#author interview tag

[thesunoficaruss]

daniel publishes his interview with louis. almost immediately, people start posting RPF fanfic about louis and lestat on ao3, but one writer frequents the tag way more than anyone else. louis starts getting anonymous letters with countless pages of printed out fics. he hires someone to figure out who it is because it's getting relentless and frankly, killing his vibe. frequent trips to the rock room are made. they find the author. it's lestat.

[evilasiangenius]

He didn't so much hear Armand come in as he felt Armand come in. Like a moment of nullity moving through the room, a presence that was not a presence. A ghost.

“Daniel...” Armand sat down on the bed, his weight depressing the mattress lightly.

“No...go away.” Daniel tried to turn away but he was sweating and shivering, too cold, too hot.

“It's all right, Daniel. I'm here.” Armand shifted, bringing his legs up and lying down beside Daniel, moving into Daniel's arms. “I'm here.”

“You feel good.” Daniel pressed his cheek against Armand's cool forehead, sighing. He wrapped his arms tight around Armand and it was as though he could feel the heat melt away from him, soaking into Armand.

“My poor Daniel.” Armand stroked Daniel's pale hair. Daniel had only the faintest roughness of stubble clinging to his jaw, and his mussed hair had been cut and clipped in a slick modern style that suited him. Even his ruined clothes were new. That man had taken good care of him.

Daniel shifted, so he could move closer to Armand, so he could press his entire body against Armand. The fever was burning up inside Daniel, and Armand felt the twinge of that old fear, the fear of sickness and the death it brought. So often over the years he had seen Daniel shrug off coughs and chills that it had made him wonder at the strength of these modern mortals.

Death. His fingers brushed through Daniel's hair and Daniel sighed, turning so Armand's hand moved against his cheek. Just hiding under the skin, just beyond the bones. He wondered if he pressed his ear to Daniel's chest, if he could hear the little cells inside of him slowly dying, bursting and floating away.

“I won't let you.” Armand kissed his eyelids, speaking so softly that it was more for his own sake than Daniel's. “Not right now.” And he made that little cut on his throat and guided Daniel to to it. Daniel's dry lips moved against him, at first sluggish, but then he caught the taste of it and his mouth moved hungry.

more

[ominous-faechild]

✦ Writer Questionnaire 2 ✦

Thanks for the tag, @the-golden-comet! (And @the-letterbox-archives tagging me when I was almost done here, haha)

Heads-up! Long post!

How long have you had your writing Tumblr/Writeblr? A fast and loose estimate is fine!

Two months ago to the date actually??? Or, at least, that's when I first uploaded a story here. My first actual Writeblr post was me hopping in on an open tag on the 6th of June, haha. I thought it was just a month, but looks like the summer's gone by in a flash! 😭

What led you to create it?

So, I'm a writer on Tapas! I'd been attempting to social network on other social medias (twitter and bluesky) but wasn't getting anywhere, didn't like the general formats, and uh... I'm sure I don't have to explain why I don't want to touch Twitter with a 10-foot-pole anymore. Let's just say, if you haven't seen, it's just as bad as (if not worse than) everyone says. Anyhow, I'd seen lots of Tumblr short stories on other platforms and started investigating what it's like here. Didn't know what "Writeblr" was or that it even existed, but eventually stumbled into the field after posting my short story. Thanks, @darkandstormydolls! ❤️

What’s your favorite thing about the Writeblr community?

How supportive everyone is??? Like omg you guys are so sweet, idk how to take it. Also I love seeing how much passion everyone else has for their writing, haha.

What’s one thing you’d like your mutuals to know about you?

Uhhhh, I think I'm pretty open about the things I'd like people to know about me, haha. I never mean to offend, so if I accidentally say something wrong, please tell me! I'm autistic and very dumb.

Is there anything you’d like to see more of on your dash?

I'm ngl I keep meaning to build out my followed tags for my fandoms, haha. The only fandoms I really see things for are TMAGP (10/10, TMA is my obsession. I am obsessed. It is one of my Special Interests and I love it with all my heart) and House of the Dragon??? Except I'm not even a fan of HotD??? So that's kinda annoying, haha. (Aka, my fandom stuff, but that's on me.)

WIP it Good

Which Works-in-Progress (WIPs) or writing projects are you noodling about, lately?

Rising From the Ashes, tragically. (Because it's one of the LAST things I should be working on right now, haha.) Otherwise, I'm of course always obsessed with the Arcane Rifts. Then I force myself to be obsessed with Sun and Shadow, though it's slowly growing on me, haha.

How long have you been working on them?

Haha, so I've historically jumped around a lot in working on different things, so these are approximate guesstimations!

Rising From the Ashes has likely had 3 or 4 years put into it/the characters. If you include the Calamity Crew (which overlaps with it in the timeline and originally ended up merging with the cast of RFtA), I'd say definitely 4 years!

The Arcane Rifts has had 5 years put into it.

Sun and Shadow is very new; I'd say it probably only has about 4 months of work in it? It's part of why I'm less interested in it, haha. Less I've put into it and less I'm attached to.

Do you remember what inspired them/what got you started?

Oh... oh dear. How could you ask me this??? 😭😭😭

Rising From the Ashes has existed since, I think, 2016. It started (tragically) as an RP starter on Google+. I wish I was kidding.

To those unaware of how it worked in that space (and likely similar ones to this day), you'd post a starter and people would join in with their own characters. 99% of the time, they'd drop out before long. However, I'd work out details of the characters in the process and carry that info over into the worldbuilding. I eventually stopped RPing with the masses and settled down with a single "partner" who I'll call Kris.

She's the one who stole my docs.

The Arcane Rifts technically originated as another RP starter? It never got attention, though, and instead my ideas for it simply carried over into the worldbuilding in general.

One of the characters of the original starter was important in the worldbuilding. It was not a character you see in the early books of tAR, though, so don't bother trying to figure it out. But, since he was so important, his origins were also important.

The Arcane Rifts started in 2019, as I wanted to make a story building out said character's origins. It was originally going to be a duology, the first book being Gene's backstory and the second being how Gene and The Other Guy's lives intertwined. (No, they were not gay for each other! 😂) It's since changed a lot, and focuses basically exclusively on Gene, haha. The last book in the series will probably be focused on the other character, though!

Sun and Shadow started for a romance novel competition on Tapas which has since ended. I didn't get to finish it in time for a lot of reasons, but I primarily cite stress and exhaustion from working full time at a physically-intensive job. It grew shockingly quickly and I had some fans donate to me related to it, so I'm kinda forced to work on it, haha. Dw--I like it! It's just harder to work on for a number of reasons, haha.

How much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them?

Tragic, the questions you're asking me--

It depends, haha. I'm autistic and hyperfixate a lot. Also, for one, that's a suuuuuper vague question??? Like what do you mean "how much time"--how much time within the day? How often in general? Idk, man, haha.

I think about the Arcane Rifts a LOT!

I've put an incredible amount of time and effort into it, and I'm in love with 90% of the characters there. Even the background characters have had a lot of work put into them, getting relatively fleshed-out backstories to make their motives understandable (even if not agreeable!), and I love them all so much, haha.

Except Katerina. She's a bitch.

I also think about Rising From the Ashes a good amount, and it's invaded my brain again lately, haha.

I took a step away from RFtA and basically all of my other stories late 2021 when Kris (my ex-writing partner) and I had a falling out. It was incredibly difficult for me emotionally to look at anything I worked with her on, and obviously RFtA was a huge one (actually, tAR was the only thing of my early works she had nothing to do with). Since early this year, I've finally been able to work on it again and it's been incredibly fun removing her stuff, actually!

I think all that is a good part of why I keep randomly getting obsessed with it again, haha. It's like looking at old friends (the characters, not Kris) and being all "omg??? I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER??? PLEASE TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN UP TO!!!" except it's removing Kris's stuff, haha.

I think about Sun and Shadow a lot more than you might expect with how much I talk about not preferring it, haha. I love the characters! Crow and, actually, Valyarus especially. They're both super interesting characters, and I'll randomly find my brain working out scenes between characters interacting with them.

(The problem with SaS is that, as a book, it's incredibly different from my usual works. It's a small cast of Frey/Crow and technically Daleira, while most of my stories focus on larger casts. It makes for a VERY different experience, and so it's a lot harder to work on)

When someone asks the dreaded, “What do you write about,” question, what do you usually say?

Actually, I've got a ready answer for this one! Until SaS, I was dedicating my time to the Arcane Rifts and had prepared the answer:

Percy Jackson meets Lord of the Rings in a steampunk fantasy world full of ✨mysteries waiting to be uncovered✨

(I'd say the "mysteries waiting to be uncovered" part ironically/accidentally mockingly most of the time, whoops, haha. I always feel awkward advertising my works.)

It was awkward when people would get actually interested in it from there and ask more questions, haha.

To clarify: that's my tagline for the Arcane Rifts! The story has gods and demigods messing with mortals, using them as their playthings and being REALLY immature babies because they don't really face consequences for their actions like PJ. Then, it's a lot more "grounded yet fantastical" like LotR, where magic is kinda infused with reality and yet you still have issues like starving to death and whatnot.

Let’s Rotate Blorbos

Name any characters you created.  Side characters, protagonists, antagonists, characters who’ve never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you’d like!

UHHHH THERE'S A LOT TO LIST???

Try this for a taste! These are just the guys I've gotten colors for!

Freya, Crow, Daleira, Valyarus, Grimnir, Soren, Gene, Tazin, Mislav, Adilzhan, Ludmila, Rada, Caspar, Nikolai, Gennadi, Oska, Rieka, Liesel, Carmin, Nora, Sammy, Kieva, Caron, Varik, Elazi, Riaan, Roman, and Tiberius! (Though Tib is getting a name change sooner or later)

Who’s the most unhinged?

Unhinged in which way? There's a lot of options there, haha.

I'm going to give honorary mentions to Valyarus, Gene in the later books, Tazin, Rieka, Gennadi, and Tiberius ! (Why does it not surprise me that most unhinged characters are from tAR? 🤣 Also I swear it's a coincidence most of the unhinged characters are red.)

(... Probably.)

In general, I'd say that, incredibly ironically, the Existence of Order is the most unhinged of all my characters. She's just incredible at hiding it.

(Tbf half of the Existentials probably belong on the "unhinged" list anyway but eh. They still don't compare to Order!)

Who comes the most naturally for you to write?

I'm going to give this as a tie between Gene and Sammy!

Gene has my 'tisms and just about all of my trauma, so we have a lot in common, whoops, haha. Also there's a... very specific detail about his character that makes him easier to write in general. It's just a major spoiler. 👀

Similarly and actually identically to Gene in some ways, while Sammy has a lot in common with me, he's also incredibly perceptive! (Although we don't share that fact.)

Due to the way I write, their analytical natures allow for them to spit straight facts about the worldbuilding and the people around them rather than beating around the bush, haha. Both are highly investigative, try to learn and understand everything around them, and notice small details other characters wouldn't! It makes it much easier for me to write, because uh... well here's an example of what my outlines look like.

Long story short: I include a lot of detail which I then transfer into the POV's character narration, cutting out details which they wouldn't notice or think about, haha. In Sammy's case (which that scene has Sammy as the narrator/POV character), very little information gets cut out because he's so perceptive!

(Here, as a treat--have another example!)

(In this scene, Nikolai is the narrator. Even the outline gets "filtered" to mirror the characters' way of thinking--like it's Nikolai himself seeing Caspar as "doll-like". The crossed-out stuff is details I most likely won't mention, but noted for myself, haha. I do the same thing if/when including details about the motives and thoughts of non-narrator characters.)

Do you ever cringe at them?

Gene and Sammy?

A B S O L U T E L Y .

Gene is a wreck in basically every way and desperately needs help (that he won't get until he meets Dimitry). As much as I love him, there's a lot of moments where you just can't help but wince and be all "shit, did you REALLY have to do/say that?"

Sammy on the other hand? He's a terrified, control freak manipulator who panics the moment he feels like he's losing control of a situation. It can be painful to watch, even if simultaneously fascinating.

How much control do you feel you have over your characters?  AKA, do they ever “write themselves,” refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn’t expect? To what degree? Are some less cooperative than others?

I explicitly go out of my way to add backstory to and develop each and every one of my characters until they "write themselves", haha.

I want my characters to feel like real people, so I do my absolute best to make them as real as possible. (That's part of why tAR is so massive...)

Special shoutout to Dimitry here, btw. Dude COMPLETELY screwed over the planned and intended from the earliest days path of the Arcane Rifts. I've mentioned before that Gene is villain-coded, yeah? Want to know why?

Because he was MEANT to be one! Then Dimitry had to come along, be the sweetest, nicest fucking person around to Gene while he was going through the worst part of his life, and keep Gene from slipping off the deep end!

MITRY, YOU PIECE OF--

Do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? And do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? For example, as Asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on AO3, etc.

I absolutely love, love, love!!! people asking questions about my characters!!! 🥰

I would absolutely prefer them as Asks sent to me, and especially would prefer if separate subjects/questions were sent in separate Asks! Like, say you were going to ask me about Gene and Dimitry. I'd rather two separate Asks, one asking for whatever you wanted to know about Gene and another for whatever you wanted to know about Dimitry, haha. However, if you wanted to ask a single question about both, that obviously is fine as a single Ask!

On writeblr engagement

What makes you want to follow another Writeblr account? Do you follow ‘em as you see ‘em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? Do you follow based on WIPs, or vibes?

I definitely scope out before I follow, yes.

I choose based primarily on the personality of the person behind the blog, but the WIPs/vibes can also have an influence on my decision, haha. I'd rather follow people with kind/supportive personalities, and I'll eventually start liking their stories even if they're not initially my thing!

What makes you decide against following?

Bigotry. Moment I see it, I'm on the lookout for even the slightest hint of more and, if I see it, I'm OUT!

(That includes things like: homophobia, transphobia, TERFs, ableism, racism, xenophobia, etc.)

Also, while I include angst in my stories, the people who are big on "I have nothing but bad stuff in my writing and I'm proud" are, uh... not on my "follow" list. While they can write what they want and enjoy it, grimdark is not my thing. Angst is best in moderation and I very purposely control the amount of it in my life.

(Also Kris's--my ex writing partner's--obsession with "grimdark-ness" is a good part of why I'm so ecstatic to remove her stuff from my writing. Yes, I've tried it. For years. I hated it. Please and thank you. Also note that I proudly call myself an evil writer, so it's not like I don't love angst, it's just--moderation. Seriously.)

Do you interact with non-mutuals often?

Yes! I think a good 50-30% of my interactions are with non-moots, haha. I go out of my way to try to support my moots, but I'll definitely share support with anything that catches my attention, no matter who it's from!

To be fair, though, I think a majority of non-moots I interact with are on my mental "probably going to follow soon" list. I can be slow to make decisions, haha. It doesn't help that I try being active with my moots, so I'm trying to avoid growing that list too quickly!

Do your mutuals’ characters occupy space in your noodle?

Haha, depends what you mean by that? My brain is definitely too full of my own characters to have any space for anyone else's, but I definitely do think of others' characters at times! There's plenty of y'alls characters I really like, haha.

Just... omg, my hyperfixated AuDHD brain refuses to focus on anything except for the Hyperfixation of the Moment™.

This was a huge one! Hopefully I'm not screaming into the void with this one, or you guys enjoy finding out more about me and my WIPs.

If you're curious about the reason this is labeled Writer Questionnaire 2... well guess what!

Tagging (gently! This is a lot, haha): @honeybewrites @yourpenpaldee @paeliae-occasionally @mysticstarlightduck @illarian-rambling @.darkandstormydolls (tagged you earlier in the post haha) + open tags!

Divider from @cafekitsune!

[pynkhues]

https://x.com/snow_droplet/status/1836806686041944275

lots of people see this scene (louis reading madame bovary) as a one more confirmation of louis = housewife = mother. just as the yellow painting depicting mother and child. why do you think he relates to these works so much? and what do you think it says about writers' intent wrt his character?

Mm, I can see the thought process, but having read Madame Bovary a number of years ago, I'm a little surprised at the interpretation of Louis as Emma, who cheats because she finds monogomy boring, provincial life even more so, and dislikes motherhood - three things that I'd associate a lot more with Lestat than I would with Louis given a) Antoinette, and the fact that Louis never cheated on Lestat given he only had sex with Jonah when the relationship was opened up, b) Lestat spent most of his mortal life trying to escape the French countryside when Louis has only ever lived in cities, and c) his Whole Deal with Claudia.

I do think that it's worth noting too that the copy of Madame Bovary Louis' reading is actually Lestat's, not Louis':

It also shows I think a real sense of taking Louis' self-assessment when he's at one of his lowest points of depression across the course of the series, as an actual representation of himself? Claudia calling Louis a housewife was pretty specifically about trying to emasculate him into action, and we're sitting with Louis here where he does feel emasculated. Louis does find purpose through work - he's an ambitious man and a capitalist from the moment we meet him - and him being forced out of the upper echelon of earning capacity due to his race is both, of course, racist, but I think also is something he does find emasculating.

Louis always took his role as provider seriously with the du Lac's, I think both as eldest son and patriarch (and I kinda touched on it in my post about Grace, but the show flirts a little with gothic themes of a perverted family structure there in that Louis is both father and brother to Grace and Paul, and son and husband to Florence), and I think even having the illusion that he was providing for at least Claudia, if not Lestat (who of course is cashed-up from Magnus), was still a crucial part of his identity. It's why it's easy for him to fall into a (again, perverted) version of that role with Armand.

That's even without getting into the Capitalism of it all, haha. I actually forgot this and just caught it again on my (very slow) re-watch, but The Azaelia isn't Louis' only business at the time when it starts getting targeted. He's invested in, at the very least, grocery stores and millineries, which Lestat points out to him when Louis' making his No Whites Allowed sign:

This - - again - - is emasculating. Grocery stores and hat makers are very specifically pink-collar industries, and Louis' been making a fortune not off women's quote-unquote 'interests', he's been making it off women's bodies. And again, one day, I'm going to write my Louis-is-a-misogynyst post, but for now, my point is that it's the insult of this that fuels Louis' (rightful!) anger, not his relation to it.

The painting I do think is a bit different, but that's kind of harder to talk about given visual art is so subjective (and honestly I know less about it / can speak to it less). I do think it's significant though that the artist is a Black man, and someone who's still pretty up and coming. The maternal side there I can see, but I don't think it's as absolute as others, just personally.

[the-golden-comet]

✨Writeblr Interview✨

Thank you for tagging me @nczaversnick , @phynewrites , @mrbexwrites , and @foyle-writes-things ! Appreciate the heck out of y’all 💛✨

Short stories, novels, or poems?

Novels for sure, to read and to write! ✨

What genre do you prefer reading?

Same ones as I write—BL Romantasies, high fantasies, low fantasies, adult fiction, Slice of Life, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Angst/Fluff/Smut 💫✨

Are you a planner or a write as I go kind of person?

Little of column A, little of column B. I think a healthy balance between the two makes for some great planned (and unplanned) adventures! 💛✨

What music do you listen to while writing?

So funny thing….I don’t listen to music when I write. But, my favorite writing white noise is gameplay of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dead by Daylight, or Friday the 13th without commentary, played at a very low volume. Something about a revving chainsaw sparks my motivation to write (or maybe it’s fear? 🤔)

Favorite books/movies?

Anything Disney +mutuals’s stories ✨

Any current WIPs?

So far finishing up YWIMC before I move on to something big….👀✨I have a lot of stories on the back-burner and am focusing on one at a time 💛

If someone were to make a cartoon out of you what would your standard outfit be?

Very comfortable gray-knit turtleneck or hoodie, comfy pants, stylin’ shoes, and my bag of holding (numerous things. Backpack I carry around that has all my daily necessities ✨)

Create a character description of yourself:

Okay picture Link from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Got it? Okay. Make him gay. Give him some cartilage piercings. Maybe a few eye bags due to the insomnia. There you go. ✨

Oh also make him chaotic good. Because the world needs more kindness, and I will give the world more kindness. The world does not have a choice in the matter. 🌏💫✨

Do you like incorporating actual people you know into your writing?

Considering what I write? Absolutely not.

Are you kill happy with your characters?

Depends on the character and the narrative. I like happy endings, but sometimes a character must die. 🤷‍♂️

Coffee or Tea while writing?

While I write? Water. While I wake up? Coffee. While I get ready for bed? Tea.

Slow or fast writer?

Fast writer, slow motivator. Once I get on a groove I can usually go on 5-6 hour writing binges at a time. I just have to get there first with all of my projects….🫠✨

Where/who/what do you draw inspiration from?

Myself mainly, and my friends and mutuals secondly. I’ve been writing for myself since I started making fanfictions as a teenager, so I’ll never NOT make stories for myself. Gaining a supportive community on writeblr has given me an extra boost of motivation, because now I feel like I’m writing for myself AND for my friends and mutuals ✨

If you were in a fantasy world, what would you be?

The person that somehow finds themself in harrowing situations only to stumble my way out of the problem through sheer coincidence and bullshit. Or a bard. Probably a bard. Maybe both of these things 🤔✨

Most fav book cliche:

Two dumb idiots (/positive) go on an epic quest and learn about each other in the meanwhile. (See: The Emperor’s New Groove)

Least favorite cliche:

One-trick pony characters that lack depth, or exist just to check off a box.

Favorite scene to write?

Anything involving the two main protags.

Reason for writing?

My own personal enjoyment, and to share my crazy mind with the world for entertainment and create joy and inspiration to a community of genius minds (You. I’m talking about you. Yeah, YOU. Keep writing, keep inspiring, and keep on keeping on) 💖✨

Thank you again! I’m going to tag (no pressure): @tragedycoded , @wyked-ao3 , @gioiaalbanoart , @sableglass , @words-after-midnight , @saturnine-saturneight , @marlowethelibrarian , @davycoquette , @lychhiker-writes , @glasshouses-and-stones , @aintgonnatakethis , @honeybewrites , @drchenquill , @theink-stainedfolk , @the-letterbox-archives , @ominous-feychild , @mysticstarlightduck , @finickyfelix , @autism-purgatory , @moltenwrites , @rivenantiqnerd , @thecomfywriter , @somethingclevermahogony , @authorcoledipalo , @houseplantblank , +open tag ✨

[v7lgar]

author interview!

thank u for tagging me @orchideous-nox @star4daisy @ecstarry @del-stars and @velanavis

total works: 10 total wc: 98,581

your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

having a ghost in my bed

make it hurt, make it bleed

just as fine

you get me closer to god

in the end, it's him and i

do you respond to comments? yes i always do but sometimes it can take a while before i respond

what's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending? i think it's in the end, it's him and i lmao

what's the fic you've written with the happiest ending? a lot of people would argue me on this one but i do believe it's having a ghost in my bed lol

do you write crossovers? no i don't

have you ever received hate on a fic? this was the only hate i received and it happened on 2023 december 26th which it was my bday lmao the fic that is mentioned is are we dating, are we fucking?

do you write smut? most of the time, yes

have you ever had a fic stolen? i don't think so, no

have you ever had a fic translated? no but sometimes i wanna translate my fics into turkish

have you ever co-written a fic before? nope i didn't, i don't really think it's my thing

what's your all-time favorite ship? i'm literally the child of rosekiller, it's always gonna be rosekiller

what's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will? ummm beneath the stars lol

what are your writing strengths? i'm a sucker for intimacy and i tend to write things what i wanna feel or what i've felt, so imo it's intimacy and realness of the fiction

what are your writing weaknesses? i always thought its the dialogues but its probably my will to write doesn't strike as often as i'd like

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? as long as i'm not writing a turkish dialogue i'll always write in english and mention that they're speaking another language bcuz i rather the simplicity of it instead of misusing the language in the fic that i'm not familiar with

what's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to? for marauders fandom it's jarty, jartylus, evanreg, rosestarkiller, bitchkiller (wink) bartybella, bartylily, bartydora, rosestarkillerchaser and for other fandoms it's andreil, satosugu, MXTX's boys and Meatbun's boys lol

what's your favorite fic you've written? it's are we dating, are we fucking? because it's very personal. it's kind of my journey with toxic relationships and sex and the themes of it w fucked up backgrounds lol

open tags + np tags: @orbitfalls @katakosmos @bloodbruise @weasleytriplets @sanguineerose @godsofwoes @remusbuzzcutt

[tavyliasin]

Writer Interview Tag

I was tagged by @redroomroaving and once I'd finished feeling about a hundred emotions from reading I managed to follow it up.

I definitely got a little personal as well, and I know I’m prone to rambling so I’ll pop the questions and answers below the cut. A mild CW for discussion of physical pain and some very very light mentions of mental health. Tagging @morb-untamed @sweetmage @dmbakura @hydropyro @ineadhyn @nicocoer @wixed to do this if you would like to, but there is absolutely no pressure to talk about yourselves or in any personal detail. And anyone else reading this who I missed tagging (I forget names and tags so often, forgive me) please feel free to use me as your tag-in and let me know so I can read your answers too.

When did you start writing?

I have no idea, truly. Stories and reading were a big part of my life since before I could read, and as soon as I could read independently I devoured books and imagined stories in quiet moments. There are a few things I’ve worked on under another name, another identity, but no massive published works. A couple of unfinished SFW fanfics, and some larger original projects that remain on hiatus. As for writing smut and spice and taking fanfic more seriously? That all started in September 2023, and has just grown from there. I was hesitant at first, and you’ll see that in my early author notes, but from there I feel I’ve truly grown in my style and skill, as well as my creativity and ability to delve into character details and kink alike.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

Since writing more, I’ve become a terrible reader. I can’t really focus on it for long because my brain goes into ADHD rebellion and says “no, no, we don’t want to read story we want to create story” which is endlessly frustrating when I have stacks of unread books and a ton of fics earmarked by very talented authors. I will say there is a particular thing many may notice in my works – when writing, I very rarely refer to genitalia in direct terms. It’s just a personal preference when writing, you won’t find the word “cock” in any of my works, but contrary to how it might sound I have absolutely no issue with reading it in the works of others. I am an odd creature, I freely admit that. So…yes, there are themes, pairings, styles, and vocabulary features that I enjoy reading but do not write myself.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

I don’t hear comparisons really, and I don’t aim to emulate anyone either, though I will admit I try to keep just a few little moments of humour or sly winks to the audience in similar ways to Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. Just those quick lines or cutaways that for a moment join reader and author in a little shared joke.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I can only really write comfortably in one place, at my PC. I have 3 screens set up around my seat, which is actually the end seat of a reclining sofa, so I have a heated pad behind my back to reduce pain. I have a mini fridge with drinks on the table beside me with the side screen that has Discord on it at all times, my larger screen (the TV) sometimes has character images for reference or notes or just Spotify up so I can swap songs and playlists quickly. The last screen is in front of me on a table that goes over my footrest, and my keyboard is on a lap desk over my legs. 

I’ll almost always have my headphones on, and a small fan when it gets too warm. Sometimes I do end up a little chaotic with snacks in reach and meds also on the table so I don’t have to have anyone fetch them for me.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

It can’t be controlled. The muse is as fickle as it is demanding, when it’s there it wants everything all at once, and when it’s gone?... It leaves a devastating emptiness that honestly I struggle with at times. Even right now, tonight I planned to write, but when I finally got the free time and got set up…nothing feels appealing to try. So I’m doing this instead, and not forcing it. 

There are things I try at times, and things I recommend, too. First? Before you start writing, tend to your basic needs. Do you need a drink? Food? Relevant medication? A nap? A talk with a friend? A bit of fresh air or physical movement? If one of these needs hasn’t been met, it’ll likely soon become an obstacle to your writing. I like to have a drink and snack ready and with me when I start so it’s there as and when I might need it, and I do rely on caffeine like a stereotypically unmedicated ADHD author…

Second, set the mood. It can help for some people to have this routine, to get their playlist going, to be in the right place, to have the things that set a whole zone and bubble. For a while, I had a specific hat I would wear when writing for another project. I could tell myself “I am putting the hat on now, so I will focus and do this thing” and in some way it trained me to write more. I know others who have done things like always listening to a specific genre of music to write, so now when they hear that genre they get the urge to write. Third is take a shower. Nothing gives me more ideas than a good shower, and I even bought a waterproof notepad and pencil set so I can make those notes whilst in there and not fret about forgetting an idea. Other than that, I recommend going back to the thing that inspired you to write. Play the game or watch scenes with the characters you want to write about, find their voices and mindsets. You can also close your eyes and imagine the scene like a play – put the characters on your stage at the start of the scene and watch what they do in the scenario. Let them show you how they react. Some people also do well to write out a plan or bulletpoints, but I find personally this can bite me in the ass because the process of writing can often stray from my original plan. Which isn’t a bad thing, but it can feel frustrating that I didn’t use ideas that I was initially passionate about.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Ah here it is. Whilst I could go quite simply with the kinks that I keep utilising that don’t surprise me in the slightest – I know well that I enjoy writing a spicy shifting of power balance between strong-minded characters, as well as a lot of BDSM kink – there are deeper parts to this. Identity. That’s a theme that keeps rearing its head beneath a lot of works, and you’ll find it most noticeable in how I write both Haarlep and He Who Was, but it tends to worm its way into other things too. It…did not surprise me, though, because it’s something I have struggled with over this past year within myself.

I created this name, this identity, as a way to be comfortable in sharing kink fiction and spicy works without it being easily identifiable under my actual name. I still don’t like to be too personal, or share my face or real name under this one, because I would rather keep a few close friends and family out of sight of my fandom thirsting. I’m certain a lot of us are the same – it isn’t really about shame but knowing that I, and they, would likely not be comfortable discussing this level of subject matter. I’ve relaxed a little over time, and have no doubt that a few may have worked out who I am and simply kept it quiet which I appreciate endlessly, just as I appreciate that those who do know both of my identities have never shared that information or made it public. I’m happy to meet people in person, just not to have my self online shared with my other self, as I’m sure you can understand. Anyway, I digress…

Something that the keen-eyed accomplice might have noticed in me is a shift in my speech. I used a few more mannerisms and speech patterns, particularly terms of endearment, under this name when I began. It was a way to separate the self, as well as to engage with a different audience in a different way. I explained it to the few who knew both early on as “same person, different font”, because I don’t change who I am just a few parts of how I speak or interact…but I’ve dropped a lot of the endearments now. Partly because there were more than a few who expressed they were uncomfortable with this in conversation – which I fully respect and understand – so it was easier to just drop them entirely rather than double checking or switching vocabulary between people and servers. But it has also fallen away a little as I have become more comfortable with both sides of myself, allowing them to integrate again more, and I owe a good amount of that to being able to meet fandom friends in person and find that they didn’t turn away from knowing all of me and instead have become even better friends. 

So…yes, the theme of names and identity keeps popping up. The power of names, the importance of identity, how one can hold on to one’s sense of self when it feels as if it is wavering, or when a role must be played. It’s little wonder I was so strongly drawn to so many favourites. Another recurring theme, of course, is pain. Physical. Whilst this is often in the form of kink and pain play, I’ve written a few pieces where it has been a point that is not about the sexual and positive side. I am in pain. 24/7. Without end. It will not get better. It has been this way for over 10 years. The level of the pain is “I cannot walk more than 10 metres before it is too much”, and “I have to drastically reduce and monitor my physical activity to prevent pain getting worse”, so I feel very intimately familiar with pain. You’ll find it in my writing as visceral and detailed descriptions of the sensations, because I’ve felt every one of them and might just be feeling them in that moment as I write. 

I’m going to keep trying to write short comfort pieces, too. Because as I once wrote as a dialogue line for Halsin, when Tav asked how he always seemed to know the right thing to say:  

“Sometimes we say the things we need to hear the most.” 

What is your reason for writing?

Every reason ever. There’s…not a lot I can do in this body. So many hopes and dreams and even careers I’ve had to leave behind, through the struggles of mental and physical health. Whilst the former is far better, the latter is the issue… But writing is something I can do with little physical effort. If I’m in pain, I can take my medication and absorb into fiction. 

I started writing smut as a challenge, but also as a way to tell a story I was becoming rather attached to. My main longfic was one born from playing the game, and wondering about telling the story between the lines, giving reason to the choice the player character was making under my instruction. Since then, it has grown to be so much more.

I’d love to sit here and tell you “I only write for myself, I don’t need external validation” but that…would be a half-truth at best. I write because I love sharing these stories, I love that they can reach out and touch hearts and minds in ways I might never know, but I adore when someone does send back their echo across the vast void between us to say “I enjoyed this” or “this story made me feel something”. That’s…it’s everything to know I have some value. Which sounds a lot like I’m pinning my self-worth on feedback or kudos, and whilst I can’t deny that’s a hard habit to break, I do know it isn’t everything. I just want it to still be something. To know I can do more than just…exist. 

Truly if you were to ask me what I feel the purpose is to my entire life, it would be “to leave each corner of the world I touch a little brighter and better than it was before I got there”, and whilst I know that’s impossible to do all the time I still want to try. And writing? Sharing stories? That’s leaving a positive mark, giving someone enjoyment in their day – yes, even sexually, with the kinky and sexy writing. That is still a positive to someone’s day, an indulgence, something that lifts them and certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

If I can do more than that with emotional writing, with comfort pieces, with cathartic moments and with stories that have more meaning behind the words…all the better.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

The best are the ones that pull out favourite lines or moments, but honestly every single comment means the world to me. An incoherent keysmash, a simple “I loved this”, even those are such a boost particularly on a hard day. 

Readers, please know how much it helps. Even a click on the kudos as an anonymous guest, it’s…it lets us know we aren’t just shouting into the void. It tells us those Hits are not people just opening up the fic then closing it because they hated it. It means the whole world to know we’ve done something that you enjoyed, in whatever way that was.

I’ll also say that some of the ones that have meant the most and have stuck with me are comments on the more personal pieces, like with The Love of Loviatar – the Abdirak x Reader fic where I play a little with worlds colliding to allow a reader character who experiences chronic pain (remarkably similar to my own, don’t think about that too hard) to have that moment with Abdirak who validates and appreciates them exactly how they are. Gentle care mixed with BDSM, trading the bad pain for the good pain, the pain that is welcome and has purpose, a little fantasy of enjoying what the body can do rather than being trapped by what it cannot… Every time I get a comment there, I damn near cry. Or just openly cry. They mean so much. I know how much Abdirak can mean to us, and I am so glad I can reach you all. 

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I…well… To be thought of at all is an honour. I’m shocked any time I encounter someone who has read my works, despite logically knowing I have a good number of readers from the numbers alone. I just…don’t look at those numbers often, it’s not good for me. 

I’d like readers to know I care about them. Every last one. To know I would love to tell all the stories they want to read, and that I fully welcome their messages, comments, and even friendship when we share social spaces. There’s something special about the connections we can make in unexpected places, and I’m just delighted to be here sharing stories with you all. 

I don’t need high respect, endless adoration, or some kind of pedestal. I’m a human, unfortunately – squishy and fallible and flawed and suffering and there is still beauty and worth to me even when I don’t see it myself. Just saying that last part louder for everyone else who has loud negative thoughts of themselves. It’s ok for you to see my flaws, and it’s ok for us all to have love for one another despite those flaws. Love in the platonic sense, of course – there are levels of connections we make with people from a distant echo of a brief exchange of words to the direct warmth of a friendship. It’s as important to not underestimate the value as it is important to not overestimate our closeness to people we don’t truly know.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I am beginning to believe it is the wild ideas I have for crackship pairings and turning them into something serious and meaningful. I love taking an unlikely coupling then finding what makes them actually genuinely work. 

I’m also getting quite confident in sensual writing as well as kink, in the particular style that I have for it. I know well that it isn’t to everyone’s tastes, but those who do enjoy my style and method will always have something in the buffet of fic to fill their plate.

I really hope to transfer this to my original work when I get it finished, as I feel like just maybe I might have a niche of style that isn’t as often seen in published works. Then again, I’m not exactly devouring raunchy original fiction so perhaps I’m entirely mistaken and would get ripped to shreds by critics of the genre. Who knows? But I will try to get published when it’s done. I hope a few of you might even read it someday.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

Ahh definitely both. I have written characters and pairings I’m not personally into that much, though sometimes (Yurgir) I have found myself enjoying the character after writing with them. It’s a fun little quirk, I start writing something thinking “am I into this?” and realise later “oops new kink acquired” or “ahh ok I see why people like [character] so much now.” 

I do really love writing requests or rare pairings/characters that readers haven’t seen before or are excited to see more of. I hope to keep doing a mix of that and the characters/pairings that I love most myself. If there’s something you’d like to see, I’m more than happy to take suggestions – there are a few kinks, characters, and tropes that I have a hard “nope” line on (not kink shaming, just personal comfort levels – I love that you can enjoy those things elsewhere I am just not the chef to cook that dish for you) but otherwise I love wild ideas and writing something that someone explicitly wants to read~

How do you feel about your own writing?

I really struggle with this one, but I think many of us do. I go from feeling confident that people enjoy what I’ve written and that I have this skill to bring worlds and characters to life with mere words on a page, yet other times? I will freely admit some works of mine take longer because I just hit this point where I just cannot tell if it’s any good. I know intellectually that I have the same style, tropes, stories, kinks that people like and enjoy, but as I’m sat there staring at it I’m questioning everything because I’m just not feeling it. That seems pretty natural, I think, that we are the worst critics of our own works because we’ve read them so many times or thought far too hard about every word and line… But I tend to solve this with an external view. Beta Readers have saved works from near extinction by checking it over, telling me what does need fixing, and reminding me that actually the rest of it is just fine I’m simply overthinking it all because my mind is struggling with something else like fatigue or pain or just a low kind of day.

So… Overall, writing has been a new life for me. Particularly in this last year, trying something new – expanding into NSFW fanfic has found me countless new connections, friends, experiences I wouldn’t have had otherwise and a real feeling of accomplishment and validation that just wasn’t happening in WIPs that were taking too long and getting no feedback at all. 

Writing isn’t just something I do, it’s inextricably a part of who I am, and in its own way it continues to shape exactly what “who I am” can mean.

And I am grateful to every single one of you who has shared this journey with me so far. I cannot wait to see how far we can go together~

[aeoneskova]

Fanfic Author Interview Tag!

Thanks for the tag @pretentiouswreckingball <3

How many works do you have on AO3?

Eight so far! Working on another :)

What's your total A03 word count?

623,855 words... that is bonkers to me

Your top 5 stories by kudos:

Honey Honey - Marlene McKinnon PoV, post-first war, she becomes a muggle primary teacher and raises Harry. I'm hoping to fully edit this fic so you might want to hold off if you're planning to read it.

Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - Percy Weasley x Oliver Wood, 1st-7th year slowburn, the epitome of "they were roommates."

The Funny Tricks of Time - a companion fic to Honey Honey

Seven Dials (Pointing At You) - wolfstar one-shot based on something that actually happened to me during a trip to London.

Just In Case - the first fic I ever posted, a one-shot about Halloween night 1981. I think my later halloween one-shots are much better than this one to be honest.

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I read every single comment and reply to as many as I can. The only time I might not is if you've left multiple comments over many chapters - then I might just respond to them all in one on the latest comment.

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

Hmm... pretty much all my fics in the Halloween Archive one-shot collection are equally as angsty and depressing so I can't really choose one over the other

Do you write crossovers?

I haven't so far, however I do have some fic ideas that are inspired by other stories but not necessarily crossovers. Like I have a wolfstar astronaut au planned, inspired by the Martian, but you don't need to know anything about the Martian to read it.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I've had some hate on Honey Honey. As much as I have my own issues with the fic, I wrote that as a child. Which I know might be surprising considering its content and length, but I wrote that whole thing as a minor and those comments could've easily dissuaded me from writing altogether. Don't leave hate on fan work!

Do you write smut?

Not so far. Like I said, I wrote a lot of fics while I was still a minor so I didn't feel comfortable with it. I will likely start to expand on intimate scenes now, though I doubt it would be full smut.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not...

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of - I've received a lot of foreign language comments before which makes me wonder if someone has? If so, I'd appreciate them letting me know, at least then I could link the translations to the original.

Have you ever co-written a fic?

No, and as much as I like the idea of collaborating, I think I'd be too stressed about it :/

What's your favourite all-time ship?

I have to say wolfstar, my beloveds. But I do also enjoy drarry.

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

Oh god... I have a LOT of wips that I do want to finish, but realistically? I'll go with the wolfstar astronaut au I mentioned, it's called A Hopeless Romantic's Guide to Life on Mars. As much as I love that fic idea, I think it'll be a while before I can get round to prioritising it. But you never know - if you asked me that a few years ago, i'd have said Honey Honey and GOFLB, but look at them now!

What are your writing strengths?

Descriptions maybe? Or my characters. I like to think I put a lot of work into making my characters complex and building their relationships, but idk

What are your writing weaknesses?

Procrastinating. God do I procrastinate. And I make things way more complicated than they need to be. Realistically, Honey Honey could have been half the lengths it is, but I draw it out too much and that's why I think I need to go back and give it a good edit. But I need to stop procrastinating first.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? For me personally, I wouldn't do it because I'm not fluent in any other language. If I had to, I'd write the dialogue in English but tag it as "she said in French/spanish/etc." I can understand other people using it but I also find it difficult sometimes to scroll up and down between translations in the notes. But that's just me

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

Stranger Things, probably, I love steddie fics. I also recently finished All for the Game and have been binging andreil fics but idk if I'd ever write my own. As for other ships, I have a drarry idea in the works which I hope to get to eventually :)

What's your favourite fic you've written? For fics I've posted on Ao3, I'm torn. I love the writing in both Seven Dials and Another Bloody Mary the most, so I'm most proud of them quality-wise. The wip I'm currently working on (a wolfstar pirate au which I've written half of) will probably be my favourite once its finished <3

Open tags for any other fic writers!

[jelliewrites]

Writer interview tag. Thanks for the tag @its-the-allure 🙂

How many works do you have on ao3? 18 (+1 anon/unrevealed)

What's your total AO3 word count? 438 704

Your top 5 stories by kudos?

Blank Space

A Recipe for Disaster

Something Changed

Bite My Lip and Close My Eyes

An Extremely Indecent Proposal

Do you respond to comments? I love comments and I try to respond to them all, but I'm riddled with anxiety and don't cope well with praise, so I don't always manage to. This makes me feel awful 🙁

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending? Three. It's toxic Drarry, dark Harry and dead dove, not my usual style!

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending? I nearly always write happy endings, but probably Blank Space or An Extremely Indecent Proposal because of the epilogues.

Do you write crossovers? No, and it's not something that really interests me.

Have you ever received hate on a fic? I've only ever had to delete one comment which I'd like to think was due to the reader misunderstanding my fic due to their own personal issues. I've also had a bad review on tumblr in Spanish lol

Do you write smut? Yes, I always write smut, the only fics without are gifts or pinch hits.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of!

Have you ever had a fic translated? No, someone asked once but I assumed they were a bot!

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but I would be up for it

What's your favourite fic you've ever written? An Extremely Indecent Proposal because it was from a promt by one of my favourite authors who left me lovely comments on it, and I also met my drarry bestie when she offered to beta for me 😍

What's your all-time favourite ship? Drarry, no contest.

What's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will? I'm planning to finish all of them but am less motivated on the ones that I know will be less popular as I'm a kudos junkie. I have a companion piece to Imperius planned and started but no idea when I'll get round to it.

What are your writing strengths? I think I'm quite good at plot and getting a lot of detail in. Also smut.

What are your writing weaknesses? Too much plot, writing too much generally physical descriptions (I can see it in my head, why should I write it down lol) and writing endings.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? No major opinions, no plans to do it.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to? I'd like to write for a couple of obscure book series that have very few works on AO3 but where I'd basically like some fulfilling smut scenes from the main pairings.

This was great fun, @ultramarineorchid @bewarethesmirk @mintyelbows please have a go if you haven't already, and if you want to of course 🙂

[meloms-ao3]

Author Interview Tag :>

Thank you for the tag @mundrakan! I finally got the time to do this after checks the calendar 3 DAYS!

total works: 52! With about another 52 being WIPs and waiting for me to come back to them ToT

total word count: 54,233!

your top 5 stories by kudos/likes?

Fading Voices (Cherry Magic; Adachi / Kurosawa, First Time)

Juices and Backstreets (TaxiMaster Mobile Game, will not elaborate TwT)

Seducing the Shy (Cherry Magic; Tsuge / Minato, Moving in together)

Milk me Dry! (That's not my neighbour; Francis / Doorman)

At Gunpoint (Taximaster, Policeman/Thief, Gun-K!nk)

do you respond to comments? Yes! I try to be fast but I often miss some because I forget to look at my inbox :,)

what's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending? My angstiest-ending-fic is still a WIP at the moment, but the ones published would either be:

Taunting Silence (BagginShield)

or

2. Time Turner (Wolfstar)

what's the fic you've written with the happiest ending? I believe it would be Locked in your embrace where Sirius and Remus are locked in a room together by James and forced to sort out their problems.

do you write crossovers? Yes, I have one!

The Emperor's Ass (Disney) [Aladdin / Emperors New Groove]# 18+ -> An alternate universe in which Aladdin wished to marry into a royal house and Genie brought him to the Incas, aka Kuzcos empire. Aladdin thinks he is going to marry a hot princess and wants to meet her as soon as possible. What will happen when he finds out that Kuzco isn't a hot princess, but a h!rny emperor?

have you ever received hate on a fic? Not on ao3, no, but back on Wattpad? Oh boy...

do you write smut? *Stares at the 3rd question*

have you ever had a fic stolen? Someone attempted to, but I got them shut down luckily. I was able to block them and report, so happy ending :))

have you ever had a fic translated? Nope, but I might translate some into my native language this year!

have you ever co-written a fic before? Noo, sadly not! I would love to tho, but my head is always in the clouds and I'm super forgetful, so I doubt it would be fun for my co-writer :,)

what's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will? My MDZS God AU fic. It's about Lan Wangji being sent to earth to kill Wei Wuxian, the last descendant of a man that knew how to merge their worlds. But it's been two years and I don't even have 3 chapters out of a possible 25 done :(

what are your writing strengths? I would say scenery and emotions.

what are your writing weaknesses? Definitely fighting scenes, as soon as the characters have to move a lot I'm done for.

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? I'm all for it! I hope I'll get a chance to implement it into a fic soon, when it fits :)

what's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to? Ouuhh, tough question bc there's SO MANY ToT On top of my list of fandoms are:

The Walking Dead

Winx

Never Understand

And for ships: 1. Sevin from SPN 2. Ittetsu Takeda / Keishi Ukain from Haikyuu 3. Jiang Yanli / Wen Qing from MDZS

what's your favourite fic you've written? There are so many that I'm endlessly proud of, I'll try to choose a Top 3 (｡･･｡)

All the things they said (Marauders) -> Remus came back to the Gryffindor house bruised. Worried, Sirius aided his wounds. What the hell happened?

Liquid Sugar 18+ (Adventure Time) -> Princess Bubblegum comes home from an exhausting week in the laboratory. She is on the verge of a mental breakdown so Marceline takes it upon herself to make her girlfriend feel better, mentally and physically.

Vibrating for you (Big Time Rush; Logan x James) 18+ This was the first ever long fic I started, it's almost purely nsfw and now it has been on hiatus for more than a year and a half. Still it is a fic that I'm very proud of, solely because it was what first brought me to uploading on Ao3 :,) It's cringe, it's funny, it's everything I wouldn't write today but I love it so so much. -> It wasn't supposed to happen! Logan wasn't supposed to get caught penetrating his hole with a v!br!t!r by James! And dear lord, they most certainly weren't supposed to share the most amazing org!sms they ever had together! Confusing feelings, trying to keep their relationship a secret and lots of s!xual arousal cause the two BTR members to experience the most chaotic time in their life. Can they keep their secret and keep quiet during s!x?

i am tagging: @missmoonfrost , @foxlove844 and @yourlocalcatscammer (no pressure of course!)

[wannabelilybriscoe]

author interview

Thanks for the tag @leavesthatarebrown! Work's been a right bitch today so I'm going to use this as an excuse to take a break and pretend I'm on Hot Ones with you oop careful around the eyes, darling. :)

total works: Only 2 eep

total word count: 275,728 (apparently I can't write short form except when it's poetry)

your top 5 stories by kudos/likes? I fear my stats are not impressive or exciting because I only have two stories. I feel like the new kid around here.

A Song for the End of the World 

The Road to Love is Covered in Ice and Slush

do you respond to comments? Yeah, embarrassingly quickly, too. Comments make me so excited and I usually read them several times, then read them again later.

what's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending? Angstiest of the two is the zombie one, of course. As for the ending? Well...I stand by the Happy Ending tag, despite the fear I have apparently instilled in readers. :)

what's the fic you've written with the happiest ending? The Road to Love has a very happy sappy ending.

do you write crossovers? Nah. Although I have been threatening (myself) to write a Marauders band AU where they guest on Sesame Street. It would be as stupid as you expect it to be.

have you ever received hate on a fic? No, everyone has been exceedingly lovely!

do you write smut? No, I'm too embarrassed! I’ve only done fade to black. Respect to all you freaks who just go whole-hog, truly. Although! I did just write my most explicit scene to date for an upcoming chapter of ASFTEOTW but it's draped in flowery similes and symbolism. Me, peeking through my fingers at my doc: ahhh tasteful nudity.

have you ever had a fic stolen? Not to my knowledge. I think my fics are too indie for that.

have you ever had a fic translated? Nope!

have you ever co-written a fic before? When I was ohh I think 15? My bff and I co-wrote a Naruto crackfic and I'm not sure if it's still out there but in my mind, it's gone to the winds of time. Now let's never speak of this again.

what's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will? I started a story where Remus and Sirius are both doing the solo parenting thing and they meet in a parenting subreddit. It was supposed to be a heartfelt comedy but then it started to hit too close to home as someone who drove herself crazy on parenting reddit for a while there. :)

I also have like half of a very stupid one-shot called "Cormac McLaggen Saves the Day" written and well maybe I'll finish it one day and maybe I won't. That one would be for the Dramione fans.

what are your writing strengths? *checks notes* Reviewers have called my writing vivid, which I think is pretty neat! I've also been told I write suspense well. And I like to think that I'm good at characterization. I've had quite a few people tell me they like how I write Remus and Sirius. That makes me really happy because what I care most about when reading is how well I can connect with the characters. Feels good to know that people are connecting with the characters as I'm writing them.

what are your writing weaknesses? There are probably some weaknesses I'm blind to, but I can definitely say my impatience. I'm like a child when I finish a draft lol I just want to publish it and go looky looky at what I've done! But then I find a bunch of stuff I want to edit after. So, if you're someone who reads a new chapter as soon as it's published, my apologies, you're getting the raw thing. I wish I could be better about sitting on my writing for longer. But also, it's my fun writing so I'm choosing to not feel too guilty about it.

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? The only other language I'm fluent in is French, so I only feel confident writing full sentences in that. Otherwise, I only sprinkle in the odd word in another language. Wouldn't feel comfortable doing more unless someone who spoke that language could help me.

what's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to? I wouldn't mind writing something Dramione sometime but I think it would be harder for me to get inside their heads, for some reason.

what's your favourite fic you've written? How do I pick between my two children? I like them both for very different reasons. I've poured so much thought and research and love into ASFTEOTW. It's definitely more ambitious than The Road to Love. But The Road to Love just kinda flew out of me effortlessly, and it was so fun and comforting to write. Ahh they're too different, I can't pick!

I don't know who hasn't done this yet...seems like most of my moots have? Please take this as an open tag!

[mundrakan]

Author interview tag

I was tagged by @thistlecatfics and it makes me very happy that she thought of me :D

total works: 428 at the current moment, though there are already works to be published on my harddrive

total word count: 2,152,780 (OMG)

your top 5 stories by kudos/likes?

Opposites attract (Regulus/Harry, postwar trauma healing)

The Spin (Harry/Theo, spicy romance)

I died but I got better (The Old Guard, Nicky/Joe, AU, self discovery spanning hundreds of years)

Half a soul (James/Tom, Soulmate AU)

Happy birthday sweet sixteen (Harry/Sirius, festfic)

do you respond to comments?

Almost immediately, though I often feel like I am not doing them justice.

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

Uh... that's a hard one. I have written SO much Angst. The most likely candidate are probably Guilt and shame (Sirius/Voldemort) though that feels a little cracky to me, and Window of opportunity (Sirius/Severus)

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

I don't really do HEA, and all my happy endings have at least a sprinkle of sadness or at least scars from what was going on before. I think the most hopeful is probably Advent Calendar, a Drarry with Christmassy feeling and a soft ending.

do you write crossovers?

There is one WIP on my harddrive. That aside....

have you ever received hate on a fic?

I wouldn't say hate. Some people were upset about how I characterized their blorbos (faulty, how dare I), but real hatred? No. Maybe I am just too weird to get when someone means it hateful.

do you write smut?

OH yes!

have you ever had a fic stolen?

yep, unauthorized translation. My Russian is too bad to get it taken down (and I would have ALLOWED it, if they only asked)

have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, as mentioned in Russian, but also in Spanish and Czech.

have you ever co-written a fic before?

As of yet, no... though I would love to work with some people

what's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

A Black family project, where the younger generation unites to prevent being used as pawns by their parents and grandparents.

Oh yeah.. and the Arturian legend fic (Modred/Galahad) that i so want to write)

what are your writing strengths?

Emotion, Dialogue, description (when I bother), characterization

what are your writing weaknesses?

Fight scenes. They are my nemesis. I never seem to get them right (and I am doing a good deal of LARP, so I know how fights work in general)

Comedy. I can't be funny on command.

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

No strong feelings here. I have done it either way, both translated and with only translations in the footnotes, and both are valid.

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

Discworld, my forever unachieved goal. WIth how I struggle to write funny, I just couldn't do it justice.

what's your favourite fic you've written?

Impossible to choose just one. Even Categories don't do it justice. Also: it depends on my current state of mind, which I think is best.

But: I cannot resist showing off at least a few of my personal candidates.

Love thy enemy (Mordred/Galahad, one-shot)

Bad things (Fenrir/Sirius, and the start of my obsession - thank you so much @metalomagnetic, it's your fault)

And because it will forever and always appear in any of these lists:

Imperfections (Sirius/Severus - my first real attempt of writing them, and still holding a special place in my heart)

I tag @metalomagnetic, @meloms-ao3, @squintclover and @fictionalsimp09 no pressure :D

[numerousbees1106]

Fanfic Writer Interview!

Tagged by: @sinvulkt

What fandoms do you write in?

I write primarily in Star Wars Fandoms - mostly prequels-based, but occasionally I'll drabble in OT-based fics.

How many words have you published in 2024?

According to Ao3, my word count this year was 105,150 words, which is crazy considering that my total word count is 427,158 words. I also published a few duplicate works to Tumblr, as well as one or two Tumblr exclusive works/snippets, so the actual number is probably a few thousand more.

What is your greatest achievement this year?

I'd say writing and publishing my work Ecesis for my Ao3 anniversary. It's an even 11,000 words, too, which I consider another achievement, and I'm quite proud of it. It's one of my few OT fics, and is another part in my Wastelands series.

What are your top three fics you've written this year?

I'd say Ecesis is easily one of the top three - number two, maybe. A work I'm currently writing but haven't published yet, Crown of Lazarus, is definitely number one, as even though it is now 2025, I'm really proud of all the progress I've made with it so far. As for third place, I'd say either Might Be Stepping Out Of Line or I Wanna See Why The Birds Are Silent At Night, depending on my mood.

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

While writing for the 2024 angstpril challenge, I faced the loss of my best friend, who I considered a sister. Her loss sent me spiralling into a horrible depression, and I didn't write anything for the rest of the spring or summer, and only resumed writing because I had a tradition of posting something for my Ao3 anniversary, which is in August. After that, I took another break from writing until around December, when I picked up an AU concept that I had been slowly toying with for a while, Crown of Lazarus. That loss and the following depression was definitely a dark point for me, but luckily I am on new, better antidepressants.

What have you learned?

I've learned that, for me, Angstpril is cursed as anytime I try to write it, something horrible happens. I'm unsure if I'll attempt it again this year because of that.

Did you beta any fics? Any favorites you want to shout out?

I did not beta any fics, nor are my fics beta'd. I'm unsure of how that even works, actually.

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

This is a difficult question due to the sheer number of fics I have read. If I head to choose three, I'd say Spy Wars by ClawedandCute, The Accidental Sith, the Confused Jedi Masters, the Eager Padawan, and the Rebel Senator also by ClawedandCute, and The Good He Seeks by Husborth.

The first two fics I mentioned are both prequels fics regarding my favorite blorbo, Anakin Skywalker, though they do have a lot my other favorite and adored characters sprinkled in. Spy Wars is a lot of fun because it's very crack-y and humorous, while the The Accidental Sith (...) is more heavy, more angst-filled, and it's very well written. One line from it in particular lives in my head rent-free, but the rest of the story is fantastic as well.

The Good He Seeks is an OT fic, and is an AU where Vader (my beloved) survives the Death Star and agrees to help the New Republic destroy the Imperial Remnant while keeping his declining health a secret. It's very angsty for all involved, and full of hurt and hurt/comfort.

What ideas are percolating for next year?

Mostly my Crown of Lazarus project, which I first came up with years and years ago when I was a sophomore in high school. Crown of Lazarus (snippets here and here) is a prequels AU following Anakin Skywalker as he navigates the Galaxy with a strange power - the ability to revive from death as many times as need be, receiving a 'Change' each time. These Changes include venomous fangs, night vision, wings, and more. I'm very hyped for this fic, and I currently have 14 Chapters + an interlude written/planned, and it should be ready to post soon, though I'm hesitant to give a date or timeframe as I am notoriously terrible with those.

Another project I have on my to-do list is Ecesis Part 2 - The Smuttening (not the actual title) which I promised back in August but have barely began to write (thanks, depression). It's on the roster, as is an actual Part 2 to the Wastelands series in general.

Who do you want to thank?

I want to thank my best friend who, though she has now passed on, gave me many years of love and friendship even through the darkest parts of my life. I will always remember you, and your picture by my bedside will always remind me of the memories we shared, both good and bad.

I'd also like to thank @sinvulkt for tagging me in this, as well as @clawedandcute and Husborth for writing fantastic works. Thank you to all fanfic writers, actually, who create not for the sake of monetary gain or fame, but for the sake of creating.

Tagging: all the people mentioned before who want to join (yes, even if you were randomly mentioned as a fic writer or as thanks), anyone who see this and want to join, as well as:

@clawedandcute and @space-asparagus (you're the only oneswhose tumblr username I know. Husborth says they're no longer on tumblr and I don't know if CourtesyTrefflin has an account.

[sunfl0w3rmoon]

fanfiction author interview game

thank you for the tag @velanavis <3

How many works do you have on AO3?

currently 8

What's your total AO3 word count?

72,000

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

Groomsmen to Lovers?

mastermind

keep me steady

Sondering

binding my chest and biting my tongue

Do you respond to comments?

i do most of the time!

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

ahhhhh either flowers or take me back (to the night we met)

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

probably mastermind, it makes me squeal every time

Do you write crossovers?

i have written one, but not on ao3

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

not on any of my ao3 fics

Do you write smut?

i do occasionally but not super graphic smut

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of

Have you ever had a fic translated?

not to my knowledge

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

nope not yet

What's your all-time favorite ship?

oh gosh.... rn jegulus, wolfstar, dorlene, but it definitely fluctuates

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

i started one while living in florence where jeggy meet in florence and never finished it (mostly because i left florence) but i did really like that one :/

What are your writing strengths?

uhmmmmm dialogue??? maybe?? idrk

What are your writing weaknesses?

i feel like i'm not descriptive enough sometimes, and i don't plan ahead very well bc i'm very much a mood writer

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

i'm comfortable with short phrases that i know are used correctly, but i'm not knowledgeable enough in any other languages to write whole thoughts / expressions / paragraphs in other languages

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

lowkey... griddlehark is calling my name, but i definitely don't think i could ever do gideon justice

What's your favorite fic you've written?

depends on the day but rn binding my chest and biting my tongue

np tags: @ixekizumab @residentrookie @always-reading @moutainrusing @drowninkystar @poetskings

[badhairred]

Author Interview

Thank you for tagging me @languagelessonswolfstar This is so fun!

How many works do you have on AO3?

17 right now :)

What's your total AO3 word count?

514,685 which was pointed out to me today, is too much in 1.5 year... oops?

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

Godlight Fertility Larceny Malady Christmas Lights

Do you respond to comments?

Always! Please talk to me 😊

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

As of now Nothing Gold Can Stay, but it will be the alternative ending to Godlight once I finish it... 🤭

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

As I write a lot of pwp one shots they are mostly happy anyway, but I have to say Godlight then because it was well earned. And I love the little epilogue on Fertility so much.

Do you write crossovers?

No, but that would be so fun.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes :)

Do you write smut?

Almost only. I think there are two fics on my ao3 that are not E rated, and there is some heavy shit in there... please don't perceive me 😂

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I am planning to!

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Jegulus my babies.

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

Supra Sanguinem, I won't finish with good reason. I have no fics on my ao3 that will go unfinished, if it's posted it will be completed.

What are your writing strengths?

I am good at setting a scene, who is where, what the surroundings are and what is happening during a dialogue. I think this makes the story live and I like writing that way. I also think I am good at bringing back motives and little things that seem insignificant but keep returning to tug at your curiosity.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing deep angsty feelings. I am a smut writer at my core, the heavy angst stuff takes years of my life, although I do like practising it! Also, scenes with big groups are not my strength. It's hard to keep scenarios between more than four people running smoothly

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

I love it so much, it gives characters identity and a heritage. I do however have a bit of an issue when it's only used to make someone sound exotic or more hot during smut scenes. Godlight (I am sorry for talking about this fic so much lmao) had so many nationalities and languages and getting to play with that, while asking my friends from other countries for their input was so much fun!

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

Drarry! (it's happening)

What's your favorite fic you've written?

Godlight obviously. But I am very much attached to Christmas Lights as well.

I am tagging: @courfee @messymoony @arviyya @galaxostars and @maladaptivewriting

[hunter-sylvester]

9 books I would like to read this year

Thanks for tagging me @abitchyouhate 🖤

Damn, ok. So, I'm a painfully slow reader and my ADHD hasn't let me finish any books in a WHILE but, fuck it, let's aim for the stars. Genuinely, if I manage to finish ONE of these by the end of the year I will chalk it up to a massive fucking win.

Small disclaimer: if anyone tries to aggressively encourage me to start any of these specifically, pathological demand avoidance will almost certainly prevent it <3

Yes, one of these is porn.

Also, Cordy, I gotta say that the stark visual/aesthetic contrast between both of our 9 books makes me chuckle.

Zero pressure tags: @itspvg, @anything-thats-rock-and-roll, @lowpolycas, @calamityyy-child, @if-not-now-tell-me-when