#i've recently reread it myself and i'm still proud of it so go give it a chance and tell me what you think 👀

[ihamtmus]

I posted this fic over 2 years ago but after season 2 came out it started to experience a renascence. People started to read it again and it makes me so happy!! This fic has just reached the milestone of 400 comments which is absolutely insane to me, a huge thank you to everyone who's ever left me a comment!!! Please never feel weird about commenting on older fics, it makes authors (me) so so so happy you wouldn't believe <3

Fandom: Good Omens (TV) Relationship: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Category: Gen Words: 33k Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Pre-Canon

“Uhhhh… Hi,” Crowley started lamely, scrambling to find a way to explain the situation as quickly as possible. His mind was refusing to work properly, thoughts slow as if doused in oil. He hadn’t really thought about what to say on his way here ��� he’d been too busy focusing on the getting here part before he would collapse. “I was wondering if I could… If I could maybe die in here, if you don’t mind..?”

The expression on Aziraphale’s face changed abruptly, telling him that the angel did, in fact, mind.

(In which a mortally wounded demon just wants to get somewhere quiet to die but his Adversary will have none of it. A story of how they both learn just how much they care.)

The fic is finally complete!

[brettanomycroft]

do you ever have plans to finish ur dipcifica fic on ao3? 😔

Hi!! First of all I want to say thank you SO MUCH for having read "Seen You Before" whether it was recently or when I started writing it in *check notes* holy hell 2015.

To be totally honest, I'm on the fence about coming back to it. I still have a HUGE love for Dipper and Pacifica (and Gravity Falls) and the fic is still dear to my heart. After getting a number of comments asking if I'd be coming back to it, I braced myself for a reread, and there are without a doubt a lot of things I'm still very proud of writing... Especially Lily and Scott. Like, wow, way to make some OCs, go me. Exploring Dipper and Pacifica's trauma and how they've gone on to cope (or not cope) with them is still something of interest to me, and I'd love to watch them grow together.

I'm also on a very different place mentally, emotionally, and maturity-wise than I was when I first started writing! Being nearly 14 years removed from college graduation (and over 16 years from where Pacifica and Dipper are in this story) is a lot different from the 4ish years out I was when the story began, and some of the sources of conflict I developed don't resonate in the same way now. My relationship both with alcohol and with my parents has changed (yes, I'm the master of projection) and in some ways I'm not sure if that would help or hinder the story. Also, to be honest, past me did present me dirty and did not write out a plan for this story, so I'm relying on memory to try and figure out where I was going with this... If I even knew then where I was going with it, which I sort of doubt? I have vague memories of both a supernatural and a totally normal resolution for this fic, so I would definitely need to go back to the drawing board.

That said, I actually have made some efforts recently to go back to said drawing board. I've been mapping out some of the conflicts and character interactions that would need to be developed and resolved, and started thinking about what a satisfying continuation and ending to this fic might look like. The road I've laid ahead of Pacifica and Dipper is not an easy one, and it would take some real work to get them to the happy ending I can't not give them.

The TL;DR to this is... Maybe?? It's not entirely off the table and is honestly something I'd love to come back to. I'm running the flint and steel together and waiting to see if something sparks.

[abcwordsurge]

what old work[s] you've made is your favorite and why? and now what's your most favorite recent work? smile. i love ur writing i wanna hear u talk abt ittt!!

:D hi marley

this took a bit because I had to go through all my stuff and, like, make a tournament out of it, but here I am! with answers!

for old works, I've gotta go with "October 15th" (link here). it's a fic with little snippets from an average day in the statehouse. a pretty healthy mix of fluff and angst and humor. I remember writing this and just grinning to myself, like, "yeah, I'm so clever, this is so neat." it was one of the very first fics I posted in this fandom, way back in October (shocking /s). wow, wait, is that over half a year ago? huh. it feels like I haven't been in this fandom for that long. well, I'm glad to be here!

honorary mention: "Something That Matters" (link here), two connected wiscowa (wisconsin / iowa) drabbles. posted even earlier than "October 15th," and was far shorter and simpler. this one is just a lil thing and it makes me happy no matter how many times I reread it

outside of fandom, I'd go with "Bigger Than Jesus" (link here), about Big Time Rush (yes, that kids show boy band), and carlos and logan's opinions on the Beatles. I thought that was comedic GOLD. still makes me giggle rereading it

as for recent fics, I'll say "The Five Nonsenses" (link here). it's a queerplatonic floui fic, and this is perhaps the first time that I felt totally confident while writing a fic about a qpr. I've never been in a qpr (despite my best efforts /hj), but after writing this, I just knew that this is the sort of thing I should write when writing queerplatonic fics. I dunno, I just feel like I've cracked the code or something like that. I'm pretty proud of this one

this ask makes me so happy. usually when I reread something I wrote, it's because I'm looking for things I need to fix in it, but in order to give you an answer, I had to look for things I like. it improved my mood quite a bit. thank you <3

[getvalentined]

★ what was the scene you most wanted to write in [whichever fic you are most happy/satisfied with]? what was the hardest scene to write?

☉ what do you do when you get stuck writing?

★ what was the scene you most wanted to write in [whichever fic you are most happy/satisfied with]? what was the hardest scene to write?

We're gonna go with Smoke and Mirrors on this one, because I'm still super proud of it. Although a lot of that particular fic was written out of order, so this is a little hard to say; the first scene I wrote for it actually doesn't happen until chapter six, and the last scene written for it is actually in chapter seven, not the epilogue.

The scene that I most wanted to reach in the story was probably when Sephiroth and Genesis finally meet back up? The whole fic was kinda gearing up toward that moment, and even though the actual climax of the story (ha. climax.) is after that, it's the scene that felt most pivotal to me. (Cloud going to tell Sephiroth that he had information on Genesis' whereabouts is the runner-up here, though, for the same reason. Pivotal sequences.)

The most difficult to write were definitely the two sex scenes. I don't write a lot of explicit content because I'm always quite worried about it coming off as either cringe or nonsensical. As a person with synesthesia, the way that I personally parse and describe sensory input is different from most people, and I know that definitely shows in how I write—I can only imagine that's doubly true in scenes as sensory as those. It took a while before I could go back and reread them, strictly out of fear that they were actually really bad and I'd just deluded myself in order to finally get the fic finished, but I'm still happy with them so hopefully they pass muster for readers too.

☉ what do you do when you get stuck writing?

Mostly I just stop writing for a while. I've been in that boat with Rattle This Ghost Town recently, where I set it down for about a month and only just got back to feeling like I had any kind of handle on it last night. Even that still feels pretty hit-or-miss, to be honest. I'm trying, though.

If I really want to write something and I feel inspired to write something but literally just can't make the words happen, I'll sometimes go on a sort of music search and either assemble a playlist for the fic, or expand the one I already have, so that hopefully the music can give me enough serotonin to get started again.

I'll also talk with friends about it! Getting input from people whose opinions matter to me helps a lot, but obviously this shouldn't be anyone's go-to—I don't want to pin the responsibility for making me write on other people, so I really only do this with any level of intensity when I'm at the end of my rope. (I share WIPs pretty often, but that's different than talking about where I am stuck in a fic.)

[ for the fic ask game ]

[mel-0n-earth]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Oh goodness, I'm not very good at these, but I've also been bullying myself a lot lately, so maybe the timing on this is just right and I should give it a shot.

I'll try my best to put things in actual order. Here we go:

5. To Fix Their Hearts - This is a little Dammon x Tav oneshot I did to try my hand at writing from a trans perspective. It's not much, but my writing feels pretty tight (not too much fluff or "leftovers" that should've been edited out) and re-reading it gives me warm fuzzies every time, so it definitely makes the list.

4. Fear Me, Love Me, Do as I Say - Durgetash trash that I wrote after finishing the book A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers and the movie Bones and All. I wanted to write something with really gooey, indulgent prose and a lot of violent but romantic imagery. There are a few bits I probably should have cut in editing, but overall I think I hit my target here.

3. The Devil You Know - This was the first time I wrote something and went "woah, I might actually be good at this" because the response was so overwhelmingly positive. It was just going to be a little oneshot to scratch an itch, but turned out to be way more than that. Idk, this is just another sweet little story that will always have a special place in my heart.

2. Sunshine from Out of the Blue - The story that got me through COVID lockdown and studying for doctoral exams. I reread this recently during a writing rut, and while I wish desperately I could just scrap and completely rewrite some of the earlier chapters, I was pleasantly surprised by how things improved as the story went on. I grew a lot as a person and writer while working on this. For that reason alone, I'm very proud of it.

1. Phantom - This is an ongoing Solavellan story that hasn't gotten nearly as much engagement as I originally hoped it would, but I can't bring myself to care too much. Dragon Age and Phantom of the Opera are my two biggest obsessions/fixations, and smushing those two things together has proved a very difficult task. Still, I've been working on this story for a long time, and some of my favorite bits have yet to go live. Certain sections near the end bring up a lot of complex emotions for me. It's difficult to describe. This one just means a lot to me. I hope people will still be reading by time those bits go up, as I think they're some of the better pieces of writing I've created yet.

Thanks so much for passing this along!

[vellaphoria]

Hi! For the writer's ask game: 25, 27, and 29 :) Also, I reread Midnight Elegy recently and it's even better then I remembered!

Hello!! :D as;lkdjfa;skldjls I'm glad you enjoyed it enough to reread it! I had such a good time writing that one. Thank you for the incredibly kind words! <3

Answers below the cut:

25. What fic do you wish you got more of a response on? Gethsemane in Winter, probably For context, at one point I wrote a DickTim Earth-3 series because there was a very specific interpretation of the concept that I desperately wanted to read but that didn't exist. So I set out to write it myself, knowing that it probably wouldn't get too much attention, given the number of (accurate) warning tags I slapped on it. I worked hard on it and am proud of the result, but there's still a bit of wistfulness about it because of the nature of incredibly niche things.

Though if anyone is curious enough to look at the part of the map labeled here be dragons, then the series is A Fact or a Weapon, which comes from a wonderfully haunting (and apt, for the fic) line from the poem "We are Hard" by Margaret Atwood:

A truth should exist, it should not be used like this. If I love you

is that a fact or a weapon?

27. What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

My most favorite part is writing descriptions! I tend to be a visual thinker, so I spend a fair amount of time thinking about where things are in a scene, how they would look, and how to describe things in a way that builds the sort of atmosphere I'm going for.

My least favorite part is writing transitions between scenes. I tend to over-write them and draw things out that aren't important to the plot (one reason why everything I write spirals out of control lol). Sometimes it's hard for me to know when it's best to put a scene break in vs. when to do an actual transition via text.

29. What’s your revision or editing process like?

I tend to go chapter by chapter for multi-chapter fics. My first goal is to get the thing written, so I try not to commit to serious revisions unless there's some sort of overarching problem with what I've got.

Revisions start once I have a mostly finished rough draft of a chapter. At that point, I read through it to make sure that I'm not missing anything and then send it to my beta reader so that they can give me a general vibe check (i.e. does it make sense, does it flow right, is the tone consistent/does it work for the fic, spelling and grammar, etc.). They also do a lot of cheerleading which really gets me through a lot of the tougher parts of writing <3 After I have the beta-approved version, I do another pass through for spelling and grammar and probably tweak some things. If it's a chapter, then it probably sits for a bit while I work on other parts of the fic. If it's a oneshot, then I format it for Ao3 and finalize the title and tags that I'm using before posting.

There's also a secret step where sometimes I don't like what I have, so I tear it up and recycle the parts into other things lol (questions are from this list)

[zarvasace]

PROGRESS POST

(12/18/23)

If you're interested in what I've done recently, the state of my projects, and what I plan on doing in the new year, read on! :)

By Fandom

Linked Universe Projects

Shatterproof: I have more backstories cooking, and a half-finished fic or two, but that's about it. I plan on updating a story at least once before January

Council (1931 AU): backburner, haven't really had inspiration. Still on my radar though, and it spins through my head on occasion!

Marvelous Misadventures: been plucking away at this! I recently had an epiphany regarding the next part of the plot, so hopefully that gets me more excited to work on it

Considering expanding the coloring pages I made into a whole series, that could be cool

Misc stuff includes a couple half-abandoned oneshots, a few drawing ideas, and a major art project that probably won't happen because I'm trying not to burn myself out 😅

Four Swords Projects

Fairytale AU: recently gained fire for this again. Reread and organized all my existing material, edited the outline, and I desperately want to finish it soon. Hesitantly scheduling for before the new year. Draft currently maybe about 30% of the way, at 8k.

Isekai AU: I don't think I've mentioned this to anyone outside discord, but ta da I'm deep in this. I'm probably 90% done, about 30k. This will be a Christmas fic, I hope!!

Vampire lords AU: rambly vampire plot is going. Somewhat slowly. I've been trying to not overload myself with too much, so this has been demoted slightly. :) Bite fics happen spontaneously, though, and there might be another coming.

Rinthia AU: my original world, the one seen in Nothing New Under the Sun. This is kind of a passing thought, definitely in planning stages, but I would kind of like to expand this—see where the other characters are, give y'all some answers, because the answers are there

Non-fandom

I want to do more traditional art, graphite and watercolors mostly, and that usually means using photos or life instead of fandom stuff. Makes it a bit less exciting, but maybe I can find a way of doing that. I miss my lil oil paint studio area but I can work with what I have

I'm crafting a few Christmas presents instead of buying them because I do not have much money. That is something I need to spend like, this next week doing

Sanderson merch: I have a goal of getting a booth at Dragonsteel next December, and selling some small souvenir stuff. My plans involve making more pins (I ordered a couple already, and they're very nice), drawing some coloring pages, and maybe advertising here a little once I actually have some stuff I'm proud of up. This will ideally take a year to get together, though, so no rush.

By Month

November

I spent most of November working on The Worst Thing About Earth, kind of an impulse fic that spiraled out of control. I think I burned myself out a little on this, so I've been taking it slowly. Trying to, anyway.

December

So far, I've mostly worked on holiday gift exchanges and some backburner stuff. Like I said, I've been taking it kind of gently. I plan on finishing the FS isekai AU this month, and getting most of the way through the fairytale AU. Getting those off my plate will free me up to think about other things, I think. I also plan on maybe one more bite fic and one more LU disability AU thing before the new year.

January On

I'm not sure what the next month will bring! Ideally, I'll be wrapping up the fairytale AU and intermittently posting a few little things. I'm hoping to return to a couple of my older projects soon, mostly Marvelous Misadventures, because I've left that thing unfinished for LONG ENOUGH.

This next year, I want to try to devote more time to doing things for myself that aren't fandom things. I'd like to reread Stormlight Archive before #5 comes out in December, play more video games, and do more painting. I would like to establish a better habit of making and eating food. I want to play board games a little more often.

Still, the muse can be fickle, and as you probably know by now, I am very good at chasing my inspiration!!

[f-oighear]

Hi Oighear! 💕

For your writer's ask game what about 91, 47 and 12?

Heyyy! Thanks for the ask!

91. how has your writing style changed over the years?

I learned punctuation.

I started by writing exclusively dialogues! It was like screenplays but with no directions. Then, one day, I tried narration because why not? And I had a lot of fun with it.

I went wayyy back with this one fhkjssfd. But in the recent years, I think I've started writing with more substance? The SAU is funny because from chapter one to the last chapter you can really see how it evolved. Erase My First Words To You is literally just the things that need to happen happen and there's very little room for introspection, descriptions, etc. From Your World on (arguably from Where The Heart Is too), it gets more dense; there's more substance. At least that's how it feels to me.

47. what story are you most proud of?

Ughhh. Tough one... I think it's Blue Hours/Begin Again (they work together). They were out of my comfort zone — I tried something new with the narration — and I like the way it came out? I also had to diverge from canon with the event that kickstarts the entire Ace Attorney series not happening exactly as it did so there was... a lot to consider.

Ofc there's also the Soulmate AU because completing that monstrously long thing was a big achievement in itself fhjdksd.

12. do you ever have trouble focusing on writing? how do you get around that?

Yep, I'm only human. Sooooo, there are two ways of doing it:

I tell myself I can choose not to write if I don't want to because I'm free, this isn't a job, and it's supposed to be fun.

If I'm publishing something weekly and I want to get a chapter out... I use all my prep class tricks to get myself to focus.

Here are some of the tricks:

write somewhere else (laptops are such a great invention);

write something else (when I was tired of working on literature, I switched to geography and that's the same with fics fhdks);

go for a walk/a run/dance for a while (anything to get out of the thing to come back to it physically exhausted and ready to focus);

get myself a nice little drink (usually, it's water— I'm bland like that) and sip the thing as I reread the wip;

force the words out. literally just write the thing. doesn't matter if it's good or not;

alternate between 'automatic/mechanical' work and 'creative' work -> edit for a while, then write from scratch, then plan, etc.;

lie down on the floor and stop thinking about work for thirty minutes (timed);

do the thing I want to do and write later when I'm refreshed (losing 30 minutes watching that episode is worth it— you're more efficient afterwards);

take a nap;

do house chores or silly little tasks I've put off for weeks and focus on those (don't think about writing);

bake (again, don't think about writing— any activity that's repetitive and/or have clear instructions where you can't go wrong);

write the scene I'm stuck on from scratch, with no reference to the one I've already written, just to get the writing going;

I always write with music, but some work better than others to focus so I can switch to those when I'm having trouble;

sugar gives you a quick rush of energy but you'll crash out in a bit— it's still an emergency trick that works (I guess coffee or tea do the job too);

handing out the paper half-baked. The writing equivalent is 'this chapter wasn't edited as thoroughly as usual, but it was edited sufficiently and I need to let it go or I'll drive myself insane' but unlike the paper, you can always come back and edit the thing when you're in a better place.

Tbh the tricks don't always work all the time and sometimes I know they won't work. But welp. Here you go!

[outeremissary]

9 People You'd Like to Get to Know Better

Tagged by @turbulentpumpkin43. Thanks for thinking of me! I know I haven't been around much (for reasons we don't need to get into), but truly nothing summons me faster than the email notification about a tag game where I know I'm going to have to say something horribly embarrassing about myself.

Three Ships: I mean, if we're counting stuff with OCs then obviously anyone following my knows Balthazar and Tristian (and the wonderful polycule with Vio) is my number one. Aside from that, the latest volume of Witch Hat has fully converted me into an Agott/Coco true believer. I actually did like the Coco/Tarteh vibe but Agott's special brand of slowly changing rival just has me by the throat. Aside from that? Ummm. Elliot and Leo from Pandora Hearts? Does that count? I did my full reread of Pandora Hearts while afk in September and those two have had me since like 2012 or 2013 or whenever they were introduced in the English release. But now that I'm older and more mature I can better appreciate what the messy later arcs had to give, and that's the beauty of a relationship between equals corrupted by a growing imbalance no one has the strength to acknowledge and devotion so deep it tears both of their lives apart. That's awesome. 11/10, everyone read Pandora Hearts and I'm not even joking

First Ever Ship: Gamers, back in early 2012 when I was in middle school and could only see images on the computer at school because searching for anything visual online was mega bad for rural internet, a friend of mine used a science classroom computer to discover you could find non-canon images of The Legend of Zelda if you searched terms like "Link blue" and scrolled down a couple rows. I distinctly remember this as the first ever time I really understood the concept of "fan art," and more importantly as my entry into fandom as we all began to realize many of these came from the same site: a place called "DeviantArt." Some of these contained such salacious and unthinkable things as two boys holding hands and blushing, and also both of those boys were Link. I was so captivated by these mysterious images that I followed them to their Four Swords Adventures manga RP fandom source, where I am not proud to say the first "ship" I adopted as such was Vio (Violet Link for people who spent their time doing better things at thirteen) and Shadow (Shadow Link, of course). That's right, everyone! It was edgy Link selfcest yaoi between a traitor and an angsty villain all the way down!!! And you know what? When I write that I don't think my taste has changed. Except the selfcest. Mostly.

The other, more respectable first ship I remember not long after that was Ulquihime. What can I say, there's just something about the Stockholm syndrome of it all.

Last Song: No title - REOL. Narrowly missed this being edgy early Vocaloid. I've been revisiting old favorites recently.

Last Movie: I'm pretty sure it was Surf's Up. For whatever reason my friend decided we should rewatch it when I visited him a few weeks ago. Holds up better than it should, but I've rewatched it twice in little over a year and truly that is my Surf's Up limit. That trip was also when my friend forced me to watch Barbie and the D&D movie. Look at me catching up on relevant pop culture only for fucking Surf's Up to be what made this list.

Currently Reading: I'm pretty sure this came up last time, but because I haven't gotten started on a better book since then I'm unfortunately still periodically chipping at The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn. This book fucking sucks. Don't read it. If we could manga and stories that are actually good I recently did a Witch Hat Atelier reread after getting volume 11!!! That volume is. So painfully personal.

Currently Watching: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Jujutsu Kaisen season 2. JJK is with my friend for weekly hangout, but Edgerunners is a solo endeavor because it was bumming him out way too much. Good show though. Also JJK was way more of a bummer than expected in ways that caught me off guard??? I'm not getting over what happened to that girl, I really got fucking got by that scene. Jesus

Currently Consuming: Nothing. Just finished dinner, where I had a chicken sandwich and fries. I need groceries. It's dire.

Currently Craving: doing something creative, but that would require moving the giant zine pile on my chair........ this is how I'm procrastinating

I'm sorry, but I'm actually not tagging anyone on this tonight! I haven't been on enough lately to know who has or hasn't done it, and frankly I'm not ready to be back on Tumblr enough to map that out. If you're seeing this and want to do it, please go ahead and do it. Tag me like I tagged you, we are collaborators in this and I want to see what you say.

[rosalind-hawkins]

Heheh uno reversing your question on you <3

Tell us which of your own fics you enjoy re-reading and what about them prompts you to revisit them. Or if you don't, what other fics in the fandom do you like to re-read? Rec them!

Ooohhhhhh, I do it for a lot of fics! But mostly just for my longfics, actually? I very rarely reread my one-shots, though there are a few exceptions.

Booty Call. It's less wholesome than most of my other Puppyshipping content, but the asynchronous story-telling is just so fun. And I guess I like it being a little different from my usual stuff. I feel like it's also less heavy than my usual Puppy content is? Not that there's no angst, it's just, like, the only time I write this ship where Kaiba's daddy issues never even get mentioned lol. (much wow, such restraint)

Skin to Scales. Someone please explain to me why I've already reread this fic at least ten times when it's less than a year old; it makes me feel vain lol. I'm still so proud of how quickly I write such a long fic, and still laughing at myself for thinking such a concept could possibly be contained to a one-shot lolololol.

I've reread a lot of my magnum opus, Rock Bottom. Which parts I reread depends on a lot of things. I'll frequently reread the last several chapters just to check the flow and tone as I work on the next chapter, but I've been doing it a lot recently because I'm just really enjoying how it's been going—and because I've been excited to write this section since I started writing this series. Sometimes I'll pop back to Season Zero for its unapologetic and angsty melodrama lol. I reread Season Two, Chapters 6-7 just for the fluff and the feels (that scene with Joey and Seto cuddling on the couch? It's absolute candy to me). I don't reread Season One as much, except for the rooftop Yugi/Seto duel, because (and I'm super biased here) that duel slaps hard. I'm proud of it. Also the time in Pegasus Castle, because that's where things get truly interesting.

This is one that I've mentioned before, but I never linked it before: my original Mumbleshipping fic. It was supposed to be a one-shot. It started as a one-shot. Then it turned into indulgent melodrama and angst and got out of control in the funnest way. This is the fic that Power of Three (another fond reread of mine) is supposed to be a prequel for, but POT will probably rewrite these events significantly when I get caught up in the timeline. I do read it to remove myself of how far I've come, but also to look back at just how excited and passionate I was and enjoy that memory. These two fics are the epitome of "I wrote this for ME" because I was not expecting more than a few curious clicks on that one. As for the original story, I still can't decide whether Amane ends up with Mokuba or Marik, but I do know for sure that the two will compete over her for a little while at least; yes, I'm aware of the poly option here, but that would require Mokuba to forgive Marik for Battle City, which, even with this reformed Marik and maturing Mokuba, is going to take a lot of work. BUT STILL, I think it would be very cute for the three of them to end up together. Yes, I'm a madwoman, follow for more madness.

There's one more that I usually come back to once or twice a year, not because it's good, just because, wow, it was such a bonkers thing to write. It's only posted to FFN, and I'm kind of too embarrassed of the fic to even link it 😅

Thank you for your thoughtful answer and for giving me a chance to share my own brainworms lol. ☺️

[buildarocketboys]

for the fanfic ask! Not sure what you've already received but let's go 3, 13, 23, 29

Thanks Ash!!!

3. What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written?

It's from a while ago, but my Downton Abbey Thomas&Anna fic Smoking in the Courtyard, exploring their friendship, is still up there for me. There are things I would do differently/expand upon if I was writing it now, but overall I think it's a really good exploration of the friendship that the show didn't really let us have, and it's one of my fics that I reread most frequently.

From more recently, I'm really proud of how unapologetically horny the bunnytrick series is (lol) as well as my vampire!Pete 16 candles AU ongoing multi-chapter fic, because I think it's a great concept that I've executed decently and I should be on track to finish it!

13. How much planning do you do before writing?

Answered this already, but - none. Or as little as I can get away with 😅

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

I don't write multi-chapter fics very often, but the two I've got going at the moment have fairly defined chapter structures (one is a 4+1 fic, while the other aforementioned 16 candles AU I actually have a chapter plan for, although it's possible 5 and 6 might end up being morphed together).

I can't decide whether to make my Tangled AU multichapter - I don't really want to tbh, but I'm worried that ~35k is too long for a one shot fic - what do people think, I'm genuinely interested to know?

29. Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.)

OK so I just got distracted and reread this whole fic lol but here's a bit from a Blam fic which starts off with Sam and Kurt sleeping together after Kurt finds out about Blaine dating Karofsky at the start of season 6. Just posting this bit because I managed to make myself laugh lol:

Sam's pacing back and forth across his family's small lounge, waiting for Kurt to reply to his text.

"Sam," says his dad, who's trying to watch the TV in the same room, "if you're going to pace, can you do it somewhere else?"

"What?" Sam says, his dad's words taking a second to register. "Oh yeah, sorry." He sits down for a moment, looking at the TV screen without taking it in. "Who's playing?" he asks his dad.

His dad gives him a weird look. "This is NCIS."

Sam peers at the screen, which shows a man and a woman in a morgue. "Oh yeah." He closes his eyes and sighs, standing up again. He wonders if it was selfish to text Kurt like that, out of the blue. He and Kurt haven't exactly been close since Sam was in junior year and he had lived with Kurt and Finn - they'd drifted apart after Kurt had graduated, and he'd been closer to Finn anyway - but he thinks they're friends. And he thinks Blaine is out of order for dating Karofsky, and he wants to be there for Kurt. But more than that, he wants to talk to someone who understands what he's going through. Maybe the only other person who understands.

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

🍱 Do you read your own fics?

🍥 What's your favorite fic you've written?

🍙 Is there a fic you wish had gotten more attention?

oh vee 🥹💕 my love, thank you

🍱 Do you read your own fics?

....all the time lol i wrote them for me (most of the time, recently i got pretty bad at NOT writing things for myself so i don't reread those as much) sooooo yeah I'm gonna reread them.

🍥 What's your favorite fic you've written?

already answered here! but i can give a special shout out to i am not a woman, i'm a god (rick flag x criminal!oc) I've always been particularly proud of that fic, and it's sequel. just felt like i made a character and plot that could exist in comics and i just really really loved writing it.

🍙 Is there a fic you wish had gotten more attention?

oh geez. i mean, first things that come to mind are Someone In Brooklyn Misses You and The Power of Suffering.

Someone In Brooklyn Misses You is a CATWS rewrite with my OC replacing Black Widow in the plot. It's a fic I've been working on for over 10 years, pretty much since the movie came out, and I've rewritten it and posted it and taken it down like three times at this point. But it never gets much attention and I lose all motivation to keep going with it. I hope I can come back to it one day, because I really love my OC and what I have planned and still daydream about it sometimes but...ya know it's hard when it feels like no one cares.

And The Power of Suffering is a Maze Runner fic, Gally x OC. You know how much I love Will Poulter, Vee lol again just one of those things where i LOVE the story but little to no interaction sooooooo yup.

send in a fic writer ask

[imbecamiel]

New Tag Game: Rec Your Own Fics

I was tagged by @chimaerakitten for this one - thanks! :D

Rules: If you’re tagged, make a rec list of your own fics that you’re most proud of. The ones you personally want people to read because you know they’re good. The ones you get extra excited when you get comments on them because people are responding to what you know is your best work. As part of the list, say why you’re proud of them! Participant’s choice on how many that is and where you draw the line on pride, but the more the better. Bonus points for fics that you like to reread yourself or fics that have low engagement because they’re in a small fandom or an unpopular ship/trope. Then tag however many people you feel like to continue the game. (If you want a guide number, try for seven or however many fics you listed)

Secondary rule: If you get tagged and you’re not a fic writer, consider doing the same for art you’ve done or meta you’ve written that you’re proud of.

Tertiary rule: This is the time to be the opposite of humble! Hype your own stuff! Share why you’re proud of something. Do some self love! And please give the game a chance even if you haven’t written much or are just starting out etc etc.

Down for the Count (DC, Batfam)

This one was inspired by some great fanart by @terracyte

I've loved Batfam for quite a while now, and I am absolutely delighted this was enough to break my writing brain loose from the stranglehold Life Stuff has had on it the last few years. I can still write! \o/

The Joke (Marvel, MCU)

I.e. "What if Steve Rogers, one, could wield Mjolnir from the start, and two, was under the mistaken impression that everyone else's talk about Thor being the only one capable of that was some kind of running joke."

By far the most popular thing I've ever written, a fic I still get kudos on very regularly 10 years later, and it's incredibly satisfying to see a fic I'm extremely fond of myself enjoyed by others so much.

Birthday (Marvel, MCU)

Tony's just created JARVIS and feels the need to tell Rhodey about it immediately.

This one's basically the polar opposite of "The Joke" in terms of popularity. It's never gotten much attention, but it's funny and I think it's well executed and I like it.

Strike (Marvel, MCU)

Like "The Joke" this kind of hits the sweet spot of one of my favorite things to write - things that could easily be cracky, but are written with a lighthearted but genuine tone. In this case, in the immediate wake of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when everyone was delving into all the angst potential, my brain went "yeah, but... what if they also went bowling?"

Out Of The Cold (Lord of the Rings)

Pre-series sickfic/hypothermia fic where Aragorn falls into a frozen lake rescuing a child.

Much of my LOTR writing happened in the verrrrrrry earliest days of my discovery of fandom as a teenager. So many good memories. This one's not recent-recent, but much more representative of my current writing abilities and it still makes me very happy when I go back to reread it.

Tagging: @cairistiona7 @hollyhock13 - and anyone else who sees this and feels like participating, please do consider yourself tagged!

[foibles-fables]

Hello, I have awoken from yet another nap sleep of the dead and would like to ask 4, 22 and 23 (because yes, I'm that greedy).

A day belated, here ya go!!!

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

This one changes from day to day, as I'm sure you've experienced! My first thought today was this section from rest like you belong here. As for why--I think I was just trying to get into a complicated and concussed headspace and I think the style paid off here?

And yet she’s consumed. Talanah’s fingers enthrall her as they give sure and steady clemency. Her touch works to root out and then smooth down the raggedness she feels everywhere, all the time. Every recrimination between her and her homeland. All the things she can’t change, all of the things that elude her, that wisp away in the wake of being seen as her. Being cared for as her. This matters. Care. It matters. It’s always mattered, but it’s never belonged to her as plainly and unquestioningly as this. And Aloy doesn’t know how to let it matter—how to let all of her names matter and bear their own weight, and reflect back onto her in ways that don’t make her feel like a pretender. How to let herself matter, to find the space to move beyond, to let the bruises go pale. To find any measure of the peace she’s still seeking.

She’s so exhausted. And even cradled in comfort, her head is still pounding like a close-approaching tempest. Clarity whips away, taken by stone and drink and sweeping hand. Torrents of uncertainty broken free and allowed to crash over her drive her to weakness. They wash away every posture and semblance, betray unnerving desires. Propel her out of control. Reveal how she wants to be held and to be beheld in ways she can’t fathom, can’t fully grasp. And lying there, paralyzed in this diametric frenzy of both wanting and spurning at once, Aloy doesn’t know if she’s about to shove at Talanah’s hand and lunge away—or grab her wrist, creating fuller and more frightening contact, palm to belly then pulling upward, sternum to collarbone to throat to cheek, leaving a tangible mark of this daunting grace over unclaimed, trembling barrenness.

22. Do you reread your old works? How do you feel about them?

I do! Not a ton of the really old stuff (we're talking, like, 2004-2009), even though maybe I should. More recent things I'll reread pretty often, if I'm caught on tone or trying to get myself in the mood to be creative. I feel pretty decent about a lot of what I've put out in the last year and a half or so. There's always a cringe factor, but reactions tend towards the positive.

23. What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest?

Answered here!

[sheehan-sidhe]

1. What's your favourite kind of fic to write.

Probably mutual pining but I've recently realised I have a knack for smut 🤭

2. What fic of your was the hardest to write?

Probably one of the hundreds I left unfinished. I'm undecided between "The Most Precious Thing In The Universe" (DW) and "As long as the sea is bound to wash upon the sand" (mdzs daemon au) which wasn't hard per se but so long it was still harrowing.

3. Which was the easiest?

Maybe one of my DW oneshots.

4. Favourite story you've ever written?

As long as the sea is bound to wash upon the sand, 100%.

5. Do you write from start to finish or do you hop around?

Start to finish. I might only draft some scenes if I fear I could get stuck on them or just I don't want to write them atm.

6. Have you ever deleted a published fic?

No.

7. What's the best writing advice you've ever received?

After you've written your chapter, copy it on a new sheet and type it all over again instead of just correcting it. It will improve 100%.

8. What's the worst?

Do people give bad advice? I think it depends on what works for you.

9. Have you ever collabed with a another writer?

Yes! We wrote a comic crackfic with final fantasy's characters. Soooo many years ago. It was hilarious.

10. How many WIPs do you have right now?

So. TECHNICALLY one, since I'm finishing writing "As long as the sea is bound to wash upon the sand". If we consider two fics I have on hiatus... then three. But I have like 6 plot bunnies running wildly in my head atm.

11. Story you are most proud of?

Maybe "I've hungered for your touch". My first smut. My first fic in English. And a lot of people liked it ❤

12. Favourite story of another author?

I'm going to be here all day!!! There is so many... I'll focus on mdzs fic since I've been reading those lately (bc you have NO idea of the number of fic I've read in my life). Beneath six layers of silk by darkredloveknot; Maybe you're the reason by clearpearls; no new age by everythingispoetry; Survival by jinko. And so much more. There are so many talented author out there 😭

13. Best review you've ever gotten?

"GUH. Excuse me while I compose myself.

... ok I’m good now.

WOW, this was amazing. You described LWJ’s headspace so vividly. And the praise kink *chef’s kiss* Incredible. 10/10. This part here:

Lan Wangji quivers at the praise. “Am I still good?”

BROKE me 🥺 I am SO WEAK for a Lan Zhan with a praise kink and this was so so good.

And Wei Wuxian was such a good dom. So sweet and gentle. He loves his husband so much 😭

Thank you for this lovely fic. And thank you also for contributing to the noble cause that is sub!bottom!LWJ."

By Milk_Tea_Fantasy on my fic "I've Hungered For Your Touch"

14. Worst review you ever gotten.

Every comment was out of love, so no it doesn't apply.

15. If you could write the sequel or prequel to a fic currently on AO3 other than your own, which fic would it be?

Listen. It's hard enough writing my own fics. Should I write someone else's? But of I could FORCE a writer to finish their own stories it would be "Maybe you're the Reason" by clearpearls, the "Yin and Yang" series by Milk_Tea_Fantasy, "Survival" and "Power Addict" by Jinko.

16. Do you reread your own stories?

Generally, no.

17. Do you want to be published some day?

First I should write something that is not fanfic.

18. Favourite character to write?

LAN WANGJI.

19. Least favourite character to write?

Maybe Jiang Cheng. I don't know.

20. Do you set yourself deadlines or goals?

Write everyday. One line is enough. But everyday.

21. Name three favourite fic writers.

@tierfal @jinkohhh @loquaciousquark

22. Is there a trope you've never written, but want to?

Omegaverse. Soulmate AU. Time Travel.

Listen, I've been back to the writing scene only recently. There's a lot of things I still need to write.

23. Is there a trope you will never write?

MPREG.

24. How long have you been a writer? I think I started when I was in middle school. I wrote occasionally up to 2010 more or less... 10 years of hiatus and now I'm back all thanks to The Untamed.

25. What/who are some influences on your writing?

Tierfal writing style, for sure. And all the bottom!sub!lwj I read shaped the way I write Lan Wangji.

26. Hardest part of writing?

Finding a way to make the sentences flow smoothly.

27. Easiest part of writing?

Is there an easy part? Deciding what should happen, probably.

28. Best part of writing a fic?

Seeing your vision coming to life.

29. Share the plot of a WIP you haven't published yet.

The Untamed/Mo Dao Zu Shi Daemon AU. Starting from the school days and questioning what can influence a Daemon settling in their final form. It's a drama retelling where the Daemons save the day. Featuring: pining Lan Wangji.

30. Tell us something unique that you bring to all your stories.

I... don't know? 😅

[darcymariaphoster]

lajf;lakhf thank you.

What book are you currently reading?

I'm not really reading anything rn. 😔 I do have A Christmas Carol open on my phone, though. Figured maybe I should finally read it.

What’s your favourite movie you saw in theatres this year?

...

I haven't been to the theaters in, like, two years. lmao. HOWEVER, I did watch that Norwegian film on Netflix, Troll, and that was interesting.

What do you usually wear?

Jeans. And, currently, most of my wardrobe is made up of thermals and men's hoodies. 😭

How tall are you?

5'10". I have claimed to be 5'11" before tho, so apparently I'm not tall enough? 🤷 😂

What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event?

I'm technically a taurus (and that shows, but since my birthday lands on the last day of that one, I also do have a few gemini traits).

I apparently do share my birthday with some celebs, but no one I know.

Do you go by your name or a nick-name?

Mostly my full name because I hated nicknames growing up so I was very stubborn about that (sans family, because I felt too guilty to ever correct them). I've gotten less fussy about my name, though, because people just use whatever version they feel like and I'm generally too polite to get upset anymore. 😭 I do go by a nickname online, however!

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child?

Absolutely not. A lot of what I thought I'd be or wanted to be got sidelined or discarded. And, for the most part, I'm okay with that.

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?

I am not. Idk if I actually have crushes...? Nobody I know irl, I can tell you that.

What’s something you’re good at vs. something you’re bad at?

Oh. Uh. I think I'm pretty good at writing and scrapbooking! I really, really like making cards, too, and I get compliments on them every time I give them to people.

What am I bad at? Ya know, I am absolutely terrible at math. I can't count back money without significant effort. I would die without a calculator, ngl.

Dogs or cats?

Cats. Just...one at a time...

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favourite picture/favourite line/favourite etc. from something you created this year?

Kinda reread "Anything Goes" recently, and I loved this line: “I hate hating you when I know that I love you,” Lukas whispers.

But I also really loved this chapter of "I'm Crazy Over You".

What’s something you would like to create content for?

Mmm... I'm pretty good with what I've been doing. All I hope for is that I stay with Hetalia long enough to finish "A Kingdom to Fall", tbh.

What’s something you’re currently obsessed with?

Um? Most of my obsessions have been put on hold with the holidays. 😆 Before that, I have spent way too much time on Nordic culture, both past and present. I've also spent a lot of time on runes and oracle cards.

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?

Not to go into massive detail, but I was super excited to buy my first house -- it was all on my own, and I was proud of it. But it fell through literally at the last minute. While it was a blessing in disguise, I was pretty upset by it.

What’s a hidden talent of yours?

I have hidden talents? I dunno? I've been told that I'm pretty good at photography. I've really thought about picking that up more this next year, actually

Are you religious?    

Nope. I do consider myself spiritual, though I am still pretty eclectic in my spirituality. 😂

What’s something you wish to have at this moment?

More time to write my gift fics. 😭

Who do I want to tag? @brokskar @lemonsunshower @blueprintfish @pvffinsdaisies

Tag Game To Better Know You! Send this to people you’d like to know better!

Thank you @fizzycherrycola  for tagging me! <3

What book are you currently reading?

I'm still making my way through "The vortex" by José Eustacio Rivera. The book is a classic in here and it has amazing descriptions of the amazonian rainforest but I always forget where I leave the book lol but I'm close to end!

What’s your favourite movie you saw in theatres this year?

The Batman! I loooove Batman and I was astonished with Robert Pattinson's take on the character and Paul Dano did an excellent job as The riddler!

What do you usually wear?

I wear a lot of dresses and big coats, they're comfy and look cute, I also lean to soft colors though lately I've been buying more green clothes...

How tall are you?

I'm the tallest in my family, but people here are not so tall...

What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event?

Cancer. My birthday is on independence day, so it's annoying at times, but it's always festive!

Do you go by your name or a nick-name?

Ilich is a nickname, but irl I just go by my name.

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child?

Haha no. When I was a child I wanted to be an astronaut which is nearly impossible in a country that has no space program. Though I am happy with what I am now.

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?

I am 🥰

What’s something you’re good at vs. something you’re bad at?

I am very good at swimming! I used to take lessons and all, but I am very bad at the trademark sports here like soccer and cycling.

Dogs or cats?

Cats!

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favourite picture/favourite line/favourite etc. from something you created this year?

I really liked this part of Together, I had fun researching about how outer space looks like and idk that part always gets me.

Everything seemed to work normally. Alfred lost count of how much time had passed, days, nights, it was hard to tell after they crossed by the Andromeda Galaxy, clouds of nebulae and a foreign web of constellations displayed an overwhelming number of suns, leaving them with the knowledge of how small the spiral-like Milky Way actually was.

There was a pause and shake of their heads every time the system marked a break on the distance from home. An infinite path strayed from their calculations, from their lifespans, but the prospect of a finish line for their journey didn't comfort them either.

In a surge of boredom, Alfred turned off the gravity inside, they seemed astonished at first. Wang had tried to turn it back on, but he had shoved him away and a childish game of tag started. It was strange, how unprofessional this was, how they were wasting time and energy on something so… human.

Alfred laughed, even when he knew they couldn't hear him, that they couldn't see his smile through the helmet, and it was… nice, for a while, but his laughter turned into sobs.

They were together, but not really.

What’s something you would like to create content for?

I think I'm happy with what I've done, and instead of creating new stuff I'd stop doing it, I want to finish my stories and take a break.

What’s something you’re currently obsessed with?

Cooking, this year I'm the one preparing the Christmas dinner and I've been practicing and planning what to do. Some of my family is coming over too so Idk I'm a bit nervous with that haha

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?

The Wakanda forever movie, there's something about how they handled having two powerful nations/empires and putting them against each other that simply disappointed me... It's a good movie but idk what I was expecting.

What’s a hidden talent of yours?

Hmm I've been crocheting lately and it's getting better haha

Are you religious?    

I'd like to say no but I'm constantly catching myself for assuming that some traditions here (that are heavily catholic) are also usual in other places, so that makes me go 🤔🤔

What’s something you wish to have at this moment?

Ahh I need some nice buñuelos (a pastry), in fact I think I'll get some of those on my way home.

I'm tagging @fireandiceland @magictrio1118 @darcymariaphoster and @crumpled--notes if you want to~