#i hope my mutuals see the appeal when I finish the fic and publish it

[yeyayeya]

I was talking to someone about Scárthur and this is basically how I view them (I wanted to share) cause why not

My reason for shipping them was primarily because of their fathers, but I later thought about shipping them. I like to think that someone like Arthur, whose mind is constantly filled with revenge, would let loose around someone as calm as Scáthach. Also, they would help each other in battle, with one of them being a sword fighter and the other being a mage, they would cover each others weaknesses. They’re also older brothers, so they would understand the need to protect their younger sisters (tho they have very different dynamics with them). Scáthach would always remind Arthur to take care of himself, and Scáthach can even break from the facade of being mature to being silly with Arthur. They would balance each other out

I love my rarepair so much I need to write about them (I should finish that fic I was working on lol)

[seiwas]

hello sel!! 🫡 this might be a weird ask (if it is, u dont have to acknowledge!) i just came across a post about hobbies, and it got me thinking about my favorite writers/artists on here! im curious on what you think about it! especially that every creative person on here (like you!!) create and share the things you love with everyone without anything in exchange aside from mutual brainrot! lol (‘:

the post in question:

https://x.com/kameronraji/status/1785386122505318772?s=46

[also] (this defeats the purpose of the said post but 😭 im really curious! 🥹 heh) if ever given the chance to write professionally would you? or have you had any experiences about writing professionally (like on demand) 🥹

thank you in advanced and i hope you have a very lovely day! <3 :D

hello nonie!! i’m touched you’re curious about my opinion on this 🥺 putting my thoughts under the cut because i don’t wanna clog the dash!

i would like to disclaim that i am so honestly out of the loop of twitter talk so this is the first time i’m actually hearing of the societal demands/pressures of monetising your hobbies 🥺

but!! i do think it’s a case-to-case basis 🥺 i think the reasons for doing it vary per individual, whether it’s a dream or something born out of necessity. i understand both sides 🥺

i personally do worry that monetising my hobbies might take out the fun in it, especially when there’s so much pressure to produce produce produce, but!!!! it works for some people, and i see the appeal in being paid to do something you love (which tbh! sounds like an ideal world if we take off all the internal/external pressures surrounding it 🥺) i definitely think it’s suited for some people, and not for others, so, like i said—to each their own really 🥺 i hope i answered your question!

and if i were ever given the chance to write professionally, i honestly can’t give a clear answer whether i’d do it or not 🥹 i’m a bit 50/50 with it! mostly because i just don’t think i’m that good of a writer yet to have my work officially published 🥹 (nor do i think i’m creative enough to come up with elaborate plots and stuff 😭) that being said, i haven’t experienced writing professionally yet so i don’t really know what it’s like 🥺

i’ve been thinking about opening commissions lately though, or maybe a kofi 🥺 mainly because writing does take up a fair bit of my time and effort and it wouldn’t hurt to somehow be compensated for that 🥺 but for the reasons i mentioned, like possibly losing the fun in it (or even just being good enough for commissions HABSJAHHA), it’s still something simmering in my brain 🥺 i’m also extremely particular of the stuff i write, mainly because i’m also particular with my characterisations 🥺 so that’s something i’m taking into consideration too 🥺 (it’s for this reason that i don’t take requests unless they’re part of events/collabs i’ve set up 🥺)

all that aside though, i still have a bunch of wips i’m determined on finishing (both short and long fics, some series some not) so 🥹🥹

[themagiciansreccenter]

Author Spotlight: @thursdayeuclid

Every week we interview a writer from The Magicians fandom. If you would like to be interviewed or you want to nominate a writer, get in touch via our ask box.

First things first, tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a thirty-something disabled bipolar queer trans guy who publishes original m/m romance novels when I can tear myself away from fandom long enough to do so. I'm pretty blind without my glasses. I usually have blue hair, a nose ring, and a man bun. As Thursday Euclid, I write lots of happily ever afters, and as prettyclever, I do pretty much the same thing, except with other people's characters that I'm just borrowing from a surfeit of affection.

How long have you been writing for?

My first stories were written when I was a very young child, but I didn't try a novel until I was nine. It didn't quite work out--I couldn't sustain the work to complete a work of that length, and I was writing long-hand---but I tried again at twelve and managed to finish about 50k words. I had a tumultuous adolescence but eventually found myself in Harry Potter fandom in the early aughts, and then I took a long break trying to be a professional. Turns out, I couldn't stay away from tragic magical boys.

What inspired you to start writing for The Magicians?

I was irritated with how season four was playing out. I overly identify with Eliot Waugh--he's who I want to be when I grow up; I'm 37 so I'm running way behind schedule--and his relationship with Quentin was *so* important to me. When Quentin got back together with Alice, I was like, "This is it. I've gotta write fic."

That was the beginning. A few thousand words came of it. Ever since the season four finale, though, I've done nothing but write oodles of Queliot fic with my cowriter and best friend clancynacht/charlotteschaos in my every free moment. I was already reading Magicians fic, but there just wasn't enough novel-length Queliot to suit me, so me and Char are remedying that in our own weird way.

Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write? What it is about them that makes them your favourite?

Eliot, because he is me in so many ways, and in all the ways he is not me, he is pure fabulosity and sex appeal. Kady, because she is just the baddest bitch. She delights me to no end. Penny 40, because his sass is killer, as is his tsundere ish, and I just really miss him. Char always writes Quentin and Margo when we collaborate because she's fantastic at channeling them, so I stick to my own faves.

Do you have a preference for a particular season/point in time to write about?

I didn't really start writing fic until s4, but (extrapolated) S5 has been my favorite thing to write. I've also loved the Mosaic fic we're writing based on 3x5 and 4x5. Most of what I read is totally AU, though.

Are you working on anything right now? Care to give us an idea about it?

We've now posted like 225,000 words of Queliot fic, still working on Sound & Color, and we're also working on another novel-length fic for Magicians Hallmark Holiday Exchange as I type this. Since it's all anon, I can't tell you much about our story except that we've already written 65,000 words of it, and the mutual pining is real, y'all. It's very festive, and Quentin is an adorable sad boi and Eliot is very soft and spook and also protective.

How long is your “to do list”?

Char literally made a Basecamp list of everything I should be doing outside of fic, but when it comes to fandom, it's really just MHHE and Sound & Color. We write together really rapidly. For example, when we wrote It's Never Over, we were done with over 100k in a month.

What is your favourite fic that you’ve written for The Magicians? Why?

Definitely It's Never Over. It's crackalicious and full of book canon references, and it's the Magicians Season 5 Queliot fans deserve. I'm so proud of how that one turned out. I've never written a story in fandom that people were so passionate about, either. It was published immediately after that heartbreaking finale, and people really responded to how we resurrected Quentin. Also all the smut, because there's so much smut in that story. Sex magic left and right.

Many writers have a fic that they are passionate about that doesn’t get the reception from the fandom that they hoped for. Do you have a fic you would like more people to read and appreciate?

I hoped Sound & Color would get more attention than it did. It's a long, weird (not quite complete yet) trip through 3x5 A Life in the Day. There's already a lot of Mosaic fic out there, and it's a crowded field, although I think Sound & Color stands apart for being so complete and slice-of-lifey. It's not just focused on the most dramatic moments, but on their entire lives together from beginning to end because I couldn't get enough of imagining it. It's a long, thorough exploration.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any traditions or superstitions that you like to stick to when you’re writing?

I like to listen to Radiohead when I write. It's inspiring and relaxing and keeps the words flowing. Also, Char often creates Spotify playlists for our stories, and I'll listen to those to set the mood as we write. Sometimes I listen to Kpop while writing too, because I only understand one word in fifty and it provides excellent background rhythm.

Because I collaborate with Char on just about everything, we used to write together in Google Docs before migrating our process over to OneDrive through Microsoft Word, which also lets us see each other's work in real time and edit each other's additions to the story. In a lot of ways, it's similar to roleplaying, which is why we can write 100k in a month without getting burned out. We've been working together like this for more than ten years now, so we've got it down.

Do you write while the seasons are airing or do you prefer to wait for hiatus? How does the ongoing development of the canon influence and inspire your writing process?

I prefer writing canon-compliant stories during hiatus and writing AUs while the seasons are airing. Historically, I tend to only read in a fandom until hiatus, and then I start writing. Coming from a book-based fandom (Harry Potter), Magicians feels very different dynamically and has different demands.

What has been the most challenging fic for you to write?

Definitely The Fake Dating One Where El's Parents Come to Visit, because it was different from what I'm used to writing. For one, it was short(ish) and two, Eliot's parents were drawn from my parents, who are also extremely religious, conservative, small town bigots. It cut closer to the bone in a lot of ways, but it was also different because Quentin ended up taking a more dominant, protective role, really exhibiting his innate bravery, and it was a little uncomfortable letting Eliot be rescued by Quentin just because I identify so much with El.

Are there any themes or tropes that you like particularly like to explore in your writing?

Idiots in love, mutual pining, fake dating, dicks & daddy issues, biphobia and bi erasure in queer culture, mental illness, family of choice, friends-to-lovers

Are there any writers that inspire your work? Fanfiction or otherwise?

Lev Grossman, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, George RR Martin, Stephen King, NK Jemisin, Owlet (her Infinite Coffee series is incredible if you like Stucky), and Olen Steinhauer.  

What are you currently reading? Fanfiction or otherwise?

I just finished reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, which I admit I read just because Chris Evans recommended it, and wow am I glad I did. Changed the way I look at the world.

Now I'm working my way through the Inheritance Trilogy by NK Jemisin, the Raven Tower by Ann Leckie, the Fever King by Victoria Lee, and All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer.

What is the most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

Practice makes perfect. If you don't give it your best every day and work on it even when you don't feel as inspired, you'll never develop the muscles it requires to perfect your craft.

Are there any words or phrases you worry about over using in your work?

My characters murmur way too much. Also honestly, just, like.

What was the first fanfic that you wrote? Do you still have access to it?

It was called "Isildur's Bane" and it was a really insanely nerdy LOTR fic about Isildur and the One Ring. It was gen, and it had none of the characters/pairings people actually wanted to read about, but I was damn proud of it. I have no idea what happened to it. It's been almost twenty years.

Rapidfire Round!

Self-edit or Beta?

For fic, Char and I edit each other as we go. I'd love to have an actual beta, but I do not have one.

Comments or Kudos/Reblogs or Likes?

Comments feed my soul. They used to give me anxiety, but now they are my everything.

Smut, Fluff or Angst?

angst with a happy ending

Quick & Dirty or Slow Burn?

slow burn, to read and to write

Favourite Season?

Season Three

Favourite Episode?

All That Hard, Glossy Armor

Favourite Book?

The Magician’s Land

Three favourite words?

herculean, susurrus, callipygian

Want to be interviewed for our author spotlight? Get in touch here.

[tenscupcake]

i’ve finally compiled my thoughts on the various asks i received and private conversations i had in response to my question the other night, if anyone is interested.

i’d like to clarify, for those wondering, i’m not speaking to people who lack the time or energy to read a certain fic they’re interested in at a given moment in time, but rather to those who have made a decision to avoid reading any wips, even from authors they like about ships they love, and always wait until a fic is finished before reading.

from the few anonymous asks, and various discussions i had with folks last night/today, it seems like these are the most common reasons:

1) they can’t remember what happened in the last chapter (especially if the author updates less frequently), and don’t want to have to go back and refresh their memory each time.

2) they’re afraid the work will be abandoned at some point.

3) they’re worried about unwelcome content surprises, or unsure of the plot direction, and want to confirm these things will not appear in the fic before reading.

4) they lose interest over time.

in fact, these four points encompass nearly all the responses i got.

i’ll try to keep this as short as i can, and i really hope none of it comes off the wrong way.

as someone who has an abandoned wip, sometimes falls behind on my updating schedule, and has a few anxieties about certain tropes/story arcs myself, i can understand at least three of these four points very well. they’re valid. and i appreciate everyone’s honesty in messaging me.

it’s absolutely not my intention to make anyone feel guilty here. what follows is simply my perspective on the results of this miniature survey, for anyone that’s interested in an author’s two cents on the matter. since the readers got to weigh in, i think it’s fair to give myself a chance to respond.

undeniably, #4 hurt the most. one of my (and i think others’) biggest fears is that people tend to just slowly stop caring if you take too long, and it was harsh to see that suspicion confirmed. there isn’t much i can say in response to that one.

for the first two, i would gently encourage trying to weigh such fears against the importance of feedback for the writer. there shouldn’t be any harm in at least considering it, depending on the story and the author, could there? even as a reader, before i started writing my own fic, it has never seemed fair to me to punish writers who can’t update quickly, or who lose inspiration for one particular story for whatever reason, by avoiding their works in progress. it seems to imply that only stories that are finished, and/or that update quickly, deserve readership. but unfinished stories take just as much time and effort as finished ones while they are active, and slower authors pour just as much dedication and love into their works as quicker authors. most of the time, in either case, it’s just that life has gotten in the way.

tv shows often take long breaks between series, half a year to even more than a year in some cases. it’s possible to forget what happened last season over time, but i’ve never seen this actually deter viewers. i’ve yet to see anyone stave off a show entirely until it’s over for good, rather than go back and remind themselves what happened so they can watch right now. is this only a thing in fanfic, then? i’ll admit, it’s preferable to binge watch the entirety of a tv show on netflix, if the option is available, but if one of your favorite shows is actively airing (like when broadchurch or chibnall’s doctor who premieres, for example), it’s exciting to watch the episodes in real time, isn’t it? and discuss it with other real-time viewers, share in the experience?

similarly, when a show you love gets canceled, it’s sad. but one or two seasons of an amazing show is better than none, right? or do people regret ever watching firefly or pushing daisies, and vow to themselves to never watch a show in progress again, no matter how much it appeals to them? it’s hard not to draw these parallels. a few chapters of an amazing fic are still worth reading, even if the story never sees completion. because it isn’t the author’s fault, in the same way it isn’t the television writers’ or actors’ fault. it probably got canceled because of either lack of funds or low viewership. similarly, fics may get ‘canceled’ because of lack of inspirational ‘funds’, or, yes, low viewership. it’s sad, and we wish there were more episodes or chapters we could enjoy, but in both cases, they were great while they lasted. idk, at least in my view.

if a potential trigger or future plot twist is a concern (i do have several of these i watch out for, personally), if it’s feasible, one can always ask the author about it. worst they can say is a) they have decided not to give any spoilers, b) they haven’t finished planning the end so they don’t know yet, or c) yes it will include the trigger/trope in question. even so, it means a lot when someone goes out on a limb and asks, rather than just silently avoiding the fic. it demonstrates support for the author and encourages mutual respect.

but try to remember. regardless of the reason you’re waiting, fanfic authors don’t know that you’re there. they can’t sell thousands of copies of their fics in bookstores, or have their novels turned into films. they don’t get long book reviews in the new york times when they’re finished. the only way they can quantify interest in a fic is through comments, reblogs, etc. and sometimes, in circumstances where real time feedback is scarce, it can seem like no one, or next to no one, cares about their fic. 

i’m not even talking about myself, here. many of my writing friends and acquaintances have confessed feeling this way about their wips at one time or another. it’s unfortunately a very common issue in fanfic. right now i’m lucky that my current wip has a sizable loyal following - i’m incredibly grateful for each of my real time readers and would be sad to lose any. i know them all by name tbh. but when i was publishing my first multichap back in the day (cs), feedback was so paltry i often considered taking it down altogether. every update was a hit to my self-esteem, rather than a boost. so i definitely know how it feels to be on the receiving end of this silence, though i may not be there at this moment.

i guess what i’m trying to say is - if any of you are open to a change of heart - i would just urge you to at least consider approaching fics on a case-by-case basis. especially if it’s a story you see is getting minimal attention, or if it’s written by a mutual of yours who supports /you/ in your endeavors. and if you do end up waiting for one reason or another (which is fine!), maybe just let the author know that they’re awesome and that you’re excited for the story. it’s the least you can do, and chances are the author will get a little boost of confidence that there are more readers on the horizon.