#like I’m not necessarily encouraging people to go out and write rpf

[frankierotwinkdeath]

Y’all want Taylor Swift to be gay so bad but you won’t even write femslash about her

[ingravinoveritas]

I'm the previous anon. So I've read your blog a bit and this is what I think: There are shippers who ship real people just for fun. Yes, they write RPFs, but still, they're not very serious about it. Then there's another type of shippers. They're more serious about it, they can't stop talking about it, write RPFs and they want and hope those people are/will be together, even if they have partners and kids. You seem to be one of them (come on, admit it). Your posts are mainly about their ship, even if it's just a new small thing. You're saying you're respectful. My opinion is: you're trying to be, but you're not completely successful. Am I right?

About their sexualities: Ah, that gossip site. I know about that one. I have a hard time believing any of those things are true. I hope you understand me, it's just a gossip site. He kissed John Barrowman, that doesn't prove anything. There are a lot of celebrities who kiss the same gender, just for cheers and attention. Nothing serious.

About MS: Yes, I know his first crush was on John Taylor, but I completely forgot about it. Same about the Tom Jones thing. But wow, I didn't know about the last one. That's interesting.

Last two things: 1) M's mouth staring- he does it all the time. 2) I'm still not sure why he called DT his lover, but he's often reckless, says things impulsively, even if it's just fun, he doesn't mean it and then he's like "why tf did I just say that?" So, yes.

Okay, Anon. Let me clear a few things up, because I feel I may not have addressed them adequately (or at all) in my previous response to you.

I’m glad you took the time to read through my blog, but I’m sure you didn’t dive far back into the archive to see the trajectory of how I came to post about shipping Michael and David. Before mid-2019, there was nothing. I had just discovered Good Omens then, and I fell headfirst into being a fan of the show and of Michael (I did become a fan of David’s as well, of course, but initially I was drawn more to Michael).

I had no intention of becoming a Michael/David shipping blog, but as time went on, people began to Anon me and send messages asking questions about Michael and David. When people ask me questions, I like to take the time to answer as thoroughly as I possibly can, and people seem to like that I give my answers a great deal of thought. So it becomes this cycle that I continue to receive questions, and consequently the Michael/David shipping become the focus of my posts. (At the moment, I have four anons in my inbox asking Michael/David shipping-related questions. I literally have no control over the fact that people ask me these things, but I am damn sure going to do my best to answer.)

The second thing I’d like to clarify is something I have stated on this blog before, which is that a large portion of the pleasure I get from shipping Michael and David is because they seem to enjoy it so much. But if either of them came out tomorrow and said that they were uncomfortable with fans shipping them, I would gladly respect that and close up shop. I might think it’s wildly out of character, considering all Michael and David do is the exact opposite by encouraging the bejesus out of it, especially when they have had a hundred chances to shut the whole thing down, and could’ve easily said that they’re just friends and don’t want fans to ship them, but they never have. That speaks volumes, in my opinion, and what matters isn’t whether you are okay with or I am okay with it...only whether Michael and David are.

But that is as far as I am going to go in answering this. Because I did take the time to write you a thoughtful response earlier, Anon, and then you came back with this (particularly that first paragraph), casting aspersions on my character and making this whole thing personal when it had absolutely no reason to be. And the truth be told, when I have seen comments like yours in the past, it’s almost always an indication that the person making them is more uncomfortable with RPF than the celebrities they are purporting to defend. The same goes for Michael and David’s sexual orientations, because you also seem more uncomfortable with the idea of them being not straight than either one of them do. Straight is not necessarily the default, Anon, and if you’re going to come and tell me I need to “prove” that Michael and David aren’t straight, perhaps I should ask you to prove that they are, even though that is something neither of us can do because only Michael and David know the truth.

So I think we are at an impasse, because I have a dozen more recent examples of Michael and David’s flirty interactions that I could link you to, but it seems clear that you’ve already made up your mind, and nothing I say is going to matter. I will leave you with one final thought, however, which is this: Maybe, just maybe, let people like things? And if you don’t like those things, don’t read them? I know it’s a radical concept, but you can absolutely block me if you’d prefer not to read my posts, or the responses from my wonderful group of regular commenters/rebloggers that I have on here. I will even lovingly wrap your knickknacks in bubble paper and make sure your gas tank is full, because you’ve officially used up the last of my kindness and good nature.

As the song goes: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here...”

[epicstuckyficrecs]

How To Tag Stucky Fics Part 2: Rating, Warnings, Fandoms, Relationships & Characters

Preliminary comments

First thing you can do to understand the tagging system better is read the Tag FAQ on ao3! And while you’re at it, I would suggest you also read the Wrangling Guidelines. Understanding the work of tag wranglers might help you to tag your fics better!

My aim with this is to encourage you to better use AO3’s tagging system, which means using canonical tags (especially for Fandom, Relationship and Character tags), VS unfilterable tags, which is everything else that’s not “canonical”. But any tag is better than no tags! Long, rambly tags are better than no tags! That’s what we have tag wranglers for! But my opinion is: if there’s a canonical tag for something, why not use it?

Tagging is an art, not a science. There are pretty much no absolute rules, which means that ao3′s tagging system’s biggest advantage is also its biggest disadvantage: you can do whatever you want with it! You can tag as much or as little as you want.

Every fandom has its quirks and odds about tagging. I’m obviously focused on Stucky, and incidentally on the MCU, so what I say here might not necessarily apply to all ships/fandoms.

As such, my opinion is as good as anyone else’s. I’m not pretending to be the utmost authority on how to tag: I’m just trying make good use of my experience to give writers some recommendations! These are my personal recommendations and in no way are you forced to follow them.

Tagging 101

Tagging has two main purposes, so you should keep them in mind while filling out the New Work form:

Content: tagging the content of your fics, so that readers who want to read said content can find your fic!

Trigger warnings: tagging content in your fics that people might want to avoid.

Basic rules of tagging (to help facilitate the job of our amazing tag wranglers):

Separate your Fandom, Relationship and Character tags by commas! There should be only one item per tag.

Always Use The Characters’ Last Name. Here’s why. Basically, when you tag with “Cute Peter”, wranglers have no idea if you’re talking about Peter Parker or Peter Quill or any of the hundreds of Peter characters in the Archive!

Personally, I would avoid using emojis in tags.

Some of these recommendations (and more) can be found in this AO3 News post under the How To Make Tags Work For You header.

Just read this post if you have no idea how tag wranglers actually wrangle tags. It’s really informative. The TLDR is: your tags are seen with no context, mixed in with all the other tags of other works in the wrangling interface, which are sorted by alphabetical order. Wranglers don’t know which tags in their workload belong to the same fic. Rambly Tumblr-style tags are fine, but just remember: “each tag stands on its own in the filters. Think about the idea you’re expressing in each tag, not just in your tags as a whole conversation. (...) Don’t assume that sarcasm, hyperbole, etc. will come through during sorting.”

Without further ado, let’s get into the actual tagging! I’m gonna be following the same order as if you were posting a new fic on AO3 :)

RATING & ARCHIVE WARNINGS

You can click on the little interrogation point in the form if you don’t know exactly how to tag for rating and warnings or check out the Ratings and Warnings section of AO3’s Terms of Service and FAQ. The only thing I would advise you here is to be as truthful as possible.

One important thing to know would be the difference between “No archive warnings apply” and “Choose not to use archive warnings”. From ao3commentoftheday:

“No Archive Warnings Apply means that the fic has nothing in it that people need to be warned about.

Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings means that the fic very well might include things that people would like to be warned about, but the author has decided not to warn because that warning might spoil the story (or for some other reason)”.

If you decide to use Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings, here’s a few options so your readers can still make an informed decision about reading your fic:

Additional Tags: You could use the Additional Tags field to list any details about what might be triggering in your work. For example, if there is a Character Death, but you don’t want to tag with MCD because it’s not a Major character, or it’s only temporary… There are tags for that! There was a great discussion on this post re: warnings vs spoilers on ao3commentoftheday, if you wanna go have a look!

Tag + Author’s note: Another thing you could do is use the “Additional Warnings In Author’s Note” tag and, as the tag says, give more details to your readers about triggers or warnings in your author’s note.

Author’s note (at the beginning) + End note (at the end): You could also write down a small summary of the triggering parts of your chapter in the end notes, and direct your readers to it in an Author’s Note at the beginning of the chapter.

FANDOMS

As I said above, please use the canonical Fandom tags!

MCU

I would really recommend you read this post on how to tag in the MCU! But basically, you should mainly be tagging your fic with Captain America (Movies) (or whatever movie is the focus of your story!). No need to use more general tags like Marvel (Movies) or Marvel Cinematic Universe ON TOP of your movie tag, it’ll show up there anyway! (If you’re writing RPF, use the Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF tag)

Always remember that if you’re tagging more than one fandom, you need to separate them with a comma! Don’t use a slash / or “and” (like “Captain America/Game of Thrones” or “Captain America and Game of Thrones”), or else it will create a single new tag that will be impossible to wrangle.

If your fic prominently features events or characters from other MCU movies (like The Avengers, Black Panther, etc.) or TV shows (like Agents of SHIELD or the Defenders), you could even add those fandom tags! But I wouldn’t if it’s not a major part of the plot though. For example: if Scott Lang is Bucky’s roommate, I would probably not tag with the “Ant-Man (Movies)” fandom tag. Ask yourself: would someone looking for Ant-Man fic want to find mine?

In fact, you can mostly apply this strategy to the whole tagging process. Ask yourself: would someone looking for xyz want to find my fic?

Also note that tagging multiple fandoms in the MCU will not make your work a Crossover according to AO3’s search engine, since they are under the same Metatag (aka Marvel Cinematic Universe). But if you tag another fandom in the bigger Marvel Metatag (for example, “Winter Soldier (Comics)”), then it will be considered a Crossover. (according to AO3: “Crossovers are defined here as works with at least two unrelated fandom tags, as determined by how tags are wrangled.”).

Alternate Universe

If your fic is an AU taking place in a non-MCU fandom (for example, Harry Potter), it’s up to you to decide how you want to tag.

Fandoms: You could add the Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling tag to the Fandoms field. Be aware that your fic will be considered a Crossover according to AO3’s search engine.

Additional Tags: there’s a few different ways to tag for AUs.

Alternate Universe - “...” : for example Alternate Universe - Hogwarts

Alternate Universe - “...” Setting: for example Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting

Alternate Universe - “...” Fusion (or just Alternate Universe - Fusion): for example Alternate Universe -The Little Mermaid Fusion, because there wasn’t a HP fusion tag in this case lol (according to Fanlore: “A fusion is a type of fanwork which merges two or more fandoms by incorporating characters from one fandom into the setting of another as if they had always been there.”) (emphasis mine)

In any case, you could also add the Crossover tag to the Additional Tags field (according to Fanlore: “A crossover is a fanfic in which two or more fandoms are combined in some way.”)

You could do all or neither of those things! As always, there are pretty much no absolute rules when it comes to tagging. But again, the more accurate you are, the better it is for your readers! :)

Now, I’ve used Harry Potter as an example, but there are a ton of Alternate Universe tags (under the Sub Tags section) for a great number of fandoms!

RELATIONSHIPS

From AO3’s FAQ: “The significant character interactions in the work, including romantic and/or sexual relationships and pairings (indicated in the Archive's canonical tags by a '/', e.g., James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers) and platonic relationships such as friendship, family, teammates, etc. (indicated in canonical tags by a '&', e.g., Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanoff). You can use whatever notation you like. Separate different relationships with commas.” (emphasis mine, and I changed the pairings for MCU ones)

So basically:

romantic or sexual = use the slash  /

platonic = use the ampersand &

I would recommend:

To only tag the one (1) main relationship in your fic (whether romantic or platonic), unless your story really focuses on more than one sexual/platonic relationship or contains a graphic scene depicting the second couple.

Any side pairings/friendships can go in the Additional Tags field (for example: Minor Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov or Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes Friendship).

Ask yourself: would someone looking for xyz want to find my fic? Or as ao3commentoftheday put it: “Only tag the ship if someone who ships it would be satisfied with the amount of content (or ‘screen time’) that ship gets.”

Here’s a good post on what not to do when tagging Relationships. Namely:

Using portmanteau ship names like “Stucky”, or

Tagging multiple variations of the way you can refer to one ship, like: “Steve/Bucky”, “Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes”, “Steven Grant Rogers/James Buchanan Barnes”.

It’s not a huuuuge deal since they’ll just get synned to the James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers tag, but there’s no need to use all of those when you have a perfectly good canon tag!

Again, there are no rules on how you need to tag your works. I would only recommend that you use canon tags as much as possible and that you choose the tag(s) that accurately represent your story.

CHARACTERS

Use canonical tags! I was incredibly surprised when I searched for the character “Steve Roger” in the Tag Search and ended up with almost 600 tags. The Characters field is not the place for “Mention of Steve Rogers”, “Pre-Serum Steve Rogers”, “Alpha Steve Rogers”, etc. Those should go in the Additional Tags, or else any modifier you’ve put before “Steve Rogers” will be useless, since it’ll just get synned to the Steve Rogers character tag.

Also sounds obvious but… don’t tag Relationships in the Characters field. And vice-versa.

Only tag the main characters! Try to keep it to a minimum. Don’t tag every single character that appears in your fic! (especially if there are a lot of them  and most only make a short appearance)

If you’re not sure who to tag, ask yourself: if someone reads my fic, in a year’s time, who would they remember being in there?

In any case, if you want to mention a character without putting it in the Characters field, you can use the Additional Tags!

Stay tuned for Part 3 where I’ll be tackling the Additional Tags! :D

See Part 1: A Comprehensive List of Stucky Tags here.

See Part 3: Additional Tags here! 

You can also access a handy bullet-point checklist that summarizes these posts on Google Docs here! 

[itsclydebitches]

So growing up I had a friend and knew of others who were very much the hardcore fangirl with certain VA and actors. I'm talking would read and write smut. Fantasize over people like Crispin Freeman, Vic Mignogna, and other VA's in anime. Plus huge Supernatural fan, really into Jared and Jensen. All this while she was 16. Would unironically fuck them if given the chance. She's in her 20's now and is probably not as a rapid fangirl, but I haven't seen her in forever.

It’s admittedly a complicated topic (aren’t they all?) but on the whole I think that interest is healthy going one way, but not the other. Meaning, it’s natural for young people, particularly teens, to fantasize about celebrities, especially celebrities that are older than them. Because they’re at a time in their life when they’re trying to figure out how to be adults themselves and there, in all that glory, is a perfect adult. Look how handsome or beautiful they are. Look how talented. Look how perfect and put together. I’m admittedly speaking from my own memories of being a teen, but for me it was a potent combination of wanting to be with them—or rather, with this persona they’ve developed in public places that isn’t really them—and wanting to be them. The “rabid fangirl” stereotype is a mix of a whole slew of different emotions. When someone latches onto a “pairing” like Jared and Jensen it’s “Wouldn’t it be amazing if I were loved and adored like they are?” and “It must be so great to have someone care for you in the way he does for him,” and “Isn’t it fun to do something a bit taboo like imagining these real people together?” and “It’s so much more comforting to explore complicated things like my own sexuality with people that are removed from my own body and troubles,” and “I draw great support from this fandom community who just happens to ship them so why wouldn’t I join in?” and “My adoration for this fictional show needs to spill over somehow” and yes, also “I honestly just think they’re hot.” RPF is its own complicated and morally fought thing, but I believe that the initial emotions that stem from it—fan adoring actors, often actors who are older then them—is normal. Teens want to imagine being with someone who is hotter than all their current choices (out of puberty), who is charming (more mature), and who thinks that they’re something special (you’re not like those other 16yos). They want to model themselves off of the people they see on TV—other “teenagers” who are really 25+ year-olds in perfect makeup, lighting, wardrobes—and to be validated. Imagining someone as amazing as Jensen or Jared falling for you, the 16yo “nobody” is a powerful fantasy.

But it is just that: a fantasy. A comfort and an enjoyment that, for the most part, stays within private and semi-private spaces: your own thoughts or fan communities (which is just ONE of the reasons why people are upset when other fans foster smut fic off on actors. It’s highly inappropriate towards both them and the community; an extreme form of fandom-ing that threatens everyone else’s more innocent fun). And eventually teens outgrow that. Not that you outgrow fandom, but you come to more easily identify the fantasy as a fantasy; something you enjoy with caveats and in moderation. It’s why we don’t necessarily discourage those fantasies, but we teach young people howto recognize how dangerous they’d be if you were given the chance to make them real. Yeah, it might seem like that 50yo thinks you’re so mature for your age… but he doesn’t. He’s preying on you. Stick to writing fic about the character he plays and don’t go near him if given the chance. So you (hopefully) end up with less “rabid fangirl” and more professional women laughing with her friends about how this show is banking on us thinking the actors are hot as hell and oh, honey.. it worked.

The problem is when that interest is reversed. When the actors in question start praying on that naivety and enjoyment. You’re quite right, anon: there is a power dynamic and it cannot be ignored. Any celebrity has a responsibility to acknowledge that they cannot, under any circumstances, take advantage of their position. A 16yo claiming she’s in love with you does not give you the right to sleep with her. A young fan who wants your autograph hasn’t agreed for you to touch him with unwanted hugs, kisses, etc. People like Mignogna are predators who have used their status horrifically. Adults everywhere have the responsibility of maintaining appropriate boundaries because minors cannot do that themselves. Fans are interacting with a plucked and shined and generally unrealistic persona that has been deliberately given to the public for them to consume and adore. They express that adoration in numerous ways, often semi-private ways, and are using these celebrities as a kind of emotional outlet. Heading to a sleepover and talking about which actor you’d straight up die for is a pretty normal part of growing up. But just because young fans are doing both what comes naturally to people and what companies encourage them to (more obsession with actors means more interaction, which means more money…) doesn’t mean the adults involved get to betray that dynamic and use it as an excuse to harm them.

[writsgrimmyblog]

17, 20, 23!

#17 - if you could give your fledgling author self any advice, what would it be? I think I would say write what makes you happy. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. I noticed I’ve started writing towards an assumed audience with my HP because I’ve written so much of it. I have definitely shelved HP ideas that interest me because I think, well, no one’s going to read that. I look at what’s popular and what isn’t so popular and have refined what I write accordingly. Writing my Tomlinshaw Kissing in the Rain fic helped me to reassess the way I’m approaching writing. In that case I started writing fully expecting the story wouldn’t get much traction. I’m a new author in the ship, I have a small blog and I had zero expectations of audience. The only person I was writing for was myself. The result was the writing process was so, so enjoyable I couldn’t put the story down and I think (hope!) my affection for the story and characters came through in the end result. It’s inspired me to really critically think about the stories I want to tell - hence deciding to take on the Tomlinshaw Harry Potter crossover and beginning work on the multi-chaptered Snarry fic I’m planning for 2018 which grapples with British LGBT politics of the eighties and nineties. The problem with writing for a presumed audience is you end up making assumptions about readers which might not be accurate in the slightest. You also get bogged down in stats and feedback, and the story is far less satisfying to write as it becomes a ‘commercial’ exercise of sorts. Self-censorship is also never fun. I’m not going to lie and pretend comments, feedback and all of that stuff aren’t big motivators, but I’m learning to be strict with myself and really ask before I start writing, is this a story YOU want to tell or a story you think people will like? A much bigger topic, but I also think writing for an audience, if enough people approach writing that way, creates the market and influences fandom and ship trends. That can be discouraging for people who don’t conform to those trends and make readers who are looking for something fresh or different go elsewhere. So, yes. Write what makes you happy, first and foremost. I genuinely think it shows in the end result and I think it has the wider impact of encouraging more varied content in fan spaces.

#20 - do you write in long sit down sessions or short bursts? Long sit down, definitely. Before I even start writing I need to read what I have and, if it’s something really plotty like my HP Tomlinshaw Little Lion Man, I need to go to my spreadsheet of open plot threads and work out what needs to go into the next chapter, whether there are any threads I’ve identified should be opened (or closed) in a particular chapter and then tick those off. I can’t just write for half an hour then leave for a couple of hours and come back and do another half hour.

#23 - any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing? I don’t think there’s anything obscure necessarily. I definitely gravitate towards canons where fics can be set in London (BBC Radio 1 RPF, Sherlock BBC, Harry Potter) because having lived there for over a decade I feel like I can write London well and I can picture the bars, clubs and spaces which frequently appear in my fic, even if I change their names. My characters getting pissed and making poor life decisions may also draw on personal experience, but that’s another story :D

writers meme asks

[littlepanduh-writes-365]

Opinion of RPF

tw// mentions of depression and anxiety

howdy doo everyone~

I’ve been writing and rewriting this letter for the past few days. There are many thoughts that I wanted to include, but I’m constantly worried about the longevity and potential curtness of some topics. I’m also worried that my opinions are going to backlash on me, but I came to the conclusion that in order for me to be a better person and a better writer, I need to accept criticism. I just ask that if you do send me criticism or questions, please be patient and understanding with the response time. I try to handle things sensitively which means I put a lot of thought into my answer and writing. I also admit that I get rattled easily and I want to give you answers when my head is clearer. 

This has been something that’s been on my mind for many years actually. It’s caused me to stop reading and writing many times. At this point, it’s becoming a vicious cycle and I don’t know whether I want to continue it anymore or just give it up and find something else to do. If you’re reading this, I hope you can at least gain insight and understanding because some other authors may have felt this way and if you have the time, I’d appreciate some feedback. I know this document is long, so I’m really thankful if you can bear through it. 

I have been reading and writing fanfiction for about 11 years. I have been writing for k-pop on and off for 7 years now. Although writing has been a great hobby and outlet and the k-pop writing community has proven to be a safe space for me, I still tend to have internal conflicts about the ethics of Real Person Fanfiction (RPF). I have a very long explanation of my philosophy of writing, which I encourage you to read if you read many of my fics, but to break it down, I acknowledge that there’s a lot of responsibility when writing for the k-pop fandom. 

I know these are real-life people and it’s possible that readers might get the wrong idea when reading my fics. I want you to know that when I write my fics, I’m not exactly thinking of that specific person. This sounds kinda horrible because it’s blunt, but when it all boils down, I’m basically just using them as a face claim. It’s easier for me, especially since I write a lot of shorter fics and drabbles, because I don’t have to spend a whole page describing a character, like how authors of books normally do. A lot of what I write comes from personal experiences so I usually think of a plot and then decide which person fits my character. I admit that I do choose characters based off of the idols’ personalities/personas, but I’m not going to hold it against them in real life. I sometimes adjust my character to the “real” personality of the idol, but not so much. I’m pretty sure a lot of k-pop fanfic writers feel this way (and I can imagine readers feel that way too), which is why I encourage you to read the extension of this memo which digs into specific topics, like writing idolverse/”canon” and smut. 

If you are a writer, I hope you have a similar philosophy that respects the people we write about and also reflects on a potential cultural impact you can make. If you are a reader, I hope you take an author’s intentions into account when you are reading. It’s not just writing out a fantasy, but there are thoughts and emotions writers want to express or a lesson to teach. Sometimes people do write just for fun and it’s normally okay, but it varies case by case on whether the intention is appropriate.

Sometimes it is hard to see those intentions, especially when it’s not explicitly written out like this or authors chose to be vague about endings or “what happened last summer” or something like that. Depending on the situation, the uncertainty is a key factor in their style or storytelling, but if you’re uncomfortable about it, you have the right to voice it out. This is why it’s so important to communicate with authors by the means of commenting. Jumping to conclusions is very disrespectful to a writer and that’s not fair for fanfic writers who are doing this for free. Conversations like, “where do you get this idea from?” or “did you mean this when you said that?” clarify the intentions of the author. (If you have a strong opinion or interpretation, you may want to preface in your comment that because you might just come off as rude and taking control over the story.) Many authors might say, “it’s up for any interpretation”, but will give their own insight. In my opinion, if authors don’t give you the time of day or completely shut down your opinions, I understand if you start forming your own opinions. (I don’t believe social media slander is the way to go but maybe appropriate if they ignore the problem.) Depending on the writer, they are busy, so please be considerate of their own personal schedules. Don’t demand a quick response time or a public apology. Reading and writing are supposed to be cathartic and empathy-inducing and distracting and fun. Your opinions are valid. (I have to add on that if you chose to ignore things like trigger warnings and tags, that is on you.)    

You may be wondering, why am I writing this letter? I seem to know my limits. I try not to be a problematic person. It doesn’t seem like my writing is problematic either. I’d like to believe these things, but I recognize that these are all subjective. I am not necessarily going to be completely transparent with you because that’s a whole lot of layers and I don’t want to just force all of that on you, but I will be open with you about things that I’ve already put out. 

I’m predicting that the people who are reading this memo have only been reading my recent works/works I’ve posted on AO3. If you don’t know this, I am also on AFF and tumblr. Although a lot of my stuff (especially the one-shots on tumblr) is pretty lighthearted and surficial, I have written about deeper and darker topics: character death and mourning, cheating, panic attacks, and a pole dancer. I have also included themes of drinking, swearing, and implied sex. These range from passive mentions to having the whole story revolve around that topic. I recognize that these can be uncomfortable themes, which is why I try to relay my intentions and sensitivity through Extended Author’s Notes, content warnings per chapter and tags, taking forever to edit, and writing long responses to comments. I choose to write about these topics because I personally get tired of seeing similar fics and, again, I just need an outlet.

Allow me to address a… hyena in the room (yeah, not an elephant). I don’t usually flash this card, nor do I feel 100% comfortable talking about this, but I’m just going to come clean and say that I suffer from depression and anxiety. No, you don’t need to feel sympathetic or look at my writing differently. Please don’t do that. That’s not why I’m telling you this. I mostly want to say that, yes, I have these mental illnesses, but I also acknowledge that it doesn’t excuse any toxic behavior. I have written when my anxiety-induced insomnia gets to me or when I’m having a particularly low week. I try to edit when I’m more stable, but again, that’s pretty subjective. I try so hard to cope properly and I do use other methods besides writing. I talk to my friends to make sure I don’t isolate too much. I’ve ventured into music and dance. Admittedly, things have been harder with this pandemic. I’m not a perfect person and I admit that I slip up every once in a while. You might see it in my writing. Sometimes, I’m rereading a paragraph for the 12th time and I’ll be completely jaded over the intensity of the emotions I wrote 3 months ago because it comes to the point that I’m just looking at words. The words that I wrote at 2AM after a self-loathing day seem completely different two weeks later after a deep talk with my best friend. One day, it’ll hurt me, and the next, it’ll mean nothing. I’m not sure how it’ll affect you. I acknowledge that my readers come from different walks of life and different experiences. I want to respect that. If something bothers you, please do not hesitate to communicate with me. 

I know I don’t act like it all the time, especially on Twitter, but I am an adult and I’m trying to handle at least my mental health like an adult. I write about mature topics and as a writer, I recognize that I need to handle the reception maturely as well.

The “best woman of this generation” once said this about her group. “Even if there are good times, there could also be times when you feel disappointed or feel regret or get angry or annoyed… Just do things that you like. Resolve your mood, then come back to Red Velvet… It’s not “always like Red Velvet”. I’d like for your guys to find many, many diverse things to enjoy… I do really want you all to be happy.” I am in no way in the same league as Red Velvet or Ms. Bae Joohyun, but I’d like to keep that humble mentality. You don’t have to support every fic I write. You don’t have to support my entire story. You don’t have to approve of every topic I write about or the messages I relay. (I would like to hear your thoughts, but you are not obligated to do so.) The beauty of these sites is that you can come and go whenever you would like. I get it. Life happens. Things change. Opinions change. You’re valid. If ever you want to come back to my story or maybe finish one that you never continued, you are always welcome to do so.   

I, myself, have stopped reading fics, even if they were good. I’m not just talking about ongoing fics that lost its flare. I’m also talking about completed fics or fics that have over 500 Kudos or were Featured on AFF. Sometimes the topics are too deep. Sometimes, I just need to emotionally prepare myself for an update. Sometimes I lose interest. I’m sure the author might feel a little hurt, but that’s just how life is. I don’t spend a lot of my time reading and writing fics. In the end, I’m going to finish the fics that kept me interested.

Alright, if you’ve made it this far, congratulations. Serious conversation is over (for now). Thank you for your tolerance, patience, and understanding. If you are someone that reads my stories, thank you for your support. If you are someone who enjoys my stories, thank you for your love. With the time that I have, I’m working hard to be a better writer, but most importantly, I’m working harder to be a better person. The k-pop community has been a safe place for me and I want to continue letting it be that way. 

Stay safe and healthy everyone <3 Until next update

Click here to read my in-depth opinions about writing. (Skip to page 4.)

[duesouthbigbangmod]

2018 Fest FAQ

Click through for answers to commonly asked questions!

General Questions

What is a big bang? There are many different types of big bangs, all varying slightly, but usually a big bang is a process in which authors write long fics and artists make art for them. In this case, the primary form of fanwork can be fic, podfic, art or vids, and our word count/work goal will be in the 20k range. See The Rules Post for detailed specs, or check out previous years’ challenges on AO3.

What is dS/c6d? Due South and all the other fandoms that feature any of the main actors from due South. For more information, check out the entry on Fanlore.

Can I find you on other platforms? Absolutely! Feel free to join and watch the dreamwidth comm even if you aren't signing up. If you ARE signing up, please join the comm ASAP. Some important reminders and posts may be members-locked.

 How do I sign up? Sign ups have started, and you can find the post where Primary and Complementary creators can sign up for the challenge here. Primary sign-ups will stay open until the Primary Work Deadline, so you can sign up at any time until then. Basically, if you can hit the deadline, you’re in! Complementary creators can also sign up later, when the complementary claims open.

What kind of timeline will I be under? Sign-ups open: March 11th 2018. Primary works due: August 20th 2018. Complementary claims open: August 25th 2018. Checkpoint for complementary creators: September 22nd 2018. Complementary works due: October 1st 2018. Go-live date for all works: Canadian Thanksgiving, October 8th 2018. 

Where will the works be hosted? We are using AO3 for this challenge. If you need an invite, please shoot us an ask or a message.

What’s a Complementary fanwork? A fanwork based on the Primary fanwork you claim. The requirements for secondary fanworks are spelled out in The Rules Post. 

What's a checkpoint? This is where we check in with all creators to see if they’re on track and if they need any help. 

What about chats? Do I have to do those? There are text-based group chats on Skype. They’re optional, but we encourage you to participate in them. Last year’s chats were excellent for brainstorming, moral support, a lot of hilarious tangents, group therapy, commiseration and everything else you're going to need to get through this. 

I've got two ideas in my head. Can I work on both? Yes, as long as you think you'll be able to finish both by the deadline.

 If I am doing more than one Primary fanwork, do they both have to be the same medium and fandom? Absolutely not! For example, if you want to write a 20k Flashpoint story and do a series of Hard Core Logo drawings, that’s fine. 

Can I write/podfic with someone else? Yes, you may co-author your big bang if you want to. However, the word minimum for co-authored/podficced works is 25,000.

What if I have to drop out? There are no penalties for primary creators dropping out! RL happens, writer's/artist’s block happens – we totally get that. If you drop out, we'll give you a hug and hope to see you the next round. If you’re a Complementary creator already assigned to a Primary work, we do ask that you let us know as soon as possible if you’re having problems, so that we can try and assign someone else. 

Can I have an extension? Sorry, no. We need finished works by the deadlines, so we can publish on time. (But if you miss the Primary Work Deadline, you can still submit your work to the collection as long as it’s finished by the Complementary Work Deadline. You just won’t get a Complementary work to go with it.) 

Primary Fanworks 

What type of requirements are there for fic/art/podfic/vids? Please see The Rules Post for a complete list of requirements.

I've already been writing a story -- can I use that? You can use a Work in Progress as long as 20,000 words are entirely new and unseen. 

What genres/fandoms are allowed? All genres are allowed. All ratings are allowed. RPF is allowed. For a partial list of C6D fandoms, have a look HERE or HERE. If your fandom is not on these lists, contact a mod – odds are we’ll say it’s good. 

Can I do a crossover, and if so, do both have to be C6D? Yes you can, and no, the crossover fandom does not have to be C6D. However, the primary fandom MUST be C6D. For example, if you were writing a due South/White Collar crossover, the main POV must be from a dS character’s perspective. The C6D fandom cannot be a cameo. It could, however, be set in New York, with dS characters going to work with the White Collar unit.

Does my art have to tell a story? Not necessarily, but there should be something there for the Complementary creator to work with. 

Complementary Fanworks 

How do I know what I'm making a fanwork for? After the primary fanwork deadline, we'll make a claims post. In this post we'll include the primary work summary and any warnings the creator gives. You can choose which piece you'd like to create a fanwork for, and then we’ll link you up with the primary creator for that piece. 

How do I make a claim? Initial claims will open for 48 hours to allow people in all time zones to choose their favourite primary work. If any works are claimed by two or more people in that time, we’ll draw names out of a hat. After the initial 48-hour period, any remaining claims will be on a first come, first served basis. 

What happens if the number of Primary creators doesn't match up with the number of complement creators? If Primary fanworks outnumber Complementary creators, we will allow people to make a second claim. If it's the other way round, we’ll allow more than one creator to be assigned to the same piece. Either way, everyone who wants to participate will get to participate. We can’t guarantee that all Primary works will get a complementary work, but we’ll do our best. 

Can the Complementary fanwork be done in the same medium as the Primary fanwork? We’d prefer them to be different, but if this isn’t possible (given that our fandom is very small!) then we will accept complementary fanworks in the same medium. 

How will I get in touch with my Primary fanwork creator? We will provide you with contact information once you are committed to that individual. From there you can contact them to obtain a copy of their fanwork and ask whatever questions you want. We would like to encourage you to be in contact with them and to share what you make for them throughout the process. 

Posting Requirements 

What types of requirements are there for me to post my fanwork? You will need an AO3 account. Detailed instructions will be posted closer to the submission deadlines. Contact the mods as soon as possible if you need an invite. 

Can I post it to my journal early to show my friends? No, the first reveal for your fanwork must be on the big bang’s AO3 collection, on the go-live date.

Anything we didn’t address? Feel free to ask by commenting here or at the dreamwidth comm, shoot us an ask or a PM, or email us at dsc6dbbmod@gmail.com.

[spnfanficpond]

Pond Diving - Imagineteamfreewill

Welcome to today’s Pond Diving Spotlight! We hope that you enjoy this little insight to our members and perhaps even find some useful tips for your own writing. Happy reading!

Want to volunteer, send us an ask! We’re looking forward to learning more about all of you! Not sure what PD is, you can learn more here.

“Don’t Be Koi About It” - All About You

Name: Meg

Age: 20s

Location: United States

URL: @imagineteamfreewill

Why did you choose your URL: I first started out structuring my stories as imagines, and the “Team Free Will” part was pretty obvious.

What inspired you to become a writer: Reading Supernatural fanfiction inspired me to get back into writing, but I’ve always enjoyed it. My mom likes to talk about how when I was in Kindergarten, I drew a picture about how I wanted to be an author and now I write in my free time.

How long have you been writing: According to tumblr, I’ve been writing fanfiction since 2014, but I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.

What do you do when you are not writing i.e. Job/Hobbies etc? I’m a music teacher, so I sing and play piano, and I’ve played a bit of cello and tenor saxophone as well. I love movies, baking, sleeping, and a few video games.

How long have you been in the SPN Fandom? I joined sometime around Season 8 or 9, I think. I don’t really remember!

Are you in any other fandoms and do you write for them? I really enjoy Marvel and I’ve read a lot of Marvel fics, but I don’t write for them. I like a lot of TV shows (New Girl, Parks and Rec, The Good Place, Outlander, etc), but I wouldn’t consider myself part of the fandom.

Do you do any writing outside of fanfiction? If so, tell us about it? I love to write poetry. I had a poetry blog at truenorth-ink a while ago, but I haven’t updated it recently at all. Most of my poems aren’t published or posted anywhere.

Favorite published author: I love some of the early series by Rick Riordan and I also really enjoy poetry by Nikita Gill and Atticus. Lately, I've really been getting into Leigh Bardugo's books.

Have you ever read a book that made an impact on your life? Which one and why?: I think "East" by Edith Pattou really affected me! I read it when I was in 6th-8th grade and I think about it often. I think it's something that really stuck with me and got me interested in fantasy books so much. I read it at least once a year.

Favorite genre of fanfic (smut, angst, fluff, crack, rpf, etc): I love angsty stuff, and most of the time I prefer it when it has some fluff mixed in. Straight fluff is often hard for me to read because I need something that’s more realistic for my own life and point of view. I also really like whump, but that can be a lot sometimes so it depends on my mood.

Favorite piece of your own writing: I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I loved writing Back to the Start (my mermaid series) and The Switch (a canon-divergent apocalyptic Reader x Sam series). Right now, I'm really enjoying my Consort series (a Goddess!Reader x Dean series). Creating my own rules in my own little universes is one of my favorite things to do, especially since I can’t always do whatever I want in real life.

Most underrated fic you have written: Empire. I loved getting to write Boyking!Sam because it was so different from my normal Sam stories and I did a lot of research for it. I’m pretty proud that the story never got too bloody or gory, too, so if you want some Boyking!Sam that’s not drenched in blood (for lack of a better term), I’m your girl!

Story of yours that you’d most like to see turned into a movie/tv show: Probably Back to the Start or The Switch. I think those two series would be amazing to see with J2, the rest of the cast/characters I included, and special effects! There’s so much I’d want to explore with both of them that I didn’t put into the series.

Favorite Tumblr Writer(s): @luci-in-trenchcoats, @sunlightdances, @supernaturalfreewill, @lipstickandwhiskey, @smol-and-grumpy, @percywinchester27, and @kaz2y5-imagines

Favorite fic from another writer:  I don’t think I could pick just one, but I’ve read all of @sunlightdances Dean fics multiple times. Her works got me through some pretty sucky times in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of her writing! I’ve also been reading her Bucky fics recently and it’s made me love Marvel fics even more than before!​

Favorite character to write: Sam Winchester

Favorite Pairing to write: Reader x Sam (Reader x Dean is a close second)

Least favorite character to write (and why): I don’t like to write for Crowley or Gabriel. Gadreel is hard for me even though I can do it, but I don’t understand Crowley or Gabriel’s personalities at all because they’re literally so far away from mine.

Do you have anyone you consider a mentor? No, although @lipstickandwhiskey and @kaz2y5-imagines really encouraged me in my writing!​

Do you have any aspirations involving your writing? I would love to write a non-Supernatural work of fiction to publish, but that’s a long way off.

How many work-in-progress stories do you have: Oh Lord, I have so many! I have at least four series and two one shots in the works right now. I've also got over 100 one shots/series plotlines written out in the notes on my phone and various Google Docs.

What are you currently working on? I’m currently working on a Cinderella series, my Underworld series, my Puer Rex series, my Consort series, an Author!Sam fic, and an Author!Dean fic. I also write stories for my Words series now and again.

“Pond Diving” - All About The Writing

What/who has had the biggest influence on your writing? Reading other people’s work. The intense storylines of @luci-in-trenchcoats ’s fics have gotten me to be more bold with my writing and the emotions and description in @supernaturalfreewill’s works have inspired me to let my work have more feeling.

Best writing advice you've been given: Not necessarily writing advice, but I was once told that anything worth doing is worth doing at least a little bit every day. Think about it—if you wrote even just five minutes a day, how much better will you get over the course of a month? A year?

Biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your writing: Repetition of words and commas. So many commas and so many uses of the same word over and over again. It’s a hard balance between using the word and using synonyms without sounding like I’m sitting there googling synonyms for “said”. I also tend to spend a lot of time on things that I think are super important but aren’t really important in the long run. I’m wordy as hell and my writing would be dull if I didn’t edit it as thoroughly as I do.

What aspects of writing do you find difficult when you write fanfiction? A lot of times I have these ideas that I think would make a great series but I don’t think through them, so planning out the plot of a series (or even a standalone fic) beforehand is something I struggle with.

Is there anything you want to write but are afraid to (and why): I would love to write more fics that have the characters dealing with severe mental disorders or that take place in a mental hospital, but I’m afraid that I’ll portray something wrong and solidify harmful stereotypes about what it’s like to deal with those things.

What inspires/motivates you to write: Honestly, just wanting to write things that I enjoy. Sometimes I get sick of reading other peoples’ stuff since it’s not exactly what I want, so I just write my own!

How do you deal with self doubt: Understand that sometimes it happens. You’ll doubt yourself—everybody does. If I’m doubting myself or my writing, I’ll take a break until I remember why I write. Then I’ll remember that yeah, writing for an audience is fun, but I write because I have cool ideas I want to explore, not because I need the attention or love of strangers. Lastly, I’ll reread my old fics, especially the ones I love, and then I’ll go back and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. That way I can see how I’ve improved and I don’t feel so terrible anymore! Reading my own fics is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, and I’ll read through my masterlists every once a while just to remind myself of the things I’ve loved, where I’ve been, and where I’m going.

How do you deal with writer's block: Like I said, I reread old fics and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. Seeing the things I’ve done before always helps to focus me. I’ll also read other people’s stuff or talk about headcanons with some friends to try and find some inspiration.

Do you plan/outline your story before you start: Lately I have been, but only because my periods of intense inspiration and productivity are getting farther and farther apart because of my job. I’ve found planning it out to be more and more helpful, especially for my series. A lot of times if I get a great idea, I’ll outline the whole plot or any significant details I want to put in that one shot/series so that I can come back to it whenever I have the time or I’m inspired for it again.

Do you have any weird writing habits: I write best in places that are unfamiliar to me or in places/times where I shouldn’t be writing. Class? Writing. Airport terminal? Writing. 4am when I have to be up at 6? Writing.

Have you ever received hateful comments on your fic and how do you deal with it? Not that I remember! I feel like there’s probably been one or two over the years, but I probably just got upset about it with my friends for a while and then got over it.

Conversely: what’s been some of your favorite feedback on your fanfic? A long time ago, when I was writing Back to the Start, I had one person who sent me asks for every single series update. I screenshotted them and saved them on my laptop. There’s one particular one where they say that they’re happier because of my writing and honestly, isn’t that what we all strive for? That people’s lives are better because of our stories? I’ve also had some pretty great friends recently who’ve made it a point to reblog and send asks/messages on all my works, which has been so meaningful that I never replied to the asks. They’re sitting in my inbox and I go through and reread them sometimes when I’m feeling down.

If you could give one piece of advice to a new and/or struggling writer, what would it be?  ​Write down everything. If you come up with an amazing piece of dialogue, even if it’s just one sentence or one person talking, or if you come up with something you’d think would be a great title… WRITE IT DOWN. It doesn’t matter if it fits into whatever you’re currently writing or not, it’ll come in handy! I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through my idea list and found really obscure lines/titles/inspiration that didn’t make sense when I wrote them down, but are now exactly what I need to finish a fic. Even if you don’t end up using it, jotting down your ideas is still writing, and that’s good practice!