#anyway. take this outline/drabble/almost fic thing and enjoy

[tsauergrass]

TOP 5 Of 2020

I was tagged by @tackytigerfic @amortentiaboys and @cibeewastaken, thank you lovelies <3

1. Lemon Blossoms 🍋

Personally I really like the atmosphere of this fic, it’s wintery and warm and very lemon-y? I like the way the story flows, the way scenes and time change without breaks or feeling choppy, like it’s all one river. And I remember writing this fic, sitting on my bed and having no idea at all how to start, and I was for some reason obsessed with lemons at the time so I just started. Writing lemons. And the rest of the story came, just like that. It was so different from what I imagined or mentally jotted down notes and outlined for this fic, it’s like I just tossed all that away (haha) but the end result is so unexpected and so perfect for the story, I realized it was the one I wanted to tell all along. A lot of ppl also left comments saying they crave something lemon-y after reading this, which I consider a success haha

2. To the Rhythm of the Waves

I saw a text post once saying how when you’re trying to write, your brain doesn’t give you a story, instead it just. Gives you an aesthetic, an atmosphere and chucks it at you and tells you to work with it!! (The post said it much funnier than I did, gosh I loved that post.) But the point is, that’s like my brain 99% of the time. And I don’t think I’ve ever really, really centered a story around conveying an aesthetic/atmosphere until this fic. There is, like, minimal plot, but I think what I wanted to create was there: a very soft, faint, tender sweetness. It’s about finding homes and living very simply but happily. In the process of writing it there was a lot of feeling around, trying to find the road this story is leading, trying to find the pieces that would build up this atmosphere, but a lot of it came from within, like from a single place? So the story feels whole, I think. And I’ve gone back to reread it a couple times, but every time I get something different out, so. Haha

3. This drabble

This was super short but I loved it. I had to have typed it out within fifteen or twenty minutes and it just feels right. I liked the Draco in that drabble, and I liked the brief glimpse of perhaps a late evening in a dark room, and I liked the idea of their names. I liked that Harry was so indulgent when Draco was all panicky and hard on himself, when he didn’t expect kindness and softness but Harry gave it to him anyway, because it’s Harry. Because adoration, because love. Just a tiny piece I played with and I liked the result

4. In Your Voice

I don’t know if anyone could tell but I wrote this with so much yearning, like, god. Quarantine was first getting to me at that time, I think. And I remember reading about this article then that talked about the death of landlines (!!) in literature (which was super interesting!), and seeing that idea of having a piece of someone, but not the whole of them. You have their voice, but not their solid presence. They are here, but at the same time they’re not. Having a companion partially, not so completely, which comforts some part of you but makes other parts lonelier. I just liked the idea that Draco and Harry only have each other’s voice, I tried to convey that through their phone call, that it’s the only thing they have of each other. And it’s enough, but at the same time it’s not enough. They want so much more, but they can’t get it. That physical restraint brings out emotional chaos, I think. Looking back now I’m a bit embarrassed about the part where Harry says he misses Draco, it’s kind of cheesy haha. But overall I liked it. I also received a lot of comments saying this feels like home, this feels like longing, a lot of people relating to this and hopefully this brought them comfort, which I am really glad about.

5. Prompt: I love you - Over a cup of tea

This is one where I didn’t expect it to have as many notes, but it did, and I tried to think about why, so I read it and reread it, and I think in that process I came to like it. It’s a small piece that delineates Draco’s journey to learn to say I love you through cups of tea. I tried to put in the story the idea that even though at the beginning Draco can’t say the words, and he feels lacking and guilty about it, he does say i love you—through actions, through small gestures. It was the language he spoke. And I like to think that the reason why Harry was so patient and understanding was because he understood that. He knew how Draco spoke his heart, and he accepted it. And he didn’t, like, wait for Draco to say I love you; that acceptance wasn’t a means to an end. Instead he embraces and loves who Draco is, and when Draco says the words they’re more like an unexpected surprise that made him really happy, because it means Draco feels safe around him now, it means Draco feels secure enough about what they share that he is willing to bear his heart out like that. Just, subtle languages, man.

(May I also take this chance to rec Cibee’s wonderful drabble responding to the same prompt, which is the prettiest thing I have ever read in this world!!!)

Honorable Mentions (because why not!!)

. Colour Me Blue

This isn’t HP but I really liked it. Check it out if you’re also in All For The Game and ship andriel! It’s a story about enamel pins and very, very subtle promises, I liked the atmosphere I created

. Prompt: I love you - Muffled, from the other side of the door

This didn’t get as many notes but I was proud of it. I liked the way I threaded the flashbacks to the present. I wonder whether I would do it differently if I have the chance to rewrite it, but I like it now.

. To The End Of The World And Back

Listen, I just imagine Draco, heartbroken and tired and nervous and aching, walking around the gallery, almost mindless and suddenly—the huge photograph of him appears in front of him, taking up the entire wall, and it’s called Home. Like, jesus. I can’t draw but if I could I want to create this scene

And that’s it! Thank you if you made it here lol, it grew so long. It’s 2021 already and I know loads of people have already been tagged, so if you want to do it and you saw this consider yourself tagged!

I also just want to take the chance to thank so many amazing ppl who made this year better. Thank you to everyone who has ever read, liked, commented, reblogged my fic, or just enjoyed it and savored it themselves—you really made my year so much better, and I hope the coming year will be kind to all of us🥂

[deejadabbles]

Crimson Portrait (Seto Kaiba x Reader)

So as I said in my drabble a couple days ago, I’m wanting to write some short fics to get back into the swing of things and I wanted to gift said drabbles to some mutual I adore. Next on my list is @ohyema​ the top Vampire and Yugioh enthusiast on this site! I’m sure you’ve all seen her amazing art floating around already, but in case not please check out her stuff (and reblog the heck outta it!), the way she colors her pieces and adds dramatic flair is something I aspire to tbh <3 

For this fic I decided to spread my proverbial wings and write Seto for a change (don’t get used to this though, Kaiba fans, I’m still not a Kaiba stan lol) and I hope you enjoy our dark, mysterious blood thirsty, CEO ;)

You gulped, eyes traveling up the metal and glass of the building as though counting each towering floor would make it any less intimidating. It wasn’t just the size, of course, it was the marble path spread out in front of the entry, it was the literal red carpet on the other side of doors- it was the gold etching and suited man around said doors! You found yourself clutching the portfolio case under your arm even tighter to your chest. Subtle lights brightened the edges of the building, though you were sure they were meant to make it shine like a beacon of wealth at night, rather than give it any cheer or levity. 

This was by far the fanciest place you had ever been and the doorman casting a glance at you made you tug at your clothes for probably the seventeenth time since heading here. The outfit was fine, you reminded yourself; professional, but simple. Nothing that would impede your movements and work, all while still being close enough to your true fashion to offer you some self assurance. And you needed every ounce of self assurance possible right now.

After taking in a long, deep breath and straightening your posture, you started for the door. Despite the high chance that he was suspicious of you, the doorman pulled on the finely crafted handle and allowed you entry with a polite bow, nothing less. You weren’t sure if you were supposed to acknowledge him, but you returned the silent respect automatically. Then again, it didn’t really matter if you broke etiquette, you weren’t the high-class that lived here anyway.

The lobby was just as fancy as the outside. Your shoes clicked on more marble floors, and rich colored walls wearing frames of fine art surrounded you. There was a large wooden desk to one side, and the receptionist behind it clocked you as a non-resident, because she instantly greeted you with a “can I help you, miss?”

“Um- yes! Yes, I’m here to visit Mr. Seto Kaiba?” you followed the claim with your name and silently praying that was all you needed. The only way you were getting passed the front desk was if Kaiba (or his assistant) left your name with the attendant.

With a polite smile plastered on her face, she nodded and typed something quick on a computer obscured by the large backing of the desk. “Ah yes, Mr. Kaiba is expecting you. Please take the center elevator, he’s on floor 40.”

She waved her hand to the other side of the lobby, where three elevators with doors as clean and reflective as new mirrors stood. You gave her a quick thank you before following her instructions. The inside of the elevators were just as polished, the metallic sides reflecting your image. 

As the floors passed by, you checked to make sure the journey here hadn’t ruffled your appearance any, tucking hairs back into place, swiping your hand over the pristine portfolio briefcase, tugging at your hems yet again. You almost jumped when the elevator dinged, announcing your arrival at the top floor. You waited a few heart beats, long enough to start worrying you had the wrong floor- until it finally slid open.

The apartment was dimly lit, all the ceiling lights set to a dull, intimate glow one might see in a fancy bar. Then a different wave of nerves overcome you, hopefully this guy didn’t have the wrong idea of what service you were providing. 

“Are you going to come in, or continue wasting my time?”

You did jump that time, especially with how impatient the deep rumble of a voice sounded. With hurried steps you entered the apartment and ventured down the short hallway, following the voice. The hallway quickly opened into an expansive room, a couch, coffee table, TV, and desk on one side, and a kitchen, breakfast bar, dining table, and wet bar on the other. On the living room side, where the desk’s back sat, there was a large floor-to-ceiling window, the curtains pulled back to reveal the spiderweb of city lights and life beyond. 

Of course, what really drew your attention was the man standing in front of the window.

He hadn’t turned from the view to look at you let alone greet you, hands tucked in his pockets as he watched the pulsing city life. He wore a white suit, with a blue button-up shirt and a dark blue tie, making for nice, clean lines for your portrait. Seto Kaiba. A household name in most countries, the secretive CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world who’s fame for innovation was only matched by his notorious hermit tendencies. He appeared on magazines often enough, but many pointed out that they were likely deliberate presentations to the world. Deliberate to alleviate rumors because, besides them, neither Kaiba nor his younger brother were ever seen out in public and even rather rarely in their own corporate buildings.

You weren’t exactly someone who bought into that celebrity gossip, but it was still rather surreal seeing him in person like this.

“You can set up on the other side of the desk,” he started, still not turning from the window. “This is the background I want, I expect you to be able to handle it considering the portraits on your online portfolio.”

You tried not to gulp, “Of course, but it may take me an extra session or two to get the details.”

“As long as it’s done before I return to Domino,” he answered in a drawl, then, finally turned to face you. He placed a slender hand on the back of the leather desk chair, and you quickly made yourself busy with setting up. 

You felt that nerve-wracking, almost burning sensation of eyes watching you, and you could just imagine the icy blue of the eyes, remembering how Kaiba’s gaze always pierced through the magazine covers and into the viewer. Instead of thinking of how hawk-like he was watching you, you focused on how challenging and fun it will be to capture that quality in your painting.

Once your blank canvas was set up and your tools were spread out, ready for use, you finally locked eyes with the man. “I’m ready when you are, Mr. Kaiba, please take whatever pose you feel most comfortable with.” You had to ignore the shiver that ran down your spine, especially when he held your gaze for a moment more before finally shifting his stance.

After some verbal redirecting so his pose looked the best and got the key parts of the cityscape behind him, you actually got started on the canvas. Tokyo Tower stood like a sentinel behind him, making for nice framing, and he was a natural at posing, of course choosing one that was strong and commanding to the onlookers. 

It was quiet as you worked, he wasn’t playing any music, nor offering any chitchat. It was only then that you realized just how alone you two were in the penthouse, didn’t rich dudes like him have platoons of bodyguards?

Within the free seconds you had between maping your piece, your mind wandered back to the rumors surrounding the Kaiba family and their reclusiveness. Tales of Kaiba insisting on specially tinted windows for all his buildings and never being seen in the light of day led to some interesting ones. Mostly conspiracies about him being the secret illegitimate son of royalty, and inheriting hemophilia from said parentage. Now, noting how pale he looked against the background of vibrant city lights, you could slightly understand buying into that rumor. 

Not only that, but, the more glances you took while working, the more you noticed just how...sickly the man looked. His cheeks were a bit sunken, made worse by the dark circles under his eyes And on top of that, there was a sore redness around his eyes that was seeming to get worse every time you peered passed your canvas. None of his magazine pictures ever showcased these...unwell qualities. He must just be tired, you decided, being a CEO likely didn’t allow for much sleep, and here he was posing for a portrait late at night.   

You were just finishing up his outline when you decided attempt conversation. If he didn’t like it he would just tell you to shut up, after all.

“I was actually pretty surprised when you hired me, most people don’t bother with traditional portraits any more.”

There was awhile of silence, where Kaiba’s eyes flickered towards you before staring off to the other side of the room again. Your were just taking the mental note not to try a conversation again, when-

“It was my brother’s idea. I always look ahead, and cut out traditions and old ways that no longer serve me. But, he made the point that there are some classics still worth something. Besides, improving things like canvas portraits with modern settings was appealing.”

You found yourself smiling and nodding along, “Yeah, I really like the idea of having the city in the background, it’ll make for a really unique piece!” 

After picking your next brush, you peered over to refresh your mental image of the scene, only to find him staring at you again. His expression was rather indecipherable, and though his eyes were almost hooded the rest of his features were as blank as an empty page. Your heart was practically beating in your ears as you stayed transfixed in his gaze, which you swore were actually hued in red now, instead of solid icy blue.

A sound similar to a squeak, and you finally broke the contact to flick your gaze down to the hand resting on the back of the desk chair. His fingers were a sickly white, seeming to have no blood in them as his nails dug into the leather with a grip so strong he might be on the verge of puncturing the fabric.

Feeling that nervous heat again you quickly averted your gaze back to the canvas, even going as far as to shuffle behind it just slightly as though you could hide.

That didn’t help, much like when you were setting up, you could feel his gaze burning into you. Maybe he was offended, upset that you stared back at him, but he had no right to judge considering he was staring first! Seriously what was with this guy?

You weren’t sure how much time passed after that, it felt like an eternity but you were sure it wasn’t much longer than a half hour or so. You only stole glances at him when you absolutely felt like you had to refresh your mental image of the scene before giving another stroke of the brush. You avoided any eye contact even then and managed to skim over his face only once, during which you noted any previous color in his cheeks had vanished completely, but that was beside the point. You were just telling your brain to stop conjuring up theory’s on why he looked so sick and biting your tongue to keep from asking if he was alright when-

“We’re done for the night, you can continue tomorrow.”

If the sudden dismissal wasn’t enough to snap your attention back to him, the heavy breath within the words was. Your eyes snapped up to Kaiba and before you even registered his movement you were jumping from a harsh thud! He had removed his hand from the chair so swiftly that it spun and thudded into the desk with enough force to crack furniture of a lesser quality. 

Now Kaiba was pacing around his desk, gaunt jaw clenched so tight he might very well chip a tooth. Not wanting to argue with someone who apparently had the mood swings of an angst-ridden teen, you planned to start packing up without a word. However, just as he passed the coffee table, Kaiba took in a sharp breath and doubled over so fast he barely caught himself on the glass top.

Empathy won in a heartbeat and before you could reconsider you were by his side saying a frantic, “Are you okay? Mr. Kaiba you look sick, should I call a-?”

The concerned questions died in your throat and so too did a scream when something too red and too luminous to be eyes flashed up at you. The next moment something was wrapping around the prison that held your words and scream. The third moment your back was slammed none too gently into a wall you could have sworn was half a room away and a body colder than any you had felt before was pressing into you.

Eyes wide, body held still with fear, all you could do was take in a few shallow breaths as Kaiba’s mouth hovered over your neck. One heart thundering in your ears, two heartbeats, three-

But nothing happened. 

The hand pressing into your clavicle hadn’t tightened, and the mouth hovering dangerously close had not moved in for the kill (proverbial or otherwise), rather, Kaiba’s body seemed to be as frozen as yours.

Or at least you thought it was. A moment later you finally registered that Kaiba was shaking. Not violently by any means, hell, it was barely notable, but he was definitely shaking, as if he was trying to keep sickly shivers from wracking his body. His other hand moved up to grip your upper arm then, and his fingers were tight but not quite painful as he held you there.

“I shouldn’t have kept our appointment.”

The words were so shocking to your reeling mind that you almost didn’t register them. They were said lowly, in something akin to a growl or rumble.

“I should have told you to get out the moment I-”

Something on the other side of the condo sounded, a ding you had heard when first arriving on the floor, and not a second later footsteps were thundering.

“Seto!”

The youthful voice almost snapped you back to your sense enough to move, maybe even break free of his hold, but in that same moment  you felt something sharp graze the skin of your neck as Kaiba’s face turned to meet the newcomer.

Thankfully your recovered control wasn’t needed, as the moment Kaiba locked sites on the newcomer, he released his hold on you. In a fearful blink as you recovered your balance, you saw Kaiba make his way across the room faster than any human possible could.

That’s when you saw who had intervened; Mokuba Kaiba, the youth of the Kaiba empire. He was looking pale and worried, looking between his brother and you as Seto snatching something out of his hands. 

You caught the sight of something encasing red as Seto tore the package open, but he halted long enough to growl another command, “You need to leave, now.”

Your legs were finally able to move again, when you caught site of something that confirmed the impossible theories running though your head: sharp, pearly fangs were flashing between Seto’s lips.

[chrismerle]

FOR THE FANFIC ASK MEME THING (I finally picked beyond 'just... all of them?'): F, I, K, M, N, Q, S, T, V, W, X, and Y. WHICH ISN'T ALL OF THEM it's just... several...

(from here)

F. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

I’m working on a Final Fantasy XV AU, because that’s basically all I write for FFXV; I really love the building blocks it gave me, but I don’t like a lot of the architecture. Anyway, conceptually it’s a fairly standard ‘what if Ardyn wasn’t a villain?’ thing, and on the off chance it ever sees the light of day, it will be called There Is a Crack in Everything.

This is a really early scene.

Regis stepped into his study, and Ardyn scarcely gave him time to close the door before wondering, with a languid sort of ease, “For how long have I been Adagium?” He sounded as if the word tasted foul.

“Longer than I can be certain of,” Regis sighed, taking his seat at his desk, across from Ardyn.

“And I’ll be able to relax for...how long?” Ardyn wondered pleasantly, leaning an elbow on the desk and propping his chin in his hand. “Before those lovely toy soldiers of yours try to haul me back to my stone box, that is.”

For a moment, Regis was quiet. For a moment, Regis thought of his father. Mors would have reacted the instant he realized who Ardyn was, and Regis wondered how many of the Glaive would have died and what sort of enemy they would have created.

He thought of his son, just a few weeks old. Already, Regis knew he did not want to teach Noctis to be that sort of king.

He did not want to be his father.

“You may stay here, should you wish it,” Regis answered at last.

Ardyn blinked, slowly. His expression didn’t change, but his words seemed carefully picked for carelessness. “And no one will wonder at another of the bloodline suddenly appearing?” he asked. “Or am I forbidden from showing off?”

“We’ll say you’re my half-brother,” Regis answered before he was even fully aware he’d come up with a solution. “It won’t surprise many.”

Ardyn’s eyes narrowed. “You’re awfully eager to dub me family.”

“You already are family,” Regis reasoned. “It seems it’s time someone finally treated you as such.”

That, at last, seemed to unmoor Ardyn. His posture went rigid for a moment as his gaze went distant. Twice, he opened his mouth to respond, before closing it without saying a word.

It took him only a moment to gather his composure, though, before he cleared his throat. “I have to say, this is the most elaborate method anyone has ever used to call me a bastard. I suppose that alone means it’s worth putting up with it.”

Regis laughed before he could help it.

I like it for a handful of reasons. For one thing, I’ve successfully weaponized it (and a few other snippets of the same WIP) to make my friend Ala emotional. For another, I didn’t really see this dynamic between Regis and Ardyn coming. It just sort of happened while I was typing, but I liked it when it showed up. It felt natural for an Ardyn who hadn’t been driven mad by turning countless people into daemons, but who was nevertheless not the same gentle healer after 2,000 years of isolation.

I. Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

I got paid for years, plural, to write really bad porn about people who could turn into animals fucking. I have no shame left. I’ve had no shame since the first time someone offered to pay me $500 for smut.

K. What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

It is, again, related to FFXV. I wrote If the Ring Fits and Backed in Silver years ago, and ever since, I’ve tossed around the idea of writing another sequel for Ignis.

The only issue is that my idea for it would forcibly make him realize that the Prompto that had been in their world was not actually their Prompto, and had not been for over a decade. And it would be a conflict he’d have to grapple with through the entire fic, trying to decide whether to force that same replacement on someone in a different world or to just endlessly keep hopping from one world to another because he can’t return to his.

I’ve never actually written any of it, and the concepting never got beyond Ignis’s revelation about Prompto. But considering If the Ring Fits was 10,000 words long and Backed in Silver was 20,000, I can only imagine what sort of behemoth it would be.

M. Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Like, WIPs, or things that I’ve pondered but haven’t started working on?

I’ve got a few WIPs. There’s the aforementioned non-villainous Ardyn AU. I’ve got another FFXV fic that’s been on hiatus on AO3 for legitimately over three years, and the next chapter is very nearly finished and I just...can’t seem to get there. I’ve got a Persona 5 new game+ fic in the works. That one’s fully plotted out already, and just the outline is like 15 pages long. Based on how the first chapter is going, each chapter will probably be anywhere from 10-20,000 words long. And I’ve got a melancholy immediately-post-season-two Mandalorian one shot in the works, spawned almost entirely so I could make Mando say ‘fuck.’ I know no one says fuck in Star Wars, but I don’t care. I will not say kriff and no one can make me. And I’ve got the Dragon Age uber fic that I’ve just sort of been plugging away at since Inquisition was released and none of it has ever seen the light of day, unless you count me shoving a few snippets at Siobhan.

Oh, and I’m rewriting an older Mass Effect fic.

For things that I’ve thought about but haven’t really worked on, they’re mostly more Dragon Age and FFXV. The “canon” stories for the two timelines not covered in the uber fic, and more AU nonsense spawned from ItRF and BiS.

N. Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

Like, finish one of MY fics? No. I would bite them if they tried. Hell, I love you and I would bite you if you tried.

Just, in general? At this point I would take a monkey paw-style deal to get someone to finish Home.

(for anyone who isn’t Jim, Home is a nuTrek Jim/Spock fic that I think I was in high school when it was published. I graduated from college over five years ago.)

Q. How do you feel about collaborations?

Mixed feelings. I’ll take feedback, assuming I’ve offered the mic for it. I’ll prattle on about whatever I’ve got cooking. I’ll ask for ideas or suggestions. But when it comes to the actual writing of it, I’m a control freak. So, people are welcome to help me gather up the building blocks, but I’m gonna wind up doing the actual building myself.

S. Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

Overly elaborate AUs.

T. Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

That thing fandom does where if they’ve decided a character has anxiety, then it does not matter how that anxiety presents itself in canon, in fanon they are a weepy, shy introvert who can hardly string a sentence together because they’ve polymorphed into a shivering puppy.

V. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

Does it count if I just say I wanna rewrite a series as a whole? There’s a FrostIron series I read ages ago before the MCU made me wanna gag, and at the time I LOVED it. And then not that long ago I went back and read it again, and it felt like I was saying goodbye to it because oh my god it was unbearable.

Loki was NEVER FUCKING WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING, unless he wasn’t in the room, in which case Tony picked the slack about not ever being wrong about anything.

W. Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

More specific. Not this past Christmas, but the one before that, I was doing some Advent Drabbles for one of my roleplay blogs, so I was open to drabble suggestions anyone wanted to see. Like 70% of them were just one or two words and I’m just staring at my ask box like ‘thanks, I hate it’

(Kudos, though, to the random stranger who gave me a very specific, paragraph-long prompt for a Spider-Man (PS4) fic.)

X. A character you enjoy making suffer.

...All of them?

Y. A character you want to protect.

I guess Din Djarin.

I mean, he still falls into the above ‘all of them’ but when I make him suffer it’s more related to exploring something that happened in canon, rather than me directly causing it.

[orangeflavoryawp]

Author Interview

Tagged by @riptidemonzarc, and dude, thank you for thinking of me for this.  It really made me think about my 12+ years of work, lol.

Name: orangeflavor

Fandoms: Hoooo boy here we go.  Just counting ones I’ve written for, instead of ones I also read, my biggest contributions have been to Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Naruto, but also X-Men, Star Trek, Lodoss War, Sailor Moon and Harry Potter years ago.

Where You Post: Ao3, FFnet, and here

Most Popular One-Shot: By kudos, it’s ‘The Warmth of Wolves’ (Jonsa, Game of Thrones) but by hits and bookmarks, it’s ‘Teeth’ (Jonsa, Game of Thrones)

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story: Oh, across the board it’s ‘Wool and Tallow’ (Jonsa, Game of Thrones)

Favorite Story You Wrote: Oof, okay, uh, this is gonna be hard, so I’m going to give you favorites for different categories - 

My favorite one-shot is probably ‘Reckoned from One Midnight to the Next’ (Kaidan-centric/Shenko, Mass Effect), which is weird, because Kaidan isn’t even in my top five characters to write in ME, but it just worked so well in this story to get into his perspective.  ‘Reckoned’ is a poetic-prose study of grief following Shepard’s death over Alchera.  I fucking loved exploring that style, and I got to really delve into the daily difficulties of learning to live after loss.  It’s just... god if you read anything of mine, please, read that.

Favorite multi-chapter (though I have very few anyway, hahaah) would be between ‘Rocks and Shoals’ (Kolyat/Oriana, Mass Effect) and ‘Moiety’ (Gen/multi-ship, Mass Effect).  Rocks and Shoals is just so emotionally exhausting to write, it really digs deep, and it’s the slowest of the slow burns I’ve ever attempted to write.  The poor thing has been sitting untouched for too long, but it might be the dearest fic I’ve written.  It’s taken so much out of me, and it’s challenged me so much, and it’s got probably my favorite ship in the verse (and the closest thing to OCs I’ve written in fanfic).  Kolyat and Oriana are my precious little shits, and it’s been an honor to share their story.

Moiety is just super fucking fun to write, lol.  It’s a 100-word drabble series, which is great for training yourself to write economically - to say everything you want to say, in the most powerful way you can say it, in as few words as you can say it with.  It’s got some gut-punches in there alright, and it’s been a great exercise to keep my descriptions tight and my themes focused.  It’s also got that poetic feel to it for a lot of chapters, and I write original poetry, so that probably has something to do with it being a fave.

On the whole though, my favorite collection of stories for any one single fandom would have to be my Jonsa fics for Game of Thrones.  Maybe that’s because they’re my most recent and so my style is as evolved as it can be for the moment, and I’ve honed my skills well enough throughout the years to be able to say that about these stories.  But also.... I’ve never written for any one ship quite this much before.  And I mean never.  I’ve been so inspired recently, and I’ve become quite proud of my work actually.  I enjoy these fics.  I get so much out of writing for Jonsa, and sharing in this fandom.  This is the best of me yet. 

Story You Were Nervous to Post: Oh def my first explicit smut piece ‘Teeth’.  But it had an amazing reception, and I’ve since had the courage to post more smut, so this ended up being a great experience, honestly!

How You Choose Your Titles: I don’t usually choose a title until I’ve written most, if not all, of the story, and that’s largely because I don’t always know the exact theme I’m exploring until I’ve gotten through enough of it.  Then I choose a specific word or image that works as a symbol in the piece, something that can represent the theme on a whole, in a pinprick focus kind of way.  I don’t like general or abstract titles usually.  I need something concrete, often tangible.  I need something that you feel like you could turn over in your hand and go ‘hmm’ about.  If that makes sense???

Do You Outline: AHAHHAHAHAHBDJBFJSLAknvdkngnn

Fuck no, I’m a disaster writer.  We write by the seat of our pants and die like men.

Complete: 82 stories, almost entirely one-shots

In Progress: 7, though 2 of those are 100-word drabble series and 2 more are longer drabble series, and they’ll probably always be WIP as I’ll add to them when the inspiration strikes.

2 more are on indefinite hiatus until I find the drive to finish them (possibly never).

And the last one is ‘Rocks and Shoals’ which will always be slow going but best believe that baby’s crossing the finish line at some point, even if it takes years.

Coming Soon/Not Yet Started: A Season 7/8 AU and fix-it multi-chapter for Jonsa, Game of Thrones - quite possibly my greatest challenge yet, my albatross and my tour de force all at once.  Halfway through and fucking loving it.

Also, I haven’t started it yet, but I’ve had an idea for Hunger Games kicking around my head for the better part of three years and by damn am I going to write it one day.  Perhaps I’m just building toward it.

Do You Accept Prompts: Yes, but no guarantees I can fulfill them.

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write: Previously mentioned AU Jonsa fic.  Let me tell you.  LET ME TELL YOU.  I can’t even articulate the depth of my excitement for this fic.  I’ll be blasting it for days once I finish it.  You won’t be able to escape.  I will smother you all with this fic, I’m telling you right now.  Be prepared.

Tagging @ladyalice101, @tacitwhisky, @sailorshadzter, @amymel86, @theoriginalsuki, @missfaber, @szajnie, @kadaransmuggler, @goddesstiera, @joufancyhuh and any others who want to do this!

[fleetofshippyships-archive]

Fanfic Author Meme

Tagged by @diligent-thunder and @rockmarina​ =)

Okay, so I’m me, and I talked way too much, so I’m putting this under a cut to save your dashes. You’re welcome 😘

Please do not reblog this post.

Author Name: 

Fleetofshippyships + Knowyourincantations + Legendaryroar

Fandoms You Write For: 

(in order of decreasing # of fics) Harry Potter, Voltron, Merlin, Yuri on Ice, Star Trek, Star Wars and then a few one-offs that aren’t really worth mentioning.

Where You Post: 

AO3 primarily, Tumblr, trying to post more on Pillowfort, I also post on a couple of sites for knowyourincantations

Most Popular One-Shot: 

Fleetofshippyships: Potter’s Insatiable Cock (Drarry, Explicit (duh XD), 20k (viewable only for logged-in AO3 users)).

Knowyourincantations: A Decent Start to Things (Pansmione, Teen, 7k)

Legendaryroar: Finding Time for Rest (Sheith (Voltron), Teen, 3k)

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story: 

RestraintNone of my old multi-chapter fics are available to read at this time and I don’t really write multi-chapter fics anymore.

If oneshot/drabble collections or two-shots count, then:

Fleetofshippyships: Vanilla and Sweet Spices (Drarry, Explicit, 2 chapters, 20k)

and this really doesn’t count, but technically it has multiple ‘chapters’ soooooooooo

Legendaryroar: Kinktober 2018 (Multiple ships (Voltron), Explicit (duh), 31 ‘chapters’, 26k)

Favourite Story You Wrote: 

I don’t think I ever have a static favourite, I’ve just written too many things, I too quickly move on to the next (and frequently forget some of my own fics exist XD), but recently I re-read In Pursuit of Red Wine (Dreville, Teen, 29k) and really enjoyed that again, and I am really attached to it cos it was my first longish rarepair fic, kind of proving to myself that I can write longer rarepair stuff. 

I also recently re-read Unburdened (Merthur (BBC Merlin), Explicit, 2k) and really enjoyed that too, had a total disconnect from having written it since it’s been so long, so I was able to read it without self-judging, and oh boy that was nice. 

I’m also quite proud of Healing What’s Left (Parkgrass, Teen, 2k) for some reason, I dunno, maybe the dark political backdrop of the fic, or maybe just cos it’s the first time I’ve written Daphne as the main character and I’m happy with the result and now have some headcanons about her rather than her being an unknown blank character to me. 

I also binge read a lot of my Voltron stuff recently and had big feels over that so....I also specifically enjoyed re-reading The Perks of Skincare (Klance (Voltron), Explicit, 3k) again cos I dunno, I like how I wrote Lance XD and also the Sheith fic I linked earlier is a fav for sure. Shiro/Rest is the ultimate OTP.

It really depends how soon after I write something or when I go back to re-read it as to what my fav is at any given time (or people commenting on it and hyping me up for it again).

Story You Were Nervous to Post: 

Everything. But most recently I was terrified out of my mind before posting: 

Friday Night by the Fire (Harry/Neville, Teen, 583 words) because I have a lot of fears about screwing up trying to write ace characters and somehow not even making that a focal point of the drabble made it even more terrifying,  No More Waiting (TianShan (19 Days), Teen, 2k) because it was a new fandom to write in, Harry Potter and the Maudlin Merman series (Drarry, Teen+ Mature, 3k +6k) due to my feelings of inadequacy because it would be better as long fic but I struggle too much with writing these days to write long fics and can only manage short things. I’d rather write this as a long fic, but then I’d never finish it so connected oneshots are the best I can do right now, but I still feel it’s not good enough and have a meltdown whenever I post one. And speaking of which, I’ve been sitting on the next one for months and should probably just fucking post it already.

Actually, most recently: Minding One’s Limits (Cho/Ginny, G rated, 1.5k), because I gave Cho a disability modeled off my fibromyalgia and wrote a scenario similar to something I’d dealt with myself, it was incredibly uncomfortable to write in the first place, and then terrifying to post, even though it’s so short. But in the end I’m proud I finally wrote about it a bit? I dunno, might take me a while to work up the nerve again though XD (also was my first time writing that ship, so there was a lot of nervousness over that too)

Oh, and I was a super ball of anxiety posting  Kinktober 2018 (Multiple ships, Explicit, 31 ‘chapters’, 26k) because for almost all of those it was the first time I was writing those kinks (and some were kind of squicks for me but I wanted to see if I could write them anyway cos I’m dumb like that) and in a lot of cases those ships were completely new for me to write too, in addition to trying to write and post 1 a day, so...yeah. Also that was my first time writing tentacle and human/werewolf smut so...yeah. I was an absolute mess that month and not in a fun way. But I’m still really glad I did it, it was fun =D

In summary, I’m always an anxious mess posting anything, but most especially if it’s something I’ve not written before or is personal to me XD

How Do You Choose Your Titles: 

Most of the time I’m staring down the empty title field in AO3 cursing like a fucking sailor when I choose titles XD Sometimes it’s a line/theme/feeling from the fic. Sometimes it’s totally random and just comes to me. Sometimes I just grasp the first thing that I can no matter how stupid it sounds cos it’s been three days and I still don’t have a title and I’m over it and ready to post before I lose my nerve.

And tbh, it’s only getting harder to think of titles as my number of fics increases, and I’ve now started thinking of the perfect titles only to realise I already have a published fic by that title so....TITLES CAN DIE A FIERY DEATH

Sometimes, not so much anymore, it would turn out that I would give a wip doc a name just so I’d know what it was, sometimes as a joke with whoever was reading it and cheerleading while I wrote it, and then I would refer to it by that and think of it as that so much that when it came time to actually give the fic a title, it was too late and I could not think past that stupid file name, and that’s how Potter’s Insatiable Cock happened, and how I very nearly called a Merthur fic Arthur’s Wanking Tower (saved that one at the last moment thank god cos the tone of that fic is actually really serious and emotional and wtf was I even thinking with that file name and actually I linked to that fic above XD it ended up being called Unburdened). 

Potter’s Insatiable Cock slipped through cos it’s actually relevant to the fic content and I could live with it.

But needless to say, I don’t give my wip docs joke names anymore XD

Do You Outline: 

Only if I never want to actually write the idea...once I outline, it’s over. I can’t write to a detailed plan. It stifles me. I’ll always get stuck having to try and think ahead to the plan, and then I lose the flow and nothing works because I’m a pantser/intuitive/instinctive writer not a planner. Sometimes I jot down ideas but in like, the vaguest of ways, usually more focused on emotional development than actual scenes or events or anything because then I won’t be able to write it (and I rarely stick to those vague ideas anyway). 

I can really only write when I’m staring down a blank doc with no idea where it’s going and discover it as I go (which is why writing is so fun for me). I can only finish a fic if I don’t think too hard about what’s going to happen next and just let it happen as I write. 

This of course means that editing is a fucking bitch when I finish anything, beginnings often get totally re-written, but if I plan, it just doesn't happen at all, so I’ll take the extra editing if it means I manage to write something.

I do have a lot of detailed plotty fic idea outlines...and I mourn them cos I’m never going to write them now, but they’re so goooooooooood XD

Complete: 

Online (across all 3 accounts): 381 (incl. my hidden drarry fics as they are technically online just hidden, not incl. individual oneshots/drabbles in collection ‘fics’, of which there are ridiculously many). Offline: 20 (I have the worst habit of just sitting on completed fics and I really need to stop)

In-Progress: 

Too many to name, last time I counted it was ~60 but that wasn’t even including my vld wips so...I don’t actually know. I hoard wips and just switch up what I work on all the time depending on mood/interest levels/effort required. 

Current main focuses are a 50k+ plotty Drarry (*fingerscrossed* cos this is my first time seriously attempting something long (will probably reach 80k at least) in a very long time and I put it down for a few months and thought that was it but then I picked it up again recently, yay!), and re-writing some hidden fics I can’t put them back up in the quality they’re in, I just can’t guys, they’re awful.

I’ve been thinking a lot about working on the longish 8th year Pansmione fic I started for the wlw big bang before I had to pull out of cos stupid life stuff. I might pick that up again for a bit too, couldn’t be more different from the Drarry one so it’d make a nice focus break =)

Coming Soon/Not Yet Started: 

I don’t even plan fics I’m writing, I sure don’t plan ahead to stuff I haven’t even started XD The only think I can think of for this category would be me re-writing my hidden long Drarry fics.

Oh, and there will be a Merthur oneshot coming (hopefully) soon, because @april-thelightfury115​ won my custom fic giveaway with a merthur idea. Just waiting for my brain to cooperate so I can start that and not suck XD but I’m so fucking excited to write some Merthur again, you have no idea.

Oh, and lots more Sapphic September drabbles coming too, I’m way behind and only just posted day 11 cos this month is literal hell for me, but I am still planning on finishing the prompt list, no matter how long it takes, but no plan for those, not even which ships, I just sit down with the next prompt and a blank doc and see what happens.

Do You Accept Prompts: 

Yes, I love writing to prompts, I’m take them via google form here, but I’m in such a bad space with my health I’ve been really struggling with writing lately, managed to do a bit of editing (fuck knows how), but writing new stuff is so hard, so there’s a long wait while I wait for my fibro fog to ease off to the point I can write new stuff with more regularity (and less stupid errors I have to edit out later).

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write: 

Again, I so don’t plan. But I really want to be making more progress on the long plotty drarry wip I’m trying to write. I’m still not sure I’ll have the guts to post it even if I do finish it, given its subject matter (it would make a great careers or consent fest fic tbh), but damn I’m really excited by it. Not sure I can maintain it being plotty and not revert to focusing on the relationship (which is easier for me), but I can only try and see what happens. (trying to write a non-relationship plot without planning is a nightmare but I don’t have a choice if I want to write it at all XD)

I’m also now excited for my longish pansmione wip too actually, just because it’s already longer than my Dreville long-ish fic and it’s exciting and scary to do longer rarepair stuff. I’m way out of my comfort zone with the fic itself, but I dunno, I re-read some recently and fell in love with it all over again, like, flustered lesbian-awakening, disaster for Pansy (but sure she still hates her) Hermione? YES PLEASE! and also, I am guilty of not writing female characters as much as I should because, well, canonically, they don’t have much depth and I’m very meh about them, but in this there’s a huge focus on them because they’re all determined to band together for 8th year and Hermione is making friends with them (Parvati is like, dragging her along all the time XD) where she once dismissed them so it’s scary but exciting =D I’m getting more practice with all the sapphic I do over on knowyourincantations, so I feel more confident working on this wip now =D

I’m also kind of excited about re-writing my old long fics, because they’re all 3 years old now, and my writing tastes (and skill, yikes) have totally changed, so it’s like I’m writing the story again but how I would write it now while maintaining the overall same plot, so it’s really interesting, like discovering the story all over again. Like in one (Making Malfoy Blush) I’ve gone as far as introducing a new side character to replace another’s parts because I no longer feel those parts are in character for them. It’s super terrifying, but it’s fun at the same time =) it’ll take me forever to do these though, so I dunno about ‘upcoming’ really, I only chip away every now and then when I’m unable to write new stuff but am still coherent enough to do something.

Eh, it is what it is, I can’t write like I used to, hence me being inactive more than active these days, but I’m trying to work within my new limitations instead of getting frustrated with them and just giving up entirely =)

---

Now, who to tag....I think anyone I would tag has already done it, and if not..I blame the fog if I’m forgetting someone obvious, if you wanna do it just say I tagged you so I can be nosy and take a look =)

Again, please do not reblog this post

[taesthetes]

Hi cat, what advice do you have to keep a writer's inspiration/motivation up and going? Your masterlist has me in awe of how many fics you've written (they're all written very well btw 👌🏽) I've barely written anything all this year, I've finally started something, and it's really messy but I'm excited and yet kinda scared because I've never written something this long 😅😭 Thank youuuuuuu *hugs and kisses* 💓💓

Hello there, sweetpea! 🌸 First of all, thank you for reading my fics!! The thought of people actually wanting to read my writing still seems surreal to me even now haha 😅 And secondly and more importantly, congratulations on starting your first writing piece of the year! 🎉🎉 I’m so proud of you! that’s a huge accomplishment in itself already because the first step (in this case: starting to write) is always the hardest to take, in my opinion.

Pertaining to having constant writing inspiration and motivation, I’ll divide my advice up for the two separate topics. Personally, I constantly have ideas roaming my mind, but I simply lack motivation to write them all. But here are some things I learned about inspiration and motivation.

My advice for inspiration:

Use your personal experiences. I frequently formulate storylines about the things that have happened to me, and in my point in life right now, I’m in college where I have gotten a bunch of crazy experiences. That’s why my recent fics are mostly college au. Sobriquet was written almost identically to my own experience, whereas Caprice stemmed from me seeing a guy in my chem class regularly playing pokemon go instead of paying attention to class and grew in my mind into a fic idea. You can embellish and fluff up your life experience if you don’t think it’s interesting enough, thus whipping it up into great fic inspiration.

Use your dreams. Not everyone remembers their dreams when they wake up, but I remember a lot of the ones I have, and I use them as inspiration for writing. The majority of the dreams I wrote about in The Universe of Us are ones I actually had and then altered them slightly to fit into the storyline. I also have a lot of bizarre dreams that can actually turn into some very interesting fics lmao

Embrace the fangirl life and use it in your stories. Do you like Disney stories? Harry Potter? Anime? Find inspiration within other fandoms you enjoy. Write a hogwarts au, write a hunger games au, write a fic based on The Little Mermaid, etc.

Listen to music. Music is a huge source of inspiration, and you can think up fic ideas based on lyrics for example. Taylor Swift songs always help me when I’m trying to write a angsty scene, like a break up.

Check out prompt blogs. There are many blogs (ex: @/dailyau or this post that compiled a lot of au’s) out there that have writing prompts, which is super handy, if you lack inspiration. You can read through some of the prompts and see if any of them catch your attention.

Read. A lot. Writers get inspired by other writers. A wonderful way to fuel your imagination and inspiration and make them widen their horizons is by learning from other writers.

Be observant. Observe your surroundings, and you might just spot some inspiration. See the two baristas at your local coffee shop always bickering? Or perhaps, notice the boy who made a very creative promposal? Pass by someone and overhear them say something very interesting? You can turn those observations into fic ideas.

Be open to requests or suggestions. Your readers may have interesting ideas, and if you lack inspiration, you can open requests. You are by no means obligated to write them all, but they can spark up some inspiration. You can hold a drabble game, such as having them send in a song to write a song-inspired fic or picking a one-liner prompt. There are a lot of prompt lists out there that you can use for drabble games (ex: here, here, and here)

Daydream. Honestly, just relax somewhere with no distractions that makes you feel calm and stress-free. And let your mind wander. I get inspired as I daydream during car rides or whenever I’m simply sprawled out on my bed, doing nothing except making up ridiculous scenarios in my head.

My advice for motivation:

Be excited about writing. You certainly aren’t going to get any motivation if you’re not excited at all about writing. And, you said you’re excited and a little scared about your writing? That’s great! You should definitely feel excited about what you’re writing. You’re eager and happy to write then. And feeling a little nervous and scared is also good because that adrenaline rush and the feeling of butterflies in your stomach also adds a bit to the excitement, right?

You have to love the idea you’re writing. If you don’t like the prompt you’re writing, you aren’t going to feel very satisfied with your writing. You might even start to dread writing it and lose motivation. So, make sure that you actually genuinely enjoy the idea you’re writing.

Set the mood for writing. Is there a certain time you write best? Is there a certain place that you enjoy writing in? Do you write better when you listen to music? You will feel more motivated to write if the setting is ideal for you.

Write your short fics all in one sitting. This is just something that works for me personally. I have a super short attention span, which leads me to losing motivation quickly. This is why the majority of my fics are 1k to 4k oneshots because I write the entire fic at once. If I get an idea for a short fic, I write it immediately whether it be on my phone or my laptop because I know I won’t be motivated to write it in the future.

When you think of an idea for a long fic or series, wait a day before you write it. This is another thing that personally works well for me, but might not work for others. With long fic or series ideas, I want to know that I will finish it. I know I won’t be writing it all in one sitting since it’s going to be a long af fic, but I don’t want to write like 10k and then suddenly be like “I’m throwing this out. I don’t like this idea anymore.” I’m a very lazy person, and I don’t want to trash 10k of writing that I had spent hours on. So when I want to make a series or simply a long fic, I think of the idea and mull over it for a bit for a day or even weeks. And then, the next day or week, I ask myself, “Am I still interested in this idea?” If it’s a yes, then I begin to write it.

Make an outline of your fic before writing it. I only use this for long fic ideas that I have, but it works with any fic idea. Having an outline is sort of like seeing a schedule or a to-do list, which is quite motivating because of the sense of accomplishment and pride in yourself that comes when you check off something on the list (or checking off a scene you just completed writing from your outline). And studies show that people are more motivated to do something if they have it written down somewhere and see it daily.

Share and talk about your fic ideas with a friend. I never realized this until now, but having a friend hype up your ideas really boosts up your motivation to write them out. I tell all my fic ideas to fae and she’s always super supportive of them. I sometimes ask if I should do this or that, and she gives suggestions (oh, look at that, more inspiration courtesy of friends!!). I also give her various excerpts of the fic I’m working on, and she yells at me about them, so it’s like constant motivation throughout the writing period. So thanks, pablo, even though you show your support by screeching at me in all caps @zephyoongist​

It’s okay to take a break from writing. If you are feeling unmotivated for a certain idea, don’t force yourself to write. Take a break. Go write a different scenario or make a snack or hang out with friends. When you come back, you will feel refreshed and ready to write. You can reread your writing with fresh eyes and may have new ideas or inspiration on how to continue the fic.

Just write. Let out all your emotions and everything you want to say or convey. Don’t be afraid that it won’t make sense. It’s okay for your fic to be messy during the writing process. You can always go back, cross things out, move sentences around, revise it, and fix it up until you think it’s perfect.

I hope these tips are helpful to you! It’s like 3 am for me now, so I should go to bed, but this is also my prime time for writing, so I’m a little conflicted lmao but anyway, once again, CONGRATULATIONS ON STARTING YOUR FIRST WRITING MASTERPIECE!!! ☺️❣️Best wishes for your writing journey, and I know your story will turn out amazing! And I hope you send me a link to your writing if you do publish it because I’d love to read it 💞💞 And, here are lots of hugs and kisses being sent your way from me to you as well 💌

[littlemissmeggie]

all prime numbers for that ask meme?

oh my gosh, i had to google prime numbers because it’s honestly been about twelve years since i last had to think about what “prime numbers” meant and what numbers were actually prime numbers. 

anyway…

2. Favorite part of writing: i love when i have the big “aha!” moments when i think of a plot point or a scene or even a line of dialogue that fills in a gap i’d been struggling with, whether it’s a gap that really needed to be filled in or was one that nobody but me noticed. and i love when i think of little details to weave into my story that i feel add vibrancy to the story, whether readers notice them or not.

3. Least favorite part of writing: i hate when i get stuck in one spot and i can’t seem to get past it. like, i’ll know what’s supposed to happen next because i have it all outlined and even have specifics of the next bit sketched out but i can’t seem to get over the hump of the part i’m working on, either because i can’t turn my thoughts and ideas from the outline and drafts into words that actually flow together and sound nice or because i just keep staring at my computer screen without any motivation to write.

5. Books or authors that influenced your style the most: definitely j.k. rowling but mario puzo in a big big way. agatha christie probably, too. the godfather most definitely has impacted my writing style. 

7. Favorite author: mario puzo

11. Describe your writing process from scratch to finish: drabbles and short oneshots often just start as a blank google doc, though i usually write at least a couple lines in my notebook; it’s usually the prompt or basic idea, i.e. cornerstone or high school golf!narry + artist!zayn. longer fics, like a little drop for me start as a page in my notebook with basic plot and story idea and then have a list of main characters, a list of settings and locations, and a list of scene ideas that came to mind as i was working through my first page of plot ideas. then i work through "character interviews" and identify the conflict/resolution, major plot points, and the main character(s) objective(s) and stuggles/obstacles achieving their goal. after all of that, i write a handwritten rough draft, outlining the entire story. i start with a typed first draft after that, filling in blanks and adding proper dialogue and adding descriptions of characters and settings from my "character interviews" and location descriptions. i go back through and work out plot holes and any parts i don't like or feel need to be reworked and then do a final draft with editing. the notes feature on google docs and post-it notes to add bits and pieces to my handwritten outline are my best friends when i'm writing.

13. How do you deal with writers block? with longer stories, i often go back to the beginning and reread what i’ve written. it sometimes helps me because, as i’m reading along and picturing the story and the characters and places, i can see what should happen next or gain more insight into what a character was thinking or feeling or find a little breadcrumb that i may have missed the first time around that can sometimes become the catalyst for what i’m missing. i also like to go back to my outline for the same reasons. if all else fails, i take a day off from writing or work on an unrelated drabble or short oneshot to get myself out of whatever universe i’ve been wrapped up in. 

17. On average, how much writing do you get done in a day? it really depends on my “real life,” unfortunately. sometimes i can only write 500 words and sometimes i can write 4,000 and sometimes i look blankly at the open google doc until i decide nothing’s going to come to me and give up for the day. at the height of writing my last fic, though, i was writing about 3,000 to 5,000 words a day.

19. First line of a WIP you’re working on: “Holy shit, Z,” said Niall, reaching out to smack his friend on the arm.

23. Single or multi POV, and why? i write in third-person omniscient. i don’t try to write in that style, it’s just what seems the most natural to me. i feel that i’m very much in each character’s mind and am considering every character’s emotions and thoughts when i’m creating my story so it seems natural to show insight into everyone’s, or almost everyone’s, point of view.

29. Who do you write for? me. i like to write stories that i enjoy going back to read. and i write because it’s an enjoyable hobby that challenges me and that i can improve upon.

31. Hardest character to write: i wrote several short stories that focused on my relationship with one of my cousins and were sort of “what-if” situations—fictionalized events in some sort of weird AU of my own life—that have and never will be posted or published anywhere. only one person has ever read them other than me. and i found that writing myself was the most difficult character to write.

37. Most inspirational quote you’ve ever read or heard that’s still important to you: really, just about anything robin williams ever said. but i’ve always been partial to one of his lines from the movie dead poets society. “no matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

41. How many stories do you work on at one time? i usually only write one story at a time, though i’ll sometimes write a drabble or a short oneshot while i’m working on a longer story. as i mentioned in question #13, i often try to deal with writer’s block by getting out of the story and focusing on something else for a bit.

43. Are you an avid reader? i used to be when i was younger; as a kid and teenager and young adult, i read a book a week. since my mid-20s, though, i’ve not read as much. my goal for the summer is to reread the harry potter series, the godfather, and the last don.

47. Do you start with characters or plot when working on a new story? since i mostly write fanfiction, my characters already sort of partially exist anyway, so i start with my basic plot and storyline before going back to shape my characters to fit around the story. when i write non-fanfiction, i feel like my plot and characters sort of form simultaneously. 

53. What does writing mean to you? i went to school and got a degree and then a career in a profession that isn’t my true passion but is something i like well enough and am very very good at and knew i would always be able to find a job doing. but music and writing have always been my two biggest passions, as well as things i’m rather good at. so writing sort of gives me a sense of fulfillment, and engages my creative side, in a way that my “real” job doesn’t. and since it’s something i can constantly improve and, between researching topics for my stories and reading through thesauraus.com and dictionary.com and reading through writing blogs for tips on writing outlines and proper grammar and punctuation, etc, allows me to learn so much, it’s a welcome challenge that’s a much better “hobby” and use of my free time than just scrolling mindlessly through tumblr or watching television.

(sorry this took so long to answer! my real life has been a bit busy with my work schedule! and i try to keep my tumblr use to no more than 15 minutes at a time during the summer to keep myself from getting sucked in for too long. i work a lot from may to october and i don't like to spend all of my free time scrolling through tumblr.)

[carnationbooks]

Author Interview - angryspaceravenclaw

Hey followers! We’re back with another fandom author interview, this time with @for-you-and-bits (aka angryspaceravenclaw on AO3) who is not only a prolific fic writer but has also published original fiction and has a background in the publishing world. We were lucky enough to be able to pick her brain about writing, fandom, Check, Please!, and publishing. Be sure to follow the links to read this wonderful author’s works!

How did you first get into fandom? What was your first fandom?

If we’re being technical, I used to write a lot of Vampire fanfic during my emo teen years in the early to mid nineties, but they were all in notebooks cos there was no widely available internet then haha.  But my first foray into internet fandom was Harry Potter back in 2004.  I was at University and one of my mates had mentioned reading this story about Snape and I was like…wait, is that a thing?  That people can do?  Just…write things?  It was an independent website with the author’s fanfic—all of it Snape centric so I wasn’t really interested in that.  But I started perusing and within the week I discovered fanfic.net and livejournal and the next thing I knew, I had a 100k word Drarry fanfic going.  I stayed in the Harry Potter fandom until my first long hiatus in 2007, when I was finishing up grad school, and my youngest kiddo was born.

What inspired you to start writing? What came first -- fanfic or original fic?

I think I’ve always been inspired to write.  I struggled with English growing up because my first language is Sign and it has a different grammar structure, but the moment I got a handle on it, I really couldn’t be stopped.  I think I’ve always wanted to be a writer, so it’s no surprise this ended up both my hobby and career.  My first real, meaty writing was fanfic—vampire stuff.  Then when I was sixteen I wrote an obscenely long fantasy trilogy about Dragon Riders which has since disappeared into some writing void—a good thing, trust me.

What is your favorite thing that you have written so far (fanfic, original, or both)?

I…really hesitated to say I have a favourite.  All of my books have pretty strong meaning—they all have a backstory of inspiration.  I think though my book Verismo is probably the most important, because that is a story I’d been working on since my early University years.  It changed about a hundred times as I wrote and re-wrote, but I really loved the way it turned out.  As for fanfic, I’m not really sure I could choose, haha.  I had way too much fun with all of them.

What is your favorite fic by someone else (in any fandom)? Favorite book?

I hate picking favourites just because there are so many amazing writers in fandom.  I can say that when I’m having a bad day I know I can go to @nomorelonelydays for some Patater fluff—I’ve read and re-read all her fic.  And @yoursummerfrost for Pimms and Pimmbits.  Those fics always cheer me up.

As for book…that’s also hard to say, because I go through phases.  Anne Rice has a special place in my heart because her writing is what kind of helped me realise I wasn’t straight, and kind of pointed me in the right direction when I was doing a lot of early-teen soul searching.  I don’t particularly love her books now, and most of them are really kind of problematic and meh, but growing up there was almost no LGBT+ fiction.  What I would have given for a Rick Riordan in 1994!

How did you get into Check Please?

Haha okay so…I had been really active in the HP fandom, and for about six months I had some of my followers pestering me to get into it.  But I was like…what?  A comic about hockey?  And pies?  And a character named Shitty??  I’m never going to read that.  Then the update happened where Jack drives to Samwell to comfort Bitty and I was like HANG ON ONE SECOND THERE!  I had already been toying with leaving the HP fandom, and I spent an entire night in bed devouring the comic, then devouring fanfic, and the next thing I knew, I was hooked.

What pairings and/or tropes do you like to read and/or write in this fandom?

Okay this could get long because I am not a one pairing shipper like…at all.  So for ships, Zimbits, Patater, Pimms, Pimbits, Holsom, RansomNursey, and NurseCharmer are my go-tos (some of them rare enough there’s not a lot of content.)  And I’m always a sucker for AUs, coffee shops, bed sharing tropes, future fic.  Anything with a happy ending and healthy communication.

Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?

I do!  Frequently.  When I get writer’s block, it usually means that I’m overworked or over-stressed so I take a break from writing.  Sometimes I ask tumblr for drabble prompts so I can write small things.  I use that time to do a lot of reading, because that’s usually a great way to get inspired.  But mainly I step away from my projects so I can refresh my brain.

Does the way you write original fiction differ from the way you write fanfic? How have your experiences in those realms influenced each other?

They’re vastly different.  I have huge huge expectations of both myself and other writers in original fiction that I don’t have for fanfic.  When I write fanfic, I pants a lot of my stuff (meaning I write by the seat of my pants—I don’t really outline or plot stuff out).  I don’t really take fanfic seriously mostly because it’s a hobby, and I never want it to feel like work.  Which means my stuff often has plotholes or typos, and I’m never fussed about them because I don’t want fanfic to ever feel like a chore.

With original fiction, I have loads of documents, character sheets, plot outlines, copies of brainstorm chats with my editors that I reference.  I’m fairly meticulous when it comes to that, and I expect that from other writers as well (that’s the former editor in me speaking haha)

Fanfic has definitely influenced the way I write romance though.  And it helps show me what readers are looking for when it comes to content, so that has helped tremendously when it comes to working on my books.  Fanfic has taught me not to be afraid to take risks, and not to listen to people if they try to tell you diversity won’t sell.

Do you have any words of wisdom for fic authors considering giving original fic a try?

Yes, absolutely.  Write what you love.  Keep your audience in mind, but remember this is your work, your effort, and you owe it to yourself to put your words on the page.  Listen and learn from critique, but don’t let anyone bully you into silence, especially when it comes to diversity.  It doesn’t matter if it’s not mainstream, write it anyway!  Trust me, you will have readers.

You can find @for-you-and-bits‘ fanfiction here on AO3 (http://archiveofourown.org/users/angryspaceravenclaw/pseuds/angryspaceravenclaw), and as E.M. Lindsey on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/E.M.-Lindsey/e/B012AYTZHM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490214159&sr=8-1). 

We would like to thank her again for talking with us. As an independent publisher we love to learn about the perspectives of authors who have navigated both the fandom and published worlds! We hope you all enjoyed this interview as much as we did.