#happy storyteller saturday

[notwritinganyflufftoday]

happy storyteller saturday! are there any 'alternate endings' you've come up with for your story? what might they look like?

Hi Monday, thanks for the ask!!

Before I even begin to write, I always try to come up with a satisfying ending to the story.

For A Little Prayer for Dead Gods that ending has changed a bit, at first I allowed my characters to have a "they run off into the sunset" ending without confronting the big bad of the story, but that leaves quite a few things unresolved.

Many brainstorming sessions later and I have my ending, but now it's the epilogue where I can go in a lot of different directions, with time skips of potentially years if not decades in the future.

[amberskywrites]

Hello! I return your STS-- I see that you do a lot of fanfic as well as original writing, which is awesome! Engage with what interests you! I wanted to know what your favorite part of worldbuilding was as well, and what worldbuilding is like in fanfic, if there's worldbuilding at all? I hope that doesn't sound rude, I just haven't really engaged with fanfiction on the writer or reader's end too terribly much, and on one hand, you would think the world is already established, but on the other, I feel like there have to be gaps you need to fill in sometimes? Thank you!

Thanks for returning the STS!!

So, first a disclaimer: I am still very new to worldbuilding! At least, worldbuilding in-depth. I used to just make sure I had basics figured out, enough for the story to progress, and then just figure things out as I went. Worldbuilding used to be super daunting to me 😅 and still is sometimes, I won't lie! But recently I've found myself really invested in it, and it's been a lot more fun than I could have imagined!

Alrighty, that outta the way...

A TL;CR as well because I kinda rambled on: favorite part of worldbuilding is magic systems and was the whole reason I began writing Not of This World. As for fanfics, I personally rarely worldbuild with the exception of my most beloved fic (by me. i adore writing this fic) Eternal, where I did quite a bit of worldbuilding especially where the magic system is concerned.

My favorite part of worldbuilding:

My favorite part of worldbuilding is definitely creating magic systems. I love writing high fantasy, and creating a system (or systems) of magic has always been a part of worldbuilding I've enjoyed, even when I was hesitant to do much worldbuilding. Usually, it's the magic systems that get me really invested in a world.

My current wip Not of This World began, really, with the initial thought of "what if magic physically manifested on a person?". Then it turned to considering what kinds of magic would have a physical manifestation, what those manifestations would look like, why would certain manifestations occur (arms vs legs vs hair vs eyes etc.), what are some kinds that wouldn't have much physical manifestation. This then led to considering, okay, what if people practiced more than one kind of magic? What would the consequences be? What would they look like then? And then as I started writing some characters, I also started considering would these characters feel pain when learning magic? Could this lead to these characters becoming disabled? How would they accommodate those disabilities in the world?

And I gotta say, exploring all that has been probably my favorite part of writing NoTW so far. I could talk all day about the magic system beyond like, the questions that led to my decisions, like full on just ramble about the answers to those questions and more, but I shall move on for now ^^

Worldbuilding in fanfics!

By the way, not rude at all to ask about this! Especially if fics aren't something you dabble in, I think it's really great that you asked, cause there are definitely differences I think! Personally, I don't worldbuild too much in my fics unless I am writing an AU and even then, it's still not often. Often I stick with the canon world, and only worldbuild if I am drastically changing the setting. (my awesome friend @hihopelessromantics does some fantastic worldbuilding for fics though!!)

I will talk about the one fic that I have done more worldbuilding than usual for though!! It's my darling child, Eternal. It's a canon rewrite and divergence of the anime/manga Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins). In a lot of aspects, I kept what was from the canon world, because I enjoyed how that world was already built. It was one of the things that drew me to the series originally on top of the potential the characters all had.

However, just because I liked most of what was in the world already does not mean I liked all of it. As you mentioned, there are definitely gaps in places, and in others, there are downright plotholes that, when planning a canon rewrite, just... gave me a headache if I'm honest. And then in some instances, I just outright did not like what was in canon.

Ironically, for me, this happened to be the magic system. Specifically how some characters were impacted by magic they either possessed naturally, were bestowed with by higher beings, or cursed with in some way. So, a lot of my worldbuilding for Eternal has focused on this, altering the magic system to make more sense to me but also, in my opinion, utilize potential that was not met in canon. Figuring out these aspects of worldbuilding genuinely makes ne super excited to write the fic, because I'm excited to share my twists with others and get their takes on it, and see how other's may like it compared to the familiar canon worldbuilding.

I think for me, I have two mindsets when it comes to worldbuilding: original fiction worldbuilding and fanfic worldbuilding. For the first, it's more of a sense of "What do I want to see/explore? How far can I take x concept and what would it then influence in culture, characters, and landscape?" For the latter, for me personally, it is very much a case of "What do I want to change?" And I'll admit, for fics? If I worldbuild too much/too far from the original world, I end up wanting to just turn it into an original story instead. That's how I got wips like You're Something Else and The Prince's Guard (which I still need to put info about here eventually lol).

Thank you again for sending the ask!!!

[cepheusgalaxy]

Happy STS! Did your OC ever have a favorite lullaby or bedtime story when they were a kid?

Oh this is a nice question! I haven't thought of that really deep before, but I think for Kaiki it'd be "Alecrim Dourado/Golden Rosemary" (hes brazilian)

And for a story 🤔 ok for a bedtime story I think his parents used to tell him like Bible tales. Genuinely. His favorite one was The Good Samaritan

Oh i found a translation of the song here. It says the rosemary grows in the mountain but thats not the way i learned it lmao. In my version it grows in the fields

[little-peril-stories]

Happy (late) STS, Kate!

What type of narration/POV do you prefer when writing? First, Second, Third person, omnoscient, limited? Are there any you have never written or would never write?

What about reading? Do you prefer some over others? Are there any you hate?

Happy STS! Thanks for the question!

Great question! I don't have a clear favourite, but I gravitate to first-person, present tense OR close third-person, past tense.

(For my own skills development and craft I'd like to do a first-person, past tense story at some point, since I haven't written solidly in that POV+tense for years, but I don't have anything in the works atm.)

I don't think I could write anything extended in third-person, present tense. I mean, never say never, and all that. But it doesn't quite click with my brain.

As for reading, I'm not fussed! If first-person, I don't care about the tense. If third, then I prefer past for sure. But really, I'll read anything.

However, I don't really think of POV and tense as a 'preference' thing for me. It's what serves the story:

TPOT is in first person because I wanted to get in the characters' heads so readers can feel their angst and pain with them.

TQOL is in third person because I wanted it to feel extremely distinct from TPOT, and because I wanted to be able to play with language (for ~ romance ~ reasons) more than first-person Will is capable of.

I tried to write my off-Tumblr Book 1 so many times in first person and couldn't make headway until I switched to third, and suddenly, a few months later, I had a completed draft. Something about first-person wasn't serving the story (who knows now what it was...it was a few years ago lol), but changing the POV made things click. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks for a great question!

[winglesswriter]

Hello! Happy STS!

How do you "get in the zone" to write?

Hi! Thank you for the ask!

I light a candle and put on some music (sometimes it takes me time to find the right one) and I also need to have something nice to drink and maybe a little snack on hand. I try to write even when I'm not in the mood or don't feel particularly inspired. I think it's better to make it a habit and not wait for the Muse.

[afoolandathief]

Happy STS! I might be bearing my own secrets a little here, but oh well! Your characters are playing a dating game, which archetype are they going for? (ie: the arrogant one, the cold one, the childhood friend, the older man, the shy one, the flirt, etc)

"Old man."

"What?"

Caz looked down at Jade. He was leaning over her and her laptop as she moved the cursor over the dating sim's options.

"I said, I wanna try and bag the silver fox," he went on.

Jade raised an eyebrow at him.

"Is this, like, you relating to someone your actual age?"

"Oh, that's hilarious, Shaw. Look at me, I'm splitting my sides laughing," Caz said drily. "Now, would you just click on him?"

Jade moved her mouse over the cartoon, gray-haired man. A dialogue option came up as the man sneered from her laptop screen.

"Ooh, he's mean too?" Caz leaned far too close to Jade. "Ya know, I don't usually go for guys like him."

"That's what I thought," Jade said. She leaned back in her chair, relieving herself of being in direct line with a vampire's breath. "So, why did you pick him, then?"

Caz leaned over the laptop, using the keyboard arrows to select a line of dialogue.

"Well, I mean, I usually like guys I could break in half," he said. "Sort of the opposite with women. But he was the only option that seemed — I don't know, stern? I always like someone who doesn't take any shit."

He swore in Romanian and stabbed at the keyboard.

"Câcat, how do I pick this thing?"

"Enter key," Jade said. She leaned over the keyboard and showed him.

"Thanks, Shaw," Caz said. "Hey, you've played this before, right? Who'd you pick?"

"It's not important," Jade said.

"Oh, well, if it's not important."

He moved the cursor across the computer screen. Jade shot forward as the phrase "Are you sure you want to quit?" blazed in front of her in bright red letters.

"What are you doing?"

"You can find old versions of the game under 'Saved,' right?"

"Oh, now you're suddenly an expert on P.C. games?"

Jade went for the mouse, but Caz was faster. She tried to think of a spell that interrupted Bluetooth signals, but it was too late. The screen loaded a scene at a nightclub featuring a pale, dark-haired man in a ruffled shirt. One earring dangled from his ear as the animation moved his fanged mouth open and closed. A line of dialogue about only going out at night appeared.

"Holy shit," Caz breathed.

He stumbled back from the laptop with his hands clasped over his mouth. He breathed. He giggled. Then he burst into obnoxious, high-pitched laughter.

"Jesus. Fucking. Christ," he gasped.

"Shut up!"

"Does Violet know about this?"

"I played this before I dated Violet," Jade said, shutting the laptop screen just as the cartoon man lifted his red-filled wine glass. "Not that it matters. It's just a game."

"Yeah, sorry, but," Caz took a breath and wiped his eyes. "It's just funny whenever someone has a thing for vampires. Like, come on, Shaw. You know we're objectively terrible to date."

Jade cradled her head in her hands.

"It wasn't about him being a vampire," she said.

Caz leaned back against her kitchen table. Her cats had wandered over and were sniffing him curiously.

"Oh?" he asked.

"Look, he was the only option that seemed — a little fruity, okay?" Jade said. "I just prefer guys who are also queer. You know how it's easier, sometimes, when someone else is bi?"

"Trust me, Shaw, I'm well aware of that," Caz said.

He opened the laptop and stared at the screen.

"Yeah, I've definitely gone home with that guy," he said.

He shut the laptop and backed away from the table.

"Well, this has been — weird," he said. "I'll, uh, see you when I have to kill someone again, I guess."

"Wait, I thought you wanted to play this?" Jade asked.

"Yeah, that type AB I had earlier isn't sitting right," he said, patting his stomach. "Trust me, it's not gonna be pretty."

He nearly tripped over Ada and Lovelace as he grabbed his hat and jacket.

"Do you need a ride?" Jade asked.

"Nah, I'll just grow wings and fly," Caz said. "Or just — run really fast. Yeah. Used to do that all the time. Before cameras, but — yeah, it'll be fine."

The entire trailer shook as he slammed the door behind him.

~

Caz fell through the door of his apartment. He loosened his collar and took another deep breath. His heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest.

"It's fine," he said, taking his phone out to send a text. "I'll be fine. Just need to get this out of my system."

"We really need to stop meeting like this."

Caz whirled around to find the tiny Norse god he'd run into at the bar standing in his living room.

"How'd you get here so fast?"

"I ripped a hole in time and space, dear," Loki flipped a frizzy strand of red hair out of their face and flashed that oddly scarred smile. "Now, what's the matter?"

Caz reached in his cabinet and pulled out a bottle of vodka and two glasses.

"Just needed some meaningless sex, is all."

Loki clasped their chest dramatically.

"My dear, sweet draugr, I have a wives and family!"

"Vampire, not a draugr," Caz said. "And you're polyamorous."

"Yes, but you're not," Loki said. They strolled up to his kitchen counter and swiped one of the glasses. "We both know you're far too possessive to keep dating a married god. Now, what's actually wrong?"

Caz took a long swallow of vodka.

"I just got this image in my head of my best friend and work associate pegging me," he said. "And it all started because we tried playing this computer game. One where you have to pick someone to date."

"What were the options?" Loki asked.

Caz told them. Loki tapped a set of painted nails to their chin.

"Well, that's an obvious choice," they said. "Old man, of course."

[littleperilstories]

Happy STS!

Imagine you decide to re-work your story as a completely different genre (I'll leave it up to you which!). Would the plot still work? What would change? 

Happy STS! Thank you, Anna, for the ask!

Love this question - so fun.

I mean, I have officially turned TPOT into a romance with TQOL. :D More on that..............soon :)

I do not think either of them would work as contemporary/modern fiction. I briefly daydreamed up a 'modern AU' storyline months and months ago, but in my efforts to avoid certain problems that arose by trying to move the story to a modern setting, I ended up changing pretty much everything and realizing by the end of the four-hour drive during which I was imagining this that it wasn't even the same story anymore, so that went into my brain's recycle bin. 😂

I DO think they'd work in sci-fi or fantasy! 🥰 Especially sci-fi! But both! Actually I don't want to think too hard about either of those because it seems like a bit too fun of a path to explore. 😂 But imagine...like...space prison? Sci-fi, high-tech jail cells? Cool heist-y tech IA use for stealing?

Or bring magic into the mix...maybe IA used it for stealing stuff but then how would you stop prisoners from using it inside the jail...maybe like a kryptonite situation, or something like @i-can-even-burn-salad's morlit shackles.......😍

Mystery? ...maybe? Thriller? Sure but I think plot changes would be necessary. Maybe make Hatchett even more corrupt and have IA also want to take him down while also trying to find Will? Horror? Oh I'm sure there's fertile ground there, but that's a no thanks from me. Someone else can write that if they wish. 😅 Have at 'er.

<3 <3

[tate-lin]

hi hi Tate, happy STS!! how much have the themes you write about changed throughout your writing journey? what kind of things did you like to write in the past compared to now? did some of them stay the same?

Hiii Cee!! Wow that's such an interesting question: I def have to uno reverse it some day 👀

For JOA, the main question asked is what does it mean to be alive? My characters will approach this in different ways with their different life experiences, but the main themes that deal with it are choice, agency & acceptance.

I think this is quite different from stuff I used to write in the past. You know how some books (especially around a decade ago) tend to glorify self-sacrifice and love? Yeahh I used to think that way too, especially since I'm asian so we're a very collectivistic society that places importance on your community above yourself. While I don't think that's necessarily wrong, I do think that people take it too far sometimes. Now I think that your responsibility to others and your responsibility to yourself are both equally important.

If other people are important, then you can't diminish your own importance. Because you are people too.

TAGLIST

Let me know if you want to be added or taken off!

@justahalfling @ihaventpickedausername @andromeda-grace @kaiyo @iriswords @yors-truly @words-after-midnight @islanded-in-a-stream-of-stars @sabels-small-sphere @leebrontide @pure-solomon @mattresses-and-macaroni @thepixiediaries @sternenmeerkind @arowanaprincess @hd-literature @freedominique

[gummybugg]

Happy STS! What are your characters hobbies and how ‘normal’ are they about said hobbies?

Hello, Happy STS!

I will make a compilation of the main characters from each of my current WIPs and their hobbies! Each will be rated based on how Normal they are about said hobbies, with one 🤩 meaning "most normal" and 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 meaning "least normal." Let's see how this goes...

Blair - 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

Is a bit Here and There with his hobbies. He tends to doodle on any available space he can find, he goes to bars, and also he plays video games super Late at night. But when Blair is Obsessed with a new hobby, he will not put it down unless you pry it from his cold, dead hands.

Elijah - 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Games and codes. Sometimes codes games. He also plays guitar. It's only when Blair is in the same room with him does Elijah become super Absorbed in his hobbies. Blair's Passion is just very contagious :')

Jemmah - 🤩🤩🤩

A Workaholic & typically brings work home with him. Aside from being a bartender, Jemmah reads and paints landscapes. Looks like we got a Bob Ross in the cast :') Jemmah's not too wild about her Hobbies outside of work, as she Prefers to use the time away to Recharge.

Silas - 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Silas is a bit of a Magpie and collects many Shiny things or whatever they think is super Important. Parting with a sentimental item is very difficult because they believe that the Intention behind the gift or item holds Significant meaning and energies. Right now in their collection they have over twenty (20) pairs of Shades (or whatever you call glasses with 3 lenses), many Rocks of varying shapes & sizes, a Yellow glitter Pen they stole from Jemmah, and any other gifts they have received from their Loved ones.

Morgana - 🤩🤩

Now, Morgana doesn't really have the Time or Space for hobbies at the time of the story, but from what he can Remember, he likes to knit, put together 1000-piece puzzles, write, and bike. Very Low-key hobbies that require very little Human interaction! He is most Passionate about journaling/people watching because it Grounds him and there's nothing he loves more than Order and being in control of his surroundings.

Tooth - 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Tooth isn't Mentioned anywhere else on my blog (so this is their first appearance, everyone say Hi!), but he is actually Morgana's 11-year-old Sibling! Not a "main" character per se, but a Happy addition to the family nonetheless. Tooth Enjoys scrapbooking, collecting strange dolls, totally-legal graffiti, and doing makeup. He was inspired by the Clowncore aesthetic, after all! He is quite Passionate about his hobbies, as he's Young and tends to Surround himself/base his identity on things he Loves.

This was a Fun ask! I am Curious about your characters, as well! I Love learning More about others' ocs :')

Tagging @writeouswriter for Crater City content :')

[worldsfromhoney]

Happy STS spooky season edition! Which of your OCs is most likely to pull a Halloween prank? What would they do?

OK. OK. I haven’t introduced my baby boi yet but here it is it’s time for him to shine in this spooky month

Gotta say: Giovanni Vero.

He’s a precious baby who’s unfortunately dead but active as a ghost!! Which is why i think he’s prone, in fits of existential crises, to pull Halloween pranks.

He’s an earthbound ghost so he can’t venture far out from their property—but lucky for him it’s the time of the year that poor lil fools try and sneak in the abandoned estate.

He’d open the gates of course. With that ominous creaking.

Then with the powers he still has over the fog, he’ll make a grand entrance with an old-fashioned lantern and everything. He’ll even stoop so he’s like a hunchback.

Then the lil fools run and Giovanni’s back to lamenting about the choices he made in his life and post-life

[gailynovelry]

If you were to write a spin-off about a side character, which would you pick?

Unsurprisingly, I'm actually planning lots of prequels, short stories, and weird in-universe documents for Heralds of Rhimn. Two big ones center around specific side characters from the main series.

The first is Children of Snow, a Frostbiters-centered prequel. Gildhe is the main PoV character, but other Frostbiter kids like Karah, Delise Merlie, and Alevar are liable to get a few chapters. Mostly, it's about Lonnie's disappearance, how poorly Gildhe deals with it, and also about how Gildhe ends up pushing Mep out of the family. Funny enough, Mep will not be a PoV character.

(He's had enough time to bias the narrative through the main series!)

The second idea is a presently-untitled novel about how Inky got kicked out of his noble house. Features some of the older characters, like Atevia and Ainzel, plus Iriah and Lucketh back when they were alive. I've had this idea for longer, but it's not quite as fleshed-out as Children of Snow.

Other extremely undeveloped ideas for stories with side characters include;

Courtfather Snow and Charlan's relationship and breakup.

Tincre's life. Oh Tincre . . .

Evain becomes the first guy to become a wyfwolf after the war dies down, and I'm sure that'd be a fun tale to tell.

Maybe how Morekai met Silamir? Eh. Maybe.

Short story about Crislie's Ma and Da meeting each other.

Something to do with the other courts, especially the Mirthful Ones. I love inventing their jestercore puritan names.

In short; brain go brrrrrrr faster than the pen can. Rip.

[morganmaietto]

hey Ruby, happy STS!! do you ever think about AUs for your story and characters? any fanfic ideas for your own work swimming in your head?

Hi, happy STS!

I have actually thought about AUs and fanfic ideas of my work. As of now though, since I never wrote any of them down, I’ve forgotten what I was going to write about. I don’t have plans on making AUs myself yet, but something could change in the future.

[cepheusgalaxy]

happy STS! Do your characters sleep with stuffed animals? Do they have any other special possessions?

I haven't really thought about this so I genuinely don't know. Worth figuring out tho, that is cool

For other possessions, Totsuka (f/ T&O, previously T&J) has a seal thingy with the name of her family that she took with her when she ran away from home that looks moreso like this

[ID: A square with fancy patterns and the name "秋田原" written on it. /end ID.]

its a bit shitty coz i havent worked on it at all lmao but it would be something moreso like this

Aside from here there is Alisson, from Meine! She has a pair of duckie earrings since she was a kid. Not sure how she got it but I decided to include it since I put it on a picrew I did for her and I loved it sm it stuck.

[little-peril-stories]

Happy STS, Kate!

I'm running out of questions and brain cells. What is something you want to talk about?

Happy STS, Elli! Thanks for the ask!

Idk what I want to ramble about. I feel like I've been struggling to write lately, but my editing game has been pretty on point. I've also been using Photoshop more, trying to hone some skills, and I've been working on my author website. I've set the date for 'launching' that (aka actually sharing my pen name, links, etc.) and I'm really excited and also terrified. 😅 I feel like I need a little icon of myself or an actually decent picture that looks cool but hides my face, and that...feels like a tall ask. There's a lot happening on that end at the moment, and it still doesn't feel like *enough.*

I'm a little frustrated with the realities of this human existence, because I have the desire to work on all my WIPs at the moment, but not the time or energy! I want to keep up the momentum with TQOL because I'm getting close to the fun rewrite of the finale. I want to delve into tweaking TPOT based on reader feedback. I want to jump into draft 2 of TCOR. And I want to keep reworking Book 1.

Alas, work. Family. Sleep. 😂

But all in all, if I can sum up my ramble...things are good, ya know? Maybe moving slower than my mile-a-minute brain desires. But that's okay. It's part of life. And it's all going to happen when it's meant to happen. 💕

Thanks for asking. 🥰

[cherrybombfangirlwrites]

Happy STS! What writing routines have you found work best for you? (I.e writing at night, or drinking tea, or setting wordcount goals)

--@oh-no-another-idea

Happy STS!

I've found that working at night in my bed gets the creative juices flowing. I have sleep problems due to my adhd and autism anyway so it doesn't really affect it, and I'm a night owl. XD. also having water and fidget toys and a snack nearby. and playing a playlist for whichever character and or story I'm working on. On good days I can churn out a lot of words.

Thanks @oh-no-another-idea !

[tryingtimi]

HAPPY STS!

What are your writing goals for 2023?

Hey, dear, thank you for the ask! <3 I'm usually not too big on setting goals at new year btw, but I've planned to do a lil list this time, so it's the perfect opportunity for that. Although, I'm taking the liberty to include some art goals in general.

GENERAL WRITING AND ART GOALS

Starting and finishing the first draft of IQRUS

writing at least 500 words a day

Sketching up the main locations of my WIPs

TUMBLR RELATED GOALS

Clearing out my drafts – answering worldbuilding, OC questions and finishing up every prompt

Posting a wordbuilding and character masterlist

Sharing some original artwork about my world and OCs in an in-world "travel journal" or encyclopedia style