#i also hit 1k reblogs the other day along with my first 1k note post i feel so special you all make me feel so special wahhhhhhh

[leafsfromthevine]

thank you all for 200 (plus some!) followers mwah im giving you all a big hug big kiss big hand on shoulder thank u for supporting my antics have random zukka gif !!!!!

[barnesafterglow]

hey guys! so i finally hit 1k not too long ago which is insane bc i feel like i just made this blog yesterday. being on this site has been the best few months of my life, honestly. i have made some of my best friends on here, and i wouldn’t give them up for the world. i’m so grateful for every single person that follows and supports me. i love you all so much <3

that being said, i thought it would be fun to do a little something for this milestone, and what better way to do that than to make it completely based around taylor swift <3. it feels fitting both because of my username, and the very first fic i ever wrote and posted was based on a taylor swift song

this challenge will start now and end on march 25th. no minimum or maximum word count, but i do ask that if it’s more than 500 words, please use a read more.

edit: if you still want to participate but weren’t able to meet the deadline, please feel free to write something - just make sure you tag me and i’ll add it to the masterlist!

rules:

my blog is 18+ and therefore this writing challenge is too

smut, fluff, and angst are all welcome! please no dark fics

please do not write anything with non/dubcon, bathroom play, underage characters (in relationships), or anything related to suicide, eating disorders, etc. (these last few in particular are very triggering to me and i will not only not read them, but block anyone who submits them)

tag me in your work as well as tagging the post #all’s well writing challenge

message me/send me an ask if you have any other questions!

i will be going through and reading these as they are posted (to the best of my ability), and adding them to a masterlist that i’ll post when all of them are submitted! if it has been more than a couple days since you posted and i haven’t reblogged it yet, shoot me a message or an ask because i may have missed it

below are some suggested prompts, but any lyrics/anything taylor swift related can be used! you also don’t have to use specific lyrics, it can just be the vibe of the line/song. just please be sure to include what the prompt is at the beginning/in your author’s note :) you don’t need to claim a prompt, they can be used by multiple people because i think everyone can make their own unique story!

fluff

“this love is difficult but it's real” love story, fearless

“can't help it if there's no one else” hey stephen, fearless

“the stakes are high, the water's rough, but this love is ours” ours, speak now

“i'll be loving you for quite some time” stay stay stay, red

“all i feel in my stomach is butterflies” everything has changed, red

“just grab my hand and don't ever drop it” i know places, 1989

“you are the one i have been waiting for” king of my heart, reputation

“now i've read all of the books beside your bed” paper rings, lover

“all along there was some, invisible string, tying you to me” / “hell was the journey but it brought me heaven” invisible string, folklore

angst

“and i was right there beside him all summer long, and then the time we woke up to find that summer gone” tim mcgraw, taylor swift

“even now just looking at you feels wrong” should’ve said no, taylor swift

“and my heart's not breaking, 'cause I'm not feeling anything at all” the way i loved you, fearless

“and i stare at the phone, he still hasn't called, and then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all” forever & always, fearless

“it turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you” back to december, speak now

“you never called it what it was” / “when your brooklyn broke my skin and bones” all too well, red

”gone was any trace of you, i think i am finally clean” clean, 1989

“but if the story's over, why am i still writing pages?” / “tryna find a part of me you didn't take up” death by a thousand cuts, lover

“i knew i'd curse you for the longest time, chasing shadows in the grocery line” cardigan, folklore

“august sipped away, like a bottle of wine, 'cause you were never mine” august, folklore

“now i'm begging for footnotes in the story of your life” tolerate it, evermore

misc. (ones i really don’t know how to categorize/could go multiple ways)

“but i know you wish it was me” speak now, speak now

“broke your heart, i'll put it back together” how you get the girl, 1989

“should've known i'd be the first to leave, think about the place where you first met me” getaway car, reputation

“all of this silence and patience, pining and desperately waiting” / “i don't want you like a best friend” dress, reputation

“tell me that you're still mine, tell me that we'll be just fine” / “i don't wanna lose this with you” afterglow, lover

“breakups happen every day, you don't have to lose it” / “if our love died young, i can't bear witness” right where you left me, evermore

“everybody wonders what it would be like to love you” gold rush, evermore

characters:

any mcu characters

any sebastian stan characters (except tommy lee and jeff gillooly)

any chris evans characters

if you want to write another character feel free to send me a message and ask!

no pressure tags if people want to signal boost <3

@pellucid-constellations @itistimeforusalltodecidewhoweare @sweetascanbee @sweetdreamsbuck @babiebucky @treatbuckywkisses @spidderboy @aphrogeneias @atlaese @ambrosiase @starbuckie @howdoyousleep3 @buckydaddy @bubblebuckys @buckys-left-middle-finger @foreverindreamlandd @writing-for-marvel @fandoms-writings @nexusnyx @strwbrrybucky @benignbucky @inklore @abovethesmokestacks @jadedvibes @the-iceni-bitch @asgardwinter @schmuckyschmarnes @bloomingbucky @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @smokeinherperfume @beefybuckrrito

[jaemtens]

hi there i hope you're having a great day! just wanted to say that i really admire your gifmaking skills and was wondering if you had any tips for newer gifmakers in regards to getting people to interact with their posts!

hiiii, it's actually been a while since i started giffing and the standards for cc's were different back then. so maybe i'm not the best person to ask, but i'll try my best to answer based off what i've seen~

my first advice is to make gifs that other people aren't making. for most fandoms when new content drops the established cc's will rush to make gifs, and because they already have followings their gifs will usually do better than a new cc's. therefore, i tended to stick with compilation sets when i was starting because the chances somebody else was going to gif my exact same idea on the exact same day was very low. you can still gif new content, just don't expect it to do too well until you've built up a following.

i think it's important to join any cc networks for your fandom. most of the established cc's are generally in these networks and will start seeing your work as the network reblogs it. using the group tags in the first few tags of each set is also vitally important because that will help ensure that your gifs show up when someone searches that fandom on tumblr.

it's helpful to just be friendly with other cc's here. sending asks, writing nice tags, etc... i've seen that the friendliest cc's tend to have a lot of interactions with their sets because people like seeing that cc on their dash. i'm not saying you should go run into everyone's askbox right now, but if you see a post from another cc you enjoy seeing on your dash, it doesn't hurt to interact!

i will also say that the standards for gif quality have gone way up since i started. my gifs looked like ass when i started giffing, and i would still hit 1k notes fairly often. now i think it's important to use avisynth or vapoursynth (if you only use photoshop you *have* to use topaz denoise or something else to clean the gifs up), especially for stage gifs. and you should also practice coloring. sometimes it can be helpful to download a gif from another cc whose coloring you like and to try to match the coloring on your own. i'm not saying you should copy someone else's style, but it helps you build your coloring toolkit so you know what to do. you can also usually ask for advice and other cc's will probably be happy to help you out.

finally, it's going to take some dedication and perseverance. it took a long time for me to integrate into certain fandoms, and even then i'm certainly not one of the most popular creators in any of them. i've had quite a few sets that got like 50 notes along the way. it happens. the solution is not to spam self reblogs, you just have to keep trying. and eventually you'll get there!

[theeio]

Do you have any advice for a self-conscious artist? I struggle a lot with posting my art on social media because I'm so nervous about no one liking it or seeing it, and that if no one likes it, it confirms the fact that I'm no good. Do you or did you ever struggle with the same thing, and if so, how do you overcome it? I really love your art! Your colors make me weep!

so i found this in my drafts, and i kept this here for so long because i was scared about the way i responded to this since its a sensitive topic, but i think what i had here all along is way better than anything i couldve come up with now, so here it is. i’m so so sorry it took so long for me to answer as well, i hope you’re doing well and that you somehow manage to read this.

first of all, thank you so much!! you’re so kind

and to answer your question, YES. i struggled A LOT with the anxiety of posting things, but it was rooted with the expectations i set for myself.

when i started this blog back in 2017, 15 y/o dumbass me thought that i should be getting quick responses and that getting at least 1k was the standard. so of course, i couldn’t hit that mark and i would be demoralised. it didn’t help that i was constantly comparing myself with more successful artists that made me feel even worse about myself. it even affected my mental health BAD and i felt terrible during those few months. i stopped sharing my art for months after that.

what helped me pull out from that negativity was when i joined a fan discord server with mainly artists in there. they were really encouraging whenever i shared my sketches, and even if i didn’t post much still, it made me feel,,,, validated i guess??? when i finally regained the courage to post stuff, they were there to reblog it, making it reach out to more people than it did before. they were just. really supportive an i love them a lot.

SO my first piece of advice is to share your art to a group of friends you have, or to join a fandom/art server to share your work!!! if you’re already in multiple ones, share your work on respective channels! this REALLY helped me to gain confidence in my own art, and it’s more likely that people would respond to your art compared to them scrolling mindlessly on social media.

when it comes to posting, make sure you post frequently!! aT LEAST once a week, but i encourage you to post once every few days! posting a few times a day is okay on tumblr too (but i don’t recommend that for instagram bc the algorithm sucks hdsnd),and make sure to take care of your mental/physical heath too because burnout is a thing your health is important

also here’s a screencap of a convo i had with sandflake!

so like they said: post your sketches!! it’s hard to churn out completed works quickly (at least that’s the case for me), but sketches are quicker and easier to share. it also eases the expectation of only posting more polished works, and its also good to start small! i can make a separate post on tips on posting sketches if anyone is interested too :Ddd

another thing; its also good to set a rough schedule of which days to post something. when i’m in the mood, i queue a whole buncha sketch posts with the hashtags and all that. so when there are days where i should be posting but couldn’t draw, all i gotta do is just close my eyes and hit the post button.

most importantly:

notes ≠ your worth as an artist

it’s really easy to think otherwise, and trust me, i’ve been there, done that. and i don’t want other people going through the same misery as i went through.

it’s not easy to get noticed when you start out. but as long as you start sharing your art to the world, it WILL get better. i promise. hang in there. you have my support as well.

[seenashwrite]

The Fall ‘18/Winter ‘19 Edition of…

It’s a better-late-than-never situation, but it’s finally here!

*~* New to The Nail? *~*

The Nail isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about award-level contenders. It isn’t for highlighting certain genres of fics or specific ships. It’s about seeing real effort and hard work radiate off of the screen - the sole focus is quality. Character dimension. Writing with clever readers in mind. Well-built worlds. Killer starts and clutch endings. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. More shows, less tells. Big emotion.

Find past editions HERE. Find what factors are considered when constructing this rec list, and learn how to get your recommendations to me HERE. Find info on the structure of these rec posts HERE, with answers to FAQs such as “Why did someone make up a title for my piece?”, and more.

>> The Basics On What’s Below <<

- All from the world of SPN (unless otherwise noted, i.e. cross-overs), across all genres; these are organized by length for the most part, so you’ll need to click thru to see if it is a theme of your preference; I aim to not have too much that’s of the same genre/length in a given edition, and limit the times a writer can appear on a given list (if they had more that fit the bill, I’ll chuck ‘em to next edition’s list); when applicable, unique projects, original stories, and any anecdotes/personal essays/family stories/etc. are near the end.

- You’ll see icons throughout…

If it has NSFW elements / walks an NSFW line - ⚠️

If it features / blatantly alludes to a specific ship - 🚢

If it has less than 100 notes (at time of this post) - 📌

And that last item is very important.

- A main priority of The Nail is to have at least 50% of these one-and-done SPN stories (so, drabbles and one-shots) be those which have less than 100 notes (give or take a few self-reblogs by the writer, and not counting mine) in each posting, and for this edition, out of 36, these comprise 26 so the goal was met!

Highly encourage you to at minimum hit the heart, ideally reblogging along with a note of feedback if you enjoyed. To do my part, I’ll be queuing these low-note fics one per day after this edition is published.

- Reblog of this rec list by “big blogs” (let’s say 1K followers and up) is especially appreciated, and not for my sake; it’s to get these wonderful writers with low note fics as much exposure as possible.

- Writers, make sure you scroll - you may be on here more than once!

- “Notes from Nash" at the very bottom of the post.

- For your mobile convenience, here’s The Nail Master Post of Editions

- And finally, shameless plugs....

 See Nash Write: Master List

You Totally Made That Up podcast - @youtotallymadethatup

Note: Just a line or two excerpt to paint a little picture - no specific feedback on these drabbles because each writer nailed it in the entirety - all are poignant, well-structured, thoughtful, and they did it all in a limited amount of words. Well done, all of you. 

181 words

The Wishes 📌  -  @sixtysevenandwhiskey 

It’s a lot of nothing, until nothing is all there is.

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182 words

Stars 📌  -  @covered-byroses

She loved looking at the stars.

.

223 words

Storytelling 📌  -  @always-keep-writing

He shouldn’t be surprised that it ends up being a story.

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230 words

A Long Forty Years  -  @babybluecas

Sometimes, he’d wish he was so much older.

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352 words

Control 📌 -  @idreamofhazel

If only Dean knew the other, more biting things he holds under his tongue.

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370 words

His Hair 📌 🚢  -  @gabrielfallstonight  

He often wondered if, by spending as much time on Earth as he did, he was growing almost human.

.

427 words

Topper  -  @alleiradayne  

Coffee. He just needed a cup. Or four. Okay, maybe the whole pot.

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483 words

Tedium 📌  -  @smi727  

This situation was something Michael simply could not abide.

555 words

Kids These Days 📌  -  @revwinchester  

A little behind-the-scenes interlude wherein Dean has an interaction with some kids in town. In medias res, OCs developed in a short amount of space, thoughtful/nice message without being preachy.

.

560 words

Four Months Expired (But Still Good) 📌 🚢  -  @bendingsignpost

A delightful scene based on a premise that could've gone saccharine but stays the just right amount of sweet and humorous.

(I cannot tag this lovely, if someone would be so kind as to try to do so in the comments, it would be appreciated!)

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570 words

Black 📌 - @sculptorofbeginningslibrary  

An introspective look at Dean in the time between waking up with his demonized soul and when he left the bunker; doesn't merely recap what we know; nice take on the physical changes; excellent characterization.

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633 words

Smoked  -  @ameliacareful

A snicker-worthy tale of what should be an ordinary shopping trip, but as we know nothing can ever be simple for the brothers; well-structured, solid characterization, concise  descriptions that put you right there with them.

(I cannot tag this lovely, if someone would be so kind as to try to do so in the comments, it would be appreciated!)

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664 words

Last Night  -  @atwistoffate

A brief interaction between you and Dean that is a perfect balance of snarky and cute, and (thank Chuck) Dean is portrayed realistically, and I personally salute the writer for not uttering a single Y/N or sweetheart (it can be done, folks). I'd also be remiss not to highlight this beauty: “You know what? I don’t even care,” Dean says, caring deeply.

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714 words

Stay  -  @there-must-be-a-lock

Absolutely beautiful moment between you and Sam that doesn't get weighed down by over-dramatic pining, in part thanks to a sandwich. In medias res; descriptions that paint the picture without diving too deep; lovely from beginning to end.  

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812 words

Carolina 📌  -  @atc74

A first-person, introspective tale of an interaction Dean has with a stranger. In medias res; sets the stage from the opening paragraph, putting you right into Dean's shoes; well-developed OC in short amount of time; great closing lines.

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841 words

Strange Gifts 📌 -  @lastactiontricia  

Michael gives you the "gift" of knowing your potential fates. In medias res; great structure/descriptions that convey the mood without being belabored; clutch open-ended ending.  

1.1K words

Syruped and Feathered 📌 -  @mrswhozeewhatsis

A snicker-worthy on-the-hunt tale where you and the Winchesters get in a... well... a sticky situation. Ahem. Sorry, couldn't resist. Oh, and there's a surprise guest star that'll make you grin. In medias res, nice flow, creative use of prompts.

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1.2K words

Don't Panic 📌  -  @koedeza

Beautifully written, somber tale about what eventually happens in the lives of hunters. In medias res, excellent structure/flow, fantastic characterization, clutch ending. Keep an eye out for this writer - they are consistently solid and do not disappoint.

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1.3K words

'Til It All Falls Apart 📌  -  @lipstickandwhiskey

Angst done right in this story about what Dean might've gone through after Michael was cast out. Good flow, no laborious explanations of what we already know, reasonable actions/reactions from all.

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1.4K words

Bite Me, BitFit 📌  -  @shy-violet-soul

Exactly what you think from the title - a funny story about Dean's battle with healthy living. In medias res, nice structure, great characterization, several killer lines.

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1.4K words

Eggshells 📌  -  @hunenka

A coda to Nightmare Logic, this tackles Dean's internal processing of life as he now knows it, Sam in charge and what feels like a million people in his home. Beautifully written, Dean is as accurate as it gets, excellent flow, plausible scenario.

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1.7K words

Told You So   -  @there-must-be-a-lock

How to do hot and sultry without smut - read and learn. This is a story about what should have been just an ordinary post-hunt night back at the bunker, when it turned to something more. Great opening paragraph, easy flow, trifecta of snarky-sweet-sexy.

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1.8K words

Brother 📌  -  @sixtysevenandwhiskey

An exquisite look - to use the writer's words - at Dean over the years, through Sam's eyes. Excellent structure/verbiage, no unneeded repetition of things we already know, good use of song inspo, plausible within canon, feels genuine throughout.

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1.8K words

The Lie 📌 -  @sophisticated-angel

Stunning tale (and add this to the pile of "Why the hell doesn't this have more notes?!" stories) about what happens to those who are left behind after a loved one dies - but as always in the Winchester world, nothing can ever be routine. In medias res, creative plotline, moving and heart-grabbing that leaves you with both a sense of rightness and a sense of unease.

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2.9K words

The Unexpected Guest  -  @crispychrissy 

Per the writer's summary - "A day of researching takes a turn when you see something from your past that leads to some interesting discoveries." But, wait - this is so much more. Pay attention as you read, because the writer has left you clues along the way (starting with the title), and it's done quite deftly. In addition - nice blending of humor and drama, time taken to research the creature featured clearly evident, clutch ending.

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3K words

Easier To Be Me 📌 -  @alleiradayne

A Sam + Reader story labelled "floof" by the writer, but it's sweet without bending saccharine; in medias res; great opening/closing lines.

[Nominated by @atc74 who said - “So I have read a couple things of hers, this I read a while ago, but it deserves some love, because it is just that good. Hope you like it This was so wonderful. Well written and beautiful."]

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3.1K words

Teeth 📌   -  @lastactiontricia

Do you want to read something spooky that’s based on a true story, with a fantastic plot that has roots in a true story, which features well-developed characterization/accuracy in characterization, and is - in case I didn’t mention it - based on a true story?!

Read this. Find you a cozy corner, grab the drink of your choice whether it’s bourbon or hot chocolate, wrap up in a blanket, and Read. The. Story. It is unique, it is well-written, quality top to bottom, and it’ll give you the feels, tips to toes. Stop wasting your time on the same ol’, same ol’.

READ THE STORY

(Part of a collection, all are fantastic, so see also: Halloween Horror SPN One Shots Masterlist)

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3.3K words

Lay Me Down 📌  -  @stusbunker

A solid case fic here that balances itself with some cheekiness thrown in amongst the drama (and a bonus for me, not a "Y/N" in sight - it can be done, folks). In medias res, moves at a quick clip, great line here: "The spell spread quickly, like spilled water on a tabletop..."

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4.9K words

Shadow's Edge 📌  -  @saenalife 

A story of what happened one night when a routine retrieval of an item goes sideways. In medias res, excellent opening line/paragraph that perfectly sets the scene/mood (I mean - "Dark seems like too shallow a word for this. It goes beyond the absence of light - more like the light has never existed here at all..." - hello), creative plot, great structure (specifically: flashback/forward done right), and bonus kudos for switching things up with a feature not seen with regularity, that of a gender neutral lead.

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5.6K words

The Wonders of Modern Technology ⚠️ -  @littlegreenplasticsoldier

If you aren’t familiar with Greenie, she’s another one of those rare writers ‘round these parts who gives us consistently solid stories with a unique style that’s all her own, and this one is no exception, a humorous tale of a piece of equipment that doesn’t exactly malfunction, but we’ll just say there’s, ah, user error [wink]. 

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5.7K words

Like Ocean in the Desert 📌⚠️  -  @saenalife

Borrowing the writer's summary - "Baby needs some work before Dean can get back on the road. He went to the salvage yard for parts, but what he found was a human connection." In medias res, well-developed OC, nice premise, great structure/flow.

[Nominated by @littlegreenplasticsoldier who said - "Here’s a prime example of notes misaligning with quality. Pfft. Criminal. This is the third time I’ve read this."]

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6.4K words

The First Bite 📌  -  @shy-violet-soul

A story from the way-back-when, and as for feedback, I’ll let the curator take it away....

[Nom'd by @mrswhozeewhatsis who said - "Confession: I love Weechesters. So, this fic was already up my alley from word one. Add in pie mentioned just in the author’s note, and I was already a happy camper! Imagine my surprise when I was sniffling halfway through because wee!Dean was just killing me! The OCs are very well fleshed out, without being distracting, and the whole story was just so well-written I finished it just wanting to hug everyone. The grammar and other technical stuff was at least flawless enough that I didn’t notice it, and the whole story just unfolded in front of me like a cootie-catcher. I think I’m in love, and I might go read it again, even though I should be writing. *swoon*"]

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6.8K words

Gutted  -  @idreamofhazel

A case fic with some Dean + Reader sweet-n'-sultry on top. Nice opening paragraph that sets the tone, solid characterization, very creative plot/creature featured, excellent structure.

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6.9K words

About Dean's Dreams   ⚠️ -  @fanforfanatic  

This writer has yet to disappoint - and this story is damn near pristine from start to finish. It’s an actual, on god, Dean-in-character dive into the woman of his dreams. Sound fluffy or angsty? Nope. You’re wrong. It isn’t either. What it is, is just right. I’m not telling you any more - when you next have time to sit and read and really absorb an introspective Dean piece, make this your first choice.

Say hello to a new (-ish!) writer, @salt-n-burn-em-all !

Doors 📌

You will not believe this is just her 2nd SPN fanfic - captivating and moving, and even if you're swiping a tear away, I think you'll find yourself with a smile at the last three words.

East of Nowhere ⚠️  -  @thecleverdame 

You and Sam are strangers trapped in a desolate mountain town where you live alone, isolated from the outside world, for five years.

Very creative scenario that takes you on an intimate journey and - most importantly - has quite the satisfying reveal.

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How You and I Will Be  -  @katehuntington  

When a hellhound case in the mountains goes sideways, Dean and you find yourselves trapped in a small cabin, miles from civilization. Rescue is on its way, but will it be in time?

Opening paragraph sets the scene perfectly, you'll find yourself there immediately, and it's a plausible scenario of a hunt gone wrong. (We do love our case fics here at The Nail!)

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If This Is A Dream  🚢 -  @wendibird 

Sam receives a tip about a restless spirit haunting a particular patch of woods in South Carolina - one who has asked for him by name. He must now deal with the thought of putting to rest someone he once cared for, but will things go that simply?

Phenomenal opening line/paragraph that puts you in Sam's headspace from the jump, and boy howdy can we all empathize with him, and it's a plausible scenario, one I personally haven't seen tackled til this.

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Men of Cold Cases  -  @smi727

Sam had uncovered hundreds upon hundreds of cases the Men of Letters had never closed, [and the] idea was to investigate what those stodgy old nerds never got around to. Given the cases were at least 60 years old, the chances that any were still active were slim to none. They should all be milk runs…

Fantastic concept, completely original, and well-written to boot. Bonus? The writer has based the plots on actual cold cases and mysteries, and provides you links to the stories behind the story so you can learn more.

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The Ellison Lane Legacy  -  @sixtysevenandwhiskey 

Sam finds a case. You’re reminded of a past you want to forget.

Cheers for a well-rounded original female character who is tough and vulnerable all at once. Interesting and creative story that's heavy, yes, but thanks to skilled writing the flow keeps it moving vs. getting mired down.

Wrath 📌  -  @waywardjoy

Shakespeare gets a run for his money here with a small fic inspired by some of his words. Beautifully composed, from the title to the usage of the lines, flows like a dream, evokes big emotion, and puts you right there in the action, breathtaking from start to finish.

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The Runaway Vessel 📌  -  @butiaintgonnaloveem 

A creepy re-working of a popular children's story that will stay with you after you read it. Killer first line, clutch ending, and a detailed, stunning piece of artwork to boot from @lostmymuseagain, what a match made in heaven. This one dug deep, and definitely read like a cautionary fairytale about fate and choices that grandparents would tell/read to the children on a dark night around the fire, give ‘em a bit of a chill in spite of it. 

Ring-A-Ling  -  @winchester-writes & @littlegreenplasticsoldier & @mrswhozeewhatsis

To think, it all started with an innocent post about a tiny bell - get ready to laugh.

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Ten Years Gone  -  @cinnamonanddean  

This is a short-and-sweet, most worthy exception to a The Nail rule that no RPF will be on the list, wherein Jensen reflects upon his time on the show.

Carriers  -  @violetwolfraven 

Daddy Loves To Be Murdered   -  @gabesnonnie 

Slay Ride  -  @bendingsignpost 

The Awakening  -  @rmeisel 

The Chosen One  -  @copperbadge 

The Night  -  @later0varies

Bedtime Stories & How Chad Got His Name  -  @lostmymuseagain (also see the artwork related to the Chad story here)

The Author  -  @thebibliosphere

Notes from Nash

The document with my little summaries and personalized feedback for each of these got eaten - basically, I had to re-do the list and time’s been scarce, so forgive me for the lateness.

Also, there was a good handful of stories that disappeared due to what I presume was the purge/people deleting or losing their blogs. I did make effort to check AO3 but I’m afraid some stellar work has been lost for good.

There were a lot of repeat writers and folks I’m friendly with in this edition, more than I typically feature - I strive to highlight mostly lesser known writers and, as noted, mostly fics with <100 notes - but they earned it (and I even chucked a few more from some of these peeps into the folder for the next edition, that’s how hard they’re rockin’ it). That’s why it’s so important y’all let me know about the unsung writers and their undiscovered jewels - submit the story links and your reviews to me (links to your reblogs with your comments is perfectly fine) any ol’ time. 

That’s it! What’re you waiting for??? Get to reading!

[narcissasdaffodil]

I posted 39,753 times in 2021

312 posts created (1%)

39441 posts reblogged (99%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 126.4 posts.

I added 1,393 tags in 2021

#litg - 175 posts

#love island the game - 173 posts

#litgs2 - 168 posts

#litg fanfic - 160 posts

#litg marisol - 150 posts

#answered asks - 131 posts

#asks - 129 posts

#fanfic - 129 posts

#marisol x mc - 104 posts

#ask games - 74 posts

Longest Tag: 118 characters

#marilecto hopisol marisol x lottie marisol x astrid and possibly lucisol or bobisol have better chance at getting done

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Thank you so much for 1k hits and also the 6 month anniversary of when I posted my first ever LCBC chapter! Because of both of those milestones, we have a double update this week x Also I’ve been posting regularly with regards to oneshots too, due to Femslash February, so keep an eye out for more Marilecto content there! Some of it is LCBC related, but the rest of it is either in the overall Marilecto verse, or just Marisol related. I plan on writing some other stuff too x This is slightly earlier than usual due to my lecture finishing a little early x

24 notes • Posted 2021-02-04 16:56:20 GMT

#4

I’m a day late for this trend, but have Alecto and Astrid x I got bored and started messing about with it. This is inspired by @ariendiel and @notasdryapricots

26 notes • Posted 2021-06-11 21:06:26 GMT

#3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29684142/chapters/77523089

WSD chap 13 x

29 notes • Posted 2021-05-17 13:04:53 GMT

#2

Surprise! A double update today, this is basically a late 20th birthday present for me. This will be the last double update in a while, so enjoy. In addition, I started a Lottie x MC fic recently so feel free to check that out if that’s your jam. Along with me finally posting my LCBC moodboard too.

34 notes • Posted 2021-02-25 18:07:52 GMT

#1

what are the things you like and dislike about Marisol and what makes her your favourite?

I love any excuse to ramble about Marisol, so this one will likely get long. In addition, I do ramble a lot naturally, I work my way through all of my thoughts first, so some stuff I write about might appear unrelated, but I promise I’m going somewhere here! As a second note, this has already started turning into a self analysis thing, but I feel that’s the easiest way to do this. Parts of what I’m writing are very personal here.

- Marisol’s a character who’s really close to my heart. When I first played the game I fell for both her and Lottie at first sight. Her route is my favourite route, I struggle with simple and easy routes and am a sucker for a good slow burn. When I first played Season 2, I was starting to recover with my own mental health issues and building myself as a person while learning to not treat myself badly for my own mental health. I’ve experienced further self growth in that time, but the game itself helped me go further with my self journey. Having a distraction that absorbed me so fully and got me interested in the journeys of the characters was appreciated during that time.

- It took me a while to fully come out myself as a lesbian and to sort out who I believed I truly was from the mess in my head. Part of that was due to having a heavily homophobic ex bestfriend so for my own safety I came out as bisexual and let myself believe I was bi, so I could avoid extra questions. Once I was free from her, I came out fully as a lesbian, as I realised how much of my beliefs about myself with my sexuality were a lie and that it was okay to not be attracted to men at all. The reason I’m mentioning this is mainly that I understand her fear about coupling up and why it took so long for her to face her fear there. I saw so much of my younger self in her, and I do relate to her heavily in addition. Actually coming out fully can be difficult, especially if you’re uncertain at the start, or have doubts whether the people around you will be accepting.

- I do understand her commitment issues, especially if she’s been burned in the past. I’ve never been in a relationship at all myself, and am in no rush to do that. I want to do it in the future, but on my terms and when I’m comfortable enough with myself. Being single and never having had a relationship isn’t something I’m ashamed of either, real life isn’t how they portray in the media and wanting to wait and being single in general shouldn’t be stigmatised. People have judged me for waiting before, but I just block that out. Marisol pretending she doesn’t want commitment is likely a defence mechanism to prevent herself getting hurt again. When she finally couples up with MC, she lets go from her previous reservations and becomes very loving and fiercely loyal, which proves she does want commitment but is scared of it.

- I relate to her with the analysing people too. I do that myself as a defence mechanism as I’ve been hurt in the past multiple times by ex friends and other people. So I have to gain an accurate reading on people before I can trust them fully. That still does cause issues for me as I mess up still, but most of my readings on people have been accurate, especially recently. I base whether I like someone on their interactions with others as well as myself, mainly as people can and do be two faced. I’ve had people suck up to me, and be rude to my friends and I’ve also had the reverse.

- I love her growth during her route and it helps give me hope myself that I can eventually get better at trusting people and allowing myself to be more vulnerable with people. I was so happy when she finally coupled up with MC, I found myself doing a happy squeal and was relieved to have the house to myself! It takes a lot for me to have a connection to a character, but once I do I care with all of my heart.

- To follow on from the analysing people point, something else I remembered. Analysis can definitely come from being isolated, which I can confirm there. From Year 1 until Year 4 of primary school, I was entirely alone as my only friend had left me, which had a serious impact on me. It landed me with a fear of rejection so I preferred to be alone. I’m still working through that and helping myself grow. Having connections with people does scare me, a lot, so I do find myself scaring people off by accident or not trying at all. Connections usually appear from people seeking me out, I’ve gained actual people recently through that. People abandoning me will always be a worry for me, which is why I do find myself apologising far too much and doing everything I can to maintain connections with people until there’s a valid reason to let them go.

- I also struggle with being open and vulnerable with my feelings so I can relate heavily to her there. I have to have a strong connection with someone or trust them enough to properly be honest with them. Meaningful connections do take a while to develop for me. She also feels so real and true to life, that’s something I’d likely say about most of the characters of this game.

- She’s also very observant and picks up the subtleties of people in general. I do that too, but I don’t base my entire reading off my observations and what I hear from others. A weakness for her is likely her tendency to rely heavily on reading people over getting to know them herself, and basing her perceptions of people on her observations.

- She can come across as quite cold on first impression which I relate to. I’m like an onion or a pineapple, my spiky exterior/ multiple layers put people off getting to know me, but once they get past my walls and spiky exterior I’m a very warm and loving person. That observation there is based off what people have told me. I do scare people off without meaning to. Marisol as a character does divide opinions herself, which makes sense. I tend to lean towards characters who are more underrated and divide opinions, the more popular characters don’t tend to draw my attention. There’s been exceptions to that rule, and it’s not deliberate either, it’s just the type I automatically default to. Once Marisol trusts people and lets down her walls she’s so loving and so warm. That’s definitely something I’m drawn to in a LI, someone who you have to work through their layers to find who they truly are.

-She’s also very ambitious, which is something we do share there. I do have life goals and have been called intelligent by a lot of people. She’s pretty stubborn and set in her opinions too, which I also relate to. I have experienced personal growth opinions wise, but it has to be me making the decision and coming to that realisation myself. Marisol’s like that too, I feel.

- Right, this is getting so super long! If you’re still with me, wow. Anyway, something I dislike about her is definitely the game playing. Having her use Graham to try and make MC jealous is pretty cold, especially when Graham actually liked her. Playing through Casa did hurt for that reason. I was slightly hesitant about taking her from him, as they seemed to be really compatible during Casa, but I worked through that pretty quickly due to her being the only one I was compatible with.

I think that’s finally it, in terms of analysis points. This has been sitting about for a while, so I’ll finally publish it!

36 notes • Posted 2021-01-01 20:46:19 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[cursivesugg]

Sing || Conor Maynard

Requests are currently [ OPEN ]

Masterlist can be found [ HERE ]

Word Count: 1k+ 

Summary: After never hearing you sing before, the boys are shocked when the opportunity finally presents himself.

Dedicated too: Moana. That movie is life, that movie is life.

Your boyfriend was an amazing singer; that was a give. He’d sold out concerts, climbed the UK charts within hours of releasing a song and won several awards. You’d always been so fucking proud of him, for achieving his dream and staying humble whilst doing so. His fans were loyal, and the few you’d met were lovely. He was living the dream, and the new friends he’d made on the way through were now insanely important to him.

No longer did people only get to hear him sing, now they got too see him be the stomach achingly funny person he was. From his alter ego characters to the stupid things he did whenever the opportunity presented itself.

When his brother first moved from Brighton to London, he immediately insisted that they rent an apartment together; and even ended up with a tree size human living with them too. Thankfully, your apartment was nearby and so you spent the majority of your free time at their place. You weren’t a youtuber, nor were you a singer, but you did run a highly successful blog and guest star in quite a few of the boys’ videos. Other than the occasional hater, everyone seemed to quite like you - mostly due to the fact that whenever you were around, Conor was alot louder and more outspoken. Not that he wasn’t before, you just seemed to bring a larger percentage of that side out of him.

You and Jack got along like a house on fire. You could turn virtually any subject into a listen worthy conversation and often conducted research for his videos and your blog together. When Conor left to go on tour for two months, you spent that time either with Jack and Josh or at home, binge writing to keep your mind occupied. When he returned, you hugged him and woods let go, later on telling him that you were never letting him leave you for more than two weeks again.

After a long day of filming followed by a quiet stroll around Hyde Park, you and the boys were snuggled under your duvets on the sofa and were eating ice cream straight from the pot as Moana played on the TV. You’d never actually seen the movie, but you’d listened to the soundtrack on repeat for days and by now the fact that you’d never actually watched the movie was ridiculous.

So far it was amazing, and your eyes were attached to the TV screen - when you were like this, the boys knew never to bring you out of your trance, the last time they’d done that all hell had broken loose. All because Jack wanted to know if you had any more ice cream.

When the familiar tune of the song you adored began to play, you leant forward in anticipation and sang along subconsciously, having already had multiple jamming sessions to this song hen you were in the shower. It didn’t even occur to you at the time that you’d never actually sung infront of any of them before - but that was the last thing on your mind as the song ended and the movie progressed.

With an hour, the movie was over and you were stunned, leaning against your boyfriend with your eyes wide and your breathing shallow. “Holy fuck, that was beautiful.”

“Yeah, the movie was fine, but you?” Josh exclaims, looking over at you with wide eyes. “Since when can you sing?”

Your heart speeds up and you frown, laughing in confusion and looking between all of the boys who were staring at you with their eyebrows raised. “What the hell are you weirdos talking about?”

“Somehow you knew the entire bloody soundtrack!” Jack says, disbelief written across his face as he looks over at his brother and shakes his head slightly. “Did you know she could sing?”

Conor scoffs and looks down at your red cheeks with an annoyed frown. “No. And now I think about it, I’ve literally never heard you sing until then.”

You wince slightly and look down at your hands. “Sorry. But honestly, I’m not very good. I’m a shower singer and that’s it.”

Conor scoffs and wraps his arms around you, pulling you into him tightly and rolling his eyes at your statement. “Oh please, you hit those high notes like a fucking professional.” He exhales in shock and rests his head on her arm with a loud sigh. “Babe, we could have a number one single by now, you understand that, right?”

Rolling your eyes, you push him away and climb out of the duvet and onto your feet, collecting up the empty pots and metal spoons that’d been placed onto the coffee table at some point throughout the movie. You walk into the kitchen and can’t help but giggle to yourself at the mere thought of being ‘good’ at singing. That was Conor’s job, you only excelled in writing and that was that.

Though when you logged onto snapchat later that day and watched Jack’s story, your heart dropped. He’d managed to record you singing along to the movie, along with the shocked faces of your boyfriend and Josh, all you wanted to do was cry in embarrassment. Thousands of people had probably seen you singing already, and you had absolutely no idea.

You dared to log onto your twitter account a few minutes later, and came across a tweet from your boyfriend which simply read 'apparently my girlfriend is a better singer, cook, writer and artist than me. go figure.’

You can’t help but smile and like it, before checking your mentions and pursing your lips when you noticed that quite a few of your friends had reblogged the video (that Jack had conveniently posted on literally every social media site), and had expressed their shock. Your large following had also stumbled across the video, and the hashtag #(Y/N)cansing was trending number seven worldwide.

You cheeks flush and you like a few more tweets and even reply to a few before placing your phone down and walking into the kitchen, wrapping your arms around your boyfriends waist and pressing your lips to his back silently. “Have you started writing our number one hit yet?” Her tone was laced with amusement, and he turns around and looks down at her with an eye roll, brushing their lips together and smirking against them.

 “So, these lips can do more than one breathtaking thing, huh?”

“You’re such a man whore.”

“Don’t try to deny loving it.”