#do I feel better about deleting? yes

[the-marron]

Just deleted my fic from Ao3 because it made me sad. It was not a story I enjoyed, I wrote it thinking I will have fun with it but I mostly felt ashamed while looking at it - everyone makes mistakes and I kept it there for a while thinking that well, I don't have to read it or look at it ever again, so what's the harm and all that 'everything is part of your writing journey'. But that only works for things that might be bad quality-wise but still bring you some joy.

I think what stopped me were all those posts about not deleting your fics, even the most unpopular ones, because someone out there loves them for sure and it might be their favourite fic ever, they are just too shy to say. It is probable, of course.

But I realized now that I've been keeping a thing that was actively making me sad just for an off chance that some unnamed person might like this fic, I will just never know it. It's my time of looking at it and feeling dispirited, traded for a 'maybe'.

I felt good deleting that fic. I won't miss it and I don't think anyone else will. But it is weird how long I kept on holding off this decision because of 'someone maybe' and this idea that I am obliged to take others feelings about my writing over mine.

[feralmoonlight]

So uh... I believe I promised some lewds last night >w>

SO with @driftingmoonmenace​ blessing, I offer the Safe version...

And a link to the S p i c y version uwu

This was... WAY too much fun to work on. And now I need a nice cold shower.

And to be clear, There be DICKS in the link, but it goes to the sfw version first and then the naughty down below it~

Dead doves as they say

[mihai-florescu]

Hm... i do wish it was normalized to talk about how yes you can have an interesting meaningful story involving characters with ocd coded or intrusive thoughts towards younger characters and it can be an important character trait that doesnt define them or one that is indicative of a set of values etc but you as a fan need to simultaneously be aware of the context of the story. Why do you think i lament being forsaken to like gacha games stories. The choices are made with intent to sell and appeal to an audience that will pay. I just think it's important to keep it mind that, and it pains me to see people who express concern at intentionality being labeled "freaks cuz they thought of that in the first place" i promise you theyre not the freaks for being concerned. So while i do think HE is definitely trying to appeal to new younger audiences with modern teen characters and the use of tiktok, it is important to keep history, audience, and possible further interests in mind too. Well from the bottom of my heart i hope none of the new characters ever get cards like that one hyena aira 4* but it is always good to stay cautious. I dont understand how ppl parrot being "critical of the media we consume" but then not being ok with talking about such fanservice that is undeniably there. Yet i understand reluctancy to admit you're not the target audience, and the willingness to just ignore anything you dont like... i might've been guilty of it myself at points.

[gingerbreadmonsters]

oh this is going to be......... a problem actually

[mickeym4ndy]

unpopular gallavich opinion! ok yes. ian was right not to go w mickey to Mexico. he had too much to lose and he’d worked too hard to become an emt and get stable just to lose it all (even tho i do wish he hadn’t lied to mickey abt his plan)

BUT in that same vein - imo Mickey shouldn’t have had to give up his freedom in mexico JUST for Ian. idk I don’t love the way it makes his entire arc revolve solely around Ian and doesn’t give him any of the chances to develop that Ian himself got in season 6 & 7.

And like I know this never would’ve happened bc he was a supporting character and they didn’t acc plan on Mickey coming back but I would’ve loved to have seen mickey actually enjoy his life in Mexico, with good friends and maybe have a guy that he really cares about/falls for and has fun with. and he would’ve started to learn how to be free since he’s no longer under his dads thumb and he learns to like himself (there are a few fics like). maybe he even still finds out about the gay jesus stuff and Ian being in prison and decides not leave because he needs to put himself first now.

THEN through external circumstances he ends up in the same place as Ian again (case thrown out, sick family, idk), maybe in prison or after they’re both released. but he has grown and isn’t so willing to just fall back into ians arms. Maybe he doesn’t even want him to know he’s back. Mickey starts to rebuild his relationship with svet and yevgeny. Ian has to deal with the stuff that gets to him in 11x04 but he has to do it himself so maybe he finds a way to be an emt again. and Mickey finds something he’s passionate about. and they BOTH build healthy lives separate from each other, But then they maybe try to be friends and actually talk about shit from the past and what they’ve put each other through. maybe see therapists.

THEN eventually still end up back together because they love each other more than they’ve ever loved anyone else and they are more equipped to deal with stuff. maybe ian has to prove to Mickey that he always loved him and mickey learns to adapt to a Southside where he’s not constantly hiding. They still make some of the mistakes they make in canon but then also some they don’t because they BOTH get to develop with and without each other

[kaserolly]

Ngl part of me is happy that I'm still alive around a year after I almost ended it all, but at the same time I'm still having flashbacks and they haunt me to this day

[eldrichfuck666]

I recently feel so strange about having a simblr, because I just.. I feel like I'm in a time loop, like time is non-existent thing for me and I just don't have any energy to catch up with the posts and how fast and how much is everything progressing and going. I just can't, and it's really difficult for me to force myself to catch up, I hate myself for it since I want and always wanted to be in this community, but it all feels so intense and strange for me, I just... I feel like I'm so far behind, like I need to stop being here because I'm too slow, too tired, too overwhelmed by everything maybe?.. I don't know what I'm really trying to say here, but like... I feel so out of touch or whatever.

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

stfu ART cannot be dead. surely not. this book is lying to me

[sonippep-hohu]

I'm genuinely uncomfortable and disappointed in this fandom... You all are way too comfortable with ablest shit... in this community. It's actually baffling to me? And to think artist I really and truly respected are supporting it and are saying they're "standing by creativity." I'm extremely disappointed in artists I've even looked up to supporting it? I am not going to spill my guts to why shit like this isn't fucking ok; especially to make into a fucking comedic joke? As a person with DID, and generally a lot of symptoms like pseudo-memories and delusions etc etc - this shit isn't fucking humorous to make fun of to me. You could handle this any other way, but you're playing it up for jokes because ""it's so creative!!"" I have long time felt discomfort at how casually ablest ppl talk about Peppino. But now it's really ridiculous. Never have I truly felt I do not belong in this community until this moment.

[butch-himbo-king]

honey just start a side blog to talk about those things if you want to talk about them 🧡

i know this is the obvious answer but believe it or not i simply have what you might call side blog related trauma lmfaooo isn’t the internet a wonderful place

[eldrichthingy]

I'm so tired

[liesyousoldme]

.

[master-gatherer]

[fintenciate]

at this stage it just feels like it would be easier to let people forget about me

[radioactive-earthshine]

Writing tips for long fics that helped me that no one asked for.

1.) Don't actually delete content from your WIP unless it is minor editing - instead cut it and put it in a secondary document. If you're omitting paragraphs of content, dialog, a whole scene you might find a better place for it later and having it readily available can really save time. Sometimes your idea was fantastic, but it just wasn't in the right spot.

2.) Stuck with wording the action? Just write the dialog then revisit it later.

3.) Stuck on the whole scene? Skip it and write the next one.

4.) Write on literally any other color than a white background. It just works. (I use black)

5.) If you have a beta, while they are beta-ing have them read your fic out loud. Yes, I know a lot of betas/writers do not have the luxury of face-timing or have the opportunity to do this due to time constraints etc but reading your fic out loud can catch some very awkward phrasing that otherwise might be missed. If you don't have a beta, you read it out loud to yourself. Throw some passion into your dialog, you might find a better way to word it if it sounds stuffy or weird.

6.) The moment you have an idea, write it down. If you don't have paper or a pen, EMAIL it to yourself or put it in a draft etc etc. I have sent myself dozens of ideas while laying down before sleep that I 10/10 forgot the next morning but had emailed them to myself and got to implement them.

7.) Remember - hits/likes/kudos/comments are not reflective of the quality of your fic or your ability to write. Most people just don't comment - even if they say they do, they don't, even if they preach all day about commenting, they don't, even if they are a very popular blog that passionately reminds people to comment - they don't comment (I know this personally). Even if your fic brought tears to their eyes and it haunted them for weeks and they printed it out and sent it to their friends they just don't comment. You just have to accept it. That being said - comment on the fic you're reading now, just do it, if you're 'shy' and that's why you don't comment the more you comment the better you'll get at it. Just do it.

8.) Remove unrealistic daily word count goals from your routine. I've seen people stress 1500 - 2000 words a day and if they don't reach that they feel like a failure and they get discouraged. This is ridiculous. Write when you can, but remove absurd goals. My average is 500 words a day in combination with a 40 hour a week job and I have written over 200k words from 2022-2023.

9.) There are dozens of ways to do an outline from precise analytical deconstruction that goes scene by scene to the minimalist bullet point list - it doesn't matter which one you use just have some sort of direction. A partial outline is better than no outline.

10.) Write for yourself, not for others. Write the fic you know no one is going to read. Write the fic that sounds ridiculous. You will be so happy you put it out in the world and there will be people who will be glad it exists.

[sheikahwarriork]

i got some weird comments on my azure moon fic. i mean the person wasnt exactly rude, but i read their tone as not-super-friendly and idk everything felt veryvery weird. im glad people are reading my fic and i hope i was as polite as possible, but still it felt off. i dont even know why i am that upset. i dont know what exactly i'm complaining about. guess i just needed to get this off my chest