#one of the fics I’m most proud of has very few kudos and no comments

[spotsandsocks]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @tizniz @diazsdimples @wikiangela @hippolotamus @bi-buckrights @exhuastedpigeon Thank you lovelies 💖

How many works do you have on ao3?

89 that’s not too shabby is it. Three years of writing this summer.

What's your total ao3 word count?

902,255 that is quite a few words isn’t it.

What fandoms do you write for?

911

Top five fics by kudos:

If You Break It 3.2k Chris overhears a something and gets upset, then he tells Buck who gets upset too.

They say the Truth will set you free 2.3K Buck get a dose of something at work and gets emotional and chatty

Could Have Should Have Would Have 3.2k an unexpected“I love you” but it’s too late. Isn’t it?

Just Ask 1.7K Eddie's having thoughts, he wants to touch. Buck's ok with that, all Eddie has to do is ask.

Looking from the outside 2.4K TWhat happens when everyone you meet thinks you’re married to your perfectly platonic best friend. Most of these are quite old now, I think I’ve written some just as good or even better but fics don’t seem to get as much kudos these days

Do you respond to comments?

yes everyone is really important to me

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

No fics really end angsty round here but this one’s pretty emotional along the way.

Alone With Your Thoughts Buck gets very badly hurt (for plot reasons) and trying hard to stay alive he realises he’s not as alone as he thought.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

See above! All happy can’t choose the happiest.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not yet- think I’m too small to get noticed maybe!

Do you write smut?

Um yes I certainly do 😏 and quite well I like to think 😉 in fact an example will be popping along in FIF shortly

Craziest crossover:

Nope - now AUs is a different story

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of! Can’t imagine anyone noticing my fics enough to steal them

Have you ever had a fic translate

Someone asked to once but who knows!

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Nope

All time favourite ship?

Gotta be buddie hasnt it. They just inspire me

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

All of my wips languish right now and are crying out for attention but I fully intend to finish them all. I do!

What are your writing strengths?

Not sure?! I think my more canon style fics are quite consistent with the characters in the show. Think that I’m pretty good with a complicated plot but you tell me?? I like the way I can wrap a bit of humor around the more tense bits too.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Long sentences? An over enthusiasm for the comma? Too long? Poor tagging?

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

Maybe controversial but I’m not a huge fan of eddie using Spanish terms of endearment in fics. If he ever does it in show I’ll feel better about it, but it doesn’t actually feel very him, apart from that I don’t mind

First fandom you wrote in?

911

Favourite fic you've written?

How can I chose!! But these old chestnuts I’ve gone on about before but I, very proud of them actually

The Lost and The Found werewolf/shifter au

Good Knight Sweet Prince Prince/knight au

Tied To You From The Start smutty paranormal shenanigans

And obviously dragonriders au… see FIF post shortly

Thanks for tags you lovely lovely people you’re all so so talented I adore you you make my days so much brighter ☀️💜☀️

@rogerzsteven @hoodie-buck @thekristen999 @loserdiaz @weewootruck

@shipperqueen6 @stagefoureddiediaz @underwaterninja13 @steadfastsaturnsrings @daffi-990

@bidisasterevankinard @bekkachaos @elvensorceress @rainbow-nerdss @honestlydarkprincess

@saybiwithme @loveyouanyway @lover-of-mine @watchyourbuck @jesuisici33

@monsterrae1 @eddiebabygirldiaz @shortsighted-owl @fiona-fififi @the-likesofus

[fortheloveofexy]

Top 5 vs Personal 5

List your top 5 fics ranked by kudos on AO3. are you surprised by what's most popular to your readers? then provide your ranking of your personal top 5 fics, and tag a few fellow writers!

Thanks for the tag @mostlymaudlin ! tagging @jingerhead @paradoxolotl @exy-shmexy @storiesnstardust

Top 5 (by Kudos):

1. Call Me By Your Name (3.9k, andreil)  

Basically, Neil calls Andrew “baby” in his sleep once, so Andrew  gets flustered and then secretly tries out different pet names for Neil.

This one... honestly really surprised me with how popular it got. It’s my most kudos’d fic by a long shot (2,378 kudos??? insanity). It’s a short little thing, entirely focused around andreil and pet names. To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this one being the top fic, because it’s one of my oldest fics and I don’t really love the prose now. I don’t really understand why it got so popular out of everything I wrote bc it’s never anyone’s favorite fic when I ask, but I’m glad so many enjoyed it!

2. Sweet Enough To Eat (3.1k, andreil) 

Andrew experiencing cute aggression. That’s basically the whole premise lol.

 Anyway, this one is my oldest fic, so I assume that’s why it’s so popular. It’s cute, sweet even! I still like it to this day. Not much else to say about it though.

3. May We Meet Again (10.7k, andreil)

The first installment of the Artist Neil AU. 

To be honest, I don’t like it anymore. That whole AU has problems with pacing, and some characterization issues too. Plus, looking back at the art now makes me cringe so hard. The only reason it’s still up is bc I know a lot of people really like it. Sometimes I think about revising the whole thing but I still remember how big of an undertaking it was when I first wrote it and made all the art for it, so I probably won’t. 

4. The Marks We Make (41.3k, andreil)

A (mostly) canon rewrite from Andrew’s POV with a soulmate AU twist. 

This the first multichapter fic I ever wrote, and one of the earliest fics I ever published, so I’m not surprised it’s high on the list. There are some things I like about this one, and some I would do differently. Writing this fic helped me make some of my first friends in the fandom though, so it was very much worth it.

5. Yes Or No? (35.5k, andreil)

sub andrew & Dom Neil pwp - need I say more?. 

This one truly surprised me. It was meant to be a one-shot experiment, something I wrote as an exploration of my own boundaries and limits. BDSM fics are often triggering for me, so I generally avoid them, but I wanted to write a BDSM fic that I would be able to enjoy and to explore BDSM from a safe distance.

However, given how much the fandom seemed to be against Andrew submitting (and sometimes even just bottoming) at the time, I worried I might end up getting hate for writing it. To my surprise, I did not, and so many commenters asked that I continue it that I ended up turning it into a whole series. 

I’m quite proud of it still - it might just be a smut fic to most people, but it will always be more than just a smut fic to me. 

I do hate the last 3 paragraphs of the main fic though. I was on a kick where I thought incorporating references to fic titles and canon lines into my writing was clever and fun, but now I just cringe when I look at it. Ahh well, maybe someday I’ll change it and tell nobody. Create a little Berenstein/Berenstain Bears moment :)

Top 5 (Personal Ranking):

1.  More Than Words (32.9k, ongoing, neon friendship)

Neil and Aaron meet as kids and become best friends, long before Aaron learns his mother’s secret - he has a long lost twin brother.

I cannot gush enough about the love I have for this fic, this whole story. I can’t talk about it here because I have some insane twists planned (iykyk) but just know this fic is my baby and this story will be my magnum opus once it’s done. I love writing Neil and Aaron’s friendship, I love writing Aaron’s POV, I love the plans I have these boys. It’s still ongoing so I understand why it’s not higher up in the kudos ranking, but I’m hopeful that will change once I actually finish it.

2. A Quiet Self-Destruction (2.6k, andreil)

A character study on Andrew’s experience with depression, and how Neil helps him through his bad days.

I wrote this to comfort myself during one of my own depression spells. It still brings me a bit of hope on dark days. For that, I will always love it.

3. Scribbles and Sticky Notes (11.7k, andreil)

Neil retires from Exy, with heaps of fluff, soft Andreil, wholesome Twinyards, hurt/comfort, MCD and angst.

Hands down, this is the saddest fic I’ve ever written, and I’m quite proud of that fact. I think the pacing is really good, and the gut punches are quite successful (while being foreshadowed quite nicely). The characterization is also spot on, I think. It’s got MCD though, which I think is probably why it’s not more popular. 

4. The Past, Stained Red (4.4k, andreil)

Part 3 of the Artist Neil AU. Andrew has a surprise run-in with a ghost from his past, and finally gets some closure.

This is the only fic of the Artist Neil AU that I actually still like. It’s well-paced, well-characterized, and I still like the art. Mostly, though, I viciously loved writing Andrew getting to close the door on Cass, and I loved writing him acknowledging the harm she did to him as a foster parent. He couldn’t see it as a child, but as an adult? He sees her clearly, in all her failure. It was extremely cathartic to write that. 

5. Catdrew Meowyard (1.4k, andreil)

Andrew suddenly has cat ears and a tail. Nobody questions it. Shenanigans ensue.

This is such a silly little fic. I wrote it as a joke and I still love it dearly, even though it’s very dumb. It’s just very fun to write and to read, and it’s perfect for when I want to blow off steam and write some crack.

[tommosgun]

Thank you to @kingsofeverything for tagging me 😘

Rules: give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the fewest words.

1. Most hits: Rise up like the sun

My actor Harry Dr Louis fic. I found this one the easiest to write by far. I’m not sure why it’s got 71,300 hits but I’m super proud of it. Love the characters in this one.

2. Second most kudos: King of wishful thinking.

My ‘Pretty Woman’ story. Harry the hooker, Louis the businessman. Written around Leeds, my home city. It has 1584 kudos. I’d love for more people to read it.

3. Third most comments: (so king of wishful thinking was third so I’ve cheated and gone to the second most comments which is) We are timeless

Harry is minor Royalty, Louis is in a band. They’d met years before in Ibiza and had this sweet but very brief encounter. Fast forward a few years and they meet again…

I love these characters and this story. My last fic written 🥺

4. Fourth most bookmarks: The light to guide me home.

My Vegas/instant attraction fic. Louis runs a bar, Harry is on holiday with the others and they stumble into Louis’ bar… it’s fun and smutty, yet feelings do develop.

5. Fifth most words: Can I lay by your side

Louis a Uni student and barman bumps into Harry in his local shop buying Vodka and looking lost. They bond over Harry’s weekend bucket list of getting drunk, getting laid and getting stoned. It’s quite angsty as they part ways, only to meet up six months later under very different circumstances.

My first proper fic and I do adore the characters.

6. Fewest words: Sugarpie honeybunch. (500 words)

We had to use keywords which were, Ice crystals, cooking and candle and use exactly 500 words.

Louis cooks mince pies for Christmas and gets in a bit of a mess...

7. ( there isn’t a 7 but I’m cheeky and want to add this one) Can I just be the same?

I agreed to be a pinch hitter and when I got my prompt I was scared shitless! It was vampire-y and totally NOT what I’m used to reading or writing. But the pics for the post were so gorgeous I just had to give it a go. It’s set in present times, Harry is the Vampire (of which we don’t really see much of this going on, only how it happened 🫣) Louis is in Law. They meet outside of a pub as Harry walks home from work and Louis is outside having a cig. There are flashbacks to Harry navigating his life around never getting older and therefore never putting down roots or having anyone in the world for him. He runs away as things become more difficult in his life and he starts again. Can Louis be the one to give him roots and a reason to stop running?

I’m going to tag @reminiscingintherain @allwaswell16 @disgruntledkittenface @indiaalphawhiskey @jacaranda-bloom @twopoppies

And absolutely anyone else. If you’ve already done it, sorry x

[girlintotv]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you to for tagging me, @mamadoc. This means a lot to me.

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?

101! It feels like such a dream to be over 100 fics.

2. What's your total Ao3 word count?

1,434,829 total since mid 2022 and 387,124 just in 2024!

Word count means a lot to me.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Written and posted for: Chenford (The Rookie) 80 fics, Stris (SWAT) 15 fics, Buddie (911) 3 fics, Nace (Nancy Drew) 2 fics, Dramione (Harry Potter) 1 fic and it was a birthday gift. I don’t even go there, and Two&Three (Dark Matteter) 1 fic.

I’ve written for other fandoms (that’s a longer list), but I haven’t posted those old little pieces of drabble, and I never intend to.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Sorry, friends, I don’t check kudos. I appreciate them, but I don’t look at hits, or kudos, or subscriptions, or bookmarks as units of measure. Ever. I can’t control how many and who likes my work, and so I don’t want to think about my work based on those numbers. I look at my word count, and that’s what I’m proud of. That tells me I’ve found a certain amount of time to do what I love, so I’ll go with Top 5 Fics by Word Count:

Limelight Love Story (Chenford)

Let’s Get Together (Chenford)

A Full Moon Curse (Chenford)

For Fake and For Real (Chenford)

King of My Heart (Chenford)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Absolutely! Anyone who takes the time to leave a (positive) comment is someone I really appreciate. It means SO much to me, since that’s the only way I gauge engagement (as I mentioned before, I do not check kudos, etc.). It does take me a while to reply to comments, which I do apologize about. When I have a few minutes, I can either reply to comments or keep writing, and I tend to pick to keep writing, hence the delay in replying, but I will. I promise.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Written and posted so far: All Dogs Go To Heaven. I will truly NEVER live that story down. Sorry!!!

Second place is: You’re Losing Me (Pt. II).

I love angst. So much. Angst at the beginning of a story, angst in the middle, angst at the end…all of it! I do *tend* to write happily ever afters that are hard won, but nothing hurts like a super sad ending that will make you enjoy a good cry. I’m damaged. Leave me alone.

Also, I have my own angst scale to assess the pain of my stories (attached to this post for reference and in my profile on AO3). My love of pain is very serious. I already mentioned I’m damaged. Leave me alone.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my multichapters have a sugary sweet happy ending including a fluffy epilogue, because after the rollercoaster of angst, I feel like the beloved ship I’m writing for deserves it (also anyone who reads my fics and rides the rollercoasters deserves some happiness…usually) I think I Pretend You’re Mine might be the happiest, or The Story Of Us, or Let’s Get Together? Someone else might be a better judge.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

ALL.THE.TIME! Since I started actively posting very regularly at the beginning of 2023 to now, I haven’t gone a month without receiving hate on a fic. It’s exhausting at times and, admittedly, has slowed my writing down a bit as of late.

Fun fact: I got some smut hate and quickly wrote and dedicated a smut fic to “my hater” called: A Great Way to Start the Day

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I write mostly E and some gentler M smut. Nothing too kinky (posted thus far). It’s all been for Chenford as of now, and I have fun with it.

Smuttiest fic I’ve written: Lucy Chen and the Deadly Pixies

Second place: Out With A Bang

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I’ve got half of an outline for a Caskett x Chenford crossover somewhere on my list. I hope I get to actually write it someday.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Who would steal MY insanity? No, I haven’t (to my knowledge).

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I’ve been approached a few times. I would be open to someone translating one of my fics into another language. Feel free to reach out!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

It’s been a privilege to co-write Even If Saving You Sends Me To Heaven with heartofrookie and Somebody Save Me and Our Secretly Perfect Holidays with thatfandomwriter.

Always open to a collab!

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

I could NEVER pick, but Chenford has my heart right now by a LANDSLIDE.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I really believe I will finish all of them. If I start posting, I will finish the story. I hope I have the inspiration and time to write everything I have an idea for.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Being passionate and outlining. I think the passion of a writer will ALWAYS come through in their work. It’s so clear when someone is having fun with their story, and I always ALWAYS do, or I won’t write the fic. Also, I really thoroughly outline my stories before I ever write a word. It’s really important to me to have everything planned out to execute a story that has all of the aspects, plot, arcs, and development I want to include. Also, angst just won’t hit the same unless it’s outlined and well thought out. Otherwise, it can feel unnecessary, but all my angst has a reason.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Pretty much everything especially fluff. I’ll never say I’m a great writer. I know that I’m not. I will say, I always enjoy myself and make myself happy with my work (or a friend on their birthday if I write them a birthday fic). That’s all that matters to me. I don’t need to be good or be a strong writer. I’m okay with being meh.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I’ve thrown in some Spanish for Chris in a Stris fic, but otherwise, haven’t done it yet. If someone else is comfortable speaking another language that a character speaks, I say go for it!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Technically, I wrote a story when I was REALLY young about Zack and Cody’s parents getting a divorce. I wrote it on my phone, and never posted it, and have long since deleted it (I am so embarrassed that I am sharing this right now). First fandom I posted for was MacRiley (MacGyver). My friend and I were obsessed with the show, it got canceled before the ship went canon, and so I wrote what I would have written for the final season. I posted it on WattPad. It’s not very good, but I did it and posted it per a friend’s request. Don’t judge me.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

There are a few.

Favorite MCD: Back to December (Chenford) This is the only story of mine that I’ve reread for pleasure.

Favorite vulnerable Tim: I Just Want You To Know Who I Am (Chenford)

Favorite I’ve written when I was in a dark place but still made something I think is beautiful: You Can’t Spell “Time” Without “Tim” (Chenford)

Favorite because someone told me they refused to take their own life until the story ended and sought help before I finished posting, so it’s the reason they’re still alive: King of My Heart (Chenford)

Favorite guilty pleasure story I’m glad I wrote: Let’s Get Together (Chenford)

Favorite because it was my first real multichapter Chenford fic: For Fake and For Real (Chenford)

Favorite breakup fic with a happy ending: You’re Missing From Me (Chenford)

Favorite Stris fic I *will* finish eventually: STRIS Season 6+ (Stris)

Appreciate being tagged and asked to talk about my fics. It’s been a pleasure to answer these questions.

Alright, time to go back to writing.

[haztobegood]

⭐️ Annual Writing Self-Evaluation 2023 ⭐️

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

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More under the cut.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[reyesstrand]

20 questions for fic writers

thank you for the tags @welcometololaland @strandnreyes & @alrightbuckaroo <33 this was a much needed distraction tonight!

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

86

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

335,298

3. what fandoms do you write for?

predominantly 911 lone star. the only other thing i’ve dabbled in recently was the old guard

4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos? (i’m going to exclude prompt collections here!)

like a bright new dream (first i love you)

wanna be still with you (2x08 coda)

lit the spark (that set a fire) (firefighter!carlos au)

take me back to the light (1x08 coda)

to be reborn (3x04 coda)

5. do you respond to comments? why or why not?

i do!! even if it takes a few days (where i’m likely just staring at nice words in my inbox and using them as fuel to brighten my mood) i love having that connection, and seeing maybe what stood out to someone who read my silly little story

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

any of my codas that i wrote immediately after an episode aired—my 3x02 spec fic some and now none of you, or my 3x07 coda/3x08 spec fic not a victory march—simply because we didn’t know the outcome for these storylines yet, and i let myself get angsty.

7. what’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i think 95% of my fics have happy endings but to shout one out in particular….hm. i’d say got real love maybe—truly just. fluff. and the boys coming home to each other and making that official. i also think the proposal bliss in (not afraid of) living on a fault line has got to be up there as well

8. do you get hate on fics?

nothing major

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

i’ve always stuck to very implied levels of smut in my fics….idk i always worry i won’t be able to make it sound good when there’s people out there who do it brilliantly. however i’m challenging myself with food fic which does have some smut (with feelings. oh the feelings)

10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

crossovers aren’t really my thing!!

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

nope, would be honoured though!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

love helping with brainstorming bits, but have never actually co-written anything

14. what’s your all time favourite ship?

tarlos brainrot always and forever

15. what’s a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i have tons of ideas that i never commit to, which sucks. off the top of my head…the andrea & tk fic that i just never got into a flow with

16. what are your writing strengths?

i think i’m strongest when it comes to setting a scene; when exploring what that character is feeling. i like to think i can kind of evoke a mood through imagery? i’m most comfortable when it comes to introspection and exposition and general narrative

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

i tell myself i’m getting better, but i’d say dialogue is the constant thing that throws me off. i also worry i over-write sometimes

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i like it, if it’s being done with good intentions and suits the character. i’d imagine for heavier dialogue it would make sense to ask for someone who speaks the language to read it over to make sure it’s accurate

19. first fandom you wrote for?

i think the get down, back in like 2017

20. favourite fic you’ve written?

i can’t choose, so i present to you two wildly different honeymoons. first, dream this night away—almost 8.5k words after a seven month gap between posting when my writer’s block was at an ultimate high. then of course, to which there is no reply—i’ve been growing happier and happier with my writing especially with these last few fics of mine, and this one is something i’m just super proud of, and the support on it definitely brought me to tears a bit ajdnskdn

no pressure tagging @carlos-in-glasses @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @paperstorm @tailoredshirt @theghostofashton @inflarescent @birdclowns @liminalmemories21 @rmd-writes @heartstringsduet @freneticfloetry @orchidscript @tellmegoodbye @safeashousespdf and leaving an open tag as well!! <333

[zairaalbereo]

Fic Writer Interview

I was tagged by @laviejaguardia. Thank you! 💕

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 

89, but 12 of them are art only

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

724,869

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

That’s His Name (Merlin) - 29.981

In the Winter of My Soul (Merlin) - 5.952

Just Have To Save The World (Merlin) - 4.343

Me Casa, Su Casa (X-Men) - 2.427

Most kudos for The Old Guard: Room for Love - 904

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to because I love them, and that’s why sometimes I fall into that trap of “I need to adequately convey how happy this comment made me, I can’t just say ‘thank you’’ and then I leave it for too long. Also sometimes I don’t have the spoons at that moment. But I appreciate every last one of them.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I love angst, but I love a happy ending even more, so in my fic the angst usually gets resolved. A fic that regularly leaves people in tears, though, is At Samhain, but the ending has hope.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

So many happy endings! ☺️ One of the happiest might be my Merlin Age of Sail AU, The Seven Seas , which has a very happy ending after a lot of angst and heartache.

7. Do you write crossovers?

No, not really.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not really personal attacks so much, but I have received snide comments, character bashing and absurdly wilful misinterpretations. And always on anon of course.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes, I do. I’m a proud alumni of multiple Pornathons in the Merlin fandom. When I write kink, it tends to be PWP of the kind that’s about losing control, or pushing the lines of taboos. In my longer or more plotty fic it’s more emotional, focused on the characters’ connection.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I once had someone write a fic that had the exact same plot down to locations and minor details and even almost the same dialogue as one I was posting. Like a (bad) rewrite. It was very weird.  

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a few, which I’m ever so grateful for. 💕

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. I’m honestly not sure how that would work for me. 😅

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Joe/Nicky really is the fulfillment of all my shippy hopes and dreams. 😍 Beyond them, maybe Cherik. I like the drama. 😂

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

A Cherik bodyswap fic, set between XMFC and Days of Future Past, while Erik is imprisoned. I love the premise and what I have so far, but it’s been so long that I’ve been in that fandom.

15. What are your writing strengths?

Conveying emotions and believable dialogue 

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Transitions and being overly dramatic, which is probably connected lol

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I do enjoy it in sprinkles, if it’s done well. Endearments, curses, stuff that mostly won’t need a translation footnote but grounds a character in a different cultural background. 

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

I wrote stuff before I knew about fanfiction. Before you could find (and easily post) stuff on the internet. But the first fic I wrote and posted was Harry Potter, gen with very, very heavy wolf star undertones 😅

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

I don’t really have an unfulfilled craving right now, and I tend to focus on one fandom, and even one ship almost exclusively, but I’m a little surprised at myself for never having written Sterek. 🤔

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

That is so hard to pick, but two favourites are Shalom Malak for XMFC and If You Abide With Me for TOG

Tagging, but obviously only if they want to @falcon-fox-and-coyote @tobebbanburg @pinkninjapj @beepbeepsan @isabellehemlock 💗

[wisecrackingeric-2]

((Redoing this cuz TUMBLR FLAGGED IT DAMNIT))

20 Questions for Fic Authors !!

Thank you S O SOSOSOSOOSSOSO MUCH @sunhatllama & @courtofparrots for tagging me!!!!! :DDD

1. How many works do you have??

36!!

2. What is your AO3 word count??

202,659!!!!!!!!! God fucking damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. What fandoms do you write for??

Just Resident Evil!! :D

4. What are your top 5 fics by Kudos??

1. All You Have To Do Is Ask

2. Your Drunk Words Are Sober Thoughts

3. Leon (Finally) Gets Top Surgery

4. Anemoia

And Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow in that order!!

5. Do you respond to comments??

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES EVEN IF IT TAKES ME FOREVER I ADORE COMMENTS THEY KEEP ME GOING

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending??

OOOOOUGHH this is hard because I am ALLERGIC to writing angst BXBDHENSJ I don’t know why I just struggle to do it!!!! I always feel too bad for the characters!!!!! But if I HAD to pick I’d proooobably say It Was Only Yesterday for @aquarelacosmica because old age is sad I guess BXNENNEDJ

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending??

Literally all of them HDBEHENDJJ happy endings are guaranteed with all my fics but if I had to chose my favourites, they’d be, in no particular order;

1. Marido

2. Matteo

3. Beautiful Boy

4. New Years

5. I’ll Help You Pray

And 6. Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy!!

8. Do you get hate on fics??

Not so far thank god!! I’ve definitely received WEIRD or overbearing comments but no hate!

9. Do you write smut??

My only NS f W fic is Feeling Loved, and it’s more a piece on Luis’ chronic pain and self esteem after RE4 than it is smut I’d say!! It’s very near and dear to my heart <3

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest crossover you’ve written??

I’ve never WRITTEN a crossover HOWEVER I have PLENTY of AU’s in my art tag!!! I’d love to write my Warriors Serennedy AU out someday though!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen??

Nope!!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated??

I’ve actually been asked by somebody before if they could translate my fic one time!!! I don’t remember which it was, but I had to politely decline since I didn’t know the language and wouldn’t be able to crowd control the response, but they were super duper polite and kind about it!!!!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before??

I’ve never co-written a fic per se but I’ve definitely had my friends bounce ideas between me and help me with proofreading!!!!! Ily guys <<<<333

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

leans on the suspiciously serennedy-shaped box standing in my room Why do you wanna know?

15. What’s a WIP you’d wanna finish but doubt you ever will??

I have quite a handful that I’ve started but unfortunately lost the momentum for and can’t find it again.

Writing is a lot like art for me- if inspiration strikes I have to do it THEN AND THERE or else I’ll lose the groove for the kind of style/inspo I wanted to do it in, and unfortunately I had to give up quite a few fanfic projects this year to focus on art and also mainly cuz the beginning of this year has been VEEEEEERY tough and I always prioritise my art over writing unfortunately!!

I’m proud of myself for finishing (I’m Just A) Sweet Transvestite though- that one was made through blood sweat and tears :,)

16. What are your writing strengths?

UHHHH NO CLUE!!! I’ve been TOLD it’s how I characterise my characters and how I write dialog, but I think the easiest thing for ME is describing scenes so I dunno!!

17. What are your writing weaknesses??

Can saying ‘everything’ count HFNEHENDJ I’m more of an artist than a writer!! But I think the thing I struggle with the most is stretching out important emotional beats. And also commas.

18. Thoughts on writing dialog in another language??

I do it all the time for Luis so Hell Yeah!!! Thank you Wilfreeeeeeeddd for helpiiiinnngg <<<33

19. First fandom you wrote for??

Also Resident Evil!! Serennedy has a violent chokehold on me

20. Favourite fic you’ve written??

(I’m Just A) Sweet Transvestite !! I am S O proud of myself for finishing it man!!!!! I went through HELL and back writing it and I made something that means a lot to me!!!!!!

Tagging @blveherb , @geddy-leesbian , @leonsbunny , @hamartia-grander , @ugetelynx , @theprestigegirly @mooseonahunt and anyone else who wants to join!! :DD

[threewaywithdelusion]

Tagged by @dodger-chan. Thanks! This was fun! If anyone wants to do it, I'm tagging you

1. How many fics do you have on AO3?

42

2. What is your AO3 word count?

205,076

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Stranger Things, All For the Game, the Raven Cycle, the Shadowhunter Chronicles, Black Sails, Buffy, and whatever my current obsession is at any given time.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Promises (AFTG)

A Yes Isn’t Always a Yes (AFTG)

You Me Her (Stranger Things)

No Assholes in the Car (Stranger Things)

Chance Encounters (Raven Cycle & AFTG crossover)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Usually, yes. If I think too much time has passed, then I get embarrassed and don’t.

6. What if the fic you wrote that has the angstiest ending?

spinning (for you) is quite angsty and is about the slow demise of a relationship between Steve/Eddie.

I Know That I Love You, But I’m Still Learning (To Love Myself) is dark throughout and tells the story of the night Ronan ended up in the hospital. TW: suicide attempt

B’s New Vamp is definitely the fic where I’ve gotten the most comments saying the ending killed them, though I think the ending is quite happy (if not for Faith, the POV character).

7. What is the fic you wrote that has the happiest ending?

This question has made me realize I don’t really write happy fics. Maybe In Another Life or You Me Her?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not usually. One person told me a fic of mine was “the stupidest most far fetched thing ever” even though I tagged for the plot point they didn’t like. They did say I have great writing though, so I’m choosing to take it as a compliment.

9. Do you write smut?

Not that I’ve ever posted. I would write it if it was important for the characters/scene/plot to show the scene in detail.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I’ve written one! It’s an AFTG and Raven Cycle crossover where Ronan and Nicky meet. You can read it here.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, one of my AFTG fics, Promises, had been translated to Russian. I have no clue where to find it, but the translator was nice enough to report back the comments on the Russian version.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. But I had to co-write an essay for class one time and nearly killed my co-writer/friend, so I don’t see that in my future.

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

That’s a very hard question to answer. But some of my long-time favorites are Andrew Minyard/Neil Josten, Sydney Sage/Adrian Ivashkov, Buffy Summers/Spike, and Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood. A niche one that had a chokehold on me is Karma/Amy from Faking It.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have three incomplete WIPs posted, so hopefully one of those. I’ve also been working on a Malec time travel fic for about 8 years at this point because I’m stuck on one particular scene, so it would be nice to get past that one of these days.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think my short fics are my best work. Usually they cook in my head for a few days, then come out all at once at four in the morning with tight writing and cohesive themes.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Long fics are definitely a weakness of mine. Also dialogue and fight scenes.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in the fic?

I am guilty of doing this, but find it annoying when it’s long blocks of dialogue with no context clues to decipher what’s happening.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The first fics I published were Buffy fanfics on Dark Solace Elysian Fields. I’m almost certain I scribbled fanfic in my high school notebooks, but I don’t remember what fandoms they were for.

20. Favorite fics you’ve published?

It’s like picking my favorite child. But I do love some of my children better than others.

I’m most proud of my ability to imitate a character’s voice in B’s New Vamp (which also features possible the worst fic summary I’ve ever written).

A Yes Isn’t Always a Yes is the fic I’m probably most proud of overall, especially because of the sensitive subject matter and the lovely comments that some people who related to it left.

[rowanisawriter]

20 questions for fic writers

thank you @mightymizora for the tag!!!!!! i’m always ready to go into my ao3 for stats and stuff lol

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

39

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

186,225

3. what fandoms do you write for?

a lot…. 13 total but these days i’m primarily writing dragon age and bg3

4. what are your top five fics by kudos?

parlor tricks (dc/young justice)

lucky one (avatar/legend of korra)

riposte (dragon age)

mirrors (assassin’s creed)

heretic (bg3)

5. do you respond to comments?

yes always!

6. what’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

god i love angst so probably most of my stories have an angsty ending but i’m going to go with attrition (dragon age), it works towards cullen going back on lyrium so the end is a gut punch lol delicious

7. what’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

gonna go with riposte (dragon age) for this one, it has a sweet ending that comes after just a little angst to make it go down easier lol

8. do you get hate on fics?

no everyone’s been very nice to me :)

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

kinda?? i’m not sure if what i write is considered smut, i do like to pack in a fair bit of sex but it’s all really emotional and written with a lens on feelings rather than the actual act… so yes? i think i do??

10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

i haven’t!!

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

nope

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

yes back on ff.net a bunch of times!! always really cool!!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

i haven’t and i would like to but my writing method is so chaotic and insane that i’m afraid of alienating all my writer friends if i ever tried to collab 😭

14. what’s your all-time favorite ship?

i can’t answer this lol as someone who moves from fandom to fandom and then back again so often, but i do come back again and again to the same few ships so my top like 2 would probably be dick/zatanna (dc) and shepard/kaidan (mass effect), and i haven’t written shepard/garrus but i loVE THEM

15. what’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

man i wish i could summon the willpower to finish my dragon age inquisition treasure hunter au, its a retelling of the jaws of hakkon dlc but the mummy-esque, it’s so cool i have to get back to it but i keep getting sidelined by other stories 😭😭😭

16. what are your writing strengths?

character study, lots of feelings, telling a story with a lot of missing pieces like being intentionally vague and annoying generally

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

being intentionally vague and annoying lmao i feel sometimes that i’m not direct enough with the story i want to tell and trust too much that my intentions are clearer than i sometimes think they are… does this make sense…. also i don’t like my dialogue most of the time

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i wouldn’t tbh unless it’s a made up language

19. first fandom you wrote for?

harry potter lol back in the day when i was like 12

20. favorite fic you’ve ever written?

i’ve reread ceasefire (dragon age) the most i think, it’s one of my faves and i’m super proud of it!!

your turn…. @zenstrike @samseabxrn @smoreofbabylon @nirikeehan @theluckywizard @jtownnn and anyone else who would like to share 🫧

[dreamykrimi]

What does this mean?

Well, it means I'm finally finishing Sweater Weather! Surprised? 

I never intended to abandon Sweater Weather. My life took several hard turns in 2017, and as traumatic as it was, it really did change for the better! But that left very little time or motivation for writing. I've had the bones of the last few chapters for years, and I've added to them little by little. In the last year I've become serious about finishing this fic, and I'd love to tell you all about why, but I'll save the personal stories for later. For now, stay tuned: I will be posting one chapter per week until we’re caught up. Each one shot is now a chapter, and has been edited, rewritten, and polished within an inch of its life with the help of my lovely betas. My writing has grown since 2017, and I hope you like the changes I've made. We worked really hard to make Sweater Weather into something worth coming back to. Once we are caught up to Cider Sweet, I’ll continue to post the new chapters that I have finished. As of right now, Sweater Weather is set to be a 100k+ fic in its entirety. 

HOWEVER! I have a confession to make. I have an ALMOST completed version of Sweater Weather ready to publish. I have several thousand words of content that you have never seen ready to go, but the last chapter has been slippery for me. It's hard for me to finish projects like this, projects that have meant so much to me. I want to get it right, and that's a lot of pressure. So I have a request! Please leave a comment and talk to me about this fic. If you loved it or it meant something to you or just made you feel something- anything- please let me know. Your comments inspire me so much, and it's the thing I've missed the most about Sweater Weather. You have all been so kind to me. Please, I'm asking for that kindness again now to help push me through the end of this fic! 

REGARDING THE ORIGINAL FICS: The individual oneshots from 2017 are going to be removed. I won’t take down the AO3 listing, because it would break my heart to lose the comments and bookmarks and kudos that people have left there over the years. However I will be removing the body of text from each fic and replacing it with a link to the new fic. This is your notice to save the originals NOW if you want a copy. I know I get terribly sentimental about things like this, and if that’s you, too, then you may want to make arrangements now. Some of you have told me that you have printed or even handwritten copies of this fic, and I am so flattered by that. But I’m also a bit embarrassed. My old work is just that, old. This new version of Sweater Weather that I’ve been working on is the one I want everyone to be able to save, print, bind, and return to. That’s part of why I wanted to do this. I want to give you a version that I’m truly proud of. But if you’re a silly little freak like me who holds onto old things like they’re treasure, well, this is your chance to be a silly little freak. 

I’ll be posting this message on my tumblr and adding it as a new chapter to each oneshot to make sure that everyone has a chance to see it. I will make another post on my tumblr when I’m ready to start posting the new version and removing the old ones. I don’t know exactly when that will be, but it should be soon! Keep an eye out for me!

[themirokai]

Fic stats meme!

Thanks so much for the tag @mashumaru ! I had actually seen this from @theanishimori , and had copied it into a note to do, but hadn’t followed through. This was the impetus I needed!

Rules: give us the links to your fic with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the least words.

Most hits: With 10,000 more than the next fic, it’s Sort It. Which is my Sherlock & James Bond crossover with Q as a Holmes brother and featuring Mystrade. The Q as a Holmes brother trope is so good, but it hasn’t been written all that much, and at least when I wrote Sort It there was almost none with prominent Mystrade (I haven’t looked lately). So this story fits a specific niche in the fan fic universe that people are interested in reading but there’s precious little out there. It still gets a couple kudos each week and tops most of my stats.

Second most kudos: The Century Gentleman. This is my Sandman post-show canon straight forward Dreamling getting together story. And my problem with it is that I’ve read So Much Dreamling getting together that is so much more interesting and creative than what I’ve written that I’ve gotten a little meh on it. But I posted it in the early days of the show fandom when people were dying for Dreamling content, so it got a lot of kudos. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ve done better.

Third most comments: This is Sort It again. It gets beat by Loverboy and Seven, which are both more than one chapter and I waited between posting chapters so some people were kind enough to comment more than once.

Fourth most bookmarks: Lonely Two-Legged Creatures. My only Star Wars fic and my only fic to have a title from a song lyric. DinLuke. I’ve written 3 out of 4 chapters and it haunts me. Tops my list for number of subscriptions. I do think what I’ve written is quite good. Every few months I think about trying to finish it. Maybe someday I will.

Fifth most words: Law School Days. Another unfinished multi chap but this one doesn’t haunt me that much because very few people were interested in it. It’s part of my Arcane, Jayvik, environmental lawyers AU - HexLaw Stories. As the title suggests it’s a prequel for the rest of the series where the characters are in law school. I adore this story. I think part of the reason I ran out of steam on it was because I was bummed about the lack of reaction it was getting. I could see returning to this series when Arcane season 2 comes out, so maybe I’ll end up finishing this.

Fic with the least words: Tie between Talk and Promise which have 360 words each. The Mystrade fandom has the 360MG format in which a story must be exactly 360 words and end with words starting with M and G. I’ve written 2 of them. I’m proud of both but hitting the word limit was really difficult.

Not going to tag anyone but if you feel like diving into your stats, I encourage you to do it!

[suavissimapenna]

Hi, and happy Yuletide, holidays and/or the end of the year! I'm once again wandering from askbox to askbox, asking questions from my fellow Good Omens fanfic writers.

How was your writing year? What's the favourite story you wrote? Yes, YOUR favourite of YOUR work! Feel free to gush about your creations, I'm looking forward to hearing all about it!

I wish you all the comments and kudos, and an exceptional new year! 🧡 Mirjam

Oh this is such a fun ask! Thanks for including me!

This is the first year I’ve posted fanfiction and the first for Good Omens, so I would say it’s been a good year for writing! I wanted to find the fun in writing again since I do a lot of it in my professional life, and fic has definitely helped with that.

I think the work I’m most proud of is the very first one I posted, Say the Word, which is a historical fic about Queen and the ineffables. I’m also proud of my first multi chapter work/series, The Church of All Angels, which is a Priest AU where I get to share all my church nerdery. I just posted the first chapter of the second pet a few days ago!

Merry Christmas and happy winter holidays to all! It’s been such a good year to be in the fandom, and I hope it only gets better. To the world!

[disgruntledkittenface]

Thank you @hellolovers13​ and @neondiamond​ for tagging me! I loved reading your answers to these questions.

1. Number of stories posted to AO3 this year: 11

with love on the line

i get so lost inside your eyes

still, somehow

like sun on the rise

subverting expectations

Darling, so it goes

baby, you’re the end of june

The Referral

something to dream about

enough to make a girl blush

make you mine this season

2. Word count posted for the year: 288,979

3. Fandoms I wrote for: One Direction

4. Pairings: Nick/Harry/Louis, Niall/Zayn, Liam/Louis, Nick/Harry, Harry/Louis, Louis/Harry/Tom Hardy, Niall/Louis, Zayn/Harry, Nick/Louis

5. Story with the most:

Kudos: baby, you’re the end of june

Bookmarks: Darling, so it goes

Comments: make you mind this season

the rest under the cut!

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): Darling, so it goes. I’m proud of myself for finishing it, because it took about three years to research and write and I had about three bouts of horrible writer’s block on it during that time. And I’m proud that it’s exactly what I wanted to write and that I posted it even though I wasn’t sure if people would respond to it. It has the heart and warmth that I try to infuse my writing with. It’s me, on a page. 

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why): something to dream about. I still feel like reworking it, even though it posted in October. I don’t think it’s bad, but I think it could be better.

8. Share or describe a favorite review you received: I would say this year it was the experience of posting make you mine this season and getting comments and reactions every day. I’ve never had people engaging with a fic that way because I’ve never posted a wip before. I gave myself some anxiety a few times (Will people be mad I didn’t write the scene with Louis’ family?? Is this zarry ending the kind of happy people want???) but everyone was so kind and lovely and it really made my heart grow three sizes.

9. A time when writing was really, really hard: It’s kind of hard right now. I don’t feel very motivated or excited about writing, even though I really like my current wip. I think it’s because I’m having a hard time at work, it’s kind of killing my motivation to do anything, I just want to curl up on the couch and self soothe all day.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: In enough to make a girl blush, I thought it would be more of a slow burn before I got to the smut, but truly the first time the Louis and Niall characters hung out, they wanted to hook up right away, so that’s what they did!

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing: from like sun on the rise

“I don’t know if like is a strong enough word,” she confesses, continuing to open boxes so she doesn’t have to look at Louis while she spills her guts. “Like… if that was anyone else trying to talk to me about casting a circle, whatever that means, I would think they were full of shit. But with Harry, it’s like I can tell she really means it, you know? And I start to think, oh, maybe it’s not so bad, I guess I get how that might be comforting to believe in.”

“Whoa.” Louis stops unpacking the box and just looks at Nick.

“I know! It’s like, who am I?” Nick stops working too and sits on one of the unopened boxes. “With every other girl I’ve had a crush on, I’ve always kind of mentally edited out the stuff I didn’t like about them. You know? Like remember Ariana?”

“Yeah, she was hot.”

“So hot, and funny and cool and smart and–”

“Pretentious.”

“So fucking pretentious,” Nick agrees, running a hand through her hair. “So I kind of just ignored that part. That way, I could still have a crush on her.”

Louis shrugs, laughing. “Been there.”

“But Harry.” Nick blows out a breath. “Harry is different. All of her weird stuff, like auras and spells and whatever – that’s exactly the type of thing that I would usually just ignore. I do this all the time, I get a crush for a few weeks, I ignore some stuff, maybe we go out a couple of times, and then it ends because they were all wrong for me. But with Harry, everything I learn about her just makes me like her more. It’s… intense. And I know I haven't known her that long, but I’m starting to think that maybe this isn’t just a crush.”

“So why do you look sick to your stomach? Isn’t this a good thing?”

“But what if she doesn’t like me back?”

“Nick.” Louis levels her with a look. “Are you serious?”

“Is that a rhetorical question, or–”

“Of course she fucking likes you back,” Louis says, turning back to the opened box next to her and unearthing a bag of filters. “She’s been coming here to study every time you have a shift. You text constantly when you’re not together. You speak in shorthand, you two don’t even need to finish sentences around each other.”

“So you think–”

“I know she likes you. And listen, Nick,” Louis says, looking over her shoulder, “don’t fucking hurt her, okay? Or you’ll have me to deal with.”

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: By trying different things! I love challenging myself that way. I wanted to see if I could good alpha/omega girl direction smut (and I think I did!). And I wrote my first advent fic! After I came up with the basic idea, I had to think about how to pace two stories and interconnect them and keep each chapter short enough so people could read along if they wanted to, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

13. How do you hope to grow next year: By continuing to try new things!

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc): I have SO MANY positive influences, truly my little community is an embarrassment of riches. I’m going to say @queenofquiet17​ who doesn’t even go here but always cheerleads my fics and helps me when I need it. She gave me a lot of suggestions for queer literature to include in make you mine this season, and then for my birthday she went to the bookstore from the fic and bought three of the books for me! When I opened the package, I cried. She always makes me feel like I’m part of the queer community and like I’m enough, and that means so much to me. 

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: I wrote still, somehow after my husband trimmed my split ends for me. I was in the middle of a depressive episode and I didn’t realize until I was writing in Liam’s voice that I felt guilty about it, even though it’s not something my husband would ever resent me for.

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: Take each piece of writing advice with a grain of salt. Something that works for one person might not work for another. If you want to use adverbs, use adverbs. Write for yourself. 

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: I definitely feel more excited about the american tragedy au idea after posting about it, so I might actually attempt it this year even though it’s a darker idea and my fics always end up being nicer than I think they will.

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

@uhoh-but-yeah-alright​ @homosociallyyours​ @louandhazaf​ @kingsofeverything​ @wabadabadaba​ @littleroverlouis​ @onesweetworld18​ @brightgolden​ @absoloutenonsense​ @allwaswell16​

[fyonahmacnally]

20 Questions Game

I’ve been tagged by @sssammich and it’s hard to say no to sssammich. It has nothing to do with the fact that I am procrastinating on something. Not at all.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 14

2. What’s your total AO3 words count?

348,153 (most of those are one fic – 234,645)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At present, just Supercorp, but I do have an unfinished Wynonna Earp fic in the mix.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1) Home (part of a series)

2) Conversations (continuation of series above)

3) Carterhaugh-Wood Academy (CWA – Fae AU)

4) I Wish it Was Me

5) Kiss Me in the Rain

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely! I try to respond to all comments because anyone that takes the time to read my work and let me know they did is worth my time. I value and appreciate the comments.  

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

HA. Well, I don’t write a lot of angsty stuff. I am working on venturing into some angst since I tend to lean more into fluffy stories with a few twists. Hopefully I will be branching out into some angst with happy ending type stories. We shall see.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Tough to say…LOL. So far, all of mine have happy endings. I have one that is open-ended because I am planning a sequel, but yeah…pick one. :)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

So far, not really. I did get a mildly rude comment once, but overall, everyone has been kind.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yes. I’m not sure how I would classify it? It’s not strictly vanilla, but not too adventurous either. At least not yet? It’s a work in progress. I’m still finding my footing in that arena. ;)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Not exactly? My fae AU has Diana Prince and Felicity Smoak as secondary characters, but I think that’s the only one that I’ve brought in from outside the show. I’m not opposed to writing them, it just hasn’t been part of any ideas yet.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Hmmm, not that I am aware of…

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Also not that I am aware of…though I would be flattered and honored if asked.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

One that has been published already – no. I am co-writing one with some friends right now though (@lovesastateofmind1 & @chaotic-super - I'm looking at you).

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Supercorp, hands down. There hasn’t been another ship that has grabbed me by the neck like they have.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

HA – Easy. My Wynonna Earp fic. Unfortunately, I lost the momentum/interest in it and have no plans to get back to it.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Ummm, descriptive writing, creating imagery? Not sure.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Getting too far into the minutiae of things, being impatient with story development.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I haven’t done a lot of it. I used a version of combined Irish & Scottish Gaelic in CWA – Fae AU and haven’t used it much since. It was fun to do though and I will likely use it in another WIP I have brewing.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Wynonna Earp. I was very late to the world of fanfiction and fandoms, but really enjoy it.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

That is a very difficult one to answer. I say it would be a close race between the Home Series and CWA. I think I am most proud of CWA.

No pressure to anyone I tag to answer. Love and light, y’all!

@trashpandato @spaceman-earthgirl @someoneyouloved93 @whatawks

[nostradamus0]

20 QUESTIONS GAME

Thanks for the tag @bronzeagepizzeria!! :)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

39 works

2. What’s your total AO3 words count?

111,601 words

3. What fandoms do you write for?

whatever i’m hyperfixated on lol. my more recent writing has been for Supergirl, Once Upon a Time, and Doctor Who

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

swing low, supernova, & come to carry me home

love me like you mean it

we'll still be here (when it's all said and done)

you remind me: that it’s such a wonderful thing to love

the other side (of a world without you)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

yes, but sometimes it takes me a while because of the raging adhd. i love the community aspect of fanfic, talking about writing makes me happy, and i’m always so grateful when people leave comments and i want to say thank you!! :) 

i saw someone say once that they don’t believe in responding to comments because they think people who do it are just trying to “inflate their comment count” or whatever and that is so depressing. i hope they see the light

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

probably i couldn't say: i need more time. that’s a real depressing fic, ngl. i remember i got really invested in writing it, even though the plot goes against everything i want for the characters

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

most of what i write is stupidly fluffy and/or sappy as hell lmao. but if i had to pick the most fluffiest, i might say what kind of woman loves like this.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not really? i’ve gotten a few rude comments, but nothing super mean

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

no lol

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

i’ve never written a crossover. i’ve written, and have in progress, fics based on other media, but no actual crossovers.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes! i'm sure they did a great job but i don't speak russian so i can't actually tell

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

yes, a very long time ago, and it’s lost now. the internet is not always forever. save things if you don’t want to lose them, kids 

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

what kind of sick question is this

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

all of them lmao. seriously though, i started a Finding Neverland supercorp AU and i dream desperately of finishing it, but likely never will.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i’m first and foremost a poet, so i’m good with sentence-level things like diction and the way lines flow and sound. alliteration and i are besties. i’m also not bad with imagery/description.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

dialogue. endings. middles. beginnings. i struggle a lot with describing actions. did i mention dialogue?

honestly, when it comes to fanfic, i think my biggest weakness is my own anxiety. i have zero experience with romantic attraction or anything, so i’m always worried i’m doing a shit job portraying it and then i get caught up in my head.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i wish lol. i know bits and pieces of Polish and Spanish, but i’m only fluent in English. i’d love to find an excuse to use Polish, but that feels unlikely. i have a wip (that i haven’t touched in ages) that’ll eventually be supercorp but starts during Lena’s early childhood, and i’d love to use some Irish, but i have zero knowledge of Irish

19. First fandom you wrote for?

either Doctor Who or Once Upon a Time, i think? somewhere around 2013–2014? all that stuff is long gone, though.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

your voice is the splinter inside me. i poured my heart into that fic, and i’m still pretty proud of the result. i started a part 2, but i’m not in a headspace right now to finish it.

no pressure tags! @mulderscully @sssammich @benwvatt @pretty-pony plus everyone who wants to because i'm sleepy and can't think all that good right now <3