#plus also I read a piece of dialogue that was totally in character and in his voice in a fic

[helloarchivist]

Ohhh why are you mad at Kid? 👀

its not like super serious lajkdfjas it's more like I took a step back into another blorbo's direction and it immediately illuminated like. six compounding things that I found mildly annoying PLUS my brain is for some reason giving him the ex-boyfriend treatment when it does not normally do that on the blorbo rotation lmfaooo

part of it is also like. and I've talked this through in reply threads before and I can concede that some of it is like. Oda needed a way to fridge a couple people and this wasn't the most well-thought-out character moment of all time, but lemme jump under the cut in case of spoilers for the egghead arc for people--

it gets on my nerves that he clearly went through the like 'think things through, choose your steps more carefully, needing help is not a sin, there ARE bigger fish than you out there and pretending there aren't almost got your whole crew killed, revisit point B' character development arc in Wano, and then left Wano and just immediately retconned all that progress and was like. What if I blow up my life and the lives of the people I'm responsible for by trying to aggravate Shanks into killing me again.

Plus--and this is a smaller quibble but it gets on my nerves--he purposefully targets Shanks' subordinate crews with a nuke and he's soooooooooooo giddy and pleased with himself when he thinks he's gonna blow up a bunch of people he knows aren't in his league, all while yelling for Shanks to do something if he dares, and then the second Shanks actually shows up Kid is like DDDDD8 AKAGAMI?!!!?!?! as if he is. Shocked. That trying to kill the people Shanks protects and calling him out actually resulted in a consequence.

I think some of the tl;dr is that I find it especially offensive when people who clearly aren't stupid refuse to learn and act stupid anyway. so he's in blorbo time out with me right now lmfao.

[blackjackkent]

@astreamofstars suggested my next dive into the parsed dialogue files should be looking at the various Vicious Mockery lines available for player characters, and the ways the different companion character VAs speak them. This turned out to be quite challenging, as there are a LOT of them!

There are a total of 97 unique Vicious Mockery lines, each of which was recorded by all ten companion character VAs PLUS all twelve custom character VAs, for a total of 2,134 recorded lines, which is wild. (This is not including Ethel's 60 unique Vicious Mockery lines as well, which brings the total to 2,194.)

In this video, I've collected all 97 VM lines across all ten companion VAs, along with notes (where applicable) on things like

references to Shakespeare (or other pieces of media)

places where BG3 continues a time-honored tradition of the series by butchering archaic English grammar

interesting inconsistencies between the VAs or with the written dialogue

(If you notice any references I missed, please let me know and I might edit the video! :D )

In making this video, I ended up listening to all these lines a LOT, and I do love that some definite patterns emerge which are very on-brand for the characters in question.

Astarion often sounds deeply disdainful and at times almost bored. He barrels through some of the lines as if he doesn't think the recipient of his insult is even worth his time. (Also him calling someone a "parchment-pallored villain" is a bit rich, don't you think? :P )

Gale is deeply pleased with his own cleverness and laughs at his own jokes.

In my opinion, Dave Jones by far most Understood The Assignment; Halsin bellows out the lines like a Shakespearean actor playing to the back row and really relishes the language.

Jaheira is in full mother-tiger voice and clearly ready to kick ass and take names; she's not messing around. (With one exception - I have been laughing over Tracy Wiles's reading of "Mouthier than an arse, twice as full o' shite" for the entire duration of this project, because solely for that line she sounds like she's been possessed by some unknown force and is utterly baffled by the words coming out of her own mouth.)

Karlach reads most of these lines as either battle-cry or schoolyard taunt and seems utterly delighted in both cases. I enjoy that she adds a fun roll on her r's to sound all mockingly fancy.

Lae'zel generally sounds like she's about to rip someone's throat out and often seems completely oblivious to the humor involved, even on lines like the delightful pun, "As the leg, you'll end in defeat."

Minsc definitely doesn't know what most of these words mean but he makes up for it in enthusiasm. I enjoy that "Mouthier than an arse" becomes "mouthier than a butt" only for him. XD

Minthara, like Lae'zel, is mostly not coming at this from a place of amusement; she's MAD. She sounds like a judge handing down sentence in the most disdainful manner possible. (That said, she has my favorite deliveries on some of the lines with timing-related humor: "Thou art saucy... as gruel," "Thine eyes! Pools of tepid piss," "Like a summer's day... thou art sweaty," etc.)

Shadowheart just sounds deeply offended that her target is existing anywhere near her. She's practically spitting on all her plosive consonants and it's delightful.

Wyll sounds remarkably fierce given how nice a dude he is, but a lot of his lines have some righteous indignation (appropriate for a former noble and the Blade of Frontiers) - or he just sounds like he pities his opponent. His reading of "It vexes me to know of you" is my favorite of the whole cast; he just sounds so disbelieving of his target's stupidity.

Overall I think my favorite of these lines is towards the end: "Your body's a temple - to an idiot god!" All ten companions really stick the landing on that one. :D

Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy.

(Got requests for other investigations into BG3 dialogue? Drop me an ask and let me know! )

[abbotjack]

HEYY, I'm not here to ask but to let you know that I'm very grateful that you exist (let me kiss you and your chubby brain) that I've got to read your works about Abbot, like you've made my day literally, maybe for a week even.

Like I'm fixing my body clock, woke up by 0200 like shit, and I never regret not going back to sleep because that's how I encountered your first work.

You've made me cry for like a solid hour. Like the 'life we grew' he began to notice. Which I'm gonna praise you honestly.

I love when a writer posts part two and tags part one (sounds basic, but that detail in every post helps me to navigate where and when it starts)

I first saw part 2 but you'd recommend reading part one so I did. You really portray him so diligently, you portray him so perfectly with the exact words. like woahh wait a minute I need to breathe some air, this thing wrecking the hell outta me.

But the Camouflage Onesie? You've made me somthin'. I used to be a fast reader but this part of the series took me an hour and a half to finish. (I stopped in every part that 'amazes' me and imagine the scenario that you've written) Jack's giving the vibes where he finally met his other behalf, like "life is long when one is alone..." uhm vow speech, sortaaa.

Like you know when you've been given a plate of food that you love duperr much and you're savouring every moment while having it in front of you, that's how you made me feel while reading that. I've got to pause reading and thinking about more of it, imagination gone wild.

The bold and big font for weeks, the detailed, descriptive words you used, on how you elaborate week by week they go on through is so magnificent.

The proper spacing for every paragraph to sentences and even dialogue (that's good details that keeps me invested in reading. It doesn't make me feel overwhelmed, which eases my adhd and thank you for that!)

I just noticed that the time passed me by so quickly because the window got a bit brighter from the outside and realized that it was 0630 something.

And I've got to read your pin post about yourself and that was totally understandable, quite amazing for some reason that observing the time stamp from your works. You still have 400+ unread messages yet when I scan through your works. DAMN 11k words, 5k? Like dude how do you have the willpower to make that long story.

And by the span of the whole month you have a master list about Abbot (Pope) and also Robby. That's so cool, really!!!

___

As of today, I wanna show gratitude for keeping me (and the others well fed)

when you drop Sticky Fingers, Quiet Mornings. DUDDEEE, seeing a man being emotionally vulnerable is remarkably insightful!! It hits hard when Jack feels that her daughter doesn't need him when putting on her shoes. when her daughter needs him when she got a cold, having that feeling that he needs to be right fucking there, the moment she wokes up with a fever. I have many favorite moments from your stories. But apparently, every sequence and interlude that you've written is well made. It’s rare for a fic to ‘eat’ this consistently—every scene devoured, no crumbs left. Like when you're watching a movie, there would be a boring timeline or not an engaging scene, but your's? It was like a last drop of honey, too sacred to waste. I just love everything about you and your work.

another is Irregularities, like yow are you ok?? After part four, you've dropped the prequel for like 3 days after the other. You've finished almost 14k words in a short span of time? 😭😭, you're too powerful, consuming your work means to feel this visceral thing, and that 101% guarantee. The chronological order, it never missed any beat! And again the spacing for each line. Plus what I've read from your anon ask. Like how did you put your real world experience to make the character ultra realistic. Damn. On how you imprinted yourself with it. I have nothing to say:’). Everytime you drop another piece of art. It makes me smile and click it immediately.

When this anon asks about your motivation?? You've explained too specifically, from generalizing to elaborating the reasons, the narrative. I can't, you're too good on how you express everything. Your prof is real when he says you're gifted when it comes to writing, I totally agree!!

I've read that you ship WALSH AND JACK, SYDD, (I saw it from one of the a bit mean anon who despises shipping them) I'll be honored to devour any piece of your works when it comes to them!! I do wonder if you have plans about it, like just a one story>_< (just one). Yet there this anon that asked you about what was there background and you elaborate, the convergence, alliance. I adore how you've managed to think of it that way.

Plus your plan about Jack and her wife having a twin?? I mean I am very delighted, though I just thought about the genders of their little cubs.

It could add another flavor to your story so much. Correlating it to psychology, you clicked something in me. I remembered in class about Karen Horney, her conducted study about women, opposing Freud’s view about females. She did talk about parent-child relationships. On how emotional needs of early childhood could affect your child's behavior. Yet she didn't formalize cross-gender parent bonding that daughters are closer to their dad while the son is closer to their mother. I hope you understand what I am trying to say, (I am bad at explaining). Like I imagine how everything will go. Gender matters because it requires Jack different approach, maybe not from the start but as they grow up. It just intrigued me on how you will write about that. A bit excited, yess

It takes me weeks before finally sending this to you, (I am not great when it comes to writing and it will take me eternity to write another thing, academically or for personal occurrence). uuhmm it made me curious of who you are but that's another boundary.

All I know or maybe to properly conclude that you were in college maybe last year? Or a fresh graduate and being an intern in your new job, (if you are currently in a job, I wanna say CONGRATULATIONS).

This info's source was from your anon asked which I love to read.

I don't know which continent or country were you but your works reached Asia (south-eastern and eastern Asia).

I don't, really don't want to sound like a creep. (If this long ask overwhelmed you, in any way. You could leave it in your ask box, sending you a dm is a bit creepy so I'll leave it r'ght here) Your writing makes me and the other reader have this euphoric sensation. I wanted to say more than this but I am lost for words. But to sum it all up, I just want to express bone-deep gratitude for your existence and your piece!!

I noticed every tiniest bit. And you deserve a good appreciation for it babee... just glad about everything. Please be hydrated all the time<33

edit : also I did start a walsh x abbot fanfic!

I’ve been sitting with your message for a while.

Not because I didn’t know how to respond—but because I did. And I wanted to do it properly. I wanted to slow down and really write back. Because you didn’t just drop a quick compliment in my inbox—you gave me time. You gave me care. You gave me you. And that deserves more than a quick thank you and a couple emojis.

What you wrote hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting. The specificity. The warmth. The thoughtfulness. You took your time with it—stopped and started, saved it to drafts, circled back when your brain allowed. And you sent it anyway. You let it out. That’s not small. That’s the kind of vulnerability most people talk themselves out of.

So here’s me matching that energy back.

I’m Syd. I’m 21, in my last semester of undergrad. I study applied mathematical economics, which is a fancy way of saying I like hard data, systems, and the things people don’t usually associate with softness. But I also have a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, because I’m constantly trying to balance the measurable with the emotional. The structure with the story.

This summer, I’m working as an intern with a nonprofit in downtown Cleveland, and it’s exactly where I want to be. On the side, I’m also volunteering at a women’s shelter—helping with admin, intakes, programming. Mostly, I just listen.

I’ve sat across from women who’ve walked in with nothing but their kid in a hoodie and a CVS bag of papers. Women who’ve been failed by systems. Women who don’t need to be fixed—just protected. And every time I leave the building, I feel the same thing in my chest that I feel when I write: That overwhelming, steady, quiet knowing that survival doesn’t always look heroic. Sometimes it’s just showing up again the next morning.

That’s what I want to keep doing after I graduate in December. Whether I stay in nonprofit or go back to school for public policy, my goal is D.C.—working in gender advocacy, education policy, or economic justice initiatives. Especially in STEM fields where the gender gap is still treated like an afterthought.

But writing? That’s what I do for myself.

That’s what keeps me tethered when the rest of the world is all spreadsheet and structure.

And Jack Abbot… I still don’t have the right words for what writing him has given me. What you have given me by reading him so closely.

You didn’t just skim. You noticed.

You paid attention to the way I space my lines, how I use font changes to signal time shifts. You caught the way I tag Part 1 in Part 2, not because it’s flashy, but because I care about orientation. I care about the reader knowing where they are, even if they show up in the middle of the story.

Regarding Camouflage Onesie, you said reading that fic felt like savoring a favorite meal. Like sitting with something slow and meaningful. That floored me. Because that’s how I want these stories to feel. I don’t write for the hit of dopamine, or to throw smut at a wall. I write for people like you—the ones who reread sentences. Who imagine the scenes. Who slow down when it hurts.

You said “Jack’s giving the vibes where he finally met his other behalf.” Not “better half.” Not “missing piece.” Other behalf. That choice of words? That’s poetry. That’s something I’ll be quoting for months. Because that’s exactly what I think he feels—that she’s not a fix, but a counterpart. A person who knows how to hold the weight without dropping it.

The fact that Sticky Fingers, Quiet Mornings meant something to you—especially that sequence with the shoes and the fever—makes me feel seen in a way I don’t know how to explain. I wrote that story thinking no one would care about the small moments. That maybe it was too quiet, too soft. But you understood it. Not just emotionally, but viscerally.

And Irregularities… yeah. You caught me in the act with that one. I wrote 14k words in a stretch of 3 days like my life depended on it. No outline. You asked if I was okay—and the honest answer is sometimes, not really. But writing helps me get there!

And the twins… oh, god. You went into Karen Horney and cross-gender attachment theory and you get it. You brought academic language into fanfiction discussion without losing the emotional marrow underneath. That’s rare. That’s brilliant.

Jack with a daughter is one kind of story. It’s about protection, yes, but also softness. Permission. It’s him learning that strength isn’t what makes him worthy in her eyes—it’s presence. It’s the ache of watching her grow into her own body, her own mind, and wondering if she’ll be safe in a world that wasn’t built with her in mind. It’s feminist fatherhood—the kind that doesn’t just “empower” her, but yields to her. That lets her take up space. That teaches her early that no man who truly loves her will ever be intimidated by her strength, her voice, or her “too-muchness.”

But Jack with a son? That’s something else entirely. That’s legacy. That’s the inherited weight of masculinity—the fear of replicating silence, of passing down emotional absence as a blueprint for manhood. It’s staring into a face that looks like his and wondering how to teach gentleness when no one gave it to him. It’s about reparenting himself in real time. It’s the tension of trying to teach a boy that vulnerability is not weakness, while still learning how to believe that himself.

And when I write those dynamics—when I imagine him fumbling through a quiet car ride with his son (soon, spoiler!), or tying his daughter’s shoe with fingers that still shake from trauma—I’m drawing from every article I’ve annotated in my Women’s & Gender Studies courses. From bell hooks writing about men and love. From Adrienne Rich’s concept of motherhood as both institution and experience. From intersectional feminist frameworks that say: gender doesn’t shape who we are—it shapes who we’re allowed to be.

That’s the subtext. That’s the story under the story. And you caught it.

You even noticed the pacing between releases. You tracked the time it took between updates. You didn’t just consume the work—you witnessed it. You treated it like something human. Something that came from somewhere. And I hope you know how rare that is. That kind of presence? That kind of investment? That’s not casual. That’s someone who reads with their whole self. Who brings their own theory, their own tenderness, their own intelligence into the experience.

And I don’t take that lightly. I never will.

If this writing ever gave you something to hold onto—something soft, something steady, something familiar—please know you gave it right back to me tonight.

You said your message sat in drafts for a while. But now it’s here. And it’s real.

Just like you are.

I’ll keep writing for people like you. People who linger. Who underline. Who feel.

Come back when you can. My inbox is always open.

And this—this letter?—is already something I’ll never forget.

p.s. yes, I’m drinking water. yes, I’m still thinking about “other behalf.” yes, I’d write 11k more words just to make you feel like this again!

[randomrosewrites]

Book 4 re-write afterword 1/2

Summary:

Azul stops, which makes you stop. Jamil is a few paces behind both of you, arms folded, unmoving. “Hm?” Jamil looks up. His gaze is dark and cold. Your stomach churns as you gulp. “I’m sorry,” he says, not sounding sorry at all. “I can’t let you both stay here. It’s time you go back to the sea.”

A while back, I finished my book 4 re-write. Where essentially yuu (you) breaks their arm mid-book and things progress from there. It was a time-consuming and fulfilling project that started as a small oneshot but snowballed into a nearly 60K long series. If you would like to check it out, you can do so here.

I have a lot of thoughts about it, reflecting back. And some things I wanted to discuss in more detail. I thought it might be interesting for others to read so I made a post about it. (more under the cut)

Part 2

On the Seafloor - April 2024

This was written as a oneshot, meant to stand alone with no continuing parts to it. It was mostly because I missed writing and hadn't written anything for over a year, and wanted to dip my toes into it. I had recently read a series on AO3 that really inspired me. I loved the way the author wrote and wanted to make something of my own, with the characters I so dearly loved. Thus, this was born, towards the end of exam season. It was close to midnight. I remember thinking how loud the sound effect for the crash noise was when Grim and MC land in the Mostro Lounge. (Look it up yourself if you're interested. It happens in Book 4, chapter 20 to be exact. The chapter title is, in ENG server 'On the Seafloor' Can you tell where I got the name for this chapter from?) Anyway, I wrote most of it around midnight, shivering in my office as I typed. I knew what I wanted to write in fragments, the beats between Azul & Yuu and Jade & Yuu, but nothing much after the twins pushed back the Scarabia students. The first draft was a mess (it always is) but in my mind, I had one concrete line of dialogue.

I went to bed and wrote the rest of it over the course of a few days. Then, I edited it a ton and then posted it. The entire process took a week total.

Okay, some dialogue thoughts, now.

Frequently in story, Azul says things he doesn't mean. For example, when he's complimenting someone (and doesn't mean it) or when he's trying to play off how he's really feeling (by trying to seem more in control/ calm/ nonchalant when he's really unsure or shaken.) He's a hard character to write because I (the author) have to make it so that the readers can pick up on when this dishonesty occurs without beating them over the head with it. At the same time, characters in the story might not pick up on Azul's dishonesty (in this case, yuu) because of their emotions or physical state.

So for this scene: Readers probably assume Azul isn't being completely serious when he says 'I don't want you making a mess of the carpet' but Yuu (MC, you, etc) can't understand that in the moment because of their emotions and physical state, etc. etc.

Every interaction with Azul is like tip-toeing on this line. It's really frustrating at times but I think I ended up doing it pretty well.

the last thing I wanted to touch on with this work is how MC is beginning to break down Azul's walls a bit. It's not much but it's a difference from the Azul in book 3, actually willing to compromise. Out From Desert's Door - May 2024 Released a month after the first installment, I remember writing most of this in 2 weeks before I went on vacation. I don't think its the most interesting out of the 3 parts but necessary. Also decided to stick with the rhyming convention. (Floor, Door, Score)

The overheating idea was something I had when I first read book 4. like...they're sea creatures...in the desert...in 3 piece suits...how did they not pass out? So I put it in the story. Plus plot. Plus drama. Etc.

I read the official and fan translations of book 4 while writing this story. In the official translations Floyd doesn't curse but in one of the fan translations he says (roughly) 'It's hot as shit here.' and I thought it was funny, so I added Floyd cursing here.

Originally I had a fight scene written in this part. Someone would try to stop MC from entering, and Floyd would end up pouncing on them with Jade having to step in to stop them. I ended up cutting it after review with one of my friends, because it was a bit too ooc for Floyd to be as aggressive over a 'not-yet-friend, friend'

Kalim thinks MC's disappearance from the dorm is because they got sick. This is not actually the case, obviously, but to tell him the truth wouldn't be great for Azul, who's still trying to figure out if Jamil is actually the person responsible for everything. I'll talk about this more later.

Azul has complicated feelings about his appearance. This scene is meant to hint at that. Even after the events in book 3, he has issues around his weight and how others perceive him. (Which...is why he wears so many layers to hide his silhouette, at least according to my HC's of him)

Jade knows why Azul's so hesitant to remove his jacket. Jade's also the only one to realize what Azul's motivation was for wanting the photograph in book 3.

Though, he never outright says any of this in either cases.

I tried to make the trio's fighting style reflect their characters. Azul doesn't fight the students directly but holds them far enough so Jade and Floyd can pick them off one-by-one. Jade is also more analytical in battle than Floyd, who throws himself into it.

I also wanted to show how analytical Jamil is, too. Azul's downfall in book 3 started with Floyd being careless with his unique magic and damaging the safe. Here, Jamil uses Floyd's own magic against him so that the spell hits Azul. I honestly think Jamil could outclass Azul if given the right resources and time to plan.

Azul's stubborn (lol) he insisted on helping out the MC when they were hurt in the previous part but now refuses when the situation is flipped. Another way to show how little Azul trusts, how he sees everything as a trade off.

Jamil's already thinking 'what's your game?'. He's adamantly against the Octavinelle trio arriving and staying because he knows they can ruin his plans, and MC was the one who got them involved.

The characters explain it in the fic but I'll do it again here anyways.

MC and Grim dug their way out of scarabia, fled using one of the carpets, crash landed in octavinelle where MC broke their arm.

Kalim is not told this, and was told (by Azul) they were sick with octavinelle taking care of them. The reason for this is that 1) they would have to tell Kalim the real reason they broke out of scarabia (because they were sick of the training camp and being forced to stay) which would cause Kalim to potentially ease off on the training camp or call it off altogether. Jamil wouldn't want that, because that interferes with his plans to turn the dorm against Kalim. So why wouldn't Azul want that? Well he does, but it would be too hasty from the get go. If the camp was called off, Jamil could either do something drastic to remove Kalim, or he could lick his wounds and lay low until he has another opportunity to scheme. Neither of these are ideal, as Azul really wants concrete proof that Jamil is behind it, and doesn't want any room for Jamil to be able to wiggle out of it. Thus, Azul lies to Kalim so things keep going on as normal and until they can gather enough evidence to confirm their suspicions and confront Jamil directly.

(Also, when i read back the story of book 4, I realize that MC's escape attempt is never really brought up by anyone after the fact. Kalim is just like 'oh these octavinelle guys are here now, cool.' Makes me believe Jamil didn't tell Kalim to begin with).

I always got this sickly feeling from being trapped in Scarabia while playing the game, and that feeling never really went away even when the octotrio joined. I wanted to make it clear how much my version of Yuu hated that.

...this is something that I'll explore in a further series, whenever I get around to writing it. Hints at a previous or potential something between Jade and Azul.

Haha, I go through some of my old writing and forget how some sentences don't make any sense. I meant to say more like 'Those guys in octavnelle didn't break your arm, did they?' but I did a bad job at it, LOL. Maybe I'll go back and edit things in the future.

AKA: you should know because you witnessed his overblot and signed a contract with him

Kalim not realizing that others around him are suffering is a trend in book 4. He never realized Jamil wasn't happy in their childhood, and he doesn't realize how much Jamil sacrifices for him because of their difference in social status. He doesn't realize how much Jamil detests their relationship until it's too late. Likewise, he doesn't realize how 'bad' the training camp is until people are desperate enough -- like the MC -- to escape it. If Jamil didn't overblot and octavinelle didn't get involved, the training camp would have continued until the students despised him enough to overthrow him.

hinting that Jamil's using his unique magic in this scene, though not necessarily full force.

Azul and Jade both are concerned about the MC, as they're the two (traditional) love interests

The trio is so tightly knit that they can basically have conversations and assume what they want from each other without having to explicitly say it out loud.

It's not that he can't remove it physically, but that he can't because of his body issues, to be blunt.

'Crowley forcing you to make a contract' when I re-write book 3 (eventually...) I'll change up some things in it. I had this idea in mind when writing this series.

So, MC plays into Azul's little games. Makes a contract that he can 'fulfil' similar to the one in book 3. MC does something for Azul, Azul does something for MC after. (In book 3, it was: MC getting the photo, Azul releasing the students trapped in contracts) this time it's MC helping Azul, Azul takes them to the sea. It's a way to let MC help Azul without his whole...well, complex getting in the way of things.

The deal isn't 'official' (signed contract or handshake) but still Azul takes the ramshackle key as collateral. It's a way to show he's changed since book 3, just a little. But he still clings to his old habits.

Azul switches into octopus form, that's basically it. Could he have done this by himself? Yes. But he's embarrassed to do it around the twins and finds the presence of MC comforting enough to allow him to transform without freaking out. (Soooo romantic.)

Even when someone tells Azul he doesn't look ugly, he doesn't truly believe them.

...I would continue but there's a max photo count per post of 30! Who knew! See part 2 for the next section.

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

Our farm witch friends really delivered with their faves last month and we're here this week to share the last of that list. Thank you to everyone who responded to pass along the fics you love and help keep this fandom reading (and writing)!

Check these community fave works out and leave the authors some love!

=========

Bound by symmetry (barelypink) “I am and always will be a sucker for a slow burn. This one is a diamond.”

Goodwill (@spiders-hth-is-an-outlier) “I don't know why I love this as much as I do. It's really sad, but also really joyful. It unfolds so beautifully. I love all the introspection. And the socks. I'll always love the socks.” 

If not now (MoreHuman, swat117) “There is no truer test of a relationship than all the time in the world.”

If you say run, I’ll run with you (upbeat) “Wonderful, different take on the wedding.”

Language of Love (pandorasdaydream) “This series takes the 22 min tv episodes and fills in the moments we don’t see. David and Patrick are fleshed out, while staying true to Dan Levy’s characters. The series is beautifully written and developed.”

Left unsaid (@treepyful) “A very detailed day in the life of a rare pair in the Fandom. Like, so so detailed. But every word is glorious and intentional, and somehow, though there's only like 6 words of dialog in the entire fic, so much gets said. Also, there's one of the most incredible descriptions of a thunderstorm that I've ever read.”

Neither snow, nor rain (middyblue) “Christmas slow-burn.”

Post hoc ergo propter hoc (various) “I love all of the installments in this political AU because I liked the West Wing a lot but it was never queer enough. This series has all the humor and dialogue and romance and Queer Feelings (tm) you might ever wish for in a beltway workplace drama, plus President Johnny Rose and Stevie Budd as his (eventual) chief of staff.” 

Prismatic (thetrustytaco) **WIP**  “You only see b&w until you get close to your soulmate! Gah! Not finished but so good so far!!”

Sleepless (@wellschitt) “This fic is funny, sexy, and full of heart, and at just over 10k, it's the perfect length for a reread (or in my case many, many rereads) when you need a quick pick me up on a stressful day.”

Time until the end of time (@ships-to-sail, yourbuttervoicedbeau (@kiwiana-writes)) “I've been into the idea of a waiting room on the way to the after life for a long time, and this piece totally does our characters justice. If you have an ache in your life, it will knead it and might even heal you a bit.”

Value added (theMaura) “Short. Hilarious.”

Vampires Are People Too! (@petrodobreva) “It's a rare thing indeed for a fic author to create a unique, fully realized alternative world while still holding on to the spirit of the canon work that we all know and love, but that's exactly what petrodobreva manages to pull off in this teen vampire AU.” 

Winning the Game (@ladyflowdi) “One of the most hilarious laugh-out-loud fics in the fandom.” 

[scribeofred]

Writer tag game

I wasn’t tagged, but I saw the game via @coyote-nebula and want to play anyway!

1. how many works do you have on AO3?

43 works

2. what's your total AO3 word count?

148,937

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Right now just Detroit: Become Human

4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

tell the shades apart (my world is black and white)

Reflection

The 43rd Hour

Holding On

these dead roses bloom once more

5. do you respond to comments?

All of the comments with substance, yes!

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

Brushing aside works that contain canonical character death, probably a place where the water touches the sky, even though it’s an ambiguous ending.

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

I don’t know if there’s one with an ending that’s more definitively happy than everything else, but bombshell has a very fun, flirty ending.

8. do you get hate on fics?

No outright hate, but I have received a handful of comments that basically amounted to “what you wrote in this story isn’t to my tastes and I'm going to tell you why you should've written what I wanted to read,” which. Y’know. Dldr 🙃

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

I do, though I’ve never publicly posted anything more explicit than a fade-to-black. Mostly I’ve written collaborative scenes with friends, either full-blown role-play style or more spur-of-the-moment snapshots than highly structured, fully fleshed out scenes. If I’m writing by myself, I tend to lean harder toward sensual and less toward outright E-rated PWP.

10. do you write crossovers?

Not in the strictest sense, although I’ve thrown ideas around with friends, absolutely. I’m more inclined to full-on AUs (e.g., the DBH characters in the Star Wars universe but not interacting with all of the canon SW characters). I tend to lose interest in projects too quickly to sustain crossovers or AUs of significant size.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Absolutely, it's actually my preferred way to write.

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

Starkiller/Juno was a formative one for me.

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

The Skyrim rewrite. I have a solid 25,000-plus words hanging around, but they barely scratch the surface of the canon story, and I don’t play the game anymore, so. It languishes. I occasionally reread the Battle of Whiterun scene I wrote, though, because I do love it v much.

16. What are your writing strengths?

A tightly bound trinity of subtext, showing instead of telling, and descriptions. I always joke I never write text, I only write subtext. Learning how to tell sometimes instead of showing everything has been. a struggle. When I know the characters really well and can hear them clearly, my dialogue’s also excellent.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Follow-through’s the biggest one. I tend to get bored and thus uninspired fairly easily, so I usually need a strict externally imposed deadline or someone (like a coauthor) who’s otherwise waiting on my finishing a given piece for me to push through to the end. Plotting the final quarter of stories tends to give me a lot of trouble if I don’t come up with the ending right away. If I don’t know where I’m aiming, I wander aimlessly before almost inevitably moving on to another project. This is why most of my solo projects are relatively small.

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

Nuclear launch codes. No, seriously, it can work so, so, SO well, in VERY limited, bite-size pieces. Unless the work is intended for readers who are familiar with the languages being used, I prefer to see alternate languages used as flavor text only.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Probably Star Wars? Self-insert territory ahoy 😂

20. Favourite fic you've written?

Am I allowed to say a WIP that most people haven’t seen? No? Probably thermal equilibria, chapter two specifically. The dialogue tickles me every time I reread it.

I tag @druidx, @wamblings, @ltcolonelcarter, @audreycritter, and anyone else who wants to play!

[saltired]

20 Questions- Writing Edition

Thank you @wetcarcass for the tag! It was fun to do, even if I haven’t completed anything in soooo long <3

This is a sort of weird one, cause all my published writing is a few years old at least, and I don’t want to link anything or reference it too much because I find it kind of cringe haha! I started writing again after a long break a few years ago, so it all reads as very rusty to me.

I’ve been writing and not publishing for a little while though… although none of it is finished or even that coherent yet. (Yet. Watch this space?)

How many works do you have on ao3

40 on my abandoned old account, lmao. Hopefully 1 on saltired soon?

What's your total ao3 word count?

155, 113 on said old acc.

What are your top five fics by kudos?

Don’t really want to list them bc abandoned account/few years old etc, but the top one is apparently at 534 now, which is quite nice I think.

What fandoms do you write for?

I’ve written for loads, but now I want to follow my dreams and focus on asoiaf- I’ve only ever published one super short fic for it despite loving it for so long. I think it’s just intimidated me because I’ve loved it for so long, honestly.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely! It’s so great to be able to engage with people who enjoyed your stuff! I always love it when an author replies to my comments <3

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Honestly, probably the current thramsay angst in my docs atm. It’s nothing insanely angsty, but still more bleak than my past stuff because… well, it’s thramsay.

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

I’ve written a few sweet soft fluff pieces for friends, so those I guess? My endings tend to be the characters stewing in misery/shame/apathy etc as opposed to riding off into the sunset.

Do you get hate on fics?

I think I got some once, but it was super mild. Just someone complaining about stuff that was very clearly tagged. Like, that’s on you if you don’t like it, buddy.

Do you write smut?

Pretty much exclusively unethical and miserable smut.

Do you write crossovers?

I’ve done a few crack crossovers in my time, but never anything serious, they’re not really my thing.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I did once read a fic that was clearly very heavily inspired by one of mine, including the same phrasing on niche plot points, but nothing outright stolen. Never said anything about it though, and tbh I wouldn’t unless they had literally copied and pasted my fic!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yeah, I had one translated- it was Spanish and don’t know any Spanish, so I have no idea if it’s faithful to the og though lmao.

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yep, I’ve done a few.

What's your all time favorite ship?

Thramsay, hands down. They’ve lived in my head rent free for about nine years now, but I haven’t published fic for them.

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

Not fic related, but I’ve got a few TTRPG adventure wips. I really want to release them one day, but considering I’m the sole writer/illustrator/graphic designer/etc then I doubt it will be any time soon- plus, I’d have to playtest them and edit all over again based off that. I still live in hope they’ll get done instead of sitting in perpetual limbo, though!

What are your writing strengths?

Always writing for myself instead of trying to write something that people will like- I think that’s really important!

What are your writing weaknesses?

Never writing anything in order/planning. It drives me absolutely insane and makes everything take forever because I’m chasing threads around, but I can’t seem to do it any other way. Also multichaptered fics, I get part way through and move on to something else.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I’ve never had the need to, but I guess if you know the language you’re writing in and it makes sense in the story, go for it? Although I prefer if people put a translation in the notes so I don’t have to google translate and end up with a poor imitation of what was actually written.

First fandom you wrote for?

Probably Lord of the Rings or Merlin? This would have been back in 2012, on a fanfiction.net account that was thankfully lost to time. Bless past Salt and his enthusiasm for writing, but you could not pay me to reread it.

Favorite fic you've ever written?

I have an unfinished draft lying around somewhere based on Crash… it was a while ago, and could definitely be better, but it was so much fun and I’d love to revisit the idea again. If we’re talking published, then I wrote a gun-focused fic that I still think is decent. Loaded guns ended up in places they should absolutely not be, obviously.

Like the other tag I did, I’m not gonna tag anyone, but if you’re reading this and haven’t been tagged then I’m tagging YOU PERSONALLY <3

[wendingways]

20 Questions For Writers

Thank you, @sinvulkt! I saw someone else post one of these a while ago, and it looked fun, so thanks so much for the tag! 💛💛💛

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Seven. Technically eight, but one of them is part of another and just separated for logistical reasons, so it doesn't really count.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

190,105 words

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Star Wars

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Fortune's Rule, 536 kudos

Missing Pieces No More, 142

Whispers From Tomorrow, 126

Petrichor, 42

Threadbare, 30

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

Most of the time! Sometimes it takes a while because busy + tired, but I enjoy it when other authors respond to my comments, so I want to respond other people's comments. :)

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

Probably Threadbare. Wouldn't say it's a full-on angsty ending, because I tend to go for angsty beginnings/middles and happy endings, but it's the closest I've got.

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

Whispers From Tomorrow, by virtue of it being a pre-Order-66 fix-it.

8. Do you get hate on your fic?

I've gotten a little. You know how FFN can be. There was this one kinda funny one instance where somebody was silent for like 20 chapters, and then absolutely flipped their lid in a comment after I killed off a character. Not even a main character! Oops....

9. Do you write smut?

Nope.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Not as a rule, but I did start scribbling down this weird idea for Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, ending up in the GFFA during the Clone Wars via some witchery in the Haunted Wood. What gets me is how I told my brother about it, and he promptly started nagging me to write it because he wants to read it XD

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but feel free to do so if you're interested!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

No.

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

Meh, not really a big shipper.

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

WIP I will never finish? What are you talking about?

There are no unfinished WIPS in Ba Sing Se.

Seriously, though, probably my Padmé ROTS time loop fic. I had this idea for Padmé to keep looping back to some point in ROTS after she dies. I love the idea, it's roughly outlined and I've written some snippets, and there's this one scene that I'd really like to include, but I'm just not sure how to make the time loop AU work in this scenario.

16. What’s your writing strengths?

Grammar, usage, and mechanics. And maybe angst, oddly enough. Never figured myself for an angst writer, but then I started writing Fortune's Rule, and here we are.

17. What’s your writing weaknesses?

Speed. I write slowly. I also tend to end up going down research rabbit holes that suck up my time and energy. And I have a really hard time saying no to adding more characters, which adds to the whole writing-takes-a-long-time thing.

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

Sure! I've enjoyed putting little bits of Mando'a and Huttese into Fortune's Rule.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Calico Captive, by Elizabeth George Speare, when I was in my early teens. Never managed to get a whole fic out of it, and what fragments I did write were terribly underdeveloped, sentimental, and shallow. But we all have to start somewhere!

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Fortune's Rule, all the way! I know it's not finished yet, but it is my precious and my problem child, and I love it to bits!

In a way, it's a very self-indulgent story, because it's got all the tropes I most adore, and it's like a puzzle, trying to figure out how to put all these different elements together in a way that's believable, and how to have characters develop to where I want them to be.

Plus, it's also given me some fun surprises, like Padmé and Ahsoka being besties, Ventress becoming Obi-Wan's confidant for a certain matter, and Piett becoming a friend/confidant/emotional support admiral for Starkiller.

And there's so much more fun stuff planned, especially as we're getting close the start of an arc I've been planning since before I started posting the fic in 2021! (There will be child hijinks. There will be pirates. There will be sand, and angst and fluff galore. And I am so kriffing excited.)

Tagging (If you're interested! I'm doing like sinvulkt and tagging some authors I've interacted with a bit on AO3; hope this isn't a nuisance to anyone! :) ) @musewrangler, @clawedandcute, @xxiamnotokay666xx

[incognitajones]

Fic author interview

Thanks to @sesamestreep and @glorious-spoon for tagging me in this one over the holidays! But between starting the new job and the holidays and the RCSS, it totally slipped my mind until now 😬

No-pressure tagging: @anghraine, @ladytharen, @luciechat, and anyone else who feels like it.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

An even 200 if I include both accounts.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

Just under 650K words altogether.

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Last Train 

I fought the war (but the war won) 

left-handed kisses 

Fixer Upper 

Chain Reaction 

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

Yes! I want to let commenters know they're appreciated, and I enjoy talking about little details or plot turns. Lately I haven't had the time or energy for much more than a quick thank you, but I'm still trying to respond.

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

At one point it would've been the bad ending of I fought the war, but now I think this Whumptober piece takes the crown.

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

Considering canon, most of them have an unrealistically happy ending! Especially inside the vastness of the galaxy, the "Naomi & Filip get a happy reunion" story.

7. Do you write crossovers?

No. I enjoy writing & reading some fusions (i.e. characters from one canon in the setting of another) but traditional crossovers in which characters from two different canons meet don't generally appeal to me.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not on AO3, but I've been sent anon hate on Tumblr about my writing a couple of times (find a Reylo writer who hasn't challenge).

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

Yeah, a fair bit - in fact it's hard to remember sometimes that I never wrote anything explicit before 2016! It's all pretty vanilla, though, minus a few attempts at kinkier stuff which are deservedly anonymous.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Kind of; someone commented on one of my stories on AO3 to tell me that another story had copied significant parts of it. (They'd already commented on and reported the other fic, so I didn't take any additional action. The plagiarizing story was eventually deleted.)

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Bless the fandom translators, for they are amazing.

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

Nothing posted publically.

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

I couldn't possibly choose a single favourite! In terms of longevity, it's either Han/Leia or Eowyn/Faramir. And Star Wars ships in general seem to have a strong hold on me 😁

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

The OT3 whumpfic. It's nearly done, but it's far outside my usual wheelhouse so without a beta reader, I can't tell whether it's worth finishing or beyond help.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I think I write decent dialogue, and I'm genuinely proud of the ideas behind I fought the war and pulse to pulse. I can also write a pretty good pastiche of 19C style, although you wouldn't know it from this account.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Plotting. Falling back on boring/clichéd beats to flesh out dialogue-heavy scenes.

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

A sentence or so? Sure. Can't think of a reason to do much more than that.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

It would be either Buffy or Lord of the Rings - I honestly don't remember - not counting the terrible Shannara-fic I wrote as a pre-teen.

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

Someday I'd really like to write a Children of Men story telling what happened to Kee and [spoiler] after the movie, plus fixing [spoiler].

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

Subject to change by the moment, of course, but looking back at some older stories recently reminded me that I've always been pretty fond of don't go home without me.

[esta-elavaris]

Just wondering if you’d be able to share some tips on writing? Your fics are legitimately some of my all time faves, and when I was a teen a dabbled in fanfic writing but I’ve never been a strong writer if I’m being honest. But I have a fic idea that I really wanna try and write since I can’t find anything else with this specific trope 😅 would be amazing if you could give some advice on how to improve!

Thank you so much!! 💜 A lot of this is just off the top of my head but I hope some of it is useful -- good luck with your fic!

Okay so first of all one of my favourite pieces of advice is something you're literally already following by taking on an idea without being totally sure how to go about it. That's when a project always ends up being a good one, and that's what makes you improve ten times faster than like, "easy" ideas that don't have any intimidation factor to them. I'm always happiest with the fics I didn't know I'd be able to pull off in the beginning, and my crap ones are always the ones where I go in confident.

Read a lot and read broadly - books, not just fanfic. You'll end up reading a lot of stuff you didn't like, but you'll know WHY you didn't like it and it'll inform the kind of decisions you make with your own writing. And, better than that, you'll also find a lot of stuff that you didn't expect to like but actually did. Plus it opens up so many avenues for ideas to flow in from unexpected sources, even from stuff like autobiographies. And like, I think a lot of people underestimate that kind of thing because they'd go "well I'm writing romantasy, why would I need to read horror books?" but then they have no idea how to handle tense, spooky, or even angsty scenes when they do crop up - and those little moments of genre-hopping make a story feel real, anyway, because it's more true to life. Real life isn't permanently fluffy, or comedic, or even depressing all of the time without any let up, and like? That's why the best pieces of media are so good? LOTR has strong elements of fantasy (duh) but also comedy, romance, action, drama, and even bits of horror all at once and that's why it's so vivid because so does life (although in a far less dramatic way, for me at least 💀 idk what other folk get up to).

If you read consciously (critically?), too, you can go and seek out how your favourite writers handle things like exposition, or the bits that serve just to get the characters from point A to point B, or even more minor details like dialogue tags. I find that really helpful because it reminds you that not every sentence has to be like? Groundbreaking or even particularly good? "She walked over to the chair and sat down" is fine, it's golden, it serves a purpose, but when you get too in your head about wanting something to be great, it's easy to forget that and get too hung up on little throwaway lines.

Also people are gonna be sick of me saying this but the best thing I've ever done for my writing is writing every day, as a rule. If I could only ever give one piece of writing advice ever again, it'd be that. I do think folk lean too much towards the "any time the vibe is slightly off don't write a word! self care!!!" thing and uhhh not writing every single time you can find a minor excuse not to is going to be way worse for you than forcing a page down when you don't particularly want to and the real self care is the fic we forced ourselves to write along the way. I started Little By Little juuuuust before I started daily writing, I think, and comparing that to stuff I was even writing just one year later shows how quickly it forced me to improve. It's like a muscle, the more you work it, the stronger it gets - and if you show up every day, the ideas will too.

I know there's not much like? Technical advice here but honestly I don't have any of that to give? I don't approach chapters like "ah, yes, this one shall begin with dialogue because that provides an element of (literary term that I'm too tired to use as an example) which sets things up nicely for (other literary term I don't have enough brain cells to conjure)", I'm not that technical or that smart about it, if I do try to approach things that way it doesn't feel organic, I'm just out here vibing and feeling my way through it. But like I said, if you read enough and write enough, you get used to that and your gut will tell you which way to take things.

[typewriter83]

I got this as an anon ask, I decided to just copy and paste it so it could go under a cut - so here you go, Nonnie cub, 20 questions:

1. how many works do you have on AO3?

18

2. what's your total AO3 word count?

255,708

3. what fandoms do you write for?

TLOU (TV and Game)

4. top five fics by kudos

Why Can’t I Just Tell You (That I Care)

Learning to Walk

We Go Together Like Donuts and Coffee

Broken Lights on the Freeway

Hook, Line, and Sinker

5. do you respond to comments?

Every single one. And if I don’t, it’s literally because I missed it, not because I didn’t want to answer.

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

Probably Donuts & Coffee 9: Tell Me It’s the Real Thing; it ends on a cliffhanger, Ellie is heartbroken, scared, and leaving Joel, while Joel is also heartbroken that Ellie is leaving and unsure of what’s going to happen between them. I left my poor cubs hanging with that one.

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

Although it is my most angsty fic, I think Every Night Has Its Dawn has the happiest, most satisfying ending. Everyone is “living at the end of the world” - hence the series title, lol - and Joel & Ellie get their happy ending (as it always should be)

8. do you get hate on fics?

Surprisingly, no. I’ve had a couple “if you wrote for another ship, more people would like you” comments, and also one “I really want to hate you, but you’re so nice” which still makes me laugh. Antis hate to admit that even those of us who write taboo fiction are still people, god forbid. We just have wild, deviant imaginations

9. do you write smut?

🌶️.5 for life

10. craziest crossover:

I’ve never done one! Even when I was younger, I never attempted it.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of, though I’m pretty sure no one wants it! However, because the ship is small, I do keep my fic ideas close to my chest

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

It hasn’t popped up on ao3, so I don’t think so.

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

No, I don’t think I would play nice in the sandbox. Plus, I have so many ideas, I’m not sure they would mesh with other writers’ ideas.

14. all time favorite ship?

😗<this is me doing a low whistle. That’s tough. My first ship was Mulder/Scully so they have a special place in my heart. I spent a lot of time doing text-based RPG, so I jumped around with ships. Joel/Ellie is my first ship in such a long time, I think they’re gonna be with me for a long time.

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

The original Learning to Walk; it featured Joel and an OFC, so that’s never gonna happen. I took various pieces from the draft I had and worked it into other stories, so it’s been picked apart. I also started an AU that starts pre-outbreak with Ellie as a friend of Sarah’s then progresses through the 20 years following with Joel and Ellie being brought together and torn apart over time; I’ve taken a lot of elements from it and worked it into my Boston AU so the original won’t be finished.

16. what are your writing strengths?

I love writing dialogue - so much so that sometimes Joel just needs to shut up.

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

Action, having characters involved in fights or physical action. I also struggle with writing scenes for side-characters; l these days if it doesn’t involve Joel and Ellie I’m like, “omg is this over yet?”

18. thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I have not done it, props to writers who can read/write multiple languages. If I was going to do it, I would be afraid that Google translate would botch the infliction. I would probably italicize it and describe the character as speaking in another language.

19. first fandom you wrote in?

The X-Files; so long ago that there were independent sites for writers, you had to post all over the place and let people link you work to get it seen. Comments/kudos and feedback were hard to come by. I was there when ff.net came online and at the time it was revolutionary. When the purge(s) happened and ao3 came online, it was a leap forward for writers. My works are scattered across the universe of the web.

20. favorite fic you've written?

It’s like Sophie’s Choice omg. It’s probably Why Can’t I Just Tell You (That I Care) because it was supposed to be a fluffy one-shot set in Jackson - the scene where Joel comes to Ellie’s apartment in eighteen (part 1) - and it featured flashbacks of the times the two of them had been flirting with each other over the years - which became sixteen and seventeen and the series is now over 100k words. For me, it’s an incredible adventure for the two of them, fluff, angst, heartbreak, action, my first time writing spice - it was a labor of love.

🫶🏻

[auranovabloggers]

Share (Murai Shinobu)

Alright... since you have to have a Tumblr account to even view things on Tumblr and I am relatively small in the grand scheme of things, I will take this time to share with ya'll a piece of media that means a lot to me. I do feel a bit iffy about this since it is a doujin, which are already a legal gray area. But... I just really wanna talk about it a bit.

So first of all, the cover:

What is 'Share'? Share is a doujin created by one Murai Shinobu as both author and illustrator. The story starts at the time the sisters are in their reincarnated lives. However, it then jumps back to the time period of Vampire Hunter, in their first lives. From there, the story follows Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling as they are going about their travels, hunting down Darkstalkers. The story takes place seemingly not too long after they used the Igyo Tenshin No Jutsu to change themselves. It is beautiful story of how Mei-Ling is trying to cope with the major changes that have befallen her younger sister as a result of their shared desire to save their mother. Wonderful art, great composition of scenes, and some heartwarming and touching moments, I feel it is a story that any fan of the sisters should give a read. Allow me to share just a few samples from the story:

You might have noticed the English dialogue. That is because I got the story translated by a wonderful translator, Zeus. Using the translations, I then went in to localize the translation and edit in dialogue that flowed in English better and matched with the personalities of the sisters.

So why go out of my way? Because when I got this doujin, my first ever, I was taken away by the wonderful art and what I was getting from context clues. Plus, it is a story centered around my favorite characters in all of media! I cannot read Japanese at all, so I was left to wonder what Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling were saying. There is actually a very specific page that really made me want to know what was being said! However, I'll share the original version:

How could you not want to know what in the world is going on here!? I certainly did and after finally learning what all was being said throughout the story, I was further enchanted. The fact is the art of the sisters done by Murai and especially this story are a major influence in the way of how I shaped Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling's personalities in Cryas Darkstalkers. Murai portrays Hsien-Ko as this very positive, cheerful individual who is willing to go forward and do what must be done. Not only that, but she also dearly loves her big sister and will absolutely do what she can to protect her from harm. However, she also does recognize that she has changed and is not human anymore in body. She isn't blissfully ignorant of that and is totally fine with the fact she is a jiangshi, even recognizing some of the perks to being one. Despite that, Hsien-Ko still believes she is still that same person she was before she changed. Mei-Ling is portrayed as a calm and thoughtful woman, if a bit too concerned. She plans out their travels, engages in affairs with humans, and is there to watch over and aid Hsien-Ko in any way she can. She still views Hsien-Ko as her sister, but is overtime concerned about the changes that have come over Hsien-Ko. In essence, concerned about the loss of Hsien-Ko's humanity and if this would overall change her from the sister she grew up with. It is some gripping stuff that tugs at my heartstrings and I love it! 😭💙💛

Now you may be saying, "Aura, this story sounds awesome! Can I purchase this awesome doujin and see things for myself!?'' Sadly, no. Since I last checked on Murai's BOOTH store, the doujin is out of stock. In fact, I am willing to bet a bit of money that I managed to purchase the last physical copy of Share. Maybe it was fate for this to happen? Who knows, but it happened.

I can possibly hear you shouting, "Aura, if this is out of stock, how can I read this awesome story!? HOW!?" Well, the answer lies in a Google Drive I have. So, while I tend to only do this for big fans of the sisters I find and friends, I'll give ya'll a chance to read this for yourself. I would ask that you do not go about uploading this stuff to any sites on the internet. Just please, share the drive with others if you wish to show others.

If you do read the story, please let me know what you think of it as I'd love to hear!

And Murai: if you somehow come across this and are not comfortable with the images shared and Google Drive link, I will absolutely be willing to take down the images and delete the link if you request so. While I would love others, especially English fans of Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling, to read this wonderful story, it is still your doujin and I will respect your wishes. 🙇

[sgtmickeyslaughter]

Writer Interview

Tagged by @jrooc thank ya!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Only three so far! Plus art postings and I'm planning to post more in the new year

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

138,169 words which feels like a lot

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I don't have 5 total fics yet lol but their rankings are

In Your Love

Lovers' Carvings

Psychopomp

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

Yes! (usually) I try to respond when people take the time to say something nice about what I've written, because they're encouraging me to write more and I think its good to encourage people to comment/interact more

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

Oh, no, I need a certain happy ending, at least in fanfiction. Yes my childhood was unstable, how did you know?

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

They all have sickly sweet happy endings, refer to answer #6

7. Do you write crossovers?

No, I don't really see the appeal personally.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not hate per say, but just some bitching from people who can understand nuance or disagreed with my take on the relationship

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

Yes, so far I have only written it in longer form fics with context, all pretty vanilla. I've wondered for a long time why smut is such a staple of fanfiction and I think that people are frustrated with writers and directors casting aside sex as an (often) valuable part of romantic love and attraction. Like, why are you giving light to affection and communication and support but dismissing the sexual component of love with a closed door, winking and nudging the readers. Thats also a part of why RWRB was such a great movie in my opinion, it treated sex as a normal and healthy and loving part of a couples story, and fanfiction does the same thing. It all ties back into sex being viewed only through the male gaze bc bodice rippers have been doing that for years, but I digress

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope! But I use a lot of really common themes and tropes so theres other fics like mine out there

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, that would be interesting.

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

No, I would love collaborating with other writers or creators here! Either writing together, making art to accopnay of fic or beta reading one another, my only real worry about getting involved is not making deadlines, my life is busy and I like to know i can work at my own pace and publish once completed so I don't leave anyone hanging

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

Honestly, Gallavich. But longest running? Zutara, I'm hoping to see a renaissance there with the new series

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

I think I'll be able to get everything done, sooner or later

15. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at coming up with cohesive and interesting plots, and I think i'm slowly becoming pretty good at getting into a characters head and writing dialouge for them

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Proofreading! Bro I will print something I've written out to review but still catch like 7 stupid mistakes when I scroll through quickly after posting that shit drives me crazy

I also want to get really really good at controlling the pace of a piece of writing, not that its a weakness per say im just not as good as I'd like to be yet

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

Eh, its fine. A lot of the time I wonder who it's for though, like if you dont speak the language and just translate something through an inaccurate translator, it's not really for a fluent speaker and its not really for you

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Shameless

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

I've toyed with writing a supernatural fic before. We'll see, I'm in no rush

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

Psychopomp! No one else seemed to like it as much as I did but that's fine by me it was my weird little passion project :)

Share your throughs @sweetperversiongirl @stocious @mmmichyyy @vintagelacerosette

[fountainpenguin]

I Just Live here- 130 Prompts.

1, 3, 9

[Current Ask game]

"I Just Live Here" - Read on FNN || Read on AO3

--

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?

I've had the idea for this 'fic for maybe 4 years; its working title was "House Tours With Plot" (a title I've considered recycling several times, so you might see it again someday). For a couple years I considered writing it as a winter solstice holiday piece, but never got around to it.

Earlier this year, I condensed some stray 'fics into 130 Prompts (after retiring some old Prompts drafts I didn't like). This was one of them, so here it is.

I've been wanting to do a piece about Poof's relationship with the Fairywinkles (since, y'know... shady side of the family), so this was a good icebreaker into showing off his lateral freckles and having a run-in with Westley, (plus the "Am I adopted?" convo).

Also I was surprised that Finley was a breeze to write. He may be a grumpy pixie who can't do magic and just wants to play video games forever, but he's a surprisingly fun narrator. He flows really well and I like him.

3: What's your favorite line of narration?

I really like all of Finley's section in particular, but here are a couple highlights:

- I always laugh when people ask what I want my dream job to be. That's cringe, guys. - They can even handle the dry cleaning. I have to do that crap by hand. Please… No way. - "Where's Dad?" I ask, just to irritate him. Me, Palomar, Jardine, and Commelina are basically the only pixies who can get away with calling H.P. "Dad." He's biased towards two on that list, counting them like his children as if he even bothered to raise them. Jardine just can't be tamed. As for me, it's because I don't give a blazing B about what the head honcho thinks of me, and he knows it. - I already miss Foop. He's a total dip, an absolute mess of a person, but he's also my immediate roommate about 90% of the year. - I hate when my desire for malicious compliance falls prey to the need to suck up for good stuff. I pull out my DS again. H.P.'s eyes linger over me like he's debating whether he can get away with telling me that if I have time to game, I have time to take notes on important warehouse crap. 

He has a strong voice and I love him <3

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

The initial prompt associated with the "I Just Live Here" title was Crocker calling Mark's parents to a parent-teacher conference, and Mark requesting Timmy's help. I think that's a strong premise for a story, but... it never really came to me, and I have too much to write without forcing myself to finish a non-essential piece that doesn't inspire me.

In terms of this story's final plot and what came before, I would have been tempted to include Goldie and/or Sammy Sweetsparkle if the draft hadn't ended up at 17k.

Sammy's a changeling (for Bunsen's family, specifically- idk how many people remember that, but in the Riddleverse, Sammy Sweetsparkle and Bunsen are canonically siblings, based on those episodes where they use the exact same dialogue and I think it's funny). But... didn't really know what to do with it considering I was trying to stay under a certain wordcount per character. Not a lot you can do without Mikey, my beloved.

One day I'll post all the Goodness of Misfit chapters I've been sitting on and everyone will be shocked, including me...

Also, I'd also initially planned for Foop's chapter to include him running an obstacle course, but him talking about the teacups took way longer than I thought, so I left it as it was. Plus, I've done obstacle course stories before and they're rough to convey... More of a good visual gag.

Thanks for asking and hopefully that satisfies your curiosity!

[Current Ask game]

[ulfrsmal]

Twenty Questions: Fic Author Edition

Thank you @alexagirlie for tagging me! :D 1. How many works do you have on AO3? 261

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 1,677,071 words

3. What fandoms do you write for? Primarily for The Last Kingdom, Vikings: Valhalla, and Vikings. I do have a good handful of The Witcher (game/book verse) and Assassin's Creed fic, plus a random assortment of whatever caught my fancy at the time.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Animal I Have Become (halstarion, rated E) Wed, Bed, Behead (athelnar, rated G) Love Bites (But So Do I) (hisoillu, rated E) Stolen Nights (geraskier, rated E) Whirlwind (jaskier/wolf witchers, rated E)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? As a rule, yes because I also love it when I comment and the author answers me.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Tough to answer... probably Nemesis, though. It may be somewhat of a canon retelling, but it's also the one canon that's broken my heart into the most little pieces...

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Yikes i've no clue, but most if not all the super short drabbles and ficlets I've got are happy.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not anymore.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind? Oh a good half or so of my catalogue is nothing but smut! Kinks vary but some are recurring. Do beware I have written dub-con and non-con too, but they're always tagged as such.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? Not usually, but I've written some between TLK, Vikings, and Vikings: Valhalla.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yes. 🙃 (I did deal with it and the thief was punished)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yup! Into Chinese.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before? Yes, but as far as I know they haven't been published anywhere. Although arguably The Game was cowritten with @moosemonstrous, she gave me all the info and beta'd it. (I'm still very thankful!)

14. What's your all-time favourite ship? I don't have one ship that rules them all, they're all at the same level to me. I just don't write them all at the same time.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? At this point.... Coat Of Arms. (But never say never, either.) I'm not counting The Echoes of Eternity as a WIP anymore.

16. What are your writing strengths? Characterization, character studies, atmosphere, poetic prose. I'm very proud of them all too!

17. What are your writing weaknesses? It used to be dialogue; now it's structure and arguably pacing. But I'm actively learning and getting better as we speak!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? It doesn't bother me at all, but it must be done right or it can come across as an odd choice when reading it back.

19. First fandom you wrote for? I was too young to remember ngl. Obviously that was never published xD On ao3, that's Assassin's Creed.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written? Ah, there are too many. If I've tagged it Poetic Prose, it's on my list of faves.

I'm scatterbrained and annoyed, so I'm not actively tagging anyone -- but if you're reading this and wanna do it, please consider yourself tagged by me! 🖤

[ghostofyaz]

Fanfic Appreciation [Meme?]

"FANFIC APPRECIATION MEME

Post recommendations for your ten favourite fanfics and tag the authors if possible. Tell us what you like about their work.

Tag five people of your choice to do the meme too."

I was tagged by @heroinejinx

Tagging all authors mentioned here and whoever sees this.

I did 15 because no one is the boss of me and I wanted to mention them all.

Lightcannon (Jinx/Lux aka my otp)

100 Beautiful and Ugly Words by elocuentelegance on Ao3 - This one got me addicted to Lightcannon as a ship. No happy ending, no end. But it's still so well written and satisfying to read in a sort of masochistic way.

Friction Coefficient by @blood-lich-crow - College AU, bad girl/good girl enemies to lovers. The descriptions and inner dialogues of the characters as well as their interactions, angst, and chemistry are so good. Plus there's a smutty side fic.

I Am the Thing with the Teeth that Lives in the Walls by @questionablecuttlefish - Gothic Horror with a scary haunted mansion and lesbians? Hell yes.

Love has all the Answers by TieDyeKing on Ao3 - Just a cute Modern AU in which Jinx and Lux are both SO into each other but just so oblivious and it's honestly adorable.

A Piltover Student in Demacia by @natdammit - I never got around to reading the CaitVi-centric part but this was so absolutely perfect. Powder is such a brave and crazy genius like she should've gotten the chance to be and she and Lux are so perfect together there is so much world-building and an amazing plot.

My Obsession, a Yandere's Tale by @cannibalelf - Sort of a Smut Crackfic, it's some of the most fun and hottest things I've ever read. Told from Lux's POV, a totally obsessed horny bastard. They also have soft moments sometimes.

Piltover's Prep Bullying Problem by Tanis_Zed on Ao3 - Another smut crackfic with Lux as a complete sub-masochist and Jinx as a bad bitch with anger management issues who's actually a softie. Good stuff.

A Bad Night by Vixie on Ao3 - Very kinky breathplay but it's honestly kind of sweet.

Lightcannon, but Star Guardians:

Don't Lose My Number by StarCola on Ao3 - A literal SG classic, the attention to detail on the formatting and also the characterization and storytelling through the chatroom medium are stunning.

Crossing Stars by @calchexxis - I think this is a work of art, like all of their works honestly. But I think this one isn't as talked about and it's so amazing... It has action, drama, mystery, feels, angst, it's so good... oh, not to mention four words: 'In every single dream.'

Leaving Safe Places by @ghostcairo173 - Very sweet first part, and then the second one hits you with the angst and scary vibe. They are just so cute together and I adore the way the friends-to-lovers is depicted.

Birds and Boats by @mira-blue - The first SG LC I read. It's very cute and the characters feel so real, love it so much.

Oroborus by @kattypixxhu - This is honestly just such a poetic and emotional smut piece I was obsessed when I read it.

Special CaitVi Mention:

Butterflies don't Belong in Zoos by AmberZ10 on Ao3 - Modern Popstar AU, it kinda inspired my B.I.G. Feelings fic with Jinx's characterization. The way it incorporates songs is brilliant, and the plot is very compelling.

Special CaitJinx Mention:

'A proper drink' by @heroinejinx - It doesn't feel so much like a crackship when I read this, they make so much sense, and they're so cute together. I love the angst and the guilt they both feel and how still that doesn't stop them, it's just perfect. Makes me wanna read more CaitJinx heh.