#but also COMPLETELY different fandom and i will probably never publish this so i think it’s alright

[starbuck]

chipping away at a couple little fics at the moment and the letter-format one is the most fun because instead of a coherent plot it’s a smattering of random thoughts so i’m in a situation where i KNOW i added another one last night as i was passing out, but i don’t remember at all what it is/if it’s good/etc.

[blocksgame]

Tips on character voices when writing fic

This is written in mind for people writing fic in MCYT/QSMP/DSMP/Life series/etc kind of fandoms. But if anyone finds it useful for anything else, well then, hell yeah.

Character voice is big in all, uh, fiction, and mimicking it in any fanwork is big. But I think it’s especially big in these fandoms where the voices are so distinct – it’s usually how a Real Person Somewhere (the streamer) talks, versus something very scripted that you’d see in a TV show or novel. And it can be a big difference in your character sounding generic versus really feeling true to the original.

Listen to a bunch of your subject talking. If you want to write a character well, watch vods from their point of view, or episodes where they show up a bunch. Take note of what they say and how.

2. If you don’t know how to start doing that: try literally writing down what they say. Transcribe an actual exchange in fic-format. You probably won’t want to publish a literal exchange from canon, but it will give you a sense of how to physically write what they say.

3. If you do this (or just pay attention to how they talk), you will get a lot of: Stumbling, pauses, repeating words, filler words, weird sentence constructions, fragments, etc. I love em! Here’s something that comes through in improv much more than in novels or movies: Most people, even very charismatic people, are not very eloquent when they speak. Writing out conversations or sentences will give you a sense of the unique and delightful way in which your subject is not eloquent. vvvvv way more under cut vvvvv

(People use a LOT of filler/etc when they speak. It’s reasonable to cut back on this if it’s interfering with a nice-looking or readable result. I believe this is the eternal struggle of people who write transcripts – you want the transcript to be accurate, but there are also a lot of things you can obviously simplify and not lose the meaning. So you’ll end up falling somewhere on this spectrum either way. But I do think a lot of mediocre/generic fic dialogue is very stylized – it doesn’t sound like your guy because your guy literally wouldn’t say that. They would say it worse and more confusingly.)

(I’m serious, if you’ve never sat down with a short non-completely-scripted clip or real conversation or whatever and just written out exactly what was said, do it. It will make you better at writing.)

4. Wonda-cat made a really incredible list [link] of characterizing speech patterns for the Dream SMP members. But you can also do your own reconnaissance and come up with your own patterns, common phrases, etc.

5. You do not have to get EVERYTHING right. You’re not going to, like, get so deep into the speaker’s brain that you can produce “exactly what they would have said if they were somehow in your fic.” That is impossible. You’re just trying to evoke a character, and if you get a few turns of phrase to ring true, you’re doing great.

6. A lot of these people are popular because they are hilarious. Include jokes. Yes, even if your thing is angsty or serious. A lot of the most serious lore I can think of from, e.g., the Dream SMP or 3rd Life or the QSMP - the really story-defining, life-and-death moments - were absolutely hysterical. If you’re writing characters who are usually funny, then add some humor. It can heighten angst via contrast and a sense of realism. Ask yourself what a funny streamer would make jokes about if they were possessing a character in this situation.

7. Some people have the mystical ability to “hear” character voices in their head, and read things in their voice. If you can, do this with all of your dialogue during the editing process. This won’t always get you there, but sometimes it can catch things that sound wrong by invoking "that's really hard to imagine them saying". If you don’t have this power, try recruiting a friend who does.

8. So there’s dialogue and then there’s narration that’s still from a character’s point of view. I’ve mostly given you tips about dialogue, but a lot of this is also true for narration. IMO, narration is less about phrasing things the way the subject would, and more about recreating the way they think. I don’t have concrete rules on how to do this, but here is my wisdom:

You can get eloquent again - narration is more of an abstract and artistic process than dialogue.

Spend time with your subject’s source material.

Pay attention to what they notice and care about. How do you think they think?

Don’t be afraid to get weird with it.

That last one also applies to all art ever.

9. MCYT tends to give you a great boon you don’t see in other media: what the speaker says to their chat/audience when nobody else is listening. This can be incredibly characterizing even if you’re writing a story where people don’t have chats. It’s your person talking about their thought processes and feelings! Mine that shit.

10. Some questions that might help guide both characterizing narration and dialogue (that you’d get from dialogue):

How open are they about their feelings?

How often do they lie? What do they lie about?

What kind of metaphors do they use, if any?

How quickly does their mood change?

How can you tell when they’re in different moods?

What kind of things do they pay attention to?

How formal is their speech?

11. Finally, this is a little odd, but I find it’s much, much easier to write a character that sounds good if I, the author, like them and am rooting for them at least a little bit. If a character needs to be there who you don’t love, try to love them. Or at least get a sense of what other people love about them. It just makes everything else easier. I swear to god.

Happy writing out there!

[miwhotep]

I now feel that it's time to bring this analysis back since I still see the topic coming back again and again. I already did a longer version of this back in my early days of joining the fandom here, but now I do a shorter one again.

MILVERTON WAS NOT STUPID IN TWO CRIMINALS. HE WAS INCONSISTENTLY WRITTEN.

Because everything related to his plan in the last chapter was completely against of how he acted before that. Let me explain it in four points.

1, The one thing people always bring up - not knowing about Sherliam

I will be honest, this is what bothers me the least and if that would be the only thing I could list, I wouldn' even keep ranting on the topic. But still, even this doesn't make any sense.

Milverton knew about Mary's past in France (France!!) and as a media mogul and blackmailer who lives from information, he wouldn't know about Sherliam? Come on, the train incident where the celebrity detective Sherlock solves a crime with a noble would totally end up on the cover of the newspapers - "the great detective and the aristocrat: an unexpected crime-solving duo!" - because there is no way this could be kept as a secret, people always gossip over things like this. Because of Sherlock Holmes, even London newspapers wrote about the case since Sherlock can make the papers sell. And it would especially end up in Milverton's noble-supported newspaper too, since with it, he could please his patrons who would be overjoyed to see a fellow noble solving a crime committed by a commoner.

Furthermore, Milverton thinking that "Holmes and Moriarty's social circles could have never collided" doesn't make any sense. Milverton dealt with Sherlock before in blackmail cases when Sherlock was hired by noblewomen to negotiate with Milverton. Also, Milverton is a prime example of that every social circle can collide - he is a commoner who takes up cases from and blackmails both nobles and commoners alike. He really shouldn't be so surprised - and really, he perfectly researched Mary's past in other country and he wouldn't be able to research if two men met when one of those meetings even needed to end up in the news? (And now I didn't even talk about the Noahtic because I don't want this analysis to last forever.)

2, Threatening William to publish his identity as the Lord of Crime

Before this one occasion, we always see Milverton using his victims' loved ones against them to make them act as he wanted - just remember the police officer, Sturridge or Whiteley. Ruskin and the bodyguards also point out that this is Milverton's tendency. Then, knowing about William's brothers, why didn't he used them against William instead of threatening his name going public? He could just say "all three of you guys will end up in my newspaper as the Lord of Crime" and William would probably rethink everything since he wouldn't want Louis to get hurt. So yes, in the most crucial case, Milverton used a different method instead of his usual, surely-working one. Changing his ways suddenly doesn't make any sense.

3, Miscalculating Sherlock

Why was Milverton so sure about Sherlock's morals that he will definitely arrest the Lord of Crime and leaves Milverton live when his entire plan was based on that Sherlock will definitely act immoral and break in his house? How could he be so sure that Sherlock won't just shoot him and takes what he want after this? Especially as a person who believes that everyone is capable of evil and has a hobby of tempting the good-hearted to sin. He was already sure that Sherlock commit at least one act against the law on that night so Milverton knew that Sherlock can be totally dragged to make questionable decisions. Like, shooting him.

4, Not caring about his own safety at all

Yes, we got to the point what angers me the most. Because Milverton travels with a shielded carriage, has two - with Ruskin, three - bodyguards who always accompany him, he always drops any case he took up for the sign of the smallest danger, so he is very serious about his safety and basically a coward. How could he face two of his greatest enemies alone? It is completely against Milverton's coward nature. We could see that even for the blackmail negotiation with Sherlock, at least, Ruskin was there with him. And what he did with Sherlock and William was also a blackmail negotiation, with people where he knows that one of them already murdered several bad people - bad people like Milverton - and the other one loathes him more than anyone else. It was an extremely dangerous situation even if he thought that he could win. Milverton would have never done something so dangerous on his own.

+1, Ruskin's absence

And here's also an additional plot hole - where was Ruskin the whole time? Ruskin, who was basically always on his boss' side. Ruskin, who loves his boss enough that even when his life was in danger, he chose to go back for Milverton into the about-to-crash house. Ruskin was not shown fighting with the others in the manga. He was completely forgotten in that chapter until he went back to the burning room to search for his boss.

And here we reached the end. For the record, yes, I know that from a writing perspective, Milverton needed to get out of the picture so the Moriarty Plan can keep going. But this could have been done without a character massacre - especially that the reasons for Milverton's inconsistent actions was never adressed. That's why other than this, I never made analysis of that chapter. There is no logic in it when it comes to Milverton.

[thoughtsaboutshows]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup ✨

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

I was tagged by the lovely @overjoyedisland for this!! Thank you!!

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

106,565!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

I completed 6 Empyrean One-shots! Most of them are little ficlets or drabbles and then one Solstice Exchange fic! I just joined the Empyrean fandom in August and it's been so so wonderful. I'd taken a break from writing fanfiction and these characters were the perfect ones to get me back into it!!

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

I started one, Let's Play Pretend, my Riorgail Fake/dating (also sort of second chance?) romance fic. It's my first long-fic for this fandom and it's been so so fun to write. I have some ideas for extending some of my drabbles/one shots that are marinating in my brain but we'll see if it actually happens! I'd love to do a canon world or canon compliant long fic depending on what Onyx Storm brings us. 😬

4. What was your favourite thing you wrote?

all that you rely on, and all that you can save- was inspired by the Chapter 27 Xaden Bonus Chapter where he wants to do wickedly inappropriate things with Violet on an archives desk. I hadn't written smut in a while so it was to dip my toes back into that

I’m Gonna Be- I've only really ever written for the main ship in fandoms so I absolutely LOVED writing something for Immrick. I love their dynamic and their potential. They are one that I plan to keep exploring!

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

I've never done any sort of exchange so participating in the Rider's Quadrant Solstice Exchange was super fun!! Writing something for someone else wasn't something I'd done and I really enjoyed it. Also writing for a non main ship (Immrick) was a blast.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

I didn't expect Let's Play Pretend to be as popular as it has been! I kind of just started it because I love a premise of two idiots in love and I am a SUCKER for fake dating (especially when one person is CLEARLY besotted with the other 👀). I love stocking it up with tropes: one bed, second chance, enemies-ish to lovers....it's been fun! It seems others love those tropes too!

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

I think I'm Gonna Be (my Immrick one-shot) went sort of under the radar probably because it's not a main ship work. Though I will say that Xaden/Violet do make some appearances in it 😊. But I'm really proud of that one, and Immrick can ALWAYS use more love.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

I don't think she is on tumblr but the artist Mads Schofield is INCREDIBLE. All her works are AMAZING. Here's her link to instagram: madschofield

Her throne of glass works specifically have inspired me. She'll always draw the characters authentically and with all their scars. It inspires me to allow the characters I write to lean into their imperfections.

She has some fourth wing art too that's amazing. Here's a Riorgail one.

And here's her website!

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

Oh my goodness there are SO many amazing fic writers out there. Everyone on the discord server has been so welcoming and supportive.

I'd say the writing of @skyfallscotland, especially In Too Deep, inspired me to dive into an AU. And @saranova and @tegantales are also incredible and inspiring.

@suebswrites's Just Ask inspires me to want to jump into canon compliant. And that fic (and everything she writes) is amazing!

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

All of the Empyrean writers! I didn't start reading Fourth Wing Fanfic until this Summer so I've basically always been able to read something new or by someone new. There's so many amazing fics out there.

@ubiquitouslyme @justallihere @lizardsrunfast @widebrimmedhatsblog @caeli0306 @overjoyedisland @yanny-77 @siobhanbooks @alexandia03 @hockeyspiral23 @sarcasticmothwrites @copperfirebird @serahadmoni are just a few more of the many very talented fic writers for this fandom.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

I haven't collaborated or co-written anything but a huge shout out to @lovemedarkly29 for being a beta and a springboard for ideas. She's given the best feedback and has helped me organize my thoughts and helped me ensure things make sense and are reasonable (especially with the messy backstory of Let's Play Pretend).

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

I'm the proudest about getting back into fanfic. I was writing for the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina fandom but fell off of it in February. I absolutely love writing and it's been a lifesaving outlet for me, but I was just so uninspired and had not been able to do it. I was nervous about starting again but the fandom has been so welcoming.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

I've learned to put less pressure on myself and to write when I'm inspired but not to force it. When I try and force it it's usually not very good.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Just start writing! Even if it's just a few lines of dialogue or a paragraph or only the first chapter of something. If it's something you want to try just get something on the page when you're inpsired.

On a practical note I suggest using googledocs fro writing. That's what I do and because I have it on my phone I can jot down any random thoughts or pieces of dialogue that comes to mind wherever I am. It leads to some pretty chaotic google drives, but at least all my thoughts are in one place.

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

My goal is to finish Let's Play Pretend! I would also like to finish up this Immrick oneshot that's been bouncing around in my head. One thing I would also like to accomplish is writing ahead (at least a few chapters) before I start posting.

In a perfect world I would also finish Thicker Than Water, my Nabrina WIP, but that's currently on an indefinite pause. I just can't seem to write it. In truth, it's felt strange to write about the situation Sabrina is in at this point in the story after Chance's passing. I just can't get into the headspace to finish it. But maybe some day.

This was fun!!

Much Love.

[moodymelanist]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

thanks for the tags @jsmelodies & @whyisaravenlike-awritingdesk <3

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going! (If you're in my answers, consider yourself tagged if you'd like to play!)

How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

I published about 67,000 words this year! Normally I write a lot more (closer to around 200k each year) but this year was ~a lot~ so I'm just glad I made it to at least 50k lol. Hoping next year I can crack 100k and then eventually get back to my usual 200k!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

I completed 19 fics this year (16 for ACOTAR and 3 for the MCU)! Woohoo!

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

I have 2 in progress fics that I started this year (You Were Never Not Mine and once bitten (and twice shy)). I have a few in progress fics hanging over me from previous years (Where the Light Won't Find You, All the Wisest Women, PIR2, and technically my drabble series are open-ended but I don't count those as "in progress" the same way I do the others). we'll see what I get back to in 2025, but I definitely plan to complete once bitten (and twice shy) asap since that's a gift for @whyisaravenlike-awritingdesk <3

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Hmm... for ACOTAR I'd have to say You Were Never Not Mine since I'd been working on that fic on and off since May and I finally got it done. I just absolutely love toxic!Nessian and personally I think Nesta could've (and should've) been so much worse to at least earn all the hate she gets from the fandom so. it's been such a blast writing that you have no idea how many times I've cackled to myself writing the crazy out of pocket shit she does in that fic LOL

For the MCU, I wrote 3 Stucky fics this year and I think my favorite is sometimes i hold you closer (just to know you're real). when I first heard bodyguard it SCREAMED stucky to me and it's just so soft and wholesome and I love them so much

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

hmmm... I'd have to say probably one of my non-nessian fics (either it's you (they add up to) or you look so pretty (and I love this view)). not that I don't love nessian to pieces since I do, but there's something so fun writing nesta with other people (esp in canon since canon!cassian makes me want to fight someone)

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Step Back, Doors Closing, purely because I didn't realize how many people also have had WMATA experiences that make them want to fight someone HAHA

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

dumb love (i love being stupid) my beloved. I just really enjoy writing gender bent nessian and that fic was one of my favorite things I wrote this year even if it didn't get a ton of attention!

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

@dustjacketdraws my beloved

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

Where to even begin! I get so much inspiration from my fellow nesta/nessian writers (esp @c-e-d-dreamer, @unhealthyfanobsession, @dustjacketmusings, @kale-theteaqueen... I won't tag all of you because that would be insane but you all know who you are).

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

So many amazing fellow Nesta fans - @wishcamper, @xxvalkyriesxx, @jsmelodies

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Nope, but it would be fun to do <3

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

The fact that I kept going this year. I had a really challenging summer (my cat escaped my house for 2 months - she is since back, thankfully - and I had a lot of family issues) so that really sapped a lot of my creative juices tbh. I'm just happy I was able to keep going and participating in fandom and keep writing even if it wasn't as much as I would've liked.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

Doesn't matter what you're writing or how good it is as long as you just keep doing it!

14. Any advice you'd like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Don't be afraid to be the change you want to see in the world. If there's a fic idea that you'd absolutely love to see done but it hasn't been yet what's stopping you from giving it a try! That's how I got into writing Nessian (I wanted more modern AUs) so 10/10 recommend

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

I want to try and post something every month, even if it's just a small drabble. We'll see how it goes!

Tagging: @somanywords @lavenderbuckyy @unhealthyfanobsession

[softodettes]

2024 fic writer end of year round up!

i was tagged by @maethologies and @siobhanbooks (thank you besties!!). if i tagged you in this, take that as a sign that i'm tagging you to participate! 💗

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

as of this afternoon: 89,916 words! i wanted to hit 100k published, but the second half of the year really put me through it.

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

10 oneshots!

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

i posted 3, and i have 3 more that aren't posted that i'm working on with plans to post next year.

4. What was your favourite thing you wrote?

i really love read it and weep. i love playing Wordle so much, so it was fun to combine that with FW for a cute fluff piece.

i also love i wanna touch you but you're too far away. it was probably the first smut fic that i confidently posted, and it's one of the only fics i've posted that i reread because i just think it's really good.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

they're both very tame, but visions of sugarplums is my most "out-there" and niche AU. it's 3rd person present, which is something i've played around with in shorter one shots, but this is the first time i used it in a longer fic.

vacation (all i ever wanted) was also different! it was my first poly fic, so trying to balance all 3 people and their relationships with each other was definitely new for me!

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

after resurrection for sure!

a lot of people in this fandom hate Brennan (which is valid, don't get me wrong!), so i never expected more than a handful of people to read it. so when it hit 100 kudos a few weeks ago, i cried a little because it has grown above and beyond what i ever imagined, and i'm continuously blown away by the positive reception it gets.

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

there is pretty much no plot, but i love the imagery i used in and if i could give you the moon, i would give you the moon. and i'm plugging i wanna touch you but you're too far away again because i think it's some of the best smut i've written.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

on instagram: _clxarts, 0jem0, rosiethorns88, cuddlydevil1114, and rosedskies

on tumblr: @ann7av, @taumoebaa, @flaviedub, @rosalynnart

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

@taumoebaa, @maethologies, and @widebrimmedhatsblog all inspired me this year (especially during kinktober!)

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

literally everyone in this fandom! i obviously can't tag everyone, but people like @siobhanbooks, @hockeyspiral23, @pretty-pleaseee, @heartfeltletters-written, @shipmistress9, and @dbac2822 and so many others wrote some of my favorite fics!

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

i did not! maybe 2025 will be the year of that, who knows.

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

that i posted 89K and wrote 123k words. before this year, the most i'd ever written was probably around 3k words for papers, and i managed to blow that number out of the water within the first month of writing.

i also managed all of that while in grad school full time, especially this fall when i was taking something crazy like 20+ units, and i'm just really proud of myself for making time for this hobby that i love. (but it's no wonder i burned out for a bit towards the end of this year LOL).

also posting for kinktober! if anyone remembers my mini crash out in september, i was so, so nervous about posting smut. but @maethologies, @widebrimmedhatsblog, and @heartfeltletters-written were so encouraging when we were all preparing for kinktober, and i'm so glad i posted because writing smut is just so fun lol.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

writing is hard and it sucks and it can dredge up old emotions and open wounds you thought were healed, but it can also be wonderful and fun and make you feel happy and connect with others, which makes the trade-off worth it.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

that idea that's been hanging out in the back of your mind? i want you to open your notes app and just start typing, because you might just surprise yourself. writing those first words is one of the most terrifying things you'll do. posting those words is also terrifying. but there are plenty of people who will want to read what you have to say... you just have to take that leap.

also, you will be your biggest critic. it's very hard, but please don't get stuck in a cycle of negativity because it can kill your motivation. i promise that whatever the small voice in your head is saying about your writing isn't accurate.

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

i want to finish AR, start properly working on suburban legends and reverence, and post some of the fics that have just been sitting in document purgatory. i also want to keep fleshing out my writing style and to improve my grammar knowledge (english is my native language but it's still hard!)

i also want to stop comparing myself to others! it's normal to feel envy and jealousy, but comparison really is the thief of joy, and i want to spend more time celebrating my writing accomplishments, rather than focusing on what i wish i had or the crazy things i want to achieve in the future.

and i want to read more!! a lot of my fic reading fell off towards the end of this year, so i want to make an effort to carve out time to read and comment on works and support other authors.

[crackinglamb]

AO3 Year End Roundup, 2024

Tagged by @pikapeppa and @theluckywizard. Thank you both! 🥰

Tagging @lilbittymonster, @anneapocalypse, @espressocomfort, @gefionne and anyone who wants to do it who hasn't been tagged yet. Consider this an open invite. Tag me so I can see!

Words posted: 308,473

Additional Words Written: ~145K

Grand total of words: ~453K

Fandoms: 5. I wrote for Doctor Who, Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood, Dragon Age, Fallout 4 (and the tiniest bit of 3) and Fallout TV

Works: 17, 16 of them new.

Highest Kudos: Different Animals, at 325. Cooper Howard|The Ghoul/Lucy MacLean (FOTV). Rated E, 9528 words.

Highest Hit Oneshot: Different Animals, at 2565 as of this post.

New Things I Tried: May-June of this year saw me fall down the rabbithole that was Fallout TV’s first season. In quick succession I wrote 7 fics for Ghoulcy before the Muse ran dry.

I also went back to my first published fandom (FO4), but with a twist: Modern Girl In the Commonwealth. And the Days Go By, F!SoSu/Hancock, rated E, 65K words, complete. I actually just finished posting it two weeks ago.

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: Driftwood, my Bullmance series. I finally finished writing The Turning Tide (Iron Bull/OFC (DA), rated E, 42K words, WIP), and started posting it before DAV dropped. It’s currently the only work being updated. But it is totally written, and there will be no gaps in posting it through to completion next year.

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: Well Developed Personality, Cooper Howard|The Ghoul/Lucy MacLean (FOTV), rated E, 1696 words. It’s the shortest thing I wrote (and the filthiest, ‘ware the tags), and I managed it in about a sitting.

Favorite Thing I Wrote: This is always tough for me, because I hop around fandoms so much, and each one brings its own set of joys to the table. So in no particular order, the top three:

Destiny Is Just In the Timing, Female Cadash/Varric Tethras (DA), rated E, 52K words, complete. In the way of procrastination projects, Destiny began its life as something else to work on when I was stuck on T3. Varric is my first DA love, and I will always return to him. I got to thinking about his canon DA2 Carta contacts, and how a Cadash Inq is from the Carta and...boom. Instant ship, just add pining. Half the fic covers DA2 from an outsider POV, the other half is the events of DA:I. Guaranteed happy ending. [side-eyes BW]

Different Animals. Ya know, I didn’t plan to get as deep into Ghoulcy as I did. Then again, I never anticipate how deep I’ll fall into a ship. Before I’d even finished watching the show, I was writing this long oneshot. There is just something about the vibe of it that ticks all my boxes, and it’s probably the thing I’ve reread the most this year of my own work.

And the Days Go By. Modern Character In [Setting] is a favorite trope of mine, as anyone who’s read my DA longfics knows. I took that premise and put it into my favorite comfort game. Voila! Jack Nunn was born. I had so much fun figuring out what parts of the game mechanics I’d keep in the story as plot devices and how much a woman from our world would struggle to cope in the Fallout universe. It started out as crack treated seriously, then I grew to love her so much I kinda forgot that part.

Favorite Thing I Read: Again, tough decision. I’m a multitasker. And that’s true of my reading habits too. So, also in no particular order, the top three:

Kiss Me Moonstruck, by LuckyWizard (@theluckywizard). Female Trevelyan/Male Hawke (DA), rated E, WIP. Sometimes you just need a fantasy romcom. This indisputably fits the bill. It’s a light-hearted and highly entertaining matchmaker AU, and it sizzles with the palpable chemistry between Rose and Garrett. I love every word, and Lucky is a delight I’m happy to call a friend.

A Distinct Lack of Exploding, by gotfanfiction. Cooper Howard|The Ghoul/Lucy MacLean, (FOTV), rated E, WIP (with one chapter left according to the count, but the author has stated that shouldn’t be taken as gospel). This is a romp of pure ridiculous fun. Hot fun. Read the tags and you’ll get an idea of what you’re in for. And the author delivers on every word. I’ve read it at least three times so far in its entirety.

A Thing Called Hunger, by Syrina. Female Rook/Lucanis Dellamorte (DAV), rated E, WIP. In order to keep things spoiler free for Veilguard, I can’t talk about this one too much. Other than to say it’s witty and clever, the spice is excellent and the characters are wonderful. I get excited with every new update.

Something I Finished: The Turning Tide. It took 18 months, but I finished it (shortly after I began posting it, bending my own rule about publishing before completing the principle wording). And even though I said no more epics – being defined as anything over 100K words – guess what? It is. Mirabull in the Inquisition, ho!

Miscellaneous Highlights: I bounced around a lot this year. And a fair amount of my work didn’t get any mentions here. So I’ll compile some of them now.

Not a Bad Life?, Rose Tyler/Ninth Doctor (Doctor Who), rated E, 33K words. Written for Fluff-uary 2024. Among the WIP’s that were written but never posted was the next arc in Rose’s life with the Doctor. Ultimately, I’m glad the series leaves off here, because honestly I lost steam with it, and I don’t know when I’ll get back to it. But considering there are two years between She’s My Plus One and this fic, eh, who knows? Not I. I am but a drifting fan of many things, floating around from ship to ship.

Stardust, Rose Tyler/The Doctor (DW), rated G, 4220 words. Speaking of Doctor Who, this oneshot was written after the 14th Doctor’s stint during the holiday mini-series. I just wanted Rose to come back home and for Fourteen to get a happy ending, okay? And with it, The Spaces Between Our Atoms, rated T, 3174 words. A sort of sequel, written to commemorate the passing of Bernard Cribbins (Wilf).

Set to Repeat, Subject to Change, F!SoSu/Hancock, (FO4), rated E, 76K words, complete. I published (and completed) this fic back in 2018. I always wanted to write a sequel for it, but never did. Burnout’s a bitch, and I don’t have the mental energy to do All That. But I did write an epilogue, six years late. Incidentally, the final chapter was posted on the anniversary of the fic’s first chapter, which ticks the ‘coming full circle’ box for me. It’s the little things, ya know?

Writing Goals for 2025: [noncommittal noises] As of right now, I’m attempting to put together some ideas for continuing Wicked Things. With DAV now here, I have some work ahead of me to make it reconcile with where I was going with WG. But frankly, I’m uninspired. Part of that could be lingering burnout, but part of that is also some...ambivalence over what we got as the next entry to Dragon Age. I haven’t actually played it yet (although anyone who’s read any of my work knows that has zero bearing on me creating something), but I’ve watched some playthroughs and have all the spoilers. Whatever I manage to write for next for Imogen, it will most definitely YEET the canon. More than likely a lot of it, honestly.

And of course, there will be another Fluff-uary. I'm not sure who will get the nod next year for pairing(s). But I'll come up with something, I always do.

Final Thoughts: As much as I’ve talked about burnout and writing less...I managed a lot this year. I was honestly shocked at that wordcount total. And I’m sure I missed some of the WIP’s that got started and never went anywhere in the ‘additional words’ section. I just counted the things that were close to done or had a significant amount written that I could find in my document files. One of them is a full, completed fic. I’m just not ready to carry on with that series and don’t want to leave it on a cliffhanger for however long it would take me to get back to it. Another is nearly complete, but I got stuck on the ending and then moved on to other things and have been considering a rewrite from the ground up. And a third is a oneshot that’s ready for posting but has zero context for it yet. [sigh] But that’s always the way, isn’t it?

I fully expect next year will be a bit slower for me in terms of creativity. Life being what it is, and my circumstances what they are, I won’t have as much time. And I feel like I say that every year, but this time I think it’s going to actually happen. I’m currently in the longest stretch of writing nothing at all that I’ve had since I began writing fanfiction in 2017. And I have very few ideas percolating in the back of my mind. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I keep saying I’m going to take a break and then never do. Maybe I’ll actually do it this time.

If you’ve read this far, cheers. See you on the flipside. 💕

[caeli0306]

024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup ✨

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

I was tagged by @skyfallscotland <3

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

375,016!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

Eight! All of them are in my pinned post on my Tumblr.

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

If we're just counting the ones that already have a chapter up on AO3, four. If we're counting the ones that haven't been posted yet, I'm not entirely sure by at least 10 lol

4. What was your favourite thing you wrote?

This is tough! I loved VSGTSAS for obvious reasons, but castles crumbling/TFTAB is my baby. I really don't think I can choose!

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

Oh, definitely cold woman and in the eye of the beholder. They were my first forays into third person pov, and the first fics I wrote that weren't from Xaden or Violet's pov (not including Swan Song in that count bc those characters were all OCs). I really enjoyed writing both, but man was it hard to go back and forth between writing my first person fics and the third person ones.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Definitely Violet Sorrengail's Guide to Spinning a Scandal. That was my first time participating in any kind of fic exchange, and I thought the idea was great but wasn't sure that many others would think the same. castles crumbling didn't have as many people reading it at the time and I had maybe like 25 followers here on Tumblr, so I was fully expecting no one to really read VSGTSAS. I was thrilled when people read it as much as they did when I was publishing it, but it was definitely really surprising for me at the time!

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

cold woman! I absolutely adored this fic, because I think Lilith is such an interesting, multi-faceted character. I cried SO HARD when she died, and being able to write out what I thought her final thoughts were was really interesting.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

All of them! That might be overly generic. I literally like and save just about every piece of art I come across, but I tend to follow writers more than artists if that makes sense, so I probably couldn't name a specific one.

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

Going to copy @skyfallscotland and say @justallihere. Reading SITQ inspired me to start writing Swan Song, which was where I got my start writing fanfic!

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

Does myself count? Jk -- @widebrimmedhatsblog and @suebswrites! The number of times I've read their work is astounding; they're absolutely phenomenal!

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Nope!

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

Pulling myself out there, first and foremost! I was SO scared to post the first chapter of Swan Song back in February -- I was convinced that people would hate it. And while it really didn't have many readers before I put it on hiatus, writing it helped me figure out what I wanted out of writing fan fiction and how I wanted to write it. I'm equally proud of myself for not giving into the pressure to push myself to update more or write my stories a specific way because that was what people wanted from me. As a chronic people-pleaser, that was a big milestone for me.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

I learned that sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone! If I hadn't done that and let my nerves stop me from publishing that first fic, I never would have gained the wonderful community I have through the FW fandom.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Writing fanfic is what you make of it! Comment on the fics you read, shamelessly promote yourself, and write what you want to write -- not what others want you to write (unless you also want to write it!)

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Finish cc, finish the Did Someone Say Shots? series and danger zone and XRGTSAS, and then getting around to writing my super secret wip fic!

I have no clue who's done this and who hasn't so I'll be tagging @overjoyedisland @suebswrites @witch-and-her-witcher @essjaywrites and @ubiquitouslyme!

[myrthing]

I am James Somerton.

or, This Is Not A Defence of James Somerton Because He Fucking Sucks

The thing I've been thinking about since I watched Folding Idea's unlisted video about Somerton's second apology yesterday is how much I recognised myself in Dan's analysis of James, and how conflicted I've felt since then.

I should start by saying that as a Swedish lesbian woman with autism, ADHD and MDD, who has neither college degrees nor work experience, but who does have scruples, burnout, a sense of responsibility, some talents (if no way to consistently use them), a desire to create, basic financial sense, and a living parent who can read; I'm actually not like James Somerton at all.

But those are really rather superficial differences, aren't they? What got me thinking is the line with which Folding Idea ends his video:

"Ambition without actions and avenues to achieve them are called fantasies."

That is both an accurate analysis of James Somerton's personal failings, and a summary of me. The ambition to be something without the ability to put in the work needed to succeed. A deep-rooted optimism about how things will always work out in the end, somehow.

In James's case, this is currently demonstrated by his unwavering conviction that he will be able to return to YouTube. He hasn't considered the alternative. I don't think he can—the idea that he has permanently destroyed his chances of being a youtuber is too big, too real, so instead of engaging with that reality, he pretends to himself that he can't see it. Out of sight, out of mind. Literally, apparently, if we take James's account of his TBI at face value.

I want many, many things. I have many, many ideas. I would like to be a successful [anything]. I have imagined myself in many careers, from freelance editor to self-published author to youtuber. Anything that would, like James, enable me to work from home. It's partially desperation: after all, how else would I get a job as a disabled woman in her mid-30s who has never been employed and who can't go back to school?

I'm also loath to the idea of doing work. Self-employment is hard and it requires dedication. I would like to have already achieved my success, thank you very much. None of us can say what the reasons are behind James's unwillingness to work (although laziness is certainly not unlikely). For me, though? It's probably a combination of certain autism symptoms that I've dealt with since I was a child, and the burnout I suffered from in high school. Those aren't excuses, they're embarrassing weights I carry around to remind me of why I'm a failure.

This is what has been on my mind because of Somerton. I found myself not empathising with him, but recognising certain attitudes as a mid-30s adult with a disability (between the TBI and epilepsy as Somerton describes them, he certainly qualifies as disabled) who has been largely shielded from consequences. Although James certainly also seems willfully ignorant of his actual faults in a way I don't think I am. If nothing else I do know how to genuinely apologise. And I can cite sources! I know how to do that even without completing though school or managing even one term in university!

My mother—who can read, thank you very much—would eviscerate me if didn't. Besides, I entered fandom shortly after Cassie Clare's plagiarism scandal. It was instructional.

This is a goddamn ramble, so I'm going to end this by putting all cards on the table, and admit I actually have one (more) thing in common with James Somerton:

My dad, you see, can't read.

Because he's dead. I'M SORRY I'M NOT SORRY I CAN'T NOT MAKE THESE JOKES HE DIED WHEN I WAS TWO

[aerodaltonimperial]

It’s nearing mid-December, I’m loopy as shit due to being heavily medicated for preschool germs that finally took me out, and that means I am gonna be REALLY SAPPY about fandom and fic and stuff for a hot minute, sorry in advance lol.

When 2024 started, fandom was, for me, kind of a shit show. We still didn’t know what was happening with Jack or if he’d ever come back to AEW and were heading into month five of his complete social media exile and disappearance. I had lost most of my OG fandom group after I deliberately walked away from the pairing I’d built my entire fandom reputation on. I was really feeling the effects of the overall decline across all fandoms of engagement and interaction, as things became less community-oriented and more of the (still true) TikTok content creation expectation that we’re still struggling against. It was a tough time! I really wasn’t sure I would stay! (In fact, in January of ‘24, I actually did step away for awhile, thinking I was probably done.)

The year 2024 starting saw me in this fandom writing almost solely for a pairing that A) did not exist prior to me getting obsessed with them in the spring of 2023, B) had not interacted in canon since May of 2023, C) half of whom was not even known to be ALIVE as the new year rolled over, and D) had never, ever been fandom darlings, let alone an actual thing beyond me dragging a few friends into rarepair hell with me.

That’s a really difficult way to be in a fandom! It can get lonely and difficult to keep motivation, and I feel like wrestling in general is hard anyway, simply because of the sheer number of characters and pairings and every single person in this fandom has attached themselves to something different. It’s a tough fandom to be in if you are creating, for sure, because you are really at the mercy of so much outside your control, haha.

We are ending 2024 in a way I never could have predicted, and I’m just so grateful for everyone who has been here or joined in this year or just supported me continuing to write the same crap all the time even if you don’t care much for them! 💚 Thanks to the feud I could not possibly have anticipated actually getting in canon, I was able to find so many new friends this year in fandom. We hit 100 works in the pairing tag before my birthday! I know it’ll never hit the numbers that the OG pairings in this fandom have, but that’s okay, and that was never anything I even expected. I’m just so happy that people are still open to reading my stuff and that I’ve got so many new people to flail excitedly with!

That’s really the part of fandom that matters to me: community. I love flailing with people, and being excited about stuff with people, and bouncing ideas off people. I love creating with people, because for me, that’s what it’s always been about. Being the sole creator gets really isolating, even if you love what you’re doing. And losing my original group I created with definitely factored into how tough I found times this past year and a half.

I didn’t get into this fandom expecting to make waves or anything, haha. I’m still kind of surprised that this rarepair ever took off and got as big as it has managed to, given everything. I wrote a shit ton of words this year as I dealt with the aftermath of finally admitting I failed at traditional publishing, and I’m beyond grateful that people took time out of their lives to read my silly fics. Sometimes people tell me that my fics made them smile on a bad day, or that they go back and reread old ones because they really like them, and I’ll never be able to explain how much that means to me to hear. I am so, so glad that I can make a handful of people happy with what I write. 💚

2024 was a weird year for me. My relationship with writing has fundamentally changed, probably forever, in the wake of failure. This fandom has had some real ups and downs for me that have changed the way I interact with people here. But I’ve also written some things I’m really, really proud of this year. And I’ve made some new friends who are so important to me through fandom. In the end, I’m still here, and I’m still finding joy in creating (when the depression isn’t bad), and I’m just really glad that you are here, too. Thanks for being part of things with me, everyone. 💚

[starfall-spirit]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

Thanks @littedidyouknow and @lady-bluebird-luv

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

97,290

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

I wrote oneshots and 2 or 3 shots more often than long fics. So you can decide if that counts or not.

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Oof, 10

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

My omegaverse and dark fic has been really fun, but I think I have to say But For You, I Was Made, my gift fic for @sajirah takes the cake. Though my elucien week project, A Warrior of the Mind is a close second. EPIC is a hyperfixation of mine, to say the least.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

Probably my Eluzriel fic, Mine For a Moment. Just because I'd never explored them as a trio until I wrote the first chapter for my Elucien AU submission.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Beyond a little Miraculous LB oneshot, I am the furthest thing from an angst writer. But For You, I Was Made was my first project in a few years to tackle MCD and the ending still feels so sloppy and rushed to me, but my betas, giftee, and ao3 commenters have been so kind in their feedback of the first chapter. I'm really excited to get chapter 2 posted when the writer's block lets up.

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Probably Ruthless Beauty. I wasn't all that surprised, honestly. Assistant to the Villain has such a small community on ao3 and Tumblr, all of the artists active deserve a little more love, I think.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

There is so much talent to be recognized in this fandom! @sarahsoba, the_megabee33, and brunagarretart are three brilliant artists I had the pleasure of commissioning this year. I'd also like to mention @edgyeli, @velidewrites, @amnevitahdrawsstuff, and I'me sure a dozen others I'm blanking on right now.

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

Too many to count! @shallyne, @the-lonelybarricade, and @reverie-tales some of the sweetest people in this fandom and the absolute queens of Feysand fluff. Next are of course @whatishowedyouinthedark and @amnevitahwritesstuff, my amazing confidants and hypewomen when it comes to my ideas, be they silly or angsty or dark. My dark fic and omegaverse would never have seen the light of day without their encouragement. @thelovelymadone (my wonderful collab partner) a true icon when it comes to both Feysand and Elucien. Beyond ACOTAR I want to mention @shipmistress9, who was another cheerleader for me when I jumped in to show my take on Violiaden fic. There are so many people who have been so welcoming and supportive in the two years I've been a part of the ACOTAR fandom and more recently, Fourth Wing.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

@deaiquiri (another Elucien/Feysand icon) @astra-aeterna (OH MY GOD DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HER FEYSAND) @berd-nerd has also started spoiling us with Feysand as the year closes.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

One collab this year was Magic, Madness, Heaven, Sin written for the bargains prompt this Feysand Week. Again, @thelovelymadone is a wonderful partner who told me to jump into her dms so we could talk about why ACOTAR faeries should have been more like Seelie/Unseelie court faeries.

You also might see me add a little something to the timeloop collab in the next couple of months.

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

Honestly, just managing to buckle down and finish something is an achievement for me. I am so organized and meticulous with most of my life, but with writing, I'm a hot mess.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

Things can take time. You can't force yourself to write if the words don't come. It's okay to take a few days to reset.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Setting goals for word count and building writing time into your schedule can be a good thing. But at the same time consider there will be times when you are stuck. Remember you need to put your own needs ahead of stat chasing or providing more of your art to your friends and followers. The ones who truly support you will be there even if life gets in the way of fun. Fandom has unfortunately become a place where people feel like artists owe them writing and visual art and whatever else they choose to create. Don't let that demand take the fun out of something you enjoy.

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Finish the damn WIPs!

I have a list I need to finish and I'm tracking when they were last updated and all that, hoping I'll be inspired to finish them. Also, I think I'm going to try to finish long projects before posting early chapters. I inevitably feel like putting out a new chapter will raise my bad mood or something, not considering I don't have back up chapters or ideas to flesh out (I'm the worst pantser you'll ever meet).

I don't know who hasn't been tagged yet, so consider yourself tagged if you haven't been!

[wlwanakin]

AO3 Wrapped: Writer's Edition

tagged by @cheesenames and @animazi <3

Words written this year: 2,004 published, who knows how many unpublished

Works written this year: only one that i actually completed and published lmao. i started approximately 7 fics though

Work Most Proud of: a vile hunger for your hammering heart is, again, the only one i've finished. however i am earnestly very proud of how it came out. i think it's some of my best writing and i shocked myself by actually finishing it too

Work with Most Hits: since i only published one thing this year that is the answer. the fic with most hits overall is mercy killing, which is like three years old and was my first foray back into star wars fic after years of not writing anything for this wretched fandom

Fav title: i am bad at titling things and regret the titles i've given most of my fics, including vile hunger lmao. i tend to steal titles from other things, and in this case i stole an episode title from interview with the vampire that itself was taken from the novel. and the thing is that the passage in the book is about louis drinking from claudia to the point of death and grappling with how this desire to drain her contradicts what he actually wants and to me it's a turn of phrase that viscerally evokes violent grief, and on that level it's fitting, but also the fic itself was inspired not only mainly by the show (louis doesn't slit lestat's throat in the novel, it's all claudia) but also by an entirely different episode than the one whose title i stole. i really should've called it the thing lay still but it didn't quite evoke what i want and i could not get the phrase "a vile hunger for your hammering heart" out of my head. it just sounds prettier. all this to say, my favorite fic title is for one i have yet to release onto the world (because it's unfinished)

Pairing You Wrote the Most For: anidala lmao. i have a rotation i go through but i always come back to anidala

What Work was the Quickest To Write: i finished vile hunger in like a week after coming up with the idea a month or so before? i worked on it in spurts before locking in and writing the meat of it within a week. that like never happens so it was pretty crazy, i'm usually really slow. fastest ever would probably be mercy killing though i wrote that in like five hours in a sleep-deprived daze. both of these are anomalies

What Work Took You Longest To Write: i'm a ridiculously slow writer (which is why i have published only one fic this year) and i have also only finished like ten fics in the decade i've spent writing them. most of what i write takes six months to two years and gets abandoned rather than finished

How Many WIPS do you have for next year: i'm working on a bunch of stuff right now!! i've posted my list of wips before, but the big focuses are a one-shot about anakin and sabe being all weird and tense with each other while anakin represses gender dysphoria, a potential sequel to vile hunger which is mostly about post-partum psychosis, and my biggest project which is my modern au yuri anidala murder road trip fic

Longest Work of the Year: i only wrote one

Shortest Work of the Year: only wrote one

Fav character to Write: in general it's probably anakin because he's just so fundamentally fucked up and abnormal and to convey that you really have to develop a distinct voice. and it comes fairly easy to me because anakin's personality and issues just so happen to be fairly similar to mine and i can get really cerebral in his pov and that's my favorite. i have grown extremely fond of writing padme lately, though. she used to be a bit of an enigma to me in terms of writing her pov but i've been writing so much padme pov lately and i've finally gotten a grasp of the narrative voice i want to give her and her brand of neurosis is just so fun to delve into

Which work of yours have you re-read the most: vile hunger. i actually really like what i did with it!

Total Kudos this Year:

Total Hits This Year:

Total Bookmarks This Year:

Total Subscriptions This Year: skipped all of these bc i wrote one fic. just check that

What Do You Listen To While Writing: whatever music i'm into at the time. my writing go-tos are mitski, florence + the machine, keaton henson, ethel cain, phoebe bridgers, hozier, sufjan stevens and artists adjacent, but sometimes i try to match the tone of my wip and sometimes i just pick whatever i wanna listen to writing nonwithstanding. i wrote a lot of stuff to depeche mode and fontaines dc this year. the i saw the tv glow soundtack was also a big writing album for me. right now my go-to writing music is against me! and the smiths

Fav line or passage: most of my favorite passages are from wips and idk if that's allowed but this one from vile hunger is one i liked so much i used it as my summary:

She’s always thought Anakin is prettiest when he’s asleep. He rarely fell asleep before her, and she treasured those rare times he did, studying his face, the near-angelic softness of his relaxed features. Soft isn’t a word most would use to describe Anakin, but it’s always the first word she thought of on those nights, watching him in the early stages of this comfortable, nightmare-free sleep he could never get anywhere else. It was something no one else got to see, and as much as she wished he could find peace outside of her she still selfishly treasured that he couldn’t, that she got to have moments like those that were totally and entirely hers. He looks the same as he did on those precious nights, even with blood still seeping from his gaping neck. She’s cradled his head like this countless times, always gentle to ensure she wouldn’t wake him up, endlessly grateful to have him in her arms and pushing back the ever-nagging fear that one day he’ll return to her a corpse. And now he has returned to her arms again, peaceful and pretty and dead and totally and entirely hers.

tagging @officialfoxsquadron and idk who else bc most of my writer friends aren't super active on here!! but if u wanna do this go crazy

[uhhhhmanda]

hi hi! how are you? hope things are great on your end

you're one of my fave tdj authors out here. i have many faves—many as in i think every tdj authors are my faves lol. but i have one or several Qsfor you!

when did you start writing fics?

and what's the writing style difference between the present you and younger you?

i love that you write characters interaction so seamlessly. it's like irl interaction the way you type out those words, just.. how?

also.. i do know you enjoy drawing as well. wdyt is the difference and similarities with writing and drawing? aside from the obvious xD

thanks!💖

hello hello!!! Things are good on my end! I have today to myself so I am catching up on dramas and keeping an eye on the sky because we are under a wind watch and I love it when the weather is extra.

Setting aside the muppet-arming I'm doing at the idea that anyone likes my fics even a little bit, I too, feel like every TDJ writer is my favorite TDJ writer! Everyone's doing something different with the same Legos! It's fascinating!

I started writing fics before I even knew what fanfiction was -- when I was in probably the 5th or 6th grade. I was writing what I called "lost episodes" of (brace yourself) The A-Team (lol) on my Tandy computer (this was like 1990). I kept writing fics as I cycled through fandoms, but most of what I wrote in middle and high school was horny Sherlock Holmes self-insert stuff (on paper -- which I eventually burned thank goodness). I wrote A LOT of rpf smut for a band I was obsessed with in the early 00s, then got bit by the stucky bug and pounded out 412,392 words in that fandom that never saw the light of day. I was bullied (affectionately) by twitter/ao3 user meokchau into posting LBFAD fics, which was my first time sharing on AO3!

I've been writing (fic or fiction) since I got the bug from my 1st grade teacher (petition to canonize Mrs VanBrocklin, she was AMAZING) and over the course of those decades I have been shedding unnecessary stuff. I used to go into Melville-esque descriptions of every follicle of every character and every molecule contained in every room they entered. Now, I rely on shorthand -- if the setting is not an important one I can sum it up as "spacious and well-appointed." This has a different meaning depending on the genre that the reader and I have agreed upon: a spacious and well-appointed great hall in a fantasy setting might make the reader envision high stone walls and detailed tapestries. A spacious and well-appointed board room in a modern setting might have leather desk chairs and a large flat screen for presentations. This is even easier in fic because so many people, places, objects, and outfits, are already implanted in the reader's mental library. I don't have to labor over describing the sheen of anodized Vibranium, I can just say "Steve's shield" and we all have a crystal clear image. (In the TDJ fandom we all have a damn-near visceral reaction to the words "silver cross necklace" LOL.)

I also hope very much that my writing has become less heavy-handed. I tried self-publishing a few years ago and you know how your writing seems completely different when you print it out than when you're reading it on a screen? Well, when you've got an actual book in your hand you can see a whole other level of editing that you missed. It was preeeeetty humbling. (I pulled the book, btw.)

I wish I knew where my ability to write character interactions came from so that I could use it irl! I am awkward af in person!!!! But when I'm writing, the conversations and gestures just fly out of my brain fully-formed. It's fun and effortless! How can I activate these braincells at dinner parties???

The biggest difference for me between writing and drawing is that my brain thinks in words. I am pretty much always writing because I have a kind of inner narrator running all the time. But I have to turn on the art part of my brain. I think it's because the writing all happens in the thinkmeat but to art I have to connect the eyeballs -- and then, since I can only practice when I'm physically doing it as opposed to just thinking about it I don't get anywhere near as much practice, so drawing is a much greater challenge for me than writing even though I've been obsessed with both hobbies since childhood.

Thank you SO MUCH for your interesting questions! I have been hemming and hawing for a few days over sending an ask to a fan artist and I think this has inspired me to do it! If someone is interested in how lil ol me makes my stuff then I can ask this cool artist what makes them tick!

[sixbynine-da]

Tagged by  @doonarose!

How many works do you have on ao3?

60

53 are works solely by myself.

2 are large group collabs

5 are podfics.

What’s your total ao3 word count?

364322

250802 is soley mine (6351 in group collabs)

What fandoms do you write for?

Currently Good Omens.

Previously 

Buffy, Naruto, Bleach, Sherlock, Harry Potter, LoTR, The Originals, Star Wars. A bunch of other anime series :D

Top five fics by kudos:

Of comforts and Rituals - The Originals fanfic Klaus/Elijah. Feat hair washing - the most intimate thing a couple can do!

Sweet dreams - companion fic for vavoom-sorted comic. Feat unconscious Crowley and his sub conscious insecurities.

A Tricky Situation - Human AU written for the vday exchange. Feat professor's Crowley and Fell. They don't immediately take to one another. 

Oh! My! What a situation - unrelated to above :D. Aziraphale is dropping hints Crowley is not picking up. Feat tartziraphale. My favourite *ziraphale.

It's a ~*DEMON DICK DOWN*~ - Aziraphale attends a summoning gone wrong. Does what it says on the tin. Feat large shouty Crowley.

Do you respond to comments?

Yes!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Published…

Toss up between 

Bad habits - a Lucicrow fic. Crowley has an arrangement with Lucifer that means he doesn't have to face the fact he can't have Aziraphale.

or

Going down in flames - Crowley takes over hell. And not in a cool destroy it from within way.

Unpublished…. I currently refer to it as ‘sad fic’. Human AU. A look back over their life from Az's perspective.

Do you get hate on fics?

Nope not really. Couple odd comments about tags….

Do you write smut?

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Craziest crossover:

Never done cross overs. 

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I am aware of. 

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I'm having one translated right now :D

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I've worked on a few group projects and am currently co writing a couple things. Nothing before that though, so these will be my firsts :)

All time favorite ship?

God lord

 How tf can one chose ?

Probably Tony/Steve from MCU

I worked my way diligently through every E rated complete fic on AO3 and read virtually all of them!

What’s a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a couple Naruto ones I will never finish. But I don't particularly want to. So that's fine. 

Want to but doubt…? Honestly I'm a bit worried about sad fic at this point !

What are your writing strengths?

Hmmm, dialogue?

I also seem to be able to just write if I have to as well.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Honestly my attention span. I'm impatient and get bored and want things to hurry along and it shows :D

Total lack of reasearch into anything. ^^;;

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

Odd word here or there is fine, if I have to go google entire phrases or consult with footnotes to get important bits of the story....bit annoying.

First fandom you wrote in?

Buffy would be the first published by date but I THINK the first thing I actually wrote was a poem for an obscureish anime called Loveless. They are all still perfectly readable on FFNET because I'm terrible at tidying up myself when I leave :D

Favorite fic you’ve written?

uuugghhhhhh, thats like asking me who my favourite kid is! I'm going with Validation. Because it was the first thing not smut I wrote and where I tried out a different type of writing. It's entirely Crowley POV and more of a character study re his fall. I put a lot into it ^_^

tagging blah blah blah blah : @wingsofopal @theonewiththeshippinggoogles @thenerdalert @fuzzygoblin

[amnevitahwritesstuff]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

Alright, I have only a few more hours of 2024 left to do this so it's now or never I guess. Thanks for the tag @starfall-spirit. 🫶

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

86,418 (but the real number is 56,156 since one of those fics is a collab between multiple writers).

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

Ten. Though all of those were one-shots or three-shots.

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Six that have been posted. Another eight in development and in various stages of being ready enough to be posted.

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

I had a lot of fun writing Come Away O Human Child. I've always loved dark fics but had never really written one myself before that point. It was a whirlwind experience to write. I think I wrote the first 5-8k words of it on a single Saturday afternoon. I'd never really understood when other writers said they 'wrote like they were possessed' until that moment.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

To everyone's surprise—including my own—Take Care of Business for Me. I had never really written a proper modern AU before, and certainly not a RomCom. I tend to stick to AUs, Canon AUs, and darker stuff. So I kind of shocked myself by writing not only a Modern AU RomCom, but one with Daddy Kink in it...which I had never done before and—up until very recently—didn't even like.

(And yes, I know how funny it is that the one now primarily known for writing Soft Dom/Daddy Kink fics used to hate it. I contain hidden depths ok? 🫠)

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Again, I'll have to point to Take Care of Business for Me, as well as Stuffed. The reception to the latter took me completely by surprise because it was just a silly little piece of self-indulgent smut I wrote to practice writing sex scenes. Clearly that exercise was far more successful than I could've ever envisioned because it's now only a couple hundred hits away from being my most popular fic of all time. 🥲

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Probably The Hungry House, my creepy little haunted house fic that I thought had some pretty fun and spooky imagery. Though it's also a tragedy which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea and probably why it flew under the radar.

I'd also like to shout out The Horrors of Writer's Block, my silly little self-indulgent self-insert fic where a fanfic writer gets stuck inside her own fic with disastrous results. The latter was really me getting back to my roots writing self-insert/isekai fics which were some of my very first fics I ever posted on this site (and which are now hidden because they're so embarrassingly bad). It was a lot of fun and I hope to get back to it at some point, even if I'm only writing it for my own amusement.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

Loputyn. Not a fandom artist, but she has exactly the kind of creepy but sexy vibe I love.

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

@whatishowedyouinthedark was the reason I felt comfortable and brave enough to write some of my most popular fics (Take Care of Business for Me and Come Away O Human Child respectively) in this fandom. She's a fantastic cheerleader, especially when you want to write the darker, sexier, or more problematic stuff, so I can't thank her enough for her unending support and being such an icon in this fandom. Without her those fics wouldn't exist so everyone go say 'Thank You SVDG'.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

@pouroverpaloma! I was dragged into the Gale brainrot in the beginning of 2024 and her Gale fics were some of the first I found and loved in the Baldur's Gate fandom.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Yes! My first one ever in fact! I'm a part of the @feysand-hivemind timeloop project! I contributed a chapter and have another to come in the future.

From what I remember, @gaeleria said something to the effect of 'wouldn't a feysand time loop fic be fun?' and everyone was like 'wait, that's actually a great idea!' and before we knew it a bunch of us were throwing ideas around in a google doc and the rest is history.

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

That I finally finished a multi-chaptered fic! Now, to be fair, it was only three chapters but that still counts! I had never finished a multi-chaptered fic before so I was extremely proud of myself.

(I am, of course, talking about Come Away O Human Child.)

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

That I can actually finish things! And that I am absolutely capable of pushing myself to write and I don't need to just wait around for days or weeks or months on end before 'inspiration' hits and forces me to write 2-4k words in one go. I learned that any progress is good progress. 100 words. 200 words. 500 words. If I managed to put words on the page then it was progress and something I should feel proud of. That mentality helped me write more in the last year than I have in the last ten, and helped improve my writing abilities by leaps and bounds.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Everything above. Don't give up. Write something. Anything. It doesn't have to be good. It doesn't have to even make sense. Just get it out. Write a little each day. Even if it isn't a lot. Some words are better than no words. You get better by doing.

I also think you should write what you want. Is your idea too problematic and weird? Write it anyway. Is it too derivative and has been done a million times before? Write it anyway. I wrote so many things this year that I was so sure that nobody but me was going to like or even read and I was honestly flabbergasted at the reach and enthusiastic reception some of those same fics ended up having. You won't know until you try. 💜

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Definitely to finish some of my ongoing fics, even if it's just one or two of them. I also have a ton of new projects I can't wait to share with everyone next year! 🎉

Only a couple hours left of 2024 here so if anyone can squeeze themselves in before then, feel free to tag yourself in!

[lovemadethemdoit]

Any advice on trying to write Hangster for the first time??

oh anon, i am honored you'd think to ask me but i have no clue what to tell you here. but i'll try.

my main advice would be

don't retread the whole movie unless it's pertinent to your premise. if not, you can still do flashbacks or little scenes from the movie but hangster fandom has gotten pretty tired of rereading the whole movie plot, i'd say.

for hangster purposes, understand that the movie hints at us that they are both the best aviators in the navy other than maverick. if maverick wasn't there, they'd be the two at the top.

if you're still pretty young, understand their age difference is small (unless the main theme of your fic is supposed to be age difference. then fuck with their ages a little more than the four canon years that put them apart)

hangster fandom decided jake seresin either has a shitty family and has daddy issues or he has the sweetest most loving and supportive family and is a good texan mommas boy. BOTH IS GOOD. we love both those backgrounds for him here in hangster fandom (and they both actually work for him!)

bradley bradshaw is a cocky motherfucker (and rightly so) and he's probably felt alone a lot throughout his life so do with that knowledge what you want

you don't actually have to write mavdad. personally i love a maverick that's a little useless at personal relationships. generally, maverick doesn't have to show up at all if you don't want him to

found family is a big theme with hangster i'd say

if you write post-canon, try not to forget their day jobs and that they will be flying, on base, talking about flying and missions and stuff. it doesn't have to be a whole lot but some fics forget about it completely and never mention it and it makes those fics feel a little bit ooc

hangster fandom is branching out into writing AUs recently, which i love, so if you want to write an AU, go for it!!

general advice: please, please, stay in one tense or if that's not your strong suit, find a beta to check for that before you hit publish

other than that, just sit down and let them tell you their story!

(oh and also, rewatch tgm like ten times because you're obsessed and find a top gun spotify playlist featuring miles teller's great balls of fire performance and the song danger zone by kenny loggins 🤪)

there you go.

happy writing, nonnie!!