#my cats (2019) post has ALMOST 100k

[inevitably-johnlocked]

hey do you know any johnlock fanfictions, that are very slow burn and at first it's just sherlock being sad that him and john are never going to get together (maybe after the wedding or something) but have a happy ending? (possibly with 100k+ words)

Hey Nonny!

Ahhhh I like to argue that ALL my slow burn recs are especially painful, LOL LOL!! I didn’t have a lot of over 100 K ouchie-burn fics, so I’ve decided to quickly go through all my fics tagged “slow burn” and give you all the fics I KNEW gave me too many feels when I read them because of the burn!! So I hope that’s okay!!

And as always, Lovelies, I’ve certainly missed a lot of fics because of improper tagging or just too many sleepy nights skimming my bookmarks, so feel free to add your faves!

BURN SO SLOW IT HURTS

See also:

Love Confessions / Slow Burn / Dev. Rel. (Fluff Version)

Falling In Love / Slow Burn / Dev. Rel. || [MOBILE POST] (April 2019)

Slow Burn / Dev. Rel. / Falling in Love Pt. 3 (Nov. 2019)

Slow Burn / Dev Rel. Pt. 4 (Apr 2020)

Mutual Pining

Pining Sherlock || [MOBILE FRIENDLY VERSION]

Pining John

A Lifetime Together by LondonGypsy (M, 8,886 w., 1 Ch. || Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Falling in Love, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Pining Idiots, Alternating POVs, Domestics, Retirement) – John and Sherlock falling in love.

You fit me, Sherlock Holmes by orphan_account (G, 10,077 w., 1 Ch. || It’s An Experiment, Bed Sharing, Slow Burn, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Questionable Science) – An unfortunate series of events leads to John accepting being a part of Sherlock's study in physical intimacy. As the days pass by, John realizes he might be in for more than he bargained for. He doesn't entirely mind.

Down with this Ship by FrostedFlame (PinkOrchid) (M, 10,862 w., 10 Ch. || For a Case, Gay Bar, Pining, Coming Out, Slow Burn) – Sherlock drags John undercover to a gay bar - for a case, of course - looking forward to seeing John flustered by their surroundings (since you know, he's NOT GAY). John decides that he has hidden both his orientation and his feelings for his daft flatmate for far too long. He is done hiding, time to be honest with his bloody best friend in the world. He just hopes it won't change anything between them. And then it does.

The Slow Burn by CaitlinFairchild (E, 12,097 w., 4 Ch. || Romance, Emotional Infidelity, Friends to Lovers, Sherlock POV, First Kiss/Time, Fix-It) – John smiles, something small and private and for him alone, and Sherlock just...he knows. With a heart-stopping certainty, Sherlock suddenly knows. It feels like falling off the edge of a cliff. It feels like falling off the edge of the world. It feels like flying.

Merlot by Itsallfine (E, 14,844 w., 17 Ch. || Christmas, Pining Sherlock, Wine, Slow Burn, First Kiss / Time, Love Confessions, Wine, Holmes Family) – Sherlock and John work toward becoming something more as they prepare to host the Holmes parents at 221B for the holidays. Part of 25 Days of Fic-Mas 2015.

Pleasure to Burn by scullyseviltwin (E, 17,863 w., 1 Ch. || Firefighter AU, Firefighter John / Arson Investigator Sherlock, Slow Burn, Pining, Case Fic-ish) – “If you’d kindly stop knocking about in there and destroying all of my evidence, it would be most appreciated!” John groaned and for a moment rested his head against the side of the truck. Of course he was the only captain left on the scene, which meant he would have to be the one to deal with the arson investigator.

Permanent Fixture by vitruvianwatson (E, 18,836 w., 9 Ch || Post-S4, Parentlock, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, They’re Good Parents, Blushing Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, Explicit Consent, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Big Feelings, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Anxious Sherlock, Inexperienced Sherlock, Emotional Communication, Love Confessions) – Now, as Rosie sat curled up against Sherlock’s side, John watched and wondered exactly how he had ended up here. Domesticity had never suited him before, not at any point in his life. His disastrous marriage had been proof of that. But somehow, here in the warmth and safety of 221B Baker Street, here with Sherlock Holmes reading medical jargon to his daughter, Sherlock’s bony feet nudging against his leg, John couldn’t imagine anyplace that would make him happier.

Out of the Woods by SilentAuror (E, 20,471 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Romance, Slow Burn, Flirting, Drunk Sex, Practical Jokes, POV Sherlock, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Pining Sherlock, Frustrated Wanking, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, First Kiss/Time, Virgin Sherlock, Love Confessions, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Bum Appreciation, Hanging out with the Yard) – Sherlock is fairly certain that John has taken to flirting with him of late, but can't be entirely certain of it. At least, not until a case takes them into a forest, along with Lestrade's team and something happens that will change everything about their lives...

whiskies neat by Ellipsical (E, 20,660 w., 15 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, POV Second Person Sherlock, Slow Burn, One Night Stand, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Anal, Soldier John, Crying, Emotional Lovemaking, Switchlock) – Home and hearth and whiskies neat, or, alternatively, Sherlock Holmes falls in love.

Ghost Stories by SwissMiss (M, 22,256 w., 1 Ch. || Pining, Holmes Family, Christmas, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, First Time) – Sherlock's parents think he and John are a couple. They might be onto something.

The Sexual Awakening of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson by suitesamba (M, 24,579 w., 10 Ch. || Post-TRF, Case Fic, H/C, First Kiss/Time) – Sherlock owes Mycroft a favour. Mycroft calls in that favor by offering Sherlock's consulting services in a charity auction. Sherlock and John soon find themselves at the country manor of Mrs. Ives-Patton Smarmington III - not very coincidentally a long-time friend of Sherlock's mother - where they are reluctant participants in her Murder Mystery Weekend. It's a play within a play for Sherlock and John, and their roles for the weekend event bleed over into their real lives, waking the sleeping dragons within.

Tomorrow's Song by agirlsname (M, 24,645 w., 5 Ch. || Post-TRF, POV Sherlock, Angst with a Happy Ending, Virgin / Repressed Sherlock, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Pining, Jealous Sherlock) – How can he think a relationship with me would be a good idea? I am the sort of person to take a break from my life and when I come back after two years, I expect to find it exactly as I left it. In reality I find it shattered to pieces. (I actually equate you with my life. When did I start doing that?)

State of Flux by Atiki (E, 24,655 w., 4 Ch. || S3 Fix It, Sherlock POV, Slow Burn, First Kiss/Time, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Cuddles and Snuggles, Awkwardness, Insecure/Virgin Sherlock, Romance, Humour, Masturbation, Love Declarations, Bottomlock, Brief Suicidal Ideations) – John’s marriage is over and he is finally back home (i.e. at Baker Street, where he belongs). Sherlock is awfully insecure and John is awfully hesitant, and they’re both awkward idiots, of course, but they figure it out. Many First Times happen.

Hitting the Water at Sixty Miles an Hour by what_alchemy (E, 30,568 w., 5 Ch. || Fake Rel., Roadtrips, Slow Burn, Mummy Holmes) – “You love your mother, Sherlock?” John watched the muscles in Sherlock’s jaw jump. He nodded in one sharp jerk. “Then we’re going to her party and making her happy.” John let out a resigned sigh. “As a ruddy couple, you bastard.”

The Kissing Disease by cottonballz_of_death (E, 30,856 w., 15 Ch. || Sickfic, Angst with Happy Ending, Case Fic, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Jealous Sherlock, Body Image Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional H/C, POV Sherlock, Oral / Anal, Thong, Frottage) – John brings home a boyfriend, shocking Sherlock, who long ago gave up hope that his straight flatmate would ever take a romantic interest in him. In a bid to reconnect with John, he tries to infect himself with a "harmless" virus. Neither of them is prepared for the emotional fallout that results.

An Acquired Taste by kinklock (E, 31,059 w., 4 Ch. || Vampires AU || Vampire Sherlock, Misunderstandings, Bat!Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Humour, Magical Realism, Fluff and Angst, Blood Drinking, Holmes Family, Slow Burn) – At Montague Street when Sherlock was forced to sate his body’s needs, he was at least able to wander about the flat as much as he pleased. At Baker Street, it was mini-bags in a mini-fridge and bedroom confinement.

The Winter Garden by Callie4180 (T, 31,213 w., 13 Ch. || Post-S4, Retirement, Christmas, Slow Burn, Grown-Up Rosie, Parenthood, Rosie’s Cat, Angst with Happy Ending, Holidays, Beekeeping, Magical Realism, Sherlock POV, Sherlock’s Violin, Future Fic, Sussex, Honey, Magical Healing Honey, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Scar, First Kiss, Touching, Mycroft is Dying) – As Sherlock nears the end of his career, he's given the gift of a cottage in Sussex. The honey from the beehives out back is amazing. Almost...magical.

Love or What You Will by miss_frankenstein (T, 31,987 w., 11 Ch. || College/Uni AU || Professor John, Ph.D Student Sherlock, Pining John, Poetry, Falling in Love / Slow Burn, Light Angst, Happy Ending) – John is an English professor who specializes in War and Post-War Literature and Sherlock is the brilliant yet impossible Ph.D. student assigned to be his TA because no one in the Chemistry Department is willing to put up with him. And - somewhere between Waugh and Plath, e-mails and takeaway, novels and villanelles - they fall in love.

Five Times They Kissed for a Case, and One Time They Kissed for Real by fleetwood_mouse (M, 32,406 w., 6 Ch. || 5+1, Slow Burn, Fluff / Angst, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers) – A stolen ring! An artful blogger! And many more adventures for your enjoyment.

carrying up his morning tea by darcylindbergh (E, 34,504 w., 5 Ch. || Post S3, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Wakes/Funerals, Estranged John, Pining Sherlock, Depression/Insecurity, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Chronic Pain/Injury, Reconciliation, Awkwardness, Loneliness, Scars, Angst With Happy Ending) – His fingers tremble as he dials and he can’t force them steady. Familiar number, even though he hasn’t used it in two years. He isn’t even sure he should be calling it now, but she’d asked. She’d made him promise.

LHR-HNL by scullyseviltwin (E, 35,066 w., 7 Ch. || Hawaiian Vacation, Post-TRF, Friends To Lovers, Slow Burn, Just Talk Already, Drinking, Mutual Pining) – In need of an endangered flora sample, Sherlock and John must make a trip to an unexpected destination.

The Boy Who Drank Stars by kinklock (E, 36,157 w., 4 Ch. || Howl’s Moving Castle AU || Witches and Wizards, Slow Burn, Magic, Jealous John, Happy Ending, Bed Sharing) – “I’m looking for a castle,” John informed the scarecrow. “A moving one.”Except that, as it turned out, it was not a moving one at all.

A Promise Made to Be Broken by PlantsAreNeat (E, 37,018 w., 7 Ch. || Fake Relationship, Pining, Slow Burn, RST, Eventual Relationship, POV Sherlock) – A young John makes an ‘if we’re still single at 40, we’ll get together’ pledge to a woman who ends up all wrong for him. She keeps reminding him of the promise, and won’t let go of it. John asks Sherlock to pose as his boyfriend at a family wedding, so as to dash her hopes permanently. Sherlock, who has at last acknowledged his feelings for John, reluctantly agrees despite knowing how painful it will be to ‘have’ John, but not keep him.

Right Hand Man by SilentAuror (E, 42,031 w., 4 Ch. ||  H/C, Injury, Slow Burn) – When John's left arm becomes paralysed after a car accident, Mary asks Sherlock to take him back to Baker Street to recuperate, as she's about to give birth. Despite the fact that the search for Moriarty is ongoing, Sherlock takes John in and takes responsibility for overseeing his rehabilitation as he adjusts to the loss of his arm.

Left by lifeonmars (M, 45,153 w., 9 Ch. || Magical Realism, BAMF!John, Slow Burn) – John Watson is left-handed. He’s tried not to let it affect his life, but as any Lefty knows, that’s almost impossible.

The Real Great Perfumers by shelleysprometheus (E, 45,355 w., 68 Ch. || Case Fic, Alternating POV, Gay Sherlock / Bi John, Canon Compliant with Divergence at TRF, Friends to Lovers, Oral / Anal, Pining, First Kiss / Time, Dev. Rel., Drugging, Body Worship, Bathing, Love Confessions, Travelling, Bottomlock, Cranky Sherlock, BJ’s, Alternating POV, Jealous John) – The case, this case. This extraordinary, fascinating, scintillating case. A house. Designed entirely by its eccentric owner, built by no less than five hundred expert tradesmen in the heart of Marrakesh. A house that had, seemingly not only driven its owner out, but also to his quite unpleasant death. And a perfumer, a chemist no less, the very thought of the secrets that house could reveal, would reveal was irresistible. Sherlock had to have this case ... and it seems, he also had to have John! Part 1 of the Forethought and Fire series

Corpus Hominis by mycapeisplaid (E, 47,709 w., 12 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Case Fic, Fluff, Romance, Frottage, Angst, Anal, Blow Jobs, Rimming, Spas / Massages, Shampoo, Jealousy, Fake Relationship) - John knows the human body intimately. He’s had plenty of opportunity for study as a doctor, soldier, and lover. There’s one particular body, however, he knows very little about. When Sherlock launches himself head-first into a new obsession and they get sent on a case in an unlikely location, the pair discovers each other’s bodies with confusing yet delightful (and sometimes hilarious) results.

The Norwood Love Builders by flawedamythyst (T, 47,798 w., 9 Ch. || Fake Relationship, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Post TRF Angst) – Sherlock and John go undercover to solve the murder of Joanna Oldacre, but things are complicated by the many feelings John has been repressing in the wake of Sherlock's faked death and return.

The Pieces That Fall to Earth by Itsallfine (M, 49,513 w., 84 Ch. || S4 Fix-It, Epistolary, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Parentlock, Past Abuse, Coming Out, Internalized Homophobia, Questioning Sexuality, Mental Health Issues / Therapy, Angst, Happy Ending) – John and Sherlock have hit rock bottom, but with all their armor stripped away, they can finally speak honestly, seek healing, and find the truths that matter most. An epistolary post-s4 fix-it fic. Now complete. (This fic is rated T except for one very clearly marked and easily skippable chapter, which is rated M.) Part 1 of The Pieces that Fall to Earth

Anchor Point by trickybonmot (E, 49,856 w., 80 Ch. || Truman Show AU || Psychological Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Dark Characters / Fic, Alternating First/Third Person, Protective John, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Tender Moments, Love Confessions, Hand/Blow Jobs, Cuddling, Jealous John, First Kiss/Time) – The world tunes in nightly for Sherlock, the ultimate in reality TV: Sherlock Holmes, a real person with a legendary name, unknowingly lives out his life in a staged setting contrived by his brother. Things get complicated when a retired army doctor joins the show to play the part of Sherlock's closest friend. This fic borrows its concept from the 1998 film, the Truman Show. However, you don't need to have any knowledge of the movie to enjoy this story.

Triage by scullyseviltwin (E, 51,612 w., 14 Ch. || Character Injury, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Falling in Love, Slow Burn, Sherlock POV, Toplock) – Sherlock’s mind goes exceedingly, devastatingly quiet and gray-blank. When he speaks it’s through a thick haze, it’s through molasses, he’s so disconnected from the words that it may as well be the unconscious shooter speaking.

In the Dark Hours by hubblegleeflower (E, 51,639 w., 12 Ch. || Friends to Lovers, Unreliable Narrator, Closeted Bi John, Angst, Miscommunications, Slow Burn, First Time, John’s Blog / Epistolary, Selective Mutism) – John, wounded and silent, drifts back to Baker Street for healing...and then goes home again. He visits, gets more upbeat, chattier, smiles, jokes... and still goes home again. Sherlock wants him to move back in - it just makes sense - but John shows no signs of doing so. This is the story of how John and Sherlock learn to say what needs to be said when they're both so very, very rubbish at talking.

Spare Change by Ermerness (E, 51,966 w., 14 Ch. || Rich Holmeses AU || First Kiss / Time, Holmes Family, Virgin Sherlock, Anal, First Meetings, Bossy Bottomlock) – The Holmes family is one of the richest and most powerful in England. Sherlock spends his time flying around the world on the family's private jet drinking a lot and shopping at expensive boutiques as a way of trying to alleviate his endless boredom. His mother decides it's time he settles down with someone powerful, wealthy and well connected. John Watson happens to be none of those things.

Coventry by standbygo (E, 52,020 w., 26 Ch. || Dollhouse AU || Case Fic, Slow Burn, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, First Kiss / Time, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, BAMF John, Falling in Love) – “Let me get this straight,” John said, wondering when his life had become a science fiction film. “Some guy orders up a personality, a person, to his specifications, and they program this into a real live person, who has consented to do this, and she goes to this person and acts as his wife, or lawyer, or Royal Marine, or Navy Seal or what have you, and she has all the skills, all the knowledge, everything? Then you say the magic words, and she follows you back to The House, and they erase it all until her next appointment?”

Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.

Wars We Fought, Things We're Not by blueink3 (M, 55,204 w., 10 Ch. || Post S3 / Post TAB, Parentlock, Fluff & Angst, Kidnapping, Whump, Post-TAB, UST/URT, 3G, Mild Peril, Slow Burn, Couple for a Case, Protective Mycroft, Infant Death Pre-Story, Friends to Lovers) –  Five months after John's world has fallen apart, Mycroft sends the consulting detective and his doctor on a case that neither is prepared for.

A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w., 16 Ch. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because...new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride... prepare for blast off. Part 1 of SpaceBois go to Space

The Book of Silence by SilentAuror (E, 60,056 w., 2 Ch. || S4 Fix It / Post S4, Virgin Sherlock, Rosie / Parentlock, Domesticity, Fluff, Praise Kink, Sex Toys, First Person POV) – As spring blooms in London, John and Sherlock begin to take new cases and cautiously negotiate this new phase of life with John living at Baker Street again. Despite how well it's all going, John struggles to forgive himself for the way he treated Sherlock following Mary’s death as well as trying to figure out how to finally put his long-time feelings for Sherlock into words. Part 1 of The Book of Silence/Rosa Felicia

The Progress of Sherlock Holmes by ivyblossom (E, 62,006 w., 25 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || First Person Sherlock POV, Pining, Angst, Slow Burn, Infidelity, Sherlock Learns About Himself, Happy Ending) – Sherlock struggles with his feelings for John, makes a mistake, and learns just how important he and John are to each other. Non-BBC Mary / John, but it’s a *complicated* relationship.

Hell Sent, Heaven Bound by ConsultingHound (M, 64,381 w, 16 Ch. || Angels / Demons AU ||  Fallen Angel Sherlock / Angel Cop John, Alternate First Meeting, Slow Burn, Case Fic, John & Lestrade are Friends Before Sherlock, BAMF John, Mind Palace John, Friends to Lovers, John in Denial, Sherlock Picks Out John’s Clothing, Clubbing / Dancing, Mildly Jealous John, Awkwardness, Kidnapping, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Sacrifice, Worried / Anxious Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Immortal to Mortal) – Ex-War healer and current angelic guard John Watson is not having the best day. He overslept, he’s underpaid, and now there’s someone tagging the Council’s building walls. However things may be about to get interesting: there’s an unusual stranger hanging around (the definition of tall, dark, and handsome), a literal underground cult is brewing, and rumblings are coming from hell. Can he keep his neighbourhood safe, how and why is he being connected to all this, and who the hell is Sherlock Holmes?

You Have Drawn Red From My Hands by J_Baillier (T, 67,085 w., 17 Ch. || Three Garridebs, Heavy John Whump, Hurt / Comfort, Pining, Heavy Angst, Case Fic/Adventure, Slow Burn, Sick Fic, Injury, Guilt & Depression, Just Talk Already Please, Medical Realism, PTSD) –  John getting injured leads Sherlock on a path of guilt and revelations.

Being John Watson-ish by elwinglyre (E, 69,902 w., 17 Ch. || Bodysnatcher AU || Author John, Cranky Sherlock, Angst, Sexual Tension, First Kiss / Time, Falling in Love, BAMF John, Past Soldier John, Feelings, Inside Someone’s Brain, Shy Sherlock, Sherlock Loves John, POV Sherlock, Switchlock, Slow Burn, Internal Dialogue, Mental Turmoil) – When consulting detective Sherlock Holmes steps on one toe too many at a crime scene, he's consigned to a desk job in an archaic office on the seventh-and-a-half floor of the New Scotland Yard. It’s in this bleak office that Sherlock discovers a portal into the mind of renowned author John Watson. Grander than his mind palace, this new wonderland affords Sherlock new vistas of experimentation. To learn more about the mystery behind the portal, Sherlock seeks out and befriends Watson. But then it all goes wrong when others find the secret portal door—including the man whose brain he visits.

Just To Hold You Close by sussexbound (E, 70,841 w., 18 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, Sherlock POV, ASD Sherlock, PTSD John, Demisexual Sherlock, Bisexual John, Cuddling/Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Enthusiastic Consent, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Sexual Tension, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddle Negotiations, For a Case Until It Isn’t, Hair Petting, Sexual Negotiation, Anxiety, Trust Issues, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Hand/Blow Jobs, Referenced Self Harm / Abuse / Suicidal Ideation, First Kiss/Time, Anal, Autistic Sherlock) – When a woman is murdered and the last person to see her alive is recently invalided army vet turned reluctant (and prickly) professional cuddler, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes is pulled into a world of intimacy and intrigue he never could have imagined. John is a conundrum and mystery: frank yet reserved, tender yet angry, open yet afraid. Sherlock is instantly drawn into his orbit, and begins to feel and desire things he never has before.

The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sickfic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him.

Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w., 18 Ch. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he's a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover's trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world's highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?

Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater /  Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation) – John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Flashbacks, Sussex, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Background Case Fic) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series

Given In Evidence by verityburns (M, 97,884 w., 19 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Angst, Drama, Case Fic, Romance, BAMF!John, Submissive Sherlock, First Kiss, Humour) – Coming back from the dead can be a complicated business. With a new case on the horizon, rebuilding a life is one thing... rebuilding a friendship quite another. For Sherlock and John, things may never be just the same...

The Cost of a Wish by slashscribe (E, 102,493 w., 12 Ch. || xxxHolic Fusion || Spirits / Ghosts and Magic, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Soul Mates / Fated Lovers, Adventure, Immortal Sherlock, Powerful John, POV John, Frottage, Wish Granting, Angst with Happy Ending, Nightmares) – John has been plagued by a secret his entire life that has made him feel hopeless until he meets a mysterious, seemingly omniscient man named Sherlock Holmes who owns a wish-granting shop. Their meeting sets off a series of inevitable events that will change the course of both of their lives forever.

The Wedding Garments by cwb (E, 105,390 w., 36 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Alternate Future AU || Alternate First Meeting, Dating / Arranged Marriages, Romance, First Kiss/Time, Heavy Petting, Cuddles, POV Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn / Falling in Love / Dev. Rel., Nervous/Anxious Sherlock, Jealous/Cranky, Hiking, Vacation Homes / Honeymoon, Sherlock’s Family, Horny John/Sherlock, Patient John, Massages, Hand Jobs, Assassination Plots, Hand Jobs / Oral Sex, Case Fic, Emotional Love Making, Bath Time Fun) – This is the story of a young consulting detective who wants nothing to do with marriage and an army doctor who wants to find true love. It's 2020 post-Brexit England and the British government is encouraging arranged marriages. Candidates meet through state-run agencies and date in hopes of finding love (and tax benefits). Sherlock doesn't need or want a spouse, at least not until John Watson shows up. Hesitant to give in to his more carnal urges because of the way they derail his mind, how will Sherlock progress toward the more intimate aspects of a relationship? The answer lies in a very special wedding gift.

Maintenance and Repair by patternofdefiance (E, 106,650 w., 71 Ch. || Future AU, Augmentation || Augmented John, Depression, Body Modification, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding, Sci-Fi, Self-Care, Body Dysmorphia) – John wants to explain the rush of sensation and data, which is just another form of sensation (or is it the other way around?). John wants to say:Augmentation circuits report temperature, pressure, various forms of quantitative input. Sudden changes are reported as pain, since sudden changes are dangerous, and pain is the quickest way to encourage reflexive extraction. But all John can manage is, “Nng.” Because this sudden touch is not reporting as pain. Part 2 of STATIC

Eyes Up, Heels Down by CodenameMeretricious (E, 107,845 w., 43 Ch. || Sports Equestrian AU || Fluff, Angst, Humour, Rider!Sherlock, Groomer!John, Show Jumping, Slow Burn, Happy Ending) – Sherlock is a top eventing rider currently training at Baker Farms. John is the new groom who's been told to steer clear of the surly rider and his horses. Part 1 of Baker Farms

between each beat are words unsaid by darcylindbergh, hudders-and-hiddles (T, 107,998 w., 215 Ch. || Epistolary, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Angst, Happy Ending) – On their wedding night, John and Sherlock gift each other with the things they each said when the other could not hear, the things they each put down where the other could not see: a collection of writings that illustrate the way their love for one another has grown over the years. Part 1 of between each beat

A Further Sea by i_ship_an_armada & ShinySherlock (E, 125,492 w., 23 Ch. || Historical Pirates AU || Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Doctor John / Pirate Captain Sherlock, Sailing, UST / RST, Masturbation, Action / Adventure, Mild Angst & Peril, Romance, Shaving, Molly/Janine, Bottomlock, Hand / Blow Jobs, Past Drug Use, Slow Burn, Mild Violence, Facial Shaving, Happy Ending) – Here be a tale of adventure for both body and soul, but beware if ye be not of stout heart, for this be piratelock, ya savvy? Luckless ship's surgeon John Watson takes a chance, and finds himself eye to eye with The Ghost, the scourge of the seven seas and a definite thorn in the side of the blaggard, James Moriarty. But when John finds there's more to this most cunning pirate than be meetin' the eye, he has to choose... is it a pirate's life for him?

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball

Colors by Quesarasara (E, 140,537 w., 17 Ch. || Pleasantville-Inspired AU || Soulmates, Colour Bonds, Alternating POV, Angst, Fluff, Pining, Case Fic, Medical Procedures) – Everyone on earth is born with eyes that see in black, white, and an endless series of greys. When you meet your soulmate, you finally see the world in color. We're all searching for the person who brings color to our lives. John and Sherlock are no exception. Part 1 of The Colors 'Verse

The Adventure of the Silver Scars by tangledblue (NR [M], 142,458 w., 41 Ch. || S3 Fix-It, Post-HLV/ Post-TAB / Canon Compliant, Case Fic, No Baby, Angst, Humour, UST, Slow Burn, Angry John, Reconciliation, Not Nice Mary / Leaving Mary, Dependent Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Caretaker John, Fist Fights, It’s An Experiment, Virgin Sherlock, Dancing, Drugging, John Whump, Pet Names, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Scars) – It’s been thirteen months since Mary shot Sherlock and John finds he’s still pissed off about it. Sherlock had thought everything was settled: John and Mary, domestic bliss. But when John turns up at Baker Street with suitcases, the world’s only consulting detective might not be prepared for the consequences. A new case. Some old scores to settle. Certain danger. Concertos, waltzes, and whisky.

How to Build a Heart out of Ashes by Teumessian (E, 144,931 w., 31 Ch. || Changeling AU || Slow Burn, Drug Use, Mentions of Child Abuse / Bullying, Mentions of Student/Teacher Relations, Uni-Age) – In an AU where a small number of the population become Changelings at a young age, at 17 John Watson believes he's destined for Normal life but then the Change takes him and he is sent to the Baker Institute. There he meets Sherlock Holmes.

Performance In a Leading Role by Mad_Lori (E, 156,714 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Hollywood / Actor AU, Secret Relationship, Falling in Love, Slow Burn, Romance, Coming Out, Fluff and Angst, Pining) – Sherlock Holmes is an Oscar winner in the midst of a career slump. John Watson is an Everyman actor trapped in the rom-com ghetto. When they are cast as a gay couple in a new independent drama, will they surprise each other? Will their on-screen romance make its way into the real world? Part 1 of Performance in a Leading Role

Mise en Place by azriona (M, 161,004 w., 28 Ch. || Restaurant (Kitchen Nightmares) AU || Sherlock is Gordon Ramsay / Celebrity Sherlock, Restauranteur John, Harry Plays Prominent Role, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, Cranky Sherlock, Bed Sharing, Slow Burn) – John Watson had no intentions of taking over the family business, but when he returns from Afghanistan, battered and bruised, and discovers that his sister Harry has run their restaurant into the ground, he doesn't have much choice. There's only one thing that can save the Empire from closing for good – the celebrity star of the BBC series Restaurant Reconstructed, Chef Sherlock Holmes. Part 1 of Mise en Place

Sketchy by serpentynka (E, 184,053 w., 83 Ch. || Post-TRF, Post-Mary, John Whump, Slow Burn Love Story, Case Fic, Art, Porn With Feelings, Switchlock, Travelling, Career Change, Family Secrets, Illness / Health) – What (and who) will be left when nobody cares about your Work? A slow-burn fic with cases, places, mistaken identities, unfair choices, essential changes, violent feels, blatant lies, fearless portraiture, family secrets, high-risk bespoke gifts, durable friendships, bedtime stories, foreign travel and tongues, sickness (and health), and the significance of things which are slow to unfurl -- but cannot be ignored. Oh, and...porn. Part 1: Sherlock takes on an obvious case (barely a 4) and meets someone who will force him to re-examine what it means to see. Part 1 of Sketchy

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

[royvelasco]

Bali Travel Guide for First-Timers

Bali has always been on the top list of every traveler nowadays. You cannot blame everyone as this place is indeed radiating with rich culture, delectable cuisine, and don’t forget those instagrammable spots you keep on seeing on your feed. It was my first time on this country and to be honest, I unexpectedly got mesmerized with its beauty right off the bat!

I actually once belonged to that very small percentage of people who really doesn’t have that much hype for this Indonesian gem. Unfortunate stories of scams always hindered my plan; And to my opinion, I have seen way more beautiful beaches than this place has to offer. I already took the chance when I scored a cheap promo fare and was accompanied by a friend so I know that the perfect time has come for me to personally witness what this tropical island has to offer.

How To Get To Bali?

The famous Bali Swing

Bali being the main tourist destination of Indonesia has its own international airport strategically located in the provincial capital, Denpasar. Flying in and out of Bali is not an issue since its Ngurah Rai International Airport serves numerous domestic and international flight routes from and to most known destinations.

Philippines’ Cebu Pacific and Air Asia offer cheap direct flights from Manila. I got mine for Php2,186.04 RT via Cebu Pacific on one of their grand promo fares. Philippine Airlines also offer a more comfortable direct flight but with a steeper price.

Direct flights from major hubs like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok also have direct flights to Bali. You can always check Skyscanner for the best flight options to your destination.

You can also reach Bali without flying if coming from some of the most famous destinations in Indonesia like Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya. On the other hand, a ferry ride from Lombok is also available.

  How To Get Out Of The Airport (Ngurah Rai International Airport)?

Mandatory airport photo opp ;)

Since airport taxis are notorious for their excessive pricing, the Grab app would be your best bet going to your accommodation or to whatever your next destination is coming from the airport. A motorcycle-ride hailing service app, Gojek is a more feasible option if you’re a solo traveler.

But if you’re on a group, I would advise to just book your airport transfer online (e.g. Klook) as it is more hassle-free and way cheaper than taxis. Klook is an online booking platform that offers cheaper prices for almost all your travel needs. From activities, admission tickets, transport, and even wifi and sim card, Klook is the way to go. If you’re new to Klook, make sure to sign up HERE to get a Php 150 reward!

  How To Tour Around Bali?

If you have an international driver’s license and confident enough to drive around Bali, renting out a motorcycle or car would be the best option. Commuting in Bali is not recommendable.

For convenience, best option for tourists would be hiring a guide/driver to tour you around. Prices are reasonable enough specially if you’re on a group.

I actually had booked all our travel activities in Bali through the same person I had booked our airport transport with. He works together with his brothers/friends and they have detailed day-to-day itineraries for you to choose from. You can also customize it based on your preferences. Make sure to contact him for the updated rates.

  Tour Guide Contact:

Yanick Driver

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/yanick.driver

  Where To Stay In Bali?

Ubud – Even though it’s far-off from the airport, Ubud has been one of the most famous areas in Bali to book you accommodation with. We actually had our Airbnb in this area. Ubud offers more of a peaceful stay compared to other areas. It is also more culturally-rich as a lot of Buddhist temple-looking residences can be seen around. Fun fact: Most of the Bali locations for the movie Eat Pray Love were filmed here in Ubud.

Kuta/Seminyak – This area is where all the hustle and bustle are. If you’re into partying, this place is perfect for you. A lot of well-rated restaurants and shops are scattered around. A few decent beaches are also in reach from this area.

Jimbaran/Uluwatu – These areas south of Bali are also a perfect choice since most of the best beaches on the island (e.g. Dreamland Beach) can be found here. It is also just less than an hour away from the airport.

  Check out the coolest accommodations in Bali through Airbnb! If you haven’t signed up yet, make sure to create an account HERE to get Php 2,200 off your first trip!!!

  Day 1: Ubud Tour

We arrived in Bali in the morning and since it’s too early to check in yet to our Airbnb, we already started our tour that day. Yes! That is possible! So that is airport transport + tour in one! We definitely saved a lot on this day! I opted to have this day to tour around in Ubud since our accommodation is already in this area.

  Coffee Plantation (Lumbung Sari House of Coffee)

You get to try 14 different flavors of coffee and tea for free! Coconut Coffee was my favorite.

You can also try the famous Kopi Luwak (also known as cat poop coffee) for a fee.

  Ubud Palace

Ubud Market

  Bali Swing

Take note that there are several Bali Swings in Bali. Our guide gave us recommendations what to take. There is one that has a lunch buffet included. There is also one that is the cheapest yet doesn’t have much of a view. The other one is on mid-range pricing yet one of the most famous Bali Swings and this is what we took.

  Pura Tirta Empul

I’ve been eager to go here and experience the custom since I have seen the cool pictures online. Unfortunately, it was a holiday and the place was jam-packed. But it didn’t stop me in experiencing what I have been looking forward in doing. I still dipped in the cold water of the temple and lined up with a lot of tourists.

  Day 2: Nusa Penida Day Tour

Definitely the highlight of our Bali trip is this not-so-far island from Bali, Nusa Penida. For less than an hour, you can get to this majestic island via ferry boat from Sanur Beach Harbour in Bali.

Angel’s Billabong

Broken Beach

Kelingking Beach View Point

Crystal Bay

  Day 3: Bedugul Tour

Ulun Danu Lake Temple

Admission Fee – IDR 50k (PHP182)

  Handara Gate

Admission Fee - IDR 30k (PHP109)

  Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Admission Fee – IDR 100k (PHP355)

I actually found the admission fee quite expensive for a small park/viewpoint like this. Nevertheless, the view was amazing and we had fun taking photos around.

  Taman Ayun Temple

Admisssion Fee – IDR 30k (PHP109)

  Tanah Lot Temple is also included on this tour but we skipped it and just opted to go back to Ubud Market for more souvenir shopping. 😉

  Day 4: Seminyak/Uluwatu Tour

Our last full day is a customized tour combining both the Seminyak and Uluwatu area. I just handpicked some of the most interesting spots on these areas to maximize our time. The spots for this day were definitely far off from our accommodation in Ubud so we exceeded our time allotment. Take note that most tours here impose reasonable fees for additional hours. I also had here the most tremendous traffic jam I have experienced yet in traveling. LOL. It took us 3 hours to get back to our accommodation in Ubud from Uluwatu Temple.

  Seminyak Beach

It was on the plan to search for La Plancha Beach Bar and Restaurant for the colorful bean bags and umbrellas but it was a fail. ☹ We were probably dropped off on a wrong spot.

  Motel Mexicola

I actually want to try this famous restaurant bar during the night time to experience the party scene but it’s just far-off from our accommodation. I just decided to include this on today’s tour for a quick lunch. The interiors were so colorful and undeniably worthy of a shot for your IG feed.

  Mad Pops

Right after a filling lunch is dessert of course! We went to Mad Pops for a quick visit for their ice cream and also for a shot with this famous wall art.

  oneeighty° at The Edge

Together with Nusa Penida, the experience in oneeighty° at The Edge is the highlight of my Bali trip. I kept on seeing amazing photos of their amazing glass-bottom sky pool over the cliff edge, overlooking a breathtaking 180° panorama view of the ocean.

Due to high demand & limited seating, reservations are recommended. Make sure to book your reservation online HERE.

  Uluwatu Temple

Don’t forget to watch the Uluwatu Kecak & Fire Dance on the late afternoon. I greatly enjoyed the show having the sunset as the background. It was definitely a surreal view.

  Bali left me in awe. I didn’t expect my experience to be one of the best. I already had this place listed as one of my favorite destinations. It might not be the cheapest but Indonesia in general is cheap to travel. The place is also diverse with countless breathtaking natural and incredible man-made attractions. Good thing, I didn’t focus more on those unfortunate stories that I read. With proper research, open mind, and passion to travel, no doubt that your trip to this wonderful island could be your greatest to date.

DISCLAIMER: Information above is based on my actual experience during my visit on June 2019. Details like prices, contact information, etc. may change due to different factors. Feel free to comment down below for updates. The conversion rates are estimated and current as of writing.

NOTE: I own all the images used on this blog post unless otherwise stated. Please don’t use these for any purposes, unless you acknowledge the owner. Thank you.

[fanatic-musings]

5 Tips to Control the Powerful, Dangerous, and Unruly Imagination

Hey everyone,

E.J. Wolfe here, and I’d like to talk about something that’s been sort of plaguing me as a writer/creator person/thing for a while: the line between where creativity is good and destructive.

Sounds strange, but let me be clear. Creativity is freaking awesome! Letting all of your brain power roam free at one time can be very freeing, and I know that, for a long time, writing, creating, etc. was my coping mechanism (and it will remain so if 2018 was anything to go by), but there comes a point where leaning on your creativity becomes harmful, mostly when it gets in the way of you ever getting anything done.

I can only guess that someone reading this has started reading my 1 Million For Black! Hermione challenge on A03 or any other of my stories anywhere else. If you haven’t, (spoiler alert!) I haven’t finished it, and it’s been two years!

Someone asked why that matters since it’s a million words and a lot of people can’t get through 100K in a year. I acknowledged the point and raised the fact that I can churn out a million words in a matter of months if I wanted to and have done so before. Thus, it’s a big deal that it’s been two years (personal catastrophe or not) since I started the challenge and still haven’t finished it.

In between middle school and high school, I churned out over 800k words, and I certainly wasn’t writing at the level I am now.

To give you a bit of scale, let’s do some math!

Let’s say now I type 45 words per minute at my slowest. (I usually average around 70 wpm.)

1,000,000 words / 45 words per minute = 22,222.2222222... minutes 22,222.2222222... minutes  / 60 minutes per hour =370.370370... hours 370.370370... hours / 24 hours per day = 15.4321 hours 15.4321 hours ≅ 15 hours and 26 minutes

Fifteen hours or writing at a continuous pace of 45 wpm is nothing. I’ve tracked it; I’ve done it, and I actually write continuously in the 55 to 65 wpm range, so just let your mind think about that while I continuously beat myself over the head with the fact that I can do it and just aren’t.

I was having a moment such as that a few days ago and realized that “just aren’t” isn’t a matter of willfulness but discipline.

I realized that I’ve never been able to do that sort of hardcore writing for one type of story (fanfiction, original, etc.), let alone one story all the way through.

Why?

Well, for many reasons that aren’t important, a few that are, and the most important reason of all: I lack discipline.

Yep, I lack discipline when it comes to my creative stuff, and to be honest, I never had a chance to develop any.

Gonna be #100 and say I was a lonely fucking kid. I mean, really lonely. I lived between two parents from two different social classes and backgrounds when I was younger up until the more well-off one died when I was about ten or so. Before that, quite a few traumatizing things happened that I have only retained bits and pieces of. I have two older siblings (three if you count the step sister), and they’re all significantly older than me. We have a better relationship as of 01/01/2019, but that isn’t saying much.

I was friendly, but I wasn’t really sociable. Call it lack of interest, call it whatever you want, I had the almost stereotypical four to five main friends, two of which were male, one moved away, and only one I remained in contact with when we moved to the Midwest at the end of my eighth-grade year. I spent four years in Chicago as the youngest, smartest girl in my year and in my friends’ groups.

Don’t get me wrong, I had friends. I was not that kid who got picked on ad nauseam and probably would have ended up on the news tried for mass murder. Instead, I was that annoying kid that stepped in and told bullies to shove off actually and usually didn’t understand when someone was trying to bully me.

When I started writing creatively, it was right before parent 1 got married to the typical step-witch type character. I wrote (and destroyed stuff) because I was unhappy with the world and seven-ish. It was a very young case of escapism, and oh boy, it just took off after that.

Parent 1 died, and I increased in writing output until I was filling one of those spiral notebooks (80 to 100 pages) over the course of the school day back when most people had that friend that wrote stories and you’d rush to talk to them first thing in the day to swipe their notebook to figure out how far they’d gotten overnight. (Another disclaimer: if you’re going to do this please do your school work first. Education is important kids.)

I never developed a “favorite” pen or type of notebook, but I definitely developed a need to always have some form of paper with me. It was and still is a bit of a safety blanket. Even if I have my phone, I still prefer paper and pen.

Soon after that, my brother’s uncle gave me a computer. Being the outlier of all the children he knew at the time, he somehow deemed me worthy of it. Can you guess what happened? I took a typing elective in middle school and shot through my words per minute benchmarks like bad guys in video games on easy mode.

In 2006, we moved to a murder capital in the U.S., and I lived there for four years as miserable as could be, but I had a computer and my aunts on my dad’s side, for want of what to get me, still sent me plenty of notebooks for the appropriate gift-giving holidays and life events. I buried my issues with the move, parent 1 and 2, my living situation, and everything else wrong with my preteen to teenaged world in blank pages, a lot of random awards, a lot of random afterschool activities, school, cookies, and gallons of hot, sugar-laden tea.

I wrote a lot, needless to say. Graduated, went to college and changed my major from Mechanical Engineering to English. Shocker? I didn’t think so.

Graduated that, took a year off and worked my first full-time temp office job and spent an awful lot of time writing in between the menial amount of work given to me. I still struggle to wonder if there just wasn’t enough, or if I was just stupidly efficient. Work, writing, work, writing, work, art, writing. Sprinkle in a few moves, a new permanent job, a lay off, a graduate degree, a house purchase, parent 2’s death, and accounting classes and you’ve summed up where I am today.

But someone smart cookie in the crowd noticed that I was never writing on a schedule. Yes, I wrote a lot, but it was never because I had a personal quota to meet. I just had enough inspiration to do so.

Now, as I’m trying to transition out of working for others and working for myself, I have to develop a sense of discipline, boundaries, or whatever have you around my art.

And I have no idea what I’m doing!

I find myself sitting down to write and really giving it a shot, but unable to keep the flow going, so rather than sitting down and doing some research or rethinking some elements, my brain says “Hey, here’s a new idea!”

My habit has been to follow the next idea as far as I can just so the initial idea is captured, but when you “dream content” almost every night, as Alteringviews says, you can see how that strategy just doesn’t work.

If you are struggling with this too much creativity at the end of your discipline problem, I wanted to write this to let you know you’re not alone. If you’re struggling with the other side (i.e. too much discipline at the end of your creativity), I’ll write a bit about that in a different post from what I’ve learned talking to a few artists I know that suffer from it and my experience of discipline actually getting in the way.

I also wanted to tell you that it isn’t an easy process! Corralling yourself and changing your habits are a pain in the ass, but you’ll find yourself doing it faster than you think you will if you just start somewhere.

  Tip 1: Figure Out Your Most Imaginative Times and Triggers

If you know you have cinematic dreams or that art kickstarts something in you, Instagram, your cat, whatever it is, take note and take heed.

You need to know when your muse is most active and most likely to strike.

If you know that you get inspired by new concepts, ideas, physics, or whatever, be conscious of it. It may come in handy later if you hit a rough patch and tip into the world of creative block.

Tip 2: Develop A System of Capturing Those Ideas

I have paper everywhere. I record notes on my phone with an app that comes standard on most phones (the very simple Voice Recorder for Android). I talk to my roommate about my ideas, and she has a fantastic memory. Whatever you choose to do in those moments after your muse has punched you fully in the face, or hit you like a wrecking ball, with a new idea is crucial and yours to choose.

If you’re just waking up, I’d suggest that you record it. My handwriting is atrocious when I’m fully functioning, I’ve tried the pen and paper route and spent more time trying to decipher what I wrote than it took me to write it down.

Tip 3: Develop A Schedule For Your Creativity

That doesn’t mean say you’re going to do art between 4 and 6 like clockwork and enact some horrible punishment when you don’t. If you’re a casual artist looking to improve, this looks more like making sure that you have time in your day to devote to your creative pursuits.

If you’re like me, that means treating it like a job, even if it’s only a part-time one. Around whatever else you have to do (work, school, family, all). Let’s say part-time for you is 20 hours a week and you also work 40 hours a week. That means the time after your job and responsibilities end is all open (within reason).

You need sleep, but you’ve got weekends, lunch breaks, that thirty minutes it takes you to get up and get ready to go to work, etc. to do a bit of art and writing. Wherever your carve it out, treat it as important as your money-making job.

I’m guilty of falling short of this for a myriad of reasons, but I found that the days I did force myself to work, I made a lot of progress and got quite a bit done. It works if you are consistent and focused.

Tip 4: Do Not Measure Your Art Time By How Much Art You Get Done

This may seem counter-intuitive, but art time and developing as an artist is more than just creating a portrait, a character sheet, writing a chapter or what have you. It’s also looking at art, practicing your skills, gaining new ones, editing pieces, and so much more. You have to make time for that in your art life, or you’ll be stuck with your same old ideas and find yourself not interested in exploring any versions of Plot A, Idea B, or Style C.

If you’re stuck during these times, go looking for inspiration! Random generators, random quotes, concepts, mythology, other people’s art, music, Pinterest (if you dare), etc. The world is your oyster. Explore it and let yourself be inspired.

Tip 5: Stay Consistent

Keep creating and following that muse. Really, she means the best; she just doesn’t have any boundaries. Tell her you need a break! Trekking through the forests of possibility is not for the light of heart, and it isn’t healthy to do it without a breather every once in a while. She’s immaterial, you’re the living body, feel free to sit down and take a breather. Literally, you need it because burnout is real.

  Now, all these are just tips. They aren’t cures; they aren’t fix-its. You’ll do all of these things and still find yourself chasing after every new idea. It happens! Sometimes, that’s just the nature of the beast. The important thing is to be aware of that and take steps to mitigate your unruly and incredible imagination from getting in the way of getting anything done.

It’s the difference between being prolific and having a lot of unfinished projects. I am trying to pull myself to the other side of the divide as quickly as possible, and for the little progress that I’ve had, I am very proud.

That’s all for now. Keep creating. Let your muse take you places, just be ready to call for a pause. Let me know what you think of these tips, if you have any of your own, and if any of this has helped you.

Until next time, happy creating!

E.J. Wolfe

P.S. If you’re interested, the latest chapter of At Helheim’s Gate I Know More was posted yesterday.

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By: E.J. Wolfe

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Originally posted: https://fanaticmusings.com/5-tips-to-control-the-powerful-dangerous-and-unruly-imagination/

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