#i hope it gives interesting insight into that fic lol

[sadisthetic]

end of the year fic asks! give us a behind-the-scenes look at "for want (for nothing)"; why did you include a scene, when and where did you figure out that one tricky sentence, which part wrote itself, things like that!

thats a fucking thing? well lucky for YOU i LOVE talking about my own writing and that fic DEFINITELY has quite a few "bts" things i could talk about lmao

first thing to start off with is that i actually rewatched and studied that corruption scene in canon quite a bit while i wrote this. i needed the refresher and Man did i realize i forgotten a bunch of major plot points (most of which werent actually relevant to the fic) lol. but anyways the structure of my fic is pretty strongly based on its canon counterpart and theres a lot of little things i took inspiration from and just injected more flavor to it. like kai uses lightning a lot??? which make sense production wise bc thats like. probably easiest element to show off and make it look cool. so yay! excuse to use my jay bias and favor using his powers lol

in general that fic was a means for me to write a character study for kais character which i love a lot. he is my second fav blorbo. i have a huge weakness for older siblings in media. and kais shift in character is so interesting even if it was never done with conscious intention. ninjago Definitely uses every single one of their characters as pawns to advance the plot of whatever rather than you know. treating them like characters who are people. so theyre inconsistent with or contradicting themselves. characters are used however the writers seem fit with the situation at hand. i think the corruption scene is a fair example of it. kai was over it right? the whole green ninja thing? and yet. anyways my fic was an attempt at reframing and adding context and depth to kais character bc man did think about these fucking legos a lot for some goddamn reason when its a bad show!!! maybe some of yall will hate me for saying it. but man. ninjago sucks more often or not. not Entirely BUT A LOT OF IT IS NOT OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.

and that sorta gives me an awkward segue into lloyd. haha. you know the line "A brat who had everything handed to him by destiny. It wasn’t because he deserved it. It was simply because he was born special."? well. it makes sense in the context of the fic that kai feels this way bc thats the natural conclusion the fic flowed into. But Also. i wont lie. that is my own genuine thoughts about lloyds development as a character. lloyds writing fucking BLOOOOOWSSS. and none of it is his fault. its the writers fault. but MAN its the LAZIEST DESTINED HERO/LEADERSHIP CHARACTER ARC I EVER SEEN. IT COULDVE BEEN INTERESTING. but no it was too simple too forced too Cheap. too shallow. its like they picked his little minifig and decided he Must be the prophesied hero no matter what :) and they forced his little lego feets into the studs of Destiny above everyone else and made it happen in the easiest way possible. by simply declaring it. forcing him into the role unnaturally. and because hes the Chosen One that means hes very very very important right? so NATURALLY hes the leader also! HELLO HES A FUCKING BABY??? NO SENIORITY?? any leadership skills he gained is because he was Forced to develop them, not because hes a natural leader. i could talk shit about his treatment all day but all in all i hate the flagrant favoritism the show gives lloyd when its meant to be a show with a team dynamic. i dont hate lloyd but i sure do hate the way his character "developed". this fucking baby was fed too many rare candies and some evolutionary stone on top of it. hes not the best he could be as a character because none of it naturally happened. no care put into developing his characters. i could accept lloyd being the green ninja or being a leader. if it were written well at least. ANYWAYS. kai is a subtle projection of me. or closer, a messenger. he was corrupted by me in way considering i was the writer lol. but it works because theres a bit of truth in there isnt there?

also that fic also happen bc i wanted to writer fun elemental power stuff along with fucked corruption. i love fantasy power things. and i LOVE rancid rotting feelings

[rius-cave]

If I have to be perfectly honest, though I still think Viv didn’t mean Adam is not gonna return in that interview, I don’t completely want him to return in the actual show at this point.

Because let’s be real for a second. Even though he returns, Viv can not write him good enough and cannot give him a compelling character arch and a solid backstory.

Whatever it’d be I don’t believe Viv cares that much for Adam or compelling stories. I mean I love Hazbin, but the way she fucked most of the characters up in order to do fanservice, you can clearly tell that she’d just try to feed Guitarspear shippers by making Adam return.

So yeah. I’m happy with fics lol

See funny enough I feel similarly, but not for the same reasons entirely haha.

I absolutely understand not wanting him to return, I was kind of on the fence about it, but ultimately I still wanted him to return cause even if he can't be in it in the EXACT way I want him, I still think there could be some value in him coming back, yes? And even if it's not as good as we hope, fan works are still there and they won't go away.

And yeah I agree it's not possible to give him the story he deserves, but I don't think that's completely Vivzie's fault. Her show isn't about Adam, it can't be, she has her story that she wants to tell and overall the show wants to do something different. Even if Vivzie loved Adam as much as we do, that's not something she can do in the show as it is. I know we attribute EVERYTHING about a show to the show runners, the good and the bad, but animation and show production is rarely just one person's fault, right? She actually CAN'T do whatever she wants on a whim like that lol

I wouldn't agree with her fucking up her characters tbh? But obviously that's much more subjective. I kinda like the direction the shows have taken minus a few exceptions. They've been successful for a reason. I think it's very well done especially considering it started as an indie production. God knows professional shows have fucked up way worse lolol.

Ultimately she has to pick and choose who to give a compelling and grand character arc and who not to. Like honestly you could probably give something really deep, interesting and insightful to, idk, Travis, and maybe there's a Travis fan out there that really wants that, but that's not always possible because there are more important things to touch on + hazbin was honestly SO time constricted I'm grateful Adam got the attention he got lol

Also I don't think I'd blame her if guitarspear became canon or whatever, it is kinda seeded out already and it could be quite compelling if done correctly. It's not really my favorite ship but if it became canon I wouldn't mind it that much

[yinyuedijun]

You can answer this when you're off hiatus or... Not since I feel this is a bit uncomfortable to ask for, but may I ask how to write characters who had undergone csa? And how to write how they recover from it. Again I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable you can just delete this if this brings up an uncomfortable feelings I didn't know who else to approach w this question but you as your nightflower fic is wonderfully written and I want to write a character who went through something similair

But I'm afraid of coming off as insensitive and cruel or possibly even worse someone who's writing this as simple shock value or something along those lines as I have (thankfully and luckily) never experienced something like that which makes me afraid that I might write or put something very harmful in my work

I'm sorry if this is too much to ask ^^;;;; I hope this isn't a burden....

Hi anon, thanks for the question! This is a topic that is quite important to me (as I'm sure you've noticed lol), so I'm happy to answer your question. Please forgive me for the length of my answer though because I accidentally wrote a fucking thesis 😰

So, in my opinion, the first and most important thing to remember when you're writing about people who have experienced sexual abuse (underage or otherwise) is that no two survivors are the same. Even if there are many commonalities between the stories of different survivors, ultimately the experiences and recovery process (or lack thereof) is going to be unique for everyone. As such, I can't really give you a "how-to" guide on ways to shape your story, and in fact if I tried to provide you with one then you'd probably accidentally write a caricature of an SA survivor.

However, I do highly recommend that you read stories/anecdotes from real-life survivors in order to get a realistic grasp on the experience and psychological impacts of SA. If you don't have firsthand experience with this type of trauma, I think this is the single most important thing you can do in order to create a story or character that feels authentic and nuanced, rather than coming up with a caricature of a victim/predator or accidentally writing a pointless shock value narrative. An equally helpful thing you can do is read fictional stories relating to SA that were written by actual survivors, or fictional stories that resonated with actual survivors. This will give you insight into how this type of trauma, or survivors carrying this type of trauma, can be depicted in interesting or thoughtful ways - which is not something that intuitively translates from having real life knowledge on the subject.

Now, the second point I'm going to make is somewhat controversial, and you don't need to agree with it by any means. It relates to your fear of writing something "insensitive" or "cruel". While it's amazing that you want to write your story carefully and with intention, you should also keep in mind that "insensitive" and "cruel" are very subjective terms, and different audiences will have different thresholds for them. For instance, there are some people who feel like any meaningful representation of sexual abuse (especially child sexual abuse) is inappropriate to depict. There are many others who feel that your story must exist within certain boundaries to be considered an "acceptable" narrative about sexual abuse. If these people are your intended target audience, then obviously I would try to minimize any kind of discussion of the abuse - and certainly do not write any onscreen depictions of it lol.

However, if your goal is to create a story that feels authentic and nuanced, and you want it to be enjoyed by audiences who are interested in authentic and nuanced narratives, then I can tell you that paying attention to the above group of people is literally the worst thing you can do for yourself. Sexual abuse of any kind is an inherently insensitive and cruel act, and thus detailed narratives about it will always feel insensitive and cruel in some capacity. So, when you consider the execution of your story (the events depicted, the dialogue, the level of detail, etc.), I would advise you not to think about it only with the mindset of "how can I avoid writing something insensitive/shocking/fetishizing" etc. Instead, think about it in terms of the events and thoughts you must depict in order to bring to life the feelings of your characters, and in order to make their struggles and recovery feel real. You may end up with something wildly controversial. You may also still end up with a story that shows nothing onscreen, and does not go into any detailed discussion, and is nevertheless very powerful. Wherever you land though, you'll have landed there because it's the way the story needs to be told - and not because it's how someone else dictated it should be told.

This is what I do, and unsurprisingly a lot of my stories are offensive to people lol. But ironically, many actual SA/DV survivors tell me that my characters are relatable for them, and the stories make them feel seen. While I don't write my fics for SA/DV survivors in general, I do write them for me, and I generally prefer to read SA narratives that feel authentic and nuanced, rather than ones that are gutless or sanitized. That's why I prefer this approach, and I think this is also why my approach tends to produce stories that resonate with other SA survivors. But if you think your target audience will have very different tastes from mine, then this advice may not apply. It really depends on your intent!

All that being said - whatever you may write, or however you approach it, it is already a lot that you are thinking seriously about ways to write your story thoughtfully. This is already more than what most people do when they write about characters who have gone through SA, especially CSA, and I'm sure it'll come through in your work. I know I gave you a shitton of advice just now, but honestly, don't be afraid to just give it a shot and see what comes out of it LOL. You may come up with something that is exactly what you were aiming for. And if it isn't, then you'll at least have a better sense of how to execute it in the future!

I hope this helps!!!! Sending you love 🫶

[after-witch]

I genuinely love your mahito thoughts and fics sooo much I feel like you genuinely get him lol 🙏 everywhere I go whether its tiktok or tumblr or wherever people hate mahito so deeply and it makes me sad because I love his character so much. You're one of the only people I follow on here that writes for him and it's so refreshing to see someone that is also obsessed with him lol I hope you never stop writing for him ❤

Oh, what a lovely thing to say! I don't really get why people hate Mahito so vehemently... like I get why they might not like him due to who he kills and whatnot, but for some reason, it feels like some people seem to over the top actually loathe him compared to other JJK antagonists.

And iMO Mahito is... less antagonistic than some others, in the sense that he's a lot more childish, a lot more primal, like a force of nature. It's just who he is, and how he acts It's not as calculated compared to others. He's almost innocent in some ways--not like, literally innocent. But innocent in that he's so young and hasn't experienced so many things.

(Did he even get to play in the snow before he died???)

Like, he's just a goofy guy doing goofy stuff... to him. It just so happens that his instrinic nature leans towards horror and violence.

Ahh if you haven't, also, make sure you check out the short story with Mahito in one of the official JJK short story collections. It's really interesting and gives some great insight into Mahito's character.

ALSO I have a really big (actually two but only one i've worked on recently) Mahito longfics in the works, so I definitely won't stop writing for him anytime soon. He's become one of my fav characters, for sure.

Anyway please make sure to check out my reblogs for some other great Mahito writers!! I'm on mobile otherwise I'd just @ everyone but it's harder to do.

[bitch-butter]

For the writing meme perhaps a POV!

Per your latest insight on writing web it’d be interesting to see some scenes from any of your series from his pov!

But joe from pretty on the inside would also be a beast from what you’ve shared!

omgg I'll leave the trainwreck!joe pov for a minute and turn to a favorite moment of mine from rivers part five aka beat a slow dance. this happens towards the end of chapter two, and is a scene that lowkey is a very important scene because it's the first time they both really want to tell the other that they love them but realize that they don't actually need to. I loved writing it the first time, I hope this is interesting ~

(there's another scene from this fic that's going to get a reimagining but that one might take an extra minute lol)

POV — something that’s already happened, retold from another character’s perspective

The night raced through his veins like charging horses, like poisonous sugar making his heart thud in his chest and his body feel hollow and brittle against it. He lay with his eyes shut, but knew sleep wouldn't truly come for hours no matter how Joe demanded he find it. It was just too much, far, far too much as he pictured all of their faces behind his eyes: mother, father, the priest, father, the priest, Philip.

Sighing through his nose, he turned his face into Joe's thigh, doing his best to go empty.

For a while he succeeded, and he found himself dreaming softly in Joe's voice, each sharply refracted image touching his mind softly the way the other man's hands would lay upon him, run through his hair. Nobody had ever been as kind to him. Nobody had ever been as beautiful. He saw Philp again, even as his face was not Philip's, as though from across a crowded room and he regarded him with a peaceful feeling in his heart, as though a dove had landed on the sensation. Smiling, he turned his attention back to Joe - beside him the dream as surely as he was in life - and put his face to the other man's neck.

The dream melted away against him easily, and it was like waking up in a rosebud with no traces of sleep deprivation, no lingering sense of doom. He cracked his eyes open gently with no concept of the hour, face feeling grimy and drawn as his blurred sight landed on Joe's silhouette against the honey light of the lamp, the book still balanced in his hand.

He must have read on after David fell asleep, and he found his heart going soft and warm at the fact.

"What did you think?” he asked, his voice barely a figment. Even still, it drew Joe's eyes down to him, and in this light they were practically black, onyx, precious and dark.

Joe huffed a laugh through his nose. “You’re supposed to be sleeping," he chided, and David fought not to preen at the other man's attention even if it came laced with concern. He was weak for anything Joe would give him.

“I slept,” he said easily, practically a sigh as he rolled onto his back. “Did you like it?”

He knows Joe only barely tolerates his questioning about what he reads, and he does do his best to temper it. Joe can be on guard against ghosts at times, still somehow afraid David is setting him up fore some elaborate joke, and it makes him cagey when asked too many questions. David knows the best way to soothe him is to simply allow him to Be, but then that's never exactly been his strongest skill.

They have such things in common. It's why they work.

Joe closed the book with a gentle sound, setting it aside carefully. “I don’t know,” he said with faux nonchalance, his hands finding David's hair. “I liked her, I think," he said cautiously, running his fingers from David's forehead to the space between his eyes, a simple, soothing gesture that David guessed was more for himself. "But I don’t know if I liked it.”

Humming, David relished in the touch nevertheless, eyes closing against the simple pleasure it brought to him, blood going slow as caterpillars in his veins. “Do you think she dies?”

“I think so.”

“I don’t know,” David replied, unable to deny just how deeply he enjoyed the moments when Joe let him talk about books, about what things meant. “Whenever I read something with an open ending like that I think of why they left it open in the first place.”

“Why do you think?”

Thinking, he blinked slowly up towards Joe. “Why give us the option to hope she lives if she dies in the end?" he asked, voice soft in the quiet of the night, in the gently rush that Joe's hands gave him. "If the story is all about how she’ll never be free in life then why not let her die, why even try to keep her alive?”

Joe frowned down at him, brow furrowed, and David knew he was worried for him. He wished he could tell him that there was nothing to worry about, but it wouldn't have been the truth. Nothing made him want to vanish from the earth like being in his parents house.

“Dark way of looking at it, buddy,” he said, like a hand outstretched. “People like hoping for something, maybe it isn’t actually as open as you say it is.”

“You think Chopin wrote it that way?”

Head tilting, Joe ran his fingers through David's hair once more, and he found his heart and eyes fluttering at once at the touch. “I think she could have lived,” he said, and his smile was a delicate thing, something David was afraid of breaking. “I think she probably died, but who's to say she doesn’t live?”

He was so wise. So good. He was the greatest person David had ever met, and he allowed him so much. Permitted him to be so much. “I think that’s right,” he said softly, eyes drifting back and towards Joe with an opaque clarity.

Joe looked uncertain, his smile wobbling, and David couldn't tell whether he was internalizing David's approval or his own pleasure at it more. “You think?”

God, but he was so dear. So...just so. His grandmother had been right, there were moments when he looked at Joe and words escaped him, when even the deepest parts of himself went still and silent like a forest in winter. There could be no way he could ever adequately express just how much he...

“I love your voice,” he said, finding the sentiment as close as he'd come to just saying the words themselves in many years. “I love it when you read to me,” he added, mouth quivering around the word as though it would sprout wings, fly around the room and refuse to be pulled back into his heart.

Joe had no business looking as surprised as he did. “You do?” he asked, voice stretched with incredulity.

Swallowing, David felt himself nod. “It makes me feel safe,” he admitted, wanting to tell Joe everything he'd ever felt laying in this bed in the long, lonely nights when he was convinced his life would be worth nothing. How even in his wildest dreams he couldn't have created Joe, wouldn't have allowed himself the hope, the courage to dream of someone of his enormity.

“You’re always safe with me,” Joe replied, smoothing his hand over David's hair, easy and sure like he had known just what David was going to say.

He broke somewhere deep inside. “Thank you,” he managed, muscles feeling weak at simply laying there and letting himself be looked at, touched with gentleness.

“For what?”

How could he say? But he must say it, otherwise what if Joe never quite knows?

“For taking such good care of me,” he said faintly.

Joe laughed at him with closed lips, shaking his head and giving David a pitying look. “You’re out of your mind, kid," he said on the edge of a breath, the way he always acted as though being kind was just something people did instead of something eternal, something almost otherworldly and deserving of celebration.

“I mean it, Joe,” he insisted, frowning up at him, unwilling to let Joe escape his gratitude. “I can think of ten guys who would have given up on me.”

Scoffing, Joe bent sharply down from his lean against the headboard to press a dry kiss against his forehead, which scrunched up in response. “Well, I can think of a hundred who would have given up on me,” he countered, his fringe hanging to tickle the point of David’s nose, making it wrinkle as he smiled back up towards him. “We made it through, that’s what matters.”

They made it through. How simple and yet how deep could something be?

He couldn't believe that his life was his life. Couldn't believe that Joe was his and he was Joe's, that whatever it was they had between them was worth bravery, worthy of living. He had wanted this so badly as a child, yearned desperately for love and understanding and kindness and had long disavowed that these things could ever truly be his.

But Joe had given it all to him without asking. David owed him the debt of his heart.

He suddenly, urgently, wanted to say the words.

“Can I say something?” he asks, slow and intentional.

For a moment Joe looked down on him with knowing eyes, as though he could see through to David's brain and see the way his synapses fired, the shape the words were taking before his mouth even tried to make them.

“Don’t," he said simply, mouth soft and smiling, and David huffed in dismay.

“Let me say it,” he insisted.

“Don’t,” Joe rebuked, soft and easy as he petted him.

Rolling his eyes, David did his best to not feel rejected even in the most meaningless way. “You don’t want me to say it," he accused, feeling mean, bristling at the way Joe just laughed at him and pulled gently at his hair.

“I don’t need you to say it, alright?" he said, and if it hadn't been the truth the feeling of dismissal might have lingered long in David's veins. As it was, he felt himself going warm once more, sure enough with the knowledge that it was real. They say the words in different ways every day, sometimes absent of even their voices. He doesn't need to say it. "I know,” Joe said, his voice low and solid, his eyes dark against David's face. “I know.”

David could only look at him, and look, and look. The man of his dreams, the man of his life, the man who made him laugh, and forced him to live with his eyes open. If Joe would just ask him to say it he would, he would, and he might never be able to stop. He reached out for Joe with an open hand against his neck, and Joe came to him smoothly, like it took no thought at all, easing him into a soft, lingering kiss, urging him down until they could embrace each other.

"Do you know?” Joe breathed against him, kissing the corner of his mouth until it turned up in happiness, in an elation that he thought this room might never know.

[blackbatcass]

im so happy u turned ur anons back on they rlly thought they were baiting you, huh?

anyways! im sooo excited for the cass rebirth fic skdfewkd but in the meantime i DO wanna get into some arrowfam. ollie, roy, mia and connor just interest me so muchh but i havent read muc except for fics and even though i was supposed to follow my super specific reading order i wanna take a break from nw and the batfam and read something else.

like you said ga can be very healing!

anyways do you have a read list for me that includes all of them? thankss!

p.s nightwing vs green arrow was a question dc posted on their insta and the answers really surprised me! any insight on this?

LOVE YAAA

hey! <3333 tyyy i hope it lives up to expectation. LITERALLY reading ollie is so healing its good for the soul.

so this is like a comprehensive list of ollie comics, and this is a guide to everyone in the arrowfam. they’re super helpful if you want a broad overview

for my own personal recs, i think it's nice to start with green arrow: year one or green arrow stranded, to get a feel for his origin & time on the island. the hard traveling heroes (green lantern/green arrow) stories are also essential reading in that they basically established the modern version of ollie's personality and they're soo much fun, just beware of snowbirds lol.

from there green arrow vol 2 (1988) is the big one! pretty much Thee green arrow run, especially if you want to get to know ollie better. it's a lot of solid street-level ga stories in seattle, dinah's there, eddie fyers is there, and connor's introduced towards the end! if you're specifically interested in connor #102-137 was his original green arrow run. though word of caution that anything written after mike grell is a bit questionable.

if you're more interested in the 'arrowfamily' as a whole then you're looking for green arrow vol 3 (2001). it's 75 issues and a lot of fun. this is where ollie comes back to life, mia is introduced, ollie legalizes gay marriage, etc. it's pretty much just ollie hanging out with connor and mia and having some more street-level star city shenanigans, and i am very fond of it. that being said when judd winick takes over there is some questionable shit (you might want to just skip the arc with joanna pierce) but overall it's a fun time. roy shows up occasionally, dinah comes and goes. it's probably the best run to read if you want to get to know the arrowfam as a whole.

do not read green arrow/black canary unless you're desperate. it's bad. it's hilariously bad. do not trust anyone who tells you it's good. it is pretty harmless so if you just want to skim through for mia funny moments go ahead but...yeah it's trash.

post-new 52 there is not a lot unfortunately. a lot of it's garbage. the jeff lemire run is probably the most salvageable? and the rebirth one (volume 6) isn't as nauseating so that's also an option. but obviously you can read & enjoy whatever you want, maybe new52 ollie is your favorite ollie. i would say to read through some of this if you're interested in emiko but i can't really recommend it per se.

and that brings us to the current ga ongoing! you've probably heard us bitch about it a lot on here, but tbh it's been less bad & more mediocre. mediocre comics are just really frustrating to read through in real time. i might give it a try though, it has some nice moments even though it's not great, and williamson is leaving the title next month! chris condon is set to take over and has said the first arc is about street-level crime in star city, influenced by grell and o'neill. so i am VERY excited, it has the possibility to be peak. i think condon's run (issue 18) could be a great place to hop on!

so those are my green arrow recs! if you're more interested in roy, he usually features more in titans titles than ga titles so i have a separate list in my comic recs tag for him.

i couldn't find the ig post you were talking about? i have no clue how a fight between dick and ollie would go if that's the question. power scaling is not my forte by any means. i'm not sure how ollie's archery and dick's hand to hand fighting would match up. so i don't have a lot of insight on that sorry!

[chocosvt]

hi choco! i'm so excited to see you back on my tl; i've missed you and your god-tier fics & i'm super duper excited to read your wonwoo fic as well (140k words? we will all be well fed fr 🤲)

i had a little rant? not exactly rant but something that's been itching my mind a bit haha, i hope you don't mind me sharing it with you! i genuinely want some advice over this.

as a long fic writer, how do you consistently come back to writing your fic without getting bored? i looooove writing long fics too (big lover of slowburn and angst lol) but i always get so impatient and bored of writing the story so quickly :(

i'd posted a teaser for a fic a while back and it got a good amount of traction (something i will always be grateful for) and someone asked me when i would release the full fic, to which i gave them a tentative date. fast forward to the day before the day i said i would post the fic and you have me typing out paragraphs upon paragraphs of stuff that i absolutely loathe in my writing. i ended up posting the fic anyway, but it's been only a day and i already want to take it down—not bc it's not getting any attention, because it is, but more so bc i hate that fic and would do anything to rewrite it.

iirc your joshua fic, 'best friend's brother' was a rewrite of a fic you'd written earlier, right? was your thought process similar to this? where did you start your rewriting process from? did you have any second thoughts when you took it down the first time?

i'm really sorry if this is too many questions 😅 please take your time if you do choose to answer this! much love and have a great day, choco!!! thank you so much :)

(is it alright if i use an emoji to sign off so i can find this ask later?)

— 🍫

first of all, THANK U SO MUCH <3

and i don't mind at all! these are rly insightful questions :o though i'll just chunk my answers a bit so i'm not all over the place.

not getting bored to be honest, i'm not sure if i ever "get bored" of writing out the plot. but i definitely get burnt out, and sometimes i get downright sick of reviewing my own writing, to the point where i just have to close my laptop and walk away. i think the most important & overarching piece of advice i can give--not just in terms of long fics but any fic for that matter--is to never force anything & take breaks!

when i'm busy at uni, there are like 5 month breaks where i don't bother writing at all. i always think that the second i have free time, i should theoretically want to write, but sometimes i just don't. and i make peace with it bc i know the second i force anything i will end up hating it (also takes the fun & enjoyment out of the process).

i think if you're getting bored, it's probably a sign that your body & mind just isn't interested in writing at the moment. so i would step away & take a break and attempt to get your mind off the plot. i think that taking a break also invigorates your mind a bit and gives you newer, better ideas (at least from my experience).

bfb rewrite the reason i rewrote best friend's brother was bc the og fic was from 2016, when my writing style was completely different. i still liked the concept but naturally, as my writing grew, i just detested the way the old ver was written, which spurred me to create the rewrite.

i wanted to give the characters a lot more depth & beef up the plot, so the new fic is actually a lot different in comparison to the old one. i wasn't attempting to do a scene-for-scene rewrite--it was simply just my approach to an old concept that i felt i could now execute better.

as to how i went abt rewriting it, i just picked out moments from the old fic that i liked and built around them. for instance, i rly liked the "skipping stones" scene that shows some intimacy & tenderness between joshua and reader. but it can't just happen out the gate. so i had to figure out the typical "why, when, and how is this moment happening right now?" from scratch.

the thing with long fics for me, it honestly is a test of patience & dedication!! bc it can truly be so frustrating :( a lot of times, you want to jump right into the good parts bc those are like the shiny glimmers that make the fic attractive. but depending on how impactful you want those moments to be, build-up is sooooo key! the thing is, build-up is just so critical in my opinion, but it can also be such a pain to write :p

i find when i review my writing, these are scenes i criticize or change the most--more than the big, hard-hitting scenes. bc to me, it's such a specific thing that you have to nail down justttt right. it's a lot of thinking and finagling and i think this process is what i dread the most? especially when it refuses to turn out how you want it--ugh, so discouraging!! but once you get it's like a silky flowy river!!

the big takeaways (i guess?) 1. taking breaks is so important! 2. don't force anything xxxx 3. take the big moments & build around them i totallyyyyy understand your frustration!! there have been so many moments where i'm like I NEED TO WRITE AHHHHH and then i promptly open the document only to sit there, blankly read a few sentences, and then get this rly big sinking feeling in my gut that is essentially telling me "never mind" and honestly i just listen to it bc if i'm gonna close & open the document 10 times in a row i obviously don't want to write. i'm just searching for something fulfilling and clearly not finding it in the task at hand so i should do smth else.

THIS IS EXTREMELY LENGTHY AND I''M BEYOND SORRY, but i hope somewhere amongst this mumbo jumbo there was something that stood out & may give you a bit of closure!

[itooaminthisepisode]

episode that you love?

im only on season four but i've got a couple of faves so far:

1x21 'three stories': it's practically law that i have to include this. absolute classic of an episode. i love the format, i love the backstory we get, and i especially love the med students!! they were fun and i hope they come back at some point. probably not but im still holding out hope. teacher!house was great to see too, and the deep-dive into his backstory is so delightfully painful and heart-wrenching,,, oughgh

2x07 'hunting': very fun episode!! "what, because you're a closet case?" absolutely killed me the first time i watched it. get their asses lmao. also we get to see steve mcqueen (my beloved <3) and cameron on meth - fun times!

2x15 'clueless' and 2x16 'safe': mainly for the hilson roommates subplot tbf, but the cases were interesting too! these eps also had a lot of funny moments, like wilson sawing through house's cane and the whole tick debacle lmao

3x02 'cane & able': where do i start with this one. first of all the awful cgi hallucinations were fucking hilarious, i was so fucking confused tho. like the whole time i was just going helllo???? aliens????? great stuff. the rest case itself was really fun too!! and this is the one where we get the infamous "i was worried that your wings would melt" speech. oughghgh top tier content right there.

3x04 'lines in the sand': controversial take right here. this is the infamous autism episode. the way they handled it was. well. it was 2006. so. the case itself was interesting too, but the main highlight for me is the autistic house moments <3 and look. i KNOW wilson says house doesn't actually have autism. but MASKING EXISTS, WILSON!! you can pry this headcanon out of my cold dead hands. i support autism rights but i also support autism wrongs or however the meme goes. more people should get to be autistic and jerks i think <3 (saying all this as a guy who most likely has autism btw. i havent got an official diagnosis but uhhhh yeah it's Likely.)

3x07 'son of coma guy': hilson road trip! plus coma guy ig. but mainly hilson road trip :) i love them.

4x02 'the right stuff': i love love love the whole gameshow-esque thing house starts. we get to see some great characters (amber! kutner! dobson my beloved!!!!), and it's just all round a bit of fun. love it.

4x05 'mirror mirror': another fun one!! the mirror syndrome guy gives us a lot of fun insights into the applicant's personalities, i thought that was a really fun way of showing it rather than have a million expositions about each of them lol. also the banter was fun this episode, especially between house, wilson and cuddy. also we find out that wilson is more dominant than house and that kutner's a masochist. great fuel for fic writers. fun!

4x12 'don't ever change': ohohhoo i love this one. the case was alright but the best bit abt it imo was the house, wilson and amber dynamic. i love this trio so fucking much you don't understand,,, i honestly think we should've got poly wilson/amber/house. just think abt it... house and amber friendly rivalry... teaming up to bully wilson... and also amber and wilson bullying house together... would it be a little dysfunctional? yes. but that's to be expected in this show lmao. idk why this turned into a pitch for these three i just love them very very much <3

4x13 'no more mr. nice guy': again for the wilson/amber/house dynamic. this one is very fun i love their custody dispute over wilson, and the dog analogy was very funny to me. and cuddy making house and amber do coma patient duty lmao. AND bisexual thirteen!! love her <3

i haven't actually gotten to the last couple episodes of s4 yet because uhhhh Bad Things Happen and i am delaying the inevitable. send help. but i am sure they are very good and will probably make this list once i get around to watching them!

honourable mentions include 2x13 'skin deep' (purely for the scene where house is in the mri machine and wilson pretends to be god lol), 3x22 'resignation' (for the wilson on amphetamines scene. "i'm not on antidepressants, i'm on speeeeeeeed!" gets me every fucking time) and 4x01 'alone' (house and wilson prank war!!!)

soooo yeah those are my favourites :) and i'm sure there'll be a lot more once i finish the rest of the show but like i said i am Procrastinating lmao

thanks for the ask my friend!

[spookyserenades]

Hi Dana!!! Just wanted to stop by in your asks to let you know that I absolutely love Trouvaille! I can't believe you've been pumping out +20k chapters for this, but I appreciate it a lot (I can't imagine the amount of time you take to work on them). Overall, I really love the concept and world building you've done in only 3 chapters. Especially the originality of adding in the occult/paranormal/supernatural to the story. I find it so interesting, especially now that there's been more interactions and insight into MC's past with the spirits and ghosts.

I guess I'll put in a theory (?) regarding future chapters...? I have a feeling JK and Namjoon are going to be important or instrumental with MC's dive back into the paranormal. Looking at their moonboards gives some hints towards it, too. I feel like JK was either in a cult or grew up in what seems to be the Catholic church (I thought I saw a rosary behind the crucifix). Also, with the ghosty hands and stuff, it just feels like he'll be important. Even in Norse mythology, elks are symbols of protection against physical and spiritual danger. As for Namjoon, we already got a hint that he had known MC's mom before. Plus, his moonboard has so many books about the paranormal/criptids. Idk, the nightmare, thinking his eyes are really familiar, etc. It just seems like there's something to it. (Lowkey, I just keep reminding myself of the: "You have 2 wolves inside of you" meme and laugh when i think of him).

To end off, i guess I love what you're doing with this series!! And I'm so excited to read more whenever you release the chapters! I'd love to be on the taglist for it also, if that isn't a problem. As a last note, Tae and Jin are the best boys!!! Love them so much, but all the guys are great in their own special ways😂 I hope you have a great day/night!!! Much love💜💜

!!! Hi darling!! AHHH you've sent me such a lovely message <3 It makes me so happy that you love Trouvaille! And LOL I love a good lengthy update, there's so much I want to squeeze into each one I find it hard to stop writing sometimes. If I'm having a lot of inspiration, I can usually crank out a chapter in a little over a week... but there have been times where I don't have as much time to work and it can take me about a month! I'm trying to be dutiful with my writing schedule so I can continue to update consistently :) All of my chapters will be at least 20k, though!

YAY I'm really excited that you're enjoying the paranormal/spookier aspects to Trouvaille! I love these kinds of subjects, so writing a BTS fic with these themes have been very... self indulgent? LOL! But it makes me so happy that you and others are interested in it too <3 There will definitely be more ~haunted happenings~ in future updates!!

Which leads me to your awesome theories!! You're right on the money, Jungkook and Namjoon are totally vital to the paranormal aspects of the plot, especially regarding MC's return to her mystical past. I really love your idea that Jungkook may have came from a cult, that's definitely a theory I have not yet heard. As a little hint (actually, it's a big one), I've loosely based Jungkook off of Keanu Reeves' character in the movie Constantine. The Norse mythology fact you've brought up is SO COOL!! I had no idea that's what elks represent, what an awesome synchronicity! Namjoon, true to him IRL, is definitely the bookish part of the operation here... he's read quite a bit about these supernatural subjects, perhaps experienced a thing or two prior to his adoption ;)

SCREAMING at the two wolves thing!! It totally fits him, his character is a bit of an edgelord. I think of those meme pictures of the anthropomorphic wolf tearing off its clothes or moodily staring at a lake LMAO!

Thank you so so much for reading and offering your awesome insights <3 Right now, I update on the 7th and the 20th, but that may be subject to change as I'm taking some summer classes that will be taking up a bit of my time. I'll absolutely add you to the taglist, darling! You're so right, Tae and Jin are the bestest angels... they deserve the world <3 Have a wonderful week yourself, and thank you again for your love and support!!!!

[autumnshighlady]

ugh ialtpwf is so fucking good omg, can't wait to read more!!!! neris is a combination i love, and it's regretful that it isn't approached more, i didn't like the ic either, but man truly hate the ic now, because the way you've described them does hold up realistically. they were so fucking horrible in a way that's like barely addressed, and not to be a bitch but feyre just isn't a equal in the story? she's constantly used the way rhys want to, and it's kind of disgusting. cass and az def seem like misguided supporters of rhys, hopefully they realize their wrongdoings?? maybe kill rhys and lead the court themselves or something?? really want a reader-azriel relationship too tbh, not necessarily a romantic/sexual one, like a mentor-mentee/good friends. feel like reader will be sympathetic towards him and i want them to like be friends??? idm if that isn't the case, though, love your writing the way it is. i think az and nes have a good-ish relationship in acosf so that wld be interesting too,,,, and we all know about azris, cmon hot!. idk. now i'm thinking of eris x nesta x reader x azriel which uh. damn. hot. i want sjm to go thru that same approach you did but i do unfortunately think that she likes the ic the way they are and will probably give eris a true insight into his tragic lifestory, change him and pretend like everything's just fine, with a hint of disdain towards him or something, like lucien lol. can't wait to see eris-nesta-reader interactions, love the interactions they have alr, but together. ugh i can't wait to read them flirting and comforting each other, and the smut lol. anyway i love your fics, can't believe it took me this long to get around to reading it, truly did not dissapoint. sorry about the hate comments you apparently get for no reason? like the fics you write aren't even extreme lmao, sorry about the thing w guys my age. anyway hope you're having a good day!! and agood week! and a good month. byee!!! sorry for this being long hsoikfzjslifdg

i just saw this after a gruelling 13 hour shift and oh my god:.. honey…. my heart is swelling right now at this message PLEASE DONT APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG MESSAGE I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW I LOVE LONG MESSAGES LIKE THIS! i love getting asks but most of them are requests which is a bit boring ngl i love talking with you guys and hearing your thoughts and opinions. the fact you read my massive ass fic and took the time to write all this means more to me than i know how to express in the english language.

and yeah feyre doesn’t have much autonomy in my story. the reason for this is while i don’t like her a whole lot, i feel like lots of her actions and behaviour in the books is the consequence of being so influenced by rhys and the bond. therefore i didn’t really want to make her the “villain” so she kinda just… doesn’t do anything. my main beef is w rhys, not her.

you’ll definitely see more of reader and Az as well as nesta and Az because i agree i did like nesta and Az in ACOSF. you’ve given me ideas with adding azriel into the neris/reader mix…. hehe

you’ll see much more of the reader and eris. i have so much planned out for them and Nesta, and it’ll be a rollercoaster! i promise you will love what i’ve got planned <3 this fic has endless possibilities and tbh i don’t think it’ll ever truly be finished.

again, thank you for this message. i cried with happiness when i read it

[karizard-ao3]

My reactions to Evangelion episode: She said, "Don't make me suffer for your personal hatred"

I stan a long ass title.

Whoa, Misato was right there at ground zero for the second impact!

I'm watching this part again. It looks like her dad's skin is either melting off or it's got icicles coming down off his fingers.

He saved his baby.

That's a gnarly scar she's got. What a babe.

Lol Asuka thinking the boys are there for her and not Misato.

Poor Shinji being naturally talented at something he hates. Or is he naturally talented? Maybe he was bred for this.

Who does Rei live with?

Toji and Kensuke planned Misato a party lol

Shinji is so curious.

Kaji is such a whore.

"A pristine world, untainted by original sin." Dude, you are not trying to purge the world of sin, are you? Is Gendo making superhumans without "sin" to populate the earth? ARE THE ANGELS HIS FAILED UBERMENSCH BABIES? The curiousity is killing me.

No, there's no way a person made that thing. It's huge. Unless the original Angels made more Angels? No. Yes? I don't know.

Does Misato do anything that is not a long shot?

"I'm going to gamble with your lives but I'll buy you steak if you survive" is really something.

I'm laughing at Asuka making fun of Misato's generation. Typical kid.

Rei doesn't like eating meat, huh? What horrors has she seen? Did everyone she loves get burned to a crisp?

Aw, she made this plan because she was sure they would be able to survive it.

Is Gendo the same as Misato's father, then? Is this revelation about him meant to give us an insight into Gendo? Is Gendo going to sacrifice his life to save Shinji, who he's neglected all this time?

She joined NERV to destroy the Angels and by doing so to get revenge on her father. Shinji's reason for piloting is also his father. I wonder if the motivation is not to impress him but also some kind of revenge? I'm not sure how that works, but the things we do as humans don't always make sense, so I wouldn't be surprised if Shinji doesn't know himself.

I hope this doesn't lead to third impact.

Damn, that's a big explosion.

Looks like the kids are getting their steak.

Is that the first time his father told him "Good job"?

Aw, they went to ramen so they wouldn't break the bank.

Oh, he does do it because he wants his dad to love/ compliment him. He is such a sweet fucking kid.

In Conclusion

I'm still kind of hanging in there waiting for more reveals. I do think Rei's vegetarianism is very interesting and definitely indicative that something very bad probably happened to her in the past.

I really enjoy getting to see more of everyone's dynamics and how their relationships evolve. I like that Asuka, even though she has fashioned Rei into something of a rival for herself, still chose a restaurant to eat at that Rei would go to. And, that wouldn't be too expensive for Misato. I get the impression she's all bark and no bite. Actually, she's pretty much the polar opposite of Rei, in fact.

Okay, I feel like I'm getting pretty mentally saturated here, so I think I'm going to watch one more episode, then work on some fic writing or maybe play some Hearthstone for a bit. Then I might watch some more this evening, but we'll see! Doing these live reactions is fun and it helps me kind of organize my impressions, but it's also a real mental workout since I'm not watching passively! I feel like I'm getting a lot more out of the show doing it this way, though.

On to the next (after I check my messages)!

[goat-shoe]

ok, i Rant time

ive been reading this fic Knowing itd be a mess and im just... ive had it with this characterization! aimless rant below ^^;;;

tw for bullying, harassment, abuse, homophobia

so a lot of highschool AUs are just..... Bad? like LOL sorry :x but. youre taking away everything interesting about the miraculous holders, And youre trying to make Fully Grown Adults into children. ??????

n e ways, i found this highschool dropout au,,, im Sure you can guess how i feel abt dugout and tiderdrop together, but personal biases aside (its Icky to me and someday ill figure out why)..... lets read this fic.

(to prove i am Not taking things out of context, heres the whole fic)

FIRST of all, youre ognna notice that the prose is Boring, written in long and uninspired runon sentences. i dont wanna just bash on an inexperienced writer, but if youre gonna be this lazy about it.. who is it for :x

second, headcanoning mariquitas name as the Only spanish name you can think of that starts with "mari"? is just uninspired. mariquita wouldnt Choose a hero name so obviously close to her Real Name.. again im not an unmasker, but this headcanon is ridiculous....

finally, and most importantly.... "he sighs wearily". umm, No actually. he Doesnt. you dont even get an insight into dugouts thoughts other than "im nervous about school >m<"

Needless to say, this and his whiny, whimpering demeanor is incredibly infantilizing,. Furthermore in this context, all it does is plays into the ""yaoi"" trope of a big buff bad big boy x boy who says uwaaah! (i hope it goes without saying, this is Not a condemnation of boys who say uwahh, yall are doing gods work and ily)

cramming tigerdrop and dugout into this trope comes off as (and actually is) incredibly homophobic and harmful. need i remind you, these are real people. i wouldnt be surprised if this author was a fujoshi or something too :x

anyways.

im a dugout fan Because hes reserved, but in this fic, thats being watered down to him just being sad and whiny.

its just so insulting to be written shrugging every 3 sentences. dugout im so sorry theyre doing this to you ;;;

guhh. ill give them points for this cute relationship with mariquita...

but again, the prose is just.. clumsy. and again, all dugout does is whine about change. its not even a realistic portrayal of adjustment disorder :x

speaking of disorders Lol,

we Know how i feel abt tigerdrop, but i tend to actually like fanfic portrayals of him.

but this one is just... Confusing...

(also we have mandatory "describe their entire outfit in vapid detail" LOL i should have made this a bingo)

i havent really been talking about the plot, but heres what it took the author two chapters to get through:

dugout it new in town, hes nervous about the changes. (we dont even know why he misses home??? just, make it up i guess, god forbid a fanfiction Make That part up!!!!!!)

tigerdrop has lived in new york all his life, and he appears to be pretty bored with life (ex: pushes pipsqueak over just because he thought itd be funny, no doubt an allusion to the canal street incident last july)

his characterization is actually really confusing and i think its supposed to be like, Alluring??? but its just disconcerting :x

thats It. Two established characters and empty conversations with others (the mariquita mischaracterization especially drives me up the wall ever since i confirmed my kin with her)

they meet in math class when dugout unknowingly sits in tigerdrops seat..... girl, Literally no one in high school acts like this.

at this point, this fic is no better than glee and the millions of other incorrect and careless portrayals of highschoolers. tigerdrop has some weird banter with the faceless teacher (yet Another reason i hate most highschool fics)

:/ i Kinda saw it coming, but....

tigerdrop apologizing and not meaning it? In character. But, hes just acting like a greaser, and its Weird

dugout wouldnt care! he would not look like "a deer in the Headphones."

i Realize the author doesnt have a beta reader but :x that doesnt excuse pawning off lazy work btw, in case anyone was wondering....

last but probably Most important: this is setting up such a toxic dynamic. tigerdrop is actively pushing the message that dugout is taking up too much space and he doesnt belong. its alienating and shitty. and this is a fic Shipping Them :x

but i Clicked on a dropout fic, so.... should i be surprised :/

like i said. dugout is Already afraid of him.. his body is reacting just to the sound of his voice, not unlike trauma in PTSD victims!

like. guh. this is literally so toxic. also..

take a shot every time you see the word "smirks"

lips ghosting his nose And ear? Lol.....

likely The Worst way to incorporate their miraculous personas :x reading this literally made me nauseous.

anyways.... thats all of the fic thats been posted so far. so to summarize: this is just Icky. its even worse, setting this kind of relationship in their high school years :x imagine if someone treated you this way! youre Not gonna grow up and marry them.

i Cant even.

~ ty for reading <3 ~

[oh-my-damn]

I am so amused and a bit drunk. I did a Tumblr and I clicked on something and you know how it goes, and now suddenly I am here in this fandom rabbit hole that concerns Chris Evans, and I know about fandom rabbit holes and feelings about PR relationships I am in them! A few! Myself! But then usually I have context and now I have no context and I have scrolled your blog trying to figure it out myself but I. Cannot. I understand that I cannot. Please help! Are we angry with Chris Evans? Do we like him? Has he disappointed us? He seems to have some type of girlfriend (PR?) with racist friends (and he is maybe mean to her?)? Is that why we are angry? Did we use to like him? I am so ready to take a side, but I don't know what the sides are! Is it possible to explain to an outsider? I understand if not! This is 100% not sarcastic. Despite not having any previous feeling about Chris Evans I am gonna read your fic now, it looks good. This just all made me so happy. Cheers and good evening!

LMAO you have no idea how much I chuckled at this message! It is so endearingly innocent and I adore it.

Okay, it is going to take WAY too long to explain, so I am going to need to direct you to some of my wonderful friends who also cover this topic: @imnotmaddybutiknowher @nancydrewwouldnever @annislittleshopofhorrors (and especially her library of receipts, @anneslibrary which covers the entire timeline, it's very very well done!) These blogs have vital information, I also have a few blogs in my little "mafia group" (that's what we've been labelled as by the people who don't like us calling out Chris, so we're rolling with it) but some of them are pretty over the entire ordeal now so I don't know how much is left on their blogs <3

Long story short, yes we are mad at Chris, yes we did use to like and support him, yes he does have a girlfriend (at least that's how its presented, there are definitely some PR aspects to it, some believe it's all PR some believe its a mix), yes she does have racist friends (you can find the pics in Annes library pretty quickly in the timeline posts), yes there is also a weird dynamic between them because she is only 25 and he is 41 and he first started "chasing her" on insta when she was 23. She is a portugese actress in the canceled netflix show "warrior nun" and is not established in her field but Chris flies her out to live her life adapted to his interests, hobbies and friends before sending her back home for however long. she still lives with her parents, by the way, that's how young she is.

So yes, lots to unpack! I think the timelines will give you the most insight at this point because right now on here we are analyzing the latest post he made for V-day as well as the announcement he will be going to a con in March/April and the entire situation as a whole, so not much explaining at this point, more of a discussion lol.

OH! And I appreciate you reading my fics lmao, I hope you enjoy! Which one are you reading? I have a lot but I wasn't sure which one you meant lmao.

Anyway I hope you don't get too overwhelmed!! Please check back in whenever you want, I would love to hear your thoughts after doing a little digging into this whole mess heheheheheh

[bacarasbabe]

Hello hello my love, may I please ask about 21, 73 and 76? x

Hello my beloved 💕 I'm so sorry for the late response. I've started answering you multiple times but irl things kept getting in the way and I took a small break from here! Really, I just wanted to give you a serious answer that I took my time with instead of something rushed and not very well thought out. I hope you can forgive me darling.

21 - Do you prefer writing chaptered fics or one-shots?

I don't have very many chaptered fics but as I've been growing and evolving in my writing style I think I've begun to gravitate towords chaptered fics. I find a lot of joy in developing plotlines and characters through multiple chapters. It's an interesting and fun challenge to face, but one-shots will always hold a special place in my heart.

73 - What do you tend to get complimented on the most about your writing?

Hmm, this was interesting to disect but I think I get complemented on my aestetics the most lol.

76 - How do you deal with writing pressure, whether internal or external?

Fyi, I've written the response to this question like five different times now. I think I've settled on an okay respose, but I wanted to take the time to get this right. I know so many fic writers and creators deal with stress, and not all of us come out the other side as creators still. While I'm unsure if my insights will be helpful to you, I hope you can find something valuable in my perspective.

(Full answer under the cut bc it's long.)

We've previously discussed the unique frustrations that fic writers face, particularly on this website. The constant barrage of anonymous asks, only inquiring about more content or the release date of the next chapter, the likes without comments or reblogs, and the limited interactions can wear you down over time. I know that I've felt the weight of these pressures and so have so many countless others. There are numerous other aspects I could complain about, but I am actively working on letting go and trying to move past these things.

It can be difficult when, at one point, fic writing felt like an avenue to engage in commentary, discussions, and the social aspects of the community, rather than merely producing content for others to enjoy. The stress and perceived pressure to consistently create began to erode my love for writing, prompting me to step away. I needed to distance myself from everything, and surprisingly, it turned out to be a positive decision. During my break, I created a side blog using a completely different email address, allowing me to enjoy things without feeling the need to hold myself to any standards or obligations. I granted myself permission to consume instead of constantly create, and to enjoy without worry. Taking that break was a significant step for me, enabling me to establish boundaries, which was exactly what I needed. I realized I had been giving too much, rushing through writing instead of savoring the process.

Now, with a story that I hold dear to my heart, I find myself in a place where I can dedicate myself to it and genuinely enjoy the journey. I am completing the story for myself because I genuinely want to, without the burden of writing other fics or constantly trying to entertain followers. Even with this mindset, I must admit that I don't have a comprehensive answer for you. After being away for over a year, gaining a fresh perspective on things helped immensely. Additionally, the words of a cherished mutual we share had a profound impact on me. They expressed, in their own way, that my fics are already complete the moment I posted them. Regardless of any future chapters promised. It's perfectly acceptable if I never post an ending because the audience is not entitled to one.

Dealing with writing pressure, whether it stems from internal expectations or external demands, requires a conscious effort to set boundaries and prioritize personal enjoyment and fulfillment. Taking breaks, gaining perspective, and finding solace in the fact that your creations are already complete can all contribute to a healthier and more enjoyable writing experience. Remember, your writing journey should ultimately be driven by your own passion and desire, rather than solely catering to the expectations of others. I know that this is easier said than done. I know. But hopefully you can take a piece of this and apply it to your own stess.

[squidkidnerd]

Operation Atlantis Notes - “Squid for Hire” (chapter 4)

Hey! So, if you’re here from Chapter 4, you get the gist. These notes are gonna be a place for updates, rambling (lots of rambling), and maaybe the occasional insight into my writing process. I hope you enjoy reading them as I much as I did writing them lol (rest under the cut!).

Anyways, this chapter was pretty hard to write.

Much like chapter 1 actually, I knew exactly where I wanted “Squid for Hire” to end. Three getting hired at Calamari Coffee is, of course, a major plot point that affects basically everything going forward, and it’s been in the works since the very beginning. However, getting there... getting there was more of a struggle. Funzone, Mihoto Records, and Grateful Grocers all had to be built practically from the ground up for this chapter because before that they straight up didn’t exist. It was daunting, at first, figuring out all the locations and making up a reason as to why Three wasn’t hired there. This gave me some writer’s block that slowed down my progress. But hey, here we are. I made it.

Of course, the chapter itself wasn’t the only problem I encountered. A good chunk of my already-sparse free time was dedicated to another fic, “Valentine’s Day Blues.” During January I suffered a tired spell that made it infinitely harder to write at all. AND, apparently I can’t catch a break because of course my left ear had to act up right before February break. So, yeah. Life got in the way. But hey, I’m here now. On with the notes.

Opening poem: Hoo boy, I think this one is one of the favorites I’ve written so far. I took a lot of inspiration from the Mr. Grizz mem cake poem for this one, which I think has some similar ideas to what I delve into this chapter. Specifically, I wanted to highlight the sense of personal duty and “looking the other way,” that comes with having a job of Atlantis.This is something we’ve only really scratched the surface of so far and is sort of a larger theme within Operation Atlantis. If there’s one thing Kamabo likes to do, it’s putting people into boxes. What happens to them in those boxes? Who knows.

Small character interactions: Yay, more Calamari Coffee gang banter! I missed writing that in chapter 3. Anyways, Miyo, Gregory, and Madame Katrina all get a little time to shine here. With Miyo, I’m trying to be careful that “teasing Eight about Three all time” isn’t her whole personality... can’t say she doesn’t do that during this chapter, but hey. Don’t worry, her character will eventually be explored in more depth. Same with Gregory. The small scene with the wipes was a little bit of a spontaneous addition I put in because, why not? Writing their language barrier was interesting here. And then, Madame Katrina. Her tidbit actually went to Miyo initially, but I changed it because it felt more in-character for her to do that rather than Miyo. She doesn’t know much about the octarians’ *ahem* situation, but hey, she knows enough. Certainly more than Eight at this point.

The diner scene, the Octarian Society, and Eight’s memories: More Iso Padre! The man is incredibly hard to write, but I tried my best. Anyways, Eight’s original plot for this chapter was actually the Octarian Society meeting Iso Padre mentions here, but it seemed like too much for now (and too much it would’ve been—this chapter is the longest yet!), so I moved it later on. Anyways, Eight has a lot of feelings regarding her past, and I wanted to show them here. It’s hard, and certainly confusing, to lose all your memories and thusly, your entire sense of self. It’s even harder because your memories often give you a sense of belonging, a belonging especially important to the octarians given their circumstances. So yeah, Eight hasn’t even gone there and she already feels left out :(. We’ll see how that meeting goes...

Job hunting with Cap’n Cuttlefish: And here, we get to the bulk of the chapter! Yeah, Cuttlefish is... one of my favorite characters to write, honestly. It’s a shame he doesn’t get used more often, because I think he’s a really great foil for Three in a lot of ways. The paragraph of reflection I wrote after his lines about Calamari Coffee is probably my favorite passage of this entire chapter, and I tried my best to fit in logically. Anyways... Funzone. And Merriweather’s. They don’t show up for very long, but I still wanted to give them distinct character and flavor. Atlantis is a city after all, just like Inkopolis. And if there’s one thing cities have a lot of, it’s distinct places. So, that’s why I included them.

Eight’s eavesdropping: This was a more recent addition, actually. Anyways, Teo, and to a lesser extent, his grandma, are both characters that appear later on, so I thought why not and decided to drop hints here. Yeah, there’s a lot of hints here. I am quite proud, in fact, that I revealed what DOHU stands for in Teo’s dialogue as fluidly as I did. Trust me, they are... relevant later. They’re not antagonists, per se, just perhaps a little misguided.

Six: Six!!! Another little hint. I’ve always found it very strange that the ramifications of the Deepsea Metro (aka: at least hundreds of people getting blended into a smoothie) are never really explored in fanfics. I mean, they must’ve had no idea! They thought they were going to the surface, for God’s sake! And of course, their loved ones wouldn’t even know! The angst potential is off the charts! And yet, I’ve only seen it explored like once. Once. And I've read a lot of Splatoon fanfiction. So yeah, Six is my attempt to rectify that. Trust me, we’ll be hearing a lot more about him later 😏

Mihoto Records: Remember that records shop I mentioned very briefly in chapter 2? I do, because surprise! It was Mihoto Records! Yeah, this was a fun setting because it’s so different to Funzone and Merriweather’s. Definitely more octarian roots. I liked writing Nikko, even though I didn’t really get to write him because Three couldn’t understand most of his dialogue anyways. Oh, and because Three’s in an octarian-dominated space, I of course had to bring up her whole (very understandable) anxiety about that. Poor Three. It will get better eventually, I promise. Eventually.

Calamari Inkantation: Hoo boy, I WAS WAITING TO MENTION THIS ONE. If you couldn’t very obviously tell, I’ve been using the Inkantation as a sort-of motif (hehe, ‘cause it’s a song) for Eight’s memory loss and resulting lack of direction. Unlike Three, who has very clear and well-defined motivations, Eight at this point has no idea who she is or what she wants. Given that the Inkantation plays in the very beginning of Octo Expansion (and Cuttlefish mentions hearing Eight hum it before they wake up), it makes sense to assume it’s the only thing she can remember. And she doesn’t even remember the whole song! It’s like getting one part of a really annoying song stuck in your head, except you can’t even remember where it’s from! Thusly, I think the Inkantation represents how Eight currently feels about her memories in general: she can’t remember them and it frustrates her beyond belief. She can only hope that Iso Padre is right in that it will all come together in time.

Grateful Grocers: Oh, would you look at that! The belonging theme is back again! Yeah, this scene was initially intended to be more along the length of Mihoto Records’s, but hey. More characterization to the denizens! Given how isolated everything in Octo Expansion is from the outside world, it only felt reasonable that the native residents themselves held isolationist views. It’s something we’ll see more of, of course, with the DOHU and even Tazo’s character.

Biscuit Baking: Yay, my favorite part of this chapter! I got the idea for biscuits specifically because it's mentioned somewhere that Cuttlefish likes eating them (and crab cakes as well), so I figured it'd be something Three has made a lot. So much she knows it by heart. So, I used a biscuit recipe online as reference for this lol. I come from a family of avid bakers, so I had to used some of that knowledge in this fic. And by knowledge I mean learning what a pastry cutter is because the recipe I looked up mentioning it. Anyways, the Eight and Three interaction.The Eight and Three interaction. Aka my favorite part of pretty much any chapter. By this point Eight’s feelings are supposed to come off more as “this person is so cool I want to be friends with them” then “gay,” but hey. Gayness is the direction we’re heading, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

“You’re hired”: What a way to end the chapter, huh? Yeah, Three getting hired at Calamari Coffee was the plan since the beginning. The very beginning. Fun fact: very early on Three and Eight actually worked at a weapons shop instead before I realized 1) COFFEE SHOP AU and 2) I would have to headcanon how weapons work. So, yeah. Three can’t escape from her destiny now >:)

So, that’s a wrap! As mentioned in my note on the fic itself, I am unbelievably excited for chapter 5. I’ve been looking forward to writing it since I first started. I already banged out a (quite detailed actually) outline the other day (if chapter 5 ends up being the longest so far I wouldn’t be surprised), so... hopefully I can get it by the end of March? Beginning of April? We’ll see.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. Have a good rest of your day/week/month/whatever!

[visro]

hello :) it is your tmrss gifter ❄️🎁❄️🎁❄️🎁 i am very excited to be creating something special for you this year~

i am wondering if there are any further insights you can give me into what you enjoy like in terms of tropes/vibes/ao3 tags/media stuff! i am not familiar with life is strange and while i’ve certainly seen a lot about it i have not actually watched challengers. and then for your third prompt option i have never done an other media AU (or any AU. lol) before so i am not quite sure where to start/how to approach it and was hoping we perhaps had a shared interest or something that i could go off of in trying to pick an other media AU to do :)

sorry to make you provide more information for your own gift but i want to do my best to make it something fun!!!

hi!! 💗💗 don't worry about having to ask, it's super alright!

my favourite tropes are best friends to lovers (even childhood best friends to lovers) or when they sort of have an on off thing going on (but in a "we both know we're obsessed with each other and no one ese but you is enough for me" type of obsession kinda way)! i also like a "doomed by the narrative" type of situation where everything is absolut shit (doesn't need a happy ending!)

i'm also a huuuge red dead redemption 2, the last of us fan and avatar the last airbender fan and i also really like the hunger games and any type of super cliche hallmark cringy christmas movie! it doesn't have to be an AU, you could also do a little fic inspired by your favourite song/musical artist or anything else you really love! (just to throw out some ideas right now!)

and for my life is strange wish: you could also do anyting time travel related!

i can't wait for what you'll create! 🩷🌷