#it’s okay to see a fic and be inspired by the plot exploring these things and writing on urself

[saetoru]

anon that sent me the ask about the geto fics being similar—yes :,) i agree they were eerily similar :,) so i did message the person to handle it privately and they’ve agreed to take it down so thank you for bringing that to my attention :,)

​sorry to make a vague post ab this on dash but i wanted to address it to the anon so they were acknowledged

[cerealboxlore]

"It's 10PM, Do You Know Where Your Children Are?" 👀 Sounds really interesting

It is! Thank you! I heard the phrase once and immediately knew I had to make a fic title out of it. A bit dark, but it goes well with the plot. After reading "Pretty Little Thing" on Ao3 by @wolfsbanesparks, I got inspired to write something similar that would make people scared with added elements of mystery. Wolf if you see this, Pretty Little Thing haunts my nightmares, write more and my life is yours-

Okay okay, Do You Know Where Your Children Are can be summed up as a mystery, where after a series of kidnappings happen in Fawcett City, Captain Marvel is working alongside the police to find the kids. He isn't thrilled to be working with them, but he's more concerned with finding the missing kids before time runs out for them. Even as Billy, he hosts segments at Whiz Radio where he spreads the word about the sudden disappearances, warning parents and guardians alike to keep their children safe and within their eyesight at all times. A city-wide curfew is even put into place by the mayor. But all of those measures mean nothing when his best friend Freddy Freeman goes missing after patrol, along with the two wickedest siblings, Georgia and Thaddeus Jr. Sivana.

This fic explores the characters within Fawcett City, the supernatural shadows beneath the sunny surface, and the disastrous team-up between one evil scientist and two marvelous siblings.

[blazinghotfoggynights]

Go ahead and convince me that is just a friendly look. 😒 I'll wait.

Last night, I clocked it but felt I overlooked something. I caught "the look" going on, but I was missing something.

This morning, I see this and i have some thoughts. What if there is a bi arc but it isn't what we've all been speculating? Like the writers of this show wouldn't love throwing curveballs.

So, give me a minute and stay with me? Okay? Just hear me out.

These two seem very familiar with each other. I don't think Hen touched Tommy, but Buck easily reaches for him and Tommy turns into the touch before even looking at Buck. Then the return touch to Buck is just as familiar. It almost screams, "Go on. Get outta here!"

What if the journey for Buck isn't figuring out he is bi? What if the journey is his being bi being revealed to his family and friends via an old fling or an ex and figuring out how he really feels about Eddie?

Also, Tommy is staring Eddie down like a starving man seeing a buffet. (We get it, Tommy. Trust me. Millions of us would be drowning in a puddle of our own drool if that man walked by, so we completely understand.) He was about to follow Eddie and walk away without sparing Buck a glance. (Which is criminal because Oliver Stark is fire!)

So here are some alternative theories that are floating around in my mind:

1-Could the revelation about Buck happen because Tommy pursues Eddie, which pisses Buck off? If Buck and Tommy had a fling, maybe Buck tries to warn Eddie against getting involved with Tommy, because Eddie has mentioned in canon he is a nester and doesn't like games or just messing around with people and Tommy isn't the type to settle down. Buck is asked how he knows, and BOOM! Bi Buck is revealed. Buck is jealous of Tommy being into Eddie. Eddie finds himself hurt that Buck never came out to him, although Buck was never in the closet, his sexuality just never came up, and jealous that Buck would be with other men, but not him.

Cue both men going on a journey of self-discovery.

2- Tommy hits on Eddie. Eddie responds positively and begins considering opening himself to the possibility of being with a man. Eddie has the bi awakening. This leads to either:

a. Eddie discovering his possible interest in men and confessing to Buck, who then tells Eddie he is bi, too, and will support him no matter what. There is eventual jealousy, realizations, etc.

or

b. Eddie discovering his possible interest in men and confessing to Buck. Eddie explores his bi side, whether it be with Tommy or just trying dating men. Buck tries to be supportive, but his inner green-eyed monster rises and makes him realize a few things about how he really sees his best friend.

(Also cue multiple new plot bunnies! 🙄🙄🙄 Stills, interviews, episodes, random posts... The bunnies are hiding everywhere!

The silver lining of all this inspiration is my creative juices have definitely been flowing like a raging river. It's helping me find my muses for my original works.)

(Thank you to everyone who has read my fics, commented, left kudos, and been supportive. You are much appreciated! 😘)

[poppyfamily]

Amangela Writer Appreciation Post!

I'm feeling a lot of things right now and I've decided to write what I like about my Amangela writer friends' writing. I often forget to leave comments on their work because they are GOOD at what they do, and I often forget I'm in the middle of reading good writing because it just exists (something something baby fish asks mommy fish where water is only to realize they've been swimming in it the whole time). Can you believe they do this for FREE? And share it with us just because they want to? They are GIFTS to the community.

It is such a privilege to be in the same creative sphere as these people and I need to express Emotions or regret not doing it. They inspire me everyday. Here is a public declaration of love, hope y’all are okay with that. Ramblings under the cut, because it goes without saying, this got really long.

@okiankeno is so imaginative with their writing. My Teeth, Your Neck is impressive with its incorporations of many elements that are familiar to Smosh and Amangela while throwing them into a fantastical, supernatural universe. I haven't watched Buffy, but their writing is so good at making this fantastical world feel lived in. The world just seamlessly slides into the way they write character motivations, making for strong characterization and dynamics that have me INVESTED. That Maia/Valerie twist? Screaming. Crying. Throwing up.

@babychosen is wonderful at dropping Amanda and Angela in situations optimized for maximum tension - which is clearly seen in first time that i met you (i didn't have a damn clue) and you could be bad (but i wanna find out). I love how she crafts her plots, keeping me at the edge of my seat for what comes next, which is driven forward by the way she writes dialogue - natural to the situation as it captures a range of emotions: awkwardness, uneasiness, attraction and just all the quirks that come with forming relationships. Her writing is so fun to read!

@sage-lights writes fics that are short and sweet, but they pack such a powerful punch. With just a few words, she's able to tell a story that contains the energy of a multi-chaptered fic. This is especially true in sometimes i hold you closer (just to know you're real). LIKE HELLO. I was on the road when I first read it and it had me spiraling for a good few hours. She also captures their voices very well. They also capture the tenderness of Amanda and Angela in such a specific way. One of my favorites is met you at the right time (this is what it feels like), capturing the intimacy of two women who earnestly love each other, beyond romance.

@xxsuicidalravenxx 's writing explores the inner turmoil of being drawn to someone while having a lot of insecurity about your own place in other people’s lives. You know I'm such a fool for you (you got me wrapped around your finger) captures something so incredibly real about the anxiety that comes with a murky and under-communicated relationship dynamic based on unfair assumptions about both herself and how Amanda feels about her - which ultimately is a reflection of Angela’s own self-worth which at this point isn’t the best. It’s so real, god - the self-sabotage and all that and slowly realizing that the people around her care more about her beyond whatever mistake she believes she’s made. Also just - all Chamangela dynamics are excellently written here. It’s a gift.

@unknownteapot is masterful at her craft. I've said it before - their writing is so cinematic.  I can see it clearly in my mind - so good at painting clear pictures of where the characters are in the story. It's dramatic, tension-filled and just excellent writing all around. Several minutes of my life have been spent reading her fics. I feel comforted whenever I read her stuff, it gives the feeling of hope - that things will be okay even when it doesn’t seem that way. I remember when sweetheart dropped in the Amangela ao3 tag and thinking WHO is this absolutely talented writer that came out of nowhere (to me lol), but now I can't imagine this little community without them.

@shesmore-shoebill is so good at capturing Amangela vibes as we see it. Like it truly feels like they've broken down the dynamic into its bare essentials which enables them to produce fics that I can vividly HEAR.  They also just infuse a lot of tenderness into the way they write Amanda and Angela, whether it's in a joke or in like genuine moments of checking in - both demonstrated very well in empty space and Joint Custody (Hey Siri). Also, you just know they're a good writer without reading any of their fics because they are already so articulate in how they write commentary on videos when they aren't even trying to write a story, so when they do have a story, it just hits even more. So good.

@skiespeaches has authored one of the hottest, tension-filled fics I've read in my god damned life. From the first chapter of The devil is in the details I was screaming over how THE FUCK they were able to make just ONE KISS feel like THAT. Also, really really really love how grounded this is in the way they write dialogue and internal thoughts. It captures the pleasant feeling of realizing just how much you like someone and receiving some cues that they might like you back. It captures actions you take because of those feelings that can get in the way of communicating what you really want, the emotional tentativeness that comes with not wanting to bear your heart completely quite yet - yet there is a willingness to see where it goes, hoping that it does come to that point. The entire fic feels like the most emotionally charged scene of a slice of life movie - which is literally my personal favorite genre.

@ghoulishhgayy - famed author of hit Amangela fic Oil Burns had me invested in a situation that I personally haven't read a lot of in fanfiction. The spirit of their fics can be boiled down (haha get it) to the way they write about two women who deeply care about one another unconditionally supporting each other through difficult times. That's the kind of shit I eat up, and it's done so excellently. They just also write in a way that just makes being in love so appealing. They capture the moment of oh in Oil Burns so well that it has me gnashing my teeth, gnawing at the bars of my enclosure etc etc.

@wlwsmosh manages to get to the heart of a story in a few words. It's actually crazy and I’m in awe of their talent. There is a lightness to their fics that just makes me smile so much while also like having some really smutty scenes, which is so dang impressive - balancing sweetness and steaminess really well while also feeling very much like Amangela. My favorite from them are when i call the shots, you call me mommy which I think feels so much like Amangela voice and humor, while also placing them in a relationship and kink context. Honestly, all of their fics are gems.

@baflegacy is so GOOD at putting Amangela in the silliest of situations (heck, situations that are very much based on what we have seen in canon) and teasing out its potential romantic through line. They have a way of capturing emotions that accompany these situations in a way that just shoots you straight to the core. They write tension so well, and are so good at keeping me engaged with what's about to happen next. All of their works are GOATED. I, however, am extremely biased when I say that my favorite is their birthday gift for me - too good (to deny it) - aka one of the best angsty pieces of writing I've read in my whole life my GOD.

@cuecrynsleep is so!!!! A newer friend whose first fic in the Amangela tag I fell in love with immediately (Being Transparent). It was so simple, but captures Amangela’s adorable nature within the context of a romantic relationship REALLY WELL. I’m also just out here eagerly awaiting every post from Reconnecting the Past, which is a chat fic - a format that I rarely like the execution of, but damn I love the way they’re doing it here with the added bonus of the Changela, Arangela, and Shourtmanda dynamics which is just feels absolutely right. I’m out here thinking what are they gonna do next. They are so good at building intrigue and I’m just here sipping my tea and thinking in my head that I sound like some pathetic fuckboy sexting going “and then what?” because I am seated. I am sat. 

Anyway, if you’ve reached the end of this post - go support these writers!!!! Make sure you let them know if you like their stuff - either through a comment, kudos, an ask, a message, or bookmark. I promise you it makes these authors’ days whenever they see any kind of feedback for their work, and it keeps the community ALIVE. I am guilty of not doing that but it’s always great to try instead of not. I know from personal experience that it makes so much of a difference in their motivation to write more, while also allowing us to savor the work instead of mindlessly consuming it. Thanks for reading me gushing about all of them. Love you Amangela RPF community! Very grateful for y’all more than you’ll ever know <3

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Yuri posting time. These are ships I personally vibe with from what I post about on here.

Higuchi and Gin (BSD): Okay, I'm not sure I can really explain this properly because it's so entwined with the plot of a particular fic I've been wanting to write about them, and I don't really want to spoil where it goes too much? Basically, I love the potential of two characters who (it's implied) got involved with dangerous work for the sake of their siblings. Higuchi's idealized view of romance contrasts with Gin's survival mentality (which is similar to Akutagawa's). At the same time, Higuchi gives Gin opportunities to express different sides of herself. They both work for the sake of others. Okay, so canonically, there isn't a lot there, because there is little exploration of the themes of BSD through these two characters, unfortunately. But, with a combination of "what if I explored the themes through these characters", some influence from O-Gin and Higuchi-sensei's works, and a touch of my own personal brand of "fuck it, we ball, and see where it rolls", I think there's a lot of fun things you can pull at.

Higuchi and Tsujimura (BSD): Not a long-term relationship. They're best friends who had a brief fling and then decided to remain friends. To me.

Wells and Sasaki (BSD): Absolute crack ship that I have not stopped thinking about since you suggested it @lucythejudge. It's so funny.

Meryl and Milly (Trigun): !!! THEM!!! AUGH! They spent!!! Eight months navigating the apocalypse together!!! Milly's smile and presence is enough to help Meryl out of her dark thoughts! Milly is unable to sleep when Meryl is in danger! Milly challenges Vash and Wolfwood when they try to stop her from rescuing Meryl! Meryl has complete faith in Milly to intervene when she has a literal contract killer pointing a gun at her head!!! They're always at each other's sides! THEY!

Coco and Agott (WHA): They give me slight killugon vibes (also maybe lumity - but I've never actually watched owl house unfortunately). Cute and pure. I hope they continue to inspire each other. :)

Theta and Morena (HxH): Saw art for this once. They haven't even interacted. But still, my brain thinks about it and goes ohohohoho

Ann and Shiho (P5R): Ahhh... they want to be strong for each other... avenging Shiho was Ann's reason for awakening... ahhhhhh

Ann and Mika (P5R): I just think Ann's canonical admiration for women who are mean is incredibly funny and so real. Get her a mean girlfriend.

Makoto and Hifumi (P5R): Okay, they hit it off immediately and also I want to see how intense they get over a game of shogi. Everyone quietly backing away from them... lmao. Also I think it's nice because Makoto could understand Hifumi's struggles with expectation and wanting to help her family, and Hifumi offers a familiar setting (intellectual, strategic) with opportunities for Makoto to expand her understanding as well as form a solid connection. They should be best friends at least!

Bonus:

This idea I had for a fucked up polycule that never actually becomes a polycule and is literally just Yosano, Wells, and Mary all being needed for some kind of research, with a stressed Tsujimura as their supervisor. There is... some kind of tension happening amidst the often inadvisable scientific decisions being made. No sex or romance actually ever occurs but there are conversations that sound suspiciously like flirting that usually end in Yosano gleefully hacking at something or someone in her temporary office, Mary nearly downing the entire grid because she diverted all the power to her latest project that then promptly exploded, or Wells vanishing then abruptly and calmly reappearing minutes later with no explanation except "the world will survive another day". Tsujimura is about ready to tear her hair out. The cat thief drops in sporadically to cause extra chaos. This too, is yuri.

[flightfoot]

prithee... doeth thou have recommendations for fics from the pov of sabine cheng or tom dupain? I am quite fond of them, I shall say.

I love them too! Let me see what I can find for you!

Okay so first, let me list a fic I DIDN'T find, that I'm thinking might have been deleted. I'm pretty sure it was complete, it was a decent length, so at least 20K, and centered around Sabine finding out that Adrien was Chat Noir and her trying to support him as best she can, and only near the end of the fic finding out that Marinette was Ladybug. I feel like there was a chapter or two revolving around going to a spa, but I might be mixing that up with "A Small But Stubborn Fire".

---

A Small but Stubborn Fire by @cardiac-agreste

What if you were the parent of a teenage superhero, but didn't know they were? All you know is the nightmares, the panic attacks, and the bruises. She's missing school, she's disappearing on you, and she's not telling you anything. So you assume the worst: Assault. Depression. A permanent rift in the family. And what do you do when you realize you weren't thinking dark enough? Because your fourteen-year old daughter is the hero who flirts with death on the nightly news. -- Come inside and read about one mother's struggles to raise her daughter in a dangerous world while avoiding the mistakes her own mother made with her.

This is a more serious take on the consequences of Hawk Moth's war on Paris, with actual bloody, painful deaths as a consequence of many akumas, and Parisians developing PTSD because of what they've gone through. Ladybug can fix all the physical scars, but not the mental ones, including her own.

I love the focus on Sabine here. She's not just presented as being a mom - though of course that IS an important role she has. But she's explored as a character in her own right, one with a lot of emotional baggage as a result of her abusive mother, and trying to not fall into her mistakes, but sometimes doing so anyway out of fear for Marinette's safety. She's a really fleshed out, humanly flawed character, sometimes admitting that she would do something selfish if it means protecting the people she cares most about, like her daughter, even if its at others expense. She grows and changes a lot throughout the course of the story, her perspective on many matters changing multiple times as a result of getting new information or seeing the consequences of her previous approaches, and adjusting as a result.

If you want a fic that more realistically explores the dark consequences of Miraculous's setting, that fleshes out Sabine, or just develops a character in a complex way, then I highly recommend you check "A Small but Stubborn Fire" out!

---

The Adventures of Babybug and Kitten Noir by @unecoccinellenoire

When Chat Noir gets turned into a baby all seems lost to Ladybug....or is it?

So despite what the name and the summary makes it sound like, this fic is less about Chat Noir and Ladybug, and more about their parents, with Gabriel and Nathalie discovering that baby!Chat Noir is Adrien, and Tom and Sabine finding out that baby!Ladybug is Marinette. Needless to say, neither group are happy about their discovery.

I loved seeing the parents work things out here. While most ML fics are about Adrien and Marinette driving the plot and ultimately, the resolution (for obvious reasons), in this case, we get to see the adults being reasonable and competent, and doing their best with this new situation they've been thrown into.

---

Lost Feather by @a-flaming-idiot

Sabine has always liked and respected Ladybug and Chat Noir. They’ve always been wonderful heroes and inspirations to all of Paris and she wouldn’t trade them for the world. But that isn’t to say she didn’t begin to get worried when the heroes of Paris made it their mission to destroy all sentimonsters in their path. Though she knew they never would, it was hard to not worry for the safety of her daughter.

I liked this glimpse of what might happen if Marinette was a sentimonster as well! Poor Sabine, of course she’d have nightmares about the Heroes of Paris killing her daughter. While she likes and respects the Heroes and understands why they’ve been killing sentimonsters, given that the ones Shadow Moth spawns often don’t even seem sentient and are wreaking havoc, she’s still afraid for Marinette, that Ladybug might purify her Amok without ever considering that Marinette might be an actual person.

---

please don't hurt me by SomberFilledWithSullen

Tom says something that strikes Adrien the wrong way. Sabine goes into mama bear mode. tw - mentions of abuse, small panic attack (written for Miraculous Ladybug Writer's Guild prompt, sent to our Tumblr!)

---

When The Morning Comes by @into-september

Gabriel Agreste has been unmasked as Hawkmoth, and the girl who was fighting him all these years turns out to be Tom Dupain's daughter. And standing between them is Adrien Agreste with his life in shatters that Tom Dupain has no way of piecing together. But baking is at least a place to start.

I love how this not only digs into Adrien’s character, but Tom’s as well, especially how both of them have been estranged from their fathers. I haven’t seen that come up much.

[spider-stark]

lets talk: A DARK AGE

link to the first teaser

okay so i am so excited to be able to share even the smallest portion of this story with you guys! i’ve been working on the concept and plot of A Dark Age for months now, and i’m so glad to finally have enough to begin sharing it with you guys!

A Dark Age was inspired by the idea offered in No Way Home where Andrew’s!Peter discusses how after Gwen’s death he stopped “pulling his punches”. ever since watching NWH that thought stuck with me, the concept of an angry, bitter, and dark Spider-Man. i spent more time than i’d care to admit thinking about it and ultimately all of those thoughts led to the plot of A Dark Age.

There are three different aspects to the teaser; a newspaper article from The Daily Globe, a tiny portion of the opening bit of the actual story, as well as a video.

The article from the Globe not only has an actual role in the fic, but it’s also my way of introducing part of the plot and letting you all see what’s happening in the beginning of the story. there are several important details in the newspaper! and all of them are central to the plot. this is also not the only newspaper article i’ve made for this story, as the articles play a large role.

The portion of the opening was chosen for the teaser because it introduces a few central ideas to the reader. it lightly discusses the sense unrest settling over New York and gives you a sliver of insight into the readers role in all of this.

The video is something i made solely because the scene that dialogue comes from is perhaps my favorite thing i’ve ever written. it’s short and to the point, but offers you a chance to experience this new side of Peter Parker, of a darker Spider-Man. our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is gone, and in his place appears to be something slightly more sinister.

working on A Dark Age has become a huge passion of mine and i truly can’t wait to share it. even if no one ever reads it, it will still probably be one of my favorite things i’ve ever created. aside from just wanting to explore a dark!Spider-Man concept, i’ve always wanted to create something that allows me to envision what could’ve been after the events of tasm2, and A Dark Age has granted me that! this story doesn’t only follow a grief-stricken Peter Parker, but it also explores the horrors of Ravencroft, introduces characters like Mary Jane Watson (check the newspaper for a hint to her role, also consider the importance of it being the daily globe and not the bugle), while also fixing the storylines of other characters previously ignored or mistreated by the writers, such as Harry Osborn.

if you have any questions or comments then please feel free to send them in or leave them on this post or even the teaser post! overall, i’m just in love with this world i’m creating and wanted to start sharing it with you guys as i finish getting it ready to be posted!

[cfr749]

I love your 6x04 spec about Lucy's camera being broken and her being investigated! You should totally write a fic about that if you're inspired ✨️

hi anon - thanks for the ask!

So @literali1110 pointed out to me that there were footage from Lucy's camera after the fall, so doesn't look like this is the route they'll go 😂

I do keep circling back on how hesitant Angela and Nyla looked when Lucy made her suggestion, and it makes me wonder if they may end up questioning whether protocol was followed or something instead? Or maybe Lucy will simply struggle with her own feelings of guilt around ending up in that situation because she was trying to prove herself?

I am glad that there's not really any ambiguity about whether she had to take the shot and whether the guy was 100% guilty, because I think it would destroy Lucy if those things were in question.

I'm definitely feeling some angsty inspiration from Lucy's struggle this season; jury's still out on whether it ever becomes anything more than random sentences in my notes app.

Regardless, I'm gonna hijack this ask to ramble a little bit on why I'm actually okay with the choices they've made and the story they are telling for Lucy this season so far. Like a lot of people, I hate seeing Lucy going through a hard time and of course I want to see her be supported. Give me the scene with Tim in the hospital a million times over; I'll never get tired of seeing that she is valued and loved by the people in her life. We honestly haven't gotten enough of that for literal years.

We've seen Lucy go through so much. But in five+ seasons, we've barely seen Lucy be anything other than her sunshine-y self for more than a handful of scenes. Even more so in the last few seasons. It is beyond time the writers take the time to give her character more depth and emotional range. It is beyond time they turn her back into a character that is deeply empathetic and relatable to the audience.

It has sucked seeing more and more commentary on social media the last few seasons about Lucy being childish, silly, unprofessional, and even manipulative 😭. And I think that's a direct result of the lack of care and intention the writers have put into writing her character since she graduated the FTO program. She's been used as little more than comic relief and a plot device outside of the ship for way too long.

Gif Credit @livelovecaliforniadreams

While other characters have progressed professionally, Lucy has remained mostly stagnant since she graduated the FTO program, beyond a few UC missions that all pretty much ended the same way without doing anything progressive for her character (why didn't we see her struggle with the ethics of UC work when it came to using Aaron's puppy? why haven't they helped us understand how she reconciles her love for UC work to her empathetic nature and the reason she became a cop?).

I think of Lucy's journey in comparison to Tim's -- we've seen him go through awful things. We've seen him suffer. We've seen him struggle. We've seen him evolve and grow.

With Lucy, we've mostly just seen her go through awful things and move on as if nothing has changed. We all have our head canons, I think, about grief and coping and what's going on under the surface, but we don't actually know what she's feeling 99% of the time.

Do I wish they would have taken the opportunity to explore the impact on her character in the aftermath of DOD or after Jackson died? Of course I do. I would have preferred that to having to see her struggle professionally in the shadow of Nolan getting handed success for simply existing. (And if I thought they intended the juxtaposition, I'd give them credit for telling a realistic story, but I seriously doubt it 😂).

But I'm still glad they are taking the time to tell a story for her now. And I'm glad they seem to be doing it with intention.

And this was not at all what you asked about, but here you go anyway, anon 😜🥰

Thanks for the ask!

[silver-studios]

Okay I keep writing comments for gravity of tempered grace in my head and then getting distracted before I can actually post them so I'm just. going to comment here instead because it's in front of me now

First: WOW you write so fast. This isn't actually like, important, but still. I am in awe

I love Izuna's cousin. "Suffer with me" he is exactly the kind of cousin Izuna (and really all of these characters) deserves. Also can't WAIT to see if Tobirama ends up finding that copy of his paper and assuming that if Izuna has it, that must mean he understands it and Tobirama can talk theoretical physics with him. I'm sure Izuna would have the FUNNIEST things to say to his cousin for causing that.

I also enjoy the chapter titles and how they tie in to each chapter. And the explanations for each of them, because I would NOT know what most of them are on my own at all.

I also like the butterfly effect/plot in general, how Tobirama got surprised by things changing in response to his changes, and now he doesn't really know what's coming even though the extra knowledge is still really useful. Can't wait to see what happens with that Nara he saved, and whether there's more fallout from the Uchiha invading.

I don't have a lot specific to say about the Hatake scenes, but I enjoyed them a lot! All the worldbuilding is fun, and very interesting.

Tobirama's characteization is also great and I love... all of it, honestly, but in particular deciding to just get a few graduate degrees on the side while he's with the Uzumaki, and his solution to people possibly not being loyal to Hashirama (even if I would also like to shake sense, or maybe just an iota of self preservation, into him for that last one).

Also while I am not the anon that asked about inspiration originally it was that ask that reminded me that oh yeah I had stuff to say, and actually I HAD heard Non-Stop... a few months ago probably? and went "this is Tobirama and Izuna exactly." So you are not alone!

Yeah I try to maintain a personal deadline so I never hit that point of losing interest because it's happened in the past. It really helps to develop a detailed outline beforehand for the whole story. Recently I've been trying to outline chapters before I write them too to see how that works for me.

I love the vision of reticent and usually quiet Tobirama just rambling about his interests. I think it'd catch Izuna off guard a little but he'd probably find it cute once he can admit that to himself. I also headcanon the Uchiha as being attracted to competency so I'm sure that'll kick in sooner or later.

I'm glad you like the chapter titles and explanations! I thought it'd be a fun way to tie everything together especially with a scientist protagonist. It's been really fun but as the story gets longer than anticipated I'm nervous about running out of relevant topics to reference lol.

The Nara will definitely be back once his clan stops mourning the death of his father. It's great that people still remember him.

It's been such a blast to dive into the worldbuilding with this fic a little bit because Naruto has such fascinating lore that wasn't explored. My biggest struggle is making sense of just how modern the time period is because it seems like the Edo period but then 60 years later Naruto has a fridge and television so who knows really. I'm making it up as I go.

Sorry for rambling a little bit but I get really excited whenever I receive a long message and it's always a delight for me to respond. Thank you so much for the ask and for reading my story!

[fangswbenefits]

Sorry this is long! Don’t feel the need to respond, just had to tell you how much The Arrangement means to me!

Hi, Ruby!! I wanted to reach out and tell you how much I LOVE (!!!) The Arrangement. It is so beautifully written. I can’t get enough of that slow burn that you expertly craft - the romance, the tension, the desperation.

I’m new to the fanfic world mainly because I have some fear surrounding sex that is rooted in trauma. Most smut I’ve stumbled upon is so unfriendly to women and to those who have experienced sexual abuse. I stumbled across your writing because I am obsessed with Astarion & think he’s mad hot. I was nervous because I didn’t want to trigger myself, but I decided to read The Arrangement because I liked the idea of steamy sex with a plot! I was so blown away at how beautifully you wrote this. Not only is it so fucking hot, but you show that there can be beauty in the broken. I was initially attracted to Astarion because, I too, feel like I’ve never belonged to myself. I’ve felt like a freak for being afraid of being touched; the fear of taking things too far even when it’s all that I wanted. I’m not kidding when I say I was actually brought to tears reading this. I felt things in my body and mind that I thought I couldn’t feel anymore, and it gave me a sense of renewed hope. I was so excited that I told my therapist, and she told me that I should definitely keep exploring your work, so that I can keep finding parts of myself that I lost. I was nervous to even reach out to you to tell you this, but I thought you’d like to know.

Thank you, Ruby, for your writing from your heart so that others can read with their’s. I hope to see a book by you on the shelves someday.

<3

Okay.... this actually brought me to tears because I have been where you are. I've come across fics that really touched me in ways that helped me go through days when I felt so down and hopeless. I feel you, my friend 🫂 and knowing that this story can help someone else the same way I was helped really humbles me. I am too harsh on my writing, and I let my mind tell me I'm not doing enough, but... whenever I get feedback like this, that's when I know I need to realise that words hold power and that I am doing my best to deliver this story to all of you.

Astarion is an incredible character that has truly helped so many with how he was brought to life paired with incredible writing. It's an honour to find a voice for him that might help others feel even more connected to him and even find the inspiration to carry on.

You're not alone. None of us are 🫂🩷 sending you a big hug and hoping things get easier. Keep your head up and your heart strong 🫂

[lovelyelbowleech]

THOUGHTS! What are your thoughts on the Netflix adaptation? Personally I’m enjoying it. Missing the misogyny of early Sokka since that character development is amazing. Also not the biggest fan of katara’s character. But Sokka’s actor is genuinely spot on perfect! And iroh! I love him!

In the end, it could never be perfect or live up to high expectations every one had so I’m choosing to enjoy it for what it is. Genuinely cried at the last episode so clearly I found it to be a good adaptation!

Did you like? Did you find yourself inspired to write more because of it? Because it’s lit a fire under me and I’m seriously considering my first ATLA fic because of it! (I don’t tend to write in fandoms I read in)

I found that viewing it as a fanfic style AU meant I could enjoy it without making too many comparisons to the OG. I'm okay with many of the narrative changes as it needed to be adapted for a different format. Although there were still some things I missed, and some I thought could have remained the same and still work in the LA plot.

I enjoyed the Fire Nation side of things, and I thought they gave Sokka some pretty good character motivations/development without the overt sexism. The only place really I missed that aspect of his character was how it impacted Katara. The writing of her character was the main issue I had with the adaptation. Her rage and righteous anger just wasn't there in the same way, and with it those moments that really showed her flaws - her jealousy, her spite, how her anger impacted her choices. In the OG those were things that really rounded her out as a character and contrasted with her hopeful optimism. I loved those parts of her, that she was allowed to be flawed, and I really missed them in the LA. I hope if we get a S2 that side of her personality can be explored more.

But overall,I did enjoy it as a fic-like retelling of the original, and it looked very pretty!

I wouldn't say it inspired me to write more - the writing drive was already at full throttle 😂 but it is great to hear that it has inspired others - more fic is always a good thing! And I'm really looking forward to seeing more fan works from people inspired by it!

[dg-outlaw]

Hello, fellow Jaysteph fan! It's nice to meet more people who ship this pairing. What are your favorite things about this ship that drew you to it? For me, it was a combination of their canon interactions and just how much they have in common as people. This pairing has a lot of potential and I wish that the canon would explore their relationship more.

To be honest, I sort of stumbled into the JaySteph ship/fandom, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it and the interactions with other fans and creators in the ship.

My journey initially started when I went looking for some Red Hood fanfics, wanting something a bit meatier than just a comic or graphic novel. I enjoy comics, but also wish there were more novelizations of superhero stories. I think this is where fanfic comes in as that's what people tend to do in their stories--dig deeper and spend more time with characters outside of a few internal thought bubbles. While most fanfics I see are romance-centric, slice-of-life, or NSFW (which I don't mind), I also wanted content that felt more like a comic in long-form. I was also in a writing mood, having just finished a re-write project for someone else which had really helped boost my confidence in writing. The story was something I'd never write myself, but it was consistent and I proved to myself I could do it. (I also suffer from a need for external pressure/motivation to get things done). Naturally, writing fanfic seemed like a fun way to keep that momentum and play in a fun sandbox without a bunch of character and worldbuilding.

(^ Me, needing external motivation to get things done. Also, Bruce to Jason. "But your honor, I love my son.")

Then I found the @jaystephevents page and saw there was an upcoming writing event JaySteph Weekend 2023. From there I fell down the rabbit hole of learning about and reading JaySteph stories. The last ship I saw with Jason was him and Artemis from the Outlaws, and while I enjoyed that ship, it ended in canon so I was open to a new ship for Jason.

As far as Jason and Steph go, as probably obvious from the above (and my tumblr), I've been a Jason/Red Hood fan for a long time, but didn't have a lot of knowledge about Steph. I knew she was Spoiler had been Batgirl and then Spoiler and then Batgirl again (thanks to reboots and such), but my canon knowledge was limited--including learning about her "death" and stint as Robin. Despite wanting to jump in and start writing I instead went back and read some stories with Steph and the few that had Jason and Steph in the same story as I wanted to get to know them better, and understand what their dynamic could be.

I then read a lot of JaySteph fanfics as I wanted to see what others saw in their potential relationship as well--not so much to influence my stories, but to inspire. But yes, their similar upbringings, histories, personalities, and tendency of getting pushed aside or undermined as worthy of being a part of the group did inspire me to embrace the ship. I see them as kindred spirits who could either be great together or a hot mess... or both.

I will also note that one of the first JaySteph fics that really wowed me and inspired me to explore all the different emotions and mixing in of canon in my stories was @pioneertothefalls' series True Love Waits. I was still plotting, researching, and writing my first JaySteph story while reading other shorter stories in the ship, but that series was my go-to read starting out last year. There are so many great authors and stories in the ship (so I won't name them for fear of leaving someone out), but that one really resonated with me and had me sold on JaySteph. It's got action, romance, humor, drama, slice of life, canon tie-ins, spicy stuff, and everything in-between. IMO, it set the bar for me and I was like, "okay, don't write crap." Not that I would try to write crap (and hopefully I haven't), but it did help motivate me to really invest in what I was writing.

Also, Jason and Steph are confident badasses who tend to jump head first into things, but they also secretly hide away their insecurities or sometimes hesitate. And their insecurities are ones that only those closest to them are allowed to see, and even then just a bit. They've been hurt in so many ways and all they want to do is be loved and love others like crazy. They have hope and perseverance despite the odds and naysayers. They don't always believe that they deserve to be heroes, but they still do it nonetheless despite their past mistakes and crimes. I'd say Steph is more emotionally mature in these areas because she's had more people around her to support her, but there's fear in both of them. In this, there's lots of things I can relate to personally from my own childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, apart from not being an adopted orphan, vigilante, or having a criminal or billionaire father, but... Potato-Tomato. :P

I also have thoughts on all the BS complaints I see from some people (mostly on Reddit) about "ince$t" and Steph being "passed around the Batboys" when it comes to the JaySteph ship, but this is already a long post so I'll save that rant for now.

All in all, this is a really fun ship and I enjoy the community and people around it. There's also a JaySteph Discord (18+) for anyone interested. More info @jaysteph-server.

Thanks for the Ask @imaginationcenter! :)

[spacecasehobbit]

I see a lot of positivity posts for fanfiction, these days, but one thing that helps me to remember, sometimes, is that your fanfiction doesn't have to be good.

You're allowed to write fanfiction that is, objectively speaking, Bad Writing.

Fanfiction doesn't have to be good, it doesn't have to change anyone's life, it doesn't have to "fix" canon or do better than the source material that first inspired you.

Whether it's your first time writing, or if you're writing in a second language; whether you're young and still in school, or if you're older but writing was never your strongest subject; whether you've been going through a nasty bout of writer's block, or if it's just been a while since the last time you wrote anything creative just for fun -

It's okay to write fanfiction that just, like, straight-up sucks. Full of grammar and spelling mistakes, riddled with 1-dimensional tropes that have been done a thousand times before, with characters who only barely resemble their canon counterparts. Short fic with plots that meander nonsensically, or a bunch of one-shots that don't quite manage to have a plot at all. Weird sentence structure and paragraph breaks that, in retrospect, don't always make sense. Writing that tries too hard to be Funny or Serious or Good, but misses the mark by a mile.

Write them! Post them!

And when they don't get a lot of hits, when they only get a handful of kudos and a comment or two at best...

Keep writing new stories that make you happy. Write your favorite tropes to death, explore to exhaustion that one single aspect of your favorite character's canon traits that hooked onto something inside you and made you start writing in the first place, and let your plots be as silly or meandering or nonexistent as you want.

And if you keep writing even when your works are objectively kinda terrible, even when they aren't popular, when they don't get a lot of hits or kudos or comments?

I promise, you'll get better.

[martsonmars]

Hello friends! First SSS of the year for me. Also an early post because I want to write after sleeping and maybe some validation early in the day will help 💖 I have six snippets from six WIPs to share (only the fifth one written today, which makes me sad because I really wanted to share new new words, but it's okay) and I want to talk about them, so I'm throwing everything under the cut with the tags.

You can vote for the WIP you'd like me to continue the most (except Like We Had A Clue, because I know people are waiting for an update and it would skew the vote hahaha). Pick one of the other 5! Though as always I'll follow inspiration and not what the people want.

Love you all <3 hope you're taking care of yourself in these trying times.

1. First EGF WIP. I have many ideas for EGF, but considering a) possible writer's blocks, b) exams, c) other non EGF related WIPs, I honestly don't know how much I'll manage to write. This one is the most “urgent” one because it's a collab with @aroace-genderfluid-sheep and he's already done so many cool things for it and I'm so excited!!! The snippet I'm sharing is all I've written for this fic. Oh well!

“You could've at least sent us to Dante's inferno. That would've been intellectually stimulating.”

“This place is plenty stimulating.”

Of course it is. It's a fucking sex dungeon.

2. Second EGF WIP. I shared something from this already. There's hope I'll finish this one because it's short, but knowing myself I can't make promises hahaha.

“I’m sorry,” they say. Their voice is deep and smooth, like I imagine a cello would sound if it could talk. “I don’t think I can have dinner with you tonight.”

I can’t hide how much it stings. Of course my monster under the bed would come out just to reject me.

3. Like We Had A Clue. Chapter 5 is outlined in detail but I'm still struggling so much with it. Have some sentences I might have shared already in the past because I wrote them months ago!

“Are you trying to trap me, Snow? Keep me here to make food for you forever?”

“What if I am?”

I raise an eyebrow. His hand is still on my arm. He lets it fall.

4. WIP I shared from a couple of weeks ago. I want to have fun with this so I'm not forcing myself to write it, but I also really want to finish it. It's a struggle, always 🤣

(There's nothing innocent about four thousand words of Fangvald having a pity wank after Cherry spat on his face and demanded to know the true motives behind his betrayal.)

But it's fanfiction. Exploring fictional worlds and fictional characters and fictional relationships.

It would say nothing about me if he hadn't also linked two of my longest 4am rants about loneliness and deserving love.

5. Mystery WIP. I started plotting it yesterday and I've already lost steam. We'll see if it ever gets written.

25/12, 11:27AM

basiltea: Of course I'll help you.

basiltea: You can't be trusted to handle this alone and make it work.

Excalisbury: I LOVE YOU

basiltea: I'm just saving you from yourself.

6. Picture book story! The issue with this one is that I have to rewrite it completely. I have @johnwgrey's super useful notes, but I hate rewriting and editing with a burning passion, and this story needs so much work it hurts. But I'll do it!

Of course Snow had no reason to trust him. The fact that Baz had decided he’d never even try to hurt him again couldn’t erase five years of antagonism. Especially because Snow didn’t know about his change of heart. (It would’ve been ridiculous. Hey, Snow, I decided I don’t hate you anymore. Quite the opposite, instead. Can I kiss you?)

That was a lot. I feel like Simon and Baz are possessing me because I want to write SO MUCH, I literally can feel the words pushing to get out, but the second I open a doc it all fades out. Ugh. Hopefully I'll be more motivated in the morning.

So many no pressure tags for you lovelies:

@wellbelesbian @urban-sith @tea-brigade @sillyunicorn @mostlymaudlin @facewithoutheart @palimpsessed @otherpeoplesheartachept-2 @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @forabeatofadrum @fatalfangirl @prettylightsbigcity @whatevertheweather @jbrrring @confused-bi-queer @moodandmist @bookish-bogwitch @letraspal @dragoneggos @captain-aralias @takitalks @excalisbury (stealing your @ for Simon's Discord username hahaha) @otherworldsivelivedin @cutestkilla @ileadacharmedlife @gekkoinapeartree @bazzybelle @basiltonbutliketheherb @messofthejess @ivelovedhimthroughworse @nightimedreamersworld @artsyunderstudy @foolofabookwyrm-activated @ionlydrinkhotwater @yellobb @orange-peony @ic3-que3n @whogaveyoupermission @katmiscellanious @yeonjunenby @erzbethluna @larkral @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @shrekgogurt @raenestee @onepintobean @stitchyqueer @hushed-chorus

[thelediz]

Sonic Underground Episode 18: Friend or Foe

I’m watching Sonic Underground in search of inspiration to finish a fic I’ve been writing forever. It’s a sad state of affairs. See the recap of the first three episodes here, if you're interested!

The plot (for want of a better word): In search of their mother, the Sonic Underground explore the dreaded Floating Island! But it’s guardian, Knuckles the Echidna, has been tricked by Sleet into thinking the Sonic Underground are the bad guys! Can they convince him to join the side of good before it’s too late?

Aaaah! It’s the Knuckles episode! Oh my god, these episodes are SO TERRIBLE, I love them!

Okay, so apparently the Oracle sent the triplets to the Floating Island. “The Floating Island is fraught with danger. Beware the echidna.”

In my headcanon of Sonic 3 having happened before this, you can just imagine Sonic going “yes. Beware the echidna. His stupidity is a damn menace to himself and everyone around him” but in canon, Sonic’s just being irresponsible as ever.

And immediately gets caught in a trap. We are amused.

Back in the day, Knuckles was known for his traps. I’m surprised Underground kept this, because by the time Adventure came out (which was just after this series) they’d basically abandoned that part of Knuckles’ character in favour of him being a gullible treasure hunter. Hilariously, the Archie comics (which remember, this series often pulls from) ignored both bits of characterisation.

This series also introduced Knuckles’ pet dinosaur Chomps. I cannot explain this character’s existence and will not attempt to.

Knuckles is tricked with a deep fake. Which, I mean, credit to this series’ Knuckles that at least it’s a hologram, instead of Robotnik just telling him Sonic is bad.

(Also, side note, it’s kind of funny that these days, deep fakes are made with AI, so the voices tend to be a bit too fast, whereas back in the day, you had to piece together words from old recordings, so they tended to be a bit slow. Just interesting how technology changes things…)

While Sleet and Dingo run away from Knuckles, Chomps eats their hologram thing. Because how else would the triplets figure out Knuckles isn’t evil?

Another weird thing this series added is the Sacred Pools, which are like… magic water fountains. Knuckles uses them to see things and communicate with people… and fast travel. It’s weird.

So, as contractually obligated, Sonic and Knuckles immediately get into a fight, despite Sonia suggesting they reason with him. After Knuckles has already thrown punches. This does nothing because Knuckles cannot be reasoned with. I love this idiot.

Meanwhile, Sleet and Dingo are searching for the underground chamber that the Archie comics used as the Chaos Emerald shrine. Confusing bit of lore here, because in Sonic 3 and Knuckles, the underground shrine was for the Super Emeralds. The Master Emerald (which is what actually keeps the Island afloat) has always been kept above ground, but for some reason, the Master Emerald wasn’t part of comic or animated continuity until after Sonic Adventure. The Archie comics had the twelve (? I think… I’d have to go check and I’m comfy in bed right now) emeralds in the shrine which kept the island afloat (until events happened that coalesced them into one with Mammoth Mogul inside and it was a whole thing so let’s just move on). Sonic Underground has a Master Emerald, and shard-like things that will show up in a later episode, and it’s all a bit confusing really.

Sonia and Manic are in a hole underground because of Knuckles' traps. Naturally Sonia has to get them out of there, instead of, you know, the guy with power over the earth. Sigh.

 Anyway, this makes them run into Chomps, who shows them the hologram. Which has the triplets in a different standing order than before. Who needs continuity?

And Knuckles cements himself as an idiot by breaking a bridge he himself is standing on. Now, anyone who’s played the games knows that Knuckles can glide, so this is not actually a problem, but he can’t actually do that in Sonic Underground. He gets off the bridge, but while Sonic homing attacks (before this was a game mechanic, it was an animation trope) himself out of danger, Knuckles gets too close to the edge of the trap and starts falling.

Side note, if you ever want to get super drunk, take a shot every time Sonic says “bummer majores” in this series. You will die.

So while Knuckles nearly tumbles to his death, Sonic literally stands by, makes jokes, and applauds. But he saves the idiot in the end, so it’s okay. I feel like this whole episode could have benefited from someone fast forwarding some of the animation on Sonic and Knuckles, but they needed the extra seconds.

Meanwhile, Sleet and Dingo find the Emerald and take it, and the island starts falling. Everyone comes together for a final chase… only for Dingo to get distracted and drop the emerald. They bring out a bunch of SWATbots to ensure the episode has reason for –

THE SONG: (Things are not always) What They Seem. Which quietly steals a bass line from Sonic 3, I think. Kind of funky anyway. Go off, kids.

Anyway, they get the emerald back, Sleet throws away the communicator so he can pretend to have not heard Robotnik threatening him, and we end on Knuckles roasting what definitely looks like a giant heart (“kroopnik, an echidna delicacy”) for everyone’s dinner. Sonic declines to try it.

Knuckles reveals that Queen Aleena was on the island when he was a kid, and shows them a marking she left in the rocks. A message for her children, telling them that Knuckles is the first ally they need to defeat Robotnik.

This will not go anywhere except one episode later in the series. Don’t get excited.

But yes. Aren't you glad that while this series will never have fan-favourite Tails, or logic, or good animation, it does at least pay lip-service to Sonic 3? Yes? Yes? Anyone?

Oh well. Come back tomorrow for more, I guess.

[souverian-are-we]

✂️- What was something you had to cut from your WIP?

🫀- Do you have an abandoned project? Why did it get binned?

🎻- Where do you look when you need some inspiration?

(okay i'm being nice. but also i lied and sent three. heart emoji)

✂️- honestly, i don't cut that much usually! i rework things until they're completely unrecognizable all the time, but i generally tend to add instead of subtract. the biggest cut i've ever ever made was probably not making mike nonbinary in In Undertow (think of the themes we could have explored if i wasn't a chickennn). you can still see the reverberations of it in the first few chapters, but i think only ones i would see.

but if we're talking WIPS, the novel i've been working on has only recently gone through some major snips, the biggest being a sibling of the main character. having a secondary memory on the events that happened before the book starts detracted from the confusion and mistrust i'm trying to build. rip unnamed sibling, you will be missed

🫀- yes! one of the biggies that some ogs might remember is my 60s boarding school necromancy au that I started in 2018. it's come up, then come down, then been abandoned, then restarted. it has a huge piece of my heart and i would love to continue it. the big problem is, i started writing it when I was 17 and i didn't write any plot notes on the (very) complicated premise. i can't write it because, well, young me wrote a mystery and then forgot to leave any record of the answers.

i've got a lot of abandoned original fiction too, but we don't need to talk about that. and OH! I also have an abandoned batmanxriddler fic which i think is still public on an alt ao3 lmao. it's weird as fuck.

🎻-....it's you. you know it's you, my friend, and other lovely writer friends. there is nothing better than talking it over with a real-life person. other strategies include 1. reading the work of better writers 2. the shower ™ and 3. going out into nature on a long walk. those three things usually remind me of why i find life so beautiful, and why i want to capture even a tiny corner of it with words.