#bc I think it's great for the fandom ecosystem

[adhd-merlin]

So I’ve been in the bbc merlin fandom for a bit now but I still havent really explored everything and I love asking peoples opinions so .

What’s your favorite AU and do you have any song or fic recs for it? Or art? Bc id love to see it!!

Sorry @itsjustclaryy this has been languishing in my inbox for a while because, well. The thing about me is that if you ask me a question about a specific thing, my brain will immediately wipe itself of all knowledge about that thing. It's like the opposite of that "don't think about a white bear" exercise.

I also haven't read a lot of Merlin fanfiction — partly out of choice, because I wanted to write my own without committing unconscious plagiarism.

So I sort of put this ask aside until I could think of at least one thing.

I assume you mean AUs as in genuine alternative universes rather than just canon-divergent scenarios? I haven't read many of those, mostly because modern AUs tend to remove magic from the picture, and I think that's such a fundamental part of Merlin’s character that it might as well not be Merlin at all. And also because I like magic.

So, for modern AUs, I like those that still preserve the magic element — like magical realism and urban fantasy.

(I can only remember reading one of those, and it was about magic users still being an oppressed minority and being, like, monitored by the government ? Having to wear some kind of tracking device? And Merlin being an activist campaigning for magic-havers' rights and being kidnapped by Arthur. I can't remember the details, I can't even say whether I liked all of it, but I was intrigued by the premise).

For canon era!AUs, I like the idea of universes where magic is legal and/or Merlin is either a literal prince or in a position akin to royalty (think King of the Druids) and he gets to interact with Arthur on a more equal footing. Or even just fics that change something about Merlin's status, like — I remember reading a story in which Merlin was kept as a prisoner/slave by another king, who used him for his magic (think of a "King Alined and his jester" kind of situation), and Arthur met Merlin while he was staying at this king's castle to negotiate a treaty. (Does it count as a "proper" AU? I'm not sure). But again, I have no links at hand, sorry.

I also enjoy soulmates AUs because I'm basic. But really, they work so well for this fandom.

Generally speaking, I enjoy fics that explore power dynamics, a lot, so I'm always a slut for Dom/sub AUs and the like (which I don't even know if it's a thing in this fandom?)

Sorry, I realise I haven't actually recommended anything and this probably wasn't what you were looking for, but yeah, I really haven't read many AUs.

Perhaps someone who follows me might have some actual recs :) I'll add to it if any specific fic comes to my mind.

(For now — this dragon!Merlin ficlet is adorable.)

[gayferrari]

I don't know if this is what you meant by not liking whumpy Charles but I also dislike fics where it's too much whump and like you said, his self confidence and assuredness is not there and he spends literally every chapter scared, crying, and in self pity. I usually will read a couple of chapters of these fics, and when Charles is still like that when the plot has moved on a lot, I end up closing the fic and never reading it again.

Yeah that's something I don't usually go for! I want to disclaim, though, that ofc #AllFicsAreValid and #YourThingIsntMyThing and all that. Like, I get why someone looks at that dimpled boy with his green eyes that contain all the sadness you see in Eastern European porn, etc., and you think "Wow I want him broken and whimpering." Sometimes your pussy wants excessive drama and angst inflicted on the millionaires, or sometimes you want to see a guy broken down so his love interest can fix him, and all that is great. But bc someone asked me, do you like whumpy Charles — and I don't especially, not really. But it's in my selfish interest that people write it so the fandom ecosystem can keep thriving

[fandomfluffandfuck]

hi S ok you definitely dont have to answer this bc its basically just me venting and its pretty lame haha but im curious if its something you've ever dealt with or if u have advice... basically i have diagnosed ASD and marvel is my special interest and has been since i was a kid and im pretty positive its going to stay my favorite thing for the rest of my life lol. and sometimes i get so sooo sad and kinda lonely thinking about the fact that like .. i know its basically still one of the biggest fandoms out there but like all my favorite fics were posted like 5-10 years ago mostly from authors that arent even in the fandom anymore and theres never gonna be another movie with steve and bucky together that everyone gets excited about and wants to talk about and theres also just so much less of a fun goofy little tight knit community for stucky on tumblr and online like ... idk i just miss so bad when the mcu was at its peak and there was so much content to consume and so many people passionate about it... and i know theres definitely still a huge presence and like im so thankful that youre an author that i love thats still super active and im always glad to visit your page and to see that theres still so many fans out there that care and wanna interact yknow. but tumblrs different now and its been like ten years since peak stucky content and the actors are all doing their own thing now idk it just makes me sad 😩😩 i feel like such a loser saying it i swear i have other interests and an irl life that is very fruitful and lovely hahaha its just makes me a bit frustrated at my autism because i know i wont be able to ever really stop loving these characters even as others move on

Hey, sweets!

I understand what you mean and you're not a loser, not at all. It's fucking great to have an interest in something, anything--what else is life for? You gotta have something to be focused on and interested in that gives you joy, otherwise, what is there? Just blandness. And, yeah, Marvel fandom is still very much active and that's wonderful and great! But, it's also true that it will never be the same as it was in its heyday. Personally, I wasn't around when the stucky fandom was exploding along the release of CA:TWS/the general MCU height, but I certainly see all the old art, edits, cosplay, etc. that's still reblogged and I've read so many of the fics from years prior, so I have a grasp of what was happening. And I can totally see how you'd miss generally, but especially if your fixation has attached deeply to these characters.

I have a sibling on the autism spectrum (who's old enough to have been diagnosed with Aspergers's syndrome before that was phased out but they are, of course, on the spectrum regardless of arbitrary hierarchical labels that I will restrain from ranting about because I fucking hate that shit, don't talk to me about "high functioning" ugh) and they have a few different life-long hyperfixations as well. So, you're not alone, but, it is hard to think of any actual advice per se. I think you're already doing what you need to be doing, y'know? You're here and enjoying what is going on now, connecting to blogs that are active, finding space where you can talk about these characters, you've got other things to do that also capture your attention, and, of course, you know you're sad about what isn't going on anymore. It's okay to be sad. You can't control what you're passionate about in the same way you can't control who you fall in love with. Are these silly little fictional characters not just people we've fallen in love with a little or a lot, no matter if they don't "exist"? I love that for us. Humans are so cute and full of love.

Fandoms and people change and sometimes it fucking sucks when it happens, sometimes it's great. Either way, it's part of the ecosystem of life. Water and nutrients and air and sun--it makes people change, it makes them grow, and you're allowed to be sad about what they used to be, you just have to keep growing, too. Remember what they were and know who they are now.

Hopefully, something in there helped you feel better, even if it was just from telling someone how you feel.

[yellowocaballero]

HEY!! Your trigun swap au is so very good!! I've always loved roleswap aus as a concept, and yours is the perfect example of why. it's all about the balancing act of twisting the (swapped) character's background/mentalities for maximum domino effect while not actually *destroying* the character ya know? you still gotta recognize them, it's half of the fun. just some little nudges here... and there... with the delightful result of a changed plot/world that you can discover anew

Also I surprisingly vibe with Dr Knives. a lot. what can I say I guess it's the fucked up superiority-inferiority/guilt complex with a dash of imposter syndrome. also the transgenderism. he's just like me fr fr (minus the speciesism and bloodlust) 1/3

SPEAKING OF! I'm literally a week late for that but chapter 4 may be my favorite so far. it's got it all: Ww's bloodlust coming through and being given a GUN, M&M being #JustNormalGunsmokeKidsThings about it, Knives being incredibly tired and enthusiastically murderous in turns, TRANS PEOPLE!! Funky morally dubious trans men ! Intersex nonbinary Knives (in humans terms) !! small internal rants about ecosystems!

I particularly like that one bc I too found myself twitching whenever I see (in fics or fandom at large) Gunsmoke being shown as a ~hostile, barren~ planet when, like.... *waves agitedly at the Tomases* *waves frantically at the WORMS, in all their INCREDIBLY DIVERSIFIED sizes and shapes* tell me there isn't an entire ecosystem supporting and including these bad boys. And god do I wanna know about it. Terraforming this terraforming that. Enough. I want bio-worldbuilding fics that are just as weird and unhinged as the rest of trigun (2/3)

To go back to Nicholas : I loved his discussion with Knives about fate and predestination and stuff (esp since -I may be reading too much into it, but it’s interesting that Knives says he doesn’t believe in predestination anymore, and just a bit later goes about how his personality is Like That bc he’s Biologically Programmed for it), and his last words in it are especially ominous. WHAT were you gonna say about Vash. How does it concern Nicholas. This is gonna bite them in the ass later isn’t it.

Also ur last asks/answers REALLY doesn’t reassure me about woowoo’s fate. Is he gonna die. Is he gonna end up going thru the same things than his canon counterpart (concentrate of medical-and-general unethicality). Idk what those flags are for but boy They Are There.

Aallll that to say I absolutely love that fic and can't wait to see what you do next with it, thank you so much !! (3/3)

This is so nice thank you so much :D :D :D To comment in order:

Roleswaps are no fun if you can't recognize the character. You're absolutely right - the funnest part is to make the smallest changes possible, and see how they cause the biggest differences. That's true of every AU, honestly - you guys know those 600k shonen manga aus where something major is different but every story beat is identical to canon? Or they're identical to every other au? They're addictive but without substance. Also sounds boring to write.

It's so funny that you (and others) vibe with Dr. Knives! From my end, he has my own very wry deadpan and self-esteem problems. Characters who have both a ridiculously inflated ego for comedy purposes and some real self-esteem problems for drama purposes work great.

I was surprised that so many people enjoyed the trans thing so much! I didn't expect it to make people so happy. Of course it's a nice surprise. I don't remember why I made the BDN decision (funny, probably) or the 'Knives invented gender reassignment surgery' thing (funny definitely), but a very active decision and something that made Knives above every other character fun to write is that he is not a human being and does not think of himself as such. The way his body experiences emotion is different, his body itself is different in a way that probably includes genitalia, and there's no reason for him to experience gender the same way. As I'm about to talk about in the upcoming chapter, he casually refers to himself as a thing and with it/its and it doesn't affect his superiority complex whatsoever.

I...would not have said that this is trans by myself, if that makes sense, because I wouldn't have wanted to say "in order to really hammer in how this character is INHUMAN then I'm gonna make him not male or female and prefer neopronouns!". It's just the shape of the character, to me. BUT LIKE IF Y'ALL LIKE IT! NO PROBLEM! I was just worried I might be saying the wrong thing, so I didn't want to say it, if that makes sense. Y'all can say it though.

Trigun worldbuilding is nonsensical and hideously vague and as a writer if you stop and think too hard about silly questions like "where does the wood come from" or "why is Vash eating salmon sandwiches" then you go insane. But...yeah, Gunsmoke's like any other ecosystem, and its worms and thomases seem to be doing great! It's not Gunsmoke's fault it is almost completely uninhabitable to humans. It sucks for us, but...does Knives care about that??? Lmfao???

There is a shitton to say about Knives' relationship with predestination and inevitability, because it's why he made the worst decision of his life. I think of it as...reasonable, in a lot of ways. If all you knew about humanity was what you read in history textbooks, and human history ended with the destruction of Earth and themselves, how would you feel? Everything humans have done, they do again. And if they dissected your sister, in an act of cruelty that they had done to even themselves...of course you'd worry. Of course. If you're young and scared and you can hear the screams of the dead in your ears, of course you feel like it's going to be you or them. And if you're.........Millions Knives.......and reverse!Vash.....then eliminating the threat is just good business sense.

And you aren't reading too much into it - Trigun in so many ways is about choices, and the impact of your choices. Your decisions are you own, and you must take responsibility for them. Decisions have weight in Trigun. I think what ppl miss sometimes about Vash is that he also wants to fuckin' murder people sometimes. He wants to be violent, he wants to hurt. He just chooses not to. Sometimes choosing pacifism is a hard fucking choice, and I think wiping that away does a disservice to the character. So if Knives would say, "Well, it's just who I am, I had no choice, I had no control, I just go nuts and murder it's not on me..." - what does that mean, in Trigun? It's??? Like??? A pussy thing to say???

But, the way I thought about it - what Knives is fighting is his internal sense that he is predestined for cruelty. He knows "who he really is" and any attempt at goodness is futile, because he's secretly bad and will always be bad. And he fucks up sometimes and starts exploding worms. But Knives chooses goodness, and I don't think he's really cottoned on that his choice to do good is more important than his internal desires to do bad and his history of badness. Because he hates himself.

I think what Knives knows now as an adult is that our lives have paved a path for us to tread. Sometimes that path is innocent, and sometimes your life paves a very nasty path. But it's our choice if we walk it or not. Knives knows what his path is, and it gives him extreme shame - but he chose which one he walked, and that's what I judge him on. Still funny how much he loves murder though.

[stitchkiss]

Hi!!! I’ve been following you for a while and I see that you’re very active in the teen wolf/thiam fandom. I want to be more active too and I’ve noticed that you tend to leave really long comments on fics and I was wondering how you do that? I don’t always comment but I want to more, do you have any tips?

hello anon! what a question! i’m going to use comments i left on @raekensarcher’s fics as examples bc that’s where i do my best work.

but first let’s start with why commenting is so important: it is a great way to integrate yourself into fandoms and can even gain you mutuals/friends! i tricked jack into friendship by dropping comments left and right! commenting is also a great way to encourage writers and to keep a fandom alive! it’s basically the entire purpose. i find that writers are kind of like crows. you drop a nice and thoughtful comment and they’ll latch onto it (and possibly you) forever and so they keep putting them out bc they want to keep writing to keep this good shit going with you. help a crow, they bring you shiny things. you comment, they write. it’s a rapport that needs to be nourished bc it’s beneficial to both parties. fandoms are kinda like an ecosystem in this way. comments are like the food and water to keep this network thriving.

alright let’s get into it!

when i comment, i usually type my thoughts as i read, so basically like live blogging. i like reacting in real time. more than once i’ve typed out a prediction or inference about what’s to come and it turns out i was right, so i make sure to mention that too! pointing out an author’s foreshadowing/hints is a good way to let them know that you’re paying attention to what they write. sometimes (depending on the fic and how i feel) this method of commenting can be a little distracting from the actual fic, so reading through it all then going back might be more helpful to get your thoughts in order. this helps make the comment long BUT the length of the comment doesn’t actually matter bc it’s about what you’re saying/putting into the comment

so, what should you say? easy: tell the author your reactions to what they’re writing. humans are social beings, they thrive off interaction and authors LOVE knowing their words elicit emotions in people. writing is basically a superpower in that way! below are a few comments i’ve left on jack’s fics.

as you can see, my responses to what jack writes is very emotional and slightly violent.

there is no wrong way to comment a reaction. in fact you should utilize all the ways you can think of for variation. such as telling the author that you’re screaming, typing an all caps “AHHHH” to show you’re screaming, tell them that you’re crying, laughing, etc. add in keyboard smashes, hyperbole, and even use emojis. there’s a lot more but these are my go-to. (also, please, be cautious if you’re going to threaten yourself with bodily harm, especially when commenting on a stranger’s fic. jokes aren’t often translated well online and it can also make the author uncomfortable nevertheless)

moving on! notice how i quote the author. they LOVE that shit. they eat it up like candy fr. when i pull out quotes they’re usually the ones that effect me the most and stand out. this varies by person ofc but the reason i do this is to show the author that i’m noticing what they write and that i understand (hopefully) what they’re trying to say. it’s even better when the author tells you that you pointed out lines that mean a lot to them or it was their favorite to write. although i will mention that pointing out seemingly small scenes or “throwaway” lines matters just as much! like a slice-of-life moment in the bigger fic pie. if something strikes you, tell the author!

following that, reacting to lines and quoting them is good, but what will make your comment better is if you tell the author WHY you reacted the way you did or why that particular line stuck out so much to you. this often leads me to typing an analysis of what they’ve written about a character or situation. while i’m not the most articulate person out there i do try my best. for example:

analysis! these are harder to write bc they actually require brainpower. like this whole comment is longer than the lit paper i wrote that same week, i even checked the word count. i don’t think i need to explain literary analysis even tho ppl on tumblr sometimes tend to lack comprehension and critical thinking skills BUT i have faith in whoever is reading this bc you wouldn’t have read this far if you weren’t interested. go you! anyway, my analysis usually comes from understanding the source material and the character(s)/situation in question, but i apply this to how the author decides to write. paying attention to what they’re saying and how it challenges and/or confirms canon as well as your interpretation of it will make a good comment. fics are often character driven rather than action/plot driven so consider that. but honestly analysis is up to you and your understanding of a fandom/ship, so good luck if you chose to drop an essay.

there will often be themes in fics, point those out if you notice it! sometimes they’re subtle and sometimes that’s the basis of the fic. tell the author how the application of a chosen theme works with what they’re writing about. reoccurring details are deliberate and authors will love if you mention it!

i think this comment is a good example of a few things i’ve outlined so far! this fic has an underlying religious/christian theme so my comment (analysis) acts according to that as well as my understanding of theo raeken and religion.

if you notice something about the authors writing style, point it out! this is actually something you have to tread carefully with though, so make sure it’s nice and polite if you do decide to say something! authors are human and their fics can be a way for them to bare their soul, so make sure you’re not causing them anxiety by pointing out certain structures/formats of their writing. so again, make sure to be nice about it.

you can also tell the author what the fic means to you. fics can be so personal and you might relate to it more than you realize. if it hits it hits.

interlude on what NOT say: if an author doesn’t explicitly say you can leave constructive criticism then leave that shit out of your comment and stick with unconditional love and support. while it’s true that constructive criticism helps authors they don’t need it all the time, especially when they didn’t ask for it. fics are like their homes, they’re inviting you in so don’t be a dick and insult their curtains, alright?

finally, compliment the author! i am the kind of person that tells strangers that i love them so i usually default with that to wrap up a comment bc i got a lot of love to give and it has to come out somehow! if spontaneous declarations of love aren’t your thing for whatever reason then tell the author how amazing they are! complimenting the writing itself is probably the way to go if you’re allergic to affection but it does make the author really receptive and happy. it’s very cute. acknowledgment of their work will bring them to their knees i promise.

i will admit that commenting how i do takes time. i usually comment when i’m not busy like at night or on weekends. one time i even arranged my schedule with the sole purpose of leaving a hefty comment on a 20k+ multi chapter fic! obviously you don’t have to do that, but i am certifiably insane and like avoiding responsibility. hope this helps anon! :)

jack’s ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raekensarcher/pseuds/raekensarcher/works

[seekforwarmth]

hii, lou! 🩵

i have never watched k-dramas, because they are not really popular where i live. but i might check them out online someday. 😄

well, i can't tell you if i'm doing those things, because i have to keep my indentity a secret. and at the same time i think if someone creates art, fics, smaus, etc., they give something more to the fan base. and i really admire this side of the fandom, the creative one. but you are right, there should be people who share their art and appreciate their work. 🦋

i would love to make a smau with your help one day. or even write another fic... who knows?! 😅

i think louis should definitely try his luck in acting. it will let him the opportunity to free his inner diva. 🐳

i have been always saying "i won't regret my past actions, because for the particular moment for me that was the right thing to do". but looking back, sometimes i want to change a lot of the decisions i have made in the past. for example, i regret the college degree i got now, because if i have chosen another one, i might have been more successful in work environment. but on the other hand i wouldn't live in the same city, met the same people, a completely another experience. which doesn't sound that good if you think about it. so in conclusion, things happen to us for a reason, to bring us to the right people, the right places, in the right time. and i wouldn't change anything for that reason. 😶

my questions for the day: what would you do if one day you wake up in louis' body? did you reach out your giftee? 🌀

have a wonderful weekend,

- your secret valentine 😻

hi valentine!!!

i started watching them last month bc i was on holiday and i had free time, don’t know if i’ll keep watching now that i’m back to work 🤧

nonono of course i know you can’t tell me 🙈 i was just giving examples. and i mean, as long as a person is not only in the fandom to hate on others, i think they do a good job contributing to the ecosystem heheh.

i’d love to work with you! it’s so fun to exchange ideas with someone else while creating so i would love to if you gave me that honour!

you’re so right about how decisions lead us to where we are. like i know that i’d be more comfortable with another degree and another job, but i wouldn’t have experienced what i have.

if i woke up in his body, i would do a little fashion show trying on different outfits, and i would take mirror selfies of each outfit and send them to my friends, so each of them would have a unique photo from louis. i would also call the team to set afhf in my country with the bands i like 🤭

yes, i’ve reached to them and i’m working on their gift 🫡 i hope i can have it ready on time lol

have a great day, lovely! enjoy your weekend 💝

[tothedarkdarkseas]

hiiiiii, basically im a big fan of your writing. huge. if i was any good with words myself, i could be able to convay to u how much i love ur writing. i wasn't even a 2doc fan till i saw one of ur fics in the tags and was like woah...wow... this...lets pull the car over, start really thinking like an intellectual, and analyze this text that has come before us.

you could hypothetically write your own bible and i'd be a devout follower. ugh, there's something about how raw and gritty and unfiltered ur work is like i truly am speechless. i wish i could put into words how it's just good but i have the vocabulary of a monkey. just know its good. source: me.

anyways i do have a reason for being here basically, ehehe u kinda reignited my gorillaz fixation ....and ive been drawing so much murdoc bc of u and i was wondering if i ever post any doodles would u want to be like mentioned?? tagged?? idk what the tumblr term for it is im not from round these parts (twitter immigrant) ?? even though i wouldn't be drawing something directly from one of ur fics (yet 👀 ) if not that's totally fine u probably want to keep ur mentions clear.

anyways thank you for contributing to this fandom. you have inspired me and probably so many others in the future. stay safe and hydrated!

Thank you so much for this message, it really made me smile tonight. It means so much to me that people would take a chance and go out of their own pool of interest to experience something different; it's something that I honestly don't do that much myself, I could learn from you and enrich my own consumption! Unironically, I think the audience for my 2doc fic is non-2doc fans. (If you really wanted them together you'd probably think better of their relationship than how I portray it, so maybe the better assessment is that I'm a crap 2doc fan.)

Thank you for saying such generous things. I'm in an, er, unproductive place with writing right now (if you can imagine kicking a can around and saying you'll make a game of it, but inevitably you just kick it under cars and across freeways and down drains) but I know that's sort of been the headline around here for a while, and I can imagine it starts to lose the impact. Anyway, that's a boggy wet addition to a great funny message, so we won't dwell. What I mean to say is that stuff like this-- it just still means a lot to me.

I would absolutely love to see your art! Sincerely, please, do tag me or message me links any time. My mentions are far from cluttered and I don't really monitor any tags closely anymore, but the risk is that the occasional hidden gem just entirely slips by. If you ever make anything, or even see anything elsewhere that you think I'd be interested in, I am always eager to see it. It is never a bother, and especially if you made it yourself, I am over the moon about seeing it.

Thank you once again for your kind message. You have no idea how your words take root and feed an ever-quieting ecosystem. It is meaningful.

[mcmuppet]

okay i never actually post on here but i saw something yesterday on  @illegalferrariengine page and specifically one of the tags set me off on a rant to @daniallricciardo during my class yesterday, and i am now going to form that rant into an incoherent tumblr post bc im bored at work and still mad about this

so here it goes: a two part rant about f1 fangirls and DTS fans; and why the f1 fandom is actually ostracizing itself and harming the sport it so very much loves, because of how it treats female & new fans

basically, what fully set me off was a tag along the lines of a lot of “fan girls” go into full seb vettel f1 knowledge mode when talking about history, and even know more than a lot of guy fans, and as a new fan, this is something i have noticed in myself. i’m a pretty big sports fan in general, but im new to f1 and unlike any other sport i watch/follow, with f1 i dove head first into not only the current grid/era, but also the general history, which i have not really done for any other sport. (i’ve been watching tennis since i was like 8 and i could not tell you anything in detail that happened on either the men’s or women’s tour since like, pre 2005, i just never cared to learn). but with f1 i did. and for a long time i chalked that up to “its a new sport to me and im fascinated, and my adhd hyperfixation really set in (during a time when im living alone and have nothing else to do)” and i went wild with it.

but yesterday really got me thinking, did i just become so into the knowledge because of how much i like the sport (and don’t get me wrong i LOVE f1 now) or did i get so deep into the knowledge because the general online discourse (especially on twitter which is its own toxic ecosystem) is that if you’re  a female fan, you have to prove that you’re a fan of the sport and not just a “superficial fan girl” and like THATS SO PROBLEMATIC. i realized yesterday (and maybe this is a super obvious thing and my brain was just slow at fully grasping) that even subconsciously, i know that i would be categorized as a shallow fan girl unless i proved my knowledge, especially since, i am a girl! and i am attracted to these silly attractive men driving fast and being silly in press conferences! sue me! but i shouldn't have to justify being a fan of sport!

i was trying to compare this to tennis and soccer (my other two fave sports) and  while obviously there is still bias and misogyny in those fandoms as well, it really does not reach the levels that i’ve seen in the f1 fandom. personally i think that because there are so few drivers (in comparison to soccer and tennis where there are literally thousands of athletes) so we know more about each driver and really get to know their personality (at least the public personality that they portray), which makes the connection feel more personal. it also doesnt help the inherent bias that , yea , a lot of the drivers are conventionally attractive and could probably be models if they didn’t want to be driving. but it just doesn’t sit right with me that i’m being forced to become an encylopedia of f1 knowledge just to show that i am in fact into the sport because i enjoy the strategy calls, the on track drama, and the absolute power that is the merging of a man and machine to create basically a hyper-athlete. you don’t get that in any other sport and i think thats the genuine beauty of f1.

the other part of the toxic f1 fan culture that has frustrated me is the perception of fans that got into the sport because of drive to survive. now, i didn’t get into f1 because of the Netflix show. i started watching because i had a friend who was a huge fan, and she convinced @daniallricciardo to put on a few races, and i decided to stop making fun of the fast cars going in circles and watch a few races with her. and it got me hooked (this is my formal apology to my boss who i used to make fun of relentlessly for watching f1, you were right Doug its a great sport). but i digress. just the fact that i feel the need to clarify that i did not get into f1 because of DTS is PROBLEMATIC IN AND OF ITSELF. to quote @daniallricciardo “it feels like a badge of honor that we got into it without DTS and it SHOULDN’T” 

the point of drive to survive was to attract new fans to the sport, and guess what! it worked! shocker! but the fact that fans who have been watching f1 for years before the Netflix show consider “DTS fans” to be fake fans literally contradicts the whole point of the show and the sport in general. f1 will only continue to succeed as a sport if the fanbase continues to grow. more fans mean more money which directly correlates to the ability to put on races and provide the entertainment that we sign up for as fans of the sport.

this whole rant basically boils down to: misogynistic f1 fans who reject new DTS fans as “fake fans” are literally ruining the sport they claim to love so much. not just by creating a toxic community, but even in a more tangible way, they could end up affecting the f1 bottom line if they continue to ostracize fans in the way that they currently are. i have never felt more insecure as a fan of anything in the way that i have found in the f1 community. and while i will admit that i also love the knowledge side (seb is literally one of my absolute favorite people so a part of me wants to be just like him, f1 history wise), but i wish i could just enjoy randomly knowing who the 1984 wdc was (niki lauda - of course), without thinking that knowing that will put me in better standing with the f1 community. 

this all seems like, super obvious and not at all some kind of big breakthrough and i recognize that. im not pretending to say i got to the root of toxicity in the f1 community and now in gonna work on solving that. but i think, at least for myself, i needed to put this out there, so that, personally, i can start overcoming the internalized insecurities i have about being a fan in a new sports community which has a very interesting little ecosystem, unlike any other sports fandom ive encountered. 

if you got this far 1. im sorry that i took up 1.2k words of your time and 2. thank you for letting me rant, i def needed it 

[fearlessjournalism]

writer ask game

tagged by @grasslandgirl ty ty 💚💚💚

what's your all-time favorite ship?

All Time Favorite is far too high a bar but like currently no thoughts head sam/peter, previously no thoughts nalby and minewt from tmr (like i know that series is a mess but goddammit someone’s gotta fix its crimes). rin/venka from tpw haha jk unless?

how many works do you have on ao3?

fifteen babeyyyy we do be. slow writers in this household.

what's your total ao3 word count?

61,003

what are your top five fics by kudos?

Brushfire (av), holding all I used to be sorry about (the flash) (ugh), To Chip Away (atla), One New Post: Missed Connection (atla), and Background Radiation of the Universe (tmr)

do you reply to comments, why or why not?

I do! or like. I try to. sometimes I space out but I do try to. tbh I started doing it because it was nice when other people responded to me, so I wanted to do that for other people bc they took the time to read and to comment (I also think it encourages people to comment more on fics in general, so it’s good for the wider ecosystem).

fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

A Hundred Thousand Loves (for just this one) (tmr) lmaooo like it wasn’t gonna end any other way but I was still like well damn that’s a bummer

fic you've written with the happiest ending?

oh hm. I feel like a lot of mine end well? I have my retroactive issues with brushfire but I feel like that ending is the happiest in some ways even if it doesn’t seem that way up front because it’s like… realistic happy? like, everything hasn’t been perfect, everything won’t be perfect, but we’ve made our peace with that and we’re trying in spite of it

do you write crossovers?

not like, these characters from one thing meet the characters from this other thing crossovers, but sometimes I’ll take like. an element of a universe and bring it into a different one yknow? although that’s usually just for fun and it doesn’t go anywhere

have you ever recieved hate on a fic?

no but I think that would be really funny you’d have to go so far out of your way for that

do you write smut? if so what kind?

I think I’d pass away sometimes the catholicism gets my ass

have you ever had a fic stolen?

no but again I think that would be really funny who would go out of their way to steal like. american vandal fics.

have you ever had a fic translated?

no but that’d be fuckin sick

have you ever co-written a fic before?

honestly I don’t know that I’d be pleasant to like. actually cowrite a fic with BUT a lot of my brainstorming process is collaborative

what’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I’m trying not to think about it but I will say if I had the power to magically finish one it might be the mailee vigilante au I was writing for atla like a year ago

what are your writing strengths?

uuuuuuuu dialogue I think? sometimes i think I’m leaning too much into Witty Banter but then I talk to my family and it’s just like that so… we walk among you I guess

what are your writing weaknesses? 

uuuuuuuu anything that’s not dialogue I think? no but actually when I was writing one of my fics for the flash it took me 45 fucking minutes to write one character coming around a desk and kissing another. like. making characters move is so goddamn hard for me it’s absolutely insane.

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

in general? no problem with it as long as the person like… knows what they’re doing. for me? I took latin in high school and then forgot all of it and I’m not great with spoken languages so I will leave that to the professionals.

what was the first fandom you wrote for?

officially, TMR. unofficially, I look back at a lot of my early writing and it was unintentional but thinly veiled fanfic of like. the lioness quartet or the avalon: web of magic series (side note did that series exist for other people??? please contact me asap if this existed for you that shit was FORMATIVE)

what's your favorite fic you've written?

I think last time I said it was a hundred thousand loves and I think I stand by that but I’m also genuinely fond of how anatomy turned out. idk if it’s A Favorite but I’m still riding the high of it actually turning out the way I wanted it to

tagging: @mrsinistertype @lesbiantoziers @phonecallfromgod @newtedison

[countrygangrel]

i want all the questions from section 1 (except 16 bc idc) for chad and austin and bear thank u

why do u insist on doing this to me /s

chad:

1. Briefly Describe your OC: Appearance, personality, role in a story, etc..

hes short and Fat and sorta furry. hes a cub definitely. hes sorta got a ? larger than life personality hes a bit of a drama queen. he has frequent mood swings and complains a Lot hes a big ol baby. he was an assistant figure djdskh who became the Love interest 

2. Briefly describe their backstory/childhood

he grew up primarily with his older brother and his parents. his sister moved out when she turned 18 and she was a couple years older the other two, so she moved out when chad was around 8 or 9. their parents were ? sorta homophobic and transphobic he grew up in the 70′s and 80′s :/ he knew he was a boy and Gay by around 16 when he met his brothers lgbt friends. he liked to sleep in his brothers bed with him when they were both young and he let him. he stopped when he was around 12 or 13 after his brother was paralyzed from the waist down

3. Describe their family life and friends.

atm he lives with janet, fonn, laila, lumi, atlas, and hailey and he ? doesnt rlly have a lot of friends outside of them smh he makes Enemies with most other vampires he meets. he loves them all tho even tho hes a Pest. he pesters janet on purpose for being the only fully white person in the Home 

4. What is the world they come from like?

the world he comes from is ? real gritty. its like urban gothic with monsters jksdskdsh 

5. Are they original or exist in a certain fandom?

Eh. hes original mostly, there isnt rlly a fandom for wod

6. Are they an introvert or extrovert?

hes an extrovert he Loves being around people he loves them hes needy

7. Greatest fear?

honestly? probably having to go on his own again

8. What’s their sense of humor like?

he laughs at a lot. his sense of humor? his bf /s he does think his bfs funny tho dkdsjkd hes developed more of a dry sense of humor living with fonn though

9. Favorite pieces of fiction or genres they enjoy?

he loves romances sdkdsj and especially romantic comedies skdsdhsd he loves love he cries over it a lot and people used to like think he was actually upset until they asked him what was up and he started blubbering abt how happy he was for the protag

10. Favorite music genres?

he likes a lot of indie and like ? for lack of a better term Slow pop. gentle stuff,

11. Describe their vision of a perfect spouse, if applicable.

he Has a husband and he Is his perfect spouse, thank u very much

12. Largest regret?

probably leaving after he died and not telling his brother where he was going. also lying to janet abt who he was. also picking the name chad

13. Something your OC would say?

14. Whats their morality like?

hes either neutral good or chaotic good/neutral

15. Would they live in a city, rural area, or suburb?

he lives in a rural area rn 

17. Sexuality? Gender Identity?

hes a gay trans guy

18. What inspired you to make this character?

ill be honest i just wanted a frat boy vampire i didnt intend for him to be like this. he didnt even live in a frat.

austin:

1. Briefly Describe your OC: Appearance, personality, role in a story, etc..

hes tall and sorta lanky. hes sorta skinnie smh. he doesnt shave until he actually seems like he might start growing a beard, he likes being stubbly. hes a Big Asshole with commitment issues. his role in the story? to be an asshole /s

2. Briefly describe their backstory/childhood

it Wasnt great. his parents and siblings died when he was ten and he went on the run. he was ghouled first at 17, stopped for a while, then was ghouled Again when he was physically 21

3. Describe their family life and friends.

he isnt great at the whole family thing but he considers mags to be both is family And his friend. he likes rosa too but he thinks shes a baby even tho shes physically older than him and she actually has her life more together than he does

4. What is the world they come from like?

same as chads dsksdh

5. Are they original or exist in a certain fandom?

he was originally but hes like chad now

6. Are they an introvert or extrovert?

hes an extrovert but he does like his time to himself

7. Greatest fear?

probably having his loved ones leave him and Hate him. he wants people to like him

8. What’s their sense of humor like?

his sense of humor sucks dskshdksdh its pretty dry and sorta ? mean unless its directed At him by another person. then he gets all touchy and defensive

9. Favorite pieces of fiction or genres they enjoy?

he likes horror and suspense and Action

10. Favorite music genres?

fast

11. Describe their vision of a perfect spouse, if applicable.

his perfect partner would have to be pretty patient smh hes rlly good at ruining relationships for himself. after he gets over the initial distrust tho he rlly just wants someone who loves him. he prefers ppl who arent overly needy and also dont like try to Constrain him. hed ? agree to be like Monogamous tho when he decides he actually likes them tho dskjdsk like he might suggest it

12. Largest regret?

his life is made of regrets. but the biggest one is probably running most people off 

13. Something your OC would say?

“but im not gonna talk to a therapist, whos gonna make me, you know, deal with it and confront these issues” 

14. Whats their morality like?

chaotic neutral to neutral evil

15. Would they live in a city, rural area, or suburb?

city

17. Sexuality? Gender Identity?

bi and man aligned nb 

18. What inspired you to make this character?

i wanted a Dick i could easily hate but :/ 

bear:

1. Briefly Describe your OC: Appearance, personality, role in a story, etc..

shes short and chubby and she has really really fluffy hair that she doesnt rlly brush out smh. sometimes she tries to take dog brushes to it and they get stuck. shes surprisingly daring and fighty. she believes very strongly in her cause and is willing to do almost anything to get there. her role is a Secret 

2. Briefly describe their backstory/childhood

she was ? a wolf for the first couple of years. she was Smarter than her packmates at a young age. she had her first change away from most of her pack but did end up doing some damage, almost killing some of her packmates. her father took her from the pack and started trying to raise her on his own, teaching her french and inukitut. she learned english from bruno And he gave her the name bear. her dad’s sorta incompetent

3. Describe their family life and friends.

she has her dad jean and her best friend and now bf, bruno! her dads sorta a mess but hes trying. he was also a lupus and he still doesnt ? fully understand how living as a human works. 

4. What is the world they come from like?

same as chad and austin kdshdsds

5. Are they original or exist in a certain fandom?

^ see above

6. Are they an introvert or extrovert?

shes an introvert dksdhskd

7. Greatest fear?

probably the destruction of her homeland. her mothers already dead and shes scared of what would happen is she didnt have Any connection to her past left

8. What’s their sense of humor like?

she likes wordplay even if it takes her a bit to understand. she also likes ? bad puns

9. Favorite pieces of fiction or genres they enjoy?

she likes call of the wild, even though it makes her sad. white fang too. she likes a lot of ? books with animal characters or leads. otherwise she likes adventure stories. she also likes nonfiction a lot tho like documentaries

10. Favorite music genres?

she likes a lot of instrumental stuff and folk and rlly ? any song with good instruments. power metal too

11. Describe their vision of a perfect spouse, if applicable.

shed ideally like to marry her bf Thank U Very Much

12. Largest regret?

its not really a regret but she sorta wishes she wasnt a werewolf and shed just been a normal wolf

13. Something your OC would say?

“i have a garden growing in my shower so you have to use eco-friendly hair products. you will see worms and other insects, and you will occasionally see a spider too but they all help out the ecosystem.”

14. Whats their morality like?

chaotic good

15. Would they live in a city, rural area, or suburb?

rural area she doesnt like the city much dsksdj

17. Sexuality? Gender Identity?

shes a bi nb trans girl

18. What inspired you to make this character?

i thought the idea of a werewolf ecoterrorist was funny