#just on hiatus while i finish my freelance work

[highlandkall]

I just followed you after seeing your pangolin character! Pangolin's are my favorite and your art is so cute and gay, thank you

Thank you!

It will get cuter and gayer that's a promise 😊

[dorkagedoodles]

And there we have it folks - the end of Empyrean Book I! I sound like a parrot but just ... thank you so much for reading! Also, for everyone's convenience, the afterword is also in text under the "keep reading" bellow. <<< PREVIOUS ✧˖☆˖✧˖☆˖✧Page Archive✧˖☆˖✧˖☆˖✧

(To be continued ... ) AFTERWORD

I’ve been putting off writing this for way too long, thinking I have plenty of time until suddenly: BAM! December was upon me and the final update of Empyrean Book I was uploaded while I had the worst migraine in years and couldn’t even scramble together a last minute afterword. But here we go. I’ll try not to care about sounding professional or eloquent, just so I can get it done.

First I want to say a big thank you to everyone who've read Empyrean, all the way through or just a little bit, I’m grateful nonetheless. And extra big thank you to everyone who’s left comments or nice tags in the reblogs etc. I’m awful at responding, but I’ve seen them all and really, really appreciate it.

I worked on the book on and off for three years and I’m pretty happy with the end result. Of course, this is just the beginning of the story. I have an outline for the whole thing, aiming for a total of four books of similar length which will, as you can guess, take a loooooong time. Which brings me to my second point.

Empyrean will go on hiatus for the time being. For how long? I wish I knew. While Book 2 is all scripted and currently in the sketching stage, I have no idea when I’ll have enough finished pages for an update. Once I do, however, I’ll probably update as I finish the pages, rather than wait for the whole book to be complete.

I don’t think I need to explain much of why this is. It’s simply being an adult. It’s having rent, bills and a cat with special dietary needs. And what Empyrean brings in joy it certainly doesn’t bring in money, so ever since July I’ve drawn almost nothing but freelance work.

Despite that, I still feel positive about the future of Empyrean. It’s already been published in parts in a small Swedish magazine and I’ve met people and opened doors that would have been impossible, had I not created Empyrean. Long time followers might remember how I’ve long wanted to be able to support myself by making art. And right now? That's exactly what I’m doing.

Finishing Empyrean will take many years and, in the end, it might never even get picked up by a publisher. But I’m at peace with both of those things. I draw Empyrean entirely for myself and would continue to do so even if not a single other person was reading it. Though … as long as there’s at least one such person I will keep uploading it too!

Lastly, I’ve been looking into self-publishing and hope to give that a try. No solid plans yet, just counting costs, looking at kickstarters and such. I’m currently neck-deep in a big project, but once that’s over I can start thinking about it again. When the time comes, I will of course post about it.

I think that is all. It got a bit longer and ramblier than I planned but oh well.

Again, thank you so much for reading Empyrean! And until next time! -Hans

[makeitmingi]

Cause Baby You’re My Muse [Chapter 7]

Genre: Romance, Idol!AU, Music, Slight angst

Pairing: Mingi x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Producer!Reader, IdolLyricist!Mingi, IdolProducer!Hongjoong, Idol!Seonghwa, Idol!Yunho, Idol!Wooyoung, Idol!San, Idol!Yeosang, Idol!Jongho, cameo(s) by other celebrities

Summary: You always preferred producing underground, having an unknown face and governed by your own rules. But when you start freelancing for idol groups, you say goodbye to your lone wolf lifestyle as you learn to work with idol producers and lyricists.

Word count: 3.2K

*Chapter warning: Mentions of Mingi’s anxiety and hiatus

You leaned forward, a slight frown on your face as you were deep in thought. Your nose pressed against your interlocked fingers. There was no sound other than the song that has been playing on loop for the past 3 days. It was the only thing you knew now, apparently. 

*DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG*

“Ah! Coming!” You shot up to your feet, wondering who was ringing your doorbell incessantly and repeatedly. You opened the door to see Wooyoung and Seonghwa there.

“Oh, it’s you guys. What’s up?” You blinked in confusion. From what you knew, there was no meeting with them today. 

“What’s up?! You have been uncontactable for almost 2 days! We almost filed a missing persons report!” Wooyoung cupped your cheeks as he yelled.

“By ‘we’, he means just him. The rest of you guessed that you were working.” Seonghwa clarified. 

“Sorry to worry you, Wooyoung. But I’m okay, I’ve just been here in my studio.” You gestured to your studio. You invited them into the space and only then did you notice the bags in their hands. 

“We brought you some snacks that are easy to consume while you’re working and drinks that you can stock in your mini fridge too. Working hard is important but you have to take care of yourself, Indigo.” Seonghwa smiled, placing a hand on your forehead, checking if you’ve fallen ill without even realising. You nodded your head obediently. 

“How long has it been since you’ve gone home?” Wooyoung asked, spinning around in your work chair. You shrugged, going to get your phone to check the date.

“3 days, apparently.” You blinked, even you were surprised.

“Just how have you been surviving here?” 

“I use the shower facility that’s in the gym. And I specifically requested for my couch to be a pull out bed.” You explained. The boys looked at you in shock, unable to comprehend how you have been living in your studio.

“Please don’t tell me the last time you had a full night of sleep was at home.” Wooyoung said and you looked away. When you were working, sleep just becomes something easily forgotten.

“Indigo, that’s very bad. You need to sleep and eat properly in order to work.” Seonghwa chided. 

“I know... I just wanted to finish my track.” You whined slightly. Sleep deprived you was definitely a lot more childlike. 

“Do you want me to tell Hongjoong?” He threatened. 

“No, please don’t tell him! He’s gonna nag at me...” You complained. Seonghwa put his arms around you to pat your back. You leaned into his strangely comforting hold, almost falling asleep standing up. Skinship was really something you have grown accustomed to from the boys.

That’s the reason Wooyoung brought Seonghwa with him. Everyone knows how Seonghwa takes care of Hongjoong, who is always busy doing things and taking care of the others, Wooyoung wanted Seonghwa to care for you too. 

“Is this the song San and Mingi recorded the guide for?” Wooyoung suddenly asked, pulling you away from almost entering dreamland. You nodded your head with a hum. 

“Can I?” He gestured to the computer.

“Sure. But it’s not finished yet.” You agreed. Wooyoung sat on your chair while you sat with Seonghwa on the couch. 

Soon, the soft drum beat introduction played and then San’s soft voice filled the room. You softly sang along to San’s lyrics, having listened to it repeatedly for the past few days. Then Mingi’s part came. 

“It’s a good song.” Seonghwa said, patting the back of your hand.

“Yeah, I really like it! This is what you’ve been working on? It’s really amazing, Indigo ah.” Wooyoung nodded excitedly. 

“Thanks but it’s not perfect yet.” You yawned, rubbing your eyes. When it came to music, it had to be perfect in your eyes and ears. Now, there were still some things lacking. 

“I don’t really know how to explain it. I just listen and know that it’s not there yet. There’s no specific part or section that needs changing... Ah... How do I say it? It’s just not at the level that I envisioned it to be.” You scratched your head as you tried to explain your thoughts to them. Seonghwa understood though, after listening to Hongjoong. 

Just like the movie night, you didn’t know at what point of the conversation with Wooyoung and Seonghwa that you just fell asleep. Your head was leaning comfortable on Seonghwa’s shoulder.

“Don’t move, hyung.” Wooyoung cautioned.

“I wasn’t going to.” Seonghwa replied in a whisper, his body stiff as a board. Wooyoung took your folded blanket from the basket and draped it over you. 

“Do you want to put her on a pillow instead?” Wooyoung asked, not wanting Seonghwa’s shoulder to hurt too. 

“No, it’s okay. She looks like she doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Seonghwa’s eyes cast to you. You were fast asleep, unaware of the conversation that was going on between the two. 

“This is cute.” Wooyoung took hisphone out to snap a picture.

“Ah, Wooyoung ah.” Seonghwa clicked his tongue in disapproval as he lifted a hand to shield the rest of your face, in case you didn’t like being photographed. Wooyoung just giggled and smiled, sending a copy of the photo to Seonghwa.

“This and Hongjoong hyung’s photo looks like you both finally got the daughter you wanted.” Wooyoung snickered, referring to the photo Hongjoong posted the day you were twinning outfits with him. The others teased it to look like a father and daughter more than a siblings photo. 

“I’ll get comfortable.” Wooyoung sat on the solo arm chair. He wasn’t going to leave his hyung alone and he definitely didn’t want to disturb you. 

“We can try to switch later, hyung.” Wooyoung said.

“No need, I’m comfortable. Don’t you have any schedules today?” Seonghwa refused. Wooyoung shook his head. He stood up for a second to dim the lights slightly, guess it was nap time for them as well. 

Your eyes slowly opened as you woke up, suddenly aware of your surroundings. You leaning against something... or someone.

“Seong-” You covered your mouth, noticing that Seonghwa was fast asleep. Your eyes widened in embarrassment, how could you fall asleep on someone?! 

“Wooyoung?” You whispered but realised that he was asleep as well. Hitting yourself on the forehead, you made a mental note to stop falling asleep around these boys. It was so embarrassing. 

As carefully as you could, you stood up and adjusted the blanket over Seonghwa’s body before shuffling over to your desk. You sat down in your seat and put your headphones on to resume working. Looking at the time, you realised you had been sleeping for close to 3 hours. But thanks to the little nap you had, you were feeling energised and refreshed. 

“Let’s do this.” You whispered to yourself and started working again. From the clicking of your keyboard, Seonghwa woke up. He saw the back of your head as you worked.

“Indigo.” He went to you, tapping your shoulder.

“Oh, Seonghwa. I’m sorry I fell asleep on your shoulder, I seriously should stop doing that around all of you.” You bowed deeply and profusely.

“What are you saying? Don’t apologise for that. I’m glad I could bring you comfort to sleep properly, even if it was only for a few hours.” Seonghwa smiled, putting a hand on your head. 

“And it’s okay to sleep around us, its means you trust us, right?” He chuckled.

“I guess it does...” You nodded in agreement, not giving anything else away. You felt safe around them, enough to let your walls down.

“Promise me you’ll sleep in your own bed tonight?” He bent down to meet your eyes. You nodded your head.

“Good. I’ll get Wooyoung and leave. Don’t work too late and make sure you eat. I’ll check and make sure.” Seonghwa lectured. You nodded and reached out to hug him, it was the best way to express your gratefulness.

“Thank you.” You said softly. 

“You’re welcome. You have to take care of yourself.” He reminded. After that, he helped you fold and keep your blankets before he woke Wooyoung up to drag him out of the studio. Even half asleep, Wooyoung smiled and waved to you as Seonghwa guided him away. You laughed and waved back. 

“Where were we...?” You got back to work, picking up where you left off. Things were going a lot smoother, you made minor but good edits to the track that made things better. 

“Done for the day!” You cheered. It was time to go home and have dinner like you promised Seonghwa. 

After packing your laptop and small items into your bag, you took the bus home. It had been 3 days since you’ve been outdoors. When you arrived home, you put all your used clothes into the laundry and showered.

“Need to go get groceries.” You made a mental note as you looked at your almost empty refridgerator. But luckily you could still make a meal out of it.

‘I’m eating like I promised! - Indigo’

You sent Seonghwa a picture of the simple fried rice you had cooked for yourself as proof that you were eating.

‘Good job! - Seonghwa’

As you sat down, you realised how you had no emotional attachment to this house. It was a place for you to sleep, eat and shower but you could do those things at other places. That’s why you didn’t miss it despite being away for a few days. While you watched some Ateez show, their chaotic laughter filling the silence of the apartment. 

“Aww, poor San.” You giggled as you watched him pout from being teased by the other members, namely Wooyoung. Their television personalities were really the same as their real life personalities. 

*BZZ BZZ*

‘Hey, are you still at the office? Up for some late night coffee? - Mingi’

You were shocked, not expecting a message from Mingi. Eating the last mouthful of rice, you placed the bowl in the sink before replying.

‘Not at the office but I would definitely love some coffee now. Are you sure you can go out this late though? - Indigo’

‘Of course, no early schedules tomorrow anyway. If you would like to rest, we can go another time. I heard from Seonghwa hyung that you’ve been working the past three days. - Mingi’

‘It’s all good. I would love to have some coffee now. Plus, I was able to nap for a few hours. - Indigo’

‘Alright! I know this place a lot of celebrities go to so it’s discreet and 24 hours. I’ll forward you the address and see you there? - Mingi’

‘Sure, see you in a bit! - Indigo’

“How do you dress for late night coffee runs?” You asked yourself as you stood in front of your closet. In the end, you went for a hoodie and black sweats, which was similar to what you wear to the studio daily. With a black cap and mask, you wore your shoes and left the house.

Since the weather was nice and cool, you checked the directions and walked to  the cafe with your headphones on. The cafe wasn’t brightly lit on the outside and the blinds were all drawn.

“Hi. I’m looking for someone.” You said to the waitress. The backings of the booth tables extended to the ceiling, granting privacy to each patron table.

“Indigo.” You leaned and saw Mingi waving to you to get your attention. You bowed to the waitress and went to the table.

“Hey.” You slid onto the seat opposite him. While he didn’t wear a mask, he had a cap on as well. He was a lot more dressed down, which wasn’t necessarily bad. He looked a lot more relaxed in his grey hoodie and loose jeans. 

“Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile.

“Well, thanks for inviting me.” You giggled. 

“Let’s order first.” Mingi called the waitress over. You ordered an iced latte and Mingi had an iced americano. While you waited, a nice silence fell upon the two of you. For some reason, it wasn’t awkward at all. 

“So how’s the song coming along?” Mingi asked you, breaking the silence. You started to tell him the whole process and how you’ve been working on it for the past 3 days, which is why Seonghwa and Wooyoung had to come. Both you and Mingi shared stories and talked about your own personal work progress, like Mingi’s lyric writing process.

“Ah, I so get that!” You let out a sigh, ducking your head when you realised you might have been too loud. Mingi smiled at your reaction. 

“But honestly, even the lyrics you wrote for the guide were good. I told you not to put in so much effort!” You giggled. Your laugh was infectious, making Mingi laugh too.

“How can they be good? I just pulled them out of nowhere.” Mingi defended.

“Maybe you just have that god given talent, Mingi ah.” Even if your mask was covering your face, Mingi could see your soft smile. And the way you called his name made him feel so warm on the inside.

“What... god given talent? Indigo... Honestly, it’s just getting over those hurdles. Every project has those.” He said.

“That’s true. I’m grateful Seonghwa and Wooyoung came by today. Not having to think about work and resting really cleared my mind. It cleared that block and when I had to get back to work, things went a lot smoother.” You said.

“Don’t overwork too much. Your work should not come before your health. If you fall ill, you won’t be able to work for an even longer period of time.” 

“I know, I get nagged at by Seonghwa and Hongjoong.” You complained.

“That’s part of being in the Ateez family. Getting nagged at and scolded by the two parents. I admittedly am not one of the good kids so it’s normal for me to get scolded by Hongjoong. Just ask Wooyoung, he gets in trouble a lot too.” Mingi snickered.

“So I’ve heard.” You giggled as you remember Hongjoong and Yunho telling you. You stirred your drink and slipped the straw underneath your mask to take a sip. Mingi chuckled and took a sip of his own drink. 

“Oh, also. Thanks again for giving me a new mask and everything the other night. I panicked when I woke up without my mask.” You said.

“No need to thank, whatever makes you feel more comfortable around us. And I promised I wouldn’t say a thing, that includes helping you protect your identity.” Mingi said firmly. 

“You have all been very kind in helping me adjust and adapt to the new company.” You stated. 

“I think you’ve integrated well into our group and get along well with everyone. Knowing how you overwork, the others and I, we’ve all started to worry about you and your health.” Mingi told you.

“You do...?” 

“Of course. You’re one of us now. We take care of each other.” Mingi smiled. You nodded your head slowly, staring at empty space in front of you as you absentmindedly stirred your drink. Mingi watched your expression before boldly placing his hand over yours. 

“Did I... say something wrong?” Mingi looked at you with concern and worry. You shook your head.

“Not at all.” You denied. You tried to piece your words together to explain to Mingi properly, wanting to alleviate the worry he had on his face. He never rushed you or spoke, giving you time to think.

“Hmm, how do I say this? I guess I’m not used to having people care for me. I’ve always lived my life as an individual.” You tried your best to explain. 

“I understand.” He nodded his head.

“The industry is not very kind and welcoming to new people so it’s always been me, myself and I.” You shrugged. 

“The industry is tough so I don’t blame you for wanting to build a wall around yourself. There are always critics waiting to take advantage of you and knock you down.” Mingi spoke. You hummed in agreement, sipping your drink. 

“When it was announced that I was taking a break because of anxiety, people didn’t believe it. How could someone with 7 group members, thousands of fans, have anxiety? They’re on top of the world. But the fear before stepping on that stage never goes away. One wrong move and you’re out.” You noticed Mingi shaking and reached over to put your hand over his.

“Mingi...” 

“Your fall from grace can happen at any time. And you’re expected to just deal with it and move on.” He confessed.

“I’m sorry you have to deal with all this. It must be hard.” You squeezed his hand. Mingi looked up at you with a crooked smile, yet the eyes conveyed the bitterness he felt. 

“It was hard but I’m learning to deal with it. I’m grateful my member take care of me and help me.” 

“And now you have me too. Like how you said I can lean on you, you can lean on me too. We take care of each other.” You spoke softly, quoting his words from earlier. After the drinks were done, Mingi insisted on walking you home.

“But it’s in the opposite direction. Plus, it’s late. I can go on my own.” You tried to convince him. But he shook his head, walking in the assumed direction of your apartment. 

“Come on, slowpoke.” He turned around and grinned.

“Fine.” You sighed in defeat. Luckily, you didn’t live too far away and the streets were empty at this time of night. 

“This is me.” You stopped downstairs of your apartment. You would have invited him in but after 3 days of not being home, the house was rather messy and it was late, you didn’t want him being out alone for too long. 

“We should do this again some time. It was nice.” You said. Mingi nodded in agreement, he was glad you enjoyed yourself and wanted to do this again. Before he left, he wrapped his arms around you tightly, his much taller frame towering over your smaller body. 

“You don’t have to keep everything bottled up. You can count on me.” He whispered. You closed your eyes, wrapping your own arms around him. 

“Thank you... You too.” You spoke, muffled against his jacket. It took a lot more will power for Mingi to pull away. It felt nice to hug you and for some reason, he didn’t want to leave. 

“Let me know when you get home?” You tilted your head as you pulled away. 

“I will. Goodnight.” He waved and you did the same. Mingi waited for you to go up before making his way back to the dorm. 

You made your way into the house and leaned against the door. You slid down to sit on the ground, thinking about tonight. You learnt a lot about Mingi and the two of you let yourselves be vulnerable around each other.

~

Series Masterlist

[kamehamehamlet]

Heading on hiatus

Hey all, it's uplifting to see such a positive response to our Spirit Bomb Rally campaign, and I have no doubts we will hit our final goal before or during our final June stream this Saturday! These goals were set to track the viability of this project, and now that we've said hello and established ourselves again, our next priority is writing the script.

That means pausing our posts and streams as I dedicate my energy to the rewrite.

As a freelance artist, I rarely work on just one thing, and I’m excited to head into a Summer of creative firsts. In July, I’ll be finishing up work on a video game I’m making with friends while planning our next one, and I’ll be traveling to California for my first-ever San Diego Comic-Con. I’ll arrive back home just in time for the release of my two new kid-lit horror graphic novels on August 1st.

A development screenshot of my game More Than You Can Chew and covers for Pop-Up Peril and Nameless Notebook. If you’re curious about any of these projects, I’ll likely post about them on my personal tumblr, @writepictures

Our biggest update, however, is that Shalee will be heading to Boston in August to pursue a two-year MFA in Directing! I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without the lessons, practice, and community I built in my program. Meanwhile, Shalee has been directing for over a decade, so I can’t wait to see how this takes her further in her abilities. And with Shalee busy earning her master's degree, my introverted self is looking forward to a cozy fall of writing KamehameHamlet : Waiting for Goku. If you're reading this before 6/29, you can hop into our final Rally Stream of the summer, where we'll chat about this decision at length. If you can't make the stream, you can leave a question below or in our asks. After the 29th, you can watch the VOD, and our asks are always open, and I’ll be keeping an eye on them this summer. Thank you all again for your continued enthusiasm for silly and serious independent theatre, and if you see your mutuals sharing the big post this summer and wishing it was true, don’t hesitate to point them our way. See you on the other side!

[two-reflections]

Writing Audit ✨

It's been a while since I've done one of these. Let's see what's on the docket.

[Freelance copy editing project.] - #1 Priority. Good for money, but it slows down all my other writing.

Of Steel and Flesh - August ended up too busy, but I finally have time to focus on this one again. I'd like to finish it before the Imperium Maledictum campaign I've just joined gets in full swing. Maybe I can do it over October for @finishwhatyoustarted-event? It would be a bit of an optimistic attempt since there's still a lot to go, but the story is fully outlined through to the end.

Salamander Slice of Life/Romance - This has stalled in the same place for half a year due to other commitments, but once I finish Of Steel and Flesh, I hope to pick it up again. I may need a long hiatus when this one is done.

Techmarine university story - I haven’t worked on this in ages. I may reconfigure it into a oneshot and post it, or it may languish in the WIP folder. Not sure which yet.

MMM September fic - The ship may have sailed on Marine Meat Monday fic for this month. I'm just not feeling particularly inspired right now.

Alpha Legion disguised as Iron Hands - This is a cracky omophagea story I came up with back in May or June, but I've been thinking about it again recently. I may do it as a oneshot in November, or three short chapters if I want to get into the gambit pileup.

That one Kingdom Hearts fic - I left it with one chapter to go in 2019. The chapter is almost done, it just needs like 500 more words. I only want to finish it as a matter of principle, but I keep putting it off. My writing has changed so much since then...

Despite the meme, my docket is a LOT shorter than it was back in August. Lots of projects that are already underway, and no competitions or exchanges to focus on yet. Also, some of my pregnancy fatigue has lightened up. However, I have actual work now, so goodness knows how much I'll be able to get done.

[kinocomix]

untitled project devlog 8: themes, and pain

At first, when I said I wanted to discuss the themes of my project, I thought that maybe there would be some convenient article, book or philosophy deep dive I could reference, which does not seem to be much the case, seeing as how my approach to themes is very personal. so… here’s some thoughts.

In case it’s not abundantly obvious by now, the story features a band and music quite prominently. One of my original elevator pitches for the comic was “think metalocalypse meets bandslam, but with the scope of Ernest et Celestine and the presentation of a black and white Wes Anderson film” which is the vaguest shit ever and I’ll eventually get my head out of my ass long enough to stop worrying about spoiling the story. My point is: the act of being creative is at the forefront of the story. What drives it forward is something I won’t mention in this series, but a lot of ideas emerge when you decide to write something as personal as making art. Things like purpose, belonging, self worth, expression, communication, validation are things that every artist or musician deals with quite regularly and no story about creativity would be complete without them.

The first post ever made to this blog was a webcomic name fancomic that, looking back, isn’t bad but remembering the reason why I made it is what makes me cringe. I wanted attention. When I started making art I expected to be famous in 100 days. literally, I wish I was exaggerating. 

In every artist’s journey with art, they reach the point where they realize that the only things really worth pursuing are the things they’re passionate about. Sometimes this is drawing commissions, other times people do commissions to keep themselves alive. A lot of times, the art people are passionate about barely gets any attention at all. It's a fact that a lot of creatives secretly know that people who get successful doing something they love are very lucky. 

It takes maturity to be happy for people and proud of their hard work as opposed to being an envious child but that doesn’t mean we don’t secretly want success as well. If I could have enough dedicated readers to make my comics for a living but never be famous I’d do that in a heartbeat. Every big shiny thing is destined to accumulate dust, I don’t want to be a big shiny thing, I want to be a reliable hill you can trust to be there year after year. It took me a while to get to the mindset I work with today. 6 years might not feel like a lot when you consider the insane careers some artists had, but as far as people go 6 years is a lot. I graduated, finished a book, worked on 2 short film productions that have both won awards (one of which for my sound design!!), moved house, freelanced, started a stable job, been to therapy, gotten an operation, nearly lost people, been through an explosion, an economic collapse; and I think that’s just the stuff I’m remembering off the top of my head. 

Finding documentation and sources about this kind of stuff is pretty difficult because this is not what gets publicized about media. However, if you pay enough attention some similarities start to appear.

The manga Berserk is pretty famous for its elaborate artwork and story. It doesn’t really need an intro and I’ve been told I need to read it which I plan on, but that’s not the point right now. As you may know, Kentaro Miura, the author and illustrator of the manga passed away in 2021. For fans of the series, while very tragic, this wasn’t all that surprising. The dude doesn’t fill in black. he crosshatches everything. An admirable feat, which makes you thankful that a friend of his, Kouji Mori, decided to finish making the manga after he passed away. 

Many other manga share this. Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue, has been known to frequently go on hiatus. So has Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi. A lot of times, an artist’s undying faith to their work is because of how passionate they are about it, the people involved in making it or even the audience. I forget the exact interview this is from, but Linkin park has gone on record for saying that sometimes they need to consider the audience. you see them always excited to talk about how experimental their music is, which is great, but when you know someone’s on the receiving end of what you’re making, it’s bound to make you think a bit differently. 

This video of George RR Martin and Stephen King chatting kind of outlines the different approaches they have to writing. One of the most iconic quotes is “how do you write so fast?” Spoken by Martin. Now I’m not here to talk about Game of Thrones, trust me I couldn't care less but it does bring up one point worth talking about which is inspiration, discipline and what that has to do about your malleability as an artist.

This is the trailer for H.E.R.A., one of the short movies I worked on as a sound designer and general handyman. It was written and animated by my friend Alaa Fleifel with the help of some wonderful fellow artists and animators for some of the scenes. Alaa and his studio Phat Chik are an example of what I’m talking about.

pictured: Alaa. 

When I talk about being malleable, I don’t mean that in the X-men mystique “I chameleon my way around the world” school of art though that can work in some cases, sure. What I refer to is one’s ability to keep making their art. During the production of H.E.R.A., there were at many points obstacles that would have shot down most movie productions. The sound designer had to prioritize staying alive so he had to unfortunately quit the project midway. Alaa had to juggle a fulltime job, commissions and a rapidly decaying economic system that meant most clients didn’t want to pay well anymore so he had to outsource some of the background art and scenes to friends and animators that he paid out of pocket. The production timeline lasted a year and 8 months, most of that time was spent patching up the team in the background. Working on H.E.R.A. taught me that there is no project in existence that is the result of one human being. Everyone has at least one person to give them advice, someone who goes “hey, I know a guy” and very often that is not just one person. When band line ups change, it’s sometimes treated with an air of disregard.

“oh, it’s just the drummer”

“it’s the rhythm guitarist, their job is pretty easy anyway”

Had Alaa waited around for inspiration or permission to make his film, it would have never happened. Sure, a lot of why we get to watch the absurdist sci-fi acid trip that is H.E.R.A. is due to some luck and connections, but a lot of it is also due to a rejection of the notion that inspiration is what primarily fuels creativity. 

So what does that say about the story? usually I find it helpful to present my themes in the form of questions, so here’s what i’ve been able to come up with:

Who does art/music belong to?

How much of the soul of art and music gets lost in translation? 

How do you balance making stuff for yourself and an audience once you have one?

How much does inspiration really matter?

I need to be honest with you about something. 

I’ve been kind of avoiding talking about the more… personal themes at play here.

it’s not because I don’t know what they are, really. They just come from a place of deep discomfort and humiliation for me. I’ve obviously become a much different human being over the course of my 27 years on the rapidly traveling rock in space but it’s never not weird for me remembering the dumb things I did or said growing up or while I was finding my footing as a writer. There are entire projects and dozens of pages of things that I threw out the window before I felt confident enough in something to be able to share it. there’s a lot of fucking up you do while growing up and not surprisingly, I feel more comfortable seeing my weird feelings in fiction than I do laid out in bullet points in a devlog. So I promise you this:

the people in the story are going to be human. Faults, warts and all. The only thing I ask of you is to know that while those warts are real, they are not mine anymore. Every day that passes, I grow a little bit more, and maybe at some point I’ll grow tall enough that the light trickling through the trees will feel safe enough to fly.

Merry Christmas, and may every year bring a little bit more sun.

Devlog updates on tuesdays. 

[rogueshadeaux]

An update regarding inFAMOUS: Erosion

Hey there! Rogue here, and I have something regarding inFAMOUS Erosion that I wish to tell you all about so as not to blindside you.

(Now, stop panicking, first off lol.)

I got married in the height of the pandemic; everyone in my family has autoimmune issues (even my poor cat is asthmatic) and my then-boyfriend at the time and I wanted to cover as many bases as possible, especially since I was pregnant. So our five year plan became a five week one, and we got married. No wedding, no reception, just us on the courthouse steps with a judge (we weren't even allowed in) and then take out after. While neither of us cared about a wedding, we never got to go on a honeymoon, and that was always something we strived for down the line. COVID-19 took so much from so many of us, and my family was no exception.

Well, the parasite that was in my womb is now two years old, the oldest is becoming an adventurous spirit, and we've decided it's time to put that savings account to good use and make this a family affair. We've booked not only two separate trips, but a series of events all throughout July and August so we may 'live it up' in lieu of time and chances missed.

And I plan on going on hiatus while we do so.

I fear I won't be able to keep up with the word count and deliver a quality tale on time, and would rather make sure I don't burn myself out trying to perform on top of everything else we have planned. It's also always healthy to take a break! And I feel I have the perfect midpoint prepared to pause and give you all an 'intermission' of sorts before returning. I know it's always so so scary to hear an author is going on hiatus, because really, that's the preamble to an orphaned fic; so I want to assure you that where I will stop the story before disappearing is 104,404 — and the current fic is at 136k words. There's still passion for the project, and it will probably be worked on in the lull time of my hiatus; but that gap between where I've posted and where I am is closing, and I don't want it to get any closer. And I fear trips and concerts and museums and events and a wild summer is simply the perfect storm to be caught in — and to lose my way in the kicked up dust.

"So then...what does that mean?"

I will be posting up to Chapter Twenty, with a two-chapter 'mid-season finale' as I've been jokingly calling it on the 9th and 10th of July. After that, I will be going on hiatus until September 11th, 2023. Another Monday, per the usual. I am beyond excited for this second half; I finally feel like I can dive into the real meat of the story. Once I hit that midpoint, every piece of foreshadow and worldbuilding is on the table. The big turning point that'll propel the second half of Erosion will be revealed. I'll be moving on from whittling the wood to manipulating the marionette, and you have no idea how hyped I am to really give you the tale I'm trying to spin. The sad thing is, I've still gotta spin it, and I fear I won't be able to dedicate myself as well as I should in order to really give this idea in my head the honor it deserves. And of course, what you deserve too; I'm a freelance editor. If I put anything out there that sucks, I will off myself lol.

"Will you be disappearing too?"

Nah. Probably not. I'm chronically online and legally/medically can't drive, so I gotta do something on the car/plane rides. There are two one shots in my google docs I might push out in the meantime, an art commission planned, and of course, I will always supply memes and share other inFAMOUS pieces that my dear friends are putting out. There's so much newfound chatter in the inFAMOUS fandom that I feel confident I could step back for two months and you wouldn't even miss me! It's truly breathtaking to see this fandom returning like this. If you put things into perspective, while two months seems so goddamn long — that's 4 chapter updates. That's it!! That's all I'm gonna be gone for!!

"What if you finish Erosion while you're gone?"

God, that'd be the day, wouldn't it? I'll definitely freak the fuck out and post nonstop on Tumblr, so if I do, you'll know lol. If by some stroke of a miracle I finish Erosion while I'm gone, I will still be on hiatus until September 11th. I need a goddamn vacation. But upon returning, if I am either done or very close to done, I plan on upping my schedule to a weekly posting system. If not, biweekly until that point.

So, that's my advance warning for you all: I plan on stepping away, but it will not be permanent. I can't disappear from this fandom the moment it's beginning to return! That'd truly be insane!

While I am gone, check out @conduiitz'/@kraftledare's Shattered, a comic of a Glass Conduit looking for his best friend in a post-apocalyptic wasteland; @codenamehazard's No Man's Land, an Evil Karma Cole MacGrath AU that follows the Beast as he explores the Wildlands of the Great Plains and the society Conduits have created in it; and @cedar990's Equilibrium, where Light Conduit — and DUP Agent — Ezra Sims tries to throttle the plans of the rising Dust Men in Nova City.

And keep an eye out when you read; you might catch a certain pair of Conduit twins playing around in the backgrounds of these stories! They need a break too, after all.

I want to thank you for your understanding and for all the time you've dedicated so far to hearing me tell this story. I've truly enjoyed every second of it, and cannot wait for more. Tsiikohtaahsi'tsihp amohk aohkanoo'p — which in my tribe's language means I'm so happy we've all gathered here; it's given me a chance to tell a tale I never thought anyone would care about, and to watch the embers of this grand video game franchise be fanned enough to reignite. I love this community and will be itching to return the moment I declare official hiatus status, I just know it.

But until then, let's finish the first half of inFAMOUS: Erosion!

[circus-mythos]

I’ll take this first post to introduce myself and give an idea of what I want this blog to be about.

You can call me Phoenix. I’m 25 years old and use they/them pronouns. Ever since I was 14 years old, it’s been my dream to be in a circus and perform. I saw a recording of Cirque du Soleil’s “Quidam” and I was instantly sold. I watched as Isabelle Chasse performed a beautiful aerial silks routine and I knew I, too, needed to be in the air. Luckily for me, there happened to be a circus studio just 10 minutes from my house at the time. After finishing the colour guard season for my high school, I started lessons right away, beginning on the silks, static trapeze, and Spanish web and eventually moving to lyra as well. I ended up taking much more of a liking to trapeze and consider it my niche. Years passed and I continued circus training through high school and college, though not without hiatuses due to school, moving around, having to find new studios to train at, or injuries. But I consider myself a phoenix because every time I’d take a hiatus, I’d come back stronger, more passionate, and better. I even had a brief stint as a proper freelance performer, making about $100 a day to perform at weekend festivals (this, of course, was not enough to pay my bills though).

Ever since graduating university, I’ve had my fair share of 9-5 jobs. I knew that it wasn’t where I’d shine or wanted to be, but I did it because, well, I needed the money. I tried very desperately to hold onto the dream of being a performer, opening my own studio, or starting my own troupe, but as the days passed in a dreary office job, that dream seemed to slip from my hands. I felt like I wasn’t afforded the necessary time to train to really compete for the small amount of slots for performers such as myself, so I gave up on auditioning. But, I thought, at least I could hold onto the dream of opening my own studio or starting my own troupe. Unfortunately, I had no one to mentor me on starting a business, and since I only took private lessons and did solo freelance work, I was pretty disconnected from other performers so I wouldn’t even begin to know who to ask to start a troupe with me.

Things ended up getting pretty discouraging after the teacher I’d been training with for years became too busy to train me anymore. While I understood, I was nothing short of discouraged. I was lucky enough to find a pole studio that also happened to teach aerial classes that was willing to rent out a hookup point for just $10 a day. I did this for a while, but there’s only so much I can do without a teacher to help me learn new things (the studio did not have anyone who could teach trapeze, which was all I was focusing on).

And then I lost my job.

The company I’d been working for was bought out and they decided that, in turn, they’d dissolve the department I was apart of because they saw no value in it. This meant that I was to be let go and have been unemployed since August 2023. Of course, this is not for lack of trying to find a job. But, if you’re in the same position I’m in, you know how difficult it is to get companies to even look at your resume, let alone give you an interview. And since I was in a car accident where I sustained a back injury that does not allow me to stand for more than an hour at a time, retail jobs were out of the question (not that it mattered much, because even before my car accident, I applied for retail jobs and wasn’t called back by any of them). I opened an Etsy shop, but sales are few and far between, even with daily advertisement. My parents were generous enough to let me do clerical work for them to help me out as much as they could.

Even before I was let go, I could feel the depression I’d worked so hard to manage creep back. Losing my job and being rejected over and over again for months by companies and running out of savings certainly didn’t help to do anything but exacerbate it. I became suicidal again. I went through several medications, all of which worked for a few weeks before putting me in a spot much worse than before. I’d tried all the coping mechanisms in the book and nothing helped, even as a distraction. At some point, I got to a point where I was constantly in a state of panic. Not just anxiety. Full on panic. I’d wake up several times throughout the night from nocturnal panic attacks, so sleep was limited. My mental state got so bad that it started to affect me physically as well. I needed something. I had to do something. I wondered what else I could do that I hadn’t already tried.

One day, while my dad and I were in the car, he asked me, “If you could do any job in the world, what would you do?” “Circus performer,” I answered quickly, not even needing to think. It was because I had answered that way that I realised I maybe hadn’t completely given up my dream as I thought. Somehow, there was still hope in that, no matter how small. I had lost hope in everything else. I was convinced I’d never find a job; for the life of me, I couldn’t think of my purpose in life or any reason to keep going; the people I called friends were unreliable at best, with the exception of one person who lived out of state; I wasn’t in a relationship (nor did I have a desire for one, truthfully); while I greatly appreciated my family’s help, I knew they’d never really understand me (not entirely their fault, I hid an awful lot from them). When I realised that I did still have hope in that dream of connecting with the stage, no matter how deeply buried it was, I decided this is what I needed. I had to try. This is all I had left. And, being unemployed, what better time to devote to starting this troupe—my illusive Circus Mythos.

I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, and I know that. I ordered the book The Contemporary Circus Handbook: A Guide to Creating, Funding, Producing, Organizing, and Touring Shows for the 21st Century by Eric Bates. It arrives on Friday. I plan to start reading it right away.

For now, as I start to get off the ground, the blog will mostly be notes on the book as I read it and my thoughts. As things progress and more develops, I’ll post more progress updates here. I hope you’ll join me in my journey, and I appreciate each and every one of you that do.

[isthisclever]

Just a wee WIPdate for you lovely people.

Hello, my good friends! I’ve had several comments on several of my more neglected WIPs, and so I wanted to give a little life/writing update.

First off, please be assured than any multichap story not marked as COMPLETE on AO3 will be updated! This includes Here and Gone, Power Jam, and 39 Days for the Outlander fandom, and Of Talons and Light in the ACOTAR fandom.

Life has been super chaotic the last several weeks. I work on a freelance basis, and I’ve been absolutely slammed through February and March. And on top of that, we bought a house and finally moved this past weekend! So between having four active WIPs (because I just can’t control myself) and life being just a smidge extra busy, my writing schedule has suffered. But all of these stories have much much further to go before I close them out, so never fear!

If you want story-specific updates, please read below the cut.

Here and Gone

My poor, poor neglected Jamie and Bree fic! This one went on an unplanned hiatus before NYCC, largely because I knew where I wanted the story to be, say, five chapters from now, but I wasn’t sure what to do in the meantime. So while I do have more of a handle on what’s coming up immediately next, I am going to hold off on updating until I can finish up one of my other finite WIPs. This one and Power Jam are both basically going to keep going until I run out of steam or ideas, whereas 39 Days and OTAL both have a very definite and finite plot that will come to an end much sooner. So once I ease my WIP burden a hair, Jamie and Bree will be back, I swear!

##

Power Jam

I am honestly so floored by y’all’s love for this one. I’ve received AO3 comments, Twitter and Tumblr DMs checking in and making sure it’s coming back. It is! I have been working on the next chapter and outlining the arc that will cover the next several chapters, and I’m hoping I’ll have an update in the next few weeks. Thank you for your support and patience -- it is so appreciated!

##

Of Talons and Light

ACKKKKK I so did not mean to let two months go by on this one! I just ran into a wee plot snarl and it took some time to unfurl. But the next chapter is 99% DRAFTED and is my top publishing priority at the moment. Maybe by next weekend? (No promises.)

##

39 Days

Well, this one has had both the most recent and most frequent updates so I doubt anyone’s afraid of this one going away LOL but I will be getting another chapter out to you soon!

[miscelunaaa]

some small updates

Hi y’all, I've been logged into hellsite for like thirty seconds and haven’t managed to work myself up into arbitrary rage so that’s good ig. 

It’s beeennnnn ... oh wow. 

It’s been exactly a month since I went on a real hiatus. That's fucking wild. tbh not much is happening on my end. I’m trying to get started as a freelance editor but it’s like a super slow burn. I’ve written a little, but not a lot, and it’s been kind of a struggle trying to find things that count as self care while actually being self care. It’s planner season and I’ve already spent toooo much money on hobonichi and the stationary shit, etc. This year’s dalmajung concept is killing me slowly and Sexy Nukim was just mind meltingly cool. So like, all in all, a pretty average time for me. I can’t say I've missed this space a ton, but I have missed y’all, so that definitely counts for something. 

A few things:

Sacrificial is still getting posted weekly-ish on AO3. It’s not behind their accounts wall, and we’re not even half way the story yet, so you’ve got plenty of time to start reading and maybe get an account there to subscribe if you so desire. The feedback and love people have been giving the story has really blown me away. It’s given me the courage to try to make sure that as I work through edits, it comes out closer to what I originally intended. Will it ever really meet my impossibly high standards?? Probably not, but it’ll be closer and that matters more to me at this point. Please consider reading it if you’re interested! Here's a link, have fun. 

In a couple of hours, I will be posting the first in what I hope is a series of weird hybrid fics. The series is called Animals in Predicaments and I’m fucking vibrating with excitement for it. When I realized I was burnt out as hell in like, July, @thatlongspringnight said I needed to work on something fun and absurd, rather than something that was going to rip my feelings out and eat them. Y’all probably don’t know this but I have a SERIOUS LOVE for hybrid fics, so being able to work on something crack-y and strange and delightful was just ... so nice. I got held up on the smut though so this took me like two months to complete alkdjsfhlaskdjh but I finished it last night and ah, wow. I’m just really glad I managed to finish something at all. It’ll go up on ao3 and mmmmmaybe here, I haven’t decided. Regardless, I’ll be back with a link so y’all know it's up. 

Sooooo yeah, there you have it. I’m not ready to return to this space for real, yet. Honestly, most socials just make my brain hurt anymore and ugh, I have little patience with the bullshit that happens on them. I looked up a few weeks ago and realized I'd lost touch with why I was here in the first place: Celebrating these seven weirdoes by writing stories about them. So many people have lost the point of this community, and it makes me incredibly sad and angry. 

With that said, I’m still incredibly grateful for the people who’ve continued to read my shit and love it. It means the world to me. 

I’ll be back in a couple of hours with a link. Lots of love, y’all 💜 stay safe and well.

[lubdubsworld]

Hi everyone.

So, I’ve been working as a freelance writer for years now and for a quite a while, I’ve considered moving to a permanent company but I’ve always been hesitant because I love my kids and its really important to me that I should be there for them anytime they may need me , and you know when you’re in a job without flexible timings, its quite difficult.

Nonetheless, there’s one company I’ve been working with for quite a while and they’ve been reaching out about joining their payroll and today, I kind of confirmed it. 

Its a huge change and definitely not something ever thought I’d do. but to be honest, I’ve been feeling very stagnant these few weeks. Both in terms of my writing as a hobby and in terms of my career ...so I just wanted to take this leap and go for it. 

A change of scene, a change in pace.... something to maybe kickstart my love for writing again...

Anyways, I wrote this because this could mean a lot of things , most importantly, way less time to write fics.

Way, way less time, lol.

Like i said, I’m still thinking about a lot of things in regard to this account. off late the negativity is increasing, to the point where I can’t ignore it. 

I think its about time I just accept that this isn’t really the safe space that I want it to be. 

I put in a lot of time and effort into this blog, but I wonder if its even worth it when I feel so defensive and hurt most of the time when I’m on here.... 

I’ve considered going inactive, going on permanent hiatus and a lot of other things. I’m not sure yet. But I’ll keep you guys updated.

As for the fics,

Silk and Lace and The sadness of things I’ll complete. 

They’re outlined and mostly written so I’ll finish them. I’m not sure about anything else though.

[t100ficrecsblog]

an interview with @changingthefairy-tale​

What are you working on right now? Right now, I’m focused on BellarkeFic-for-BLM (I just got an amazing canon prompt I’m really excited to finish). I’ve also been participating in this round of the Chopped Challenge, which has been fun and challenging. In between prompts, I’ve got two WIPs that I’m slowly cranking through. Shoutout to every single reader who’s been incredibly patient while I’ve been so slow on those updates — though, reminder that you can donate to a BLM organization (even a $3 donation works) and request an update to get those higher on my prio list while I’m focused on that initiative.

What’s something you’d like to write one day? My absolute dream job and the ultimate goal is to become a showrunner for a prime time TV show. I love TV shows — I love the way actors and directors and crew take a script and breath life into it, I love how you take a general idea for a story and mold it into something amazing as you go, I love how a series gives a story more time to be fleshed out and explored, I love the concept of a writers room and collaborating on a story. It’s a different ballgame from fic writing (which I do for fun) and travel writing (which I do for a living), but I’m determined to make it happen. JRoth, I’m coming for your job, babe. 😉

What is the fanwork you’re most proud of? I’m still really new to fic writing, especially compared to some of the powerhouse writers in this fandom. And I’m sure one of my WIPs (when finished) will probably supersede this. BUT, my one-shot about Madi calling Bellamy on The Ring (She called you for 2,199 days) is something I’m really proud of. I’m a long-winded writer, so one-shots have never come naturally to me. This one just…clicked. It’s got some good lines in there that I’m proud of, and based on the feedback I’ve gotten, it really made readers feel something and connect to the story. It’s not my longest story or my most thought-out. But it shows my growth as a writer these past few months, and I’m proud of that.

Why did you first start writing fic? I started writing fic as a creative outlet for my writing. My day job is writing about travel and credit cards. And while I enjoy that, it’s just not as creative. My dream is to write for a TV show though, and I was craving a way to flex my creative writing muscles in a low-stress way. I started watching The 100 when it first came out, but I didn’t really get into the fandom until I came back to the show during the S5/6 hiatus. That’s when I started reading fics and reblogging stuff about the show on Tumblr. During the S6/7 hiatus, I had this idea for a Greys Anatomy AU, and my sister (who is also a major fan of the show) was like, “You literally write things for a living. If you want to write a Grey’s AU for t100, there is absolutely nothing stopping you.” I published my first chapter on that The Choices We Make in Dec. 2019, and the rest is history.

What frustrates you most about fic writing? For me, I think that the most frustrating thing isn’t even about fic writing itself; it’s the fact that it’s a side-hobby and not something I can dedicate my full attention to. When you write all day for your day job, then do some for your freelance gig, and then turn around and try to write for a few hours every night for fic… that gets hard sometimes — especially since starting quarantine where I’m not traveling, going out with friends, getting a break from it, etc. Fic writing is a creative release for me, and I absolutely love crafting and writing these stories that involve some of my favorite fictional characters. And I love interacting with other writers and fic readers, I love talking about ideas and exchanging headcanons and fangirling over my favorite writers’ works. But (because there’s always a but), sometimes I just don’t have the mental energy or capacity to write at the end of the day when I’ve turned in 3 deadlines for work. I’ve got all these ideas floating in my head, but only so much time and mental energy I can dedicate to it.

What are your top five songs right now? Oh boy. So I live alone, which means I’ve got either music or Netflix on in the background 24/7 because ya girl doesn’t like silence. I have a different playlist for different moods. I’ll share my fav song from each of those playlists. Lol Fvck Somebody by The Wrecks (On my “Summer state of mind” playlist for when I wanna dance it out in my kitchen like an idiot)

Don Quixote by Drapht (On @talistheintrovert​’s “My Good Bitch Murphy” playlist for when I’m feeling *edgy*)

that way by Tate McRae (On my “Pandemic Jams” playlist bc I like angsty music and this song is a Bellarke MOOD)

Washington on Your Side from Hamilton (On my “Feeding my Broadway Obsession” playlist for when I wanna sing show tunes and plot overthrowing the government)

Tea by Noah Davis (Shameless plug for Noah bc it’s a bop and I literally dated Noah’s older brother in junior high — so proud of this kid for making his dreams a reality)

What are your inspirations (books, songs, other fic, really good cake)? All of the above, except I like pie more than cake. lol But really, I kind of use everything around me for inspiration. “The Choices We Make” is inspired by my love of Grey’s Anatomy. “Intertwining your soul (with somebody else)” is inspired my the first draft of my YA novel (though the setting was adapted to a grounder canonverse AU). “The Day He Shut That Rocket Door” and “She called you for 2,199 days” were inspired by @historyofbellarke‘s headcanons that were brought up in S7 speccing conversations (shoutout to her for enabling my angsty ass). My most recent WIP “There are some things written in the stars” that I started as part of Chopped (but will continue because I’m obsessed with the idea) is inspired by my love of Timeless. And I have an entire Notion database filled with fic ideas — some one-shots and some multi-chapter fics — that are inspired by quotes, songs, conversations with friends, books I love, shows I adore, random HCs that pop into my head while I watch, my own life experiences, etc. I take inspiration in any form it decides to come in. 💕

What first attracted you to Bellarke? What attracts you now? I’m a ho for enemies to lovers — the idea that you can put your worst foot forward and show someone all the ugly parts of you… and that they’ll see that and somehow look past it to see the good stuff too, falling in love with your whole self instead of just the pretty parts. Yeah, it’s my favorite romance trope. And that tension is what originally drew me to Bellarke. Now, it’s a combination of things. I love each of these characters in their own right. I relate to Clarke in a lot of ways, and I aspire to be her level of badass. I straight adore Bellamy Blake (flaws, stupid decisions, and all) and would marry him in a heartbeat if he were real — I’m not even kidding. lol But I also love their dynamic. They are partners, best friends, perfect compliments to the other. They see each other in a way no one else does, and they are the one person the other constantly risks everything for. They are both so driven by their responsibilities to their people, yet that all typically goes out the window the moment the other is at risk. I don’t believe in soulmates in real life, but it’s nice to get to believe in this fictional world that they are just made for each other.

BESIDES Bellarke, what character or pairing do you like best on t100? My favorite character besides Bellarke is John Murphy. His arc has been BY FAR the best on this show, going from that little shit in S1 to this “asshole we love” in the middle to now a true hero in this final season. And through it all Richard Harmon has been amazing to watch on screen.

My favorite pairing besides Bellarke is Linctavia. Yes, that ship is problematic in a lot of ways, but I still loved their dynamic. Lincoln helped Octavia navigate this new world that she was so desperate to be apart of while being mindful of her safety. And I thought they were a good match — he helped tame her fire without putting it out, and she helped challenge the way he was raised. Given time, I think they could have become one of the most stable and loving relationships on t100. Of course, that couldn’t happen because Jason needed Bell’s actions in 3A to have heartbreaking consequences, O to spiral for her own character journey, and whatever mess happened off-screen between Ricky and him. But they still remain my favorite ship aside from Bellarke.

Why did you decide to start writing for bellarkefic-for-blm? The second I saw that Sam was planning on doing this, I reached out to ask how I could help/write/be involved. The BLM movement is so important, and this is an amazing way for me to contribute while pursuing my passions. It’s a way for the fandom to get involved and do something good. And ultimately, this helps organizations that need donations. Shameless plug for everyone to please go check out the Bellarke Fic for BLM page — check out the many amazing writers and artists we have participating, and send in prompts. Most of us are allowing WIP chapter update requests, and there are a number of us (myself included) who are matching donations made! No donation is too small, and you’ll be supporting a movement that is a necessity in the U.S. and beyond.

What’s your writing process like? My mind is literal chaos, so I plan and outline like hell in order to make sense of everything. When I get an idea for a fic, it goes on my Notion database. Within Notion, I write down my inspiration for the idea, and a pretty in-depth summary of where I want the fic to go — dialogue ideas, any feelings/emotions I want to invoke, literally just a brain dump of all my ideas. From there, I’ll arrange that brain dumb into an outline. If it’s a one-shot, I’ll generally write the whole thing in the Notion doc. But multi-chapter fics will get a checklist within Notion for me to keep track of progress, and I’ll actually write the fic in Google Docs. I generally start writing from the beginning of a story, but if I get stuck or have an idea for a later scene, the fact that I’ve outlined heavily allows me to jump around as ideas come to me. I’ll read each one-shot or chapter after I’m done to make sure it flows before publishing. I post chapters for my WIPs as I write them, which I should really stop doing. lol For my readers’ sakes, I should work ahead and publish on a schedule rather than making them wait for my slow ass to finish chapter to chapter. But right now, that’s my process!

What are some things you’d like to recommend? Oh goodness, too many fics to possibly name. Instead, I’ll link to my AO3 rec bookmarks (which isn’t all-inclusive of the amazing fics I’ve read in this fandom, but it’s got some good favs in there) and shout out all of our awesome Bellarke Fic for BLM writers. Y’all should check out their work (and send in prompts)!

Where’s the best place to find you (twitter? tumblr?) I’m @changingthefairy-tale on Tumblr and @changingthefairy_tale on AO3! My ask box is always open for anyone who wants to scream about the show, ask about specs, talk about my fics, etc. Come say hey!

[roxyspearing]

Do it like Dean

Sup lovely people? I got something for you :)

This is my entry for @idreamofplaid and her super cool in the bunker challenge. This is also a fill for both @spngenrebingoand @spndeanbingo

Summary: It’s just your boyfriend Jensen giving you a tour of the Supernatural set. What shenanigans could possibly happen?

Word count: 1,509

Characters: Jensen x Reader, Dean x Reader (you’ll see), brief Jared

Warnings: smutty smut smut y’all! Children, turn away now! Sex, oral (female receiving), mild bondage, mild sensory deprivation, mild swearing

Squares filled: free space (spngenrebingo) and sex (spndeanbingo)

***************************************************************************************

“And....cut!” Comes the call from in front of you, and everyone jumps up on to the set. Props are replaced, camera angles are double checked, make-up retouched. And amongst all the hustle and bustle, you quietly stand and wait for one man in particular to realise you're there. Just as he's headed to his mark, he tilts his head just slightly enough in your direction, and you smile just as widely as he does as he hurries over to you.

“Hey, handsome? Know where a girl can get a bite to eat around here? Plane food is horrendous.”

“Here.” Digging into his pocket, Jensen pulls out a set of keys. “Third trailer on the left. Make yourself at home.”

“Shall do. Am I able to give you a kiss, or will that wreck all your pretty make-up?”

“Jay!” Jared shouts, and the moments passed.

“Try to keep the gag reel shenanigans to a minimum.” You laugh, and with a wave to your second favourite Texan, you grab your bag and head towards the trailers. 

You're just finishing up making two BLT's with extra bacon when you hear voices from outside. Grabbing the mayo, you put a healthy dollop on one, before grabbing a knife out of the trailer’s small but well-equipped kitchen and cutting both in half, as a pair of strong arms encircle your waist.

“Perfect timing.”

“Hmmm, I'll say. A beautiful woman in my sweatshirt, making me a sandwich. All I need now is a beer.”

“You’re one smooth talker, Ackles.”

“How were the vineyards of France?” Jensen asks you, grabbing both plates from the counter heading to the couch.

“They’re no brewery in Austin, that’s for sure.” You laugh, remembering the day you were assigned to cover the brewery’s opening for the paper you were freelancing for at the time. The place was gorgeous, as was the owner, who’d after giving you a dazzling interview for your article, so dazzling that the paper had offered you a permanent job, had asked for your phone number. You hadn’t hesitated for a second to give it to him.

“So, what assignments have you got lined up next?”

“Actually, nothing. For a month.”

“Seriously?!” Jensen mumbles through a bite of sandwich.

“Yep. I’ve called in a couple of favors so that I still get some holiday time at the end of the year, but the next four weeks are all mine.”

“That’s great timing. We’re on hiatus for two and a half weeks once we finish shooting this episode.”

“What’s this one about? Any juicy spoilers you can give me?” Having barely watched any of Jensen’s TV show when you got together, you had taken advantage of an unfortunate stomach bug to try it out.  And that was all that had been needed for you to binge fourteen seasons worth of episodes in a seven week period. You always tried to get Jensen to spill the beans about episodes, but it never worked.

“Yes.. There is a scene, in which I, am....in.”

“Oh my God.” You squeal, throwing a cushion towards his face. “You freaking dork.”

“Yep. Your freaking dork.” Jensen laughs. “Though, I suppose I could give you a tour. Access all areas.”

“Ooo yes! Let’s go!”

“Now?” Jensen exclaims incredulously.

“Yes! Come on !”

Jensen had managed to get the keys to the sets, though you were sure he’d not really had to struggle doing so. You’d been nearly everywhere, Jensen telling you little stories or tricks of the trade for each new setting, and you’d even gotten to sit behind the wheel of Baby. Hand-in-hand, the two of you walked down a hallway before turning a corner to arrive in what you easily recognised as Dean’s bedroom.

“And this...this is where the magic happens.”

“Oh my God!” You laugh, sitting on the end of the bed. “Is that the kind of lines Dean Winchester uses now? No wonder he hasn’t gotten laid in a while.”

“Dean Winchester does just fine with the ladies.”

“Oh yeah?” You smirk, raising an eyebrow. “Well, my apologies, Dean. How’s about you show me just how fine you do?”

Jensen smiled wide at you, but as he realised that you weren’t kidding...holy fuck. His eyes darkened as he took a step towards you, giving you a flirty eyebrow raise of his own.”

“Hiya sweetheart.”

”Hey Dean. Been a while.”

“Yeah. You get lost or something? Because this is my room.”

“Actually” you whisper, standing up and resting your hands on Dean’s chest, “I’m exactly where I need to be.” Your eyes meet his green ones, and that’s all is needed to set the spark between you both alight. One big hand comes to the back of your neck, his lips rough and demanding against yours. His other grasps your hip, pulling you closer into that muscular body of his, and you can already feel how hard he is through layers of denim and cotton.

“Strip. Now” Dean’s voice comes out deep and broken as the two of you break apart, and you find yourself shaking as you move to follow his instructions. You’ve got your t-shirt over your head, unable to see anything, when Dean’s lips latch onto the point on your neck that always makes you weak behind the knees.

“Do you trust me?” Dean murmurs against your skin, and you gasp out a yes. You gasp again as Dean’s hands move to your t-shirt, freeing your arms but keeping it rolled over your eyes, and then he’s guiding you to lay down on the bed. You let out a whimper as his hands slide up your ribcage, just glancing over the swell, and then one hand slips under you and you feel the give of the clasp. Dean shimmys your bra off and then you feel the bed shift as he stands up, and you’re just about to move the fabric covering your eyes when you feel the bed dip once more, a heavy weight above you as Dean straddles your chest, and then he’s taking your wrists and tying them to the headboard”

“Oh God” You moan, Dean’s chuckles meeting your ears.

“Give me time, it’ll be my name your moaning.”

“Shit.”

You feel Dean shuffle backwords, til he’s between your spread legs. his fingers brush down your stomach, then he’s undoing your jeans, pulling both them and your panties off in one fell swoop. You can feel his breath on your pussy as he gets comfortable on the bed, and you can’t help but jump as he swipes one thick finger over your damp folds.

“Hmmm....seems someone likes being at my mercy. You’re so wet Y/N, you’re dripping over my bed. Dirty girl. Guess I’m going to have to clean you up.” And then his mouth is on you, tongue zeroing in on your clit like some sort of heat seeking missile.

“Dean!!” You yell, arching your back, before one forearm pins your hips back on the bed. You try to close your legs, but his wide shoulders keep them spread open to his gaze and his touch. You groan as you feel a finger dip into your pussy, before it’s pulled back and replaced by two. Your pussy clenches, desperate to come around his fingers as he continues to lick and suck at your clit. You’re right on the edge, sweating and writhing, when Dean pulls away, and with one quick movement flips you over, lifting your hips up and then he’s sliding into you, one long, hard movement that doesn’t stop until he’s buried in your tight wet heat, and it’s the feeling of his thick cock that makes you come around him. As you gasp for air, and wondering when exactly Dean took his clothes off, the man in question slowly pulls back, until he’s almost about to fall out, before slowly sliding back in, back and forth so slowly that you can feel every ridge, every pulse of his dick inside you.

“Dean.....” You sob, trying to get some purchase on the sheet beneath you, a sharp cry leaving you as he thrusts into you hard. You’ve no choice but to hold on and take it, his cock moving hard and fast, hitting that spot every time, until....

“DEAN!!!!” You can’t help but yell as you come for the second time, so hard and for so long that your vision goes white. As you come back down, you realise your hands have been untied, the blindfold thrown to the floor, soft murmurs in your ear.

“Y/N? Hun, talk to me.” Jensen’s Texan drawl slowly drifts over you, as soft as his hands as they caress your wrists. “Y/N?”

“Jensen....”

“There she is. Here, have a sip of this.” The water is cool against your parched throat, and Jensen has to keep moving it away to stop you gulping it down. “You OK? I know we’ve never done some of that before, but-”

“Jensen. If that’s how Dean Winchester does with the ladies, then we are gonna have to do that a lot more.”

***************************************************************************************

Forevers and evers:

@like-a-bag-of-potatoes  @thing-you-do-with-that-thing  @jayankles  @grace-for-sale  @atc74  @mrsbatesmotel53  @gryffindorofcabin21  @dolphinpink310  @goldenolaf25  @kdfrqqg  @ellen-reincarnated1967  @fictionalabyss  @heyitscam99  @just-another-busyfangirl  @amanda-teaches  @tn-grayson  @girl-next-door-writes  @feelmyroarrrr  @blacktithe7  @masksandtruths  @maui137  @holyfuckloueh  @tina8009  @polina-93  @emoryhemsworth  @whimsicalrobots  @x-waywardaf-x  @be-amaziing  @horsegirly99  @bitterstar88  @hunterswearingplaid  @deangirl7695  @thisismysecrethappyplace  @calaofnoldor  @randomparanoid  @flamencodiva  @beththedemonhunter  @hawaiianohana31

The Dean Beans:

@akshi8278  @ericaprice2008  @cuffski  @ruprecht0420  @kathaswings  @deanscarlett  @hobby27  @deanssweetheart23  @yourvoiceislikearose  @wingedcatninja  @pisces-cutie  @mogaruke  @lastactiontricia

[scifrey]

2019 Writing Round Up

The new year is here, and with it everyone is talking about what they wrote this past year. The last quarter of 2019 was a brutal rollercoaster for me, emotionally and personally, so it’s good for me to have the chance to sit here and reflect on what I accomplished and the good things that happened too.

2019 started with receiving a grant from the Toronto Arts Council for The Maddening Science – said grant went to research materials for the novel, a new computer, printer, and keyboard, and paying off some debts. But 2019 also started in a place of utter burn-out, having slammed through writing, editing, and publishing five big novels in three years, as well as rewriting a feature film and completing the scripts for three seasons of a webseries.

I was also working two dayjobs – one first thing in the morning, for an hour and a half, and then a standard eight-hour shift in the evenings which got me home at around 10pm – so my sleep schedule was a mess and I was having trouble not only making time to write, but concentrating when I did have the time.

I started the year in a place of complete exhaustion and mild frustration that neither of my book series had really caught on, and as my agent once said, “burned out from tried to break out.”  I’m not happy to say that I think I still occupy that place a full year later; but I’ve had the opportunity to rest more, and begin to refill my creative well again, and to reclaim my writing space by no longer needing a roommate.

I’m not quite there yet – turns out finishing two series in four years really takes it out of you – but maybe in a few more months I’ll be ready to sit down and begin to spin out a new novel. In the mean time, I’ve got lots of irons in the fire, as you’ll see.

January

The first third of 2019 was dedicated to rewriting The Skylark’s Sacrifice a second time. I’d rewritten it in the last third of 2018 and my editor ended up agreeing that while the rewrite was exactly what she asked for, we should not have gone down that street in the first place. It was what was asked of me, but it didn’t work. So I took it back to the drawing board, and started the re-write all over again.

I also published WORDS FOR WRITERS: The DO-ING Trap.

I finished the edits/polish on A Woman of the Sea, which I had begun in October 2018 and loaded the book onto Wattpad in preparation for serializing it.

February

I spent February rewriting and jobhunting. I tried to write a short story and Did Not Do Well. It’s half done and likely to end up on the Pile Of Unfinished Tales.

At least I got some new words on the page with WORDS FOR WRITERS – Beta Readers.

And I began releasing A Woman of the Sea a chapter at a time on Valentine’s Day.

March

I completed the Skylark rewrites and handed them over to Reuts Publications.  I also published WORDS FOR WRITERS – From Signing to Signing.

At this point I tried to start The Maddening Science, the book I received a Toronto Art’s Council Grant for in 2018, and bashed out a few chapters and a few scenes. But something was off about it, and I couldn’t pinpoint why, so I kept going into the file and only put a few hundred words in here and there. I couldn’t really sit down and dig in, and because I don’t believe in Writer’s Block as a mystical magical reason for why people can’t write (there are always reasons), I had to step back to try to figure out why I was struggling. I assumed it was probably because I was in the middle of job interviews and decided to try again later.

April

I started a new copywriting job, leaving my other two dayjobs, and it sucked up all my brainpower and creativity and made it very hard to want to sit down and compose yet more words at the end of the day.

I resumed working piecemeal on The Maddening Science, pecking out what I could one molasses-slow sentence at a time. I realized that the incidents in the news regarding the current political comment and the toxic white supremacist misogyny that is rampant in our society today has made it very hard to figure out how to tell a responsible story about a supervillain as the protagonist.

I’m still working on that. In the mean time, while I figure out how to restructure the tale, the book and the progress blog are on hiatus.

May

Still brain-dead from work, I only managed to bash out WORDS FOR WRITERS: How do social media and writing/publishing work together?

June

There were some final edits on The Skylark’s Sacrifice to be discussed, but I really did nothing this month beyond marketing pushes and watching all the webseries I judged for TOWebfest.

July

The director of my feature film, To a Stranger, was going to start shopping the script around to executive producers, so before he did that I got some actorfriends together to do a table read. The read, and their feedback, revealed some character motivation gaps in the film, and I set about organizing their notes and figuring out how to solve the issues.

I also wrote and published WORDS FOR WRITERS – How To Write a Synopsis.

This was also the month of TOWebfest, the festival itself, and I spent a lovely day with fellow creators and spoke to some executive producers about my own webseries to try to garner interest.

I was a guest at Pretty Heroes Con for the first time and LOVED it. It’s great to celebrate strong female leads in SF/F and I loved Sailor Moon as a kid, so I was in nostalgic nirvana. It was lovely to introduce those Girl Power-loving fans to The Skylark’s Saga.

August

I restructured and rewrote To a Stranger, added extra characters and extra scenes to clear up some character motivation in the screenplay. It’s now back with the director and I hope to hear that he’s got a production house and an Exec attached to the project soon.

I appeared at FanExpo Toronto to do some panels, sell some books, and judged the short fiction contest. I also wrote and published WORDS FOR WRITERS: How to Create a Pitch Package.

September

The Skylark’s Sacrifice was published! Yay! I had a wonderful launch party at Bakka Phoenix, and got to simultaneously launch the incredible book trailer for the duology animated by Elizabeth Hirst to a song by Victor Sierra. Friends Adrianna Prosser and Eric Metzloff, and Danforth Brewery made it extra special.

I also got to read at Word on the Street, which was been a career-long dream, reading on the new Across the Universe Stage.

However, September was also the month when I lost the copywriting job. I saw it coming, so I was shocked when it happened and how it went down, but not surprised. I wasn’t fitting in well with the team, the original project I had been hired for had been vetoed by the execs, work was being taken away from me and given to freelancers, and I didn’t have the training they wanted (though that makes me wonder why they hired me in the first place.) In retrospect it’s been a blessing, as the workplace was not at all a good fit for me and was slowly becoming toxic, but at the time it was a devastating blow to my confidence and my coffers.

Just a few days after I was fired, on my 37th birthday, I won a Watty Award for A Woman of the Sea. Happy birthday to me! I was offered a place among the Wattpad Stars program and accepted – and wow, is there a lot of paperwork for that – and I’m still trying to figure out what benefits the program offers. (Though I’m pretty chuffed with my free Canva Premium subscription!) A Woman of the Sea was featured on the home page as an Undiscovered Gem and as of today has about 82k reads. Whoa!

I also wrote and published WORDS FOR WRITERS: How to Plan a Series.

October

I spent most of the month sleeping and crying and working through how I felt about getting fired. When one identifies oneself as a writer, to finally get a job in writing was a thrill and felt like a confirmation that although I was struggling with my next book, I was a writer and I’d get through it. Being fired from the job – even though the reason was an exec decision to eliminate my project and thus my role – felt like a very personal blow. I wasn’t a writer after all. (Or at least, that’s what it felt like).

This had me thinking long and hard. Especially about where I wanted my writing career to go next – as much I’ve been writing in the realm of SF/F the past decade, I’ve begun to realize that was I really am is a Character-Driven Romance writer. Romance set in spec fic and fantasy realms, sure, but Romance and Character Work are my wheelhouse and how I should be selling myself.

This realization has been pretty freeing because it means that the frustrations and roadblocks I’ve been coming up against can maybe be dissolved by reframing my brand and rethinking my career map.

Wattpad added the sample of City By Night that’s on Wattpad to their Halloween Reads list on the homepage and I decided to put the whole novella up on the site for people to read. Read it now, though. It won’t stay up forever as the eBook rights to the novel are signed with an indie publisher. This is just a limited-time promotion.

And knowing that readers were asking what I would be posting next on Wattpad after A Woman of the Sea, I rejigged Triptych for the site and started serializing it from the start. You can read it here. This story also won’t stay up forever, for the same reason.

I also started serializing Words for Writers on Wattpad. I won’t be copying over all 75+ articles I have on my website, just the ones that are specifically useful for Watties.

I also polished a webseries and sent it to a producer with a major broadcaster after our convo at TOWebfest for consideration. I’ve followed up but there’s no reply. I’ll follow up again in January 2020 but I can pretty well assume that No Answer is my ‘No’ Answer.

I am thinking about maybe pitching it as a graphic novel in the future, though I’m going to have to reach out to my friends who write them for publishers to figure out how to put at pitch together.

November

In 2017 I handed over a YA contemporary re-telling of “Northanger Abbey” to my agent, and it was lukewarmly received by both her and the handful of editors she showed it to. It was then shelved for possible future reworking.

In the first part of the NaNoWriMo month, I decided to tackle this reworking, and I was still wrestling mentally with The Maddening Science. This reworking was inspired a lot by reading Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston in October, and realizing that the tone I’d been going for with my narrator hadn’t been irreverent or GenZ-y enough for the story I was trying to tell, and not grounded enough in the technologies and social media that my modern-day Catherine Morland would have access to.

I reworked the Pitch Document for the novel, now currently called “Title TBA”, and got to chapter seven during NaNo. I’ve got some thinking to do about structure for the novel, and how far into using Social Media As A Storytelling Tool I want to go with the idea, but generally speaking I’m pretty pleased with the result of the rewrites.

Partway through NaNo, it occurred to me that there was another story that my Wattpad readers were asking for, and one that would be a lot of fun to write. In A Woman of the Sea, my fictional Regency-era  Jane-Austen-analogue authoress Margaret Goodenough writes her debut novel “The Welshman’s Daughters”. As I describe this non-existent novel in A Woman of the Sea, it’s a gothic romance that’s very Elizabeth Gaskell-and-Jane Austen-esque in terms of it being a character study driven romance, with some of the fun high melodrama and gothic tone of Anne Radcliffe. And, in the world of A Woman of the Sea, it’s the first queer kiss in Classic Western Literature.

A handful of readers have asked where they can find this book, or have confessed to going to the library to ask for it, only to learn that it’s not real. I made it up.

And I thought… well, why not make it real?

So I’m working on the pitch doc and the first chapter now, to see if a) this is something I want to pursue and b) this is something that will help me break through my burn-out slump. I hope it will, but I think I still need to take time to rest before I really push into it.

And I still have the “Title TBA” rewrites to complete.

December

I published WORDS FOR WRITERS: How Do I Get An Agent?, and spent the rest of the month just trying to chill. I’ve become a bit of a reluctant reader, so I am trying to push myself to read a little each day, to remind myself why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place.

A Woman of the Sea was turned down for Paid Stories, unfortunately, because of the structure of the romance. The Stars Team explained that romance stories like this one, with one romantic partner in the first half of the book, and a different one in the second (a la Brigit Jones’ Diary) doesn’t tend to do well on Paid because readers are reluctant to shell out for a romance where they don’t meet the HEA partner until later. It’s heartbreaking to hear, because I was really hoping that this might become a viable stream of income for me. At least the team who turned it down were very kind and expressed how much they loved the story in and of itself.

But no matter – onwards and upwards!

What’s ahead for 2020

Well, I’m not sure. This has been a really, really difficult year and I have really, really struggled with trying to figure out who I am and what I want, both in life and as a writer.

Certainly, there will be lot of hard thinking about the future of my writing career. I have ideas that I love and want to pursue, but this post-firing-return-to-the-job-hunt-depression is killing my desire to create. And honestly, the fact that I’ve worked so hard for so many years and haven’t managed to get any sort of break-through or cultural foothold or ability to even really to pay my bills with this job is disheartening. I’m still paying more in marketing every year than I’m making in Royalties.

However, I have some new opportunities on the horizon – conversations happening behind closed doors, as well as Divine Paradox Films still working toward filming To A Stranger, and Alpaca vs Llama shopping The Skylark’s Song as a teens animated series. And the webseries I wrote is under consideration with a new production team, so I can keep my fingers crossed.

Who knows, perhaps the rewritten “Title TBA” might be just the thing to propel my work into a realm where I’m really earning money. Though I had originally envisioned it as the first of a series, the more I work and think on it, the more I feel like it would be best as a stand-alone. I think it would slap a lot harder if it was a one-off.

And I am genuinely liking the plot of The Welshman’s Daughters, and all the research reading and viewing I am doing to get the tone and mood of the book right (please recommend me your favourite Gothic Romances – film, TV, or books!)

But I’m not going to rush anything. It’s nice to be able to remember how to putter with a book and have no looming, razor-blade deadlines hanging over my neck.

2020 will be, I hope, a year of renewed creativity, motivation, and the year where I complete at least one of the three novel projects I’ve started.

For now, I think I’m going to go have a nap.

*

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[comicteaparty]

March 28th-April 3rd, 2020 Creator Babble Archive

The archive for the Creator Babble   chat that occurred from March 28th, 2020 to April 3rd, 2020.  The chat focused on the following question:

How many hours do you work on your comic per week, and how do you manager to balance that with other responsibilities?

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

heheh So we are.. cheating a bit Both me and my coworker are unemployed, and is working on hour comic, like was it a full time job. It is our passion project, and dream that we can work and live of makeing comics. In Denmark you can apply for grants from the government, but you need to have releashed a book before that is possible. We are useing the comic, to show potentional clients in the future what we can do. For now we are working on it from 09:00-17:00 ish (with a long lunch break) while applying for other kinds of grants, and also does all the things we are supposed to to get our unemplyment money, and searching for jobs, and freelance gigs, gathering the courage to start our own small company (not right now though) and yeaah time will tell

carcarchu

@Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS that doesn't sound like cheating to me? more like using the tools at your disposal to turn your passion into a viable career

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

hehe it feels a little like cheating! there are some debates about if it is okay or not, but we think that strengthening our skills is a good use of our time

eli [a winged tale]

Haha also not cheating! It’s great you’re using the time to chase the dream I’m curious what’s your breakdown for those time working on the comic? As for me, usually 1-2 hours a day with a bit more on the weekend if time permits. These days with the quarantine it’s about 2-3 h a day

DanitheCarutor

Since I'm unemployed until who knows when I've been working on my comic between 40-50 hours a week about 6 to 7 days a week... most weeks. Some days, like update day or chore day, I hardly work on the comic or don't work on it at all. Admittedly I'm not the best at balancing drawing with other responsibilities, sometimes I get so into it that I forget about daily house chores, other weeks I do the opposite and only do house chores which makes me totally behind of comic stuff. I can't seem to find a good middle ground, it always turns into completely focusing on one or the other.

eli [a winged tale]

Yeah when I get in the zone, time flies and life gets put to the wayside

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

So I have no school or work, so the webcomic has become almost a fulltime project for me

I average about 10 hours per day working on it, not counting on chores and exercise

Another thing I worry about is the possibility of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is why I've been relentless with exercise, too

I guess it's just a combination of relentless reminders and also sheer willpower that gets me to do other responsibilities haha

@eli [a winged tale] also I know that feeling

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

So since my school had to cancel, I have to be more responsible for my online course. Sometimes I give myself 2 days off each week to work more into my upcoming webcomic but I have to switch my mind for school work, online classes. Also extra time for food. I need to get back into exercise or I feel exhausted more easily. I keep a wall schedule so that I make it a routine to write what I'll do every 3 or 5 days, to keep my active brain reminded(edited)

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

I spent the majority of last year (fun)employed (partially by choice, partially not! my previous job let me go rather unceremoniously... and I needed a hiatus anyway... so it worked out) so I poured a lot more hours into that chapter of Phantomarine than I usually did. I worked on it almost every day - at least for a couple of hours, but sometimes up to a full eight-hour day. That number has dipped tremendously since I’ve gone back to work, but I’m spreading the same amount of time out in a broader way. I’m trying to get a good buffer during my hiatus, so I can work and draw in a healthy balance. I don’t have crazy overtime at my current job like I did at my last one, so that’s already a comfort. I’m confident I’ll be able to hit a good stride once the comic returns in June (edited)

eli [a winged tale]

Can’t wait Lady!!

Feather J. Fern

Two part time jobs, and school killed my comic, but I been working on getting one panel done a day, which is around 30minutes to an hour if possible.

eli [a winged tale]

My routine used to be rendering on the commute but now just once in am and once pm until this limbo time is clarified

That’s awesome Feather! It’s so rewarding when everything comes together after putting effort everyday

Feather J. Fern

Once school is done in two more weeks I will be more free to do things so I hope to get maybe two panels done in a day XD

Online school, stupid quarantine

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

Due to the pandemic im mostly off school and my part time job so i spend like 4-5 hours on my comic per day. Still would like try to get a page done per day but lmao digital painting is slowwww

eli [a winged tale]

What’s everyone’s tips for breaks/stretches/balance? I feel like I certainly need to revisit these to avoid burnout and continue feeling motivated!

Feather J. Fern

Actually there was a cool manga artist who's tip was literally he only worked working hours. His mornings are free and since manga was his job, he worked form 12-6, giving him 2 hours to do other work he needs to get done, and takes morning walks and stuff.

Another person I know had "No working weekends" as a thing becuase they are a freelancer.

I personally have try to make sure I ahve a routine, and actually, stretch before drawing.

Streetch before, during a break, and then after, to keep that body nice and warmed up

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Health-wise there's this hing for your : every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. I'm not good at following this, but when I do it, it helps a lot.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Despite the current pandemic, my work-life hasn't changed much (unless you count stress getting in the way). I am currently "unemployed," but I do consider comicking my full-time job. I am also not very good at balancing work and life. Something's always gotta give. Last year, I worked at a job that basically ruined my ability to work on my comic. I worked 30-40 hours typically, ruined my sleep schedule, took work home sometimes, and was constantly exhausted. This is what resulted in my year and a half long hiatus, and it's what drove me to work like hell on my comic when I quit. Now (when I'm in the groove and not suffering from art block), I typically spend 60-70 hours on my comic and get 2-3 pages done: - 30 hours sketching (I know, ridiculous) - 5 hours filling in base colors - 20-25 hours painting - 5 hours adding text, speech bubbles, sfx, and finishing touches - 1-2 hours formatting for Webtoon I also spend some time throughout the week typing up the script, doing concept art for things coming in the future of the comic, and preparing for conventions, but I can't tell you exactly how much time.

eli [a winged tale]

Thanks for the breakdown! I’m always keen to learn from everyone and seeing how the workflow is like for different people

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

oh don't forget to do wrist stretches!

eli [a winged tale]

Ahh formatting time is always so tedious for me!

Yes wrist exercises! Any recommendations?

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

hmmm well the easiest one is literally just shaking it out

like every hour

and I also like to hold my arm out parallel, point my fingers up and using my other hand to pull the fingers back so i'm stretching the wrist

then I point the fingers down and pull on the fingers until my wrist is stretching

eli [a winged tale]

Awesome. Will be adopting those!

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I'm pretty fast. 2-6 hours per page, depending on how detailed it is. Average of 3-4. I could probably do 2 pages/ week easily enough, but don't want to do more than that. I'm the kind of person who always needs to be doing a million different things. I need to leave time for my other hobbies and my paintings and my academics and extracurriculars. Otherwise I'd get burnt out doing one thing only

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

@eli [a winged tale] So since it is both me and @Q (Wayfinders: Off Course) working, we start with working on a rough each, our goal is one step (so rough, ink, color) for two pages pr day, pr person. So in a weak the goal is four finished pages a week, and then we upload 3 pages per week. So it is divided that in the morning we start at 09:00 in the morning, maybe checking mail, being practical or whatever. Then we work until 12:00 were we eat lunch, go for a long nice walk and then we go back to work between 13:00 and 14:00 ish and then work until 17:00 when we begin to prepare dinner. Then of course breaks inbetween

Q (Wayfinders: Off Course)

It’s pretty wild to be able to dedicate your entire day to comics like that

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

damn you all work fast

do you guys have any tips on how to work on a webcomic faster?

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Lol, I wish!

Still looking for those magical secrets

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

@shadowhood (SunnyxRain) You know the 80-20 rule? You can get 80% of the result with 20% of the effort? My comic is very messy if you zoom in. I don't spend time making sure the linework or the coloring is perfectly clean. Also, I'm pretty fast at drawing figures. I used to practice figure drawing a lot by rushing to draw strangers irl before they moved, or by drawing a bunch of fast figures from the free figure drawing model websites online. I've also taken a figure drawing course (didn't even have to pay because it was part of my university! Even if you don't have that option you can probably find free life drawing sessions on Meetup or similar!) which really helped me streamline my process for drawing people

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Oh I see! Yes, I used to take life drawing classes too! And your response makes me feel a lot better

I tend to be a bit messy with inking, and since i'm a perfectionist a lot of my time is wasted on editing/clean up

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I've seen cronaj draw, and while I think the results look excellent, I think her method is a kind of inefficient. She draws like a printer, nearly finishing one detailed body part before moving on the the next. I think maybe if she drew in a more classical way, going from a gesture drawing to progressively more detailed, it might help her be faster and her poses more cohesive and dynamic. Maybe working on 1 or 5 min figures would help? Practicing things like this?

eli [a winged tale]

Yeah I try to do figure practices for efficiency

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

I heard that there are some online life drawing vids you can follow too

but what are your experiences with online life drawing vids versus the real thing

like is there a real difference?

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

found some of my old 1 minutes

To me there's not too much difference

I've heard some people say that life drawing is either way easier or way harder though. Because of your depth perception when looking at a real person

But the bruises on my legs can attest to my horrid depth perception haha. That might be why I don't notice a difference

Actually those previous sketches might be 30 seconds? I don't remember

I would recommend you try both but right now we pretty much only have the online option haha

eli [a winged tale]

Yeah I’ve done both and I think irl creates complexity with depth and the interactions with others etc is helpful but online is my go to for flexibility

I think having a process streamlined will make things more efficient. The downside is that it might feel tedious and I do switch it up from time to time for variety

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Might feel uncomfortable but that's how you know you're improving

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

There is a TON of difference for me. I HAVE to look at a physical model in front of me.

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Can't get better if you always do the same things

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

This is what my brain does.

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I wonder- could drawing yourself in a mirror be a decent substitute?

If youre lucky you might also be able to ask an SO or roommate to model for you. Should probably pay them back by cooking for them or something though

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Brain: sees a real model in front of me Brain: translates 3D to 2D, result: drawing Brain: sees a photo/video of a model Brain: SHIT. That's supposed to be 3D, isn't it? Brain: Translates 2D to 3D (basically re-constructing it in my head, or attempting to re-construct) so that it can translate it back to 2D Brain: BSOD

There's some online resources out there that have "3D" photos... you know, two near-identical images side by side, so if you look at it cross-eyed, it becomes 3D?

But I can't do those because I get a headache X'D

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Just thinking about drawing from that makes me dizzy

eli [a winged tale]

Oh interesting!

Yeah maybe looking out the window to draw people would be the way to go...

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

But maybe figure drawing in VR exists?

eli [a winged tale]

Balcony figure drawings

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I live on the top floor so those are going to be some very small figures

eli [a winged tale]

For ants

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Once this coronavirus thing is over, there's lots of ways you can do gesture drawings from just random people -- bus stops, cafes, museums (I have not done this, but people who have done this report this is really good because others assume you're drawing the artworks. XD)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I've done this a lot

Sometimes I've even shown people drawing of themselves if they've turned out particularly nice

They've always taken it well

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

I like drawing my professors because they use hand gestures a lot when they talk

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Airport was REALLY good for finding people stuck in one pose indefinitely

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

they alwayas laugh when I show them

eli [a winged tale]

Shadow omg I do that too

Draws classmates

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

yeah the only issue i have with drawing classmates

is that they're always doing the "i'm using my phone" pose

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Become the master of drawing people on their phones

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Maybe try drawing children on the playground?

This works better if you're a woman

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

oh thank jesus

I also like going to the zoo or the museum

or the aquarium if i'm feeling adventurous

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I am a University student so I also have some pretty interestng drawings of people asleep in weird poses

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

I really need to start going to weekly figure drawing sessions once this is over (there's one here... 20 min drive... 8AM Saturdays )

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

ditto or just go to the park and draw

and @Eightfish (Puppeteer) I've had some.....weird poses from all my profs

one guy was incredibly hard to draw; he was VERY enthusiastic about showing us knife skills

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

The parks here are too spacious, to a degree where it's weird to get close enough to people

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Bring binoculars

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Don't worry ma'am I'm an artist

nothing sketchy

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

(except my sketch)

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

A+ pun right there

another place to go for figure drawing

theaters

like.....opera/plays

I once tried drawing the men dancing in the Newsies musical

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Tried that once, but it took me out of the performance

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

same i was dazzled by dancing men

aaaaand then i abandoned sketching at all when they started throwing newspaper strips into the audience

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

But they were giving you free paper!

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

THEY WERE

i'll take what i can get

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

@Eightfish (Puppeteer) While I agree that my method of drawing is "inefficient," I do not draw like a printer. There are videos of people drawing like a printer and it's not what I'm doing. I have done gesture drawing before, but it always looked incredibly abstract, and not quite like people, which is fine, but not what I'm going for. I treat gesture drawing like a warm-up exercise. It doesn't really do anything for my end result, but gets my drawing muscles stretched out.(edited)

eli [a winged tale]

Gesture drawings are definitely a good warmup!

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Perhaps it was an inappropriate analogy. What works for me I guess wouldn't work for everyone. I was trying to offer advice because whenever you talk about how much time you spend on art and you work life balance it's commendable but also dismaying. I hope you find something that works for you in the future

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

Oh god.. I sometimes work 6 hours a day. I guess thats like 30 hours a week? Crazy to think about, it's like a full job

Oooh you guys are sharing figure drawings... I swant to show some of mine

Behold

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

My figure drawing usually breaks down into like, medical anatomy study. I feel like I understand body shapes better by including the muscles & bones

carcarchu

ABS the most important figure study

Deo101 [Millennium]

ah figure drawing? I love figure drawing ^^

I do like a lot but this kinda thing is most of it

anyways as for the question at hand, I do a lot of different things for my comics weekly. My millennium pages take me 2-6 hours i would say, but I also have patreon things I need to do so I'd say i spend 10-15 hours on it a week. for my other comic, I spend about 6 hours an update, and it updates every other week. but honestly, all of my free time goes to assorted comics. If i'm not working on school work or chatting with people, I'm working on things for patreon, potential merch, or other comics I want to start sometime.

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

Oooh nice poses!!’

Deo101 [Millennium]

thanks!! I have a ton of gesture/figure drawings but these ones are my most recent that I have saved to my computer i think

10 minutes im pretty sure. very good for speeding up

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

Those look really nice, good values

Deo101 [Millennium]

thanks ^^ I really hate working in charcoal honestly, it kinda always winds up hurting my body somehow, but its very quick sooooooo

kayotics

My answer for the prompt question has changed a lot since I started quarantine lmao... I used to do about 10 hours of work throughout the week on my comic page (usually after work, I have an office job) but ironically it’s gotten harder while I work from home. I’ve been struggling to find time since I don’t have a separation between work and home now, and putting the boundaries up of “I’m not always available” to coworkers is difficult.

Also on figure studies: they’re a great way to practice speed. I use the concepts of figure drawings all the time.

RebelVampire

@kayotics As someone who always works from home doing remote contract work, I have to say I think this is something a lot of people underestimate about work at home life. In that it's sometimes really difficult to establish boundaries with ppl and make them understand you aren't always available and also aren't gonna work billions of hours of overtime. So I'm sorry to hear that's affecting your comic work.

Shadowmark Productions

I work anywhere from 6-8 hours a day on comic stuff. That’s an average though. Sometimes I slack and need to pull all nighters to make up for it. Yes, I am terrible at time management. They say entrepreneurs are the only people willing to work 80 hours a week for themselves so they do not have to work 40 hours a week for someone else. I guess webcomic creators are the only people willing to work 80+ hours a week so that they can... go to work for someone else afterwards

AntiBunny

4 days of procrastinating, 1 of procrastinating and hating myself, and 2 of actual comic drawing seems to make up my weekly comic making schedule. :p

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

I can only imagine how stressed I would be if I forced myself to update weekly

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

This is a hard question to answer because it varies a lot depending on my energy levels. Ideally I’d spend several hours a day on comics, but realistically I draw as much as possible when I have the energy (5+ hours a day for as many days in a row as I can handle it) and then go weeks or months too tired to do comics. On average, barring any long periods of exhaustion or other interruptions from RL, I spend about 20+ hours a week making pages for my comics.

sagaholmgaard

I prefer to work on my comic for about an hour ever morning and maybe 2-3 hours in the evening, that's the ideal routine for me. Right now I sadly have a lot of schoolwork to do (writing my thesis) so i might get less than 30 minutes in the morning and then feel rlly tired in the evening so I dont get as much time then either. but oh well!

I can still work for 4-5 hours on the weekends so I manage ^^(edited)

chalcara [Nyx+Nyssa]

The whole stay-indoors order's currently completely wrecked my pattern, but before that I did between 3-4 hours a day.

Shadowmark Productions

Can’t imagine the stress of a daily or even weekly posting schedule. Hats off.

[snicketstrange]

Daniel Handler duplicates events to confuse you

This is Part 4 of Strange Interpretation by Jean Lúcio From Brazil.

To understand this text, it is necessary to read my first and my second texts in the links below. And my third, too.

The next step in understanding my theory is to understand a Daniel Handler mechanism to confuse the reader. Daniel Handler uses duplicates. I believe most people have realized this in one form or another. The plot involving The Triplets Denouement is a classic example of this. But in addition, Daniel Handler creates events with several similarides, despite some diffences. In my first text I showed an example of this. Lemony Snicket was kidnapped twice. Once when he was a baby, and again when he was a child a few years old. In the letter found in chapter 1 of the UA, Lemony highlights the small differences between the facts reported in the music the Litte Snicket Lad and his own memories. Even the name of Lemony's father is different in music. While Lemony believes he was kidnapped only once when he was a child of a few years, there is a photo that confirms that Lemony was really a baby who fell to the ground and crawled out when he was kidnapped. In addition, Lemony's "mother" was surprised to find a picture of when Lemony was a baby. She soon wondered, "Who took this picture?" The "13 Shocking Secrets" pamphlet confirmed that Lemony was kidnapped when he was a baby, and this makes me believe that Daniel Handler has created two similar events separated by a few years from each other. 

I believe that this example found in chapter 1 of the UA was a hint of Daniel Handler. He wanted to show how investigations should be on the chronology of the ASOUE universe. Readers should assume that there may be similar events that occurred at different points in time.

Five of these events stand out in my theory.

The first one is the embarkation of Lemony on the ship Prospero to flee to the outside of the country.

The second of them is the publication of the death of Lemony in the Daily Punctilio.

The third is the existence of two Masked Balls sponsored by the Duchess of Winippeg specifically quoted in ASOUE, one of which happened before Kit's death, and another masked ball that happened years after Kit's death.

The fourth duplicate event is Schism. In fact this event was tripled. There was VFD's Great Schism, which happened when Kit was about 4 years old. This Schism divided VFD on two sides. One side was against all forms of violence, which completely abandoned the use of weapons, and devoted itself to reading and good deeds. Ishmael decided to support this side, and abandoned his weapons completely. Kit, Jacques, Lemony, and Olaf were taken to this pacifist side. The other side of Schism decided to fight fire against fire. This side was very violent, and probably believes that all evil must be fought with violence. Everyone who participated in this Schism has an ankle tattoo. Hence, just before the cancellation of Lemony's marriage, there was Olaf's Schism, when Olaf became a "freelancer", and decided to use his troupe to destroy VFD. But for this Olaf allied with the old enemies of VFD, that was the incendiary organization resulting from the first Schism. Between one Schism and another happened the events described in ATWQ. At these events we realized that Lemony disagreed with the totally peaceful methods on the side he was in VFD. Shortly before finishing his theoretical training in VFD, Lemony made a revolutionary speech. He also sent a letter to Beatrice about a preemptive war. While in Stain'd-by-the-Sea, Lemony said that he believed that it was necessary to use evil to fight evil and eventually killed Hangfire. When Lemony was an adult, Lemony fought using machetes along with Jacques and Kit. In addition, apparently Lemony, Kit, Beatrice and Bertrand participated in a plan to kill Count Olaf's father or parents. Thus, Lemony and his associates believe that from time to time it is necessary to fight fire with fire, but they also believe that only noble and well read people can make a correct judgment and then use violence from time to time to do away with evil. So Lemony created a secret organization within a secret organization. I call this event a Lemony's Schism. It is interesting that Olaf speaks of Shismes in plural when he is imprisoned on the island. Thus, during the ASOUE events there are 4 groups relating to each other. A pacifist side, a fire-fighting side, Olaf and his Troupe, and Lemony and his associates who are officially part of the pacifist side but who are willing to use violence secretly to do away with evil. In a future text I will explain this whole concept better by citing the references, but I believe fans should know which parts I referred to in this paragraph.

The fifith duplicate event is the survival of a person to a fire inside a secret tunnel that connects that person's home to another building. One of these people was Quigley and the other person was Beatrice.

Let's start by talking about what makes me believe that Lemony fled abroad on the Prospero ship twice, and that Lemony's death was published twice in the Daily Punctilio newspaper.

Look this excerpts from UA chapter 1.

Lemony Snicket, Autor of A Séries of Unfortunate events, the purportedly true chronicles of the Baudelaire children, was reported dead today by anonymous and possibly unreliable sources... Mr. Snicket became a fugitive from justice  and was rarely seen  in public... At least, the Baudelaires' story, and his, appears to be over... A burial maybe scheduled later this year.

Notice in these excerpts that Lemony is called the author of ASOUE. Even the newspaper in question being unreliable, the publishers of this newspaper would never have imagined that Lemony would one day become the author of ASOUE if these news had been  written at the time Beatrice canceled Lemony's marriage. In fact, by the time Beatrice canceled her marriage to Lemony, Beatrice had no children.

So when this news was published, at least some of the ASOUE books had already been published in Lemony's universe.

But not all 13 books had been published. The reason why it was explained in the paper that the books of ASOUE would stop being published was not the conclusion of the work by Lemony Snicket, but it was Lemony to have died before completing the work.

Now read below an excerpt from Lemony's personal notes regarding this report.

"I have arrived early at the harbor and still have a few minutes before the Prospero os scheduled to appear so I thought I might jot down a few notes concerning the news of my death, which was alarming but not true. I'm, as of half -past four this afternoon, still alive, and I was most certainly alive the day I sat at Cafe Kafka with my afternoon tea and read my obituary in the newspaper. 

The Daily Punctilio has never been a reliable newspaper: not when I worked there as part of an under-cover assignment, not when that terrible reporter to write about the Baudelaire case and not when they advertised a sale on three-piece suits a few days ago, at a store that turned out to sell nothing but Indian rugs... The only thing that turned out to be true about my obituary was the last sentence, and this morning I had the curious experience of attending my own burial. To my astonishment, quite a crowd showed up for the event - mostly people who had believed the EARLIER stories about me IN THE DAILY PUNCTILIO and wanted to be sure that a notorious criminal was indeed dead. That is why I am waiting here at this fogged-in harbor, in order to ... The Prospero has arrived, so I ill stop writing and file these notes with my letter... It make me sad to think that my whole life, from the cradele to the grave, is full of errors, but at least that will not happen to the Baudelaires.”

Please note that these personal notes were written following a report in the Daily Punctilio concerning Lemony's death found in chapter 1 of the UA.

Thus, these personal notes were evidently written after Lemony began publishing his books with the current editor. When Lemony was writing these personal notes, he was waiting for the Prospero to be able to escape to the outside of the country. By this time, all the major events narrated in ASOUE with the Baudelaire siblings had already occurred. Remember, since book 2 of ASOUE, Lemony already knew what had happened to Klaus years later.

However, as shown in ASOUE and Chapter 6 of the UA, Lemony had also fled abroad on the Prospero shortly after the cancellation of his marriage. At that time he fled in disguise as a sailor. At that time Jacques Snicket was still alive,and Jacques who advised Lemony to flee in this way. And also at this time, the Daily Punctilio reported that Lemony Snicket had died. According to Lemony on TGG, the Windershins showed this story to Beatrice, and this led Beatrice to marry Bertrand. It is interesting that in the personal notes of Lemony in chapter 1 of the UA, Lemony wrote that many people came to his "burial" to confirm if this time Lemony had really died. Most of the people who were there had been people who believed the first reports about Lemony, among these reports there was evidently one that related to Lemony's death.

 In that time that Lemony passed abroad he did not publish any book of ASOUE. In the next text I will write about it, which is what I call The Great Hiatus Theory. It is grounded in the R letter to Lemony found in chapter 2 of the UA and in the letter to the editor found at the end of TWW. Therefore, I will need to confirm the authenticity of the letter of R, or at least show that even if the letter is a fraud, it still confirms the Theory of the Great Hiatus. Until the next text.

Please comment!