#honeybeet answers

[thehoneybeet]

Just finished bingeing your whole AO3 catalogue and can I just say I absolutely love your writing style, I quite literally could not put those fics down! They're all absolutely wonderful ♥️♥️♥️

I savoured this ask all day because it gave me all the warm lovely feelings. I am delighted that you took the time to peruse my little collection and that you enjoyed them. You are the best. Here, have a flower as a thank you 🌹

actually have a bouquet: 🌱 🌱🌹🌹🌿 🌱 🌾🌹🌸🌹🌹🌾 🌱 🌾🌱🌹🌹🌹🌹🌾🌹🌹🌿🌾 🌱🌹🌸🌹🌹🌹🌹🌿 🌾🌹🌹🌸🌿 🌿🌱 🎀 🎋🌿

(thank you!!!)

[thehoneybeet]

It might be cheating to use an opening passage, but I adore the way you started plant me in your garden (and watch me grow). It gives such great insight into both Harry and Draco from the get go with so few words, and I’d love to know more about what you were thinking when you wrote it!

[Malfoy falls asleep in herbology. A bowtruckle is making a nest in his hair.

It’s long and gleaming, falling like water down his back, except for the tendrils gently woven together at the top, making a tiny little cup. The bowtruckle is dipping the ends of it in the corner of Malfoy’s parted mouth, wetting the strands slightly before threading them together. Harry thinks Malfoy might have a conniption when he wakes.

He doesn’t. Instead, he smiles, a secret thing, and gently cuts the hair attached to the nest, slowly floating it to the table, the bowtruckle along for the ride. Tiny tufts of blond stick up in the middle of his head now, an odd kind of mullet.

Harry can’t bring himself to look away. No one else seems to notice. He looks down. His bowtruckle is nowhere to be seen.]

I literally think about this opening all the time, and I’m not exaggerating. You’re brilliant! 💜

Hi mj! Not cheating at all! I'm so touched that plant me in your garden is the fic you chose; it's special to me because it's my first fic and it was written during a time when I was thinking a lot about what it means to be genderfluid and nonbinary. I transplanted a lot of those feelings into my characterisation of Draco, who is probably the closest character I've written to myself, my interests, my view of life (that said, he's definitely not me for a myriad of reasons). Commentary below the cut:

This draco is so different from any other draco I've written. They are very soft and reserved in large part because of the introspection it took to discover their gender identity, and their desire to get through the year unnoticed. Except Harry does notice Draco, even when Draco tries to be invisible.

With this scene, I wanted to establish a few things: Draco's tired during the day because he stays up all night. Draco has long hair, but he doesn't have a stick up his arse. He has a private relationship with his surroundings and the natural world that Harry is privy to but feels very much outside of. And Harry notices these things, sees how different Draco is from before, and starts to admire those qualities.

I started the fic using 'he' pronouns for Draco to make a gentle transition from canon Draco to the Draco we meet in this story. I really wanted Draco's gender fluidity and shifting pronouns to be not a big deal, an integral part of the emotional undercurrent of the story without making it a story about being genderqueer. This is also why the story is from Harry's point of view, so we get glimpses of Draco's interior life but not the full story. At the time I'm not sure if I felt qualified to write that interiority, as I was only beginning to think in depth about that experience.

More than just being about what Harry calls in the fic 'the gender thing', plant me is about being understood. Being seen. And that comes out several ways: Draco being seen by harry for who she is, Harry's needs being noticed and attended to by Draco even when he is trying to repress them. Feeling safe to be yourself, even when you think you are a danger or wrong somehow. And seeing that what you thought was dangerous or strange about yourself is actually beautiful. Maybe this is about being queer, actually. Hm.

The bowtruckles are here because I like them and how playful they are. They make nests in this fic because I wanted them to. I wanted both Draco and Harry to experience wonder. The world is wonderful. For most of Harry's life, magic is a constant source of violence, but it's also a source of wonder for him early on. I wanted his awe of magic to emerge now that he's no longer in mortal danger, and for Draco to give him a little more of that magic that he didn't grow up with.

The funny thing is I hardly even remember physically writing this passage since it's been two years, so I have little idea of what I was thinking at the exact time I wrote it. I definitely didn't know how the story was going to end. Sometimes I wish I could get back to how I used to write (like this) which was much less self-conscious, and more indulgent, exploratory, I think. Gentler. I don't know. Everyone has their seasons, and I guess I just have to trust that I can still grow as a writer, even though this is still one of my favorites. Thank you so much for this lovely ask 💜💜💜

send me a snip from a fic of mine and I'll do a dvd-style commentary on it

[thehoneybeet]

N & S for the ask game please! <3

For the fanfic ask game.

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

So many! I guess the only problem is that when an idea gets hold of me I tend to want to write it myself. Or, I wish someone else could finish my wips in the way I would want them to be written 😂 Unfortunately that's not going to happen!

I checked out one of the fics you recommended in your previous answer (Gyre and Gimble) and I was really struck by the author's description of Draco's sensual attraction as one embodiment of asexuality. If there was a fic I wish someone else would write for me, it would be a combination of the kind of easy, shiver-inducing sensuality I admire and am currently loving in @wolfpants and @kbrick's writing with a longer, nuanced exploration of when sensuality is the main event, so to speak.

[Now that I've mentioned you two I have to go on a tangent which is revisiting a couple moments from your writing I think about a lot.

1. When Harry rubs sleep from his eyes, Draco stirs. His leg slips against Harry’s beneath the sheets, warm and dusted with sparse hair that tickles Harry’s skin. - The Night Before. For some reason when I first saw this part it felt like the hottest thing I'd ever read.

2. Draco licked over Potter’s mouth again, and this time Potter’s lips opened at the touch, and Draco’s tongue caught along the top one and Potter made a little whining sound. Then it was over to the other side of his neck, kissing and then letting his teeth scratch gently at delicate flesh. Even From Opposite Ends of the Universe - Book I. Again, the tension, the anticipation...gorgeous. Every one of Kbrick's kissing scenes is a masterclass in sensuality.]

Anyway I realize this turned in to reccing authors I'm really enjoying rn but whatever! I just really love sensuality when done well and would love a fic centered around that concept specifically. I'm not sure if this is making any sense, and definitely not asking for this to actually be written. But at this moment in time I think that's something I would really enjoy.

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

Hidden identity. I just really love the concept of falling in love with the person you know beneath the guise. The Boy Who Only Lived Twice (@letteredlettered); Freedom to Be (@quicksilvermaid)

Undercover (related to the above): when one of them is secretly investigating the other. I think I may just love betrayal. Burn the Witch (@lettersbyelise) and Paint it, Black (@cassiopeiasshadow)

Morally grey: A Pocket Full of Stones @amywaterwings

Multiple/alternate universes: Turning Leaves (@kbrick); In What Universe? (@amywaterwings)

I love it when they have to work so hard for it yet at the same time it feels inevitable. I'm pretty open to most things, especially if there's an interesting & compelling take on them, and fantastic writers can convince me to like anything.

Sorry this was so long and thanks for the ask!

[thehoneybeet]

I really enjoyed your fucked up fic 🤝 (that’s you and me in the Put Unforgivable Curses On Each Other For Sex Reasons Club)

In this club we write wholesome stories about fucked up shit 🖤 I'm really happy you enjoyed Necro-romance especially because I simply loved your sweet sexy imperius fic. Now all we need is someone to write Crucio, arguably the most fucked up of the big three 👀

[thehoneybeet]

Hello! #16 for the gay asks? (If you want to) 💜

thank you for this, lovely!

my happiest pride memory...the summer after i graduated from high school, i went with a friend of mine who i was also sort of in love with. i don't actually remember that much about the parade - it was wonderful and very colorful and hot and sweaty and loud. i had just cut my hair really short. we met up with a couple friends, and then some other folks from school asked for a ride home and stole the rest of our french fries 😂. after, neither of us wanted to go home, so around midnight we drove up to a high point in the city, hiked up the hill, and looked at the stars. the pride was fun but the best part was getting to spend time with her. i loved that - just existing in the same space.

for the gay ask game

[thehoneybeet]

hello!! 9 & 23 for the writers ask if you’re up for it :•)

Hi there! Thank you for these <3 (for the fic writer asks)

9. How do you find new fic to read?

Lately I haven't been able to read a lot of new fic (I'm trying to write something and also read more tradpub books). What I have read, for the most part I've found through fic recs or author posts on tumblr. My last read was @skeptiquewrites's gorgeous, gorgeous fic Winner Takes It All. I've also been poking around @dronarryfest which has a collection of incredible works currently posting.

When I first started reading, though, I would scroll through the drarry tag on ao3. No filters. Just reading summaries and choosing fics that sounded good. This is probably why I'm so comfortable with the concept of DLDR: I came across everything. Before I made an ao3 account I had all 500 tabs on my phone open to different wip fics. I'd refresh my favorites to see if any had updated. Absolute chaos. I was lucky enough to meet @the-fools-errand errand this way though, who encouraged me to make a tumblr and effectively ended that era.

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

I have several ideas that have floated in my head for years. One is a fic based on one of the diadem worlds in The Secret Keeper, a sort of Voldemort Wins AU in which the resistance takes much longer than it does in canon. I think this would be fantastically fun to write. I'm also really looking forward to reading how @tackytigerfic absolutely smashes this trope (and the multiverse!) in their current wip.

My other pet idea is a regency era period piece tragedy. I used the main scene I dreamt up for this in everything is relative to you, but would love to write the whole fic on its own.

And finally, Spy Draco. Another wip that's currently on pause. A couple wip snips (here and here)

Lovely to hear from you as always, @maziktheli!

[thehoneybeet]

do you have any advise for finding beta readers? i'm currently 20k words deep in a wip and have no idea where to even start 😅 i would post an advert, but i'm worried that won't get the reach i would like because i'm not very engaged in the hp fandom. any advice would be much appreciated!!

Hello anon friend! @the-starryknight wrote a similar guide on finding fandom community here. But here's mine for finding a beta:

Discord (if you don't have one, I highly recommend it)

If you write drarry, the Drarry Discord Server (18+) is an incredible resource! You can request alpha/beta help in the 'planning-editing-help' channel, which is full of people who would be happy to help. Just briefly describe your project and the kind of feedback you're looking for.

I've also found betas for non-drarry ships in there, too, so it's not strictly drarry. That said, there are other discord servers if you are looking for something different:

HP SAFFICS (18+) for wlw ships ('alpha-beta-britpick' channel)

HP Fanfic Writers' Guild for any ship and also a greater variety of resources for writers ('trade-room')

If you're participating in a fest, many of them have their own servers where you can request beta help as well! Usually their tumblr accs will post a link to the fest discord.

Tumblr posts

I know you mentioned you're not sure how much engagement you'll get. If you ever do want to make a post though, feel free to tag/dm me and I will reblog! I'm sure others would be happy to spread the word as well. And like starry said, the more you interact with other people, reblog their stuff, and comment on their fics, etc., the better they will recognise you and jump at the chance to help you out <3

And finally, I know this is a bit scary, but:

You can DM people individually

If you know that they accept beta requests, you can start with that, but if not you can just start by saying hello, flailing about their work, or just talking about writing things. It's always good to make friends even if you don't get a beta out of it.

I frequently beta for other writers (see my treatment post), and there are several of us on tumblr who will happily take beta requests. My fandom life is really full right now, so I might be limited in how much I could help with, but anyone who feels comfortable being asked to beta is welcome to comment on this post as well!

I hope this is helpful, my lovely anon, and don't hesitate to reach out again if you're having a hard time finding someone.

[thehoneybeet]

I’m going to pick a number at random. I don’t even know what I’m asking. 😂. 4… or 11? For the gay asks?? 💖

hello! so excited to see you in my ask box!

4. tell the story of the first time you came out

coming out has been such a slow, drawn-out process that i can't really remember what came first. i do remember going to a pride alliance meeting in high school with the aforementioned friend-i-was-sort-of-in-love-with. we were asked how we identified and we kind of looked at each other and went...bi? my heart was pounding. we did not go to another meeting.

i've come out to my mom at least three times, each one better than the last. at one point she revealed she sort of had an unspoken *thing* with a lesbian coworker of hers, who, now that i'm thinking about it, i definitely had a bit of a crush on. susan was so cool.

when i came out to my dad, he asked me to repeat myself several times because he didn't hear me the first time...or the second. or the third, until i was shouting IM GAY down the street (we were on a walk, wearing masks, during covid lockdown). then, he just nodded and said he wasn't very surprised. after all that work.

11. have a childhood crush that you didn’t realize was a crush until later in life?

answered here 💕 also see: gay susan from mom's work.

for the gay ask game

[thehoneybeet]

Hello!! If you’re up for more questions from the writer’s tag then 3, 24 and 49 <3

Hi lovely anon! Thank you for asking!

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

Angst is a big one, and my fics tend to be pretty emotional. As a lot of writers do, I tend to gravitate towards certain phrases and ideas. I find myself tempering the urge to use "gentle" and "soft" too much. I love wilderness and weather. I hope the things I love are evident from how I write, but since it's my own I can't really tell. My scenes tend to be on the shorter side because my writing is relatively sparse, I think. Some people have described it as compact, economical.

24. Are there any easter eggs in your fics, and if so, what are they?

Hmmm I'm not sure what counts as an easter egg, exactly. The best one I can think of is near the end of Euphoria, when Draco says, "We're a pair of fools". A little easter egg for my lovely friend @the-fools-errand.

In EIRTY Pansy quotes Legally Blonde, and Draco is a little obsessed with Stephen Hawking. Harry doesn't know who that is and, naturally, is a bit jealous. The bonfire scene at the end of plant me in your garden was mostly inspired by Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

I'm mainly working on something for an anon fest right now, so I sadly can't share that. I've started my FTH offering for @m0srael, though, featuring nonbinary sea captain Gin(ny). I'm having a lot of fun imagining mythical sea creatures for Gin to discover as well as more human creature outcasts (besides werewolves, veelas, etc.) that sail on her ship. Here's a bit of it:

The crew were alright for now; alright enough to pick their way through the shallow rocky formations, sometimes hidden, sometimes jutting up into the clear sky. It was dangerous work, easier in a smaller ship like this one, but that also made it easier to be tossed about.

The light was turning golden from its earlier bright white; the sun was already setting here. Damn, Gin thought, and waved Culla over. 

“Sun’s going down,” said Culla, pulling her hat up off her shadowed face. Gin looked at her sideways, used by now to the way Culla wavered out of sight if looked at directly. 

“My thoughts exactly,” replied Gin. “Doesn’t give us much time to find it.”

“Could do tonight, if we’re lucky.”

Gin huffed. “If we’re lucky.”

“It’s new moon tonight. Tomorrow it might not be dark enough.”

“Couldn’t you help with that, oh creature of darkness?”

Culla’s eyes flashed. “You want me to cast a shadow over the moon?”

“Just long enough to draw the Ceirean out.”

“We could try getting Helen to sing.”

“And risk the rest of the crew jumping overboard? No, thanks.”

Culla laughed. 

The rock formations were closer together now, rising from the dark sea like spears, water white where it crashed against them. 

“Alright, we’ll try tonight,” said Gin. It would be too much to ask Culla for a shadow so large. The beginnings of cool night wind whipped across their face, snatching the sound, but Culla nodded anyway. 

“It’ll want to come out whether we are ready for it or not.” 

[thehoneybeet]

1 and 33 for the writer questions! 🖤

Hello lovely! Thank you for the asks 🌹

1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting?

The font I use varies; I like changing it up especially when I feel stagnant in my writing. I wrote Euphoria in Garamond, EIRTY in Baskerville, wild with all regret in Times New Roman, and one current wip in EB Garamond and the other in TNR.

I've even written in comic sans, which is a trick that helps speed up the writing. (It's not just me!)

The one font I will not abide is Arial (the default in google docs). The first thing I do is change the font. Frankly I am a saint for betaing my dear friend @the-fools-errand's 225k masterpiece The Secret Keeper entirely in Arial. Love you. But also, why!!

33. Do you practice any other art besides writing? Does that art ever tie into your writing, or is it entirely separate?

I love this question!

I've played traditional Irish fiddle music since I was 9. Had a bit of a hiatus during university but I still love listening to the music, writing tunes, etc. I once wrote a twenty page paper on an Irish music album for an ethnomusicology class.

Ceramics - lately obsessed with teapots and raku.

I've done my fair share of painting/drawing as well, and most recently have been dipping my toes into some fanart on procreate (a steep learning curve for me).

Knitting! Something I haven't done in a while but would love to go back to soon.

If anyone who knows me in real life stumbles across this page, they'll probably know it's me just from this combination of art forms 😂

I think they do tie into my writing in abstract ways. It affects the way I see the world, the things about life I focus on, which get translated in how I describe and phrase things. I also listen to music while I write, so definitely some osmosis going on there as well. I haven't actually written any artists into my fics, but I would love to do that someday.

Sorry this was so long, and thank you for asking!

(for the weird qs for writers asks)

[thehoneybeet]

HONEY 🎀 or 💞 or anything you want to answer! (for the fic writer asks)

Thank you so much @epitomereally for the ask!

🎀 give yourself a compliment about your own writing

Cheating a bit because this is something I've heard from others. I like that my writing is economical, in the sense that I'm pretty good at saying quite a lot in not so many words. In a similar way, a lot of my scenes tend to be a bit short and punchy. This isn't necessarily objectively good; there are other authors who spend longer on things and I'll cling to every word they write, but I've decided to like that aspect of my writing style.

The downside to it, though, is I have to work extra hard at lengthening my writing when I want to get a different effect. I also haven't written a fic upwards of 50k (yet).

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

I actually think the most important part of a story is the emotional resonance. Of course it helps to have well-developed characters + plot to get the emotions right, but I think the most important thing is to make myself feel something. If I don't feel anything while writing, there's no way anyone else will! And the stories I remember most are the ones that touched me the deepest.

fic writer ask post

[thehoneybeet]

3, 11, 20!!! 💝

thank you for these, anon 💕🌈

3. what other labels have you used other than your current ones?

bi, ace, lesbian...i don't use these for myself anymore. i've grown into the idea that i can be as ambiguous as i want, even within myself. i don't need to know exactly what i am. there are no rules. so i prefer queer now.

11. have a childhood crush that you didn’t realize was a crush until later in life?

winona ryder in the 1994 little women (jo march my beloved), though i also wanted to be her. in real life, i suppose i had that sort of attachment to my friends that is unique queer kids. there was a girl in middle school i very much wanted to be friends with, but looking back, it probably wasn't just that. but the main one i became aware of while i was still in high school, a sort of slowly growing into myself, i guess. i'd always wanted to be close friends, i just realised i also loved her in more than one way.

20. describe your type in a haiku

have not written one of these in a hot minute! and my type is more of a vibe than anything, but here goes:

infectious laugh, an artist's mind and soft, thick hair; quiet, patient, kind.

for the gay ask game

[thehoneybeet]

10, 12 and 18. Also love your fics 💕

Thank you so much, lovely anon! This is for the writer asks (I love to be asked things!)

10. How do you decide what to write?

I used to be wary of writing prompts, I think because all the ones I had seen before fanfic seemed derivative and unoriginal to me, or just too broad. But most of my fics have been created as part of an exchange or a prompt. I especially love exchange fests like @hd-erised because tailoring a story to the prompts and likes of a recipient has helped me write stories I don't think I ever would have come up with on my own.

It's a bit like visual art: a few limitations end up being incredibly inspiring and freeing.

As for telling when a prompt or idea feels right: usually when my mind starts daydreaming scenes easily and I get excited to write them.

12. Are there any tropes you used to dislike but have grown on you?

Hmm this is an interesting question! I think my process as a reader has been more the other way around. When I first started reading fic, I read anything. Gradually I've figured out what tropes I really love and tend to stick more to those, and generally avoid things that don't quite light me up.

As a writer, I think I'm growing more adventurous though, but this has more to do with my confidence in my abilities and less on what I like/dislike. I used to think I probably wouldn't write kink. Then I wrote wild with all regret.

As a result of writing for specific people, I've written tropes and storylines I probably wouldn't have picked out on my own. For example, soulmate fics where the characters have little agency aren't really my jam, but everything is relative to you is essentially an exploration of soulmates via reincarnation. But I think it was important for me that in each of their lives, they came together ultimately because they wanted to, and not because they were forced.

18. If you wrote a sequel to EIRTY, what would it involve?

Lately I've been daydreaming about a sequel that would really be more of a companion piece. In keeping with the physics theme, I might call it something like, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction", or just "for every action", and it would be a series of Andrea's (Harry's) letters to Gio (Draco), which Hermione read but Harry never got to read in the original fic. I might include some of Gio's letters too, if any can be scrounged up from the historical record.

I'm not sure if that's something people would be interested in reading, though. I know epistolary fics can be a challenge to get invested in sometimes. Would love to play with putting the letters in non-linear order. 16th century magical renaissance Italy, anyone? Let me know if that's something you would like to see!

[thehoneybeet]

An epistolary companion piece to Everything is Relative to you sounds like such a good idea and I would LOVE to read it! 🥹

Thank you so much for this sweet message anon! Let's see if I can dust off Hermione's research files and unearth something cool. I'll keep you posted.

(fic idea is explained in this ask)

[thehoneybeet]

Harry or Draco? If you had to pick one 😁

Asking the tough questions! As a writer, they feel a bit incomplete without the other. Like a vase without flowers.

If I had to pick one as a friend, I'd pick Harry. I feel like with Draco, I would never feel good enough.

If I had to pick a POV to write forever, it would probably be Harry. I find being in his head more natural than being in Draco's. And seeing Draco through his eyes is always a treat. Then again, I've found Draco's pov more compelling recently because it's more of a challenge.

If I had to pick a POV to read forever, it might be Draco. I love how so many other amazing people have written him (An Emerald in the Sky, The Unknown Door). But I would have a really hard time giving up some of my favorites like By The Grace and Grounds for Divorce.

Looking back at my bookmarks most of my favorite fics have both povs, which tracks honestly. Congrats! You asked the most indecisive person alive 😂

Which would you choose?

(ask me more sleepover saturday q's!)

[thehoneybeet]

B, W, Y for the ask game, if you wish 🤩!

Ali, all of these are wonderful!! Thanks for the ask (full alphabet here).

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

In plant me in your garden, the scene in which Draco explains how to ask for permission from the plants before taking their fruit is based on something a parent taught me when I was young. You could take it literally and see plants as sentient beings with some level of autonomy, or you could take it as a metaphor, a reminder to be present and hold space for gratitude when receiving things from nature.

This story as a whole was inspired by my own experience exploring and thinking about gender fluidity in a way that felt safe and transformative.

In everything is relative to you, one of Harry and Draco's past lives (the lesbian witch burning) was inspired by a past life regression of someone very close to me.

W: Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

I see you gearing up for fth :) I love prompts that start with a story concept and also include certain tropes, elements, etc. that you love to read. I find it really fun to combine those things and try to fit them all in a (somewhat) coherent story. This challenge is why I love doing @hd-erised. I also find that it makes me write things I would never have thought of on my own, which makes the process much more interesting and enjoyable. That said, I can't guarantee I'll stick with every element in a specific prompt. If the prompt is extremely detailed (for example, outlining the plot) I think the prompter should take a stab at writing it themselves.

Y: A character you want to protect.

None of them. To me, this is the point of characters, that no matter the shit they've gone through, no real person is getting hurt. I find it compelling to read about characters who have experienced pain and dealt with it through some sort of catharsis. I love happy endings, but to me angst is more stimulating, emotionally complex and rewarding by the end of the story. And by definition that means no one is totally protected from being hurt.

In a completely different sense, I do want to protect certain characters from their limited and "ethically mean-spirited" portrayals in canon. Part of this is the joy of fandom, that we look at a character like Draco and not see someone irredeemable, but rather someone who's been on the wrong path and is struggling to change himself and how he engages with the world. Same with Harry--I almost think that allowing Harry to be truly hurt by the events of canon and process them in fic is kinder than pretending everything was fine, that he was straight, cis, etc. And having them love each other so completely obliterates this black and white idea that some people are Good People and some are Bad People and that's an unalterable fact. So I do want to protect them from that.

Thank you again for asking and would love to hear your answers to these as well 💕