policed, called out, and nipped in the bud when experienced members of this community come across it.

It will not be tolerated.

I shouldn't have to make this post, but I suppose this is the changing of the guard, so to speak. We have a new generation of fic writers and readers coming into the space daily and while so many of you are wonderful, creative, and welcomed members of this space that has been here long before me or anyone of my age, there are some who do not know how to act in the fanfiction community.

And it is up to us to make it clear in no uncertain terms that they will need to either get with program or be pushed out.

To become the best version of yourself as a writer requires hours of work, of posting again and again, of experimentation, of putting hints of your own life and experiences onto the page. The vast majority of us will never be published, and that's just fine for most of us. We engage in this hobby because of how joyful it can be to write something dear to our hearts, share it with the world, and be validated that others enjoyed the work that we put in.

Frankly, readers will always owe it to us to respect that process and work. To be respectful and kind when interacting with authors. Constructive criticism can be welcomed but perhaps ask if the author is open to it and do not take it personally if they are not. And if they are, then learn how to give it with the writer's best interest in mind rather than your own ego.

I don't ordinarily request reblogs to my posts, I rant into the void and it doesn't matter to me if anyone really interacts on an ordinary day lol. But today, I want to ask that people share this message out in your fandoms, because I will be tagging it in the fandoms I interacted in, both past and present. Because fanfiction is a common thread that unites so many of us, and I think this is an important reminder on how we need to be respectful and kind to one another in this space.

If you feel comfortable, I would also love to hear how fanfiction is important to you. How you got into it. Why you love to either read, write, or beta it.

This is hobby that is meant to be fun, so let's have fun.

[luca-just-luca]

Shout out to @grumpyoutlaw for creating this absolutely jaw dropping, breathtakingly- GORGEOUS design of Tattoo Artist Viktor! I had to make something for him I couldn’t resist-and I also couldn’t be content with it just being a picture so here’s a little blinky thing of the man!!

I hope you like it Grumpy! :D

[parsimonius]

Does anybody like fairy tail anymore I swear to gods please I need nalu fics plsplsplspkspksspls

All I want is a nalu fic that isn’t a school AU please you can do so good with the magic system😞🙏🏻🙏🏻

All I want is badass Lucy and Natsu and happy following her like lost puppies because let’s be real that’s all of what fairytail is I swear, please I just want badass woman POV I’m willing to let Natsu be the pov but he’s a man please please please let me have Lucy being amazing and so cool and it’s a cute romance with her himbo dragon please

anyways, I did, in fact, write a small one shot on them but it’s an AU but that’s irrelevant, if anyone is writing currently and wants help on their fic, beta reader, or even just moral support hit me up this was my first fandom I was ever in I deserve to have fics that are not from 2016 pls I read those already okay 😞sorry for the ramble that has nothing to do with DC please hit me up guys please

Edit; I would also love to see gray/Erza being brother/sister to Lucy LET ME SEE THEM AS FAMILY PLS GUYS

[justaz]

I feel like we as a society are running low on the “watching the show/movie(s)/reading the book(s)” fics. Or do I just have to go to Wattpad for that? I swear tho I can’t find like ANY on ao3 besides the ones that have a single chapter and it’s just setting up the premise, no actual plot consumption occurring. Where did all those authors go?? When I was a child I would find a new reading/watching the whatever fic every day. Or maybe I was just in a fandom full of like minded individuals. But I don’t see them anymore. They are my favorite type of fics sorry not sorry I’m not ashamed I’ll scream it from the rooftops……..just as long as I get more of them

[captainhysunstuff]

A reactionary comic about rereading a fic that I recently recommended that was way darker than I remembered, lol. I still love it for how they pretty much drive each other crazy, but that word choice and the consent issues... *cringes* At least there are valid warnings beforehand, and the first fic was pretty PG. Sorry. *laughs sheepishly*

[edwinisms]

so damn close to finishing writing my first fic for this show but my head feels like it’s gonna explode from writing an entire 3.3K theoretical analysis paper for like five hours straight and if I look at my computer screen much longer I might just fucking die so. here we are. suffering.

[reenbowspimkle]

i love how the entire fandom was like oh yea izzy loses his toe and has some balance issues for a while

only for izzy to actually lose everything below his knee

[devilsrecreation]

I gotta wonder where Pua was during Season 2. I like to think he’s still alive so he was either woken up in addition to Makuu’s float or he was sleeping soundly in his own little spot away from any noise

Oh my god, I’d love to see his reaction to what the hell he missed when he wakes up if it’s the latter lmao

Like Pua comes out, sees the Pridelands in poor state and he’s like “Good morning, my frie-what the hell happened here?”. Then he goes to either Basi or Makuu and they catch him up. But even then he’s just like “….Excuse me, what?”

Oof he’s in for a surprise when he learns his own son tried to kill Simba (that’s when he and Tamka’s relationship becomes strained)

[wallpaper-inside-my-heart]

💛Smoshblr December Asks Day 19💙

Top 3 cast constellations/line-ups

Tommy, Spencer, Courtney, Shayne and Damien

Triple A (Arasha, Angela, Amanda) + Courtney + Chanse

I don’t think this has happened a lot with the current cast yet, but I’d love more line-ups where duos compete with each other! (similar to 1,2,switch, but with diff games/concepts!) so like Ian & Anthony + Shayne & Damien + Angela & Amanda/Chanse + ofc Spencer & Tommy and so on! (also someone needs to bring back more Court & Olivia! I miss seeing these two on screen together!)

Top 3 ships

Spommy -> this has def become a very obvious fact about me by now lmao; and I entirely blame @jovenshires 🩷 and @soupy-girl 💛 and their fanfics, for getting me into this ship in the first place! (+ all the other fanfic authors who fueled my love for these two idiots even more <3)

Ianthony -> they are what got me truly involved with this fandom in the first place! (I love “Angst with a happy ending” fanfics so much and their story is literally that!)

Shaymien -> The “and they were roomates” of it all...

-> All of them made the list mainly bc I enjoy their on screen friendship dynamic so much! And then there are lil bits of bg info they drop now and again that fuels new ff headanons/concepts and make me go 👀!!! 😹🙈

some honorable mentions in the tags:

[look-at-the-stars-tonight]

I ran this morning AND wrote some AND made art and I’m so proud of me

[dragonbe-writing]

I already have something in the works I just don’t know if I should post it :) it would have a romance plot (maybe a couple) (i would also make an Ao3 specifically for this purpose)

[shrinkthisviolet]

For 'Never Have I Ever' - No Powers AU?

Ooh I haven’t, and honestly I don’t know if I ever would? Like…I watch superhero media largely for the powers. Even in fanfics, I usually read fics where they still have their powers, because that’s what makes them interesting imo

And same for ATLA—the bending, its lore…that’s the core appeal along with the found family stuff! ATLA wouldn’t be the show it is without its rich bending worldbuilding.

(also, ships are generally a secondary consideration for me, so that alone is not usually enough to get me to read a no-powers AU. I only say that because usually that’s why people write no-powers AUs, though ofc there are exceptions 😅)

If I really had to, it would probably be a fic that still has the characters in similar roles. Ex: if it’s a Westallen fic, then Barry would still be saving people, and Iris would still be a journalist. From that angle, exploring how their relationship evolves could still be interesting—keep the core of who they are as people, just take the powers away. But honestly, the closest I’ll ever get to messing with powers in fics is probably a power-swap of some kind 😂

never have i ever fic ask game!

[mobbothetrue]

the epic highs and lows of high school football fic searching <- spent like 2 hours looking for a fic with negative success only to find it in my ao3 bookmarks

[thesamestarlight]

bad news y’all i’m officially addicted to leaving comments on ao3. and it is becoming a Problem for my sleep schedule

[druggeddraccus]

thanks for the tag @happinessisntfun

3 ships: Katniss/Peeta (hunger games), Korra/Asami (legend of korra), Kaladin/Happiness/Staying Alive (Stormlight)

First ever ship: probably Kim Possible/Ron Stoppable lol

Last song: rational by matt maeson (pls go listen)

Last movie: Air (the micheal jordan/nike movie—it was actually really good lol)

Currently reading: spiderwick book 4, starsight by sanderson,

Currently watching: yellowjackets, ER, Ted Lasso

Currently consuming: gummy worms and sweet tea

Currently craving: strawberry cobbler

tagging if you wanna: @strawberrylovess @keepcalmandcarriefischer @stephyworm @bluewishdust