#he’s not going to give you instant gratification. that’s what fanfiction is for. this is a story that is precious to him. he wrote it with

[lil-lesbian-historian]

Fanfiction has ruined some of y’all’s brains so badly. Gaiman said to expect 3 seasons of Good Omens. That’s how much content he has planned for the show - meaning there’s a definite end he’s looking towards.

What did you really think s2 was going to be? The two of them running around and then being at the Ritz just like s1? That’s not an interesting show, it’s just fan service fluff. (Which is obviously fun and all but not something you should base 3 seasons of TV show on)

Gaiman told you what has to happen for Crowley and Aziraphale to be together in the show: Aziraphale has to heal from his past ‘relationship’ to be in a healthy one with Crowley. What Nina says about her and Maggie is not just a character talking to fill up run time, it’s the show saying something too.

TL;DR: Aziraphale is in a toxic relationship with heaven and needs to get out of that mindset before he can be with Crowley. It’s natural story progression and some of y’all have fanfic brainrot where everything must be instantly gratifying.

[laylanatorseventeen]

OK, so exactly noone asked for this but I have been reading a LOT of bioshock fanfiction lately and I think there are some real gems on ao3 that I’d like to bring attention to. So here they are, mixed with some more obviously popular ones---

Bioshock fic recs GO!!!!

ONE SHOTS--

--Found Is Lost and Lost Is Found by thewickedkat-- “What if there had been a Little Sister who hadn’t wanted to be rescued?” REALLY GOOD, but heed the trigger warnings in the tags!!!

--results, not causes by cheloniidae “Diane doesn’t need a pretty face to fight in the war.”

--they shake the mountains when they dance by coricomile-- “Around her, the splicers scream.”

--Just Put (Me) To Work by rataplani-- “A tribute to the nameless protagonists of the Protector Trials.”

--Chasing Shadows by cloudeme--  “ She is the first Big Sister, and will probably be the last. She knows she's different, but she doesn't care. She does her job... and hates.”

MULTICHAPTER--

-hey mister, don’t I know you? by presidenthomewrecker -- COMPLETE-- the one where Anna Culpepper runs Fort Frolic when you come through!!! a really great story that I really enjoyed. this author in general is worth checking out, they’ve written more than one awesome fic!!

-The Closing of Watchful Eyes by FOzziliZ3d-- COMPLETE--  “In which Mark Meltzer is saved by Subject Delta in Dionysus Park.”

-lay her i’ th’ earth by poppywine-- COMPLETE-- “ And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil—By telling the truth. Tell truth and shame the devil.”  Jasmine Jolene haunts Ryan’s bitch ass and it’s wonderful. 

-Watch Over Me by cakeisatruth-- COMPLETE-- “ Little Sisters can be cured in a matter of seconds, but it takes far longer for one to overcome everything she's been brainwashed to believe.” A really good fic from the perspective of a recovering Little Sister!! I especially love this fic. 

-Bei Mir Bist Du Sheon by poppywine-- WIP--  “ Brigid Tenenbaum has put the worst of Rapture behind her. That's the good news. The bad news is that a part of it is now standing on her porch.” As stated, this fic is still in progress, but the writing is wonderful, and I’m really excited to see where it goes!!

-With Friends Like These.... by gummysharksupremacy --WIP--- this one is actually about remorseful!Bad End Jack which I found intriguing from the start!! Basically he wakes up after the events of the game and is trying to make his way out of Rapture. Has some Infinite/BAS elements but I havent played either of those and it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the fic. Honestly can be enjoyed as a standalone and is a really awesome fic!!

-Atonement for Bygone Sins by foorocks10-- WIP-- “Delta wakes in the ashes of failure. In the ashes of Rapture.Babylon has fallen. And yet Sophia Lamb seeks to build something greater and more terrible from Rapture's ashes.” I actually just discovered this one the other day!! 

-Here Comes the Sun by Riddle_of_the_sphinx --WIP-- “There are others I must help before this city drowns..... or, basically Delta decides that he’s going to save as many people as he can so they can see the sun.” This fic actually had me laughing out loud, Delta has such a sassy inner commentary. I’m excited to see where this one goes, as well!!

-There Is No Rapture by necroticboop-- WIP-- this fic is basically a fleshing out of Brigid Tenenbaum’s whole backstory and it is SOOOO GOOD omg. If you like Brigid please read this story and give the author some feedback because it is SO. GOOD.

-Underwater Eden by jadrea-- WIP-- “It is much to his surprise that Augustus Sinclair finds he's alive.” This one’s got MAPS and stuff like those really good fantasy books from middle school. Promising, I must say, LOL. 

-The Prodigal Son by malice-and-macarons-- WIP--”Atlas wakes up.Death, he thinks, would have been kinder.” I think this one is actually pretty popular amongst the Bioshock fanbase (small as it may be) but just in case you havent seen it, here it is!! 

Final note: I know we all love the instant gratification of already completed fic, and don’t like waiting for updates (I know, me too!) but I encourage anyone looking for something to read to give the WIP’s a try, and leave nice comments for the authors if you enjoyed the story! It’s hard to write when you feel like noone cares. If you want content, you have to validate the content creators!! 

All the fics on this list are awesome, and thanks to all the creators for producing and sharing these stories!!

[gallavichthings]

We’re back! After a short break, we’re back in full force with this series! Please enjoy our interview with the lovely @wehangout​, an unique writer in the fandom, author of stories such as Coming Undone, One by One, Help Me (Tear down My Reason) and the Our Souls series. Oh, there are two surprises this time...

GT: What can you tell us about yourself?

J: A bit about me ... I'm in my thirties, married with two kids and two cats, and I desperately want a dog. Life has yet to give me one, though I continue to wait ever impatiently. I live in New Zealand which legit might be the best place to be as of the last eighteen months or so, just sayin'. I love to read and write, I love all animals but have a weird phobia of sharks, and I'm currently bingeing Lucifer, so tag your spoilers, friends!

GT: Yes, from what I've heard from a friend in New Zealand, things are as controlled as possible there, which is great!

How old are your kids? Is it hard to find time to write with them around?

J: They're 9 and 5, so with them both at school that does give me my days to write, but I tend to have more motivation at night, haha. Once my youngest is in bed for the night I'm good to go. My oldest is a bit of a "gamer" so she does her thing and I do mine.

GT: Oh good, they're somewhat independent enough then.

I love cats, so I must ask you to please tell me more about yours. 

J: My babies 😻 They're getting to an age where I don't know how long they have left and I want to talk about them all the time, haha.

This is Chiko. She was found tiny and cold on the side of the road. The vet first thought she was about 6 weeks old, but after a check up realized she was about 6 months! She was so tiny she was only allowed half a cup of cat food a day. Now she's a queen.

And this is my Moe, Moses, Malloy-loy. He's a fighter and has cost us so much in vet bills, but he's a big baby, the best napping companion, and the most handsome.

GT: They're amazing, I love them. 

You said you like reading and writing. Is that books too or mainly fanfiction?

J: Oh, for sure books, too. My first fandom I wrote seriously for was The Outsiders, I'm a huge HP fan (Death of the Author very much applies to both here), and I have a giant pile of to-read books, haha. I've written original stuff, too ...

I think fanfic is just easier, though? For both reading and writing. With writing, fanfic gives that instant gratification, whether from readers or beta readers - there's always someone willing to give it a go, unlike with original writing. They don't need to be introduced to new characters, new situations, etc. I think the same goes for why I read for fanfic, too. It's easier and quicker for me to submerge myself into a good Ian and Mickey fic than it is to pick up an unread novel. I'm part of my own problem lmao.

Plus, to be fair, there are so many fics and writers in this fandom that wow me more than a lot of books do.

GT: Do you aspire to publish your own original stories one day?

J: I mean, that's the dream. I just find it so difficult, and not just the lack of instant gratification. Even finding someone invested enough to beta or bounce ideas around with is hard. I feel like, until you've made a name for yourself, not many people are interested in your original writing.

Technically (lol) I am published. I've placed in a couple of writing comps and one of them published my short story in a journal along with a bunch of others and some poetry. That was cool.

Plus my best writing is usually in second person, and that's hella frowned upon in original fiction lmao

GT: Why do you choose to write in second person?

J: It's not really a choice, to be honest. I struggled so hard with the constant he/him pronouns the first time I tried to write M/M romance that I followed in the footsteps of a friend and gave second person a go. Trying to do the whole "he went over to him, cupped his face in his hands, and a sigh fell from his lips" thing messes with my head. Like, who is who? I can't do it without constant proper nouns and that just gets messy, haha.

I have huge respect for literally every other writer in the fandom for being able to write Ian and Mickey's love story in third person pov, but even when I try I slip into second without realising it half the time. I mean, the first time I wrote in second person was a good eleven years ago and now it just feels ... right. You know?

GT: It's certainly unusual! Not a lot of people doing that.

How did you get into Shameless?

J: Through tumblr. I was fading from SPN and Destiel, and I guess a few of my mutuals were, too, because my dash was full of Don't and Together and epic club kisses. Ian and Mickey ruined me before I saw a single episode lmao.

GT: Same thing happened to me. When did you start watching it?

J: Right between season four and five.

GT: So you also suffered the 5x12 heartbreak.

J: I did! And then, like many, I stopped watching unless Mickey was there, haha.

GT: Yeah, I think many of us did that

What did you think of the last two seasons?

J: I mean, they got married and lived happily ever after, so I can't complain. I think, for me at least, after the shit-show of s5 it was all very whatever. The worst of the worst had already happened, so if we got great stuff (and we did, for sure) then yay ... if we got not great stuff (and again, we did), then it wasn't a surprise, you know?

I wasn't terribly invested in anyone else's storyline, to be honest, so as long as Ian and Mickey were good, I was good.

GT: What's your favorite season?

J: Four. I mean, they still had their issues, but every scene between them in that season is iconic. Many were problematic, but the change in their relationship from the second they saw each other again was just beautiful.

GT: Do you have a favorite episode?

J: Those s4 episodes kill me for the Ian and Mickey stuff, but for an episode as a whole, I'd go with 10x12 Gallavich! To be honest, I'm an Ian and Mickey fan, not a Shameless fan.

GT: I can relate.

What made you want to write for them?

J: Ooh, that feels like so long ago that I have no idea! I think it was probably just my love for writing and love for their relationship combining.

GT: What do you like best about writing Gallavich?

J: I love the endless possibilities of them. No matter what kind of AU we stick them in, their characterisation still works and they always end up madly in love! It could be the 1800s, or Mickey might be a witch, maybe one of them is a serial killer. It doesn't matter because they fit in everywhere and they always end up together.

GT: He could be a witch and a serial killer. ;)

And what's difficult about writing them?

J: Ooh, Ian's POV lmao

Witch and a serial killer - love that idea 😂

GT: Where do you find inspiration for your fics?

J: Usually other fics/books/writers. Sometimes a line in one fic or book will make me think of something else entirely and then a whole fic idea will come about.

Or even someone's AU will make me think of another completely different AU that doesn't relate at all, haha.

And then other writers. They just inspire me in general. I want to be able to write like them and tell stories like they do and that makes me want to try, you know?

And often a fic will give me such intense feelings that I want to evoke that kind of feeling through my own writing and for people who read my writing.

GT: Which Gallavich writers or fics are your favorite?

J: My favourite writer is pink_ink (@palepinkgoat​). I'd follow her anywhere. Literally. Her last fic was ABO, which I don't like and refuse to read, but someone talked me into giving hers a go, and ... phew, it was so good. I also love devovitsuasartes (their originality is mind-blowing), @loftec​, J_Q, @romanticalgirl​ (though they don't write for Shameless anymore), and Shamelessquestions [@goodkwuestion​].

My fave fics ... yikes. My all-time favourite is Our Freedom in My Sight by lilbatfacedgirl. Ugh, it's so good and I'm working myself up for a reread. Also, Lost in Translation is a go-to, the Four Eight series inspired me to start writing Ian and Mickey, and the little things give you away by kissteethstainred simply kills me.

GT: Lost in Translation is one of my all-time favourites

What about your own fics? Do you have a soft spot for any of them?

J: Ooh, maybe my most recent fic, Thicker than Forget, but maybe because it's my most recent? But also maybe because it's somewhat cheerful and has lots of banter and it's so different to things I've written in the past. It all came surprisingly easy and it just feels super chill and makes me happy to think about. It didn't feel like work at all. It was so fun and easy to write - the banter is chill, the attraction is obvious, and the love is real. The hardest part of writing that fic was getting the ice-cream flavour names because the American Baksin Robbins website wouldn't let me on lmao.

I also wrote a Band of Brothers/WW2 AU for GW a few years back that I've since taken down. It might be my fave thing that I've written, but I took it down, made it original, and used it for a writing competition. It's one of the ones that came third, so worth it, I guess, haha.

GT: What are some of your favorite tropes?

J: Oooh, yes, I love that. Enemies to friends to lovers, mutual pining, and fake dating would be my faves.

GT: Do you have any pet peeves when it comes to reading Gallavich fics?

J: Okay, I totally have pet peeves. I could make a list. First-person pov, not using paragraphs, not using an oxford comma (though I can look past that one), draggy beginnings where it takes forever for the story to really begin, lyrics littered throughout the fics ... there are more, but I'll hold back lmao

GT: Tell us a bit about your writing process. How do you start a fic?

J: My process is a mess. Sometimes I plot/bullet point the entire fic, other times I just write and see what happens lmao. The only constants I have are that I need to know how the fic ends before I can get fully invested (even if I'm not sure how I reach that ending!), and I need a solid first line. I can't write anything until I have a first line that I love.

GT: How do you choose your titles?

J: Usually from songs, occasionally from a phrase in the fic, once or twice from poems. The amount of time I spend going through song lyrics is ridiculous, tbh.

GT: What kind of comments do you just love to get?

J: I mean, I for sure love all comments obviously, but the ones that quote bits of my fic back to me absolutely make me warm inside. When they comment on what line or what scene they loved, and I can compare that to how I felt writing it - it's just such a good feeling. I also still love the i-don't-usually-read-second-person-but comment. I've had a bunch of those and I get a little thrill every time I convert someone 😂

GT: I can totally see why that would make you happy!

Alright, what's next then? What have you got planned?

J: I was planning something for all 7 days of GW, but real life got in the way lmao. I do have one WIP I want to get back to, but I don't want to give too much away about that. Other than that I need @shamelessbigbang to do another round this year, because that seems to be what inspires me most 😂

GT: Whatever you make for GW I'm sure will be great! And since I'm the one who runs it, let me assure you if you finish your things at a later date lots of people will be equally happy. Content is content. The idea of GW is to give everyone who needs a bit of a boost, so we all win at the end.

Ok, that was my last question. Thank you so much for doing this. Any final words?

J: Just thank you! I love, love, love reading these, so to be included in one is amazing! It was a lot of fun, and I'm sorry I took forever to get back to you after each question lmao. And for anyone who reads my writing - 💜💜💜 it's so very appreciated!

GT: It was my pleasure! Happy writing!

[fbfh]

draco malfoy x gryffindor reader pt 1

As with all steamy/nsfw works, all characters are aged up to 18+

Any parts that take place while still in/are implied to be at school at hogwarts are in 7th year at age 18

Ik that probs doesn’t line up with the timeline but guess what bud

It’s fanfiction

I can make everyone sea monkeys if I want to and it’s still valid

So don’t worry about it

Cause I’m not

Also full disclosure this is going to be very self indulgent bc I found out Draco’s a gemini are we surprised

And since I’m a leo I’ve been hella jeff obsessed with the chemistry and dynamic of gemini x leo pairings so er ah

Reader’s a leo w they them pronouns but probs gonna at least somewhat femme/lollipop since like

I’m imagining myself

Anyway let’s get into it before I ramble more lmao

‘,:)

Draco Malfoy is a motherfucking bottom and you can pry that from my warm crispy crunchy deep fried fingers

He acts like a top

Sure

But it’s cause he’s a bratty bottom that runs on some kind of parsnip flavored magical energy drink and moderate amounts of concentrated attention

And the energy he gets from you is very concentrated to him

You laugh at one of his jokes and he’s good for like a day

You pet his hair while talking to him and he’s still thinking about it a week later

He’s somewhat low maintenance

Like a love cactus

Like a sexy fashion cactus

And it’s like a reasonable relationship for most people

But if you give him more attention and praise

You will absolutely have a fastburn enemies to lovers arguing that turns immediately into hooking up energy

Which is honestly preferable if you ask me

It’s way more fun

He doesn’t want to admit it to people 

But it really was a love at first sight situation type deal

He saw you and was immediately enamored 

Then you lock eyes

But you don’t just lock eyes

He expects you to be intimidated or defensive since your houses have such a rivalry

But you just look right at him

Through him

You analize him, completely non judgemental and unafraid

He suddenly understands gryffindor bravery as more than an abstract concept

He’s looking at it

He could be frozen in that moment in time forever, completely okay with it

He doesn’t think he can ask for anything more than this

Because he just knows somehow 

That you’re looking at him

Not Malfoy, that the whole school hates

Not Draco, that’s struggling not to bow under the increasing pressure from his father

But just him

Pure and unconditioned

And then

Your eyes skim up and down his frame

They lock with his again

And

You smile at him

It’s more of a smirk, but who’s counting

He knows right then and there that he’s completely and thoroughly wrapped around your finger, even though it will take a  l o t  for him to admit it

It will take an equal  l o t  for you to admit how affected you are by the way he looks at you after you smile at him

You  know there can be some pretty intense looks 

But honest to god

This doesn’t even take the cake, it takes the whole goddamn bakery

You both do admit to these eventually though

This leads to the first part of your relationship

Where you incessantly get under each other’s skin

Arguing over nothing

Riling each other up, sexual tension skyrocketing

It’s absolutely one of those cases where you start hooking up in secret before you even like

Hold hands in public

Yk

You know that meme of the two people kissing and someone’s high fiving one of them

When draco finally kisses you in front of everyone blaze deadass high fives him

They recreate the meme

If you’re from the muggle world you’ve probably recreated that one scene from the princess diaries 2 at least once

I high key want to write a one shot abt that now

Stay tuned lmao

Part two really do be looking safe doe coming soon

Anyway asks are open,,, I’m on semi hiatus but you’re more than welcome to shoot me a request or say hi or send me a message if u wanna be mutuals lmao

My head is officially empty of brain juice so I gotta refill it but like

I need instant gratification and validation from strangers on the internet????? So this part is going up now lmao

Just got diagnosed

But er ah yeah ig i’m writing for harry potter too now??? 

More ranting in the tags bc otherwise we’ll both be here all night

Edit: rip to the four paragraphs of lost tags where I talked about Wallace and gromet

[kookicat]

I posted 6,562 times in 2021

40 posts created (1%)

6522 posts reblogged (99%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 163.1 posts.

I added 100 tags in 2021

#leverage - 21 posts

#eliot spencer - 19 posts

#fanfic - 14 posts

#parker - 11 posts

#whump - 9 posts

#alec hardison - 7 posts

#fanfiction - 6 posts

#life stuff - 5 posts

#christian kane - 4 posts

#sophie devereaux - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 70 characters

#yes i know the formatting is off but it's 3am and i'll fix it tomorrow

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

65 notes • Posted 2021-03-01 00:09:47 GMT

#4

A Gift of Telling & Trust

Nate's words fade away and for a moment, they're all quiet, absorbing the story. There's a sheen in Sophie's eyes that looks suspiciously like tears, and Parker has curled into Hardison's side, resting her head on his shoulder. He's got one arm around her, thumb rubbing absent circles on her side.

Eliot clears his throat, feeling just a little self conscious, and downs the last of his long neck before he speaks. "Before… Before my Mom died," he starts, voice soft, reflective, because it's been a while since he dug up the memories, and he's not sure how they're going to make him feel. "I was twelve, Erin was ten. Mom had been wanting a puppy for a couple of years, and one of my friend's farm dogs was having a litter." He smiles at the memory and glances up, seeing everyone's eyes on him. He's not sure why, but it feels comfortable, and he feels the smile get a bit bigger. "They were seven weeks old on Christmas eve, all bitty black and white things. Only one girl, and we picked her and snuck her in the house. We'd saved up our allowance to buy food and such. She slept on my bed, and we put a bow on her and took her downstairs at the crack of dawn." He pauses, accepting a fresh bottle from Hardison, giving the label a quick check to make sure the other man isn't slipping him one of his weird brews. He's not sure he'll ever cleanse his senses of the last one- pumpkin spice and mint, for christsakes, but the bottle is one of his favourites and he twists the top off.

"What happened?" Parker asks, because she's an instant gratification sorta girl, but they're all still watching him, waiting for the end of the story.

"Well Mom fell instantly in love," he says, lip quirking into a smile, "Dad took some convincing, threatened to take the belt to me but I'm pretty sure he was smitten too."

The end of the story isn't so happy, and he's not sure he wants to tell it and break the spell. "They were inseparable. Mom named her Dodie."

"101 Dalmatians? I loved that book." Sophie asks, and he glances at her, nodding.

"What happened to her?" Parker leans forward to poke him and he bats her hand away, gently.

Part of him wants to lie and tell them a happy ending, but life doesn't work that way. "She was in the truck with my Mom when a drunk driver ran them off the road. They hit a tree. Both killed instantly," he says, and his voice only cracks a little.

It's a hard memory, but he's mostly made his peace with it. It's nice, too, to be able to remember his family and share that with his new one.

Sophie presses her hand against his arm. "I'm sorry, Eliot. I had no idea."

He covers her hand with his own, for a beat. "It's okay. Thank you."

Another memory sneaks in, one he'd all but forgotten about and he laughs, earning startled looks from the others that only make him laugh harder. It takes him a second to get control and he's pretty sure they think it's the start of a hysterical breakdown.

"I'm fine," he says, and waves his hand. "Just remembered something. My fourteenth birthday, Dad decided I was finally old enough to learn how to use the grill. Bought a big rack of ribs. Damn dog stole them from the counter. We spent half an hour chasing her around the yard but every time we got close, she'd manage to escape. I'd never seen my Dad so mad." He laughs again, then takes a swig of his beer, content to settle back into silence and just enjoy the memory.

They spend an agreeable hour, just trading bullshit stories about past jobs before they decide to call it a night.

See the full post

94 notes • Posted 2021-09-03 10:55:49 GMT

#3

The Chocolate Job

Chocolate work has never been his favourite- it's messy and fiddly and most days he's just not in the mood for it. But sometimes, the urge strikes him, and he locks himself away in whatever kitchen space they have with a 5lb bag of Callebaut chocolate buttons and gives into the urge. Usually it's truffles, or brownies, but this time he has something else in mind. 

Breanna had shown him a clip of the Chocolate Man (that's what she called him, capital letters and all) on the Tik Toc and well, the idea of sculpting something hadn't left his brain, tucking away like a damn earworm until he'd given in. He's starting small, mostly so he can melt the results down and hide them in his triple chocolate brownies if it all goes to crap. 

The chocolate melts smoothly and he mixes in more buttons, checking the temp until it's tempered and will set crisp and shiny. It's almost Christmas and he's picked up a set of moulds that should produce a chocolate gingerbread house, if he's lucky. If not, he's a professional and will hide all the evidence until he can try again. 

He pours the chocolate slowly, to make sure there's no air bubbles to ruin the structural integrity, and leaves them to set while he whips up some cookies to fill the inside. They're chocolate too, because he might as well stick with the theme. The dough comes together smoothly under his hands, and he lets his thoughts wander a little, now he's back on more familiar baking territory. 

Breanna is going to love this, he thinks, hands automatically patting the dough into a disk to be chilled. Unless Parker steals it first. Maybe I should make two. He snorts, and dumps the dough into the freezer, then raids the candy cupboard for decorations. There's stuff in every colour and form and he sifts through the packages until he finds one that catches his eye. They're Christmas m&m's, in bright green and red, and he lifts the bag down, popping a couple in his mouth before he dumps the rest in a bowl. Gotta have some quality control, he thinks and sneaks another before washing his hands. 

The stainless steel counter is chilly, and the chocolate house parts have set up nicely. He poppa them free, carefully and lines them up on the counter while he grabs the cookie dough from the freezer and cuts rounds out of it. They go on a baking sheet, topped with just a touch of flaky salt, before he slides them into the oven. 

Now for the fiddly part, he thinks, half amused, because if someone had told him ten years ago he'd be building houses out of chocolate and enjoying it, he would have laughed in their face. And then got Hardison to find them a nice comfy padded room. It's not that he's grown more patient over the years, or at least he doesn't think so - it's more he can relax a little more now, because they're not the only ones doing the work. Though I'm still not sure Quinn will ever quite forgive me for dragging him into his, he thinks and grins, thinking of Quinn's last text. It had been borderline illegal in several states, but he'd picked up a couple of new curses, including one that had made Harry Wilson blush and Sophie cackle. 

He shakes his head and grabs the cake board he's using as a base, then fills a plastic piping bag with a tiny bit of melted chocolate to act as glue. Huh, that worked, he thinks as he picks up the first side and turns it towards the light. It's more detailed than he expected, with a brick pattern and detailing around the window. There's even ivy, trailing from where the roof will go and he has to admit that he's pretty impressed. He lays the first line of melted chocolate down and presses the section into place, blasting the whole lot with some freeze spray until he's convinced it isn't going to move. 

It's a tiny bit crooked, but he's satisfied that at least it isn't going to fall over. The timer pings for the cookies and he pulls them out, leaving them to cool before returning to his construction job. Getting the second side in place is harder, because the corner doesn't want to meet perfectly but through a combination of melted chocolate glue and freeze spray, he gets it to stay in place. The third side is easier, somehow, but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and moves onto the last side. It's the most difficult yet, because he has to fit it between the two other sides without knocking them down. 

See the full post

98 notes • Posted 2021-12-25 02:37:18 GMT

#2

The Macaron Job 

I'm a damned idiot, Eliot thinks and scowls at the sheeting rain outside the kitchen window. It's a horrible damp day, the sort that turns his hair into a curly mess that defies even the hottest flat iron, and he's making macarons. They're never going to dry, he thinks and pokes the closest one with a clean fingertip, scowl deepening as the mix sticks to his skin. 

It wasn't like there were a million other, more rainy day compatible things he could have made. Like brown butter and oatmeal cookies. Or madeleines. Or lemon and poppy seed muffins, with a lemon glaze, sweet and sharp. Or an apple pie, rich and golden and spiked with cinnamon. Or even sugar cookies. 

But Parker had asked for French macarons, and he's never been able to say no to the women, especially when Sophie gets in on the act. So he's stuck in the kitchen, babysitting a sheet pan of macarons that are stubbornly refusing to form any sort of skin. They're never going to work, he thinks and sighs, pulling out the ingredients to make a batch of sugar cookies, just in case, letting his hands fall into the familiar actions while his mind wanders, pondering what else he wants to add to his newly established kitchen garden. 

It's another part of himself that he's reclaimed, once he'd committed to the team, and it had taken him a while to get comfortable with his hands in the dirt again, but damn, it was nice to replace the old blood on his hands with warm, fragrant soil, capable of giving life rather than taking it. Parker had caught on first, bugging him with questions about what the plants did until he got his first harvest of peas and squash and carrots and tomatoes, turning them into something they could eat, remembering exactly how at peace he'd felt, sitting down at the table to eat a meal he'd produced in more ways than one. 

He glances at the tray of macarons again, feeling irritation niggle at him when they still aren't set. The sugar cookie dough forms a neat ball under his hands and he shapes it into a log, wrapping it in plastic and slipping it in the fridge to chill, trying to ignore the urge to glare at the macarons. Like that'll make them set faster, he thinks and has to laugh at himself, just a little. Truth be told, there's not many other places he'd rather be on a rainy day than his kitchen, even if he is stuck with the least rainy day friendly bake ever. 

Quiet footsteps head towards the kitchen and he keeps his back to the door, deliberately, ignoring the prickle between his shoulders that he still can't quite shake. He trusts them with his life and his soul and his sanity, but bone deep instincts aren't so easy to turn off. "They're not done yet," he says when the steps transfer from wood to the tile floor in the kitchen, knowing as good as he was, he wouldn't have heard her if she didn't want him to, because the woman was like a damn cat, all liquid grace and soft steps. 

"They didn't take this long last time," she complains, boosting herself onto the counter and reaching around him to steal a crumb of sugar cookie dough from the big copper mixing bowl. 

Eliot tucks a curly strand of hair behind his ear and glances at the window, where the rain has become even worse, pouring down in a way that makes him wonder idly if they need to start building an arc. Hardison would hate that, he thinks, all those animals to manage and manages not to grin too widely. "Last time it wasn't pouring with rain," he says, and lifts an eyebrow at her when she frowns. 

She sneaks another scrap of cookie dough, chewing thoughtfully. "That makes a difference?" 

See the full post

106 notes • Posted 2021-03-21 03:07:37 GMT

#1

198 notes • Posted 2021-03-10 16:12:30 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[ljandersen]

2, 5, 17, 20, & 35 for the fic writer asks!

Thank you for all the fun questions!!!  These always get me thinking.  So fun.  By the way, I still love your cat picture icon so much.  He looks like he wants a good pet.  Anyway . . . This is from the Fic Writer Ask Game 

2. How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

This is really variable.  I’d say the biggest determiner is where I’m at in the writing process on my long fic.  The first draft is creatively demanding.  It requires creative intensity and long chunks of alone time.  I’m not posting it at that point, so it’s all at my own pace.  No pressure. I get a lot more fanfic reading done, because I just don’t have the creative energy or environment/situation to invest in writing my first draft.  Instead that time goes to reading.  During the first draft, I’m probably about a 50/50 split between writing and reading.

When I’m in the editing stage, I write more than I read.  I’m posting now, which gives me the added pressure of having a deadline.  Most significantly, though, I can work on editing during periods I previously couldn’t with the first draft -- like after work or when my husband’s doing a loud project or if I only have a small window of time.  Those were periods, I would choose to read fic, because I didn’t have the energy for creativity.  But since editing requires less creativity, I can use that time now for editing.  

For almost a year I’ve been focused exclusively on editing, which means I’ve focused more on writing (editing) than reading fic.  I still do plenty of reading, of course.  It feels good supporting other writers in the community.  But I do use most of my time to keep on editing. 

5. What are your fanfic pet peeves? Do they have a huge effect on whether or not you decide to read something?

OOC and character bashing are a big nope for me.  This is especially bothersome where they occur together, a character presented as OOC to be bashed. 

I also don’t like unhealthy relationship dynamics portrayed as romantic or hot.  For instance, a character being jealousy, possessive, domineering, and controlling.  I don’t like choking, punishing, or any physical aggressiveness in intimacy occurring without obvious mutual consent, where both partners feel safe, respected, and desire the encounter in the ways its happening.  This is in the context of it being condoned or romanticized by the story (vs. the sense a story considers it wrong or having the POV of an unreliable narrator you’re meant to disagree with).  I actually stumble upon this quite a bit in the fShenko fandom, and it’s not for me.   

17. How obsessively do you sit and stare at your fic after you’ve just posted and wait for feedback?

I’m like everyone else, I think.  I check it a lot.  Probably way more than I should.  It’s influenced a lot by what I’m posting.  With one-shots I’ll let myself check more often.  But with a long-fic update, it’s important to curb the impulse.  

For a one shot, new kudos flood in.  Refreshing the screen is rewarding, because you have a good chance of discovering you have a new kudos or even a comment.  The repeated checking is positively reinforced.  I also invest less effort into a one-shot.  The stakes are lower.  For me, one-shots have high instant reward with that flood of stats and low-risk for disappointment with the lower effort investment.  For that reason, I let myself check more often with a one-shot.  Checking generally leads to more positive feelings and adds to the fun.       

With a long fic, you don’t see an uptick of kudos necessarily.  If you’ve been posting for a while, you may go several updates without a new kudos.  Hits are kind of irrelevant.  I don’t know what they mean.  That leaves comments as the only significant factor to check.  A comment on my long fic means a lot to me, more than stats on a one-shot.  I’ve invest a lot.  Refreshing the screen becomes a low-reaping high-reward situation. I feel like emotions are more up and down.  Disappointment is a greater risk and constant checking becomes maladaptive.  For that reason, I make a conscious effort to not check as often with a long fic update.  

20. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

I enjoy writing the first draft, and I enjoy interacting with people after I post it.  Enjoying the first draft applies to both fanfiction and original writing.  I think the posting part is where fanfiction really shines, because there’s overlapping interest and interaction within a community.  

There’s an idea that the last stage of art is to be experienced.  I think that’s true.  Dedicating yourself to writing a story is wonderful.  It’s an accomplishment.  For me, the project doesn’t have closure or feel fully gratificating until it’s read.  It could be even one person IRL, but that part of sharing it and hearing back is meaningful. I think that makes posting my favorite part of the writing process specific to fanfiction. 

35. How much has writing fic changed your life?

Writing fic let me feel like I was accomplishing something.  I’d become disillusioned with work.  My investment and skill didn’t matter at work, and I needed an area in my life where I could work toward something and feel accomplished.  Fanfic isn’t a big achievement, I suppose, but I’ve developed my writing skills.  I had never let anyone read my writing before, and it was an accomplishment in itself finding the confidence to share my story for a reader.  I’ve also met friends through fanfiction, which has added to the experience in such a positive way.  There have been a lot of changes for the positive.  

I would say one change to the negative is that people IRL don’t take my writing seriously anymore.  It’s kind of bizarre to me that as an amateur writing original work, which never gets finished and is never shared, my hobby was regarded as more worthwhile than now with writing fanfiction, even though my stories now do get completed and are actually read by others.  That’s been the only negative.  

On any account, the change has by far mostly been to the positive.  The support and comments people have given me, especially on Burning Barriers and Sideways, has given me a lot of gratification and confidence in my writing.  

Thank you for the ask!!!

[doitwritenow]

I'd ask all 35 of the ask game, but I feel that might be a little too much. Instead, I'll choose: 2, 5, 6, 7, 12, 23, 29, 31, 33, and... oh that's way too many. Uhhh, feel free to not answer some if you feel overwhelmed. If not, go ham! I'd love to read more about your writing/writing process. :)

Oh WOW thank you! These are so fun. Hm...

2. Why do you write fanfiction?  Recently answered this one! Here’s what I said: I write fic because of the spaces between the lines of a story. The gaps and unanswered questions in canon encourage me to come up with deeper mechanics, more complicated lore, and complex character motivations in order to explain. Sometimes, one of those pieces will click into canon so well that it becomes inspiration. And then there’s nothing else to do but write! Lol. Stories are so wonderful because of what we can do with them, individually and all together, and I really like being a part of that. 

5. What’s the fic you’re most proud of? While EoI is kind of my magnum opus, I really really adore Sunrise Loves To Go Down. Something came together in that fic, some tone and some thread of style, and I am immensely proud of how it turned out. I started writing it when I had been evacuated from my house due to a wildfire, lying on a hotel bed and typing on my phone in the middle of the night, and so it felt different to write than my other works. Maybe that’s why it feels different to read, too.

6. What element of writing do you find comes easily? Easily? I have to say dialogue. It’s often my favorite part of any scene, and I love the way it determines tone and establishes character. Though it’s not my absolute favorite part of writing, I dance through dialogue scenes feeling like I’m on a caffeine high. Of course, lots of times getting dialogue right is a lot of work, but there’s an ease to it that some things don’t have. 

7. What element of writing do you struggle with most? Hnnnngk the answer is pacing. It’s pacing. I struggle to pace things. I do enjoy long projects and feel proud of my ability to commit to them, don’t get me wrong. But I’d love to get better at structuring a plot to allow for the same tone without needing an overly generous amount of words. My go-to answer with pacing is always ‘write more’, but I don’t think that’s always strictly necessary. I want to be able to use the other tools in my arsenal to tell a story that’s just as complete but even more gripping.  Me: *challenges pacing to a death battle* Me: *dies*

12. Tell us about a WIP you’re excited about. Okay so a friend and I were laughing about how funny it could be to write about what happens to Odin after Loki sticks him in a retirement home on Earth. The Mystic Artists would obviously know he was there, what with all that cosmic threat sensing bullshit, and things would devolve from there. Like, can you imagine? The Adventures of Odin Allfather and the Home for Elderly People. Series of one-shots. Each titled something like: Odin vs. Thursday Bingo. Odin vs. His Roomate. Odin vs. the Grumpy Wizard. Odin vs. the Craft Store. And slowly other characters start to show up. Ned’s grandma is in the same nursing home, and he and Odin hit it off, so obviously Ned introduces him to Peter. Stephen comes to check up on him occasionally and Odin stages the most dramatic escape attempts of all time with no real intention of going anywhere. Now I dislike Odin in canon but how comical could that be I’m serious--

23. Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas? I like prompts and challenges, but generally I work best with completely independent ideas. I can’t force my one-shot muse, so whenever it strikes I buckle down and write there and then. So yeah, prompts and challenges are really fun, but the inspiration has its own plans for my hapless self.

29. Have you ever gone outside of your comfort zone for a fic? How did it turn out? Comfort zone? What comfort zone? Lol. I suppose I do have bounds of what I’m willing to write and share, but they’re not particularly limiting. Each story I write extends the limits of what I’m used to; I try not to hesitate. And most of the time, I like where things end up! 

31. Do you have any OCs? Tell us about them! OCS YES I DO HAVE OCS THANKS FOR ASKING. Most of my Marvel OCs show up in EoI or were created specifically for it. But I have some other lovelies floating around, my three favorites being: - Silas Ewyn, a necromancer detective. He’s basically a vigilante archeologist, using his abilities to interact with bones to solve the mysteries of foul play victims. Silas doesn't care about politics or reasons; all he cares about is facts and bringing voices back to the dead. In the lawless Roughs (yeah, he’s a cowboy, fight me) he takes that justice back into his own hands. Though he doesn't kill, he'll go to great lengths to punish perpetrators, and he always takes a bone of the murder to bury with the bones of the victim to ensure the victim gets their justice in the afterlife, too. Which bone depends on the severity of the murder. During one of Silas’s investigations, however, he was murdered himself. Oops. But he woke up three days later with his soul rattling around in an entirely different body with no memory of the event. The only way for him to discover the truth is if he finds his old bones and solves a whole new murder... His own.  Anyway I love him and I could talk forever about the truth behind his murder and all the details of the Roughs and everything but we’ve got a limited amount of time and I still have to tell you about: - Sohcahtoa and Pemdas! If their names look like math acronyms, that’s because they are. Sohcahtoa and Pemdas are kind of children’s comic book characters in my mind? Sohcahtoa is a superhero; she travels through the Sciverse bringing people together and solving scientific and mathematical problems between others who are concepts come to life. With her meter-stick sword and her protractor throwing star, she’s a force to be reconed with!  Pemdas is her trusty sidekick. He’s a cuttlefish with immense knowledge of operations and formulas, and Sohcahtoa keeps him in a cube on her belt. Pemdas checks her math and gives her any theorems or formulas she might need.  Lol I’m a nerd next question.

33. Is there anything you wish your audience knew about your writing or writing process? Just want to say: I’m not some sort of warlock, I promise! The reason I can post so consistently for EoI is not always because I write consistently; it’s because I have a cushion of chapters between what I’m writing and what I’m posting. Sometimes I’m completely barren of words and I can’t write for days on end, and sometimes I just fly through things in hours. But all that inconsistency balances itself out in the end and keeps the chapter cushion intact, so my readers get to see only me looking like I have everything under control. I’m just as chaotic as you, I promise.  (Prophets is not like this with the chapter cushion. I am a bad girl when it comes to Prophets. XD instant gratification is my arch nemesis.) 

Anyway! This was super fun Ish. Thanks for the ask! 

[disregardcanon]

a decade of self recs

i’d like to invite anyone who wants to to participate in this exercise along with me!

this is a self rec and a reflection on a fic from each year of the decade

fandoms include: percy jackson, adventure time, a song of ice and fire, girl meets world, gravity falls, young justice, the flash, my hero academia, the mcu, and the handmaid’s tale. 

2010: I didn’t even know what fanfiction was! oh my gosh i was a baby!

2011: 

I Won’t Ever Leave You Alone

Fandom: Percy Jackson 

Pairings: Percy/Annabeth

Summary:  What happens when Percy's sent to the Roman Camp and flat out does not want to remember his past? Can it have a happy ending? It's my first fan fiction and I hope you enjoy.

A.N: This WAS the first fanfiction that I ever wrote. It was bad. It’s STILL bad. however... if I didn’t ever write this one, then I never would have gotten less bad. That’s important! 

2012: 

The Ice Prince

Fandom: Adventure Time

Summary:  "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice" Robert Frost. The lonely ice prince wonders a frozen wasteland of his own creation, searching for companionship he will never be fortunate enough to find, with only vague recollections and half memories as comfort. Drabble Ice Prince!Finn

A.N: this fic is actually shorter than the author’s note I wrote for it, but... I’m not going to lie. The atmosphere work is really great and the wording flows really nicely. I’m proud of this little piece. I think out of everything that I wrote that year, it shows my potential the best. 

2013: 

Hot Chocolate Heals All Wounds

Fandom: Percy Jackson 

Pairings: Reyna/Annabeth and past Percy/Annabeth 

Summary:  Moving on is never easy, but with hot chocolate, love, laughter and Reyna by her side, Annabeth might just manage.

A.N: 2013 was where I really started to take off as a fic writer. I improved drastically over the course of the year, but I still think that this fic that I wrote during the summer is the closest to my heart. It’s the first of my “ladies getting over trauma together and falling in love” genre. 

It’s not as good as I remember it being, and oh lordy. the smut.. the smut is bad. But there’s a lot of potential here, and I can still look back on it fondly. 

2014: 

The River Rushes On

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire 

Pairings: Catelyn/Cersei 

Summary: The official reason that she is sent to Riverrun is so that she can learn to be a proper lady alongside Hoster’s daughters. The unofficial reason, of course, is that Tywin found his golden twins having sex.

Or, the one where all good things end, but life continues.

A.N: I had a bit of debate going between this one and a sansaery fic that I wrote that year, but I decided that this HAD to be the choice. Catelyn/Cersei is a pairing that I came to on my own, but I ended up really loving because of the friends I made through the pairing. While this might not have been might best writing of the year, I feel like it was a formative enough experience that it overrides that. 

honorable mention: like the songs, a tragic sansaery au where sansa was a traveling singer

2015: 

Caged

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire 

Pairings: Sansa/Margaery 

Summary:  In an alternate universe where many of the members of the Westerosi elite are magical creatures, the Lannisters seal Sansa Stark's wolf form deep within her. Margaery Tyrell vows to break the spell.

A.N: this is where we get into fics that I might actually recommend to someone. This one was one of the last fics that I wrote during high school, and it was inspired by our class reading of Macbeth and the emotional turmoil of getting ready to head off to college. There’s still some stuff I’m REALLY proud of in there. The spell ingredient “blood of a lover, willingly drawn” is still fantastic, the dream is still chilling, and I honestly sometimes think of adapting this premise into an original story.

honorable mentions: a guide to coming out, the girl meets world edition 

her heart’s duet, the mabifica soulmate’s au 

2016: 

Over the Shadowy Hills 

Fandoms: Young Justice

Pairings: Artemis/Zatanna

Summary: Wally is dead, but Artemis isn't. She's trying to learn how to deal with that.Featuring: Bart Allen, product placement Netflix isn't paying me for, blatant symbolism, and snaibsel sweaters.

A.N: 2016 was a REALLY hard one. I wanted to put like, 3 star wars rebels fics, but i’m holding myself to my one fic per year policy, and if it’s one fic for year... then it has to be over the shadowy hills.   

one of my other friends helped me work this into a fic that i could be really proud of, and it’s the better version of the same fic type as “hot chocolate heals all wounds” from a couple years earlier. i’m still really pleased with the way that this one panned out and i couldn’t leave it out of a best list, 

the honorable mentions:  you were someone, once the winter soldiered! ezra fic that helped me become friends with @bodhimcbodeface​, the ketbine soulmate au where sabine drew dicks all over her face, and then there’s the mirialan!ezra au. 

2017: 

you, me, and the flash makes three

Fandom: The Flash 

Pairings: Cisco/Iris, eventual Cisco/Barry/Iris

Summary: When Barry Allen wakes up from his coma, he finds out that Iris is dating Cisco. He tries really hard to dislike the guy, but Cisco makes it really hard. He's a likable dude.Things get more complicated from there.

A.N: i have a few others that i would have liked to put for this year, but i saw “you me and the flash makes three” and then i was like. well shit. i can’t pick anything else. this fic is a little under 15k and it’s really one of my favorite things that i’ve ever written. it’s a little cheesy and at parts feels a little clunky, but i think that the way that i was able to hit the most important emotional beats for season one of the flash and flesh out all the relationships within an ot3 outweigh that. 

honorable mentions are: how to fall in love with your mark, the bluepulse fic where bart allen realizes that he can’t kill jaime reyes and 

mantis prays to oregon, the guardians of the galaxy vol. 2 fic where mantis is ego’s biological child, but that somehow makes everything worse

2018: 

Ad Astra Per Aspera

Fandom: My Hero Academia

Pairings: Ochako/Bakugo 

Summary:  Ochako sees none of herself in Bakugo’s pure rage, her sheer confidence. Bakugo holds up an enormous middle finger to the world and says come and get it. She’s harsh. She’s loud. She’s angry. She doesn’t say what’s on her mind; she shouts it.If she’s being completely honest, Ochako is a bit in awe with her.People might not like her, but they take her seriously. Bakugo grabs them by the throats, pulls them in and says “I am woman, hear me roar."

Sequel to "knights in shining armor"

A.N: 2018 was the year that I embraced the gender bend and started writing bildungsromans that deal with coming of age and trying to puzzle out wtf being a person and gender even are. I’m really pleased with all of them, but this is my favorite. Partially because I think it’s the most well-written, partially because I like the motifs the best, but mainly because it taught me a lot about myself and my writing. 

Also it accidentally got me to ship kacchako, which is something I appreciate. 

honorable mentions: hers, not his: the fem!todoroki one where she learns that sometimes telling your dad to fuck off isn’t worth giving up the things that you love

gimme a boost over heaven’s gate, the one where eleanor and tahani end up on the same talk show together. then bone. then become better people

2019: 

Paint a New Horizon 

Fandoms: A Song of Ice and Fire

Pairings: Sansa/Margaery and abusive Sansa/Joffrey

Summary:  Sansa is a painter. The moment that she meets Joffrey he becomes her muse. After they get married she starts to see his true colors unfold in front of her and she loses her passion. Then she meets Margaery. Her presence changes everything, and reignites a passion for painting and for life that Sansa thought was long buried. It’s too bad that leaving Joffrey isn’t an easy task.

A.N: this fic is 23k of my sweat and tears. i know that it’s kind of a weird premise, but this was the most gripping writing i’ve done all year. it was exactly right for me at that moment. 

however, it does spell a bit of a turning point in my writing and life. in the past, i have written short fics that i could get posted fairly quickly. this fic was the result of multiple weeks of work when i was off school, not working much, and focusing mainly on... writing this damn thing. moving forward, i’m going to have to try to figure out a way to keep up my motivation and drive with longer projects when i don’t have the time to dedicate to HUGE chunks of work at one time when i also know i’m not going to get the instant gratification of kudos immediately after a long writing sesh. i know that sounds silly, but this is the first year where the majority of the fics i wrote WERE longer. 

while i’m very pleased with all of these longer fics, it does mark a shift that i will just have to learn how to deal with. 

honorable mention: A Woman’s Place, the handmaid’s tale time travel fix it fic

[healerofsins-blog]

Tips That Help Me Write

Disclaimer: These are things I’ve learned in my fifteen years of writing. These have helped me in the past and future. Hopefully they can help someone else. I have also posted this to a personal Reddit account, so this is mine and not taken by anyone else.

1. It’s okay to let go of an idea.

Too many times I will get stuck in a chapter because I have been set on a singular idea and have to find a way to spin the story around it. It may be work to have to write the idea out of what has already been written, but this frees you from being stuck on something that will hold you back.

But OP the idea has already been written and posted?

That’s okay too. But remember this is your story and your rules. Now I’m not saying that you can bring someone back from the dead and just call it good. You can also make the detail or item less valuable than originally thought. Example, making a scream masked by a noise. If your story is set in the middle of nowhere there are big cats and birds that scream. Owls and cougars can sound like human infants.

2. Sometimes going to the past can help shape your future.

Flack back chapters are a go to for me if I’m stuck with nowhere to go. As I usually write with a very loose script I will write myself into a corner. In order to break the walls down and free myself, I will in turn make a flashback appear. It can be a lesson from long ago, or something that connects a few characters together. Easy way to stall and set some character development.

But Op what if I’m in the middle of a fight or conflict?

This is some of the perfect times for a flashback in my opinion. Give the writers a little suspense. A few may be upset that they don’t get instant gratification, and I understand that completely. It can help you create a power or understand that may not have been there before that can help you propel into the future.

3. Don’t like the rules? Break them.

This is your writing, your story and you can do what you please within it. You are the master and can change anything you want. If you are trying to stay as close to the material as possible it can be as simple as bending the rules for a few seconds. Humans can’t normally pick up cars right? But adrenaline is a hell of a drug. Mothers have literally saved their infants from being under cars by lifting it. I mean they break their bones but again this is writing. Your story your rules.

4. Filler chapters are totally acceptable.

This is one of my important ones. Burnt out on writing those battle scenes or sick of writing smut? Change it up. Character development doesn’t always have to be in the form of conflict. It can be as simple as sitting and contemplating their lives. I am a huge fan of filler chapters, especially with some good character development or some off hand fluff.  It gives me a better connection with the characters and in turn I enjoy the story better.

But OP my story is all serious.

Then this is perfect for you. If you hit one more the entire story it won’t have the same impact. For instance if your character always has anxiety it will grow old. Speaking as someone with anxiety. Because I have ups and downs. Your character and story should to. Even in the most dramatic shows and story’s there are moments of relief or happiness. If your characters can’t really portray these things it’s okay to introduce a setting or OC that may be able to.

5. Writers Block? Take a break.

It’s okay to go on a hiatus and make time for yourself. If you want to continue writing try a one shot or some off hand writings for yourself. I have found that completely stepping away from a project and letting my mind run on something new will freshen my outlook on the story and let me keep going. And one shots don’t have the added stress of having a commitment to add chapters. Like the one shot? It’s also okay to keep going. One shots can always be turned into short stories or even a full commitment. But remember that it’s also supposed to help you.

6. Create character flaws.

We are not all powerful. In some situations neither should your characters be. Quirks can be powerful. Living beings are born with faults and differences all the time. Create something that needs to be overcome and boom some more sweet sweet character development as they find ways around it or ways to power through it.

But OP my story is set in a super power universe they are supposed to be this way.

Fair enough, but flaws don’t always have to be weakness. It can be uncontrollable anger. Bouts of sadness or even uncertainty. Even villains aren’t without their flaws.  

7. It’s okay to walk away.

If your story isn’t bringing you joy, walk away. Sure your followers may be a little upset, and those who are only following you for this specific story won’t be happy. In the end it’s your life. You have an entire world around you that’s not this story. Sometimes walking away can bring you back. Maybe years later, and maybe never again.

8. You may be sick of reading the same chapter over and over but your readers aren’t.

I am super guilty of this. I will spend a week on a specific chapter and absolutely hate it. It will be the same words over and over and I will grow mad at it. But once I post it the readers will be absolutely in love with it. Remember that you may have seen those words a hundred times, but to them it’s brand new.

9. I don’t think my story is any good because it isn’t popular.

Perhaps not enough love or comments on your story has you down. Remember these few things.

What your writing may be super rare. It may be the only story in this field. I have looked down for something to read and come across different fan fictions that are the ONLY one in its class. Don’t give up, people do read it and will look for it. I have found diamonds hidden away because it wasn’t super popular. I will deliberately go to page 6-8 at first when looking for something to read if there are a ton of dictions.

Your readers may not have an account or have already liked it. On Archive I find myself wondering why I have the fraction of likes as I do views, but it hit me one day. Every time a reader clicks on your story it’s a view, but on some sites like AOE they can only like it once. A lot of people won’t comment simply because it’s not what they do. On Fanfiction it’s easier to see which chapters are liked better than others and they can like every single one, but sometimes they will forget these things.

10.Multiple tags aren’t trashy.

If something new can be tagged DO IT. I cannot tell you the amount of people who told me they read my story simply because the tags. It will help your story reach further as some people will literally hunt for one specific tag when writing.

11. Too short? Too much talking? Getting burnt out on certain scenes? Add details.

You feel like the conversations are taking a lot of space. You’re getting tired of writing he said she said over and over. You want to expand your word count. You’re unsure if it’s enough. Sprinkle that shit like it’s candy.

Eye color, feelings, thoughts, smell, how warm is it, how cold can it get, which way is the wind blowing, is the sun high or low, make inanimate objects flow, make that table in the corner an old splintered health hazard, paint the walls, tile the floors... you can do so much with writing. Craft everything from the smallest detail if you can. I am a sucker for some good details and character development. Is it exciting? Not really, but it adds to your story.

And last for now because this is super long already.

12. This is YOUR story.

As with breaking the rules this is your story. You are doing this for fun. You don’t really owe anyone an explanation if and when you decide to do something. The exception being if you’re being paid to do a certain thing. You decide how the story ends. You are using your craft to create something for free (usually) for others to enjoy. You want to add a super powered robot that can fix everything with some dank magic in a world where fire is the best technology they have? Freaking do it. I have read satire writings and they have been some of the best laughs in my life. Have fun with it. You’re the one writing it.

Feel free to take this and use this to your heart's content.

[rubberduckyrye]

Basically all morning I’ve been thinking about my writing, and how the likelihood of me writing an original novel and publishing it is like. Stupidly small.

Why’s that? Well, there are a lot of reasons.

Puritan culture fucking terrifies me as a content creator. Or, basically, cancel culture, antis, deplatforming, whatever you call it today. The act of using every resource possible to attack and harm content creatures, especially queer content creators. There’s a danger writing characters that aren’t straight, white men--not just from the “majority” view, but the unrealistic expectations from these mindsets that anyone who is queer must be pure, must be good, must be this or that, and as you all probably know, I ain’t about that “pure good” or “pure evil” life. I like my characters complex and morally grey. I have one story in my head about demons, and the moral of the story is to flip perspectives of what “evil” is verses what “good” is, and things can and will get muddy since the subject is demons having to hunt and eat human souls to sustain themselves, otherwise they will die. The “humane” way to do this is to make contracts with humans who know the consequences of their wish. The story follows to relatively fresh humans-turned-demons that eventually fall in love, but first have to deal with the traumatizing consequences of being forced into becoming demons. This is a queer relationship and that scares me. I can already hear people calling this concept a terrible, awful, homophobic, whatever, solely because the queer protagonists aren’t “pure babies uwu” and hell, their relationship isn’t even 100% healthy so add abusive/toxic relationship to the pile of things I’d be accused of.  So if I ever were to publish a book, I’d probably make a whole new identity just to do so. Like Lemony Snicket, except you wouldn’t be able to know who I am behind that identity. Because I am that afraid. I want to be as far away from fandoms of my own franchises as the creator as possible. I don’t want to be harassed, I don’t want discourse, I just want to create and be left alone.

I know I probably would not be successful. Aside from the fact that I want minority protagonists, the kind of genre I’m interested in are very... how do I put this... fanficy. Hurt/comfort? As far as I’m aware, that’s like. No where to be found in mainstream media. There’s just tragic death, heroic “I’ll fight in your name and honor,” but no diving deeper into trauma and psychology. There aren’t just breather moments, or moments where that hero breaks down because they’re just a kid/young adult who can’t really handle the trauma and stress. So the subjects I want to write for aren’t popular or considered “interesting” by mainstream media standards. And with my fears mentioned int he first point, I would have no platform to build off of with that new identity. I wouldn’t be able to yell about my book on here because that would give away my identity. So I’d have a very hard time building a platform from the ground up for a story that probably won’t be popularized to begin with. And that is aside from the overwhelming amount of internet pessimism relating to becoming a published author and my RSD ain’t about that life.

 I find fanfiction more enjoyable to read and write. Probably because there are established characters for me to play around with, and that’s far easier than establishing an OC from the ground up when I just want to have two characters snuggle and talk about their hopes and dreams. I also get immediate feedback, instant gratification, because there are people who love these characters already.

Pressure, pressure, pressure. I don’t want to get too into it, but I don’t have great parents. When I was younger and not getting the best grades in school, my father was angry and told me I needed to “be someone” and that I wasn’t trying hard enough. My mother encourages my writing, but in all the wrong ways. She’s got such a high bar set for me, and when I told her I changed a character’s name, she was upset about it. They treat me more like a token child. Hell, my mother forced me to print large posters of some of my art for her that were hand-signed and had had written descriptions on the backs, so when I get “rich and famous” they (my mother and her fiance) can turn some kind of profit??? I guess? Or just show off that they have a kid with talent? Like a trophy. It’s not that they’re proud of me, they’re proud of themselves for having and raising me. That kind of thing. 

Writing long, novel-length fanfiction is hard for me, let alone an original story. I have yet to write and finish a fanfiction that could be considered “novel length” by myself. I tend to get bored, or tired, or loose steam half way through and never come back to it. How can I expect to write something of that magnitude on my own with my own characters and world? 

There are probably more reasons I could think of, but bleh. Thinking about this is kind of upsetting, because it also feels like I’m giving up, or letting go of a dream. A dream I had since I was a kid. That’s a sad feeling, if I admit defeat.

But is this admitting defeat?

I don’t really know.

I feel kind of... empty, thinking about it.

Sorry. I guess I just wanted to vent out my thoughts.

[scifimagpie]

Global Warming: Why The Winds of Winter May Never Come

This morning, I found myself penning a feisty screed about sequels, and I've been meaning to write an article about them for some time. Apparently, the moment has come. 

I have a theory about why ASOIAF's main storyline is screwed up beyond repair. It's not unrelated to the issues of the Kingkiller Chronicles, which have also been all but abandoned by Patrick Rothfuss. As much as authors don't owe their fans instant gratification or satisfaction of every whim, offering a finishing date and moving that is a breach of etiquette and trust, especially since it's been going on for so many years. I'm no stranger to setting up sequels and struggling to finish them. No author is. But these books have gotten somewhat out of control, and after a few years of trying to discuss it, I think I can summarize the reasons why, both quickly and simply.

The what now? (No, really.)

If you've somehow been living under a rock or in a windowless void in some alternate dimension, A Song of Ice and Fire is the series by George R R Martin that's been adapted to a big-budget tv show by HBO. It's been a smash hit, especially for its controversy-courting topics and often blunt, insensitive approach to issues. It's basically historical fanfiction combining The War of the Roses (mostly as presented by Shakespeare), the Borgias of Renaissance Italy, Mongolian Huns circa Ghenghis Khan's reign, and Vikings, with protagonists plucked from other works of classic literature for spice, and absolutely shameless borrowing from Memory, Sorrow and Thorn's plots and themes (a series by author Tad Williams that features a fire priest, coming winter, undead creatures, nasty political conflict, and the reawakening of magic). (If you don't know those names, I recommend a wander through Wikipedia for the basics, because the history stuff is really cool. There's also somewhat inaccurate but entertaining and lush series about the Borgias, Vikings, and Mongolian rulers on Netflix. Shakespeare covered the whole War of the Roses, so you can listen to or watch readings of the plays on Youtube if you're wondering what those were about. There's no shame in reading notes for Shakespeare, and hearing all that intricate speech is easier than reading it sometimes. So now you know!) Oh, and there's some dragons, intriguing bits of Lovecraft/Robert E. Howard fanfiction that doesn't go anywhere, and nods to Celtic myth cycles that also don't really get used that much. Everyone else and their dog has covered the feminist and representation issues in the series, but this should give you a rough idea of what it's about or what it's like. He also kills way too many peasants in the series, which did not happen in mediaeval Europe, because a) they were civilians and b) peasants are an important resource in a non-industrial country, but I guess that's what it takes for an adequately upsetting body count. It has some strong points, like the way Martin manages to subvert tropes by exploring them very fully, and the disability representation is pretty good, in my opinion. It has tons of worldbuilding porn and description porn, but long-term readers of fantasy and pulp aren't going to find anything truly challenging here. Basically, it's fine. But it's not perfect, and it could be better - as I'll explain in a second. SO - be aware of the SPOILERS SPOILER SPOILERS referred to herein.

Why should we care? 

The thing is, A Song of Ice and Fire about the Starks. There are other characters, but we meet them first, we are given cues to care about them, and we connect with them. We explore more of their perspectives than those of any other family, including the Targaryens and Lannisters. Ned Stark died in the first book, as we probably all know. However, that wasn't a dealbreaker - as his family got scattered to the winds, readers and Martin had a strong motivation to see them reunited. The reuniting a family theme is actually underused, but it worked in Fivel Goes West and it worked here. Eagerly devouring the books, we all hoped to see the Starks come back together, surviving their harsh circumstances (which are historically inaccurate as heck, by the way). BUT - in book 3, when the Red Wedding happened (killing eldest son Rob Stark, his mother, and his new wife - even though his mother returned as a scary undead lady), it all fell apart. Sure, it was a brilliantly unpredicted plot twist - but it messed up the emotional throughline. 

Who do we care about, and why?

A land is made up of people. The history of a world is meaningless if it doesn't include individuals. By killing off so many Starks one by one - and by killing their direwolves, too - GRRM completely nuked his own emotional throughline. That's why books 4 and 5 start focusing on Noble #5 and Suitor #3, characters that we don't care about, and why they're such a mess. The books would benefit from focusing on non-noble characters, but classism fetishization is an important problem in fantasy as it is, and GRRM does little to remedy it. All the other families could be torn apart, but by killing too many of his real protagonists, he made the emotional throughline of the book completely collapse. I don't know if it can be fixed, and I think that's why The Winds of Winter just keeps failing to come out. He's trying to write his way out of a hole, but the fact remains that he killed the characters who gave us a reason to give a shit about the story. Someone might say "but the story is bigger than the Starks!" But that's the point - it isn't. They symbolise so many other families torn apart. There is no real hope in the series. It's equivalent to a romance novel where one of the protagonists gets killed halfway through (in a contemporary setting without magic or tech to bring them back) or a mystery where there's no solution.

What's wrong with that? 

Artistic works usually set up an emotional contract with the reader, albeit an unspoken one: "I will create people and a journey for you to care about, and you will spend your hours reading my work--and in exchange, I will provide you some kind of satisfying conclusion, or at least finish what I set up." ASOIAF has broken its most important throughline, and the author has inadvertently sabotaged himself. Between that and the pressure of living up to what he's set up - because The Big Fight That Changes Everything is a risky creative choice at the best of times, actually - Martin has to fight himself to get it out. Hence the years of delay. But if an editor had been allowed to cut all those stupid and unemotionally interesting attempts (far too late in the series, I might add) to hook us into someone else to care about, and to mess with his stupid murder-fetish earlier, maybe the series could have been saved. Of course, I might be wrong, and we might see The Winds of Winter come out any month now. But it sure is hard, as a former fan, to watch the deadlines keep getting pushed. Because it's not just "the book isn't done yet" - it's that he's mentioned release dates, and they fall through over and over. Even if that's his right, it does suck to deal with. And personally, I just don't care anymore. In such times as these, I've gotten weary of endless dark and gritty tales with few redeeming features. Having outgrown Can Lit and the fetishes of literary fiction - more on that in my next post - I need more than chronically depressed murder-hobo protagonists. I need hope, and life, and a world outside the muggy, stifling confines of imaginary Western Europe. ***

Michelle Browne is a sci fi/fantasy writer. She lives in Lethbridge, AB with her partner-in-crime, housemate, and their cat. Her days revolve around freelance editing, knitting, jewelry, and nightmares, as well as social justice issues. She is currently working on the next books in her series, other people's manuscripts, and drinking as much tea as humanly possible. Catch up with Michelle's news on the mailing list. Her books are available on Amazon, and she is also active on Medium, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, and the original blog.

[pandoraspocksao3]

FanFiction recommendation: “Thwarted” by Perry Downing

Pandora’s Review: A+++++++++++++++!!!!!

Artist credit: @verauko. Amazing artwork! *Most people have already heard of this one, but if you are new to Reylo fanfiction, this is a great one! I review stories I like, regardless of whether they are already popular or if they are a gem that few have found yet.

I did a short review on this one when I was at the halfway point, but I’ve read it in its entirety now and thought it deserved a full review! To read, click HERE.

Author’s Summary:

He stands over Snoke’s dead body, toeing it with his boot.

“You never should have stood between us.”

—

It has been nine months since Starkiller and Kylo Ren has become something more. The light still pulls at him from time to time but after the price he has paid, he has been relentless in his pursuit of the dark. And then when Snoke had dared stand in his way, tried to take Rey from him … new power had been born that day. Black and deep. The endless abyss that is Kylo Ren in love.

Why I loved it:

Slow burn: If you’re in an “instant gratification takes too long” mood, this is not the story for you…but if you like a tantalizing buildup and are willing to wait for it, this is worth the time commitment. Rey and Kylo’s chemistry spark from the get-go, and I felt drawn in and invested to the extent I was in tune with or exasperated with one character and then would switch to the other as the chapters progressed. In the beginning, almost all the focus is on the Reylo relationship without a lot of subplots, so you are very immersed in their world and psychology of the characters. I admit to yelling at the computer monitor a few times because I was THAT caught up in it and at times I was Team Rey and others I was Team Kylo…although as the story evolves, you realize that each has some growth to experience, and by the end I was just emotionally spent from the ride on the “Kylo Pain Train” as the author put it, and I was so glad I’d been along for the ride! I think you’ll be very glad you stuck around to the end and finished it!

Character Analysis: I’m always interested in what makes a character tick. This story explores both Kylo and Rey, but really delves deep into Kylo. It’s written from Kylo’s POV, so we know his thoughts, motivations, confusion, desires and pain. We also get to know more of the WHY through original characters introduced, mainly through Shree Vitok, a Knight of Ren who also serves as Kylo’s friend and de facto psychoanalyst through dialogue, giving us clues into why Kylo behaves as he does.

Attention to detail: We’re all familiar with the Star Wars universe, but there is delicious creativity in the world created, including rich descriptions of edibles with original names, sumptuous gowns, breathtaking jewelry, and easily visualized new planets. I think part of the story’s appeal is that the author writes in rich Technicolor. I had no problem “seeing” as well as “feeling” everything that was happening as it unfolded.

Original characters:  Sometimes original characters can be a jolt, and at other times they are a sheer delight that we can easily imagine as an established character. I won’t go into the ones in this story for spoiler reasons, except to say they are nicely done and slowly introduced and evolve with the story.

Overall review: This fiction has 75 chapters, so you might feel a bit daunted on starting it, but you’ll be surprised how fast it goes. The spacing is easy on the eyes, which I appreciated. It’s a very psychological story that explores the depths of the souls of both Kylo and Rey, and there’s a “Beauty and the Beast” quality to it that I fell in love with.

 ~A richly told story of a girl in a gilded cage and a man who doesn’t realize he’s also in one himself. 

Highly recommend!!!!

@perrydowning 

[norasincubi]

Intro Letter To: I'm (Almost) A Divorcee

In this day and age, where we get instant gratification for almost everything our brains could conjure, the world became dull to me. At least, that’s what Jungkook said to me. I was just an instant gratification for him. Not noting the fact we waited till marriage till he got his fill of my body.

Five years ago, when I got married to the love of my life, Jeon Jungkook, I expected to have ups and downs, but in the end, have a happily ever after. Oh how fucking wrong I was. Between all the sex and late night talks, I fell in love. So enthralled by his love I was, my whole world revolved around him. Per usual, it seems as if God laughs at me, deciding my fate to be not full of recherché, like most others. Nothing every goes I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise when my marriage didn’t work out, and I’ve resorted to using tumblr to let out my rage.

Having a child does not equate to permanent love. All of this has made me stop and think, was he ever in love with me? Perhaps not. Perhaps it was just my body, and the way I responded to him in bed he was in love with and not my brain, ideas, thoughts, or opinions. I suppose it’s how most women say it to be, men are all the same. They want a glory hole to just ravish and fuck. Am I cynical? Can you blame a woman that wasted five years of her life with one man, and had a child with?

It’s so hard to even admit now, at this given time, that I still am in love with Jungkook. Honestly, I should be ashamed, and upset. I don’t want him to leave. I want him to give us another chance. Is he by chance going to go on wattpad, and diligently read my long ass message, written in English? Highly doubt it.

Alas, that isn’t my main message I came here today to admit to you. My main point is, everyone in this world is concerned on what my husband has to say, and nobody has stopped to think about me. Perhaps it’s the bitch in me that urges an audience to hear my voice, and that is my point with this book. For you to read through this as if its a teenager angst fanfiction when you can experience the hell my life has become. I hope you all enjoy the shit show that’s about to occur.

[uncpanda]

41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 50, 51 for the fandom ask meme

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading: in no particular order

1) Serendipitous Fate (Miraculous Ladybug) 

2) Down the Road, for a Season , Blind Spots by SpoiledSweet AKA @ladyofsnark in my eyes this woman is the queen of Naruto fanfiction and I adore her with my crack pair loving heart. (House calls is also amazing but it’s finished and I still go back and read it because it makes me smile every time) I’m very happy you’re back dear.

3) Kill your heroes by Evil is a relative term. This author made me cry over an OC.

4) The Reclamation of Black Magic by @shayalonnie she’s amazing. Her stories are amazing. And they never fail to make me smile.

5) Daddy not Bats by Gilmare. It’s an interesting look at what could have happened with Bruce and the boys. I love it.

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

@cait-writes-stuff, @batlog @shayalonnie @ladyofsnark @skaylanphear

44. What ship do you feel needs more attention?- Barry and Iris, Wally and Artemis. Seriously though give Iris a bigger role in Flash. She’s a badass we all know it.

45. What is your all time favourite fanfic?-I can’t choose just one. You guys know me.

47. Archive Of Our Own, Fanfiction.net or Tumblr - where do you prefer to post and why?- Haven’t had much interaction with AO3, FFN I’m comfortable with but sometimes it has to be put in time out. Probably tumblr. I like instant gratification apparently

50. How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?- My dog, Murphy died and I was looking for an escape and I started writing. He was in a lot of early fanfiction. I could post a pic of him if you want?

51. Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go!- I’m not a big ranter to be honest. My biggest pet peeve would probably be writers tearing other writers down or oh it came to me! Leaving a flame on anon. It is the biggest sign of cowardice and it just makes me mad. So mad.