#last time i wrote fic drabbles was in 2019

[leafsfromthevine]

thinking abt writing again... i have prompts in my drafts, one is halloween centered so i should start like... 2nite. should i start tonight? i have like 2 atla followers so i am asking you guys.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

January Creator of the Month: Jerzwriter

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists, and this month’s creator of the month is CFWC's own @jerzwriter.  The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog Complete Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? 

Elsa

More below...

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

It was sometime in 2017, and the first book I ever played was The Royal Romance, Book 1.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined a couple Facebook groups in 2019. I just wanted to discuss stories with others who were interested, as no one in my real life reads Choices. I didn't even know I was entering a fandom. lol I started reading fanfic on Tumblr the following year, but I found Tumblr intimidating, so I was mostly a silent reader. I didn’t start writing and contributing until May 2021, mostly because Open Heart was ending and I was in denial. 🙂

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

It’s pretty boring, actually. I’m from NJ, and I write. I wanted it to be JerZwriter, so people would know it is Jer-ZEE-Writer, but that wasn’t doable, so it’s Jerzwriter, and most think it is Jerz-Writer. Oh, well!  

4- Pull up the first and last posts in your archive, and tell us about them!  

My first post was the first chapter of my Ethan x Casey x Tobias love triangle, Delaying the Inevitable (OH).  It was my very first fanfic and I really didn't think I'd write anything beyond that.  I was so green back then, not only to fanfic but to the fandom as well. I’m really glad that I was naive because I don’t think I would have had the courage to post it if I had, but I’m glad that I did. 

My last post was Falling for You, a little drabble I wrote for Tobias x Casey (OH), and it featured a commission by the talented artist @weetlebeetle. It was a light, fun piece that took place early in Tobias and Casey's relationship, and it shows Tobias at his absolute simpiest. Lol 

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both? 

Oh, how I wish I could draw, but I can't.  So, I’m strictly a writer. I may try giving drawing a go again, but I don't expect much to come of it. lol

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

Choices was the first fandom I ever wrote for, and I started in May of 2021.  So, just over two and a half years. I have written a little bit for some other fandoms since that time, but I primarily write for Choices.

7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

Tough question.  I write for Open Heart, Crimes of Passion, and Wake the Dead, and they are three of my favorite stories. I also loved Desire & Decorum, but I never wrote for it.  Though, I’m planning a re-read, and you never know. 🙂

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

It was the first chapter of Delaying the Inevitable. I was so green when I started that series that I’m sure there are things I would change, but I’m still very proud of it.  That series will always have a special place in my heart.  I’d like to revisit it one day to “clean it up”, it could use some condensing. But I would never change the storyline.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created? 

This is such an unfair question. lol The Delaying the Inevitable Series definitely comes to mind, but I’m also very proud of my Eli Sipes prequel stories, A Mother’s Journal, Coming Up Blank, and The End of the World. But Tobias and Casey are my favorite pairing, and I simply love the world I created for them. And while my headcanon for them is my favorite, I cannot pick just one fic for them, and I'm not going to! lol But, I've also written a bunch of AUs for them, and Friends* is one of my favorites.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

Yes, to both! The fandom is much smaller today, but back when we were more active, I learned you couldn't predict how a fic would be received.  There are too many to name, but I will say whenever my smut does well (and quite a few of them have), I’m always astounded. lol 

11-  If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

This is such a difficult question because I believe the best stories incorporate a little of each, and, as a writer, exploring all three helps spur creativity. Also, my absolute favorite is angst with a happy ending, so there is definitely some fluff in there (and I'm never mad at a little smut being thrown in!) But if I were forced to choose, it would probably be angst.  I think that's where I am strongest, and I just love raw emotion. I think that’s where character development really occurs. I have not written as much angst recently, and I miss it.  Perhaps I need a change in 2024. 

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

There are definitely parts of me in my MCs and OCs, but I do my best to prevent them from becoming self-inserts.  I'm not as cool as any of them, that's for sure! lol That said, I do find inspiration for my fics in real life, so there is bound to be a little crossover. When using real-life inspiration, I try to change details so that the fiction is not a carbon copy of the real-life event. Normally, by the time I'm done, they're hardly recognizable.

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most? Where do you feel you are strongest?

I struggle most with setting a scene. Dialogue is my strong suit, and that just flows for me. It flows so much that sometimes I forget to describe what's going on around the conversation. I think this is particularly easy to do in fanfiction because so much of the "world" has already been provided for us, so I recognize this more when I'm writing original works.

The other thing I struggle with? Brevity. I know I can go on, and on, and on. lol I've gotten much better at this, but there is still room for improvement.

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

(Elsa leaves the room, quietly crawls under her desk, and hides…) YES!!! Far, far too many, and no matter how much I share those posts that say, "You don't have to finish! If you're not feeling it, move on!" I don't believe it! lol I really want to make wrapping them up a priority in 2024.  But I also know writing - particularly good writing - cannot be forced.  So, it's a goal, but I'll only do it if I feel it’s right. 

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first? 

It would depend on who asked.  I’m not ashamed of writing fanfic at all, but if I believed the person would be judgemental, I wouldn't be willing to share.  A few of my friends have read select pieces of my fanfic, and I’ve always received positive feedback from them. I wouldn’t be opposed to sharing more.  What I'd share would depend greatly on the person asking.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

There are many published writers that I admire, but I don’t think they've influenced my writing here. Within the fandom, there are many writers who have inspired me in different ways. There is no way I can ever name them all. But I'd like to give a shout-out to some.

@jamespotterthefirst and @bex-la-get were among the first writers I read when I joined Tumblr. I found their passion for both canon and the worlds they created inspiring, especially as Open Heart was nearing its end and all of us addicts needed our fill. Reading their works helped keep the story alive for me and so many others, and it inspired me to try my hand at it as well. To my shock, they were both so encouraging and supportive of me when I arrived, and I'm forever grateful. Back then, I thought they were rockstars - and they are! But now, they're also friends. I wasn't familiar with @alwaysmychoices from the start, but when I came across their work, I was just blown away.  Weekend with Dr. Ramsey will live rent-free in my head forever, and that headcanon about Charlie calling Ethan the night before she marries someone else. (I faint.) Ohhh, the delicious angst! The way she made me feel what Charlie felt was just mind-boggling, and it encouraged me to really dig into my character's emotions and bring them to life in a more meaningful way.

Early on, I read @utterlyinevitable, and the thing that impressed me the most was how Dom was willing to "write stories that “went "go there.”  They tackled issues that others wouldn't touch.  In their world, everything wasn’t perfect, including the characters themselves. I admired that vision and, frankly, bravery, and it definitely encouraged me to write what I wanted to and not what I felt was expected of me.

More recently, @mydemonsdrivealimo inspired me to explore parts of my MCs that I have not delved into in the past.  In particular, Casey's bisexuality. It can be challenging to represent a bisexual character when they are in a straight-presenting relationship, and you risk alienating readers no matter what you do (looking at all readers here.) So it becomes easier to be lazy and ignore it. But that's a disservice to the character as much as it's a disservice to people living similar situations in real life... like I have many times. Through MJ's writing and our conversations, they've helped me become more aware and do a better job in this regard, and I'm not even sure if they know this - it may totally be news to them lol - but I'm eternally grateful. Now, I feel my girl Casey is free, and OMG, how I love our characters playing together in HC now!

Then there are @lilyoffandoms and @storyofmychoices, who bring joy to all that they touch. Who knew when Lily created a little drabble putting our characters in a new world together, it would end up being one of the brightest fandom spots of 2023? Who knew that so much more would stem from that one work? Seriously, it's been one of the highlights of my fandom experience this year, and it's helped me to find inspiration at times when I felt like it was lost. Thank you both - I am so lucky to have you both here!

There are so many more I could mention, but I'd still forget people and feel horrible, so I want to take the chance to thank every writer in the fandom for sharing their gifts with us. Each of you is an inspiration in your own way; each of you can give someone an idea, and you have no idea where that spark will lead. So, never stop sharing!

17-  Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

Delaying the Inevitable, Friends*, All in the Past, and the WIP What’s Forever For. I also think some of my Ethan x Tobias works would have made for a good sitcom, and how I wish my Tobias x Casey friendship with Bryce x Jensen would be an epic sitcom. The world needs it! lol   (Jensen belongs to @mydemonsdrivealimo.)

19- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art? 

I do. Mostly shorter stories that will never see the light of day, but also some more substantive works... which will also never see the light of day! lol I wrote a novel-length political thriller some time ago. It would need a ton of work to bring it up to 2024, as the political landscape has changed so much. I also have two original WIPs I've been writing. One is an angsty story about a friendship that's loosely based on a childhood friend I lost to cancer a few years ago.  The other is a polyamorous romance about two best friends who fall for the same person. It's really a beautiful, emotional story. If I like the end result, maybe I'll let it see the light of day... maybe. lol

20-  What other hobbies do you have?

I enjoy theater, and I'm lucky enough to live in the best part of the world to partake in that.  I go to a lot of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and local theater productions. I also love going to concerts - they’re like group therapy! Trust me, I got more out of seeing Noah Kahan and Hozier in 2023 than I did from the entirety of sessions with my therapist - and I loved my therapist. lol

Prior to 2020, I did a fair amount of traveling, and I hope to start doing a little more this year.  But I have to admit, since the lockdown, I’ve become more of a homebody, and I like it, so we’ll see how that goes! 

I used to be very involved with activism and advocacy for women’s, lgbtq+, and mental health issues. I still am, but in a different capacity than I was in the past. These issues require people fighting for them, and doing so has always been a huge part of who I am, but it can be draining, and burnout is real. I really reached the end of my rope. So, nowadays, I work as a volunteer for a couple local organizations that really mean a lot to me. I'm not involved in grassroots efforts or taking trips to talk to legislators as often, but I'm helping people on a smaller scale, and that still goes a long, long way.

22: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

As most of you know, I’m one of the mods here at CFWC, so it was a little weird when my the wheel landed on my name.  But, honestly, it’s happened before, and I've just spun again, even though I am eligible. But this time around, I decided to do it. This fandom really means a lot to me, and I wanted to share a little more about myself and my crazy pixelated people.

I'm truly grateful to everyone in the fandom who does their part to make this a place that many, like me, still see as a place they want to be. We're smaller, it's imperfect, it has plenty of problems, but I am choosing to focus on the good... because there is much more of that than there is bad. So, thank you to each of you... and I hope we all have a wonderful 2024! xo

PS... My header... I know Tobias wasn't technically an LI... which was truly criminal. So, that's what fandom is for, fixing what canon effed up. lol My favorite canon LI is Trystan Thorne (COP). I tried adding their picture to the header alongside Tobias, but it looked terrible, so here I am. :)

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I can't wait to highlight more of you in 2024! :)

[imaginewarehouse]

Human!Sheriff x Reader x Human!Doc Hudson || Drabble

Plot: Flo's diner on Friday Night's is always a lot of fun- there's good food and drink (Which is not out of the ordinary, admittedly), good company (The whole town ends up there at some point in the night), and theirs dancing. You're determined to get the hot old men to dance with you.

Warnings: Age difference I guess but its not a focus point.

I have had this fic in my drafts, finished and all, for years. Since like, 2019-2020, but since I wrote it just for me (Also the reason for the fist person perspective), I had never bothered to edit it- well I finally did and I think its kinda cute ^^

🔆🔆🔆

“What are you two doing just sitting around and drinking over here for?” I ask Doc and the Sheriff, as I sweep off the dancefloor in exhaustion and rest in the chair beside Doc (The material of his blazer grazes my bare arm and I get a little jolt from the innocent touch). Mater’s a sweetie pie, and a great dancer but… boy, does he have more endurance than I do. After I take a second to gather my exhaustion and banish it, I turn to the two men and flash them a smile. “It’s fun out there!”

“Hmm, your exhaustion and the sweat completely bucketing off of you is especially encouraging.” Doc rolls his eyes, and turns to look back at the dancers. Ramone and Flo are dancing smoothly in the middle, like they’re practised, like they do it at home because they just love each other like that- unsurprisingly. Then Sally and Lightning are there, too, Mater’s found a new partner in Guido while Luigi laughs at his friend’s expense off to the side, and Lizzie's talking on happily to Red off to the side. A soft smile rests on my lips, until I turn away from the scene and back to the two men I’m sitting with. Sheriff’s already looking at me, which makes me smile wider.

“Being tired and sweaty is a good sign!” I exclaim, winking. “Sheriff, what about you? Fancy a round with me?” How many innuendos can I make with these men and get away with it? How many until they get it and take me? I’m not saying take advantage… because neither of them would do that- but at least recognise what I’m trying to get at here and ask me about it!!

He chuckles, moving in his bar stool chair to be more comfortable. “That’s a lovely offer, darlin’, but I’m afraid I’d probably just slow you down. I’m not as young as I used to be!”

At this, an opportunistic light switches on behind Doc’s calculating eyes, swivelling on his stool ever so slightly in order to turn that piercing stare on the sheriff. “Yes, he’s missed his last 3 check-ups, Y/N. Anything could be wrong with him.” Sheriff bristles and his expression dissolves into guilt, as he refuses to look at Doc who’s smirking. “Damn hot rods not allowing you a single day off to visit the office, right Sheriff?”

“Uhuh, ri-right.” Sheriff quickly clears his throat, straightening in his chair now to look around at anything other than Doc. As he does that, Dr Hudson glances to me with a quiet, conspiratorial look before taking another drink from his mug, making me giggle quietly.

In a moment, I raise my eyebrows at him. “Why don’t you take a dance with me, then? You must be at the height of health, ey Doc?”

A grunt is his response, as the amusement leaves his blue eyes and he looks away again.

“Come on, one of you? Both of you? I’m not picky- I’m desperate! Mater’s got a new partner and… “I risk a glance at the tow-truck owner and can’t stop a laugh from bubbling up to the surface. “Guido’s a hard act to beat! He’ll never want me back. I’m dying to get back on the floor, though!”

“Guido’s seemed to have transformed miraculously into a sack of potatoes.” Doc states in that slow, gravelly drawl, assessing the dancing couples as well. And it’s true, making me really chuckle this time at his analogy. Mater is just swinging the little Italian around at this point, with absolutely zero help from Guido himself. Guido’s toupee keeps bopping around and slipping out of place.

I stop my chuckling by biting my bottom lip, and scraping it through my teeth as I turn back to them. Sheriff’s stopped avoiding Docs gaze now and is looking at me with him like they’ve won- like together they can ward me off- Oh, ho, ho, though. These two think they’re so clever and victorious. But they haven’t gotten out of this. No, no. I’m determined; I’ll get one of them to dance with me tonight, even if it takes begging!

“You’re right.” I admit, then lean closer into the table pleadingly. “But I don’t want to dance with Mater, I want you two! Come onnnn,” I whine, looking as pleadingly as possible to them.

Doc sets me with a firm, straight lipped look. “And you’ll continue to want me.”

Well, that’s that then.

I turn from him, to Sheriff. When Doc’s mind is set, he usually will never change it. Sheriff, though… he’s a bit more lenient. A softie. A sweetheart. That’s one of the things I really love about him, in contrast to what I really love about Doc; his cleverness, his sternness. Unbelievably sexy qualities.

And I’m right, too. The Sheriff’s looking at me a with worried frown under that moustache and thoughtful deep, dark blue eyes. Oh lord, these men and their blue eyes. They had me my first day here in Radiator Springs.  

I offer my hand across the table to him, and up the ante with my cute pleading look, which I hadn’t even known was possible. I do so by adding a little pout, and it does the trick. Sheriff heaves a great sigh and drops his large hand into mine, getting out of his chair. He rolls his eyes. “Hot damn… “He mutters something about the lord saving him, as I get up from my seat with the biggest beam on my face and springing into place next to him like a slightly overexcited puppy, before returning his gaze to me. “Remember what I said, I’m not as springy as I once was. And, I was never a very good dancer in the first place, so- “

“Let’s go!” Now that I’ve got him up, I’m not about stand here and listen to him talk himself out of this again, so I take us off to a spot on the floor. When I turn back to him and let go of his hand, I flash him a bright grin and think out loud in anticipation as the song ends and we wait for the next one to play. “Besides, the point of this is not to look good, it’s to have fun! Wanna have fun with me, Sheriff?” Okay, so I might have gone a little far with that last comment as the poor, sweet man goes a little pink, but I pretend not to notice that and just listen out for the first few beats of the next song. Before I can make the first move and pick up his hands again, as the song’s a bit boppy and perfect for twirling, he takes up mine first and then, before I know it he’s dancing with me. It’s so much fun!, he’s not half bad at dancing like he let on- there’s a little bit of funk and we slip out of time every now and then but that just makes us laugh. And he twirls me!! He twirls me!!! I’m also starting to think he was just being modest, with all that ‘I’m not as springy as I once was’, crap. Sheriff’s in shape! We’ve been dancing for the past 8 songs and he has not once needed a break or looked like he would be needing one any time soon.

It’s so much fun that I nearly forget to want a drink, or a break myself. The music is so hillbilly it’s fun, the laughter is elating, and the company is addictive. Every time a song ends, he’ll dip me and I’m not afraid that he’ll drop me; he’s strong, and his grip on me is firm. I laugh quite a bit when he does that, and when I get to twirl, and at some point he throws his hat off to Doc, and I’m surprised there’s still a Ford-Pines-Tom-Sellick-level head of hair there. Man, does this place know how to grow ‘em…

We go on like this for a few more songs, until he reminds me to get a drink and a rest for a moment and see how Doc is doing. “Hey Doc, I don’t think you should be worried about Sheriffs health, he’s fitter than me!” I exclaim elatedly as I collapse back into my seat beside him, exasperated but not really. Tired, yes, but annoyed, not at all.

“Hmmm,”

“Still don’t wanna get a dance in before the night’s over Doc? It really is fun!” Sheriff pours us both some water from the jug Doc ordered for us, laughing a bit because of the left-over endorphins, and I nod along intently.

“Yes, the offer’s still on the table until the last song ends. So, keep that in mind.”

“Sure.”

I giggle, widening my eyes exasperatedly at Sheriff over my cup as I take a sip, before Doc starts up a conversation about Chick’s latest Lightning slander in the news.  

6 songs later, and the night’s about to end, sadly. I watch, quietly and honestly tired, as Ramone goes up to Red and requests a certain song, quietly. I guess it’s something special between him and Flow, but as the slow song starts to play, Sally and Lightning dance too- and I’m actually perfectly content and happy in just sitting by and watching, when a shift beside me catches my attention and I look to see Doc getting off his stool and stretching his back. “Ah… this is much more my speed. Y/N?” He raises his hand in front of my face without looking back from the dance floor, and I raise an eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“You said the offer to dance was on the table until the last song. I believe this- is the last song.” A slow grin spreads across my face, and I cautiously, tiredly hop off my own stool, taking his hand in the process.

“Sure is!”

“Now, Doc, I’d’a thought you’d be up for something faster!” The Sheriff teases after us, with laughing eyes as he sits comfortably still in his seat.

A tiny smile graces Doc’s face, making me feel squirmy like it always does. “Yes, but my physical ability extends only to the minimum of what a driver’s required to be. Dear, now shall we?”

“Mhm, yeah, we shall!” I agree, grinning cheekily at him and waiving quickly to the Sheriff as Doc walks me onto the floor and swings me around to face him. The song, slow and easy, plays on around us as he fixes his hands carefully on the okay zone around my waist and mine find his shoulders. As we sway around the floor, I wonder; Will I ever get to do this with them as my men? Go out dancing as a date?.. Will these two ever realise how much I really like them?

When Doc grins again I wonder, if he actually already does know.

[baronessblixen]

20 questions for 20 writers

tagged by @queeenpersephone and @randomfoggytiger. thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 417

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 774,561

3. What fandoms do you write for? At the moment, it's only X-Files.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Prompts & Drabbles, Fictober 2020, Fowl Play, Some Things You Just Can't Fake, Love is not Blind

5. Do you respond to comments? No. It's my greatest shame. I always tell myself to respond and then I forget. Every once in a while, I do.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I once wrote a fic where Mulder dies. That's probably the angstiest thing I wrote.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most of them them 😂

8. Do you get hate on fics? Once or twice. Usually it's an anon ask on tumblr if I do.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Not often. It's not really my thing. I like my characters to get some action, but the details are not important to me.

10. Do you write crossovers? I have written one or two, but in general, not my favorite genre.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I don't think so!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? I don't think so.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes, I have! It's so much fun.

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? Mulder and Scully, for sure.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? So many. I really want to continue my Five Minutes series. Last updated in 2019... well.

16. What are your writing strengths? Truly not sure I have any, but I like writing dialogue best.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Everything else. Description especially because I'm not a visual person.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? All the dialogue I write is usually in a different language since English isn't my native language. I'm always toying with the idea of writing more German fic for Mulder and Scully cause it's so much fun.

19. First fandom you wrote for? If we're talking just for myself then it was ER and Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Hard to say. Maybe Fowl Play is growing on me - thanks to @xxsksxxx and her endless support on that fic.

Randomfoggytiger's additions cause I love them!

1. Is writing a hobby or way of life?

A hobby but also the thing I earn my money with, so maybe a bit of both.

2. A journal full of writing notes or a clean, completed manuscript?

Writing notes for sure.

3. Who (or what) is your writing inspiration?

Everything I read/see/hear that touches me deeply is an inspiration to create something just as beautiful.

4.Which is worse: someone you "idolize" reading your first draft or listening to you sing?

I would never make anyone listen to me sing. That's torture.

5. Has writing from someone else's POV ever changed your own perspective?

Plenty of times!

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

I really prefer tumblr, but AO3 is nice with the comments section.

7. AO3 wordcount, and are you satisfied with it?

774,561 - numbers shouldn't matter but do I wanna make it to one million? Yes.

8. What movie/book/fic gripped you irrevocably?

The 1945 movie Brief Encounter.

9. What's the highest compliment you could ever be given, and have you been given it?

I've been lucky that I have been given compliments and it's always nice. Rather than receiving a particular compliment, I'd love to learn to accept them and see things the way the people complimenting me see them.

10. What defines your writing style?

Ehhh, sparse prose?

Tagging the aforementioned @xxsksxxx, @thursdayinspace, @cecilysass, @katy-kt-katie, @frogsmulder

[haztobegood]

⭐️ Annual Writing Self-Evaluation 2023 ⭐️

I love doing this every year. (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) I can't believe I've been writing for six years now! I looked through my past annual posts and got a bit emotional, it's amazing to see how much I've grown and changed.

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 7

2. Word count posted for the year: 11,572

3. Fandoms I wrote for: One Direction, Music RPF (The Snuts)

4. Pairings: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Louis Tomlinson/Jack Cochrane, Louis Tomlinson/Bodyguard

5. Story with the most: Kudos: No (Birth) Control Bookmarks: No (Birth) Control Comments: Good Dogs Don’t Bark

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): Chaos is a 100 word drabble that I'm very proud of. I tried for months to write a Louis/Bodyguard fic for the Louis Rare Pair fest and it just wasn't coming together. Putting a hard limit on the word count was a fun little challenge that helped me get the idea down on paper. At first I didn't know if I could build a steamy plot in so few words, but it worked out in the end and I couldn't be happier with it!

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why): Of the stuff posted this year, I'm not unhappy with anything, but if I had to rank everything, chapter 2 of Good Dogs Don’t Bark is at the bottom of the pack. I was in a weird mood writing-wise when I wrote that chapter and it reminds me of that time whenever I think of it.

8. Share or describe a favorite review you received: @allwaswell16 read Chaos on her podcast! I dedicated the drabble to her for inspiring and encouraging me all year when writing has been a struggle, and for being such a supportive mod for @louisrarepairfest!

9. A time when writing was really, really hard: All year! This is the least I've ever written since I started. Life has been full of big changes and it threw off my writing habits. I've also been very stuck in my head about certain aspects of writing that I never used to think twice about. I'm hoping now that life has settled and I've got somewhat of a new routine figured out, I can set some intentions and build up my habit again, because I really miss writing.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: This scene from Baking Memories made me burst out laughing when it came to me:

Looking down at his six little pies, Louis is starting to feel like a proper baker. Jack finishes up his last and says, “Alright, let’s top ‘em.” “I bet that’s your favourite part,” Louis jokes raising his eyebrows teasingly. “At least these don’t talk back when I’m topping.” “Oi!”

More under the cut.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing: From No (Birth) Control

He picked up another potato. Twisting the paring knife expertly around the spud, the thin brown peel sliced away from the white flesh in smooth, practiced movements. It was easy for Harry to get lost in the meditative efforts of slicing, dicing, and peeling. Just two potatoes remained when Harry caught Louis’ piquant scent through the open window. Harry paused his singing and peeling as he breathed in deeply. His sense of smell was always attuned to his alpha, but this close to heat the pull was even stronger. The back door opened. The scent enveloped him, stronger than the savoury aroma of the roast, as Louis wrapped his arms around Harry’s middle, hugging him from behind. Harry melted back into his touch, forgetting about the half-peeled potato in his hand. “Hi baby.” Louis said, leaning in to drag his nose along the curve of Harry’s neck in tender greeting. “Alpha,” Harry sighed, tension he didn’t know he’d been holding meting away. He could stay like this, content in his alpha’s arms, forever. Louis licked up the side of his neck. The blatant scent marking sent shivers up Harry’s spine, and a light nip of sharp teeth over his bondmark started to make him wet. He would be half-tempted to bend over the counter, if it weren’t for the roast cooking in the oven and the twins playing in the yard. Harry bit back a whimper. “Lou, no,” he groaned. “I need to finish dinner.” With all his resolve, Harry gripped the paring knife tighter and focused his attention on peeling the remaining potatoes.

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: I've learned to be patient with myself. I have a lot of wips that I've started in 2019 or 2020 that aren't even close to being finished. I used to be so frustrated that I couldn't finish them, but now I've learned that sometimes the wip needs to sit in the dark cavern of the drafts folder to age like fine wine.

13. How do you hope to grow next year: I want to be more intentional about setting time to write. I miss having a regular writing time and want to be able to work on some of the exciting ideas I have.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc): @allwaswell16 and @himynameiszayn are the most supportive friends, they were always around to offer advice, help me think of words, and cheer me on when writing was hard. I don't think I would have written half the amount of words I posted if it wasn't for them.

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: I listened to The Snuts so much this year after seeing them play during FITFWT, so it was only natural for me to write a fic featuring Jack. I love the silly Christmas video the band shared a few years ago and knew it was perfect idea for the fic that became Baking Memories!

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: I touched on it a bit above, but sometimes taking a pause on a wip you're struggling with is a good thing. Give yourself grace to move on when an idea isn't coming together the way you want. It doesn't mean you need to give up on the story completely, it might just be the wrong time.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: I am looking forward to writing something for @wankersday again, and I am getting closer to finishing my alien!Harry fic that's been 5 years in the making!

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read.

I tag @banaanipoika9 @louandhazaf @hazzabeeforlou @beelou anyone else that wants to do this!

[charlescoded]

hanahaki lestappen might make me cry but ill DEFINITELY cry if we never see the ending

askldlskfjl; oh sweet anon, I wrote all of that back in December as my first attempt for a bigger lestappen fic, and because I didn't have Ellie to encourage me back then, my excitement to keep going fizzed out. Since then, I've written exactly 2 sentences that exist without context:

I love you, I love you, I love you, his mind sings, the more I feel like I’m dying, the more I want you.

And the second one:

“You’re right. Fuck. You’re right. I’m not fine, I don’t remember the last time that I was fine. I… I don’t remember what it feels like to be fine…”

And that's it. I got really stuck with the flower symbolism, and then with what I wanted the first scene of 2019 to look like. First I wrote about Max's seniority in the team, then him taking up painting as a hobby for more symbolism, and then another scene about Max in therapy where he refuses to talk about the hanahaki because it's futile, but none of them felt quite right, and I haven't found anything to replace them with.

I still have plenty of ideas, about the concept of rot, about Silverstone '21 and the first championship, about Austria '19 & '22, and... about the ending. Who knows if it would be a happy ending, hmm? But if I'll end up writing it? That's hard to say, I'm currently trying to finish my abo soulmate idea first, and I don't even know if I'll manage that...

For your kind ask, I'll leave you with this almost-drabble that I wrote before the plot was properly constructed, and does not fit anymore, but I still ended up saving:

“I would have sacrificed my last breath to be able to keep loving you.”

Charles looks at him startled, green eyes wide and terrified. “You would be an idiot for that, Max.”

He shook his head. “It’s worth more to love you, than to feel empty without it.”

“But you’d be dead.” His grip tightens around Max’s bicep, insistent and disbelieving. “Loving me would never be worth that, Max, it can’t be.”

Max smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve always been worth it.”

[damatris]

I was tagged by @fieldofclover!

Rules: Go to your published works on AO3 and list the first fic you ever published there, the last fic you published, any fic that you wrote for a fandom/ship only once, your favorite fic you wrote in the fandom/ship that has the most works, the fic you wish more people read, the fic you agonized over the most, the fic that sprang fully formed from your mind without any effort, and a work you are proud of—for whatever reason.

First fic you ever published there: Born of Familiarity

I ended up hyperfixating on The Witcher (all versions tbh, it's got so many cakes. And it's still having me in its grip.) in 2019 when Netflix released the 1st season. In spring 2020 I was painting a portrait of Geralt and the sentence "To Geralt Jaskier registered as quiet." popped up in my head and didn't leave me alone until I started unveiling the reason. And then I ended up writing the thoughts down in fic format, writing prose for the first time in like 8 years and fic in maybe 14 years? The overwhelming positive reception only fed into the rediscovering of how much fun writing prose is (had been doing only comic scripting) and I continued writing more fics. That one also ended up being the 1st fic of the series that's my main focus.

Last fic you published: Flying High, Falling Low (Latest update was on Winter Winds and Snowmelt though)

I'll be talking about both fics later on.

Any fic that you wrote for a fandom/ship only once: Ouija Phone

It's a very slightly longer than a drabble crack fic for The Umbrella Academy. I just thought it'd be funny. It's also the only fic that's not for The Witcher on ao3.

Your favorite fic you wrote in the fandom/ship that has the most works: Winter Winds and Snowmelt

Will talk about it later.

Fic you wish more people read: I Get To Watch You Grow Up Now

This one is purely book based fic involving Dandelion and Essi. It's a short snapshot of their almost familial relationship. I personally like how it turned out despite not much happening.

Tbh, I'm not surprised at all that this particular fic has far less interaction than my other ones since it's not geraskier or has any other ship either. Plus Essi is only in a single one shot in the book series so she's not so well known character.

Fic you agonized over the most: Flying High, Falling Low

Decided to go with this instead of any long fic because the amount of agonizing versus word count is higher despite having written a bulletin point fic a couple of years ago which I used as an outline.

This one was for the Disability Pride Month Challenge in a discord group and I decided to use bipolar disorder. Which is what I have so I ended up using A Lot of personal experiences and that was both difficult and freeing. It's not the 1st time I've put them on paper or even leaned into fics but this time there wasn't much redressing some of the symptoms into different things/reasons and creating distance that way.

It's kinda surprising how very, very few fics there are with bipolar Jaskier since a lot of his canon behavior fits it. But from what I've observed, people tend to give him adhd if he's written neurodivergent. I wonder if it's because of adhd is better known or if it's because of the stigma still clinging to bipolar disorder (...most likely because of a combination...).

Fic that sprang fully formed from your mind without any effort: There's Harshness In Your Voice And Softness In Your Hands

This is a funny and lighthearted one with concussed Jaskier. It was so much fun writing him being a bit loopy and saying only parts of his thoughts out loud to Geralt's exasperation. Plus, I got to write a whole silly ditty for it that I posted as a 2nd chapter. The whole fic was written wayyy past midnight during an insomnia spell which absolutely lent itself for Jaskier's thought process. It's also my most popular fic by a pretty large margin when looking at kudos, however I don't consider it as such. (That would go to Biting Snake Isn't Better Than Knife In Your Back due to the comments and bookmarks. Sorry for sneaking in a fic not asked for)

A work you are proud of—for whatever reason: Winter Winds and Snowmelt

Winter Winds... Gosh, I have so many feelings about this fic (And Biting Snake too which is the immediate prequel). I'm really happy with the way I managed to treat serious topics about mental health, recovery from trauma, and building healthy relationships both romantic and platonic. It's not a perfect representation but the way multiple readers have told me how much they see themselves/in general identify with what the characters are going through and how it has brought them comfort makes me feel like I've done a good job. Not to mention that people have loved the slow healing and found each chapter interesting is so so great to hear. Especially since Winter Winds is the longest fic by a large margin in the Geraskier tag on AO3. Which I still find absolutely wild! I have no idea how it's currently a bit over 472k words.

Also, I'm so very proud about the fact that I'm currently writing the last chapter of it. It's been a long ride, both with time and word count. I started it in fall 2020 so it's going to be slightly less than a 3 year project. And I'm almost finished. I'm actually having so many feelings about finishing that the last chapter is a very slow writing as I'm also letting go of the fic and all the emotions I've gone through while writing it. Although, the series it's part of isn't even close to finished so I don't have to say goodbye to these particular versions of the characters.

Uhh.. I never know who to tag but @dapandapod maybe you want to talk about your fics...!

[sineala]

So Iron Man #172 was the July 1983 issue, so have a belated chance to commemorate anyway you want!

(Review, Drabble, Cake, General Thoughts, (Self) Rec Fics inspired by this issue etc)

I love this issue so much. Also this cover. At first I wasn't entirely sure if I had read any fic inspired by this issue specifically (rather than fics that just mention it in passing) and then I remembered that I had in fact written a very long story with a key scene that absolutely hinged on this issue. *facepalm*

I have not, however, posted this story. It's the 150,000-word Madame Masque story that I wrote for @phoenixmetaphor's awesome art for the Cap-IM RBB back in 2019 and, for a variety of reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I ended up not posting it and writing an entirely different story that was just long enough to hit the word count minimum for the RBB. At some point I need to just take some time and rip out and redo a couple of big scenes closer to the end of the story, but I really hate editing and still haven't figured out how to fix the scenes and that's why I still haven't posted it.

Anyway, it has a pivotal scene (not one of the ones I am planning on changing) that heavily involves that issue. Phoenix even drew some lovely art for this particular scene and posted it a couple years ago, and, yeah, I still haven't posted the story.

I was going to post a longer excerpt of the scene in question but I couldn't figure out how to give the necessary context for the scene without spoiling about half of the story. So, uh, maybe someday I will manage to edit and post the entire thing. I just need to sit down and edit it. I have not yet managed to do that.

But you can have a couple hundred non-spoilery words of the very beginning of the story, because the actual first paragraph of the story is Tony having a nightmare about being back in the flophouse from IM #172. Uh, TW for alcoholism?

Tony woke, terrified, gasping for breath, the illusory taste of whiskey still lingering on his tongue. He clawed at his neck as phantom smoke stung his lungs, as his throat burned from the liquor, as tears leaked down his cheeks, while the flames roared around him, as he huddled alone and waited to die -- and then his eyes snapped open into quiet, serene darkness.

It had felt so real.

You're okay, he told himself, the beginning of the litany he'd made to ward away his nightmares. You're okay. It was a dream. It was terrible, but you're not there anymore. It's over. You haven't had a drink in years. You didn't really take that drink. You didn't ruin your life again. It was all a dream. You're safe. You're going to be okay.

The craving was still there, of course. It wasn't going to go away just because he wasn't drinking. Even if he never took another drink in his life, he was never going to be able to forget every last detail: the heft of a rocks glass in his hand, the way the light filtered through amber liquid, the smoothness of a fine scotch as he swallowed. His mouth was watering. He tried not to think about it, tried not to remember, tried not to build an image of something he couldn't ever have again.

The thirst was a siren's song, and it always had been: just one drink and nothing will hurt. Just one drink and nothing will ever hurt you again. Just one drink and you'll be happy.

It was a lie, and he knew that too. It was a lie, and for him it was never going to be just one drink, and that was why he couldn't have it.

But he wanted it. He always wanted it.

He pushed himself up to his elbows, and the sheet pooled down around his waist, exposing his bare skin to the air. The lights were off, but there was enough light through the curtains from the streetlights outside to orient himself.

You're in Avengers Mansion, he continued. You're not in that goddamn flophouse anymore. You're not shivering on the streets. You're in your own home and you're in your own bed and you're with someone who loves you.

That was when Steve, a light sleeper as always, rolled to his side and opened his eyes, pale blue gone nearly colorless in the dimness. His brow furrowed. "Tony?" His voice was thick with sleep. "Sweetheart? Everything okay?"

[bengalaas]

A Year In Review: 2022 Writing

So I’m weeks behind the usual end-of-year memes, but whatever. The past year has not been too great, although good things happened too. Anyway, here’s how it compares in terms of writing: 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |

Writing

I wrote a measly 7600w for A Different Kind of Courage, making 2022 the... third (?) year in a row when I’ve been planning to finish the fic, but then life happens and everything flies out the window. But those were quite solid three chapters and I’m rather proud of them, as the story reached the crash-and-burn end point of an arc. It was terribly satisfying to write. So many things coming finally together, mmm.

In the beginning of last year I randomly started Poludnica / Midday Shadows, a Shadow & Bones fanfic, of all things, and got some 16k words in before Russia’s war in Ukraine made me kinda unwilling to continue writing in a setting/aesthetic based on romanticized Tsarist Russia. But it was very fun while the inspiration lasted and maybe someday I’ll pick it back up.

I also wrote a small ‘Tasertricks in Thedas AU’ oneshot Dancing In the Ruin; a tiny M!Lavellan/Josie drabble Air; a similarly tiny Matt/Elektra ficlet Trade it all in for a lifetime of smelling your skin; and translated two fics: People Caught in a Storm (American Gods) by @spaceinthecage and Leave Barefoot (The Punisher) by She is Hale, which is a prose poem and I’m pretty proud of that one too :)

So that’s 38,600 words writing and 2145w translation.

Somehow, I apparently have had less productive years. (how...??)

Beta thanks

@serial-chillr is still as awesome as ever, she knows the craft, and she also just holds my hand when I haven’t posted anything in a while and suddenly start doubting every single damn thing I know about English grammar XD

Progress

I think Poludnica was the most important learning exercise, as I cut myself some slack and just let myself get some writing done. So there’s some time-jumping, cutting of boring scenes I didn’t want to write, there’s short chapters, there’s more summaries and less descriptions than usual, etc. But apparently the pacing still works okay. So yeah, I guess I now have experience consciously writing an average fic just for fun :D

I also discovered that prose poems are a thing, and that I love them. There should be more of them.

Community

I’ve kinda drifted away from DA and The Hobbit; blazed through Shadow & Bone, and then @sausagesquirrel dragged me into the Daredevil/The Punisher fandom. So I’m making some new friends like @youwouldneverbreakthechain​  and appreciating the ones I’ve known for years, like the excellent @cafeleningrad, @serial-chillr, @vyrridiana, @dafan7711, and other pocket friends (and @dorianpink came back to tumblr!!) ♥

Comments

Unexpectedly many, on a fic I didn’t give much of a damn about :D So fandom is weird.

But also I’m so impressed by Serial and Squirrel and @valla-valla who have kept reading my fics even in new fandoms: you are so lovely, and your support means a lot to me ♥

2023

Honestly, I just want to finish something by this point lol. I’m hoping to have more free time this year, but I think that, for a while, at least, if I’ll be writing anything, it will be behind the scenes until I’m sure I can carry on. I really don’t want to update and then disappear again.

So that’s the most important plan. Sort out this inconvenience called depression, and fall in love with writing again :)

[sweetestberryofthebunch]

hello berry my love <3 i hope you’re having a great day today!!! it’s question time once again <3 do you ever create headcanons about other people’s fics during/after you read them? if yes, what was the last one/your favorite one you’ve made? if not, why not? would you ever want to? have you ever created something because of a fic? (i.e. writing, drawing, baking because they mentioned something and you thought it sounded good, etc)

Oh my god so much! I could probably write fanfic about fanfic haha. That’s why i love the way our little fandom corner is so interactive! People create AUs and others just shoot them their own thoughts on it or ask about what they wanna hear more of! It’s sooo cute!!

Now I have lots of thoughts about many of @diana-prince-s fics, but she knows that haha.

Also can’t remember who it was but i wrote basically a little drabble myself in someones ask box cause i loved an AU concept so much… i think it was either for Hailey or for Eli, but I’m not sure.

In terms of doing things, i basically followed the Canadian-101-Guide Branjie fics used to provide. Every fic always mentioned either Brooke craving or Vanjie buying Lays Ketchup Chips when B would feel homesick, so guess what the first thing i got at the grocery store was .. and i must say i understand, they taste real fucking good, and not Just because i associate them with the big Branjie Brainrot of 2019/2020!

[hexenmond]

slowly gearing up to writing again

I want to dump all my thoughts somewhere, and what else did I reactivate this tumblr for? I'm going to ramble about the beginnings of this long form Witch Door fanfiction that has some 90k words already. If you're curious about how a comparatively old, fandom-disinterested, fanfiction-baffled person (aka me) came to do that, there are Many Words below the cut.

I haven't really read much fiction books in years, mostly because it can take such an emotional toll on me, and I've never really been interested in watching anything. I don't have the patience for it. That's just how it was for me, for most of my life. With one notable exception: webcomics.

Webcomics work uniquely well for me because of their format – the updates are spaced out, and while I will readily admit that I've been in agony over some cliffhangers (I am side-eyeing several comics so hard right now), the simple fact that I have at least two days to just, like, integrate the latest page, no matter how hard-hitting, keeps me from getting overwhelmed. And my long-term memory is excellent so I have little trouble keeping tabs on the plots of twenty different comics.

So I've been reading webcomics for 15+ years, and I knew about the existence of fanfiction thanks to my oldest child. I didn't get it though. Never had any desire to read any. Never was so obsessed with fictional characters that I needed someone to share that with. And maybe that was just because I wasn't surrounded by that subculture? (I was on tumblr specifically to follow a small number of blogs religiously, and kinda lost that thread completely sometime in 2019.) It just never was a thing for me.

Then in January 2023 I stumbled across The Witch Door, at the end of chapter 9. Did my damnedest to pace myself but I gobbled it up within a week. And reread it, in parts and as a whole, more than once. One day I wanted to look it up on my phone (as opposed to my desktop where I usually read comics), and I'd forgotten the actual URL, so I did a web search – and the first thing I found was a 22 page bonus/side comic on itch.io. By the actual author.

So that was the most wonderful coincidence since Anni never really advertised the thing anywhere, and then I read and reread THAT comic, oh, dozens of times I'm sure. And one day my brain came up with a short scene (2.5k) of how that comic might have continued. A oneshot, if you will… 😄😄😄

And I also hadn't written any prose, or even poetry, in many years, but I do love it so I thought why not. Wrote it down (on pen and paper!), typed it up, edited it a bit, reread it a couple of times, I was pleased. Proceeded to put it on AO3 because I knew from my child that the platform existed, and was excited to discover there was actually another fic in the fandom (a drabble sequence, a term which confused me back then).

Well, and as all seasoned fic writers know, oneshots sure can be some tricky little beasts. My brain did not stop coming up with the rest of the story. It kept going till the very end! I woke up early one Saturday morning, crying, because I made myself sad with how the story ended.

So that was kind of a wild trip. But the actual writing made me so happy, I was basically flying, for months, returning to my story at every opportunity. (I'm self-employed. "Opportunity" is very relative.)

Then I stumbled across Anni's Dreamling comics on Pinterest, which was another wild coincidence. And those reminded me of the Sandman comics which I'd read, uh, decades ago? and with that came reading Dreamling fanfiction. Which I consumed at a most alarming speed, I stopped writing, I stopped working, basically I fell into a hole and my life got jumbled for a while, back in September last year.

But by now I've dragged myself out of that hole, I'm back to working, and I am ready to get back into writing. This story is still dear to me, and I still love to write, and I will see it finished. Not least because even though I love the Dreamling fanfiction and fandom folks, and I have even consciously and by myself decided to watch Dead Boy Detectives and LOVED it – I do not feel like writing about any of these characters. They just don't tickle my brain that way. Only The Witch Door characters do that for me, and right now this feels like a precious gift.

(Honestly I am amazed at how many people are able to take the same two blorbos and put them in situation after situation without getting boring or getting bored. You are so wonderful 💜💜💜)

Has anyone actually read all of that? Well if so, you're in for yet more words 😜 because all the reading on AO3 has given me plenty more perspective and understanding, and I've decided to put all my original thoughts about wanting to write this story here instead of also on AO3, where I've kept them along with my progress tracker. I'll put some detailed content warnings there instead, for people who would rather have spoilers than no clear idea of what they're about to read. So here are my thoughts from, uh, April last year?

------------------------------------------

My thought processes, in case anyone’s interested

So I found The Witch Door in January this year, at the end of chapter 9 I think, and then by pure coincidence Anni K.’s wonderful side comic about Jousia and Jesse. That ignited a creative spark, and now I find myself adding on to this every day. Originally I’d written one chapter, was pleased with it and posted it, done. And then my brain just said, “guess who knows what happens AFTER that?” and now I’m writing thousands of words.

The thing I am very conflicted about is: I would LOVE for this to be canon compatible. Ideally it would be a side story that happens on all those days where the canon plot isn’t doing anything (or possibly after the current adventure arc). And that worked for the first chapter I wrote, but it just doesn’t work for the rest… partly because there simply isn’t enough canon material yet for me to know some important world building details, but also largely because I quickly ended up writing stuff that has actual plot. And plot means character development, otherwise what’s the point. But Anni’s plot is going to take the characters on a different route, and that’s just how it is.

In short: I am not writing this because I want to change a single thing about The Witch Door. Quite the contrary! I am writing because I so dearly wish there was more of it! And it’s one of those hard facts of life that 2,000 words are written much more quickly than even one full page of comic is completed. :-\ So if you will take the characters as they are at somewhere around chapter 10 in canon, and you find them to be well represented here but just having different adventures, that's all I’m hoping to do.

Addendum:

I decided to fudge the canon timeline a bit, just so the side comic event would fit in nicely with the state of relationships in chapter 10. I'll give an in depth explanation of that in the actual series. And also… I am now entirely happy that this will NOT be canon compatible.

------------------------------------------

Now that I've dumped all that the next post shall contain an actual story snippet! 🙃

[ftmshepard]

AO3 Meme

Thanks @mysterious-cuchulainn-x for the tag! I can’t think of anyone to tag so I guess the chain ends with me. 

Rules: Give us the links to your wonderful words with the Most hits, Most kudos, Most comments, Most bookmarks, Most words, and Least words.

Caveat: I’m only going to be using the pseuds associated with the periferal ao3 account; I have others, but they’re intentionally more difficult to find from this tumblr. 

🥇 Most Hits: Kinktober 2019: Multifandom Drabbles | The Fairest

Summary: This is a smut collection from four years ago. People like smut, people apparently like my smut, that’s still very surreal. | The Fairest is a “fairy tale” based RWBY fic from five (!!) years ago where Blake and Weiss get together before canon. From my era of being able to actually finish fanfics, lol. Still proud of it, but also kind of wish that my non-RWBY work would get more attention!

🥇 Most Kudos, Comments, Bookmarks: Ever Since We Founded Rome

Summary:  Harry's missing. Draco's the only one who can find him.

Thoughts: Wrote this for Harry/Draco Reverse Bang back in 2022. Shorter than I would have liked, tbh, and I ended up sort of running out of steam on the whole Reverse Bang in general, but I’m still proud of the fic and delighted with the art I was paired with. 

🥇 Most Words: The Fairest again!

Summary: See above

Thoughts: Wow, I hadn’t realized this was still my longest fic to date. Hopefully the fate fic I have planned in future will help!

🥇 Fewest Words: Last Moment

Summary:  His death is agony.

Thoughts: This is a Star Trek: Beyond fic about the main villain’s death. It got a surprisingly positive response at the time! I can’t believe I haven’t written anything shorter in total, I guess my 100 word drabbles are mostly on other accounts? But regardless, still proud of this little fic. 

[blueraspberrycoolatta]

2022 writing self-evaluation

okay so. wayyy back in 2019, a friend tagged me in this writing self-eval. a questionnaire designed to help you look back on your previous year. i haven’t done it in years, and we’re almost 3 months into 2023, but i wanted to come back and do it for 2022, and hopefully keep it going as long as i keep writing. because it’s nice having a summary of my writing to look back on! 

anyway, here we go. 

1. Number of stories (including drabbles) posted to AO3: 12

2. Word count posted for the year: 21,448 

3. List of works published this year (in order of posting):

dancing’s not a crime (february 2)

fiending for that sweet spot (february 15)

carrying the banner (february 17)

to be a king beside you (march 24)

i’m half-doomed, you’re semi-sweet (may 5)

you were the song stuck in my head (every song that i’ve ever loved) (may 7)

sugartime is anytime that you’re near (august 19)

got me running from the daylight (october 19)

crosswalks and crossed hearts (november 11)

do you see me now, goncharov? (november 22)

automatic door (december 6)

and there will be no tenderness (december 14)

4. Fandoms I wrote for: haikyuu (11), fire emblem: three houses (1)

5. Pairings (excluding side/past pairings): 

semi eita/ushijima wakatoshi (2)

akaashi keiji/miya osamu (1)

iwaizumi haijime/oikawa tooru (1)

semi eita/ennoshita chikara (1)

semi eita/sugawara koushi (1)

felix hugo fraldarius/sylvain jose gautier (1)

6. Story with the most:

Kudos: do you see me now, goncharov? (80)

Bookmarks: do you see me now, goncharov? (9)

Comments: do you see me now, goncharov? (19)

9. Work I’m most proud of (and why):

you were the song stuck in my head. i was experimenting with a slightly different style and i really, really liked how it came out. and i felt like with it, i made my return to more emotionally charged, angstier fics—the fics that i started out in this fandom with.

also, i’m quite fond of i’m half-doomed, you’re semi-sweet. i just really liked the atmosphere and the dynamic i established in so few words. there’s a hell of a story there that’s begging to be written too, but it also suits them as it is. 

10. Work I’m least proud of (and why):

got me running from the daylight. i wrote it in weird chunks, very close to the deadline, and i Know that the concept was strong and fun and could have been a much better fic. but i was pressed for time after procrastinating and had to resort to making it a collection of slice of life vignettes. still fun, and my giftee enjoyed it, but i know i could have written it much better.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

from i’m half-doomed, you’re semi-sweet:

Suga turns his cheek and catches Semi’s mouth in a bruising kiss. Suga kisses like he belongs onstage himself—determined, fearless, demanding of both himself and everyone around him; and yet, like he’s got all the damn time in the world. Semi leans into it, melts into the shape of Suga’s mouth, licks the taste of the cigarette from behind his teeth and kisses him full of something new, something sweeter. Not that Suga needs extra sweet.

and i’m also fond of the phrase “some insignificant capillary of a street” from and there will be no tenderness.

12. Share or describe a favorite review you received:

my favorite comment was on and there will be no tenderness. they said “it just stabbed me five times in the gut and then put a little kiss on top of my hair” and that just got me

13. A time when writing was really, really hard:

most of the year, actually. last year was kind of a lot—ended one relationship, started a new one, traveled a lot to see my partner, had family issues, got COVID, changed jobs, went through the law school application process...it all just didn’t leave me a lot of spoons for writing. i played a lot of video games to relax last year and i just didn’t write as much.

14. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

sylvain, in and there will be no tenderness. he’s a character i’ve always Liked but honestly this fic alone made me absolutely adore him. i had initially just set out to actively make him a foil to felix emotionally, but he ended up leaping out as this man who so clearly has feelings that run deeper than this arrangement should allow, someone who despite being so rough with felix, truly cares for him underneath it all—someone who knows, truly, that felix won’t ever return those feelings, yet continues to go back to him over and over again. AH it was really fun.

15. How did you grow as a writer this year:

i think i’ve gotten quite good at the whole ‘show, don’t tell’ concept. i do feel like my writing style is rather...observational, so i really enjoy writing out how characters show their emotions and motivations.

16. How do you hope to grow next year:

i want to try (key word: TRY) to not leave as many WIPs dangling out in the aether. i want to plan my fics out better so i don’t post one chapter and then leave it for years because i don’t know what happens next.

17. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

my friend enno @sugaandyams! even though i didn’t write as much last year, enno was always down to talk headcanons, AUs, elaborate RPs, all of it. 

18. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

so confession, i’ve been writing some personal experience into my smut lately~

19. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

uh, i think one of the biggest things i learned this year is that it’s okay (and even fun) to change up your style. try something new! what’s the worst that could happen, you don’t like it so you don’t do it again?

20. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

the priority WIP i really am aiming to finish this year are: bound for i don’t know where, bit your heart and released, crosswalks and crossed hearts, and you were the song stuck in my head (every song that i’ve ever loved). and i’m also excited to keep progressing with my 100 kink challenge!

[fanficwritersinterviewed]

MCM, shey

<<This post is a part of a longer conversation about fanfic writers, how they view fanfic, and their writing process. All views are the fanfic writer’s own, and whatever fanfic they choose to write is entirely their own decision. No judgment value will be placed on fic content. These conversations are meant to provide insight for other fanfic writers in whatever stage they are at in their writing life>>

Meet-Cute Monday (with Shey, @shey-elizabeth )

Pseuds: Shey Pronouns: she/her Current fandoms: Teen Wolf Current pairings: Steter, Stetopher (Stiles/Peter, Stiles/Peter/Christopher) How many total fic: 13 How many fandoms: 1 Total word count: 163,284 Long fic word count: 68,690 Shortest fic: 1,216 Highest kudo count: 2,429 Lowest: 184

What's the story behind your pseud? Shey was actually the name of my very first D&D character back in college! When I made my AO3 account in 2015 it was something easy that I would be able to remember, and shey-elizabeth happened when I made my Tumblr account. I couldn't have "Shey" so I added my real middle name to it.

How long have you been reading fanfic? I've always been a voracious reader (head in a book 100% of the time from elementary school on). I discovered fanfic sometime around 1998 on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer forum. It was one of those forums for talking about the latest episode and someone posted a Willow/Oz drabble. It all snowballed from there! I went from BtVS to Highlander, The Sentinel, and Mag7. Then I got into a few anime fandoms.YuYu Hakusho and Ronin Warriors in particular. After that I did a deep dive into Gundam Wing that lasted until that fandom died.

When did you start writing fanfic? I really started writing fic towards the beginning of 2019 (because we're going to ignore my brief, embarrassing attempts that never went anywhere way back in the day). I had been obsessively reading Teen Wolf fic for about a year at that point, and thought I'd try my hand at a short, smutty PWP fic, just for the hell of it. That fic is now my longest at 68K

Were you writing original content before you started writing fanfic? Nope. I dove right into fanfic. Unless we count that time in seventh grade that I wrote the first two chapters of a book. My closest IRL friends have been writing fanfic for as long as I've known them, so for 20+ years. It's always been a thing most of my friends were doing and sharing. I was a pre-reader and cheer-reader (not a beta cause I couldn't find a grammar error to save my life) for ages and writing fanfic was never taboo in my friend group.

So what were you hoping to get out of writing fanfic? I didn't really expect much from my first fic. I was hoping I'd maybe get 100 kudos and a couple comments if I was lucky. But it actually did surprisingly well! I had one of my friends (poor thing isn't even in the fandom) beta read it for me and help with my complete inability to understand how commas work. I didn't think it would get much attention since I was a complete lurker in fandom. But I got lucky because the Steter (Stiles/Peter) fans are incredibly welcoming. I've gotten such an amazing positive response to my fic, that, instead of one little PWP I've got 160k worth of words on AO3 and several more WIPs. So I guess you can say I'm enjoying it!

Any lessons learned along the way? I've definitely noticed that the longer I do it, the harder writing gets. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I've always been very eager to learn how to improve my writing. The flip side of that is the more I learn, the more difficult it is to just throw some words on the page and call it good! Writing is hard for me. It's also very satisfying when I finally get a scene to flow the way I want it to. When I started, I thought practice would make it easier. But I've realized the more you work at improving, the more you see your own mistakes. It's definitely a catch-22! At the same time, I can also recognize how much the quality of my writing has improved, so that makes the struggle worth it.

I'm really lucky in that I made an amazing friend through fandom who is not only a phenomenal writer but is also willing to beta-read and handhold me. She gets a ton of the credit for guiding me through the learning curve. (We've had days long email chains with her patiently explaining how punctuation works. I wish my high-school English teachers had been half as effective as @queerfictionwriter​.)

How has writing changed the way you read fanfic? Oh man. It's changed it so much!! The first thing I noticed was that I started reading so much less because the time I used to put towards reading is now going towards writing. I work full-time, so my writing time is already limited.  And I'm slow so if I want to get something out in the next decade I need to budget my time.

The second thing I realized was that I had to take long breaks from reading fic in the fandom I was trying to write in, because I would lose the characterization for my story. This actually led me to reading a lot more pro-fic (professional fic), because I was desperate to read, but I didn't want to lose track of my characters by reading someone else's take on them.

What are some changes to your writing that you’ve been working on improving now that you see them? I feel like I'm working on improving everything all the time! I spend so much more time editing and tweaking my words than I do actually writing. I'll write a couple thousand words in a few hours, and then spend two weeks editing and rewriting.

Something I've been trying to focus on more is letting the reader fill in the blanks and connect the dots. I want to find the balance where it's obvious what's going on in the scene without me explaining where every arm and leg is. Along the same lines, I want to get better at this with the plot too. I want the reader to be able to infer context without me spelling things out. Some of my favorite writers are excellent at this. It's that moment when you're reading and the character mentions something for the first time, but you know exactly what they're referencing—even though it happened off the page.

Yeah, I get that. When done right, that sort of thing does feel like magic.

[wild-aloof-rebel]

Some Favorite Fics from 2020

Like last year, I want to end 2020 by highlighting some fics that have become favorites over the last twelve months. Before I dive into it though, I just want to take a minute to send some love to all of the authors writing in this fandom.

As of the end of 2019, there were about 8.8 million words of fic on AO3 for this fandom. This year, more than 450 authors have added another 15 million more. That’s so incredibly impressive, especially in a year this difficult. Thank you, thank you, thank you to every single person who contributed to that, whether you wrote one fic or a hundred, a drabble or a novel. Thank you for giving this fandom the gift of your creativity and voice. Your work is so, so appreciated, and you’ve helped to create joy in a year where it was often in short supply. 💗💗💗

*

Okay, on to the fics. I’ve limited myself to no more than one work for any individual author to spread the love around as much as possible, and I’ve bumped up the number to 25 this time around because there was just too much fic this year for me to cut it down any further. 

So here we go. These are 25 fics I loved this year, and what I love about them...

Your heart is keeping time with me by yourbuttervoicedbeau • rated E • 33k+ confession before i start: i’ve never actually seen 50 first dates. but i thought this AU based on it was delightful. patrick’s love for david is so big, right from the start, and i love seeing david lean into trusting himself (and patrick) over and over again

will this ever get old? by startswithhope • rated T • <1k i just like seeing them domestic and soft and happy, okay? and while most of dee’s fics are like that, this particular one is a fave because of them thinking about their future and how they’ll change over the years but love each other right on through

Just to Hold the Hands I Love by DesignatedGrape • rated T • 20k+ it’s like a warm christmas hug, full of musical trolling, gentle pining, domestic nights in, and careful attention to fashion details, which are all absolutely the kinds of things i appreciate

A Case of You by DoubleL27 • rated T • 6k+ patrick is an absolute menace in exactly the way you would expect every valentine’s day. it’s funny and sweet and ends with them in exactly the kind of future we all want for them

Dulce by another_Hero • rated T • 1k+ original characters can be hard to do right. they have to be compelling enough to fit in with these characters we already know so well, and dulce is the kind of character who grabs you from the start. the whole series is lovely, but this first interaction with ronnie is my favorite of them

Tea-Kettle Love by ArabellaStrange • rated G • 5k+ even though this coda to “the pitch” isn’t technically canon compliant now, it still feels a lot like it is. it’s about the sacrifices we are and aren’t willing to make for the people we love, taking the new york discussion into more depth than we get in the show and still arriving in largely the same place

Vanquished by Codswallop • rated G • 3k+ if you’re looking for soft, fluffy sickfic, this is not it, lol. patrick is sick here but won’t let anyone take care of him. he’s stubborn and basically minor chaos ensues. it’s funny and sweet but not schmaltzy. the characterization is 👌, and it feels like the kind of thing that fits perfectly into the world of the show

To Come Out the Other Side by unfolded73 • rated T • 4k+ • warning for major character death i don’t want to read sad things about david and patrick very often, but sometimes the mood strikes. this one is definitely sad right from the start, but there’s hope and resilience through grief, and i think this year especially, there’s something to be said for stories that can make you feel like there is still good to be found after the bad

Hold Me Like You’ll Never Let Me Go by moodlighting • rated T • 21k+ i never would have thought that a fic would make me WANT to be trapped in an airport, but it’s 2020 and anything is possible, lol. this is what meet cute dreams are made of

Your mother keeps a spreadsheet by upbeat • rated G • 3k+ obviously i love a good spreadsheet, so this one was up my alley from the start, lol. but really it’s moira and patrick bonding through the cataloguing of her wigs (and all the stories that go with them) that makes this one an easy favorite

keep me in the pulses, keep me in the sound by dinnfameron • rated G • 2k+ this sweet little slice of a summer vacation made me ache to be with friends. plus, sometimes you just need some overwhelmingly happy david rose. he deserves it, and so do we

eggs and the flour, no higher power by withkissesfour • rated T • 1k+ i’m pretty sure this fic is the definition of sweet, in more ways than one. it’s a short piece, but the writing is lush and indulgent in all the right places, just like the cakes being described

sustineo by rockinhamburger • rated E • 10k+ before i was even done reading this fic, i wanted another 50k words set in this universe. the conversation between david and patrick is sharp in all the right ways, and because this david has such a hard shell to crack after being hurt in such a horrible and heartbreaking way, it’s that much more satisfying watching patrick break through it

All-Natural Care, Locally Sourced by Siria • rated T • 2k+ siria’s fics are always funny, with banter that’s so perfectly on point, and that’s certainly true here. but there are also care packages and photos and just so much love. it’s a perfect balance, just like the show

hold on to me as you go by helvetica_upstart • rated T • 3k+ i love a good look at just how long patrick has been head over heels in love with david and how much he was in this for life all along. this fic does just that through the framework of times that they saw their new house before they bought it, and it’s everything that you would want that concept to be and more

Exposed Brick by swat117 • rated M • 9k+ this is such a lovely look at david and patrick a few years into their marriage, steady in all the right ways, even when old fears try to rise up between them. it gives david a chance to be the solid and supportive one in the relationship, something i never get tired of reading

We Could Turn the World to Gold by middyblue • rated T • 27k+ as someone who also did c25k at one point, i def empathize with david’s plight in this fic, lol. as much fun as that part of the story is, it’s really the house and everything related to that part of the story that makes this a favorite in my book. this was posted very early in s6, so it’s not the house from canon, but it’s beautiful either way to see them so excited about building their future together there

Waiting on the Day by High-Seas-Swan • rated E • 22k+ this is another fic that makes me absolutely ache for things i couldn’t have this year, namely my favorite local brewery and all the nights spent there with friends. beyond that, it’s just a very sweet AU, and the scene with their first kiss and the rest of that night live in my head rent free

Pot o’ Gold by ahurston • rated E • 22k+ where is the leprechaun/love of my life who’s gonna take me out to eat all of the best foods that my city has to offer? this one is a slow burn but their relationship is so much fun to read right from the start that you definitely don’t mind taking your time getting there. also, the palm reading scene. good grief.

there is no design by the_hodag • rated T • 12k+ this fic gives us a look at some of david’s art, and all the loneliness and love that inspires it. it’s poignant and painful and hopeful and sweet in turn, and i think it does a marvelous job of capturing so many of the facets of david’s past that have made him who he is

A Little Broken, A Little New by nameless_bliss • rated G • 3k+ i’ve read this fic several times now, and david and johnny having a conversation about their own relationship through the guise of talking about patrick and his parents never fails to make me cry

Une très bonne table dans sa catégorie by cromarty • rated T • 23k+ just the concept of this one alone would have sold me on it—like, hello? michelin reviewer and chef? sign me the fuck up—but it’s written with the kind of attention to detail i always expect from claire’s writing, and the fact that it practically starts with a first kiss but then pulls back makes for a delicious dynamic as they build a friendship over that foundational attraction, both tempering and intensifying the wait for them to find their way back into each others’ arms

happy golden days of yore by blueink3 • rated E • 17k+ i literally stopped in the middle of this fic, sat down on my kitchen floor, and had a good cry. i hate thinking about them ending up divorced in the first place, but even as exes, they’re so careful and gentle with one another and so, so clearly still in a forever kind of love. that makes it bearable to see them apart because even if it weren’t tagged for a happy ending, there’s such a feeling of inevitability to it, you know exactly how it’s going to end and just get to enjoy the devastating ride it takes to get there

Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman • rated M • 30k+ this is one of those fics where everything comes together just right and achieves a perfect balance of introspection and action, courage and fear, despair and hope, forthright honesty and cautious reservation... MoreHuman makes it all look easy, which says so much about all the care that had to have gone into the planning and writing. this fic does everything well, and it’s an absolute pleasure to read from start to end

840 Havenwood Road E by Distractivate • rated E • 10k+ we barely see david and patrick’s new house in the show, so it shouldn’t be possible for me to be as emotional about it as this fic makes me, every single time i read it. but it’s the home they chose, the place they decided to build a life together, and getting to see flashes of that life through the years and how much love they clearly had for each other within those four walls just makes me cry again and again

[gumnut-logic]

Nutty’s WIPs

Just a listing of the current mess on my Works-in-Progress list which for some reason is completely out of control. Most of these are also unarchived so if I don’t watch myself, I’m going to lose even more than just the plot.

Starting from the most recent and working back through my archive...

Snake Bite - Virgil gets bitten by a snake

For His Brothers - Scott is injured and won’t wake up

Tactics - Tracy brothers snowball fight ‘training scenario’

Chuckles - Christmas through the years for Scott Tracy (pt1 archived)

A Strong Heart - Scott falls and Virgil catches him

Something Missed - Scott is injured and depressed. Virgil and Gordon are on the case. There may be snow involved.

Minerva - Virgil is grounded with two broken legs and Grandma is baking. Gordon and ‘A Little Lightning’ to the rescue. A trip to the Minerva Reefs where they are joined by Scott (and the rest of the brothers eventually). Kermadec AU

Responsibility - Scott and Alan go down with a cargo carrier. May/May not be continued. Currently just a scene.

Ellie - Virgil takes up a nursing course while grounded and meets a fellow student. Outside POV. Alan and Gordon whump eventually. Not ship (so Virgil tells me).

Gordon - Marks & Wings AU - this one is from some time ago, but I wrote part 2 just recently. Gordon goes squid and gets attacked by a whale. Virgil has to find him. Gordon and Vigil whump.

Something - doesn’t even have a title. Scott unconscious, Gordon facing off against Havoc and Fuse to protect him, Virgil running to find them.

Random sensory exercise - Virgil walking down to the beach on Tracy Island - I have no idea what I was thinking, probably just work exhausted.

Random scene - Thunderbird Two is going down, but Virgil can’t find Gordon and won’t leave without him.

Random scene - Scott falls after not listening to Virgil.

The Bear - Virgil is a grumpy bear and his brothers have had it.

Gordon the Octopus - Virgil waits for Gordon on the shore. Marks & Wings AU. I have a bit more of this that I haven’t posted

Three Things - Alan starts a Vlog. Outside POV.

When the World Goes Boom - Scott and Alan are injured in a space explosion and Nutty REEEEALLLY needs to finish this fic!

Need - Jeff Tracy is home. What happens next? Likely sequel to Thunderbird XL - once that is finished ::headdesk::

Thunderbird XL - An expansion of the episode ‘The Long Reach’. Sequel to Thunderbird X which is actually finished.

From the Joker and the Hero universe - just a scene, could be more.

Untitled - 5000 words of post-elevator scene from Inferno. Plenty of Virgil whump. Stopped writing because of too many WIPs. ::looks at list above:: Oh, god ::headdesk::

The Hero - Sequel to The Joker. Thunderbird Two along with Virgil and Gordon gets nabbed. Gordon’s POV of the Joker - a lot more happened than Virgil realised. I ALSO REEEALLY need to finish this one. Stopped to start writing Kermadec Fic for TAG Secret Santa.

Complete but need to archive?

Gordon and the Whale Shark - Virgil goes looking for Gordon post-mission and finds him in a very interesting spot.

Baubles - Tracy elves

Pile of Drabbles

Virgil closes his eyes - Virgil meets a friend. Kermadec AU. Unsure if this has been archived.

::Looks at list and winces:: Oh dear. That is more than the twelve WIPs I thought I had ::gulp:: Admittedly, a few of these are just scenes I threw down and may never revisit, but most are viable fics I really should do something about. And this is just since December 2019. it seems that Christmas time messes with my writing mojo and starts spouting random stuff.

But! I have to remind myself that while these random unfinished fics were left hanging, there were 53 other fics that were completed in the last year.

I do finish things. I do, I really do. ::whimpers::

Nutty

(oh, to be a sane person would sometimes be nice ::sigh:: How do people keep it together, really? I sit next to a woman at work who is so organised she terrifies me, while my desk looks like a bomb hit it - a clear reflection of the inside of my head. Aaargh! )