#i think this is the longest post i've done for this challenge yet

[llama--plumbobsims]

strangerville - day 4

aspiration progress:

Gather 15 Pieces of Evidence

Compile a Strangerville Secret Dossier

Open the Sealed Door at the Secret Lab

[sexydreamgirl]

hey heraa, i would REALLYYY appreciate if you helped me out on this one question that has been killing me rn (it’s in bold on the bottom just incase u want to skip the tangent)

honestly, if i succeed in fulfilling myself that you replied, it'll raise my faith a little bit when/if I see that you replied.

I've been on this journey for the longest time I'm talking divineangelbee, planet, cine, bibi, dreamgrlsworld, daphne, the void obsession, the alpha waves, the mindless or just feeling while affirming, the self and void concept challenges for 2 weeks, and now applying states after edward art and neville and having things click with aphroditeapprentice and blushydior etc ; applying for months. But guess what idk what is happening and what's holding me back!

i know that if i was in the state, I obviously wouldn't be sending this message but since it doesn't matter what I do in the 3D and my human self wants to ask for help, I will ask for guidance.

I've even fulfilling myself, returning to the wish fulfilled whenever I think of my desire, I prioritize the inner man over getting physical results but you know, if someone was doing it right, it would reflected by now right? of course it would because it's the law.

I don't why it hasn't done so yet and l'm slowly and at the same time very quickly losing my faith because it's been like what, 2/3 years since I found out about the law from tumblr? I KNOW I'm meant to be living my dream life in a little cottage in Europe or big mansion in LA, I KNOW I was meant to succeed and live a life of my dreams because I deal with hard things in my life, I AM! MEANT TO SUCCEED. but what am I doing wrong if it's been months of fulfilling myself that it should've been my dominant state already? I feel good and every time I doubt, I know and tell myself that I ALREADY experience my desire in imagination and it HAS to reflect?

thank you, if you answer this I really would appreciate it :)

I'm going to try my best to answer this without further confusing you so sit tight and in the case that I do bring forward any confusion, do let me know.

In a nutshell, the point of manifesting (or moreso the purpose of life itself) is to appease hunger. That is, to free yourself from the feeling of desire (wanting something) by giving it to yourself whether it's money, the mansion, the dream life, appearance, I could go on and on because whatever you want to acquire is possible of being acquired (because imagination is limitless). If you know the law, you know imagination creates reality so imagination will always be your workshop and that is essentially how you change self (I AM).

Imagination isn't separate from reality because imagination is reality itself. Man's greatest downfall has been to separate the two as completely independent when that could not be further from the truth. When you turn to imagination and you use it to think about what it would feel like to have the face card and the mansion and the dream life, you are present in that moment to the point where it feels like a real experience. If you allow yourself to bask in the feeling of the wish fulfilled, it's as real of an experience as you reading this very post. Neville has previously discussed procuring the wish fulfilled in a way as if you are traveling through time to the end and witnessing the outcome firsthand, then you make your way back to the present and trust that it will unfold as you experienced. It's like when you watch a film you've previously watched and you already know what the ending is, you don't stop to think what could happen, you already know what will because you saw it yourself.

If time is a relevant concern for you and you're looking around to see if it's there, I'm afraid to say you haven't fully yielded to it. You simply thought of it and not from it. If you experienced it and knew that it was done, you would be appeased from hunger and you wouldn't desire it anymore. How could you want something you already have? Time is an obstacle that is standing in between you and the state of consciousness that asserts you as being someone who has the desire in question already in their possession. When you nail yourself to that state and I mean you fully yield yourself to it to the point where you don't feel separate from it anymore, the feeling of desire will vanish. You don't care about time, you don't care about the senses, nothing moves you. Why would it if you know it's yours? (Hint: this is the Sabbath)

I constantly receive so, so many "I did all of this, why hasn't it happened?" questions and I believe you when you say you really gave it your entire heart, but you should sit and ask yourself genuinely if you actually focused more on the thing itself versus quenching the desire you have for it.

I'm here once again to swear by the State Akin To Sleep and why I love it so much. I won't repeat the process since I went into it quite extensively so I highly suggest you read the post.

“Whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you have received it, and you will.”

When I started understanding the SATS through the idea of it as "praying", it made so much more sense to me. You're not visualizing to get, you're visualizing to feel its reality so desire vanishes. If you use imagination to feel its reality (believe that you have received it), the 3D will follow and it shall materialize. This is one of the reasons why I love the state akin to sleep so much. It's such a simple and easy way to define the end and identify yourself with it.

When I use the SATS, I let myself sit with the wish fulfilled by thinking of what the end would look like, what would I hear, who would I be with, what would I see, etc. and I focus on it until I'm consumed by the feeling and acceptance of it and then bring myself back. I trust that my prayer has been answered because I felt the reality of it, so that must mean it's already mine. If for some reason I would feel doubtful or separate from that state of consciousness, I would simply induce the state again and focus on its reality. Do this as many times as you need to until you no longer feel compelled to because you're certain that your prayer has been heard (See: the Sabbath).

I highly encourage you to assess how you're going about manifesting and to use the State Akin To Sleep to catch the mood so you can nail yourself to it. You said it best yourself, you were meant to succeed and live the life of your dreams. Remember that failure is only an option if you let it be one. Don't give up, my love <3

[pitter-patt-art]

Ace Attorney AU August (halfway progress update!)

Okay technically it's the 16th (lol, 17th by the time this is done) so a little over halfway actually, but still I thought since I haven't had anything finished to post the past few days this would be a fun alternative!

I've been going a little nuts (affectionate) over @augustwritingchallenge's AU-gust prompts list this year so August has been a wild ride (about 40k words of one, in fact. so far.) but seeing as I will get attached to even the jokiest of AU ideas instantly, I've completed* a whopping 5 whole fics of 16, lol. Considering the shortest of those is over 3k and the longest is over 12k, I think the problem with not finishing these in a timely manner is entirely on my verbose foolish thick skull, haha, but I'm still having a blast with it.

Here is my ao3 series where I'm posting!

And a rundown / progress report / quick teaser of all the AUs including those I've yet to finish, if anyone's interested:

(*by "completed" I should note two of the already posted fics are basically assuredly going to be continued past the challenge, but let's say "completed enough to post and be on theme")

1. Canon Divergence - complete - 4.5k words ("For the Murder of Mr. Wrong" link)

Mia POV, gen. What if Dahlia succeeded in poisoning Phoenix and framed Doug Swallow instead (and then Mia defended him in court)? Basically a 3-1 rewrite. Fun Fact: I only came up with this AU because before I even remembered AU-gust existed at all, I'd come up with like 4 totally separate AUs in which I poison Phoenix in various ways With Real Consequences because it amuses me, lol, but he survives all those other ones and I eventually realized I hadn't even considered straight up killing him off yet so I figured I should try it at least once, haha.

2. Colorless - complete 1st chapter - 3.2k words ("Grey Matters" link)

Phoenix POV (for 1st ch --prob alternating after), wrightworth. "You can't see color until the first time you touch your soulmate"-soulmate AU. 1st chapter is their first meeting as kids (skipping the class trial itself). Fun Fact(s): I really love a color soulmate AU! Big fan of the "only see the color of their eyes" type of one too but uhhh on top of that working better for things that have wild anime eye colors, you could not pay me enough to try to figure out what the HELL is going on with Ace Attorney eye colors at any given time lmfao. (Also--spoilers for what i haven't written yet but hey if you're here you earned it--this IS one of my very many "teehee what if i poison Phoenix just a smidge as a treat for me" fics. NOT my fault the man ATE GLASS. That's on him.)

3. Dark Academia - complete "1st chapter" - 4.4k words ("The Spirit of the Laws of Magic" link)

Mia POV, lanamia. Magical boarding school setting featuring corruption and missing-student conspiracies and a most likely overthought system of magic with hierarchies and prejudices in societal views of academic/formulaic vs folk/innate magic. Fun Fact: I really thought for SURE i was going to skip this day entirely, lol. (foolish.) I don't think i've actually ever personally read anything "dark academia", technically--so if this doesn't read EXACTLY that way, there you go, but i did my best. I also then thought I could live with keeping this vague but I accidentally thought about it too long so... plus at least two people on top of myself at this point have expressed interest in more of this and so I have some semi-concrete Plans™ now.

4. Zombie Apocalypse - conceptualized (but not started)

Concept: probably gen and Phoenix POV, but also because I'm me and they're them, at least a little bit wrightworth even if it isn't necessarily explicit in any meaningful way bc they are Not Normal about each other lol. A little sketchy on how much of an "AU" this counts for, since it could probably be argued to be canon compliant somehow, but basically just: Universe where they make a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies-type Steel Samurai reboot movie thing (featuring, you guessed it, zombies), and Miles comes over and forces Phoenix to watch it with him just to have someone to bitch about it at, and then during that time Maya blows her way into Phoenix's apartment as well with the exact same intentions except her "day job" isn't quite as time-sensitive-strict so she's already finished watching it earlier and knows all the spoilers. Honestly a good chance Phoenix and Pearl (who came with Maya) end up hiding out in the kitchen together to let Maya and Miles rile each other up in front of the TV, but I'm never exactly sure where they'll take me once I wind them up and set them loose on the page, so who knows. I also hadn't necessarily determined the exact time frame yet but for it to make sense as a reboot-type movie/special episode/whatever it probably should be 7yg-or-later so Trucy may or may not be there as well. (That said, in my struggles to complete an actually short one-shot, I probably shouldn't even include Pearl let alone Trucy, lol.) Fun Fact: I also thought I'd skip this day bc I'm not the biggest zombie guy in the world, and to be fair, I managed to do Way Less with it than the dark academia prompt so, yippie?

5. Chess Players - incomplete (currently 3k word WIP)

Miles POV, wrightworth. Miles is a chess grandmaster and back in Japanifornia for the upcoming world cup tournament, but his greatest challenge is actually to FINALLY best Franziska in their annual who-can-get-the-best-Christmas-gift competition. Luckily, he just so happened to hear of an artist who makes bespoke chess sets, so the plan is to get a custom board made for Franziska without her finding out. The plan is not to get trapped in a weird art collective labyrinth with some model-photographer named Cindy who keeps hitting on him but also happens to be protective of the artist he's there to see because "she and her boyfriend kinda-sorta owe him big time", but this is what he gets for coming here without doing any extra research into the artist besides seeing his work and hearing only "his name is White, or, eh, something like that, you know how those artist types are" from Mr. Amano. (AU where we replace law with chess and no I don't think Phoenix could necessarily hack it in the top-world-grandmasters-level of chess tournaments HOWEVER have you considered he DID go to art school so what if he just tries selling custom chess sets until somehow that reconnects him with Miles. Is that somehow a more insane plan than studying law? Maybe. Did Manfred still shoot Gregory but now it was over fucking chess? Maybe. Idk. But I did let Greg live this time at least!) Fun Fact: we can all DEFINITIVELY blame my lovely, terrible, very wonderful friend Ben (shameless friend plug! she's an outstanding writer and has some AA fics of her own too!! @kindlystrawberry on tumblr!!) for making a total joke about "well what about au where they make chess pieces instead" while i lamented not knowing enough about chess to write an actual match and spawning this ENTIRE concept. It is her fault. 100%. She is the guilty party. (I want to finish this one VERY BADLY. Save me.)

EVIDENCE!!!!! Guilty.

6. Reality Show - incomplete (currently 700 word WIP)

Phoenix (& Franziska) POV(s), background wrightworth wedding planning going on as set up but it's also definitely just one of my many excuses to set Phoenix and Franziska up as bitchy worsties who can't admit they enjoy each other's company and will cut you down if you suggest it as such. So far I've only written the quote "set-up" section which is in Phoenix's POV, but that was SUPPOSED to be like 5 paragraphs and cut away and then lead into my actual plan for the main body, which was to be in Franz's instead, so. This is very similar to the zombie one in that it's them watching reality tv instead of being contestants on a show (I don't personally like or watch a lot of reality tv so my creative well was somewhat dry on how to make that work) and then I accidentally thought about Phoenix and Franziska watching something just to judge and tear apart the decisions of every person on it and that was too fun to not consider further, haha. Basically the plan is just they get left alone together and don't know what to do with that and end up wine-drunk and making fun of some reality dating show of some kind and Miles and Trucy come back to them losing it together over something stupid and are like "......uh. what's happening." Fun Facts: I really love the thought experiment of Franziska somehow discovering how often Phoenix's internal dialogue/reads on situations and especially people can be So Bitchy And Judgey despite his affable complexion, and her unfortunately finding his opinions to SOMETIMES be somehow slightly okay. Moderately correct, even--occasionally. I know the section she follows you-as-Phoenix around in T&T is really not long at ALL, but I adore it. There's something about it that so badly makes me want to force them into proximity more (to both their chagrin, I'm sure).

7. Farm/Ranch - complete - 12k words ("Two Little Dickey Byrdes" link)

Gumshoe POV, gumbyrde (tho i still think dickeybyrde is a funnier ship name). 5+1 things--except more like maybe 7-or-8+1 to be honest--so it's more: over 5 times Dick and Maggey sit on a wall together and 1 time they find someone else there instead. AKA: Dick runs his family's small farm (think fantasy farm like in a farming sim or maybe horse girl novel type of thing that has nothing to do with what a real farm is like lol don't worry about it) and Maggey starts working at the next farm over as the latest of her many odd jobs. Fun Fact: oh god this one got so far away from me. it was not supposed to be this long lmao. it's literally the elaborate set-up to a very silly Nursery-Rhyme-I-Didn't-Even-Know-About-Prior-To-This -based punchline!?! still, i was pleasantly surprised by how happy i was with this once it was done... two sittings and about 16 total hours later. haha).

8. Nomad - incomplete (planned/outlined)

Apollo (or possibly Klavier) POV, klapollo. Sort of Jove-Thalassa swap adjacent, but basically: AU where Jove survives the Khura'in fire but loses his memories for [contrived convince sake reasons]. (And also possibly loses some or all of his eyesight just to really go for the parallels?) Therefore: Jove and Apollo stay with Dhurke and Nahyuta and the Defiant Dragons for a time, while Jove recovers, but eventually they leave and head out on their own, just the two of them, and do the traveling musician thing, both because it's dangerous in Khura'in and Dhurke already canonically didn't want Apollo to get caught up in it and potentially get hurt to begin with and because with a functioning actual parent Apollo doesn't need to be taken in by him--and also Jove from what little we know seems like he prefers to be on the move and was already a world traveler anyhow, so even amnesiac maybe he gets a little antsy stuck in one place too long. And so like amnesiac Thalassa, Jove thusly becoming a renowned mysterious musician--and then Apollo, sweet tone deaf Apollo, becoming the sonager of all time (like a momager but...you get it) because he's not that into music but he IS into arguing for better conditions/making deals (contracts!! international legalese!! woohoo!!) with venues and promoters and stuff. And then--oops dang Lamioir still exists and now they have a meet-cute (2 electric bugaloo) (but by then it's later enough Trucy still exists because it will be a cold day in hell when I don't find a way to make her work) and they do music collabs or join up to form a group or whatever and OOPS this means now that Apollo and Jove are with Lamioir when The Gavinners / Klavier specifically meet her and get her to come to do the Guitar's Serenade concert eventually. And Apollo and Klavier ofc thusly also have a meet-cute and then talk and bond etc etc. AND THEN the au STOPS THERE and I DON'T think about how without Apollo Phoenix is totally getting convicted of Zak's murder because there's no way that trial works out as well for him with some other attorney and I also don't think about how reasonable it would then be that maybe Trucy ends up helping Valant with his work setting up the trick for the concert afterward on account of the one father in prison and the other being dead and having left behind a notarized confession clearing Valant's name of suspicion, etc. AND I DEFINITELY do not think about how i could then still so easily get everyone in one place at the concert for Turnabout Serenade and/or any possible funny Sibling (And Thalassa) Reveal that could happen i dont i dont i do not--

9. Accidental Baby Acquisition - conceptualized (not started)

Gen, possibly my weakest / least defined idea on this list, but basically: Phoenix kind of already lives this in canon, lol (insomuch as an 8yo counts as a baby) so I thought, well, how to take it a different direction, then? And I thought, I don't usually go for a Phoenix Fey kind of au because I personally really love the relationships he has with all the Feys as-is in canon and so it's not quite as funny to me as, say, a Miles Fey AU where like Misty and Gregory are married, or any of the ones in that bent, because I'm sorry but that's just SO funny (and sad, but mostly funny) any way you slice it--plus his NAME is RIGHT THERE mia-miles-maya he FITS--anyhow, that completely aside, there are just a lot of reasons I really love the platonic relationships the Feys already have with Phoenix and I don't think it NEEDS to be made specifically familial to still be so very important, y'know? BUT. That said. AU where Phoenix is idk abandoned as a baby or maybe his parents die young or something and it's like a Thing to leave babies at temples or churches or whatever, right? So like--Phoenix adopted by the Feys AU but only because the more i considered it the more i thought it would be WILD for him to literally know Maya her entire life, and it's fascinating to me to consider a Maya who ISN'T basically left all alone to her own devices (and Morgan's) and who has someone absolutely in her corner in the village the entire time even after Mia leaves (who isn't a baby when Mia leaves, love you tho Pearls), AND also and perhaps more importantly, the ships-passing-in-the-night-ness of a scene where, like: Morgan does something sketchy or whatever and Phoenix wants to keep Mia updated but for whatever reason decides to go down to the city and actually tell her in person and so he's waiting outside the courthouse or something (possibly part of or perhaps Most Of the reason he goes in person is because he knows her first courtroom trial is that day and he wants to see her + hear how it went) and when he gets there she's in a heated argument with some asshole in a fancy over-embellished jacket and once that guy leaves Phoenix is like "Sheesh, what's his problem?" You know???? And maybe he really would never even know!!!! Bc he grew up in Kurain!!!! And has no reason to care!!! About some random prosecutor who was mean to Mia!! Aaaah!!! So that, and on top of that, Diego would be there too ofc at that point, and I feel like he would ALSO be quite a funny interaction in this scenario. ("Wow, someone's popular, kitten, you have all sorts of guys waiting on a chance to talk to you, heh?" "Uh.--I'm sorry, WHAT did you just call her")

10. Enemies-to-Allies - incomplete (currently 370 word WIP)

Ema POV, faraskye. Cyberpunk AU where Lana is still under Gant's thumb and Ema, with no other way to stay close to her and getting rejected from any of the sorts of jobs she really wants to do, decides to just join the security force (or cyber police or w/e I decide to call it) and is tasked with hunting down the Yatagarasu, guerilla hacker supreme who is threatening the sanctity of the capitalist overlords. Except Ema's squad gets ambushed and she's captured and tied to a pole, and with her useless fop partner seemingly not coming to rescue her (if he even noticed her absence), she does some quick cost-benefit analysis and decides she didn't really like that job anyway and maybe there's another way she can get her sister back in her life. So she breaks free of her own handcuffs (which she definitely didn't modify into incidental ineffectiveness she's still testing for bugs) and helps fix the "Little Thief" device her captor seems to have broken despite how obviously valuable and impressive the tech is, and they eventually come to something of an agreement. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and all that. Either Ema as the hardware-engineer one and Kay as the software-programming one as the two sides of the tech coin, or else Kay can just be like doing the physical sneaking kind of spy stuff only--or maybe she knows a little about software but not so much she's a pro the way she is with infiltration and such. Possibly toying with the idea Kay herself is just completely an android, but if not, I think she has some cybernetic cyborg things going on regardless. Possibly from or inspired by her father? I also like the idea that Gant did something maybe more drastic with regards to having dirt on Ema to get Lana to do his bidding--like maybe Ema has a whole cybernetic hand because instead of just her handprint on a leather jacket, Gant has some sicko jar with her entire hand in it in his office safe, or something. I don't know why this would be useful to him but it is certainly an image. I also find it funny if Miss Fingerprint Powder Enthusiast doesn't actually have any fingerprints of her own anymore somehow in this AU, lol.

11. Retail Worker - complete - 6.7k words ("The Bake Anything Boulangerie" link)

Apollo POV, gen. Phoenix gets a job at a bakery instead of the Borscht Bowl Club during the 7 year gap, and Apollo happens to stumble across it and ends up meeting the Wrights while he's still in high school. He becomes a regular at the bakery and is already close to them by the time "Shadi Smith's" murder comes around. And also, yes, sibling reveal right away--at least as soon as Phoenix realizes and can reveal it. As a treat. (Other reveals, though, I might put poor Apollo through on a delayed basis. Also as a treat, lmao, just not one for him.) Fun Fact: I'm being redundant bc this is also in my a/n, but, Baker Phoenix lives rent-free in my brain because Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright was in fact the very first Ace Attorney game I ever played, technically, and Maya and Phoenix semi-brainwashed in that bakery was literally one of my first impressions of them. ........followed immediately by starting a let's play of Justice for All (which i watched through the first case, after which I was like oKAY fine maybe i DO need more context here, i should probably figure out what the actual first game is, and went back to start the series properly at the beginning hahaha). What do you MEAN i have a disproportionate fascination with amnesiac Phoenix, even if I have yet to finish and publish one of my myriad AUs that utilize stupid, unrealistic, plot convenient re-temporary amnesia?? Hm???? Idk what you're talking about. Also everyone who complains about 2-1 is wrong lmao it's objectively (okay subjectively is what i'm saying yes BUT objectively) such a funny place to start without knowing broad plot strokes, it's great. I both knew so much and absolutely shit-all nothing about Maya after PLvPW and 2-1, LMAO. god.

12. Animagus Wings (Joker) - incomplete (planned/outlined)

Miles POV, wrightworth. Angel/Demon AU, except I'm playing super fast and loose with the rules on that because all my knowledge of Christian-mythos comes from firstly and unknowingly the Chronicles of Narnia and more recently and cognizantly Lucifer (Netflix) and Good Omens. I know that's probably more or less what we're all doing with this kind of AU but still, I'm not even sure I want to refer to Heaven and Hell here, I'm kinda on the fence about maybe just keeping it all very vague? I also accidentally semi-worldbuilt more than i intended incidentally on account of "But Then How-Why Names If Angelic Creatures?" Format-wise it would semi-follow gomens s1 where it's hopping through some meetings between long stretches but also a kind of pre- and post- Fall type of thing? And potentially à la Lucifer becoming, like, these are My Mortal Humans and i will be Spending Time With Them, screw you celestial duties, I'm making my own Free Will, etc. And i mean i guess Lucifer is also a crime procedural lmao maybe they still solve crimes in the end too. Fun Fact: I didn't want to do the original prompt for several reasons, and sure fuck jkr is one of them but even before I knew about her I still wasn't really the biggest hp person in the first place? So i wouldn't know/don't remember at all the way it works without having to do the specific research and i...don't want to haha. Hence. And I know the prompt seems to be using it loosely / might just be borrowing the word and not actually referencing hp specifically but tbh either way human-animal shifter things just in general I can be somewhat picky about haha. (Okay okay plus full disclosure the ONLY idea I have for this sort of thing actually ties into my day-3-dark-academia-extended-au-verse and i COULD make my life simpler by just connecting the two days but Heh who would I be if I simplified things for myself... *sigh*) All that to say: I saw "wings" on the wild card list and I thought, ooh, well that's still sort of a related concept! Let's tag that one in! So it's still kind of day 12 prompt-adjacent, if you squint.

13. Found Footage - incomplete (planned/outlined)

Video Transcript POV? Is that a thing? Possibly capped by a little Phoenix POV (but i don't want that to get too long), wrightworth. Larry's new girlfriend of the month bakes weed brownies and Larry does not realize this and swings by the Wrights' apartment to beg some kind of help off Phoenix and forgets the whole tray there somehow (because it's Larry) and they leave to deal with Larry's thing and by the time they figure the brownies out, in some twist of fate Miles and Trucy have been hanging out (last minute babysitter/adult supervision? but she's at the very very least 14 or 15 here and most likely older, and Nick clearly isn't the most strict about like uhhh supervision in general lol sooo idk. he's helping her with a project or smth. it doesn't really actually matter; he's THERE, that's the important thing.) The point I'm very clearly getting at is they accidentally get incredibly high (not dangerously so because I'm not going that far haha but also, neither of them has actually been high before, so they are Affected) before Phoenix finds out what was in the brownies and tries to warn Trucy and hurry home to like, dispose of them or at least put a warning label on them or whatever, but he is too late lol. By a lot. Definitely an underage drugs tag on this bad boy because it's definitely sometime 18-or-earlier for Trucy, let alone 21. (idk about other places but as a Californian I can tell you Japanifornia "LA" could theoretically have it legalized at 21 for anyone (like alcohol) and 18 with Dr's permission--which Trucy definitely does not have in this AU lol.) Basically, Phoenix grabs Trucy's phone to get photo evidence so he can let them never live this down (after making sure they're okay lmao), but he ofc doesn't get technology so he doesn't realize he leaves the phone still recording when Trucy asks him for something / needs his help, so the recording just keeps going and captures a lot of tomfoolery and eventually some inebriated-to-Extremely-sober Feelings-Adjacent confessions (or maybe more like allusions). Idk, this was actually a fic I thought of before August and wanted to use as an excuse to try a Weird Format for fun, but then i saw this was a prompt on the list and...well. Fun Fact: Cannabis was legalized in California on November 8, 2016 (the first election I could vote in!!! ......uh, rip. lol. but yeah babey I helped legalize weed at least!! gotta remember the positives), which means it was legal right in time for Miles' case(s) / Turnabout Goodbyes!!! Yay!! I mean, I suppose that's genuinely seriously one way to try to mitigate nightmares and manage insomnia--not that I think Miles Edgeworth would ever deign stoop so low as to use an aid to manage his severe PTSD and trauma symptoms, psshaw, who do you take him for? (Get these people some help lol. They all need so much therapy.)

14. Princes & Princesses - conceptualized (not started)

So I've been reading a lot (a LOT) of isekai and/or revenge reincarnation romance fantasy manhwas lately (like, oh, too many, hahaha. they're quite good and they're VERY popular in webcomics at the moment.) Soooo. Soft pitch: Apollo already gets slapped into so many wild backstories he's constantly trying to dodge in an effort to be just a Normal Guy, he's honestly, like, the PERFECT protagonist for one of these lmao. And tell me Kristoph doesn't make a perfect "Upstanding Duke" kind of persona, and Klavier couldn't be the "wild rake" younger brother no one expects much from, and all I'm saying is it wouldn't be that hard to contrive a reason Apollo tries to get Klavier to agree to a contract marriage the way all these stories go, lol. And also, something something, Apollo from the "real world" is an orphan/has an absent family (also like so many of these manhwa protagonists, lol) but then he gets to actually have one in his second life!! I'm such a sucker for that shit. Slightly harder pitch, and the reason I did not let myself actually start writing anything (...yet): so what if the actual plot of the "original romance novel" Apollo is familiar with from the "real world (Earth)" is actually about the slightly older generation and something something instead of admiring Phoenix as a defense attorney, it's just that he instead was Apollo's favorite "love interest" character (not, like, for himself, just the one he most liked to read about) in every way except what a blithering idiot he became when the author had him fall for the female lead--but BEFORE that, he's a cool information guild leader guy who seems like he's trying to work toward some way to improve conditions for commoners in the kingdom (but abruptly there are no more mentions of this after he gets involved with the lead, which is annoying). Aaaand... I guess what I'm saying is, Dahlia is the original female lead because she REALLY fits the whole White Lotus trope, and I'm thinking Klavier is the original male lead because A) hilarious, B) fits in with the idea there's more going on in the ACTUAL world Apollo ends up in that is written in such a way as to make things seem different in the novel (like, that Dahlia and Klavier are actually as nice as they seem and that the terrible things that happen around them are just the trials and tribulations of being main characters and not anything they're directly involved in). And Apollo, the character in the novel Apollo, is an adopted prince of Khura'in, but he's the sickly younger prince and of course not actually of the royal bloodline (and also a man, considering Khura'in is matrilineal), so Rayfa and Nahyuta are the ones the public and other nobles actually know and care about and deal with. But wait! As it so turns out, The Wright Anything Information Guild (I feel like the actual guild name CAN'T have their freaking name on it front and center lol but you get the idea) happens to know some other things that aren't really expanded on in the original novel, and might be key to preventing Apollo's death so he doesn't follow the path of the original story, and also idk maybe Apollo and Trucy are half-fae or something like that and instead of like Aw Yay Bracelet in this AU it's more of a secret Iron Shackle Tool That Will Hurt I Mean Totally-Definitely-Help Us Later (still, in a way, passed down to him by Thalassa, but more as, like... she's kind of a secret hostage and does not manage to hide pregnancy number one so Apollo's now also a secret hostage, but she manages to escape so they don't know about Trucy, only she didn't tell Apollo basically anything to "keep him as safe as possible" or w/e, and......) Well, anyway. It got away from me before I even really wrote anything, that's all.

15. Secretly Alien - unfinished (currently 2.6k WIP)

Trucy POV, gen. Apollo gets sick of very consistently always losing the card games they play at the Wright Anything Agency (usually and in the specific instance the fic starts, Bullshit/BS) and in a stroke of inspiration somehow ropes everyone into playing Among Us instead. ("What! It's still a game of trying to lie/trick everyone else--like you like!--but I actually stand a freaking chance, so we're playing this or I'm going home.") Yes. This is my Among Us AU. Hi. They play Among Us. I'm justifying this one as prime AU territory however because A) Among Us has to exist in this universe, and even more pressingly, B) I found a way to force Phoenix to have--for at least a period of time if not moving forward in perpetuity--an actual smartphone instead of a Nokia-type brick cellphone. Which even under the wild but somehow plausible considering Ace Attorney circumstances I contrived, is just automatically a complete AU lmao. Fun Fact: I am so mad this one wasn't just totally finished day-of, lol. Why I ever thought I could give myself run of an entire WAA 4-person conversation and NOT get instantly derailed is beyond me. (And I want to get the prosecutors there, too?? Someone take the characters away from me.) Anyway. No, I have not written ANY of the actual Among Us part yet. Sigh. Also I haven't personally played amogus since like, 2021? maybe? And I know (now) that it's been pretty updated since then, but, ehhh, I'm just gonna run off like, lockdown-era amogus rules and vibes, lol. If I can get to the game part.

16 - Hobby Drama - conceptualized

I'm going to go out of order this time to say: Fun Fact: I have ALWAYS wanted to write a Reddit-style fic!!! I absolutely love them and I've read some REALLY, really good ones, so I've always wanted to try my hand at it. So theoretically this is the perfect time to make that a reality and write a r/HobbyDrama subreddit fic, buuut I got stuck before starting because I'm torn on two possible routes to take it (I can easily foresee myself caving and just doing both lol). - Option 1: Steel Samurai fandom discourse, always a fun/funny thing to think about, definitely would enjoy having Maya and Miles post some stuff for that. - Option 2: courtroom law fandom discourse, because come ON, how are those galleries ALWAYS SO FULL. The little wiggling rabba-rabba onlookers have GOT to have investment in this shit. And why WOULDN'T they, honestly. I've seen those trials and I have, in fact, spent a Lot of time thinking about them, not that any posts I've made lately would reflect that in any way or anything. Like I know it's hard to tell, but if I can be invested in the Lawyers Fandom, who's to say the people in the courtrooms aren't????? And I LOVE an outsider POV fic actually, I think they're so fun. So anyway. Reddit fic. You will be mine. Just as soon as I can hone my energy

And, what the hell, since it's so late now by the time I complete this "Heh This'll Be So Quick To Throw Together" post, I'll include today's, too:

17 - Flower Shop - conceptualized (at work earlier today. lol)

AU where Daddy Hawthorne is like, 97% less shitty. And the Hawthornes have a flower shop instead of like a gemstone industry or whatever. And he takes both Dahlia and Iris with him instead of dumping one of his daughters at a fucking secluded mountain temple and seemingly forgetting about her forever. On second thought, maybe what I actually mean is he's like 999% less shitty, lmfao. Anyway, Iris POV, but Dahlia (while not a "nice" person by any stretch) is not pushed to such extremes or nearly as desperate as canon, so Valerie lives, Terry Fawles lives, Doug Swallow lives, and Dahlia gets to live a good life overall--because as much fun as I love using her as a villain, she's really such a product of the absolute worst circumstances and I really do find her interesting so I've been kind of wanting to explore her in a less cartoonishly evil light, haha. (Don't get me wrong, I do love the cartoonishly evil light too, but I like spicing things up sometimes.) Like, she does (more) normal teen rebellion things ("Look at my inappropriately older boyfriend, Dad" "I'm going to talk my way out of speeding tickets and petty shoplifting as a bid for attention" etc.) and she still totally orders Iris around and Iris still totally does whatever she asks very much to her own detriment and has to learn to break away and be her own person. Fun Fact: I have a very passionate love for Iris/Adrian Andrews. Is that. Um. Is that a ship anyone else has ever considered before? Is that just me? I'm not sure but very possibly I'll just make this a rarepair fic as a treat, for me alone, teehee. (Like... it's about the becoming the master of your own destiny it's about breaking out of codependent cycles it's about how I genuinely honestly think they'd be each other's type and have chemistry even though they've obviously never interacted lmao... idk what to tell you.)

AND THATS MY AU-GUST UPDATE POST!!!

If you made it this far, take a sprinkle of my undying affection, and may you be blessed with AU inspiration if you so desire it!! (If you do not desire it, hopefully you are not cursed with it. I do not take refunds if you are. Sorry.)

Wish me luck with completing some more fics soon!!! Unfortunately weekends are actually my least free time because I work the most and the earliest hours so I have less time and am more tired, but also on Wednesday I'm leaving for a family vacation, which will either be the BEST thing to happen in regards to AU-gust or the WORST thing lmfao. If nothing else I have 2 flights, and I actually Love writing on an airplane, so fingers crossed for it being Good. <3

EDIT: Now with part 2 for the rest of the month here!

[cheesenames]

AO3 Wrapped: Writer's Edition

I was tagged by the lovely @batrachised and I will learn from her example by just skipping questions I find boring

Words written this year: 27,893

Works written this year: 8 (a nice even split of 4 for each of the fandoms I write in)

Work Most Proud of: It almost feels like cheating to use a collaborative work, but I'm really pleased with Bioethically Speaking, Mr. Sheev. I feel like I've already said this a zillion times, but figuring out how to tell a story and show characters' personalities within the limits of the format (email chains) was a challenge I enjoyed + I think it turned out well

Work with Most Hits: Conveniently also Bioethically Speaking

Fav title: "may they never forsake you" came from a poem that's been bouncing around my head for more than a year, so I'm glad I finally found a place to use it

Pairing You Wrote the Most For: I barely write romance at all, but this year I've got an in-progress fic where Anidala just keep getting married again and again and again, so they win by default

What Work was the Quickest To Write: I'm pretty sure Set her up for ever took less than 30 minutes

What Work Took You Longest To Write: Two of the three multi-chapter fics I started this year remain unfinished, so probably those. I was so sure I was going to finish one of them before Halloween...........

How Many WIPS do you have for next year: Besides the two fics from question 8, I've got 3 stories I've started drafting and no guarantee that I'll finish any of them. I would also really like to try writing a story not in English next year, though I've got no ideas connected to that goal yet

Longest Work of the Year: boring, next

Shortest Work of the Year: boring, next

Fav character to Write: Anyone I can make fun of a little bit. Lately the main targets of that have been Mr. Bennet (???) and Anakin Skywalker

Which work of yours have you re-read the most: Probably that dream within a dream because I have to remember what I've written so I can continue it lol

Total Kudos this Year: boring, next

Total Hits This Year: boring, next

Total Bookmarks This Year: comedically skewed by a single fic, next

Total Subscriptions This Year: I'm actually not skipping this one because I don't understand why 58 people subscribed to a bunch of one-shots. I'm not complaining, it's very flattering, I just feel a little bad that they're not going to get any more

What Do You Listen To While Writing: silence <3

Fav line or passage: Uhhhhhhhhhhh. I have various lines that amused me (to everyone's detriment, I do think I'm funny) but I feel like my favorite is from a fic that generally underwhelmed me? It was one of those situations where I couldn't get the idea out of my head without writing it, but I knew going in that I would probably not be able to write it in a way that satisfied me. But we try anyway, and maybe next year I'll revisit the concept to try it again. Anyway, here's Obi-Wan and Sabé being mean to each other post-RotS:

“I fought him off, I got her off the planet, I held her hand while she—” Obi-Wan took a deep breath, realizing how dangerously close he’d come to spilling another secret. “While she died. And all that time, you were safe on Naboo, not even knowing she was in danger.” “Fought him off? He’s alive, and you’re alive, and she’s dead, and you expect me to laud you for your supposed heroics?” “It was more than you did!” “And whose fault was it,” Sabé spat, “that she was ever in danger in the first place? Who brought that viper into her life, who trained it to act docile so she’d never expect the attack? We both know what he’s done, and you’re still lamenting him?” “I know what this is,” Obi-Wan said nastily. “It’s the jealousy again. She made one decision without you, and you never forgave her, and you can’t stand that I proved myself more loyal to her—to both of them.”

No-pressure tagging @animazi , @midnight-melancholiaaa , @twicesonnet , @wlwanakin plus anyone else who sees this and wants to do it (because I surely would have tagged you if I’d made the connection between your tumblr and ao3 usernames)

[hylianassassin]

A Hot Take on Gerudo Survival Skills

I'm not going to rant and rave about the majority of the discord surrounding Tears of the Kingdom when it comes to Ganondorf vs Hyrule. There are more than enough posts circulating about that out there by plenty of good and intelligent folks, and I've already offered my thoughts on it. I encourage folks to go check those out.

What I'm tired of seeing is the argument that the Gerudo have little to nothing to survive on in the desert. This is one of the most badass and longest enduring tribes in all of Zelda and yet for some odd reason folks seem to insist that they're somehow unable to exploit the incredible amount of resources available to them. I've played desert survival challenges in BotW where I exist solely within the Gerudo area for extended periods of time, and if you know what you're doing its actually quite easy.

Anyone who has spent ample time around the Gerudo region in either of these games knows just how incredibly abundant food is in the Gerudo Highlands. There is a ton of large game up there that is easy to bring down with a single headshot from a Gerudo bow. Gerudo bows are sniper bows and are far from useless. Are we going to argue that these very strong and powerful ladies can't do something as simple as draw one of the bows of their own making, or know how to track prey through the snow? One might argue that we never see a Gerudo in the Highlands or in possession of clothing warm enough to survive up there, but I would counter with the fact that the ice house exists and it's clearly stated that the ice is harvested and brought down from the Highlands. This argument is invalid.

Additionally, the desert itself is abound in fruits and poultry ripe for the harvesting. And obviously it's done to such efficiency that there is an ample enough supply to make a profit in selling these items at market, to both Gerudo and Hylians alike. There is obviously enough surplus of hydro melons that there is a Gerudo NPC that devours them to such excess as to clog up one of the fountains in Gerudo Town.

And while we're on the topic, the Gerudo clearly have an ample enough water supply that they can run fountains constantly, all through their town. So clearly they're not struggling there.

Additionally still, Moldugas exist and are shockingly common. Yes, they're big, powerful and dangerous, but if one little twink with enough bomb arrows can kill one then are you going to tell me that this tribe of intelligent, hearty, and highly trained women cannot organize a Molduga hunt with relative ease?

Various Native American groups were able to thrive on only one or two bison hunts a year. It was dangerous, extremely, but they had it down to a science. You're going to tell me that the Gerudo are incapable of such coordination? Honestly it could even explain and deepen their connection to the sand seals. These lovely creatures can carry a few skilled huntresses through a Molduga's territory to flush it out, and with more than one target the Molduga wouldn't know which one to chase. Throw in archers who are on the rocks or ruins and a Molduga dinner is practically guaranteed. And let's not forget that with typical Moldugas, three blasts from Urbosa's fury is more than enough to bring it down. Given that Riju also possesses lightning magic, and the fact that there is a sage in Rauru's time who also controls lightning, I think we can safely assume that the ability is common enough that it can be relied upon. It wouldn't take anything for the chief to organize a Molduga hunt and ride proudly out there with her sisters to feed the tribe for a good while.

So yes, I'm not saying there aren't issues with Totk's plot or its handling of Ganondorf, but I'm tired of seeing people parrot this idea that the Gerudo are struggling to survive when they're more than capable of doing so. They were doing it long before Ganondorf, and they've done it long after him too. So please, stop using this reasoning to justify Ganondorf outright murdering someone in cold blood just to obtain their Zonai stone. It just doesn't work.

And as a side note, there is clearly a demarcation within the tribe at the time of Totk Ganondorf's reign due to how the Gerudo sage reacts to hearing that he's overcome the last free (yes that's the word they use) Gerudo villages. From what is shown, Ganondorf and his followers are an extremist terrorist group within the tribe.

Again, I'm not saying that there aren't problems with his motivations (and I really hate the greenish skin tone), but he is clearly not doing what he does for the benefit of his tribe. He might think he is, but he isn't. And there are much better arguments that could be made than just, oh the Gerudo are struggling to survive and Hyrule is full and fertile and blah blah blah. And it isn't like Rauru is trying to withhold Hyrule's bounty or otherwise fuck over the Gerudo. It's even stated that he's sent multiple invitations to them to join up with the Hyrulean tribes and share the bounty.

I'm going to repeat myself yet again: stop treating the Gerudo as incompetent and use basic survival and lack of resources to justify what Ganondorf does. It doesn't work.

Side side note: Urbosa's amiibo drops primarily meat. Interpret that as you will. And Ganondorf's legendary cursed grin when he commits said murder? That is not the smile of a sane man.

[jungian-julie]

Pregnancy and spiritual development

I believe that I had to get pregnant and have to have children to continue my spiritual development.

Stagnation was plaguing me, I felt quite lost after breaking my animus possession. When using the heroine's journey cycle as a guide, you could say that during my "girlboss era" I had the illusion of success.

I followed all the steps in "Nice girls don't get the corner office". I had that corner office. Well only sometimes because nobody exactly had a main place they could sit tbh, it would change constantly. My hair was cut very short and I was wearing suits everyday, which did cause people to take me way more seriously.

It came naturally to me, because I have had to lean on my animus, my inferior function, for most of my life. It's not easy being a woman in this society, especially while navigating a traumatic upbringing.

So I have a very well developed animus, which can easily take over. Yet even though I could do it - I could be a great lawyer, a great martial artist, I did not need a man - it was unbeknownst to me taking a massive toll on me. It lead to a burnout and a whole host of health problems. Some have me dealing with permanent damage.

It was like waking up from a dream. The illusion broke and I was aimless. My career felt like a fraud, my job felt like a fraud. I realized I wasn't actually adding anything to society and my work was meaningless. I had given up the chance to become a teacher, which I rather wanted, just for money and prestige.

I spent years doing nothing, just recovering and trying to recover myself. Find who I was before the longest stint of trauma, before the animus possession. I tried joining a convent too to become a nun, but they rejected me. They thought I was running away from life and challenges, which was true.

The reality is that I was deeply afraid of relationships with men and pregnancy. I stayed a virgin until my mid 20's because of that. My mother had a post partem psychosis and nearly killed me as a baby. I've always been afraid that I would go insane like her and end up killing the baby if I did ever get pregnant.

Sure, I could've continued avoiding all that, not face my deepest fears and traumas. I went completely through the fear, imagined the worst possible things and made it so that I created a situation where I can accept even those risks. Like surfing and managing a very bad trip.

I've seen so many professionals over the years who have said I'm not that much at risk of PPD/PPS. Plus being aware of it and telling doctors about it, means that they'll keep a better eye on me anyway. I have also been extremely picky with my partner choice, brutally picky, so I know that I'll get the support I need.

I know there's so much potential for suffering, but life is suffering anyway. I'd rather take meaningful suffering which feels more martyr-like than aimlessly floating in the wind like an autumn leaf. I needed to stop fencesitting. I needed to get off the pot or shit.

By orienting myself on motherhood, I have made more progress in processing my trauma than I've done in a decade. It has forced me to face what's in my shadow and also recover the positive things which were hidden in there.

It has helped me find a healthy form of femininity and find a place for my masculinity. It has freed me from superficial femininity pressures. I can't escape society, but I can choose to not let it affect me and to fight against it. While also not falling into the trap of admonishing femininity in favor of masculinity.

I'm not becoming a "trad" sahm homeschooling mother because I think it's easy, sunshine and rainbows. I'm becoming one, because that is what I feared the most and it's what I need to challenge my soul and make a diamond out of coal.

At the same time, it allows me to do what I always wanted to do and so many people gaslit me out of in favor of money. Which is working with children, teaching, cooking, baking, cleaning etc. I would rather clean piss and shit, which I have already done plenty while babysitting and when I volunteered at animal shelters, than manage one more manbaby in a suit.

Plus I am ready to just not be the main character anymore. I'm done with it. I'm bored, I'm not all that interesting and everyone loves the sidekick anyway. It also feels a lot more chill and peaceful and I'm still important and necessary in my own way. Plus there's less of a focus on me, so I can just do my own things.

I'm also really looking forward to becoming a granny and letting everyone else do the worrying while I stuff their faces with cakes.

[dreaminghour]

Fic Tag Game

Snapshot of what I wrote on: Nov 2nd, 2023 in reply to this tag by @mischievouschan4 and @spicedrobot - I've decided not to update it and just post it as is, even though it's now out of date

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

Over 200. Technically 221 but that includes 13 podfic and other collabs.

2. What's your ao3 word count?

543,006 exactly, includes a few things I didn't exactly write but collaborated on (podfic, round robins) but most of that is my writing.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Star Wars, but also Game of Thrones, Grishaverse, DC, Wheel of Time, Star Trek. No longer actively writing for Harry Potter but I have some WIPs unposted I'm dithering over.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. Doubt (Star Wars) (18,695 words) Kudos: 411 - Keeper challenged me to write Dominant Obi-Wan and it seems I struck a chord with the Jangobi/Kenfetti fans! 2. Fool For a King (Star Wars) (2,443 words) Kudos: 407 - 3. "He seemed into sacrifice." (Killjoys (TV)) (3,598 words) Kudos: 300 - For the longest time my two Killjoys fics (the other a longfic!) were still my top kudos and top hits fic. I wrote them both in 2016 and still am really proud of them. 4. His Blasphemous Tongue (Star Wars) (4,423 words) Kudos: 228 - Didn't realize this one had snuck into my top 5! Meant to kick off a silly serious of obikin PWP inspired by tennessoui's Handy Himbo fic (which I loved). In this one, Anakin is an organ repair man and Obi-Wan is a horny priest. 5. Unmoored (Star Wars Prequel Trilogy) (2,055 words) Kudos: 222 -

If you'll indulge me a moment, I actually think top hits are much more interesting:

7,592 hits: Doubt (Star Wars) 3,754 hits: "He seemed into sacrifice." (Killjoys (TV)) 3,753 hits: Unmoored (Star Wars) 3,569 hits: An Uncommon Gift (Star Wars) 3,388 hits: Wreckside (Killjoys (TV)) Really I just want to repeat how proud I am that my two old, small fandom fics from 2016 still among my top fics... Star Wars is much bigger and active, so of course it's eked out the older fic, but still! That took a while to do!

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to always but I am also super inconsistent.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably To Come Together, To Come Apart (1,596 words) where Anakin and Obi-Wan fix the galaxy, get together, and the ending is still very unhappy.

7. What's the fic your write with the happiest ending?

Most of my fic has happy endings! So maybe I'll go with Three Kisses (686 words) or it all led back to this (Star Wars) (2,730 words) both obikin which have some angst (and whump) and therefore (in my opinion) have a sweeter ending.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No.

9. Do you write smut? What kind?

Yes. I'm not sure what 'kinds' there are, so... all kinds lol.

10. Do you write cross-overs?

I do! My main cross-over interest at the moment is Hannibal Smith (The A-Team) and Catcher Block (Down With Love) who are played by Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor. You can probably see where this is going. The tag is so small there are currently only 5 fic posted on AO3.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! I've had my Winter Solstice QuiObi fic translated into Russian: Darling, the sun will wait. (6,422 words)

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I've done several Round Robins now and am looking forward to a secret project I'm working on with Keeper. It's so good!!!

14. What's your all time favourite ship?

At the moment I'm testing everyone's patience by being super into QuiAni (Qui-Gon/Anakin) which is sort of funny because I got into Star Wars because I liked Obi-Wan but didn't like Anakin! And then I fell in love with Anakin! But didn't like Qui-Gon! And... well.. now here we are.

15. What's your WIP you like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I was initially going to say I'm still hoping to finish Sing Me Safely Home, but I've realized that it's probably one I haven't even really posted yet which features Tonks, Remus and Sirius coming back from the dead... Harry Potter is such a spoiled fandom for me now, I don't know what's happening with those WIPs.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I really love inserting brief flashbacks and think my dialogue is pretty realistic.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Clarity probably lol. And I've also fallen out of love with editing and still need to find my way back...

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Only if it's actually adding something to the story, otherwise, translate it to the main language of the fic and indicate they're speaking another language.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Probably Harry Potter.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Oh my god...

For easier copy-pasting:

1. How many works do you have on ao3? 2. What's your ao3 word count? 3. What fandoms do you write for? 4. What are your top five fics by kudos? 5. Do you respond to comments? 6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? 7. What's the fic your write with the happiest ending? 8. Do you get hate on fics? 9. Do you write smut? What kind? 10. Do you write cross-overs? 11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? 12. Have you ever had a fic translated? 13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before? 14. What's your all time favourite ship? 15. What's your WIP you like to finish, but doubt you ever will? 16. What are your writing strengths? 17. What are your writing weaknesses? 18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? 19. First fandom you wrote for? 20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

[crehador]

for asks, 5, 11 and 30

for 11, I mean longest maybe not time wise, but which daily stumped you the most overall? maybe an idea took a while to finalize but after that it was fast to write?

thank youuu for the ask! (っ˘ω˘ς )

5. what work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

honestly i think i will have to go with the one with the clones for this one because it was just. such a ridiculous crackpot fever dream idea that spiraled wildly out of control all thanks to the encouragement of my lovely horny regulars

i definitely didn't expect to spend as much time as i have with the clones (and would have probably tackled their story in a different format if i had) and i probably wouldn't have if not for the feedback! so thank you to everyone who has been following along with that hot mess lmao

ALSO HELLO ARKNIGHTS AU?! i mean that didn't get a ton of feedback or anything but it definitely got more than i expected, which was none. it is such a niche fusion that honestly i didn't expect anyone to like... read it while also knowing what arknights is, so i was thrilled to see you there lol and i want to write more of it one day!! snow leopard samatoki distant cousin of the silverash clan my beloved

11. what work took you the longest to write?

so whenever i sit down to start a daily, i create a new page in scrivener and title the page with the number. so if i'm working on daily 123 for example i'll title it "123." then start writing and add a more descriptive tag to the title after it's complete

but if i start writing something and don't finish it on the same day, i'll often just add another page above it and make that the new 123 without changing the previous one...

which is basically to say sometimes, when one idea stumps me for a while, my numbering system ends up looking like 156, 157, 158, 159, 123 lmao

anyway all this is to say, this has definitely happened a few times throughout the year, where one number just kept getting pushed down and down. i can't say for sure which one took the absolute longest

BUT ONE THAT I KNOW took a heinously long time was the prince/pirate request from a beloved mutual! i wanted to write that like as soon as the prompt came in because prince/pirate! what could be better!!

it wound up taking months, i think. (once again sincerest apologies dear mutual who had to wait. for. months.) i went through a whole bunch of different ideas, i think largely because each one wanted to be something bigger than a daily. something longer, more plotty, more substantial

(and so there may be at least one prince/pirate au coming next year lol)

so to answer the actual question here, it might have been that one, but more broadly speaking when a daily took a long time it wasn't usually for lack of interest in the idea, it was usually just Too Ambitious ideas that got me hung up

30. biggest surprise while writing this year?

honestly just... the fact that i actually did it. one fic a day. for samaichi/ichisama. every day. FOR A WHOLE YEAR. i mean okay the year is not quite over yet and i don't want to jinx it but it's pretty much mid-december already and i haven't missed a day?!

like. i had covid for the first time this year. and i didn't miss a day. not even god could stop me at this point. i'm fine. i'm normal

i've done "write every day" challenges before and even challenged myself to write and post every day before this at one point, but my longest streak lasted 50 days. and i'm coming up on 350 now so... yeah. definitely a surprise and a pleasant one at that lol

in terms of specific works... i'm a little surprised by my whole, like. high school au fugue state from earlier this year. where i committed to writing high school aus only for the entire duration of the samaichi high school au event in arb (which wound up being even more samaichi than it originally seemed WHAT DO YOU MEANNNNNN IT WAS ICHIRO'S DREAM ahem. anyway)

like i have nothing against high school au and i find it generally cute and occasionally fun to write, but i don't think i would say it's one of my top favorites. so a bit of a surprise that i was able to keep it up, and i remember having a ton of fun with it too! yes i cheated on occasion and had them as teachers instead of students BUT IT WAS STILL IN A HIGH SCHOOL SO. i say it counts lol

ao3 wrapped asks

[stereopticons]

weekend wip game

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more).

Thanks for the tags, @welcometololaland @rmd-writes @kiwiana-writes @hippolotamus! It is still the weekend!

1. WIP List:

indie band patrick (SC)

you can have manhattan (SC)

PSL (RWRB)

Twylexis childhood friends to lovers (SC)

all this effort to make it look effortless (RWRB)

untitled 5+1 (RWRB)

untitled NYE fic (SC)

kiss it better (SC)

bit part (SC)

5+1 open mic (SC)

untitled halloween fic (SC)

grindr (SC)

jazzaguy coda (SC)

I was your silver lining (SC)

untitled buck coda (911)

untitled couch coda (911)

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

indie band patrick is currently sitting at just over 20k and it's not quite halfway done

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

lol see above

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

At the moment, none of them. I am struggling. But I think indie band patrick has been the most enjoyable.

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

Any of the non-SC wips. I know I've talked about this a lot but I am having trouble hearing their voices. I'll get over it, but it's a struggle.

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

See above. I keep writing a few lines and then getting in my head about it and giving up.

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

I usually ask someone to look at everything I write before I post unless it's a super quick prompt fill or something, so probably all of them.

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block?

At the moment, all of them.

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

I'm not sure any of them have OCs of note yet. Of course there are a few in indie band patrick but none that are fleshed out enough to call them a favorite.

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

None of them yet, though there will be certainly be some spice in indie band Patrick and the grindr au, if that ever gets finished.

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

Definitely you can have manhattan since it's exes to lovers, though the twylexis childhood friends to lovers certainly has quite a bit as well.

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

Indie band Patrick, I think. At least I hope.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

Indie band Patrick. I challenged myself to really dive into the world building and it has been a lot of work but I like how it's turning out. But that's also a large part of why it's taking so long lol.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

Honestly, I have no idea.

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

Not that I remember.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't?

The aforementioned worldbuilding in indie band patrick. Non-linear timeline in Twylexis friends to lovers. PSL is all epistolary.

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

I hope the halloween fic I'm trying desperately to finish by tomorrow, but we'll see!

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

No but I should really add another one of those, I love them.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

Three of them were directly inspired by songs!

I know a lot of people have done this already so I apologize if you've already been tagged/done this @jettestar @alienajackson @mostlyinthemorning @smblmn @lizzie-bennetdarcy @apothecarose @chelle-68 @treluna4

[mikasleaf]

How long do you typically spend on each TMayNT drawing? Of the ones you've done so far, which one took the longest? Which one was the quickest?

Ooh! Good question! Whick reminds me I have like stuff I haven't yet posted on Tumblr hehehe...

Well the longest part of it is almost always the sketching I like to think about structure a lot and it's hard for me to avoid it looking flat or stiff, also i kinda come up with ideas as i sketch so until I decide on a pose it could be a couple of hours

Once I move on to the lineart it usually takes me an hour and a half to finish it, because I've streamlined my process for the challenge (aka, always do the same type of shadows and linework etc)

The one that took the longest was.... The first one because I wasn't sure about the style yet aaandd... Day three cos of Figuring out how to draw bebop right!

The easiest was day 7 cos it was just the T-Phone hehe

Hope my answer is satisfying enough(?

[sparkle-fiend]

✨ 2022 ao3 wrapped ✨

tagged by @theamazingbard (thank you so much!!!)

(I'm squeaking in under the wire on this one, which is very on-brand for me lol.)

Works Published: 7

Word Count: 68,488

Hits: 19,388

Bookmarks: 1,307

Most popular by kudos: A thin line between love and hate - this is my first completed fanfic (not just art or a comic), so I am thrilled that it's done as well as it has!

Most hits: Red Touches Black - my Daemon AU! (this one is chaptered, and was my longest story; so that makes sense)

Longest: Red Touches Black at 39,324 words. I think this is the story I'm most proud of. I never imagined I could complete something this long!

Shortest: A Kiss in the Snow at 1,882 words. (or possibly a miscellaneous Tumblr drabble - there may be some floating around that I never put on ao3).

Most comments: Probably Red Touches Black - I had some of the most amazing commenters cheering me on as I posted this story (I think they were the reason it actually got finished, lol).

Fic that made me cry: Maybe A Bargain Made in Winter? (I think I teared up a little when writing the end - which might be my favorite ending I've ever written)

Fic that made me smile: All of them! Every single one made me super happy at some point in writing (or else they would have been abandoned lol)

Gifts: I haven't attempted to gift anything yet on ao3? (Although I've written a few things for/inspired by people on Tumblr)

Events: A Kiss in the Snow for the winter fic challenge hosted by @thefreakandthehair (sorry to keep tagging you on this stuff, but I keep talking about your awesome event!)

tagging: I think I'm way behind on this one, I'm not sure who's done it and who hasn't? So I'm going to say - anyone wanting to participate, please go for it!

Now I will take some more cold medicine and collapse to sleep until next year!!!

[mitamicah]

Returning the ask: 9, 20 and 76 :)

Hehehe nice :3

Thank you for the questions :D The answers will be under the line because I am babbling x'D

9. Tattoos I want:

Oh boy I have way too many ideas :'D Like you I am not great with needles but having learned that some piercing placements and tattoo needles in general are not bothering me that much comparred to hospital needles on top of me loving the result enough to endure the uncomfortability of the needles for a tme I have found myself addicted x'D (that said my longest tattoo session so far has been 2 hours so I might change tune the day I try a full day session x'D)

Here's a list of ideas I have rn that may or may not come true (the ones with the asterix are the ones I have the most faith in will happen while the ones with the " at the end are ones where I need help from somebody else to get the idea across):

'Are You' written on my arm in Bojan's handwriting "

Lyrics from Cha Cha Cha under my chest (with some sort of visual on the chest itself - rn thinking of a fox in the bolero) post top surgery *"

SOMETHING from a talented artist in Finland * (this may seem vague and it is - the deal is that I have a date where I want to get a tattoo yet challenged myself to chose a flash or available design from an artist so to not overthink the design as I sometimes tend to do)

A fox with flowers on my right shoulder (a flash from an artist I like)

An eevee next to Flapjack on my left arm

A bulbasaur with spiked collar and/or bowlcut hair

Spirit with or without Little Creek from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmarron somewhere on my left arm

A converse shoe with the words 'I lost my dam shoe' around it on my shin

Misteltoe branches around my rune tattoo on my left arm

The tree birds concept (x) over my right collarbone or on my right thigh

A candle under my left knee

My singer alias logo somewhere on my arm or leg

I've kept the explainations at the miminum here yet if you are curious about any of the ideas feel free to ask :3

20. Height:

I'm pretty happy with being able to say that I am around the height of the average Danish guy :3 (177-8 cm/5,10'') Tbh that is one thng I've always been very grateful for even before learning that I was trans :'D

76. Have you ever done something you told yourself you wouldn't?

Probably singing in front of people: When I was younger I was told by my mother and sister especially that my singing voice was shit and I believed them, and yet now I run to karaoke events lke a moth to a flame, sing tenor in a choir and make my own songs from time to tme. I love being proven wrong sometimes x'D

Another one is wearing a crop top or just in general having an exposed midsection out in public. This is another thing that in part has been influenced by my mother since she was very keen on putting me and her in a box together as 'people who were too big to be wearing crop tops'. (the other reason I never thought I'd do it is my own insecurities with my body that is influenced by gender dysphoria). This one I have to thank Käärijä and the kääryleet for debunking for me: Who cares if I am not 'the right size' for a crop top!?

I think that was it for now :3 thank you for the question yet again :D

[gay-flyboys]

Weekend WIP Game

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more).

Thanks to @happiness-of-the-pursuit for the tag!

1. WIP List:

True Colors Shine in Darkness and in Secrecy

Flower Soulmate Au

Rust (in editing)

(Not) Threesome

Coach Alex

Diabetic Alex Au

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

True Colors! I have about 33k posted and 1.6k written for the next chapter, but it's not even halfway done. Of just drafts/unposted, Rust, sitting pretty at 16k words for a one-shot.

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

True Colors, easy. I'm expecting it to end somewhere around 80-90k with the rate I'm currently going at. But, Rust is part of a bigger series, and I have no idea how long that will run.

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

I haven't started yet bc I'm saving it for nanowrimo but the (not) Threesome fic is fully outlined and is calling out to me literally every day.

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

Not intimidating but writing Flower Soulmates has been. Challenging. I want so desperately for everything to make sense and flow and it's probably the most serious, and it's going to be a lot bigger than I initially intended for it to be. That is a little overwhelming sometimes so it's been sitting for a while.

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

Uhhh all of them? I don’t tend to trust myself or like my fics until like a week after their posted tbh

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

I have a few on Rust just bc of the sheer length of it. I'd prob at least get a consultant for the Coach au bc it's in a spot I don't know much about (NYC + Law school heavy) so I want to make sure I'm not offending everyone on the east coast. Also Flower Soulmate is so special to me that I'm going to want someone to pick it apart with a fine-toothed comb.

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block?

TRUE COLORS I'm so sorry everyone who follows it. Something about the chapter I'm on being the most uhhhh lined out for me without much wiggle room killed my creativity. Also the flower soulmate au for a bit. Again, it follows canon so like. Sticking to the word of the book is a little boring

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

The only named OC is currently in (Not) Threesome. He's been my baby since I was 16 (so 6 years now). He started off as a SPN OC literally so I could write a silly little one-off about him helping Dean figure out he's bi, and now he just vibes and I love him. His name is Dio and he's a WHORE (affectionate).

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

True Colors. Literally a rewrite of all the RWRB sex scenes. It's literally nothing BUT sex.

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

Probably Flower Soulmates. The whole concept revolves around soulmate injuries, and while nothing non-canon happens to the boys, it does follow canon typical angst. Basically none of the others do that. They're pretty fluffy or sexy and that's it.

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

I have to say True Colors only because I'm reeeallllyyyyyy trying to keep the characters book accurate. It's an expansion of the book, so I've been paying close attention to how they talk and act and making sure they're as close as I can get.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

None of them have a particularly fun setting lol, I'm not much off a world builder. I think that Rust and it's following fics are going to be really fun, though.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

True Colors literally only on the basis of how long it already is and how long it will be.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

True Colors and Flower Soulmates. True Colors bc it's my most watched and I keep comparing it to the books. Flower Soulmate because of everything I've explained above.

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

I don't remember any of my dreams so maybe! Couldn't tell ya.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't?

Flowers is just heavier than the rest, True Colors I feel needs to be correct to the book. Diabetic au I feel good about bc it's personal experience but having to deal with medical accuracies and also another version where Alex has a service dog and all that shit entails.

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

I think Rust is generally pretty funny and I think the Coach au is going to be fun when I get to it

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

Not especially? (Not) Threesome does feature an OC of mine who we learn a bit about but it's still from a familiar POV, so like. Doesn't count.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

Diabetic Alex au has two major, distinct parts. There's a 5+1 of mundane diabetic bullshit bc I felt like the only diabetic RWRB fics glamorized and made diabetes this massive fucking thing when it's not. The other is a rewrite featuring Peter, Alex's diabetic alert dog and how that changes everything from the get go (Philip is a fuckwad, spoilers). Also that this whole idea was how @inexplicablymine and I became friends

I don't think I have enough ppl to tag tbh but @affectionatelyrs @inexplicablymine @user-anakin @hypnostheory @read-and-write- and anyone else who wants to <3

[maplesyrizzup]

for @thiamsxbitch part 2

Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story? Yes, absolutely

Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (style, pov, genre, tropes, etc) Non-Con. Smut. Suicide. I don't think I would write a crossover, only because I don't think I'd be very good at it.

Best writing advice for other writers? Don't be too hard on yourself. Especially when you have writer's block. it's okay, it happens to everyone, you just need to wait it out.

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you? I don't think I've gotten bad ones. mainly because I've only gotten advice from certain people

What fic do you wish you got more of a response on? I'm going to say Possession

Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride? uh, i'd say my writing is pretty tame, especially the humor, maybe: "Theo let me in." "no." is pretty funny

What is your most and least favorite part of writing? favorite: writing funny dialogue and scenes. least: it's not that I don't enjoy writing emotional scenes between couples, I'm just not very good at it.

On average, how much writing do you get done in a day? it really depends. sometimes I don't write for weeks, sometimes I write for a week straight. but if I'm trying i can knock out around 1.5k-2k

What’s your revision or editing process like? I read through it all. rewrite stuff I don't like

Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished? I share rough drafts and snippets

Do you start with the characters or the plot when writing? characters(?)

Name three of your favorite fanfic writers. Teen Wolf - @ksbbb -@sterekshipper-writer -@waterloou Others -@bvcksmunson -@vigilvntes -@chaseadrian

Do you want to be published some day? yes

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer? i enjoy writing for teen wolf, so I hope to continue that

What is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain?  Motivate.

How do you write kissing scenes? I haven't yet

How do you choose where to end a chapter? Suspense and/or cliffhangers

Would you ever write commissions? Maybe

Share a snippet from a WIP Liam wasn’t sure when he started to care, but he knew the first time he noticed it was when Liam asked Theo to stay. Well, actually with the way he phrased it, it didn't seem like a request.

If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see? something from Possession. maybe the scene where Liam is getting Possessed.

Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person? Yeah I reread them

What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it? Unintentional by @waterloou .YES. EVERYONE GO READ

Do you take a sadistic joy in whumping your characters, or are you more the "If you hurt them I would kill everyone and then myself" kind of person? I don't take joy in it but writing Angst is very fun

What mistakes do you keep making no matter how many times your beta corrects you? Lack of describing the scene. I'm trying but it is challenging for me

Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh? Both!

How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc) A lot of it is Humorous gen

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting? Twice

What do you look for in a beta? I go to my friends

Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them? I haven't yet, thankfully

How long is your longest fic? 40k

What’s your total AO3 word count? 18,926

Do you respond to comments, why or why not? Yes, it may take me sometime. i love to reread through comments, they make me smile

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

Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones? Theo

What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on? My dialogue

Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished?  waiting until it's finished

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most? (Brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, etc)  editing

Does anyone in your personal life know you write fic? if not, would you tell anyone? yes some know but I only share with best friends and when I do share with them it's rare

Have you had a writer you admire comment on your fic? What was that like? Yes.

Why do you continue writing fics? Because I enjoy it

Thoughts on cliffhangers? Love them

Something you hate to see in smut. Non-Con.

Something you love to see in smut. Fluff and Smut. Love soft fluffy sex

Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project to finish Possession

How do you deal with writing pressure (ie. pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc.)? I try not to let it pressure me. i would like to get something out every month, but if I can't then it's okay.

Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas? I like both

What work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing? my adrian and eddie fics. they aren't very good

When asked, are you embarrassed or enthusiastic to tell people that you write? embarrassed

When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.? notes

[simblrd]

still playing my lepacy!

I'm super enjoying it, I don't think I've had this much fun in ts3 in a long time. The base game is soooooo fleshed out and playable just by itself. I don't remember ts2 base game and don't feel like setting up the any game starter or w/e it's called so I can't compare it to 3, but ts4 base game? Not even close to the state of ts3's base game. Literally night and day, I can't praise the features and depth of ts3 base enough.

World Adventures is my favorite pack, I had a real good time doing that generation. Originally I had Claire going on vacations with her daughter, but decided it was easier to focus on completing her LTW if she just traveled solo. I even did several quests that I've never done before which is really surprising to me. I also gave myself a little rule that the next generation can't be born until the LTW is completed, because realistically these are all doable before Elder. Bought a vacation home in all three destinations with all the relic money, but something happened and I soft crash when I send her back to France (haven't tried other destinations, just realized I forgot to buy the other grapes from the special merchant, had to cheat those in)

For Ambitions, I gave the heir the max inventing/sculpting/painting LTW, we're halfway through inventing right now and I haven't started the other two yet. I think this one is gonna take me the longest, but that's okay if it takes a little while since it's a boy so I'm not on a fertility time limit.

Haven't looked at the Late Night LTW yet, I want to plan that out once that generation starts so I don't try to rush the previous gen. I highly recommend trying this challenge though, I'm having so much fun with it, even if I'm not posting gameplay of it since that takes the fun out of it for me with trying to take good pictures (imposter syndrome, nothing I post is good enough) ((the notes corroborate this))

[the-meat-machine]

4. How do you choose which fics to write?

11. Do you write scenes in order, or do you jump around?

12. Do you outline your fics?  If yes, how detailed are your outlines?  How far do you stray from them?

17. Do you have a writing routine?

18. Do you enjoy research?  Which fic of yours required the most research?

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

80. I have some story ideas but I don't know how to write them. How do I write those stories?

4 and 12 were already answered here!

11. Do you write scenes in order, or do you jump around?

Bruh, I can't even write a sentence in order. That said, lately I've been trying not to get TOO into the details of later scenes or later parts of scenes. I find that when I do, I end up having to scrap most of it because details I add in earlier make the later details not work.

So I guess my process is… I just write down any and all ideas I have as I think of them, no matter when in the scene or story they're supposed to go. But when I sit down to really hash out a full scene, I start from the beginning and use my random later ideas as a rough outline, knowing that I'll probably have to tweak or outright remove most of them once I get there.

It's also really, really common for me to leave placeholders in my scenes to come back to later. Extremely common. You have no idea. My early drafts are more placeholder than fic. The placeholders can range from standing in for "X action(s) need to happen here" to "I need another line or two of dialog here for this to flow right but I can't think of what" to "literally just cannot think of the word I'm looking for and don't want to break my flow right now to scour a thesaurus". Then later I gradually go back and fill in the placeholders, usually in several passes. Honestly, writing for me is more like putting together a puzzle than anything.

17. Do you have a writing routine?

The biggest "routine" thing for me is just that I try to make sure to write SOMETHING every day. On bad days, maybe that's as little as half a sentence, but at least that's half a sentence more than I had the day before. Most days, once I get started, I can keep going for at least an hour.

More specifically, I usually write in the mid-afternoon and/or late evening, laying on my living room floor for some goddamn reason. (Ok, I know the reason: it helps me to sit somewhere other than my usual chair so my brain has a cue that I'm in writing mode and not fucking-around-online mode.)

18. Do you enjoy research? Which fic of yours required the most research?

I love research and probably do way more of it than is really necessary. I tend to get real deep into ridiculous topics like snake reproduction or the chemical composition of semen, learning all sorts of details that don't end up reflected in the final fic at all.

I've done the most research for the lil buddy series, since it's set in the real world and I want to try to make sure my depiction of, for example, the Texas foster care system circa the mid-1980s is at the very least not so inaccurate as to be offensive. I still feel like it's probably not all that realistic, but I'm trying. (I also now know a hell of a lot about the timeline of VHS releases of The Muppet Show, which is obviously a very important detail that would have thrown people right out of the fic if I'd gotten it wrong.)

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

I prefer one-shots. Pretty much all of my chaptered fics started out as one-shots that got out of hand. tear at me was supposed to be a one-shot. Playing House was supposed to be a one-shot. Hell, the entire lil buddy series (including several WIPs that I haven't posted yet) was supposed to be a single one-shot.

As mentioned before, I'm not good at, like… outlining. So working out how to structure and organize chaptered fics can be a challenge for me. This has been a major problem for my longest WIP, which I just have not been able to get to come together at all.

80. I have some story ideas but I don't know how to write them. How do I write those stories?

It's hard for me to answer this since I'm not sure what exactly you're struggling with. But I will say that sometimes I have an idea that feels Too Big or Too Important and I can't get a handle on how to write it in a way that I feel satisfied with.

In those cases, it helps me to just… set aside the big idea for the moment and focus in on one small aspect of it. One scene or one conversation that I feel like I can write. Or maybe a moment from the backstory to help explore the characters' motivations or the setting. Or even shift my focus for a while to some other small idea entirely, if I'm getting too frustrated metaphorically banging my head against this one.

(A few of my fics are actually a result of exactly the above process. Sugar-High Shenanigans is actually a scene from the aforementioned long fic that I've never finished. the perfect prayer was me exploring Bro's character when I felt stuck on tear at me. The lil buddy series is just the result of me breaking a longer fic idea into smaller, more manageable chunks.)

Basically, start out with something smaller in scope. Give yourself space to just try things out and not be perfect.

Along those lines, writing drabbles can be a fun exercise. Like, if you only have 100 words to convey an idea or a dynamic, what do you focus in on? It really forces you to distill the idea down to its essence. And they're pretty low-pressure, too, because even if you don't feel like you get it quite right, oh well, it's only 100 words; you can always try some other approach to the same idea another time.

I don't know if any of that helps, but yeah!