#have a wip because I’ve forgotten how to draw lol

[buildoblivion]

hey what if the over burdened teenagers were happy and in love actually

[everything-is-as-it-was]

hi riv! how about they’re in a shed for the wip tag game 👀

hey there!!!

loll this one is something I wrote in a fever dream after watching All Quiet on the Western Front. The imagery and music in this one scene was just so incredible, and heartfelt, and melancholy, and of COURSE my brain went to dnp lol.

I've included a snippet of it under the cut. Not sure if I should continue with it, and also I kind of hate that I wrote it in first person but oh well! here we go:

He stares out the window, eyes unfocused and unwavering, fixed on something I doubt I could see even if I went up there to look with him. Ice crystals gather on his upper lip, on the stubble growing there. The window is broken, the frosted panes splintered, likely by a gunshot gone astray, and the glassless hole lets in a small amount of early muted sunlight, basking his features in a soft, cold glare. 

I shift from my position on the floor, stretching out my aching limbs, frozen solid from the cold. My dirty uniform is too small. I think they figured I wouldn’t last long in it, anyway. 

“What time is it?” I ask, feeling the dirt crusting on my face move as I speak. Neither of us have showered in days. Neither of us have thought about such luxuries since the war started, I reckon. “Have you not slept?”

He doesn’t answer, eyes still gazing outward, out the window and into the world. “Listen a moment,” he murmurs, almost too quiet for me to hear.

I listen. I listen and hear nothing. No birds, as they’ve likely fled this terrible place. This place of blood and barbed wire and gunshots and hate. This place that changes every person who walks into it, rearranging their chemistry so that they aren’t quite human anymore. I lost my humanity a long time ago. 

There are no birds. But there is also nothing else. No gunshots, no explosions, no piercing cries of pain or grief. The world outside is holding its breath, leaving no oxygen for the fires of anguish to flare. 

“It’s so still here,” he whispers, as if he’s afraid to shatter this fragile silence we’ve found ourselves in. The only sound is the small creak of the ancient floorboard as he shifts his weight to look at me on the floor, and he smiles. He smiles, eyes crinkling at the edges, mouth tilted upwards into an expression I thought he’d forgotten how to make. I’ve forgotten how to do it too– smile. 

The only smiles I’ve seen as of late were the ones of my comrades as they died, realizing they’d finally find peace for the first time in years. 

“I thought I’d gone deaf,” he says, and laughs, bending a bit at the sheer effort of it, to let out that tiny bit of joy. His breath, the breath that ensures I keep breathing, condensates in the air and then drifts away. 

I do not respond. I’m still looking at his smile, because I have no idea when I’ll see it again. If I’ll see it again. I may die before I do, dying in a puddle of mud like everyone else. Nobody is special. 

“They signed, Phil,” he says, and the words don’t quite reach my brain. They hang in the air of the dilapidated little house we’ve found ourselves in, filling the space. My body feels lighter, but the meaning of what he’s said still hasn’t reached me. 

“War is over.” He nods and looks back out the hole in the glass, like he is checking to make sure his statement still holds weight. If it is still over, if it wasn’t a deeply unfair dream. 

I sit up, not taking my eyes off him because it isn’t true. The war is not over. It is never over. We’re going to keep fighting and killing each other until there’s no one left but old men to draw up treaties in train cars while the world burns around them. 

“It’s over,” he says again, but he’s not talking to me. He’s talking to the silent world, to the birds that have not yet returned, to the bugs seared into the dirt and our friends torn apart, to our enemies we’ve killed and the ones we watched die, to our families who are likely dead and the families who do not yet know that their sons certainly are. 

And then he looks to me. And it’s only the two of us, and that little shack holds the entirety of the world that matters.

[astrophilic-soul]

Tag Game To Better Know You! Send this to people you’d like to know better!

Thank you so much for the tag @betty-bourgeoisie , @fumblingmusings and @koolkat9 !!💜💜💜

What book are you currently reading?

The Penguin History of Early India from Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar! I’ve become a bit more interested in my culture recently so I figured I would buy this book in order to start with some ancient history. It’s been interesting!

I started the book very recently so I havn’t gotten too far yet lol, but it’s super interesting! It talks about the perspectives of Indian history in the beginning (which I love so much!) and then dives into Indian civilization,society, culture and all that.

What’s your favorite movie you saw in theatres this year?

I don’t really to the movies too often unless my family takes me with them lol, uhh…I guess it would have to be a movie that’s in my language lol.. Ponniyin Selvan, it’s a story that takes place in an ancient empire in Southern India :)

What do you usually wear?

This is so embarrassing, but just like- normal clothes: jeans and a t-shirt. But if I’m feeling less lazy than usual? Maybe a slight crop top, dress or something special lol

How tall are you?

5’1 ft (154.94 cm) 🫠

What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event?

Taurus. Norway’s independence day and Racial Segregation in the US ended :) I don’t think I share a birthday with any celebrity lol

Do you go by your name or a nick-name?

Ah, both I guess. I go by my name in public but use my nickname family wise because that just feels right.(My name’s hard to pronounce so…sorry for anyone I’ve inconvenienced irl lol)

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child?

Not yet lol, but one day I hope

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?

No, and I guess I’ve had a semi crush on like 3 people in my life lol. I do have one currently but it’s unlikely so whatever.

What’s something you’re good at vs. something you’re bad at?

I’m good at history but horrible at math

Dogs or cats?

Cats

What’s something you would like to create content for?

I wish I had more time to create content in general but if I could create more content for anything? Alt History or Time Travel Hetalia :/ I love world building and trying to figure out what would happen but never have the time or motivation :(

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favourite picture/favourite line/favourite etc. from something you created this year?

I write and I guess I loved writing A Date! It’s the only thing I actually finished this year though so…

But if I was talking about WIPs as well? Probably Blood Soaked Soil or Forgotten Winds if I ever get to finishing it 🫠

What’s something you’re currently obsessed with?

Wednesday, but I haven’t really finished it yet

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?

I guess my visit to India. I haven’t went since lockdown and the visit was shorter than I wanted it to be (I got my US citizenship though so it was worth it lol)

What’s a hidden talent of yours?

Having some what of a green thumb! I actually grew a plant and it survived and is currently growing new leaves so I’m taking that as a win lol

Are you religious?    

Nah, but I enjoy learning about Hinduism! Hinduism has a ton of mythology, it’s very interesting to learn about/hear and I love visiting temples! So I guess technically? I absolutely hate praying and doing all that religious stuff tho lol

What’s something you wish to have at this moment?

The ability to not procrastinate

Tags:

@tianshiisdead @luciality @ifindus @ladycolumbia-liberty @fireandiceland and if you want to :)

[the-lone-witch-and-secret-room]

Eleena’s WIPs and future fics:

Locked Out-universe fics:

Unbecoming of a Blight

Edric and Emira ask their upset little sister to build a pillow fort to distract her from her friendship-breakup with Willow.

They have a lot of fun, until they don’t.

Based on the event mentioned in tiredandjaded’s fic ‘Everything About You’.

Not started yet, but will definitely be written. Thinking about getting a commission for it, too.

Nerves

Luz is leaving the Isles tomorrow, and as the confession Amity has sworn herself to get over with before her crush leaves draws near, she turns into a nervous wreck. Out of options, she turns to the only person she knows that has experience with asking people out—her older sister Emira.

Oh, she is so going to regret this.

Sweet Disposition-Verse (Skarscha centric fic universe Piece of Cake takes place in):

Recipe for Disaster

Because her daughter got in trouble at school, Boscha is called into the principal’s office. Her past comes back to bite her when the other child’s parent turns out to be no other than the girl she bullied back in school.

Standalone:

Secret Admirer

After a long day at school, tired student council president Skara Harper finds a bunch of cookies with a secret admirer note addressed to her. Over the next few weeks, the amount of baked goods and cheesy notes found in her locker keeps growing… now whoever could be leaving them?

Skarscha, probably a two-shot at least, currently a WIP, haven’t decided the final length yet.

Where did I go wrong?

Not 100% sure if I’ll finish this, but I really want to make a friendship breakup fic from Willow’s perspective, because I’ve seen a bunch from Amity’s and none from hers. Started, but just barely.

Sleepless Nights

Amity messed up. Really, really badly.

Distracted by her newfound friendships and her crush, she’s totally forgotten about the important upcoming exam!

Panicking about not having done nearly enough studying mere hours before the exam and completely exhausted from lack of sleep, Amity finds comfort in her brother.

Relatively new concept, barely started.

One Step Too Far

When Skara plays an ill-spirited prank on Willow that causes her to get injured, Gus and Luz decide it’s time to finally get back at their friend’s bully.

There’s also a lot of Willow and Amity bonding in this, but I’m too lazy to figure out how to put that in the summary atm, lol

WIP, about halfway done? Maybe? This is gonna be a long one.

Dead Battery

Since Luz is no longer able to charge her phone due to the portal being destroyed, the battery dies.

It’s fine.

It’s fine.

Luz misses her mom.

WIP, trying to finish this and post it the day before the first episode of the second season airs.

Grom Queen Amity (not the final title)

Amity is too stubborn to let Luz replace her as Grom Queen, and is forced to face all of her worst fears, rather than just her fear of being rejected. When one of her fears manifests as the twins making her look like a fool, it puts their years of “harmless” teasing into a painful new perspective.

This version of Grom will still have plenty lumity, never fear, haha

But you may have seen a pattern in my fics here and that pattern is I really like writing the Blight sibs and their complicated relationship with each other, lol

Haven’t started this one yet, but I’ve been wanting to do this for a while!

Only one of the fics on this list (except the secret admirer one that I forgot to add, oops) that won’t be a oneshot, I’m thinking probably two or three chapters, we’ll see.

—————————

All my current Works In Progress (aside from Locked Out), as well as a couple fics I’ve planned but not started yet!

Yes that is a lot, I’m pretty much physically incapable to not work on seven things at a time at this point…

The Lumity zine fics will have a sneak peek posted soon! I already posted one for the family zine fic!

Also I have a couple more fics for both Locked Out and Sweet Disposition-verse planned, but they’re not included due to spoilers and in order to make this list look slightly less overwhelming for myself 😂😭

What concept(s) are you most interested in?

[shadowdianne]

Fic writer review [Or a fic writer tag game if you prefer]

I was tagged by @naralanis and I can already see her grin all the way from where I am xd Thank you, dear, for the tag, let’s see what are my answers, shall we.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

*bursts out laughing* Adding both pseuds I have… 535 according to the account info but by counting them all I’m reaching 541 so I’m guessing it’s counting some drafts I need to re-find.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

I seriously hated you for this one xd I was going to do it by hand by I decided one-third there that I value my mental stability a little bit more xd according to the stats page back at a03 that number would be 1257884. It may be wrong. I think there should be a few more numbers up there but the majority of my works are one-shots so *shrugs* There’s also the fact that counting my ao3 things only is shaving off like half of it Xd Anyway, can we laugh at the fact that I’m a pain in the ass and that I’ve written a lot? More than I should have, that’s for sure

3. How many fandoms have you written for?

Trick question because I haven’t crossposted everything I wrote back in ffnet and I actually erased some fics from my account back there so the numbers are a little blurry there.

When I had the entirety of my work posted both in ffnet and a03 I had written for: Twilight (Bella/Alice) Glee (Faberry and there were a couple Pezberry and I don’t fucking remember the pairing name for Santana and Quinn), Harry Potter (Hermione/Ginny, Hermione/Narcissa, Hermione/Bellatrix) OUAT (SwanQueen and several oneshots focusing on the mad hatter and the blue fairy solely back at ffnet that were written in Spanish and never translated), I actually had a veeeery old au prompt of Frozen (Elsanna in where I wrote them as non sibilings), Rizzoli and Isles (Rizzles), Dishonored 2 (Emily Kaldwin/Alexi Mayhew), Lara Croft and Wonder Woman, Supergirl (SuperCorp/Supercat) I had a 100 one -or maybe two??- (Clexa), The Shannara Chronicles (Amberle/Eretreia [Or Princess Rover], Rwby [Blake Belladona/Yang], The Worst Witch (Hecate Hardbroom and Pippa Pentangle), The Half of it, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Madam Satan/Zelda Spellman) and… I think that’s it(?) I may be forgetting some but probably nothing important if I’m not remembering it lol.

4. Top 5 fics by kudos?

Ah, we are going to go there, uh? Xd My works are not the kudos and comment getting type Xd So I was quite surprised when I went to check this.

1: Cracked it I wrote this one back in 2017, it was a prompt done by an anon: Lena is nerding with one of her projects at home, mumbling mostly to herself because she’s stuck and Kara casually mentions how to solve the problem like it’s nothing. I really had some fun with this. It was back when some us, SQeeners were fully doing the jump between OUAT and SuperGirl (I mean, there had already been some crossover as for fandom is related but this when the girls were actually getting their conjoined voice within the fandom)

2: Dateless I honestly needed to check what this one was about but I think I can see why this one shot has the amount of kudos it has. It’s a short and sweet idea and responds to the Teachers Au that went SO well with SQ. Everyone thinks they hate each other and try to set them up with other people whilst they, in truth, are dating. I don’t remember if I wrote them as married rather than dating but despite being from 2017 as well is one cheeky enough to be cool Xd I probably would edit some lines now *shudders*

3: After you I truly didn’t expect this one to be top 3. Makes me think of a lot of things, if I’m being honest Xd. After you was a one shot written almost feverishly as an answer to the fabulous drawings that Sejic did of both Lara Croft and Wonder Woman back at 2018 or something. It’s just Lara and Diana being himbos but not at all with each other.

4: How about… How about is one I remember perfectly, it was my answer to the ending of the Half of it film. I had SOME thoughts about it, let’s just stop there Xd I really liked the film itself but I think and I thought at the time that my response to wishing for a final scene at the very end of the credits responds to me being in a different personal moment than the characters. I really wanted to explore my feelings about it and so I wrote about them finding each other again after some time passes. It was also something I wrote after quite the hiatus so I took it as something I could write about without focusing too much on the why.

5: Come to me

Ahh, SuperCorp Xd I remember this one actually. A friend of mine and I were talking about descriptions, and she mentioned quite off-handedly how she wanted a fic in where Kara’s back was described. I complied… more or less.

Fun tidbit, despite the big volume of my work is obviously set in ouat there’s only 1 SQ fic there as you can see, the others are either SuperCorp or the random one shots I created for Wonderwoman/Lara Croft and The half of it. *sighs in deep thought* I’m also not going to look too much into how almost all of the fics were posted and written back in 2017. Nope, not at all.

*Small voice screaming you peaked in 2017 and everything else is garbage jumps back and forth*

5. Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

I tend to always respond, yup. I truly value comments. I might have gone for spells of time in where I didn’t have the mental capacity to check in old fics because I truly didn’t know what to answer but I treasure every single comment and you all who comment know that I can start to ramble in the answers xd -sorry about that- I really really REALLY love interaction.

6. A fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending:

Ok, Nara, come on, this one is a catch for me. I’ve written angst in far too many fics to remember the angstiest one :P I have the most recent one, though, that is the easy one to think about: Goodbye.Written for @delirious-comfort. I’m just going to say “Kisses with their last dying breath” as an idea of what awaits inside but I’ve written about death and loss and angst quite a lot. There were some I wrote back to SQ with Regina needing to kill Emma during the Dark Swan arc that, to this day, I still love and some others in where Regina is the one that dies, again and again, trapped by magic while Emma watches. I have the loss in mental destruction form and… I REALLY like my angst y’know xd

7. Do you write crossovers?

Not counting Lara and Wonder Woman not really! I think it comes from the fact that I loooove worldbuilding as a whole and some pairings would require all my focus into making the world perfect which in turn would make me self conscious on the OOCness of it all.

8. Ever received hate on a fic?

*snorts* I’ve received hate due to the pairing I’ve written about, how I’ve written about it, the amount I’ve written, how slow or quick I can be, the usage of some tropes, the lack of usage of those same tropes… Let’s just go with: yuuuup.

9. Do you write smut?

I’ve written smut, yeah! But I can already see the pointed looks of some so let’s elaborate Xd I write smut when asked and sometimes when not asked but there’s a part of me I like to call a terrible tease that prefers writing the beginning of a scene, taunt it, focus on what happens before the sex scene per se as I find it more enjoyable to write. The process of escalation is always the best for me to see what can I do it by using both dialogue and descriptors tbh, so I tend to tease more than show.

9. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

A few weeks ago I’d have said: Maybe(?) But trying to follow the trail of some other fics that had been stolen from some friends -I think it was me trying to find more about the page that stole something from your Nara!- I found some pages in where my fics had been reposted. In some it was stated that the person posting the fic wasn’t the author but I had never been contacted in order to see if I’d say yes to such a thing and in some others the page was locked up but I could still see someone was pretending to be the author. I did the thing and got some of those down.

Pointed note: Ask me if you want to post or translate or anything. I will look into you and answer you if you seem honest about the thing. But despite every joke and self-deprecating comment those 500 and then some fics represent MY time so very kindly I say fuck off to those who wish to steal from me and if I catch you… you don’t really want to see me angry, trust me.

10. Ever had a fic translated?

I’ve given permission to some, yeah, but never heard it back from them so I’m guessing it didn’t stick.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic?

I’ve written series alongside other authors as @stregaomega for example. And some others that are unpublished -looking at you @carsonnieve - I’ve also done collabs… but fics co-written in the sense of two authors same chapters I don’t have anything posted I’m afraid :P

13. All-time favourite ship?

*snorts*, I guess the obvious answer is SQ uh? And I do think they were the ones that allowed me to read and write SO much. The one I feel more strongly about, however, is Bering and Wells from Warehouse 13.

14. WIP you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will?

All of them counts as a valid answer? But if I only could finish one that would be Arcadia. With A forgotten Promise second and the one I did as an Assassins Creed AU third. (I don’t remember the name so there’s no link, sorry xd)

15. Writing strengths?

Uhhhh, you REALLY want me to say that? I don’t fucking know!! To me everything I write is garbage. I always try to go for the feelings so I guess. Dunno xd I’ve been told I’m good at worldbuilding and to be honest is what I enjoy the most.

16. Writing weaknesses?

Everything Xd Pacing? What I hate the most sometimes is dialogue, I would count it as a weakness but I’m always far too focused on description rather than dialogue. I don’t think it’s a bad thing per se but it’s something that I don’t do as much.

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I’m conflicted. Always. Majorly because I think that having bilingual characters in fanfiction is portrayed and expected in a way that I don’t feel it’s honest with how bilingual people -us- talk. So if I go by what I know I do I think it’s not what readers hope to see when it comes to that and if I go for how canonically is hoped to be found I don’t think it’s logical. But that’s me and my overthinking Xd If I have the option I like to do it.

18. First fandom you ever wrote for?

Belice! Or Bella/Alice. Worst first fic ever but oh, well, I’m always saying that :P

19. What’s your fav fic you’ve written so far?

Uhh… Don’t make me do this XD Agh, I don’t know. I’ve always been very vocal about Metallic Ink because I let myself enjoy the process of creating a magic system almost out of zero and that was fun. Despite hating some of the writing process and that I’d do it differently now I think I’m going to stick with that answer. Or anything that had any steampunk-based undertone. To be honest I like more thinking of concepts, I had one in where Emma was a thief and it involved the robbery of a ring that was Regina’s one way ticket to freedom I then later repurposed that I adored thinking about so let’s go with…. Yeah, I love having the option of changing things up a little and focus on how characters would fit in different aesthetics for this one Xd

Annnd… these are four pages, gods. I’m just going to tag @waknatious @carsonnieve @stregaomega here and see what they do- Enjoy the questionnaire ladies :P

[nomouthtospeakof]

WIP wednesday

thank you @a-drama-addict​ for tagging me! same as always, don’t know who to tag, take this as invitation and tag me in whatever you make lol

i kinda had to rummage for WIPs to share, which is funny to say because this is the most i’ve posted for one of these lmao. both drawings (albeit less WIPs and more fun doodles) and writing (albeit less likely to get finished than my other stuff)! usually i’d put the art up and the fic under a cut BUT i’m gonna do it vice versa bc one of the doodles is of an upsettingly skinny anders so, warning for that! anyways -

Felix left Tevinter surrounded by unfamiliar and untrusted faces, helmeted and hooded and masked, his father’s the only one amongst them all that he thought he could trust. He was confused and weary, too relieved with the prospect of his father finally abandoning stagnation and too hopeful with the thought of Dorian potentially rejoining them for him to ask too many questions, for him to dig his heels in and beg his father not to go, or at least not to drag him along. He wished he had - if there was anyone who could have talked his father out of this when opportunity first hooked at his flesh, it was him - but it had been so long since he’d seen this kind of excitement in his eyes.

When he finally returned home, he came alone.

The greeting was mixed - he had left friends behind here, and they welcomed him back warmly. Others, distant family and closer allies, were eager to worm themselves into his good graces as quickly as possible, hoping the heirless head of House Alexius would name them in his soon-to-be-read will (amusingly, some of them had sided with his grandfather when the patriarch before last had tried to sever him from the family name forever - Felix had long since forgiven them, but he hadn’t forgotten).

Still others watched him from a distance, wary; he had worn the robes of the Venatori just a month ago, and he had since betrayed them. Both those aligned with and against the cult had reason to detest him. He paid them little mind.

The Tevinter court was a hazardous place, to say the very least. Despite generally hearty genes and a life spent largely inside away from the fields and workhouses, only half of the senators and more important officials made it past fifty years, and the hourglass’s sand only ran faster from there. Each time one used the wrong word, the wrong title, the wrong curtsey, the wrong spoon at dinner, their chance at finally meeting death in the near future doubled. Tripled, if those they offended happened to already be in a mood.

Ironically, Felix had never felt more untouchable walking through the senate than now. Ten years ago he would have pissed himself if he had to speak in front of the Magisterium for any length of time - now, he could hardly care less about what the court thought of him as he sung the Inquisition’s praises and condemned the Venatori and any other nationalist movements that fed upon hopeless, fearful men like his father and sic'd them like dogs against other hopeless and fearful men.

No matter how many little aghast gasps or mocking murmurs he heard, he refused to bite his tongue or curb his language. After all, what were they going to do if he offended them? Kill him?

and the doodles! vvv

[essektheylyss]

Fanfic ask game for procrastinating on writing, that's what I'm understanding here, got it.

(tagged by @mllekurtz, thank you! these are super fun questions)

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

55! Jeeeeeez that's a lot.

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

295k. (Maybe it's because I come from the writing month world but that's the only stat I genuinely pay attention to lol.)

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

In current times, only Critical Role—back in the day I wrote on ff.net for Heroes and Castle and a few YA books.

4) What are your top five fics by kudos?

before it buries me

This was... actually my first shadowgast fic! One-shot set right after 91.

now I will ask you to be brave

Okay, so, this fic. I will not describe it, as I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. I started it right after hiatus with lofty ambitions and promptly realized my hubris, and now it is definitely never going to be finished. I did not get far. My deepest apologies to anyone who has read it and wanted more.

seeing eye to eye

One-shot of the nein running into Essek's family, and Beau understanding him a little better, rich kid with shitty parents to rich kid with shitty parents. A very specific characterization of Deirta in here, mostly filtered through Beau's mentality, which was so fun to write.

not from the absence of violence

OLD GUARD AU MY BELOVED. I desperately want to write in this au more but have not had the time or ideas, but holy shit I love this au so much.

cruel tricks the gods play

Another pre-97 shadowgast one-shot—the peace talks go very wrong and Caleb and Essek end up pulling a Titanic on a plank of wood after the ship sinks. Very fun, very no longer canon-compliant.

5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

So, okay, I do not, but this is a Thing for me, because I have, inexplicably, deep panic about responding to ao3 comments. I do not know why. I can feel physical panic thinking about it now. I aggressively hate it because I do really want to respond to comments because commenters are so lovely! I think it is a combination of my brain not knowing the culture of ao3 interaction well enough that it seems alarming (thanks, neurodivergence) and college screenwriting workshops in which I was taught not to respond during critique.

In any case, I do not have the same weird panic about tumblr interactions, so I'm always down to chat here.

6) What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

You know, for all of the angst that I write, I don't really write angsty endings. I think my two main Verin-centric fics (laid out one by one and this guilt-ridden heart) end kind of angstily, because that relationship isn't gonna be fixed in a conversation. But in general I think the worst I've got is bittersweet.

7) Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I don't—I'd have to have a really, really good concept to write a crossover.

8) Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not that I can remember, though who knows if I got any in high school. I'm a little impervious to flames anyway—again, workshop classes helped with the reminders that critique is what's useful, while hate is just, 'you can't please everyone'.

9) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I do not!

10) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I mean, not that I'm aware of lol.

11) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope!

12) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope.

13) What’s your all time favourite ship?

I mean, currently? Shadowgast. I don't have an all-time.

14) What’s a WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

sweet child. "Someday!" she says, shaking her fist at an unforgiving god.

15) What are your writing strengths?

I've suddenly forgotten every comment I've ever gotten. I am pretty good at grounded settings when I put in the effort. I think I am good at matching character voices—far better than inventing new ones.

And in terms of writing process... I managed to decide somewhere along the way that I like my own writing? Which is very hard, but also once you do that, it's a lot easier to just write instead of being hung up on quality, and it's then easier to notice when you're falling out of your own voice or when you actually need to rewrite a scene. I think I forced myself into this practice because I am soooo bad at sitting down and editing, so I have to do it as I write, and I had to get over the "this writing sounds like me therefore it is bad" feeling to manage that. (This has been my "love yourself as a writer" high horse.)

16) What are your writing weaknesses?

I think I overexplain. And on the other side, I lean so heavily into showing emotion via physical sensation that I forget to actually write the emotion.

And on a similar process high horse, I am so bad about feeling constantly like I need to write everything right now. This is primarily a problem because if I get too in my head about it, I end up writing none of it. I have not found a way to combat this, except to put one sentence in front of the other. (This is not helped by my ever-increasing pile of wips and ideas lol.)

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

I patently refuse to do it, because I hate the idea of butchering a language I don't know, and because I tend to try to draw as little attention to the fact that a thing is written as possible, and if a language has to be translated via a glossary or something, it's drawing more attention to that, and even if it's something I'm leaving untranslated, someone who speaks that language will know that I have butchered it. That being said, I don't dislike it when I'm reading!

18) What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Percy Jackson! I wrote so much PJO fic in middle school.

19) What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

what luminous worlds await, if only for the sheer enormity of that project and my delight that it actually came together. Though I cannot mention that without mentioning Icarus to your certainty, without which I probably would not have even written the former.

Tagging (and please feel free to ignore if you so choose) @the-littlest-goblin @mithrilwren @sky-scribbles!

[alj4890]

Six Sentence Sunday

I'm behind on so much due to life in general, LOL. But to show that I am working on things here is a sneak peek into the next parts of Delicate (which this should be the last chapter of this short series), And Then I Left You, and a few drabbles I have in my WIP folder.

tagging a few that might be interested  @jooous @krsnlove @nomadics-stuff   @twinkleallnight @motorcitymademadame @gkittylove99 @darley1101  @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @ofpixelsandscribbles t @lodberg​   @my-heart-beats-for-ya​ @aworldoffandoms​ @flyawayboo​  @trappedinfanfiction​ @everythingmarvelsherlockspn​  @sophxwithers​ @esmckenzie​ 

Delicate

This might be the first ball in the history of Drake's years in Cordonia to actually cause a certain excitement. He usually put up with the pomp and traditions to simply be with those he cared about. For years it was to support Liam, then going meant he could hang out with Riley, Hana, and Maxwell.

And then there were his activities in secret for a year with Olivia.

He knew she would be arriving soon. Her absence from Cordonia had been one he felt more acutely than any other. His failure in telling her how he felt about her, his inability to have a civil conversation, even his voicemail had kept him fixated on this date.

He intended for this new year to involve a new relationship with Olivia. He simply needed to find a moment alone with her.

Which as he entered the drawing room Riley and Liam used frequently for their closest friends, he realized that was going to be more difficult than he originally thought. All their friends had come home for the ball.

"I can't believe they gave us that ridiculous moniker." Thomas shook his head.

"The press isn't always known for their intelligence." Liam said, fighting a smile.

"Thomanda." Amanda laughed just saying it. "It sounds like some weird foot fungus cream."

"The press have had five years to come up with anything better than that." Thomas wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "They should have combined our last names. Brunt is more tolerable than Thomanda."

Maxwell rolled off the couch laughing. "We now have to come up with crazy couple names for all of us!"

"We were given Riam." Riley replied. "Personally I prefer Liley, but Riam stuck."

"Naxwell or Madia." Amanda said between giggles while pointing at Maxwell and Nadia. "That's your possible couple's name."

"Naxwell sounds like a snack cake or cookie." Riley added with a chuckle.

"We are sweet." Maxwell responded, cuddling Nadia close.

Hana sighed at seeing them all so happy together. "What would mine and Rashad's be?"

"Rashana?" Riley offered.

"Oh I like that so much better than what I thought." Amanda laughed. "I at first thought Hahad."

The group burst into laughter while more couple names were bandied about.

"So what do we dub Olivia and Ethan?" Liam asked.

"Ethalivia?" Hana offered.

"Olithan?" Maxwell added.

"Oooh! Olithan!" Riley exclaimed. "Sounds like a sea monster. Olivia will love it!"

**************

And Then I Left You

Thomas had worried that first day how they would handle the hotel situations he believed they were bound to encounter. He had gotten used to Olivia's secret passageways allowing him to see Amanda whenever he wanted.

He should have known that the intelligent lady he adored had already solved that problem.

Pulling onto a gravel road, she drove him toward a cottage that sat alone in a rolling meadow dotted here and there with trees. The two-story, thatched roof building sat amidst large Cordonian oak trees. Roses twined around a drain pipe while wisteria grew in wild abandon adding even more beauty to the rough stone walls.

"I know we could stay somewhere different with each place we visit," Amanda explained. "But then I thought we could stay our entire time somewhere in the middle of it all. It will mean more driving each day, but we will have nothing but privacy here."

Thomas stepped out and followed her inside. The cottage was just as charming on the inside as it was on the outside. Much of the furniture was designed strictly for comfort and a few for whimsy. The wooden floors creaked with each step as he explored the different rooms.

Upstairs, there were two bedrooms directly across from one another with a bathroom dividing them.

His lips curved at knowing he wouldn't have to find a way to sneak around and see her whenever they weren't out in public.

"What do you think?" She asked, a bit nervous from his silence.

"It's charming." He set his arms around her waist. "And perfect for our needs."

******************

This next sneak peek is a second part to the Liam angst I posted earlier 😬 So sorry how dark that went. Since many wanted to see how Liam is after losing Riley, Drake and Maxwell, here is some of how it is going for him. Let’s just say it isn’t easy and will take some special persuasion from those left behind to help him.

Liam ignored all of it. He went to his chambers and remained secluded from the world for days. He refused entry to anyone who knocked. He simply sat there staring at the few mementos he had of those he had lost.

He flipped through the photographs Maxwell had insisted on taking of the three of them through the years. He paused at the few his mother was in, wishing she was here now to tell him how to move on from something like this. She had encouraged his friendships with Maxwell and Drake, knowing he would need them to face life in the public eye.

And now he would never have them again.

Setting the old album aside, he reached for the key chain Riley had given him the night of the Coronation. Thinking of that night and their confessions of love only to be cruelly parted...his head dropped as he carefully set it back on the table. Next he picked up the pearl he had given her. The plans and hopes they had while meeting in secret. It had helped him through every moment he was kept from her side.

He then lifted the photograph Anna had taken of them for their engagement. Liam's fingers trembled as they brushed against the image of Riley. Her smile so warm. Her eyes so filled with joy.

Reaching for a decanter, he attempted to metaphorically drown his sorrows. In one night he had lost everything he had held dear. How was he to go on from this? There was no enemy to slay, no way to find those he loved and rescue them. Nothing. Nothing except funerals to attend. Nothing but giving them to the cold, unforgiving dirt.

All he had ahead of him was visits to graveyards. He knew his father didn't have much longer to live. It would be just one more loss in his already devastated heart.

Death was what his life had become. He had feared that when his mother was poisoned. Many a night he would wake up crying at the thought of being completely and utterly alone. This long forgotten fear rose up within him, showing that it hadn't been a mere nightmare. It had been a premonition.

Dropping his head in his hands, he sobbed into the void that had become his only companion.

****************

This next peek is a miniseries idea that will be called, Mixed Signals, that hit after that last Open Heart Chapter. It will focus on my MC Chris getting closer to Tobias (and gah, I am wishing now she could dump all the LI's and be with him. His humor and confidence have won me completely over). It will take place in both books 2 and 3 and focus on her frustration with Ethan and Bryce never committing or saying how they truly feel about her. Since, especially in the chapters before the Hawaii trip, they both would randomly act romantic towards her then friend zone her in the next scene, I'm letting this series show her choosing to step back and see what she wants and needs from a significant other. This begins after the attack and Chris has yet to return to work. She goes to Mass Kenmore to thank Tobias for coming to help find a cure for her and ends up opening up to him a bit.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tobias asked softly, gently squeezing her close.

"Not really." Chris admitted. "Everyone keeps telling me to give myself time and all." She eased back. "I wish they would leave me alone."

He kept his hands on her waist while studying her. "Then tell them."

"Ha. You've met them." She snorted. "They don't take orders like that well."

"True." He replied. "You want me to do it?" His smirk brought a grin to her face. "Ethan already considers me a pain in his ass. What's one more mark against me?"

She laughed, while dabbing at her eyes and nose. "After what you did for me? No way am I letting you continue to be the bad guy."

"Aww shucks, Valentine." Tobias teased. "You're going to give me a big head."

"As if it wasn't already big enough." She teased back. Tilting her head, she pretended to study him. "How do you lift it?"

"I work out." He winked then stood up. "I'm glad you came by."

"Me too." She held her hand out.

He shook his head. "You already hugged me. I figure that could be our thing."

"Our thing?"

Tobias pulled her back into his embrace.

"Yeah." He hugged her close. "Now that you won't let me be the big bad guy, I think this means you want us to be friends."

"Whoa. I'm merely a girl coming to thank a guy for saving her life." She teased. "Don't be thinking this means more than that."

"Sorry. Thought is already there." He countered, letting her go. "You're stuck with me now Chris whether you like it or not."

"Ugh, fine." She playfully grumbled. "I already deal with so many ego maniacs. What's one more?"

He opened his office door for her. "I knew you would agree."

"Just because you won this round doesn't mean you'll win them all, Dr. Carrick." Chris warned.

"Allow me to let you in on a little secret, Dr. Valentine," he leaned down close to whisper. "I win all the rounds that are important to me." Swiping up the folder he had previously been studying, he saluted her. "See you soon."

***************

And finally another miniseries "What if" for Thomas Hunt and my OC. I've been inspired by rewriting And Then I Met You and decided to do the same with their story in Second Chances. Here's a peek of Amanda actually telling Thomas she is pregnant instead of storming out of his office. I've yet to come up with a title I like for it, LOL, so we'll just wait on that.

Amanda ignored the words Thomas was saying. She didn't want to hear that he had fallen for an actress. All she could focus on was her pain turning into fury. How could he have moved on so quickly?

She wanted to hit him. Never in her life had she ever wanted to hurt someone so much as she did Thomas.

She felt sick to her stomach thinking about him and Kara. The nausea reminded her that she couldn't give in to her desire. She had someone else to think of. Someone who deserved every sacrifice she knew she would have to make to keep Thomas in their child's life.

"...and that's why I am sending Kara flowers." Thomas stepped closer to her when he noticed how pale she was. "Amanda?"

Her eyes lifted to his. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out the reason she came to his office.

"I'm pregnant."

She watched as her words slowly registered. The shock of her announcement caused him to collapse in the chair she had been sitting in.

"Pregnant." He breathed. "Are you certain?"

"Yes." Amanda clasped her hands in front of her. "I wouldn't have come here if I had not had it confirmed by a doctor."

Thomas knew she wouldn't have darkened his door for anything. If there was one characteristic they shared, it was pride. Neither ever wanted to appear foolish.

He got up and took a step toward her, uncertain how he was supposed to react. "What do you intend to do?"

Tears sparked her eyes. "Well, I am going to keep the baby and I hoped..." She bit her lip while lowering her eyes. Seems he had no intention to get back together with her. "I hope you will want to be a part of our child's life."

Thomas reached for her hand. Just because he wasn't sure whether or not to try a romantic relationship with her again, it didn't mean that he didn't want to be there for her.

"I will." He promised.

Her head jerked up and she noticed that there was no condemnation towards her reflected in his expression. Though the surprise announcement had knocked him for a loop, he was at least trying to do the right thing.

Though she had hoped to hear that he wanted to try again, she was vastly relieved to hear his promise.

"Are you planning on staying in L.A. for a while?" He asked.

"I could stay a few days." She wiped her tears with her fingers. A nervous laugh escaped her. "I wasn't sure if you would want me to after I told you about the baby."

"I would like to discuss how we will work this out." He squeezed her hand before urging her to sit down. "I have some meetings that I don't think I'll be able to get out of, but how about dinner tonight at my home?"

"I don't want to interrupt your date." She struggled with the word. "I can--"

"I'm not dating anyone." Thomas explained. "That's why I told you the flowers were more of a professional courtesy than romantic in nature."

"So you and Kara Bennett?" Amanda felt a brief spark of hope. "You're not--"

"No. She's one of the actresses on an upcoming film I'm directing." He replied.

"I see." She mumbled.

"Does 7:30 sound good?" He asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Should I pick you up?" He remembered she was staying at a hotel.

"No, I'll call for a car." She got to her feet again and held her hand out. "I know you have work and a lot to think over." Her lips curved into a sad smile. "But thank you for meeting with me and hearing me out."

He came around his desk and pulled her into a hug. Realizing how hard it was for her to come here, touched something within his heart. She seemed so fragile that he felt the need to comfort her.

Hugging her was the safest way in his opinion.

She trembled in his arms before returning his hug. Struggling with her tears, she laughed.

"Forgive me. I haven't had control of my emotions these last few months. These pregnancy hormones have a mind of their own."

Thomas handed her some tissues. "No need to apologize."

She thanked him as she dabbed under her eyes. "If I'm not crying then I am losing my temper. Poor Maxwell. I practically jumped down his throat for drinking the last Sprite on the way here."

His eyebrows lifted. "Maxwell came with you?"

"Everyone came with me." She shook her head in exasperation. "They were worried that you--" she winced. "They came to support me."

"I see." He replied. Reaching out, he gently grasped her arm. "I hate to rush you, but--"

"Of course." She gathered her things. "I'll see you this evening."

He smiled at her. "I look forward to it."

[curiosity-killed]

#ShowYourProcess

From planning to posting, share your process for making creative content!

To continue supporting content makers, this tag game is meant to show the entire process of making creative content: this can be for any creation.

RULES — When your work is tagged, show the process of its creation from planning to posting, then tag 5 people with a specific link to one of their creative works you’d like to see the process of. Use the tag #showyourprocess so we can find yours!

ty for the tag @sketchyscribbles ! and also ajksdh props for picking the hardest pic I could do this for lmao 

tagging (if you want to but no pressure ofc!)

@tricksterkat209​ with this piece

@lookforanewangle​ with this piece

@littlewhitetie​ with this piece

Process for this yanqing piece under the cut bc whoo boy we wordy

Planning:

In general, except for bigger pieces, there isn’t...a whole lot of planning....ever. This one was a break from working on a large, detailed painting and the result of talking with @apaladinagain about yanqing AU thoughts so it was pretty quick and mostly just a kind of visual note-taking for myself.

I don’t have any of the WIP files/layers because I clean out my WIP folder at the end of each year but based on memory and knowing myself, the initial sketch would’ve looked something like this (this is done with my trackpad and a sore wrist but honestly...probably not that far off. my sketches are uh rough):

Creating:

I work in Paint Tool SAI (but like. a slightly fucked up version. idk why but it’s been janky since I got it ANYWAY) with a Huion tablet. My usual process is a little weird but goes:

rough sketch — usually a very rough scribble of where heads are and other important features (in this case, the lotus and fire) on a canvas around ~1500 px on the short side

clean sketch — the actual base of the piece, where I fully draw out all elements of it (except fingernails lol) and also set the composition. On this one, the original sketch was flipped, which felt much more stagnant, so I flipped the canvas in order to have more visual interest/direction. I also wanted to be more intentional about placement of hands so that each of them should roughly correspond to the upper dantian (Wen Qing’s right hand), middle (Wen Qing’s left, with the flame), and lower dantian (Yanli’s hands with the lotus). I don’t totally remember the thought process behind this but I do remember looking at a lot of pixelated diagrams. as u do. this part’s usually on a slightly larger canvas (~2500 px short side)

lines — I use a custom brush I made a long time back but it’s basically set up to emulate like...a micron pen? might be the closest feel to it so smooth, slightly softer edgers, etc., and I always size up the canvas so that the shortest side is at least 6000 px so that I can downsize and have extra crisp lines

colors — block in colors roughly to get a sense of color composition (for bigger pieces, I often do a rough version of this before I go into lining it), then clean them up so they’re all within the lines. Once all the main color bodies (so like: skin, base color of each set of robes, etc.) are in, I always go in and add facial details first (blush, nail colors, eyes, lips, etc.) mostly out of habit and also as a treat to myself bc it’s one of the easiest ways to start seeing the piece come together

details — after that, it is clipping layer central! in this one, I think (based on squinting at it lol) each robe has at least 2 clipping layers for details such as the difference colored collars on Jiang Yanli’s and the pattern on Wen Qing’s sleeves. I tend to organize layers by color so like the dark red on Wen Qing’s robes would be one layer and the ombre pattern would be a separate one. This is also when I do any rendering, usually, which there isn’t much of here but would include the details on the lotus

shading — pretty basic multiple layer here. I p much always use desaturated blues and purples for shading unless it’s for effect. 

effects — glow baby glow! this is where i had to google “How to Paint Fire” bc it’s been 8 million years and then spent forever airbrushing on luminosity and overlay layers. also added a luminosity effect to the lotus for the shigs. Also added an overlay layer for the highlights from the fire here

signature — pls don’t ask me how many times i redraw my signature for each picture. it’s embarrassing. i’ve had the same signature, with slight variation, for like 10 years and yet. orz

fussing — on very rare occasions, this translates to me actually checking for errors and making sure I haven’t forgotten anything but most generally, this involves me staring unblinking at my screen as I slide the saturation and hue bars back and forth and contemplate whether I should start exclusively drawing at 100% saturation. in this piece, the background was originally a lovely deep blue but at this stage I decided to turn it green both for the contrast with all the red and for a hint of unease/eeriness coming from a highly saturated green + the donghua’s use of green ghost fires for yllz!wwx — basically hinting at Bad Shit Comin’. I have regretted that decision every time I’ve seen this piece since then :| it was such a nice blue...

Sharing:

At this point, I spend 15 minutes staring into the middle distance trying to come up with any sort of caption and then just throw down whatever I think of and post it on tumblr. titling fics? easy peesy lemon squeezy. captioning art? terrible death suffering time.

if i think abt it, i’ll post to instagram (unless i am defeated by the cropping curse) but i didn’t with this one...presumably bc I am p meh about it (the blue!! the blue ;____;)? but also possibly bc i just forgot

[melisusthewee]

WIP Wednesday

Looks like it’s my turn this week lol.  Tagged by @samuraisaucefrites​.  I know it’s kind of silly to post WIPs when I’m not yet archiving completed pieces, but I’ve decided to start sharing my writings on this platform this week (probably will post fics/drabbles every Friday), but it’s the kick I needed to keep working.

I have about 3 ongoing WIP projects, so it was difficult which one to pull from, but I decided to snatch a piece from a comedy drabble I started writing inspired by a series of very unfortunate cutscene events in my DAI play through.

He couldn’t help himself though.  He laughed - partly from how silly the whole thing was, but also because it was now his turn to feel alarmed as Cassandra went on about a gallant knight who would sweep her off her feet, flowers, candlelit dinner, and all sorts of other things that Quinn very much was not.  He put his feet on tables, smoked like a chimney, and wasn’t particularly discreet about his dalliances.  Cassandra knew this.  She made faces at him about it often enough about the things he got up to.

And then, it seemed, her common sense came back to her.  Her expression grew stern and Quinn found himself on the receiving end of one of her glares while she declared that she in fact did not want any such things from him and walked away.

He should have walked away in that moment and forgotten the whole thing.  But he was too much of a fool to do anything but stand there, awkwardly pondering what in Andraste’s name had just happened and why did he have this sinking feeling of… was it disappointment?  Impossible!  Cassandra was clearly complicated and Quinn did not do complicated so it was better to forget it and move on.  Which he very much would have, had the door next to him not suddenly been thrown open and Cassandra come marching right back towards him, with a fearfully determined look and a challenge on her lips.

And so Quinn had found himself sitting moodily by a window in the castle library, puffing aggressively on his pipe and cursing himself for - as he described it - catching feelings.

She had given him a list of all things.  A list!  Well, not literally, but Quinn had found himself making mental notes while she had gone on about all the things she loved and wanted and he had tried very hard not to blush because she looked so earnest and had gotten so close to him he was certain he could feel her breath and—

Quinn put his head in his hands and groaned.  This was not supposed to happen to him!  Nevermind being the Herald of Andraste, Quinn Trevelyan was not a man who did any of this nonsense.  And yet here he was, sitting with a quill and ink and having written down, scratched out, and written down again a list of things he thought Cassandra might want.

Maker, what type of flowers did she even like?!  What was considered good poetry these days?!  How many candles were too many!?!

He was getting nowhere and every groan or frustrated sigh he uttered was beginning to earn him more and more unpleasant looks from the rest of the library’s occupants.  He felt like telling off the next mage who gave him the stink eye because this was technically his library, but the fact that he was even here in the first place was already likely to start questionable gossip.  That the Inquisitor snapped at a mage while furiously writing what looked like the scribblings of a madman would cause him no end of trouble.

And so, gathering his things, Quinn retreated to the only place he knew he could agonize over the madness that had taken over him without judgment.  No one would bother him in his room - not if he locked the door, at least.

He hurried across the Great Hall, nearly colliding with a messenger who was attempting to get his attention.  Quinn uttered a hasty apology before realizing how unlike him that seemed and waved one of his slips of parchment in a manner that he hoped made it look like he was very busy with matters that were more important and made a point of slamming the antechamber door.

Tagging @cleverblackcat, @ronqueesha, and um... if anyone else is still writing/drawing, please let me know for future tags!  (And if you don’t want me tagging you, please do let me know too!)

[ilkkawhat]

All the numbers. (If not all then pick and choose a handful to answer).

lol you’re really going for it anon, huh?? 😂 bless your heart. I’ll do all of them and then idk. if anybody wants to send any again, I’m sure I can have a different answer

(I did just answer 7 & 22 so I’ll leave those out. rest below the cut)

1) is there a story you’re holding off on writing for some reason?

I guess if you count all of my active WIPs that have been sitting dormant for months or years, there’s those since I like. I know what I’m doing in pretty much all of them, just as I know what I’m doing in some of my unpublished WIPs, but I think I just need to be in a certain mood/energy to do certain ones (ie, Agony esp is a very heavy fic so I gotta be able to Deal with that)

2) what work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?

I deleted those 😂😂😂 but some of my reeeeeealllllly old stuff is still out there and I cringe thinking about that and though I could easily delete those too, I’m keeping them just since the harddrive that has the docs for it is corrupted lol

3) what order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

Just all over the place these days tbh. Even chapter to chapter it’ll change, I’ll write snippets in future chapters--and I’m talking like three or four chapters ahead--just to get it out there. But then there’s other days where I’ll sit and just write and not stop.

4) favorite character you’ve written

Nick Stokes, of course 💜💜💜

5) character you were most surprised to end up writing

Any of the Macgyver characters outside of Jack. Cause though I’ll claim not to all the time, I do know that I know the CSI characters (though I’m surprised I’m able to write in their POVs outside of Nick.) I grew up with them. I have a bond with them. The mac characters? I’ve only known for like. two years now and not even that well anymore since I’ve stopped watching the show. 

6) something you would go back and change in your writing that it’s too late/complicated to change now

Expanding on details. Almost every fic I write, I’ll read it again later and be like “ah shit I should have run with this idea...” but I guess that’s how I can do a sequel/missing scene

8) favorite genre to write

hurt/comfort (emphasis on the hurt, really I mean we’re talking like borderline horror)

9) what, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

See I haven’t really honed in on any one particular thing that inspires me to write. It comes out of nowhere, and the following list of things doesn’t like, always work. When I’m listening to a song. When I’m driving in the car. When I’m watching something unrelated to the source material (totes got some inspiring vibes watching Falcon and The Winter Soldier yesterday tbh lmao) When I dream. When I go on a walk. When people send me asks and I just go the fuck off and suddenly ten chapters later I’m writing a fic that they probably didn’t even want (coughSpecimenStokescough)

10) write in silence or with background noise? with people or alone?

I think the last couple times I’ve like, really written it’s been in silence. Definitely alone. Don’t got people to write around, really lmao (unless you count my parents being in other rooms with obnoxiously loud televisions and tablets)

11) what aspect of your writing do you think has most improved since you started writing?

All of it. And I’m sure it’ll keep improving.

12) your weaknesses as an author

Dialogue. I don’t know how people talk 😂

13) your strengths as an author

Detail, description, and I also like to think--emotion? but idk. It’s hard for me to assess my strength tbh

14) do you make playlists for your current wips?

Oh YES! At least for the longer WIPs like Last Breath or Agony. And listen to it on a loop when I’m trying to brainstorm or write if I want to write with music on. I’ve been starting to link the playlists when I’m doing with the fic (which is not many so far)

(I think Hellbound is the only one-shot I made a playlist for that I didn’t share)

15) why did you start writing?

I honestly can’t remember, cause I think I’ve been writing stories (fan fiction or not) ever since I was in middle school?? Maybe even elementary? But I do feel like I had gotten more encouragement for it than drawing from the few people in my life that did actively cheer me on, and there’s just something about writing that is so...fulfilling? Esp since I can’t like. Just manifest the images or make the “movie” in my head, at least I can write them down and hopefully convey what I see/feel in my mind through words.

16) are there any characters who haunt you?

All my neglected OCs lmao. I did and I guess on some level still do want to make an original series.

In a chilling way Veronica also haunts me cause I realize how much of that like, darkness in myself I put in her. 

And Nick, well, he’s just always on my mind.

17) if you could give your fledgling author self any advice, what would it be?

Just fucking go for it! Don’t give a shit if anybody will read it or not. Take your time, flesh out those details. Describe what you see, what they see, what they feel. 

If you think you’re going too far...you’re not. 

keep going

18) were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? what were they?

I mean any fan fiction I read in the past has probably influenced me on some level. I know that when I came back to CSI in 2018, reading all of kristen999′s nick whump def encouraged me cause I was like “oh...there’s others like me who like to see him hurt!?!?” and I do think that maybe sometimes after I read a fic, I might like. Try to incorporate those styles I see. The way words are described, sentences constructed. Not like, copy of course but I feel like a long time ago my writing wasn’t really idk, novel-like? very short, almost read like a script whereas now, since I’ve seen the way people write their stories (some novel length stories, too), I flesh mine out a lot more.

19) when it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

I don’t 😂 Thinking of my bigger projects like Agony, I do just kind make up some of it as I go with a rough outline although sometimes it is a bit more detailed--like First Flight actually has a super detailed outline but I know that once I start writing, something might come up, some twist I didn’t think of before--or even one that somebody suggests to me, but idk I feel like I do have a way of tying everything together regardless? Cause especially with those bigger WIPs I will try to go back and re-read if something seems familiar or if I’ve forgotten a detail, or if I’m planning on diving back into it after a long break from it. 

20) do you write in long sit-down sessions or in little spurts?

Depends. I feel more accomplished with the long sit down sessions so I target that, but lately it’s been little spurts with maybe one big dump at the end of the week.

21) what do you think when you read over your older work?

Mostly cringe, but there are times I’m like “holy shit this is really good???” 

like I remember recently I re-read Agony and loved it, when I wanted to delete it maybe like. a week before that. I think it honestly depends on my frame of mind, and why I’m going back to read the fic? Cause I’ve had times where I’m like “wait what was this one?” and then I read it and laugh at how bad it is, but then other times where I’m like, “I wanna read that one fic I did...” and then I do and it makes me happy.

But, I will always kinda criticize at the same time--”aw, I could do this better, I could have expanded on this,” etc

23) any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing?

My life is suuuuuuper boring so. not really lmao. One of my earliest CSI fics that actually created what I consider to be my number one OC (she’d be the lead in that original series I mentioned earlier) came out of me sitting and staring into a campfire lmao. 

also there was this teacher I had (one of those good IRL supports) that told me a story of something that happened to her (or was it her daughter?) and I turned it into a story (back in my teen days) so. I guess there are somethings. 

24) have you ever become an expert on something you previously knew nothing about, in order to better a scene or a story?

Expert? No. But I will do numerous google searches to try and figure some stuff out and get lost in a rabbit hole of “research” for a while and hope that when I do write it, it comes off as I know what I’m doing when really, I do not lol.

25) copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of

haven’t really written much in this past week, and certainly nothing to be proud of, but this line hit me like a ton of bricks for Specimen Stokes and I’m in love with it:

“Because, my dear specimen, I wanted to see if you loved the danger...or if you loved me.”

[luminecho]

Show Me What You’re Proud Of

RULES: It’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought  into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want  (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to  awesome works.

@sister-dear did this and tagged all their mutuals who create things! Took me a moment before the realization hit me that, oh shit, I’m a mutual who creates things. Sooo here we go! Super nervous for some reason jdkjkqwdm.

I haven’t posted a lot of stuff publicly, let alone actually made things in general, and as far as writing goes I don’t have anything finished yet, but I used this opportunity to create a new art & writing blog (@echoing-creations) so I can hopefully start posting some WIPs and short snippets of stuff there from now on! ^^ Otherwise, I’m just gonna try my best to show what I have.

WRITING:

Again, I don’t really have anything posted or even finished yet (at least that I’m proud of). But I’ll share two WIPs/sneak peeks of the LU longfic that I’ve been working on these past couple of months. Because I’m pretty proud of some of the scenes that I have written so far! Unfortunately I’m limited in my choice of what I can include, because spoilers, but here’s what I’ve got. (They’re still very subject to change.)

- “Everything Goes Away” - Prologue

He was in control now. Not some selfish deity or petty goddess. For once, his destiny didn’t have to be set in stone. He could rewrite his story, re-weave the strings of fate. And it all started with a single thread.

Forgive me.

- EGA - Chapter 3

A cacophony of sound broke out around them as the other heroes’ reactions grew muddled together and incoherent. All the while, Legend and Warriors didn’t move, didn’t blink. The world was a swirling vortex of noise around them, a raging whirlwind of confusion and betrayal, and the two heroes stood in the center of it all, the eye of a hurricane, frozen in time. Frantic colors and voices spun around them like a cyclone in motion, tasting of forgotten courage and broken promises.

But all storms came to an end. As the tempest of sound and color died down into a suffocating silence and the world stopped spinning and lulled to a halt, a single whisper rang out louder than a gunshot, piercing the air and finally forcing Legend to break eye contact with Warriors.

“Why?”

ART:

- BotW Link - Wow, the only thing on this list that I actually have a link for! This post never kicked off, which kinda sucks, because I can’t even begin to describe how ridiculously proud of it I was (and still am). It took me ages and I put in so much more effort than I thought I would going into it. But I don’t really mind that nobody saw it, because I love it and that’s all that matters! It was all a big experiment (particularly with drawing humans) but I’m very happy with the outcome :)

Ummm I’m not really that proud of anything else I’ve posted, and there’s a lot of stuff I’ve drawn that I’m not ready to share with people yet cause I’m kinda self conscious, BUT I do have a couple of drawings that I still really like!

- First one is a ref for a Warrior Cats OC that I’ve had for... ah, almost as long as I’ve been drawing, actually. She’s a favorite between my and my irl friend, and she���s gone through so many redesigns I can’t even keep track, lol. This is definitely my favorite design of her by far, though, and is probably gonna stick for quite a while.

- Second one is just a random doodle of my catsona. Honestly not much to say about it. It was done for my part of an animation meme collab for a friend’s birthday a while back, and I kept the drawing because I really liked how it turned out. I honestly kind of want to redraw it soon with an updated version of my sona’s design and use it as my tumblr icon? Maybe? 👀 I’ve been wanting draw my own banner for a while now, so maybe this can be part of my blog makeover, lol.

And that’s that! Not much, I know. I spent all evening trying to pull together scraps of stuff I could maybe share, but chickened out of showing most of it in the end. I’m kind of shocked at how little I actually created this year. I feel like my art has been at an all time low recently. I just haven’t really been drawing as much. Hopefully giving myself time and distance from it will help me to gather the motivation to pick it up again soon and be able to look at it without judging myself too harshly. As for my writing... I’ve definitely written more frequently this year than I have for a long time, even if I have nothing to show for it. I’ve been finding myself using my writing as an outlet a lot more recently than I did in the past, and I’ve been getting better at writing things down rather than just daydreaming them and letting the scenes float away into the void of my mind, lol.

Tagging all of my own mutuals (and followers!) who are creators!! Share what you’re proud of, even if it’s small <3

[warpedlegacy]

WIP Whenever

Because I’m bad at time. And keeping track of it. And completing things.  Okay so I am making progress on Reprisals Book Two, but the thing keeping more of my attention than I expected was my domestic series for post-Trespasser, While Time Remains. And I just wanted to share this scene with y’all: Cullen finally reuniting with his family (well, just Mia in this scene), and introducing them to his wife. I had to cut it down quite a bit to fit within the post limits of my ff server, so anyone from there, here is the full(er) version! (PS - “Cal” is the name I’ve given the mabari hound he adopts in Halamshiral during Trespasser. Yes, it’s short for Calenhad. Yes, Cullen is very predictably Fereldan.) Thanks for the tag @dreadfutures! I’m gonna wait on more tags since I’m late on this one lol.  South Reach is thoroughly rural Ferelden. Cullen takes in the vast fields, the scattered cottages, the humble mill churning its wheel, and thinks “home”. Despite the fact that this was not where he grew up. Despite the fact that he has never been here before. It all feels so achingly familiar that his heart swells. 

Inquiries in the market square lead them to the right house. It sits on the north side of a field of barley, hemmed in from behind by the coniferous forest and from the west by a run-off from the Drakon River. Very well-situated. Mia must have fought tooth and nail for a spot this choice. Cullen smiles thinking of this, then grimaces, knowing the reception waiting for him is like to be anything but peaceful. 

“They’ll be happy to see you.” Tess rides beside him, steady reassurance in her quiet strength. Subtle highlights in her dark hair catch the sunlight and remind Cullen of coals burned low in the hearth. Her bronze skin glows, but her eyes are dark and piercing as ever as she watches him. 

“Oh, I’m sure they will be,” he allows. “Eventually.” 

“After they finish lecturing you for not writing you mean?” 

“Partly…” Cullen rubs at the back of his neck. He’d been dreading this confession, but now there was no avoiding it. “And also for not telling them we’re coming.” 

Stunned silence follows, and he can’t bring himself to look in Tess’s direction. He doesn’t have to - he feels the growing aggravation about to boil over. 

“You didn’t tell them?” She sounds somehow incredulous and not at all surprised. “Do they even know we’re married?” 

More silence. 

“Cullen!” 

Her disapproval claps electric like one of her spells. He flinches, far too guilty to put up much of a fight. “I know, I should have told them. But with all that was going on there wasn’t time to write before our departure.” 

“What is Mia going to think of me…” 

“Of you?” Now Cullen glances her way, and sees his mistake. The anxiety is writ clear in her face - itself enough of an exception to be worrying - and her hand grips the reins fiercely as she purses her lips into a thin line. “Ah, I wouldn’t worry, love. It’s with me she’ll place the blame, I assure you. You’ve nothing to fear of her wrath.” 

He reaches across the space to grasp her… Right. He’s on her left side, not her right. She notices his hesitation and his heart wrenches as her face withdraws into despondency. His worry for her grows. She’s been like this since Halamshiral, and every effort on his part to assist her is met with stubborn denial and more withdrawal. She’s pulling away from him, and he doesn’t know how to stop it. 

“Tess…” 

“It’s fine.” She releases a harsh puff of air that fogs briefly in the morning chill. “There’s nothing for it now.”

They exchange no more words as they make the final approach to the cottage. It’s a modest log and thatch structure, longer than it is wide, roof rising high to accommodate a second floor. Smoke wafts up from a narrow chimney in the center.  The walls are plastered smooth, a gleaming white beacon amidst the crisp green and gold foliage. Laundry hangs across lines in the garden, which is separated by a low stone wall. 

The word “pristine” occurs to Cullen, and he smiles despite his worry. 

A figure toils in the garden with a hoe, and as they draw near Cullen nearly chokes, thinking he’s seeing his mother. But then she straightens and raises a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and he realizes it’s Mia. All grown up, unlike his memories of her. 

She’d only been fifteen when they last saw each other. 

She spies their approach and he hears her surprised gasp even from yards away. The hoe falls to the dirt, forgotten, and she hikes up her skirts to vault the garden wall and race toward them. Cal utters a low growl at the sudden approach, but Cullen dismounts to get him quickly to heel. 

“As I live and breathe…” Mia pants and slows her approach, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at a brother she’d thought thoroughly lost to her more times than she cares to count. 

Up close, her resemblance to their mother is even more striking. Wheat-blonde curls fall to her waist, fighting free of the scarf tying them back. Her sleeves are rolled up past the elbows, forearms bearing the strength and tone of long hours toiling under the sun. Her eyes, the same rich, whiskey brown. Her mouth curled up at the corners, a perpetually patient smile always at hand.

“Hello Mia.” Cullen straightens with his own far more awkward smile, releasing Cal to sniff experimentally at this familiar stranger. 

Mia takes it all in at a glance - Cullen’s height, his broad shoulders, his untamed curls so like her own, sideways grin so like their father’s - then her eyes drift toward a figure she recognizes only by description. Dark-eyed, wild-haired, fiercely stoic… and an unmistakable aura of legend. 

The Inquisitor. Theresa Trevelyan. Or, as Cullen has frequently slipped up in his letters, “Tess”. 

She dismounts with practiced grace, and that is when Mia notes the knot tied in her left sleeve, an arm that ends just above the elbow. But she sees the prideful lift of her chin and knows this woman wants no pity. 

“My Lady Inquisitor.” Mia nods and wipes her hands before offering her right to shake in greeting. “What a pleasure to finally meet you.” 

“Likewise.” The Inquisitor takes her hand and dips her head. A surprisingly warm smile lights up her face, and Mia can see what drew Cullen so thoroughly into her orbit. “Though just Theresa will do.” 

Mia nods, accepting this instantly, before turning to Cullen with a much sterner expression. 

“You might’ve told me you were coming! Rosie’s gone to market in town, and Bran won’t be able to make it for at least a fortnight, what with the new baby!” 

Cullen accepts the scolding with good-natured exasperation, wearing an expression Theresa has seen many times whilst reading letters from his elder sister. A true matriarch, she somehow looms before the man despite being half a head shorter. Theresa understands a little better why he was always able to withstand Leliana’s and Josephine’s teasing with such fond patience. 

“I wanted to write, but there wasn’t time,” he tries to get in, but Mia is already verbalising all the new accommodations she will need to prepare. 

She barely stops to breathe even as she leads them and their mounts toward the cottage. There is a lean-to stable in the back where a plow horse is already housed, nibbling on fresh hay. A cat naps in the pile nearby, taking advantage of a patch of sunlight. 

When Cullen lets slip about the elopement, Mia launches into a fresh tirade. 

“But I told you I planned to propose!” he protests, receiving a gentle swat upside the head for the audacity. 

“Yes, but I foolishly assumed maybe you’d be holding off on the wedding until your family could be there!” Mia huffs.

“It’s not entirely his fault,” Theresa jumps in, looking fully guilty herself. “Circumstances were a bit… urgent. We didn’t want to wait.” 

That gives Mia pause, and she has to remind herself of how chaotic - and dangerous - their lives are compared to hers. At last, she lets herself smile, beaming from ear to ear as she reaches out and finally hugs her brother. 

“Welcome home, Cullen,” she says. 

He nearly crushes her as he returns the embrace. “It’s good to finally be back.” 

“And you, come here.” 

She draws Theresa in as well, but this embrace is more awkward as she seems not to know what to do with half an arm. New injury, must be. Mia makes her hug all the fiercer to make up for it. 

“My sister,” she declares, and plants a kiss on her cheek for good measure. “Welcome to the family.” 

Unexpectedly, tears well up in Theresa’s eyes and she cannot help the happy sob that escapes. It’s too much, this feeling of unquestioned acceptance. She’s never had this before - not so soon, so easily. She catches the glint of understanding in Cullen’s eyes before the tears make it impossible to see, and she reaches up to wipe them away. 

“Oh, you just let it all out my dear.” Mia looks from one to the other, belatedly realising how exhausted they both look, before nodding to herself. “You two finish stabling the horses. I’ll get your bed ready. There’ll be tea and stew waiting for you when you’re done.” 

And in a flurry of motion she’s gone, leaving Theresa to fall into Cullen’s waiting embrace until the shudders stop. 

[softly-savage-mint-yoongi]

writerly contemplation tag!

I was tagged by darling @j-pping to do this deep af and reflective set of questions that she hand picked herself (<3). I love shit like this, thank you dear!!!

2020

what was the most challenging part of writing this year? Hm, for sure I’d have to say being consistent with updates. Not because I feel some immense pressure or get hate mail about it, but because I feel a little guilty and sad when I can’t update regularly for not only readers but myself because I love it. I also feel like half of the battle of writing more is when you’ve had this long stint of nothing so you have to go back and collect all of your work and reread your notes or even chapters to make sure you’re back in the right timeline/headspace to write the next part. I keep a notebook in my purse that is strictly for writing fanfiction (asdaslkdfsdfjgk), and it’s where I jot down like ideas for a scene or dialogue or how I want something to go. Character developments/important rites of passage or growth, etc. I go back and read up on my notes a lot and it can be exhausting when you’ve been away from writing for even just a month. what was the most enjoyable/rewarding part of writing this year? Without a doubt it was the journey of Allotrope. Y’all know why because I harp on it a lot. There’s something really grand and profound about writing a piece that not only speaks to readers but literally helps the creator grow over the length of time it was being written. Side note also all of the friends I made this year by writing! Y’all are literal angels and I love all of you. what piece has left the most impact on you and why? Hm... I think, again, Allotrope’s development from start to finish was really important for reasons mentioned above and in past posts. In all ways it was a heartbreaking story that makes you feel vulnerable and protected at the same time, forgotten by some characters and loved deeply by others. It feels real and relatable for readers. It’s also left me with the unexpected but appreciated realization that I am capable of writing something like that, and the pride that I did. What have you learned about yourself through the process of writing this year? I have definitely learned to love and accept myself a whole lot more, and a lot of that came through writing. Be it via my own struggles being written into my works, or my passion for art in all forms but especially drawing and writing, or the connections I’ve made with others (readers and content creators alike). The stories of personal struggles we’ve all shared and the close-knit community of support and acceptance and love is a breathtaking pillar of strength I had not expected to find in the kpop fanfic community, and yet, here we are, as one, especially in the EXO community. Through those connections, all of which were born of writing something, I got a lot more of myself back than I had originally thought was lost the year prior. I am very grateful. how has your writing changed in the past year? How have you grown? I used to be your typical smut writer and there’s nothing wrong with that because who doesn’t love a good down and dirty romp. I still enjoy writing those kinds of pieces, but more than anything I realized I absolutely THRIVE on emotional work. I want what I write to make people feel, and feel deeper than lust. I want then to feel everything between despair and elation on the emotional scale. Especially if readers are already feeling enough anxiousness and depression in their daily lives, that relatable connection to characters and being able to feel better by reading something and experiencing those emotions that heal along the way in a story with a good ending is really important to me as a writer. The comfort of it. I think that kind of awareness is how I’ve grown the most this year.

2021

ignoring your wips for a second, if you had all the time and energy in the world to write your magnum opus piece, what would it be about? Why is that the dream story you’d write, all other things controlled for? Hm, honestly? I think I did it this year with Allotrope. I had in no way, shape or form anticipated the knockout punch to becoming a moderately known writer in the EXO community with that piece. If I had to choose another one, I am a real weak bitch for fantasy and superhuman AUs. Magic or superpowers, either or. Ernest Cline is one of my favorite authors and I actually want to write a book someday about an alien race fleeing across the galaxies from some inevitable danger of another world-eating race and one day they come to earth in the form of some kind of like star shower. They’re tiny and fall to the earth like snow or rain or dust and the first one that lands on a humans skin fuses to it and awakens some sort of dormant power in a human (usually based on demographics or environments (could be stress, weather, things like that (examples: police officers stress-related being shot at, so they develop force fields or become bulletproof. Firefighters can walk through fire unscathed or manipulate it; kinds of abilities like that.)). So these tiny creatures inhabit a human host (a 1:1 ratio) and basically the humans accept it without going into detail and essentially the use of these powers or abilities helps the alien species survive the onslaught that eventually comes via the world-eating alien species. In very Ernest Cline style, a battle to save humanity and the Earth.

how do you want to grow in your writing this year? I’d really like to get better with my sentence structure. When I get in the zone and write, it just comes out plain and simple. Elegant and captivating writing has a variety of sentence structure, especially in dialogue, so I’d really like to get better with that this year. I want to be better about being cognizant of it instead of going back to restructure or reorganize sentences over and over, because that gets exhausting and can end up looking sloppy. For me- when I go back and read my own work that’s had parts edited in that way rather than a whole- I can pick up on it while reading and it annoys me, hahaha. what’s one thing you wish to see in the fan-writing community this year? I don’t have any particular wishes but I think it would be cool to see more fan art from pieces. That’s been hard to do though since December 17th, 2018, regardless of adult content or not. As Jae said, more authors coming into the community too would be nice. :) I think, especially for EXO, the fanfic writing community is pretty tight-knit because of one reason or another, and that’s fine, but the more the merrier! <3 name one new thing you want to try doing with your writing this year? Honestly? Nothing more than what I am doing currently. I want to finish the series for An Adventurer’s Guide to Romance, especially since there are only 5 left and one is 1/3 of the way written. I will get Heat Seekers started, cautiously because quite frankly it is not lighthearted in any way. Fluff in this story will be nonexistent or scant under a microscope at best. I suppose you could say that’s what I want to try that’s new this year- raw and painful just... brutal emotion with moderate angst. Or, probably write a piece for Stray Kids since I haven’t yet and they’re very, very quickly renting space in my head for free. --------

Tagging: @jenmyeons, @kyungseokie, @guardians-of-exo, @jiminbbyboy, @saebyeog-i or anyone else who wants to do this! I know Jae tagged most of you already so I won’t lol. Forgive me if I’ve missed anyone! <3

[magpiefngrl]

G, L, and/or M for you please, pal.

Oh thanks babe xxx

G. longfics or shortfics? 

To read: shorter fics tend to be tighter in plot and prose, more pared down. Less waffling. I appreciate that. I tend to avoid fics over 50k tbh unless I know they’ve got something unique to offer in terms of content/plot/characterisation.  Just unusual enough to arouse my curiosity and draw me in.

To write: shorter again, because I cut ruthlessly in edits and I spend way too much time editing. I really should stop doing that lol.

L. favourite fic of yours?

Gosh. So hard to choose. Ask me tomorrow and it’ll be something else, but rn the fic that’s very close to my heart, the one that’s very much me is my WIP, 9 ½ Days.

M. least favourite fic of yours?

My least favourite drarry fic is one I’ve hidden. I’d seen a post on tumblr about a list of tropes to mash up, so I rolled dice, got two numbers and wrote a ficlet. I did this a few times; that’s how A Perfectly Normal Reaction and my Witcher fic came about.

Anyway, in this case, the result was a jewel thief! Draco and undercover Auror!Harry ‘verse, which I loved as an idea. Problem was, I left the ficlet very open-ended, at a point where the story basically began. I’ve come to see that one of my main problems with my drabbles is this: they end up reading as the start of something bigger, when all I wanted was to faff around with a fun ‘verse for 500 words.

I started writing a continuation, where Draco is in France to escape the Aurors, he thinks Harry has forgotten him, he’s trying to go straight, but then he’s at a party and decides to steal some jewels. I changed the title to Je Ne Regrette Rien and was toying with the next chapter, but it looked like a story that would grow long. Finishing my WIP has been one of my priorities plus I have some other projects, so I didn’t want to start something that might require months of writing. I set it aside for now, and hid the ficlet that was on tumblr.

So, this ficlet: nothing bad in terms of prose or anything, but instead of having a resolution or being a self-contained scene, it left the story hanging and was therefore unsatisfying. Off it went into AO3 oblivion lol

Also, some of my old stuff--eek! To be honest, there are parts of my old fics where I can see the writer I was going to be and I’m generally fond of them, but a few titles make me cringe so bad LOL

Thanks for the ask!

Fanfic Author Asks

[spellboundinks]

1 for the writer's ask?

Obviously 1 is my oldest wip. I’ve carried it with me a long time and I don’t know that it’ll ever become anything but it’s easily the one I was most excited about because I was a kid and I didn’t yet have any concept of what was good or bad. It wasn’t even writing back then. It was just a world inside my head and characters that I would draw. 

Atlatica was another world that you could get to through a waterfall at a summer camp. Atlatica was made up of seven kingdoms that represented seven different lands: the desert, the forest, the meadows, the mountains, the volcanoes, the air and the oceans. While at camp, a group of campers discovered the waterfall and learned that their mothers used to rule those kingdoms. 

The main character was always Sunny, a young girl whose mother ruled the desert kingdom. She had a younger brother named Cairo (but pronounced like air instead of eye because that’s how I thought it was pronounced then lol). Will and his younger sister Willa (I know omg) were from the forests. Will and Sunny were my first pairing every omg. They were constantly rescuing each other from danger. There was Icia from the mountains, the twins Roxy and AJ from the volcanoes, Kylie from the air, sisters Merliah and Ursula from the oceans (special shout out to @jade-island-lives who’s Tales of Merlia was a delightful naming coincidence), and triplets Lilly, Rose, and Daisy from the meadows. All of the characters had abilities associated with their kingdom and they fought they evil vampires from V.A.M.P.I.R.E. Island (All of the letters corresponded with a villain’s name but I’ve long since forgotten them. Except for Patricia cause it was the only name with a P I could think of haha). 

Used to imagine these characters riding griffins and turning into snakes and having all sorts of adventures. 100% my introduction to any kind of writing world. The only wip of mine that ever started out on paper and the only wip from when my age was a single digit. 

Thank you for the ask anonymous! #1 is v special to me.

If anyone else wants to play: Send me a number between 1 and 109 and I’ll tell you about the wip the number is assigned to! Learn about the ones I’ve talked about here: 22, 48, 81, 97