#sambucky fic writing tips

[livingincolorsagain]

hello darling <3 sambucky and #22 (things you said after it was over)?

hey honey! thank you sm for the prompt! <3

this is a bit of an unconventional approach but i simply refuse to write a small breakup fic in addition to the big breakup fic lol

prompt from this list

Sam’s chest was still heaving, sweat cooling on his warm skin, lashes heavy and wet, when the words escaped him.

“Did you mean it?”

Bucky froze mid-step, the light from the en-suite behind him giving him a bright aura in the dim bedroom.

Sam sat up, leaning on the backboard of the bed, pulling the covers up to his chest.

It didn’t help. He didn’t feel any less vulnerable or naked.

Bucky sighed, bringing himself closer to the bed, hand tightening around the washcloth, always nice and warm and damp.

The silence stretched, and Sam’s nerves frayed, and he found himself regretting speaking at all.

Maybe it didn’t matter; maybe it meant nothing. People always said things they didn’t mean during sex. Or right after, in this case.

“In what world would I say I love you and not mean it, Sam?”

Sam felt the words slowly sinking in, burning him from the inside out.

He pushed back the covers, jumping to his feet. His stomach felt tight, and he wanted to get away from this room and from Bucky’s determined gaze.

He plucked the washcloth out of Bucky’s grip, wiping himself down before throwing it away and grabbing his clothes, putting them on with jerky moves.

“Sam,” Bucky called, voice low and tight.

“No,” Sam said sharply, and he turned back to Bucky once he was fully dressed, pointing at him accusingly. “No, because this is supposed to be casual. No feelings, no attachment. No fucking feelings, Bucky.”

Bucky scoffed. “Oh, please, when has this ever been casual? When I spent Christmas with your family or when you held my hand during my dad’s funeral? When we moved in together? Adopted a cat? Then another one so she’s not lonely? You wear my sweater when you’re cold and run your fingers through my hair when I can’t sleep. This stopped being casual long ago and you know it.”

Sam’s eyes burned, swallowing thickly as he stared at Bucky and his stormy eyes, blue and deep and earnest. A home away from home.

“But,” Sam said, sounding desperate even to his own ears. “We promised. No feelings, no labels. Separate rooms.”

Bucky stepped closer, grabbing Sam’s hands in his own. “We don’t need labels or to share a room. Sweetheart, we don’t even need words. All I want is you, here with me in our home.”

“But it’s not fair,” Sam croaked, “if I can’t say it back.”

“You don’t need to.”

Sam went to open his mouth, his argument at the tip of his tongue, but Bucky dropped his hands and grabbed his face instead.

“You never eat plums, yet you always remember to bring some home. You watch my favorite movies with me, even though you think action movies are dumb.”

“They are.”

Bucky’s lips twisted in a fond smile.

“You don’t need to say it,” Bucky repeated. “It’s in everything you do. So what we made promises long ago? So what you don’t want labels or to say some words. So fucking what, Sam?”

Sam’s breath stuttered out of his chest, bringing his hands up to hold into Bucky, tightening them around his forearms.

“Shit,” he said, heart skipping in his chest.

“Yeah,” Bucky laughed lightly, eyes as bright as a clear sky. “That was my reaction too.”

“Bucky.”

“I know,” Bucky said softly, “I know, sweetheart.”

[bisamwilson]

hey honey! <33 for the ask game: 4, 13, 42, 57 and 63!

hi darlin!!!!! thanks for the ask <3

(from this list)

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

from lots of places! books i've read, shows or movies i've watched, conversations with friends, real life things that have happened to me! song lyrics on occasion. the princess diaries au sequel i'm working on for example, in addition to being inspired by the princess diaries movies of course, is inspired by past lives (2023, dir. celine song)! and the fic where bucky grows old without sam was inspired by a man called ove, even if it doesn't line up entirely. the fic where sam takes bucky home for the birth of AJ after finding him in paris was inspired by that one tumblr post where the op's uncle showed up at their birth with a ONS in tow akjsfdads

13. what’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

i'm generally not afraid of the word "said," and also i try my very hardest to stay aware of what tense i'm using so i'm not switching up constantly. those are the things that take me out of a story pretty often, so i try to be vigilant about them

in non grammar tips, i tend to write in blitzes when i have the motivation. set a timer for twenty minutes, write like 600 or so words, take a break, do it again until my motivation's gone or my word count is steadily declining during my set time period

42. What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

the last fic i read was actually a bbc merlin canon divergence merthur fic called to the point of fear which is from a season 5 mordred's point of view! i enjoyed it! i liked having mordred as the pov character working through what he thinks are merlin's motivations

i also recently opened up a tab to reread don't stop believing (aos spirk fic) which i haven't read in YEARS but i do remember really liking back in the day (hence why i wanted to revisit it)

57. Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished? 

theoretically i prefer waiting until it's finished but i am physically incapable of not rereading and editing whenever i find a mistake/something i dislike so it ends up being both. i do tend to give it a read over before i post anything, though (and, without fail, any time i reread my own fics later on i end up having to edit something small that i catch asjdfhkds)

63. Something you hate to see in smut.

(putting this under the cut since nsfw text)

in sambucky specifically, i hate seeing overly aggressive and/or super dominant!sam. usually those fics are just woobifying bucky and also they were EVERYWHERE when tfatws came out. felt like every other fic was just sam either taking care of bucky or bucky being very uwu while sam was hypersexual and aggressive, and now if i see anything looking like it mind trend in that general direction i skip right on past.

in general, i'm generally not a huge fan of reading the kind of dirty talk that's just constantly degrading a partner (i get why people are into it, but it's generally not my thing, though small bits of calling someone a slut or their slut/whore/etc is fine and i even write it on occasion, but even then i write it where it's said in a loving/adoring tone, rather than a "i'm purposefully degrading you" kind of way). also not huge into breeding kinks and if anything is tagged "watersports" i won't touch it with a ten foot pole. people can enjoy the kinks they enjoy, those just. aren't the kinks for me

[siancore]

Hi. I was wondering, I really want to write a SamBucky fic but I'm a bit worried that I won't get their characters right. Do you have any tips on how to make sure that doesn't happen? Like, they aren't written out of character.

Hey. I hope you do write for SamBucky. We need more good fics out there.

I’ll just rattle off a few things that help me with writing these characters. The things I focus on related to canon are:

Mannerism: Bucky has a morbid sense of humour; Sam is a thrill-seeker and a little reckless; Sam is caring and helpful; Bucky isn’t trusting of people he doesn’t know; Sam is charming; Bucky can be charming when he wants to be; Sam likes to joke around, but is also very serious when he needs to be. Both are good with kids. Sam is an excellent public speaker. Bucky doesn’t speak too often unless he has something to say. Bucky prefers to be called ‘Bucky’ over ‘James’. Sam knows that he is good-looking. Bucky is protective by nature. 

Vernacular: Both are multi-lingual; Bucky acquires language quickly; Sam uses African-American Vernacular English; Bucky would not have extensive modern lexicon in English and would revert to phrases or words he would have used throughout the 30s and 40s whilst speaking English. Language-wise, he most likely dreams in Russian (unless it’s a specific memory) because of the depth of language immersion coupled with the wiping of his memory. Generally takes around 8 years to stop dreaming in your native tongue. Bucky often uses the contraction ‘ain’t’. He also wouldn’t necessarily say ‘gay’ or ‘queer’ as ‘queer’ was still considered a slur in the 40s and the widely used term at the time was ‘homosexual’.

Physicality: Sam is a slow runner (I love him for that); both are fit; both are acrobatic; Bucky uses brute strength; Bucky is taller than Sam; Sam has an ass that won’t quit. Sam initiates a lot of physical touch between them. Bucky’s wounds heal quickly. Bucky can be very dangerous as an opponent, but he isn’t a danger to those around him.

Expression: Sam smiles widely; Bucky’s eyes crinkle when he smiles; Sam folds his arms over his chest when he is concentrating; Bucky leans his weight to one side. They both routinely drift into one another’s personal space. Bucky looks at Sam with heart eyes; Bucky looks at Sam’s lips and drags his gaze over Sam’s body.

Other things: Sam was pararescue in the US Air Force. Bucky was in the US Army. Sam was serving when Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was in force. Bucky was serving when being gay was considered a mental disorder and any soldier caught with another man would face court martial; dishonorable discharge; arrest; or sent off to be institutionalised.

Now, if you want to write a SamBucky AU, to keep them in character, all you need to do is stick to a couple of the things listed above. A really easy one is Bucky’s sense of humour and Sam’s charm. They go together well. They are literally the sunshine one and the grumpy one. Describe their smiles. Sam always has the best, brightest smile, Bucky doesn’t give his genuine smiles to just anyone. Another thing that always works well with this ship is that Bucky always notices that Sam is good-looking even if it’s enemies to lovers; even when Sam is annoying him (also annoys him that Sam’s annoying face is annoyingly handsome). Always show the reader Bucky’s internal dialogue when he sees what Sam looks like. Always have Bucky pining for Sam lol

Things to steer clear of:

-          Anything that is gross and homophobic

-          Anything that is gross and racist

-          Anything that reinforces harmful racist stereotypes

-          Sam as a therapist for Bucky (unless that’s the premise of the fic)

-          Bucky using Sam to get over Steve

-          Sam being a second choice for Bucky because he can’t have Steve

-          The care being one-sided

I hope this is helpful. This has worked for me with writing for SamBucky.

Just some info about me to add context to why these are the things about them that I focus on: I am in love with Sam Wilson and I relate to Bucky Barnes. I’m queer and Black and am into linguistics and history. I am multi-lingual, have taught history and languages, and have spoken on panels multiple times about queer experience and history. Who I am informs how I write these characters and the approach I take. Sam Wilson gets nothing but love and adoration in my fics. Think about how who you are relates to them. Think about what you love about them and dial it up to 100! 

Thanks for reaching out and trusting my opinion. Happy writing!

[margarethx]

The Sambucky fandom spends a lot of time and energy on calling out writers for using problematic, often straight up racist, tropes in their fics. And rightfully so, because some of said tropes are not only unplesant to read for many readers, but also harmful if they help to perpetuate some awful stereotypes. That being said... I feel like we need to show the other side of the spectrum more often and sometimes focus on people who don’t make these mistakes.

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

So here is my personal THANK YOU! to all the writers who have never used these offensive stereotypes in their Sambucky fanfiction and who:

1. Give as much attention to Sam’s side of the story as they give to Bucky’s and do not focus solely on Bucky’s emotions about their developing relationship when it’s a mixed POV.

2. Acknowledge Sam’s trauma and all the loss he experienced in the past (not only in the context where his pain is used to help him better connect with another person who’s hurting).

3. Show other characters (Bucky or not) helping Sam go through his more diffucult moments (bad days, nightmares, painful flashbacks).

4. Show Sam having these more difficult moments.

5. Don’t act like Bucky’s traumatic past is enough of an excuse for his unpleasant behaviour towards Sam. (E.g. they don’t write a story where Sam forgives Bucky every mean, ignorant comment without thinking, just because Bucky’s sad.)

6. Show Sam experiencing variety of emotions - not just frustration and adoration towards Bucky. Show him being sad, happy, disappointed, confused, hopeful, dejected, relieved, terrified, confident etc.

7. Show Sam being the more vulnerable one in the relationship (in general or just in cerain situations)

8. Write scenes where Sam is shy or a little awkward (about his relationship with Bucky or about something else). Also write him being insecure sometimes.

9. Write just as much about Sam’s appearance as they do about Bucky’s. (Both as a narrator and through a character’s compliments or thoughts.)

10. Mention how beautiful Sam’s eyes are... especially if there is more than one line about them. (Plus mention their colour like... at all.)

11. Describe Sam’s appearance focusing on something outside of his smile or muscles. (Not that these are not nice, but there are other things to compliment and they’re hardly ever pointed out.) (Very much including hair or skincolour.)

12. Write Sam making mistakes, but not in a way that insinuates that he’s stupid or incompetent, but in a way that shows he’s a normal person who can sometimes be wrong and own up to it. (Unless he’s the only person in the story who always messes up...)

13. Show Sam being very competent. And show Bucky appreciating Sam’s competence, skills, and knowledge in various fields. (Also write Sam being a badass.)

14. Write about Sam’s background in pararescue, his medical training, skills in combat, flexibility, speed, ability to fly, ability to fix his advanced equipment, strenght, the fact that he’s pretty stealthy etc...

15. Write about the importance of Sam’s relationship with Steve even when Steve’s past connection to Bucky is not relevant to the story at any point.

16. Write Bucky being openly grateful for all the things that Sam did for him and write Bucky helping Sam back even when Sam didn’t specifically ask, because they genuinely care about each other.

17. Write about Sam’s past as a therapist not in the context of him helping Bucky get better, but because it’s relevant to the story and it’s something he has a lot of experience with. Or simply because it’s a significant part of his previous life journey.

18. Show Sam being frustrated or angry without falling into bad stereotypes. And show why his anger was justified and he had the right to react like that, because he doesn’t have to be polite and dyplomatic about everything if other people (Bucky very much included) don’t act respectful towards him in the first place.

19. Acknowledge that Sam is AJ and Cass’s actual uncle. The kids might like Bucky, but they’ve known and loved Sam for way longer... and I rarely see that mentioned.

20. Write about Sam’s past romantic relationships without focusing only on Bucky being jealous about them.

21. Show Sam’s interactions with other characters - not just in a romantic context, but also in terms of friendships (MCU Natasha was closer to Sam than Bucky and fics rarely talk about that), professional cooperation, rivalry and so on.

22. Mention the social commentary brought up in tfatws without brushing it to the side or downplaying the importance of Sam’s race in the formation of his character and storyline.

23. Acknowledge that Sam is human and his body is not enhanced in any way... without making it sound like he’s too weak to do the job.

24. But also... write about Bucky using his super strenght to carry Sam around and to pick him up all the time (for whatever reason), because it’s cute. Sue me.

25. Point out that Sam is slightly shorter than Bucky without always making Sam weirdly insecure about it.

26. Write Sam as Bucky’s first choice... not a second option he picked for the lack of a better candidate for a boyfriend.

27. Understand that Sam has a life outside of Bucky even if their friendship and romantic relationship are obviously very important for him.

28. Write Bucky touching Sam in reassuring, delicate ways. (Holding his hands,  cupping his face, touching his hair, kissing the tip of his nose.)

29. Let Sam make harmless jokes, be charming, and be actually a nice person even when he’s not actively helping anyone. Just let him have a complex, but pleasant personality.

30. Let him be sarcastic without making him mean.

31. Add Figaro (Sam’s cat) to the stories about pets. Or show Sam’s emotional attachment to Redwing, even when it’s still a drone, not a bird.

32. Don’t forget that Riley died. And Sam’s parents died. And his close friends died. And other close friend left him without saying goodbye... etc. (Also don’t forget he himself died at one point...)

33. Mention and discuss Sam’s sexuality and romantic orientation (both in the tags to the story and in the actual text). ...I feel like it’s often unspecified for no reason while Bucky’s identity is clear from the start.

34. Give Sam little hobbys and interests that are unrelated to his work or his ability to make other people’s lives better.

35. Write about Sam’s fears and doubts while not forgetting he’s generally a very brave, mostly confident person.

36. Make the audience feel like Sam is a necessary part of the story. Not just a character added hastily at the end of writing just so the author can tag his name, because the ship he’s a part of is currently more popular than before and showind him at last minute will attract some readers to click.

and... 37. Do the things mentioned above in all of their Sambucky stories and use more than one of these ideas at a time.

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To people who wrote stories with these tropes... You guys are doing a great job and I appreaciate your work a lot. It’s easy to focus on complaining, because the Sam/Bucky tag on Ao3 was always kind of a mess, but my day genuinely gets better every time I find one of your stories. So thank you again and keep it up :>

(Side note: if you have any recommendations for fics that use the ideas I wrote in this post feel free to link them in the comments. Because the bar is hanging pretty low at this point and some authors still wouldn’t be able to cross a single point from my list if they examined their - allegendly - “Sambucky” stories... so we should promote the content that is actually good.)

[fuckyeahsambucky]

FYSAMBUCKY WEEK

To promote more community and appreciation for the content and members of this amazing fandom, we’ll be establishing a sambucky week of our own that stretches on year after year! Like a daily appreciation event with our own posts to initiate the days. Besides #fysambuckyweek, we track the tags below:

PROMO MONDAYS / #fysbmonday / post

Self promo or other promo of any sambucky works

ARTSY TUESDAY / #fysbtuesday / post

Art rec and art in general. Boosting artists and their works!

WRITER WEDNESDAY / #fysbwednesday / post

For writing tips/advice for correctly writing sambucky and appreciation for writers and their fics.

THROWBACK THURSDAY / #fysbthursday / post

Free square for bringing back any trends or anything old about sambucky

FIC YEAH FRIDAY / #fysbfriday / post

Fic recs of all kinds!!!

LOVE NOTES SATURDAY / #fysbsaturday / post

Love notes for your fave creator!! Sent through our ask box!

SOCIAL MEDIA SUNDAY / #fysbsunday / post

Social media edits and musings of sambucky on social media!!!

We’ll officially start tomorrow. 

[sambambucky]

i’m so horny for clintbucky oops. 👀 Tell me more?

Lol idk if you're still doing answers for the WIP ask game, but I was having fun reading everyone's snippets, so I'm asking anyway. Ignore me if you want, sorry.

i would still be happy to answer this if you sent it two years later. it is sooo fun reading everyones ideas and drafts!!!! and sharing writing i probably wouldnt otherwise

because it's me, this is still a sambucky fic.. the whole 'title' is actually i’m so horny for clintbucky oops. Oou samsteve x clintbucky era?? and they were exes?????

uhh sambucky broke up a while ago, but all theyre all in the same friend group so when natasha throws a party they have to see each other and their dates!

Bucky turns on his heel and falls into the space next to Clint, roughing Lucky’s ears. Clint smiles lazily at them, lifts his hand to take a picture. “He loves when you come over,” he says, and Bucky feels the same way. He loves being over here with them. With Clint. With his dirty blonde hair and feigned nonchalance, he's perfect company. Perfect for everything he’s not. Perfect to keep his mind on the present and not on –  “You're not doing anything tomorrow, right?” He makes himself say, shaking himself out of his own head. “Be my date to Nat’s party?”  Clint grimaces, pitches his head back over the arm of the couch. “You know I like–” he waves hand between them. “–this. Us. But I’m no good at meeting moms and going on dates and –” “I’m not askin’ you to meet my mom, dummy. I’m askin’ you to shower and come eat too much shrimp puffs with me.” Clint screws up his face again, making a show of considering. Bucky tips his voice low, presses into his space. “I’ll let you blow me on the way home.” Clint suppresses a shudder, then smiles over at him. “What’s even in a shrimp puff? Seafood and cheese sounds gross.” Bucky leaves Lucky shift onto all fours over him, says “You’re gross.” “Yeah,” Clint replies, leaning up to kiss him.

[wenellyb]

hey <3 you definitely won't be able to relate to this and i guess it's weird to ask this someone;; but i feel so stupid for being in this fandom bc i literally contribute nothing. myb it's just my depression and that i only have so much energy to gather to get up in the morning and do the bare minimum, but i wish i could contribute to the fandom in some way, any way. (i can't write, i'm bad at analysing stuff so no clever textposts from me and i can't edit) this is so unfair of me to ask of you,, but i feel also guilty and unproductive, bc all i do is consume content and never give back........ i wanna get into writing but i'm also not sure that i can come up with anything meaningful. my head is literally the meme; no thoughts, head empty 😩 like pls just ignore this,,,, i'm just complaining over how stupid i am 🙄

Hi Anon<3!!!

I don't know where you got the idea that you had to contribute to the fandom in any way, because that's just not true. If you want to make a post, even a random one, do it but you don't have to. No one has to contribute to the fandom if they don't feel like it.

Believe it or not, and I don't know if you follow me or not, but I have absolutely no talent when it comes to fandom content. I can't draw, I don't write fanfics, I can't gif properly? Have you seen my gifs? It's like the bare minimum. But I enjoy doing them so I do it! And guess what? Some people like it. Some people don't, but the people who like it more than make up for any dislikes coming my way.

I have been in micro-fandoms where we were literally 20 people max so we either had to do our own content: gifs, fics, and when I started I didn't know how to do any of that, so I started with moodboards, then added memes, and then photo edits, and then bad quality gifs and then text posts. But all of this was because I wanted to.

But if you're talking about the Sambucky fandom and I assume you are, you are lucky to be in a fandom where there's already a lot of content and also new content regularly. If consuming content is all you want to do, do it.

If you do want to try some stuff because you want to and not because you feel like you have to, you can start with easy stuff, screenshot some popular tweets here and there so people on Tumblr can see them too, posting photos or scene screenshots, you don't even need captions, moodboard works too, or incorrect quotes, most of the time you can get inspired by what people do in otjer fandoms too, I'm sure there are a lot of other easy stuff to do. I guess I should probably show you some of the firsts posts I published on Tumblr, it would make you feel much more confident about just posting whatever. You just need to do something you like, but only if you want to.

Most important tip, and the hardest one really, never write that you're stupid, because you aren't. But the minute you write it you will start to believe even when it's not true. Try only to talk positive things about yourself. Whether or not you beleive those positive things is not important.

I feel really insecure about the way I write because I write like I talk....way too much, but some people seem to like it, and most importantly most of the time I like what I wrote too so I may not be that terrible. Think great things about yourself because most of the time, no one will do it for you.

This is Tumblr, we are literally not being paid for this, so you should only be doing something you enjoy and who cares if it's bad? Who cares if your gif is low quality? Who cares if your long post is full of typos? You'll always find at least one or 2 people to like what you made and sometimes it's more than enough. And you have to start somewhere.

Tumblr is the worst place because some people spread hate like their lives depend on it, but it's also the best place because there are so many supportive people who are not judgemental will encourage you and support your posts and with time you'll become more confident to do more and improve your skills.

[bisamwilson]

one line, any fic

tagged by @novasforce (thank you, caitlin!!!)

no pressure tagging @thatmexisaurusrex @firstelevens @livingincolorsagain @jemgirl86 @saryasy @jules-of-the-crown @vampire-grayson @yammz @samcky @logicheartsoul

rules: pick any 10 of your fics, scroll somewhere to the mid point, pick a line, and share it! Then tag 10 people.

i have 41 fics on ao3 currently, so i just picked every fourth fic! there’s some nsfw text below (all underneath the cut!)

1. (it’s your kiss) hey princess - E, sambucky, 66.7k 

Bucky pulls him in for another kiss before he goes, something Sam really hopes becomes a habit. “Sweet dreams, princess.”

2. stuck a feather in his hat - T, sambucky, 4.8k

“What can I say?” Bucky says, dragging a comb through his hair in an effort to make it look halfway presentable. “The first thing he did after making sure I was fine was poke fun at me, and I’ve got a thing for people who won’t take my shit.”

3. nothing but blue skies from now on - E, sambucky, 5.2k

“That’s because I know you,” Bucky says, the tenderness in his voice a delightful contrast to the force of his hips. He leans in, changing the angle in a way that runs sparks up Sam’s spine, and kisses him slow and sweet. 

4. cowboy casanova - M, sambucky, 1.9k

He knew Bucky had a cowboy hat complex. Sam’s never gonna let him live that one down.

5. curled around his finger - E, sambuckyquin, 3.3k

Bucky moves one of his hands from around Joaquín’s middle until he finds his crotch, pushing the heel of his hand in until Joaquín whimpers. “Like I said, flyboy. Romance.”

6. all of the while it was you - G, sambucky, 4.1k

Bucky says thank you when Sam hands his drink off to him later, but neither of them mention the conversation from the other night. After he’s grabbed his drink, he leaves, off to do whatever Bucky does after he gets his coffee.

He tips 25%.

7. (what is love) baby don’t hurt me - T, sambucky, 1.2k

“You can hurt Steve,” Sam says, his voice tight. “You can’t hurt your soulmate though. You don’t remember the fight from about an hour ago, obviously, but I can fill you in now. Basic gist: every one of your punches rolled right off me, just like how every one of my punches rolled right off you.”

8. put some mustard on it - G, sambucky, 2k

He doesn’t plan on proposing, still waiting for some conversations he wants to have but refuses to initiate—and no, he hasn’t told his new therapist about this because he knows she’d make him initiate them all—but he takes comfort in the ring in his pocket, that he’s going to ask someday and that he’s pretty sure Sam’s going to say yes.

Someday comes sooner than he thinks.

9. i slithered here from eden (just to sit outside your door) - E, sambucky, 8.6k

They did make him miss his angel something fiercely, though, more so than he already had. A few of them had sweethearts back home, and Bucky would catch them writing or reading letters, hiding their sighs and their tears; he knew intimately what it felt like to miss someone so bad it ached, to be suddenly ripped away from the best constant in their lives.

10. you were an army officer, and i just a rockette - E, sambucky, 11.1k

He looks fucking hot.

There’s really no other word for it. His chest, broader than Bucky’s, fills out the halter top nicely; his pecs almost pop out of the low cut collar, something he knows Bucky is going to take advantage of. His thighs have always looked fantastic in a skirt or short shorts, and the nylons are accentuating them even more. He rubs his own hand down one of them, shivering a bit, and wonders if Bucky’ll wrap his hands around his thighs and squeeze, fascinated by them as he always is. He doesn’t know if he’d rather them end up around Bucky’s waist or around his face, maybe both, but he knows they’ll look great either way.

[fandom-star]

omg please write a sambucky pride fic they make me so happy

Hey anon! This was written in like 2 hours because I got the inspiration and wrote it instead of revising for an exam I have tomorrow! Hope you enjoy!

After Bucky had added the last flick of purple eyeliner to his bisexual eye make-up, Sam wrapped his arms around his shoulders from behind. “How’d you get so good at doing make-up?” he asked, his head tilted in curiosity. Bucky shrugged and closed his eyeshadow palette. “Don’t know. Guess it’s from people putting it on me - on the Soldier. Or maybe I learned before that.” Absently, Sam stroked his hands over Bucky’s shoulders. He pressed his lips to his temple and their eyes met in the mirror. “Think you could do something for me?” he asked. Bucky’s mouth stretched into a smile and he took Sam’s hand. “Sure thing,” he agreed, carefully shrugging his boyfriend’s arms off him as he stood to gesture to the chair. “Take a seat.” Sam did so and took a facial wipe as Bucky collected his eyeshadows together again. “You want anything in particular?” “Nah, surprise me, I trust you.” Bucky smirked. “Aw! I’m so glad you do!” he teased. “Fuck off!” Sam laughed, whacking the wrist closest to him. “Nah, don’t think I will,” Bucky replied, grin on his face as he picked up a clean eyeshadow brush. “Close your eyes and stay still. Lemme know if you need a break, yeah?” Nodding, Sam did as he was told and allowed Bucky to apply colour to his eyelids. It was relaxing, the stillness of the process and the sensations of Bucky’s brush gently pressing onto his skin. The tool was placed back onto the dresser, but Sam kept his eyes closed. “Can I open my eyes?” he asked. “Depends. Do you want eyeliner?” “If you think it’ll look good, go for it.” “Keep ‘em closed then.” Sam heard the click similar to that of a pen lid being uncapped and felt the cool sensation of what could easily have been the nib of a felt tip pen tracing the edges of his upper and lower eyelids. It took less than two minutes for Bucky to finish up. “Keep ‘em closed for a few seconds, let it dry.” he said, and then Sam heard the clatter as he tidied away his supplies. He tapped Sam’s shoulder. “Should be okay now.” When he opened his eyes and turned toward the mirror, Sam grinned broadly. “I look like I lost a fight to a rainbow or something!” he laughed, grasping Bucky’s hand, and pulling him into a kiss. “Thank you, baby.” Bucky just grinned. “Sure thing, don’t mention it. Gotta make sure we’re the best lookin’ guys there, right?”

[siancore]

Hi Siancore, how’s your day? I wanted to ask how you write Sambucky Fanfics. Because I want to write a Sambucky chapter book, and I don’t really know how to write their personalities. Can you please help if not it’s ok. Thanks have a good day/night☺️

Hey. I’m doing okay today. Thank you for asking. I hope you’re well! 

I’m happy to help you by going through how I write:

1. Their personalities 2. Chaptered fics

Firstly, I have drawn a lot from their 616 personalities as well as the little we’ve seen on screen pre-FATWS.

Let’s start with Sam. Some personality traits, attributes, and skills:

- Care-giver

- Compassionate

- Empathetic

- Adrenaline junkie 

- Risk-taker

- Smart

- Charming

- Funny

- Staunch 

- Physical prowess 

Next, Bucky:

- Protector

- Morbid/wry sense of humour

- Self-deprecating

- Intuitive

- Caring 

- Funny

- Dangerously skillful 

- Empathetic 

- Flirty

- Driven 

Now, some mannerism that you should include:

- Sam crosses his arms over his chest when he is making a point

- Bucky narrows his eyes when he is concentrating 

- Sam’s smile is bright

- Bucky’s smile makes his eyes crinkle at the corners

- Sam isn’t a fast runner, and Bucky never runs fast when he is with Sam

- Sam can fly, but choses to run (slowly) with Bucky

- They have been protective of one another in the heat of battle using their own physicality 

- Both are super precise with their attacking and parrying 

- Both have looked at one another with heart-eyes (it’s canon!)

- Both love to bicker with the other

Let’s now look at story structure:

Your overall goal: What story do you want to tell? What happens? How does it end?

For story ideas, this is the structure I follow:

1. Orientation: Who? Where? When?

2. Complication: Situation that causes difficulty for one or more of the characters.

3. Resolution: How the characters navigate the difficulty; how it has changed them.

4. Ending (optional): How they have learned from the changes.

For chapter outlines, I make sure to cover the following:

1. Setting/Time

2. Characters - main and background

3. Problem/Difficulty

4. Solution

I then use plot points as a chapter outline. By elaborating on the plot points (a paragraph per point - 250 words, give or take), I flesh out my story. Points are what you want to explore in the chapter, the story is the details that stem from the points i.e. what characters are doing/feeling/saying.

For writing in general, set a schedule. Word count goals are useful, too e.g. setting a goal for yourself to write 2 paragraphs of your story per day. If you stick to a standard chapter (2,500-3,000 words), writing 2-3 paragraphs per day, and then editing and proofreading on the weekend, means you could have an update posted each week.

Please keep in mind the following:

- Motivation to write will fluctuate

- Finding inspiration can sometimes be difficult

Don’t force it! Your story will come to you. Take your time. Allow yourself to be happy with what you have come up with before you share it.

Here’s a little example for you, if you wanted to tell a short multi-chapter romcom fluff fic about SamBucky being shy about asking one another on a date, you might flesh your idea out like this using plot points:

Overall Goal: Sam wants to ask Bucky out on a date, but he’s not had much success in the dating game for a while. They like one another, but both are shy and out of practice. Fluff ensues.

Chapter 1:

 - Meet cute through mutual friend

 - Instant attraction

 - Shyness

 - Difficulty: Not being confident enough to make their move

Chapter 2:

 - Mutual pining

 - Running into one another again

 - General awkwardness

 - Talking about their crush to their mutual friend

 - Being persuaded by friend to act on feelings

 - Difficulty: Misunderstanding - thinking their feelings are not reciprocated

Chapter 3:

 - Getting to spend some time together without help of mutual friend

 - Flirting

 - Playful banter

 - Finding that they are a good match

 - Crushing on one another even more

 - Awkwardness about the previous misunderstanding

 - Finally asking the other person out

 - Date is confirmed! Yay!

Chapter 4:

 - Excited about date

 - Nervous about the date

 - Worrying they will screw it up

 - The obligatory scene where a good friend helps them get ready

 - Actual date

 - Climax, ending in a kiss, another date, time jump to their wedding etc.

With your plot points, you can elaborate on them, and have your story flowing sequentially. Each point can end up being at least two paragraphs (around 250 words each). Always have your ending worked out, and use your plot points to get there.

Remember to follow your narrative structure in each chapter by setting the scene and showing which characters are involved.

Good dialogue enables you to show what is happening in your scene through your characters.

Space your ideas out and decide on which scenes you want to detail in each chapter. Don’t try to do too much! You don’t want your chapter to be convoluted; you don’t want impactful scenes to be lost because too much is happening.

Your first sentence of each chapter should grab your reader, and your final sentence should leave them wanting more.

One strategy that works for me when I need to flesh out an idea is to write the scene (plot point) as if it’s a recount I am telling someone. I then go back through the recount, and change it so it fits the narrative structure. For example, if we used the above story idea, the outline for Chapter 1 could look like this:

 - SamBucky met through mutual friend, Steve.

 - They hadn’t been known to one another before, but found one another very attractive. 

- Both were shy, and a little out of practice since they had not dated with much success after their long-term relationships had broken down.

 - Bucky thought Sam was smart, pretty, funny, easy-going. 

- Sam thought Bucky was charming, handsome, kind, easy to talk to. 

- Sam thought about asking him out.

 - He thought about asking Sam out.  

- They both wanted to see one another again, but was it too soon? They had only just met.

 - There was an opening for one to ask the other on a date, but lack of confidence got in the way 

- They missed their opportunity

All of these can be expanded on and fleshed out with: - Details about setting - What characters are thinking - What characters are feelings - What they are saying - What complications arise - How, if at all, it is resolved

Basically, if you know where you want your characters to end up, and you know which part of your story you want to focus on in which chapter, all you have to do is provide the details.

Chapter titles help with this, as well:

Chapter 1: The Meet Cute

Chapter 2: He’s Just Not that into Me?

Chapter 3: A Good Match

Chapter 4: Oh My Gosh, I have Nothing to Wear!

Here are a few more tips I can think of: 

- Try to have a writing/updating schedule. 

- Set a daily goal to write at least one paragraph of your story, and at least one conversation. 

- Watch fanvids for inspiration. 

- Talk to other writers in forums. 

- Read! Read! Read! See what other fic writers are doing well and learn from them. 

 I hope this helps. Happy writing!

[hypoesthetic]

Hi again, I asked about safeword use. Please don’t apologize! I did like it but I’m just looking for that aspect. I wasn’t uncomfortable in that way, more like in the way the story went, does that make sense? Not “I don’t want to read this”, more like “omg I’m him and I can’t take it”, lol. And thank you for the tip! I didn’t realize I should search that way since I assumed “safeword use” just means the existence of that dynamic. Thank you for writing.

Hi again! Oh I get you, thanks for clearing it up. 🙂

Yeah no worries, glad to help! I think ‘Safewords’ is the general tag but ‘Safeword Use’ alludes to them being used (see below for other variations of the tag). I tried this just now in the sambucky fic filter and yielded around 5 results. Hope you find the fic you’re looking for! Happy reading!

[capmackie]

In appreciation to writers 🌹 expose what gets you in the mood to write and some tips for budding writers! Tag three of you’re favourite stories!

ahh, how sweet, thank you!

honestly, any & everything inspires me — music, other writers/stories, a moodboard!

my biggest tip is to write something you’d like to read yourself, especially if there aren’t stories out there like it already! at a point in time, there was nothing i wanted more than a prom!sambucky fic and i couldn’t find it so i begrudgingly wrote one myself!

three of my favorite stories? i have too many to name cause sambucky really got the goat writers, so three stories i definitely can’t wait to update are:

‘never knew what i could find’ - @wilsonsnest

‘deception’ - @siancore

‘i do’ - @fictionsandironies

[izukukuzi]

hey so I just read @baconsurgeon “s latest fic and it got me thinking about this small thing (even though my brained wired everything to equal SamBucky…)

Sam smiled over at Rhodey, letting the wind that blew in from the car windows sweep his thoughts and worries away. After spending some time away on a much needed vacation with his close friend, Sam actually felt… lighter. After the arguing and constant state of irritation, after the break up and word-that-can’t-be-taken-back, after Bucky…

Sam was just glad his friend was here for him, after everything.

There hadn’t been any clear indication on where they began to spiral downward, but Sam felt it in his stomach all but seconds before they hit the ground. One second, Sam is daydreaming and night watching a future that’s infected with never enough of Bucky, then the next it’s 

I want something else

we’re too young

I just can’t do this anymore

Well fuck right off then, Barnes. Sam gave himself the time to be upset and to yell and scream and cry and be angry and worry and consider and ponder why doesn’t he love me, why wasn’t I good enough, why does this always happen to-

But Sam is good now, really, he is. Him and Rhodey took two weeks off, traveling around aimlessly and catering to their “Carefree Black Boy” needs as they let their everyday hardships become one with the pavement and grass and atmosphere around them. With his friend by his side, Sam let himself feel and, as he did, he believed he was in a good place. Things were good, he was okay…

Or, well.. They were. Until Rhodey asked Sam to turn on the radio and, as he did, there was a slick voice that filled the room, oozing verbal silk of “… and you call in and tell us all about your summer loveeeee. Has the sun’s heat been lighting up your love life or are you waiting for the warmth to thaw a broken heart? Call in and share your story.”  

Sam, with his hand on the dial, was ready to turn the station- really, did he need to subject himself to this?- but as the radio personnel answered the first call, a voice he longed to hear but needed to avoid sounded through the air, freezing Sam in his spot.

“Alright man, thanks for calling during the love hour. Who might we be talking to?”

There was a pause, almost like time was allowing Sam to brace himself, before he heard, “James… My name is James.”

Sam noticed Rhodey look over at him from his peripheral but, with his arm still stretched out towards the radio, a look of confusion and distress and terror out in the open, he couldn’t do anything but listen as the other man asked James about his story. 

“Well uh- I just went through a break up about a month ago and… And now that he’s gone I just… I just feel empty, you know? I had thought I wanted something else, that I was too young for “you’re the one” bullshit or real commitment so I let him go. And with him gone, now that I have to start over, basically, I feel out of sync with the things around me. I think I got too caught up in the what if’s and the idea of something else being better and… And I missed out on something great, on someone amazing.”

There’s another pause and, when Sam attempts to focus, he notices that Rhodey had pulled over, his hands attempting to squeeze and all but pull the steering wheel out of place. Sam blinked, trying to concentrate again as the voice flowed through the car again. 

“I know how slim a chance it is, but I just want to be able to see him again, I want him to hear me and understand that I made a mistake. I want him to know that every day without him has been a different version of hell and if he would give me another chance, I’d make him happier than he’s eve-”

Sam whips his head over at Rhodey when the other man reaches over, turning the radio off completely. For a few moments, they glare intensely at each other, both nearing the edge of the cliff that, when jumped off, led directly to the foundation of the situation: Sam’s well being. 

“Please,” Rhodey started, letting his eyes simmer before they softened considerably, “please tell me you’re not falling for that.”

Honestly… Sam couldn’t tell Rhodey that, not really. And, at the very least, Sam figured they both knew that. And, when the silence hung around for minutes too long, Sam watched Rhodey release a timid sigh. 

“I can’t tell you what to do, cause it’s your life and I’m your friend, so I’m here to support you, but… Just, be careful, please. Just because he called in on some radio hotline and cried his sorrows to the world doesn’t mean things will be different. I was there when you guys split Sam, I didn’t like seeing you like that and I don’t want it to happen again. So please, just promise me you’ll think hard about it before you make any decisions?”

Like they do with all serious things, Sam and Rhodey linked pinkies and locked in their oath. As they moved their hands away though, Sam let the sinking feeling in his chest settle, guilt battling in with a seeping desire, right battling wrong, love crashing against logic…

He easily realized the promise was going to be broken, Sam didn’t need to think about it, he already knew what he wanted…

[lesbians-love-samwilson]

Do you have any tips for how to write Sarah in a Sambucky fic?

So many fics have her just show up to endorse the ship and not as a person in her own right and it feels very *uncomfortable*

Depends on what the fic about sure you could write her as just the advice giver or the worried sister. But I think you can show her as her own person by having a scene with her and sam just being siblings and showing she a hard working single mom

[sambambucky]

omg i didn't see that fic tag until now BUT we're all clowns down here, 5 + 1 insufferable, and jesus dude?? if you're still answering these :)

Thank you for the ask!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💖 Of course I'm still answering them! It's the only way any of my writing ever sees the light of day!

Oh boy, these are perfect examples of how cracky my stuff is...

we're all clowns down here (needs a different title tbh) -- on my weedman bucky fic, someone commented 'rhodeytony sambucky double date', who knew writing for four characters was so challenging! it is currently exists as like 3 scenes that i like but can't quite make flow together.

“So,” Bucky says when the song ends. “It’s been a minute, huh? When did you two finally get together?" "We're not," Rhodey says at the exact same time Tony declares, “He’s always been my Rhodey." Tony looks away from the road and over to Rhodey. They share a smile that's equal parts adorable and disgusting. Sam’s pretty sure the car doesn’t drive itself, and for a terrifying moment Sam imagines himself getting into a collision because the two of them never pass up an opportunity to gaze into each other's eyes.

5+1 insufferable is, uh, just Sam and Bucky just being the worst. 5 outsider POVs of them being enemies to lovers, i guess. It's so incoherent that I really don't have any quotes to share.

1 - they fight so loud and aggressive at a party that they break a passerby's nose, or knock over something expensive and steve really just wishes they'd get along 2 -clint's tasked with checking on them after they storm off during a different get together. expecting to break up a fight, he, of course, walks in on them hooking up. 3- carol's on planet visiting, and at a game night sambucky are ruining the fun. dominating some word game by reading each others minds and talking in their own little language 4- Bucky drags Nat around target for an apology gift after they get into a fight 5- rhodey is forced to watch sam take bucky's gum 'for safe keeping' +1- a dual proposal, of course

jesus dude ...uhhh... not sure how this one got it's own doc.... started as a college au. 5 times sam catches bucky doing something embarrassing, and 1 time they get caught together... but then it turned into sam&bucky taking care of a wasted steve? because of this gif?

“You’re what?” Bucky asks, leaning forward in a poor attempt to hear him better. “I said I’m sorry,” Steve declares, “You’re always taking care of me. Even when I don’t deserve it.” “Hey, what’re brothers for, huh?” “Buck,” Steve sighs, his forehead tipping dangerously close to the toilet water. “I meant Sam.” Sam snorts, and presses their shoulders together a little. It’s nothing - a short press of warm skin and muscle, but Bucky’s whole body lights up. It should probably be harder to soothe his bruised ego.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The WIPs list

[siancore]

In appreciation to writers 🌹 expose what gets you in the mood to write and some tips for budding writers! Tag three of you’re favourite stories!

Thanks, Anon.

My head is full of stories. So, what gets me in the mood is finding some kind of inspiration to write the stories down. However, with me, being in the mood counts for nothing if I am not motivated and comfortable physically. 

Which brings me to my first tip: Have a space set aside where you write. It could be a little desk in your room; the kitchen table; an outdoors area etc. Mine is my bedroom. I need it to be dark and cool to get anything done. Find where you are comfy for maximum writing productivity!

Secondly, I think having a story outline is really important. Though, I come up with an idea (or see a prompt), write the first chapter, and then write the outline concurrently. I work better when I have a complete overview (overall goal) of my story, and then individual chapter outlines.

Overall Goal: What story do you want to tell? What happens? How does it end?

For story ideas, this is the structure I follow:

1. Orientation: Who? Where? When?

2. Complication: Situation that causes difficulty for one or more of the characters.

3. Resolution: How the characters navigate the difficulty; how it has changed them.

4. Ending (optional): How they have learned from the changes.

For chapter outlines, I make sure to cover the following:

1. Setting/Time

2. Characters - main and background

3. Problem/Difficulty

4. Solution

I then use plot points as a chapter outline. By elaborating on the plot points (a paragraph per point - 250 words, give or take), I flesh out my story. Points are what you want to explore in the chapter, the story is the details that stem from the points i.e. what characters are doing/feeling/saying.

For writing in general, set a schedule. Word count goals are useful, too e.g. setting a goal for yourself to write 2 paragraphs of your story per day. If you stick to a standard chapter (2,500-3,000 words), writing 2-3 paragraphs per day, and then editing and proofreading on the weekend, means you could have an update posted each week.

Please keep in mind the following:

 - Motivation to write will fluctuate

 - Finding inspiration can sometimes be difficult

Don’t force it! Your story will come to you. Take your time. Allow yourself to be happy with what you have come up with before you share it.

Thirdly: Read more! Reading does actually help with your writing.

Three favourite stories? I have way too many to choose from, but I’ll tag some recent fics I have fallen in love with:

What We Missed After by the team at @weretheoneswhowrite 

Piper’s Creek by @avintagekiss24 

and here, my love, we linger by @glitter-cake20