#so i reworked this fic that i wrote a while ago to try and get myself back into it

[skyrim-forever]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by the lovely @hircines-hunter <3 and last week by @orfeoarte (I already posted by then so counting it now!)

Tagging:

@theoneandonlysemla @dirty-bosmer @lucien-lachance @umbracirrus @changelingsandothernonsense @firefly-factory

@bougainvillea-and-saltwater @pocket-vvardvark @captain-of-silvenar @ladytanithia @thequeenofthewinter

Hello it's another Wednesday and I bring to you *gasps* a wip not about Theodora and Ondolemar??? 😲😲😲

They have graciously let me write about someone else, I briefly wrote about Aicantar in a fic recently and that got me thinking more about him. Reworked an old oc that I did barely anything with and as I much prefer to read slow burn then write it, they are gonna smash immediately 🤭 Background before this is he catches Vevora (Breton/Dunmer artist) trying to steal a Centurion Dynamo Core, decides not to call the guards. They get talking and she spots a particular ✨romance✨ novel because I've made him a virgin smut reader 🤪 MDNI under the cut because it's me

Oh no. So caught up being charmed by a beautiful woman, he distinctly forgot he very well did have something to hide.

“And is this part of living like the Dwemer as well?” The title is partially covered by her fingertips, gently grasping it by the spine. 

“Um, I, well, you see-” Any and all ability to be coherent has left. Heat rising to his face, Aicantar is sure she notices the flush of embarrassment he now wears. In an attempt to save dignity he turns away, mouth covering the little of his face not covered by his hood. 

“Did I interrupt your evening plans, pretty boy?” He screams internally, why did she have to pick up the book? Why didn’t he put it away? Whole body warm now, he decides to fixate on not passing out. Remain present rather than degrade himself further by going unconscious But he is shamefully curious, did she think he was attractive? Pretty to use her own words? Pushing aside hopes that he too, could be like the Dwemer and disappear to some unidentifiable plane, he asks innocently. 

“You think I’m pretty?” Eyes meet hers for a moment before he returns to sharing at the wall. She chuckles lowly. 

“I do. Well, at least from what I can see.” Oh no she’s coming closer. Running would be even more humiliating but he is sorely tempted too. Even more so when she pulls back the hood of his robes, going so far as to grab his chin and make him face her. “Oh yeah, definitely a pretty boy.” Red eyes half-lidded with a teasing smirk on her face. Vevora was enjoying watching him squirm, words failing him as the feel of her hands is too nice to even think. “Hmm, now what part have you marked here? Your favourite, maybe?” Please no. It was overwhelming enough, her hands touching his face, how close she stood, how his mind wandered as he wondered what her hair felt like. The red tresses a different hue than her eyes, eyes that were now opening the book to the marked section he had spent far too much time reading. 

Opening to the beginning of the chapter, she smirks. 

“Oh this one, I remember this part well.” Another gulp. “But dog-eared pages? Tsk tsk.” 

“Are, are you, familiar with this, this story?” 

“Oh I’m very familiar, I know this novel very, very well.” He doesn’t have time to respond before she is recounting the chapter summary while flipping leisurely through the pages. “Princess Brittgerd sucks Akvid off for the first time, the poor lad was not expecting her to have such an appetite.” There’s something about hearing it from someone else that drives him crazy, a few moments ago he was way too afraid to even notice he was hard, now the ache was much greater than could be ignored. Thin trousers yet, not thin enough as they feel incredibly constricting against his length. The sound of the book closing causes him to jump, nearly grateful for it as a whimper was on the tip of his tongue. “The unsuspecting boys are always the most fun.” The Dunmer looks at him and he’s too inexperienced to recognize her own look of hunger; instead confused as to where she was going with this. “Why are you reading this? You’re awfully cute, I can’t imagine you having a hard time with the ladies, or whoever else you prefer.” Oh. Gently, she places her hand on his chest before slightly gripping his robes. The pull is too much and he whines, wanting so badly for her to keep touching him, staying like this for a bit would be more than enough. So in a daze, he asks nearly the same question again. 

“You think I’m cute?” She laughs and by Auri-El is is lovely. Light, authentic, and most importantly;  directed his way, at the young mer she made melt before her.  

“I do.” She humours his repetition. “You seem like a very sweet boy, is that right?” The hand moves lower, dangerously lower as toys with the thin rope of his belt. A sharp inhale is his response. “What do you think of me?” 

For a fleeting moment, Aicantar believes he can spew something resembling the suave men of his books, something about how even in the harsh Dwemer lighting she looks radiant, completely and utterly captivating him. Yet, any opportunity to redeem his reputation and prove he is more than a flustered mess is lost as her fingers run along his waistband, dipping in along his side. What comes out is a far cry from what he wanted. 

“I, um, um, Miss, um, Miss Raviro, um, you’re-” Thankfully she cuts off his stammering. 

“No need to be so formal, call me Vevora.” 

“Miss Vevora, I mean, um, Vevora.” A bit of strength goes a long way. “You’re very beautiful.” 

“Thanks, you’re too sweet.” She moves her hand for one moment, turning to place the novel on the bedside table. Turning back to him, both hands grasp the collar of his hood, pulling him to her lips. Not absolutely clueless, he had done this several times drunk, liquid courage helping him bridge the gap in his own difficulties, but he was more than content to let her lead. Initially, the scholar is grateful she goes easy on him. Slow pecks on his lips, hands about to move to her waist, he freezes when her tongue swipes across; mouth opening immediately for the other to dive in. The moans and whimpers emitting from him nearly drown out the one from her. She breaks the kiss, allowing an obscene moan to echo off the walls. Another, regrettably louder one escapes him as she traces the outline of his cock, providing delicate ministrations over the agonizingly tight fabric. “Do you have that chapter marked because it’s your favourite?”

“Well it’s, um, quite, um, well-written.” 

“That it is, that it is.” Each word of the iteration is enunciated carefully, slowly drawing it out. “Want to recreate it with me, pretty boy?” 

[weekend-whip]

Ninjago Fic Rec Week (2024): Day 4

Prompts: AU/Movieverse/OCs! (Catching Up! I uh skipped Day 3 oop but I've got plenty to offer for this day! Which is...also late...don't look at meeee)

Aus WITH OCs (or as I like to call this list, my own personal indulgence corner. All the AUs/Movieverse stories I've read are ones that get recc'ed a lot already + I myself have already recc'ed them at one point or another, soooo let's throw some pure spotlight onto some OC stories! Even if a lot of it is connected to me to some degree that's irrelevant):

As The Years Pass By: A fic currently in the process of being rewritten/reworked but still chock full of next-gen Dragons Rising goodness! And it stars the one, the only, Jenna and Ethan from @rainofthetwilight!!!! This fic made me fall in love with her characters and I've loved reading/seeing/drawing these two adorable kids ever since!!!!

Dad!Jay AU by @taddymason: An AU so good I'm still catching up on reading it bit by bit to savor it for longer *-*)9 All the stories in this series are worth the read alone for the accumulation of taddy's character Kaida (a girl who needs no introduction–she's that awesome guys, trust me) but also the eventual father-daughter bond with amnesiac!Jay that is gripping and engaging aaaaall the wall through!!

I Carve This Poem From the Harshest of Storms: Another I'm not caught up with YET (a running theme for this Fic Week, it seems hgfhgfdfgds i'm sorry I'm slow and have a short-attention span). It follow two fascinating peeps in The Administration following The Merge, and without giving too much away, @theartsyswissapple ‘s voices for the characters just POP and make them feel SO real and it's been intriguing to read so far so yeah others should give it a try too!!!

What it Takes for You to See Me: A Spinjitzu bros story with added FSM and Mystake goodness too!!! This is one I've just started reading myself, but you know I love some throwbacks to Wu and Garmadon's past! And the OC here, @marhan-writes-n-draws's Amka, fits into the setting like a glove!!

Honeycomb: Gotta give a shoutout to @miqotepotatoe's Lucy while I'm here too!! Some short, sweet snippets of the Ninja Team's best (and most yellow) cheerleader!! I love her dynamic with everyone, and especially Cole <3

The Space Between Us: A very deep and heart-wrenching introspective into @k1ngtok's characters Lynda and Jamie, Master(s) of Space. It's story about siblings and bonds at its core, but also be mindful of tag of you're looking to dig deeper! (it also takes place in legacyverse technically but that's neither here or there I promise)

Flowery Language Another super funny and endearing story by King following Jesse (hey it's my boy!!) and Antonia on the case to discover who's been leaving flowers in Jesse's locker (spoiler: it's not Cole lmao). It's actually a semi-sequel to this old thing *I* wrote however long ago, but thaaaat's not required reading (though it does help). If you want more of a fix for the Jesse-Antonia duo + more of Jamie, this is the story to read!

Learning to Love (Again): Yet another King fic based in legacyverse (a coincidence), this one kiiiind of takes place during Season 2/Book 3 and follows Jamie on his quest to truly show his friends (Nya, Antonia, Harumi, Jesse, and...Olivia?!) just how much he cares about them through the power of love languages over the course of a week and it is AWESOOOOOOOOME!! Soooo many touching and feel-good moments, mostly soft slice-of-life with teenagers being teenagers, and is a great pick-me up when your soul is feeling sad ;w;)/ I advocate for this one just for the warm soft friendshippy-feelings it gives me alone!!! AAAAAA—

Something About Morning Glories: Jesse (oop there he is again) takes it upon to himself to comfort Jay after the latter finds himself concerned about something following obtaining his True Potential. A duo I desperately want to write more about but can't yet, so this little bit of foundation for their relationship will have to suffice for now ;w;)/

(and if you're still clamoring for more of a certain magic pink fool, there's plenty more where that came from; perhaps there may be a Jesse-Antonia friendship origin story on deck soon, along with maybe some DR stuff~! ...listen there will never be a good chance to self-advertise like this again!! BE YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!! SELF-LOVE BABY!!!! *-*)9 )

In the Company of the Stars: A tale as old as time—a Royal!AU where the fair groundskeeper of a palace's garden (that's the OC) falls head over heels for the prince far out of his league (that's Cole)—except, the prince absolutely likes him back...albeit only as his secret, suave alter-ego. But is that really true—and, more importantly, is there bigger problems to deal with right now???? There's romance, mystery, good food, royal drama, angst, fluff, sabotage, magic, a whole bunch of flowers, Harumi causing chaos on purpose, Skylor throws Chad across a room, Jay goes on a rampage a some point, Kai can't flirt to save his life—the author just needs some fresh motivation to post the darn next chapter already because the ending's gonna be really really good ;V

[imtrashraccoon]

Bit of a vent, feel free to keep scrolling.

About two weeks ago, I came to the realization that I don't have the motivation to finish The Hand We've Been Dealt and I hate it. It's been a year since I wrote anything for it and the place where the story is, isn't something I'm happy with but I don't want to try fixing it. I put over a year of my life into it before attempting to post it online and at the time I thought it would be the first fanfiction I'd ever finished. I've learned a lot about structuring a story this year and I wish I had known this before.

I could restructure the story or completely rewrite it but I have so many other projects that I'd enjoy more. It's also a remnant of my old Undertale Multiverse I had created before I joined Tumblr. Most of this I've never posted anywhere and in my opinion it's too cringe to even bother doing. In a way, I'd like to retire it and move on to my new multiverse that I've been building.

Maybe one day I'll write a fic with a skeleton MC or rework the story like I am planning to do with my first ever Undertale fic. I know I'll feel better with it not being one other thing to complete but it's still sad. So, while I doubt any of you are following me because of it, this is me officially concluding that fic. I'll post the remaining chapters to my AO3 and write up a brief epilogue before marking it complete.

If you read this far, I applaud you. I'm only posting this because I needed to get it off my chest but also, I may have randomly gotten inspiration for a writing request one of you sent me. Is it weird that I'm debating "killing off" the main characters of The Hand We've Been Dealt and having their (eventual) daughter survive them? It feels edgy for no reason to me and I may end up changing my mind.

[viscerawrites]

status update 9/28/2024

just a lil post to announce what fics ive worked on/tasks ive crossed off my checklist today! its mostly for myself rlly fcngnhkk buuut its here if anyone's curious ig? Im just chilling

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what ive accomplished today:

wrote 492 words for chapter 2 of where love didn't exist

today was the first time ive been able to work on this fic (w/o anxiety) since i first posted it in january, so that's pretty nice! tbh i lost so much confidence in it after i lost my therapist since i was hoping to use it as a coping fic while i processed shit. but who knows, maybe it'll still help me learn things abt myself. regardless, im excited to be back at it!

wrote 156 words for my sleep token oneshot wip, the body as a temple ; got it to 913!

i havent worked on this one in a while either lol, mostly bc i started it right before The Anxiety started hitting me every time i sat down to write. i was honestly rlly nervous to return to it cuz i was scared I wouldn't be able to keep writing it at all. but im giving myself the grace to move slow, so. rare W for me.

retyped/sorta edited 582 words for chapter 1 of my hollywood undead wip the exorcism of jorel decker

i actually posted this 1st chapter a long while ago! then i deleted it, tried to rework into original fiction, realized i was having much more fun writing it as bandfic, and then foolishly orphaned the original version instead of just deleting </3 but the good news abt that is. idk if i still have it in my google docs at all. so at least i have that to reference LOL.

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soo.

today is saturday september 28 (this month is going by way too fast fr) and it's just past 6pm rn. got a late start today bc i was exhausted as shit for a while, then i talked to my mom incessantly for what was apparently hours. So i only got started around 3pm (but i still needed to warm up, soo it took longer. Bleh).

didn't set my checklist goals at the start of the day like i planned to bc i was having The Anxiety and a bit of decision paralysis. and was also worried abt.. Various things. so it doesn't feel as successful today, but ive still gotten shit done and that's what should matter to me.

out of everything ive typed today, ive done abt 1,230 words in total so far. Most of that was unfortunately just me retyping shit ive already written and am now moving from google docs to ellipsus (which i highly recommend btw). i typically prefer to retype into new software instead of pasting; it gets the brain flowing better.

but i did still write some new words, and a lot of what i retyped was modified and added to. or cut. Whatever it needed rlly.

im still trying to find the proper schedule for myself + the best way to juggle my millions of projects/ideas. I need to allow myself some wiggle room while still having some structure. adhd is making this a bit difficult (as it so often does), but it's rlly just trial and error rn. Plus a lot of self-acceptance and focusing on making things easier and more fun for myself - instead of worrying abt the "most reasonable" way to do things. Or anything others might recommend.

I do still plan on writing some more before the night is done, so I might be back w/ an update for this before I head to bed. I got distracted by my brother while writing this post so it's now just after 6:45 LOL.

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gonna close this post off w/ music ive been rlly liking today! bc,, why not.

Animals - Ice Nine Kills (maroon 5 cover)

Disturbia - The Cab (rihanna cover)

What I Never Learned In Study Hall - Ice Nine Kills

[khalaris]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Ooh lots of fun questions, thank you @justhugsplz for tagging me <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

25.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

61,430 which is absolutely mind-boggling to me. And of those about 45k are Tatort Wien. Which I started writing exactly one year ago. For comparison, I've been writing fanfic for over 20 years and until I fell into Tatort fandom in 2021 I'd posted less than 3k in total.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Exclusively Tatort Wien at the moment. If I ever manage to peek my head out of that particular rabbit hole, I might get back to some Münster WIPs. Not in the near future, though :D

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Aufgeben -> Der Anruf -> Die Welt in unseren Händen -> Bordsteingespräche -> Loslassen

Haha, Tatort Münster with a little sprinkle of Wien. I don't usually sort by kudos, so it's a bit surprising to see Die Welt in unseren Händen rank so high. Well, high in a range between 75 and 34. That's just how it is in small fandoms :D

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

Yes, always. Sometimes it takes a while to get to it. But I always want to take the time and energy to write a proper response, because a) if someone else took the time and energy to tell me how they feel about my story, the least I can do is tell them how much I appreciate them commenting. and b) A comment always feels like the start of a conversation to me. I remember the long comment/discussion threads under fanfic on Livejournal and I miss the community of that. Nowadays it often feels like there's this growing gulf between author and reader, probably because of the current content creator/consumer culture that does little to invite equality or discussion.

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

Silence, a Torchwood CoE fic about John Frobisher's last moments.

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

Bordsteingespräche. I'm really proud of how everything came together in the end in that one :)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope, thankfully never.

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

If you'd asked me that a month ago, I would have said no. But recently I kind of got over my terminal embarrassment at even trying to write anything smutty. I haven't posted anything yet, but there's several fics/chapters in the works. Tbh I don't find vanilla sex interesting and most of the usual kinks in fanfic are either squicks or a snooze-fest to me. The stuff that I am writing is either weirdly specific kink or just downright unsexy (which my characters are having a frankly outrageous amount of fun with atm, bless them).

I'm a bit hesitant to put any real smut in a fic that isn't actually primarily about the smut. I fear enough people might be put off by that, so hardly anyone would end up reading it then. Bit of a stupid fear to have, perhaps, but still...

(Yes, I know, I should just get over it and simply write and post whatever the hell I want 😅)

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

I've had a lot of crossover ideas over the years, but the only thing I've ever written was an MCU/Agents of Shield thingie I hacked out during NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago. Let's be honest, that combination is the least crazy crossover of all time and hardly counts as a crossover at all. Like 99% of the stuff I've ever written during NaNo, it's completely horrible, unfinished and should never see the light of day again.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've translated Bordsteingespräche myself, but was very unhappy with the result, which is why it's unavailable at the moment. It's going to get reworked at some point.

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

Many many years ago, when the world was still young and some of you not yet born 😂, the lovely @hope-calaris and I cooked up a tentative plot for a rather ambitious Star Trek: Voyager fanfic. We didn't end up writing that one, but later co-wrote a CSI: Miami one with someone else iirc and I believe there might have been a 4400 (?) fic, also. Due to depression, my memory of that time is hazy at best, though, so it's possible that I'm missing or misremembering things there.

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Didn't expect this question to be so difficult to answer, but is kinda is... 🙈 I guess any combination of my 3 Tatort Wien blorbos. Apart from that, Boerne/Thiel and Stephen Strange/Tony Stark are ships I can always come back to.

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

The aforementioned MCU/AoS time-travel epic.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, especially banter-y dialogue. And editing sentences/paragraphs for maximum impact (when I take the time to do it)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action. What characters are doing, how they're moving, getting them from A to B and so on. Ugh.

External conflict. I despise conflict in real life and find it extremely difficult to write. You won't find an antagonist in any of my current stories or wips. And when I do write conflict between characters, that's always rooted in their internal conflicts and mostly the result of them not communicating properly.

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

It's very hard to do right. Translations in footnotes are annoying and leave me confused while reading. Translations in brackets behind the dialogue also annoying and missing the point of having different-language dialogue in the first place. It can be good when the author puts enough context there that you can get the gist of what is being said without needing an actual translation.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

X-Files. There's probably some 23-year old notebooks in the back of a drawer somewhere at my mom's house that have fanfic snippets mixed with homework assignments.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Oof, that's another difficult one. I have several that are favourites for different reasons.

Bordsteingespräche for the sheer joy and ease with which it was written.

Kaputt for how much of my heart and soul I'm putting into it.

Die Welt in unseren Händen, because after twenty years of trying and failing I am now finally writing an epic long-form multi-chapter fanfic and I have so many plans and ideas for it. I cannot put into words just how wild that is. And I simply adore this version of my favourite characters.

No-pressure tagging @carlomenzinger, @kathastrophen and @all-my-worlds-a-stage if you want to :)

[pipermca]

Writing Update - June 2024

June is in the history books! I had a huge thing at work this past month, which has taken a lot of my brain power. Now that project is out of the way, I fully intend to do a bit of coasting at work for a little while. (I'm not sure how much coasting I can do, but we'll try. lol)

That said, I did get a lot of writing done! I finished up my Reverse Big Bang fic (look for that in a few weeks!) and worked on a couple of other projects that interested me. I ran a poll a few weeks ago to see what people were interested in seeing from me, and the two big long fics I've been working on... tied. (One was ahead on Tumblr, while the other was ahead on Twitter, and if I combined the votes they literally tied.) At this point I'm just letting my brain work on whatever it wants to work on, although I would like to start posting that one fic later this summer. (And new today, I think I'm coming down with a summer cold. Hopefully it doesn't stick around for very long.)

Anyway, I wrote a total of 8960 words in June, blowing past the 3000 word goal. And I'm approaching another milestone: I have one more fic left in one of the compilation series I took down. (Two of the stories in that compilation were completely reworked and became the start for The Renegade and the Hound, so I won't be reposting those. That means there will be a total of 28 fics/chapters in the series.) After that I think I only have a few more to repost from the other compilation, and then I'll be all caught up. Huzzah!

And a follow up from last month's wrap up, I decided not to participate in the other Big Bang. I'm kind of regretting not signing up, but I know it was probably a good decision. I didn't need anymore obligations on my plate at the moment.

Posted

A Different Me. 830 words. This is a comic script of a scene from A Bonding, a Coronation, and a Funeral. It's one of the scripts I've been wanting to get done, so this feels good to have it posted!

Goat Crossing. 1000 words. This fic was reposted/rewritten. It was backdated to its original posting date (November 24, 2017) so it didn’t appear on AO3’s “front page.”

Family Ties. 2400 words. This fic was reposted/rewritten. It was backdated to its original posting date (November 26, 2017) so it didn’t appear on AO3’s “front page.”

WIPs

These are the works that I actually put words down for this month.

Reverse Big Bang fic. 9200 words. This one is done and just waiting for the posting period to start! Look out for a preview of this piece coming soonish. :)

The Prime and His Protector. 47,600 words. I will eventually start posting this, I swear. But also...

Resonant (working title). 2700 words. This is a prequel to The Prime and His Protector. Yes, a prequel to a fic that I haven't started posting yet. No, I don't know what I'm doing. Lol. this will probably get posted to Tumblr and Pillowfort in full first, and will only go up on AO3 once I start posting Prime and Protector. (It gives some back story to some background characters and adds tragedy to something that gets mentioned in chapter 1 of Prime and Protector. Sorry/not sorry.)

[izupie]

💋, ⛔️, and 🍦.

Thank youuuuu for the ask!!! This took a million years to reply to and I'm sorryyyy !!

💋 First kiss fics. Love em or hate em?

OH! this is a good question. I was literally thinking about this a few days ago. I was going to make a poll about it lmao

I kind of hate to write them,,, because I feel so much pressure to get the balance of emotions and imagery and The Moment perfect and somehow still keep everyone in-character. To me it feels virtually impossible to spin that many plates and nail them all. I can never quite write it in a satisfying way (to me)

I just can't reach that perfect balance of all the elements together that make a great written first kiss !! Elusive cryptid I will find you one day.

⛔ Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

I have a long list of fics I abandoned, but not necessarily scrapped.

Like, I orphan off a lot of my old stuff, which is usually the result of starting a fic while I'm in a certain fandom, and then falling out of the fandom before I've finished it. oops. I can't bring myself to work on something I'm not actively hyperfixating on invested in, so the poor fic just gathers dust and is abandoned to live in WIP Hell forever. I'm sorry unfinished fics !!

As for scrapped, I very rarely delete a work. I've only ever done it once I think? It was a fantasy Izuocha AU that I wanted to rework into something original, so I removed it from existence before I finished it lmao

But yeah, there are a lot of unfinished fics living in my notebooks honestly ahahaaaaa

🍦 What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

So I've had a flick through my AO3 and remembered this thing - definitely this one: Green's Your Colour

No contest.

It was one of the first batch of Izuocha fics I wrote when I was still trying to figure out their dynamic and was deep in my fluffy feelings about them and it all came pouring out of me in this very sincere but overly sweet fic lmao

I know I said in a previous ask answer that I love to read my own fics, but this is an exception honestly asdfghjkl;

This one is so so so sweet and fluffy and I literally cannot read it without cringing aaa

I've toyed with the idea of orphaning it a few times, but I can't bring myself to do it!

[blossom-adventures]

WIP WEDNESDAY!! (Thursday Morning for me)

We’re back!!

Ok, ok… not quite back, but I was tagged by @thequeenofthewinter and @sylvienerevarine so I thought I’d share something, a little update if you will ☺️

So I haven’t took part in one of these for about 3 maybe 4 months now, but Im wanting to get back into posting them when I can, and I actually mentioned to a mutual earlier, that I have been feeling really good and I’ve found some clarity about what I want to do in each of my WIPs which is something I’ve not been able to say for a long time!

I’m getting excited to write again, which is making me very happy ☺️

However, at this moment at nearly 3am on a Thursday morning, I don’t have specific snippets to share, but what I wanted to do was share what I’m currently working on (this will also act as a to do list for me) 😆

🩷 Bad Things Happen Bingo - I still have one that has been requested from my mother which I haven’t got around to doing, and I’m still up for suggestions being sent my way if anyone wants to

❤️ A Tall Glass of Red Wine - Partial Hiatus on this while I try to work out where I want the story to go next, I still want to work on it but I think I need to dig myself out of a plot hole, maybe reworking the chapters I’ve already posted to have it make sense in the future 🤔

💙 Far Horizons & Ancient Stones - The chapter I’m currently working on is called “The Crown and The Dragonguard” but I’d been finding it hard to get though the Jagged Crown quest line, but I think I’ve recently had an idea of where to go with it, so this is definitely something that will be worked on soon!

🧡 The Blood Prophecy - The Prologue was shared a while ago so I’m hoping the next chapter “Dawnguard” will be happening soon too, I’ve fleshed out Kristof’s character quite a lot thanks to the Calling Of Kynareth Discord Server so I’m excited to get his story underway

💜 Guard & Glaive - I have a Whumptober story and the Kingsglaive Legends stories that I want to finish before I would feel comfortable sharing the Prologue of Guard and Glaive, it’s still in the works and I’m excited to see where it leads

💚 Legacy of the Herald - Yes, you read that right, my Dragon Age fic has a title! I wrote the Prologue the other day but I want to get a little further with the story before I start posting this

🩶 Cosplay! - I am currently starting my work for my Cloud cosplay ready for February as well as making the wing that goes with my Ardyn cosplay, I’d love to share more progress with people on here ☺️

[hangmanbradshaw]

Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask

🤡 What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

�� Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

⛔ Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

💖 What made you start writing?

❌ What's a trope you will never write?

🤩 Who is your favorite character to write?

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

✅ What's something that appears in your fics over and over and over again, even if you don't mean to?

📚 Would you ever want to turn writing into a career?

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

omg you hit me with a challenge, I love it! Okay.

🤡 What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh? So many. Throwing in humor is my fave thing, but recently I was re-reading IWTBY and laughing at the scene where Bradley and Jake are spying on Mav and Ice's date like the worst spies in history.

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately? I do not! I have to have total quiet to write, but I listen to so much music as inspo for when I am writing later. Right now I'm listening to TS as always (current song I'm obsessed with is I Almost Do) and Got Me Started by Troye Sivan thanks to ABY.

⛔ Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped? A couple. Started an ABY themed fic a few months ago that I might rework. A witch one. The baseball/football philly one that turned into IWTBY instead.

💖 What made you start writing?

I've always LOVED stories, like annoyingly good at guessing movies/books cuz I love how they're crafted and I just have an eye for it I guess? Anyways I never thought I could write, but my therapist recommended art therapy in some form and I thought, well, I'll try? And I wrote my mummy AU so fast and fell in love with it immediately. Here I am.

❌ What's a trope you will never write?

unhappy ending, major character death

🤩 Who is your favorite character to write?

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

hehehehhee here you go:

His heart jumped into his throat, but he forced a smirk and said, “Me? I’m not the one torpedo-ing through a damn crowded bar.” He gave the man a long, hard look. He was just as hot as he remembered, maybe even more. He had on some ridiculous jorts and sneakers, and draped over his torso was the ugliest palm tree hawaiian shirt he’d ever seen. He raised an eyebrow as he asked, “What, gotta get to the Hawaii Five-O Convention?”

“Funny.”

“Bloody.”

The guy furrowed his eyebrows and said, “No, I said funny.”

“No.” He said with a roll of his eyes as he gestured at the side of the hawaiian monstrosity where a deep red was spreading. “You’re bleeding. What did you do, get attacked by a shark?”

“Oh.” Brown eyes blinked down at his side like he was just now realizing he was bleeding. He lifted the edge of his shirt up, and Jake tried not to salivate over the sliver of toned abs and happy trail that poked out, instead focusing his attention on the gash on the man’s side, over the cut of his hip. “Well, look at that.”

✅ What's something that appears in your fics over and over and over again, even if you don't mean to?

I very intentionally connect my worlds lmao but I realized recently I unintentionally use the phrase 'takes one to know one' in like....most of them lmao.

📚 Would you ever want to turn writing into a career?

That's the dream, isn't it? Imposter syndrome still says I can't, but hell maybe I should try? Won't know if I don't. (If I could write all day I'd be in literal heaven. It's seriously my fave thing)

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

in little ways. my twister au when they're getting divorced hurt ugh. parts of iwtby or even tree farm when they're broken up.

[diamondmeadow]

ooh, I'm curious about Edinburgh Epic! 👀

So Edinburgh Epic is actually a strange thing, and I could talk about it forever. It is basically an idea that I used for one of my roleplays, which is now discontinued, but the whole premise is just too good to pass on, and I really hope I can turn it into a fic one day using my writing from it. The scary thing is, it can be nothing but a multichapter, possibly a very very long one at that, and I'm not very brave when it comes to longfic. It's sort of a band AU but not really at all. It takes place in Edinburgh, that's why Edinburgh Epic. Sirius trying to patch things up with the rest of the Marauders after he disappeared for five years after their graduation. He suddenly appears at their uni reunion and well, shit goes down. The reason for his disappearance silly as it can only get; he thinks Remus and James are in love (which isn't true, but it's still complicated). But of course, he's been pining for so long. And maybe Remus has been pining too, but god, they are oblivious. Sirius is not a very good person in this premise, but I love the idea of him as a very flawed being very much. It makes me want to write the fic all the more. There is a whole extensive lore for this that came around while the roleplay was going on, and much of it can't be used because the ideas are not all mine, but I'm hopeful I can rework it.

There are also a lot of graphics I made for the rp (fictional album covers), so posting some here for fun as well as a snippet I wrote for the rp.

If it's to any interest haha.

There he is. He is! This isn't a joke, but that's no surprise. Sirius could never doubt Remus after all; the other has never given him any reason to. Unlike Sirius, who's been giving them to everyone around him. His brows knit in an unconscious pained look, not because of his injuries, but because of the way Remus is looking at him. Sirius doesn't know what to do with himself. It is bright enough with all the city night lights, not like back in the quad with Reg, but Sirius now wishes it was the other way around. It's hard to look into the face of things he has done. Into Remus' face where it is all being reflected, the black eye that he's given him by an accident a burning testimony. Sirius wants to reach out, let his fingers apologise for him. Well, that privilege he lost years ago. And yes, Sirius has his reasons for everything, yes, he does, but no one is asking, no one is interested. Honestly, at this point he starts believing that's how that ought to be. He doesn't deserve forgiveness. He doesn't deserve a chance to explain. He doesn't deserve to be anywhere near Remus nor James nor Peter, nor anyone really. His eyes fall down to his own feet and watch his own steps as he follows Remus, wherever he os taking them. Just say something, anything. Whoever the thought is directed to. I'm sorry. Remus, Moony, Moons, I'm so terribly sorry. Looking up just enough to see the way Remus' pace looks strained and heavy, the way he is gripping at his cane, Sirius feels a pang of pain somewhere near his heart. Very real physical pain coupled with his lung feeling as if someone kept stomping on them. Remus, how are you? What can I do? Let me ... take ... Then Sirius hears him, sees the napkin at the edge of his vision. They stop. Sirius reaches out for the offered item, his fingers hesitating for a millisecond; does he have any right to accept the kindness? Remus, always thinking of others when the only person he should be thinking about is himself. Remus, who absolutely wouldn't accept others thinking about him the same way in spite of the fact he would give himself and his everything to anyone who asked. No, actually people don't even have to ask. Remus. At last, Sirius clutches the napkin in his hand, then in the other, finally neatly folding it, smoothing it on his palm, before pressing it under his nose. He inhales, closing his eyes, a familiar scent hitting his nostrils, but when he looks again, there's no trace of blood on the pristine fabric. It knows too. In itself or as a part of Remus even the napkin's rejecting him. "I... tried to clean up before. And now the blood's all dried up and won't really ... come off. That's okay." His voice comes off a little shaky as he rambles. Sirius is ashamed of how much the events of the night are affecting him. He is afraid Remus might come to pity him. But he's worthy of none of that genuine compassionate feeling the other is so capable of. Sirius quickly pushes the napkin into the pocket on his trousers instead before Remus can ask for it. At least... let me have this. Sirius looks up quickly. Is it okay? "How is your eye? Does it hurt very much?" No improvement shows in his voice. A car's passed them just as he speaks up again and his question is drowned in the sounds of the engine. He steps closer and repeats. "Does your eye hurt very much?"

[ectogeo-rebubbles]

👀🙋‍♀️❌🏆

Ohhh, thank you, so many emojis!!! <3 (This is for the fanfic writer emoji ask game)

🙋‍♀️ Do any irl people know you write fanfic?

My partner has read about half of my fics, and I feel so lucky to have his support! <3 <3 <3 He is always blown away by my writing (partially bc the only other fanfics he has read besides mine are the fics that he used to host for people on the fansite he ran, back in the day), which is really adorable and always a much appreciated ego boost for me, hehe. I also sometimes, when I am feeling very daring, tell my irl friends that I write fanfic (but not the fandom, or at least not the ship). XD Oh, and one of my siblings knows I write fanfic AND the ship I write for, but like... I am confident they will not find my fic, bc I cannot for the life of me get them to watch DS9 despite my best efforts lmao.

❌ What's a trope you will never write?

Coffee shop AU. 

🏆 What's your most popular fic?

the spy who married me by both kudos and bookmarks! ^_^ Honorable mentions: latent attraction by hits (aka Highest Number of Chapters Award!), so, I lied, I cheated by comment threads (aka Most Likely to Induce a Response of "Bestie, You Are Insane for This" Award!), spectre by subscriptions (aka Longest IRL Wait Time Between Chapters with an Unresolved Cliffhanger Award!)

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

I think I’ll tell you about a number of them (below the cut), bc I am kinda in the mood to hype up ALL of my ~active wips (...as opposed to the mood I would need to be in to actually write any of them lollllll)

-Julian reveals his augment secret to Garak in a roundabout and indirect way, accidentally causing Garak some angst in the process. But it’s mostly about them both submitting to the mortifying ordeal of being known (in order to be loved), together. This is actually a follow up to one of your short fics, sapphose, you wrote this scene about Garak pouting about having to get an annual physical and it gave me An Idea.

-A romantic and smutty, 30-years-later, old!married!garashir fic where they reminisce about the day they met. <3

-A ridiculous By Inferno’s Light oneshot where Julian and Garak have to make out in order to distract the prison guards. Do NOT ask me how this is a good, sensible plan (it isn’t, just roll with it, haha).

-A much more serious In Purgatory’s Shadow/By Inferno’s Light fic multichapter, that is a set of canon compliant missing scenes. And it’s a Garashir getting together fic too, of course, bc I know what I’m about.

-A sinister and smutty Siskarak oneshot (with background open relationship garashir and siskasidy), set a bit before Inquisition. Sisko and Garak have already cut a deal or two with s31/Sloan to give them needed advantages in the Dominion War, and now they are trying to decide what to do about Sloan’s latest demands. And obviously they are having this loaded conversation while banging.

-Every once in a while, I still daydream about rewriting and reworking my post-“The Quickening” mad!scientist!Bashir horror fic that I rough drafted ~2 years ago. Not actively working on this one but like... what if I did? What then?????

Folks, feel free to send me more emoji asks, and I will of course share multiple snippets if people ask me to, haha! XD Force me to write/edit each of my fics snippet-by-snippet simply by bombarding me with emojis, lol!

[marmota-b]

Probably not how this is supposed to work, but whatever. 1. Share a song that makes you think of [fic title]

Less one specific fic, though I do have one WIP using the title and the lyrics, and more of a general worldbuilding background for the Empire: Poločas rozpadu by Petr Skoumal. It's a song from and about the 1980s / Normalisation period in Czechoslovakia. The chorus goes: It's winter And it's already been spring We are walking backwards It's winter And what is left Half-life - where "half-life" in the original is actually the term relating to nuclear physics, and literally means "half-time of disintegration". But the English version offers itself to double metaphors; and since the author's parents were translators from English, and he spent four years in Britain with them as a child, I cannot help but wonder if that actually was at the back of his mind when he wrote it.

2. Do you read/reread your own fics?

Yes. Although it kind of fluctuates based on what universe is currently occupying my mind. Or I return to something if I receive kudos / a comment, and I remind myself of what I have written. I tend to stick to headcanons, so I think in part it has to do with reminding myself what they are / whether I still agree with them.

3. What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written?

Can I list three?

Survivors (Bright with his Splendour) (Good Omens / Historical RPF) was one of the first fanfics I ever wrote (not the first, I eventually realised, but the first I wrote in English), and given that, I’m still amazed how well it turned out.

Let Us Make Us a Name (The Eagle) is something I wrote, and posted, quite quickly, and writing quickly isn’t my strong suit, and again, I still like how it came out.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Chronicles of Narnia) is short and succinct and says all I wanted it to say, and that’s also not my strong suit.

4. How many WIPs do you have right now?

Um… too many. 23 just at the top in my Google Docs as things I worked on more recently, not counting those I haven't and forgot to count and not counting things that may or may not become fics in their own right. And things I had on a backup harddisc that crashed last year but that I probably still want to revive. (The only one I really regret stupidly forgetting to back up in Google Docs was a Sherlock Holmes / Chronicles of Narnia crossover exploring the possibilities of the Giant Rat of Sumatra. I really liked what I had there, I just got stuck, as usual, on the plotty bits.)

5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write?

Many years ago, as a teenager, I had some sort of mad idea about a Quo Vadis fanfic involving time travel... don't ask me how I came up with that. In retrospect, I think I have worked through the things I was very inexpertly trying to work through there in other ways now, so that frankly clueless teenaged idea doesn't need to happen, and there wasn't much in it to salvage for other reasons. (Though I still can't discount the idea that the characters, heavily reworked but retaining their core, will find their way somewhere one day.)

6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

I haven’t in a while now, but the Housemates series by Coneycat is a big and fairly regular comfort read.

7. How many ideas for fics do you have right now?

Pass. :D Honestly mainly because I don’t even know, and if I think about it too much, more will spring up. Plot bunnies are called bunnies for a reason…

8. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Sewing projects, actually.

9. Do you write every day? If you wrote today, share a sentence of what you’ve written!

No, I don’t. I often write more in short intense bursts of inspiration, and then I polish and polish; so I may have even written something today, but it’s not something I wrote today.

10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

Aside from not getting much of a response at all, or just getting kudos instead of comments that would actually tell me what people think… I think the strangest - though not unwelcome - was Jate’Ka’ra, which focuses on Fenn Shysa and his reluctant ascension to the title of Mand’alor. I got thanked for not Jedi-bashing. Which says something very unflattering about the prevailing attitudes in the Mandalorian fandom, because I don’t think there’s much canon-based reason for a Shysa-centric fic to Jedi-bash. (And then we descended into a long string of worldbuilding / canon-reconciling brainstorming, and that was also unexpected but quite helpful and fun.)

11. Do you have specific playlists for writing fics?

I don’t really have playlists, period.

I do get inspired by songs, but there isn’t any rhyme or reason to it. Though come to think of it, one of these days, I might try to compile such a playlist - I have enough song/music-inspired fics that it might actually work out into something decent if I did.

12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it!

See above.

13. How much planning do you do before writing?

Probably far less than I should. I get ideas, and write them down, and the only more thorough planning I do is for fics that are shaping up to be quite long. More recently, I've done some mind-mapping for some of those, which turns out to work probably best with how my mind works. Me and linear outlines don't mix well.

14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick?

Probably some of the Marvel fics? I have an idea for something, not yet finished / written, where it would actually work best if there WAS a comics as part of it - in-universe, something Steve Rogers created. Out of the things I've already posted, somehow I also feel Jate'Ka'ra might work quite well as a (more contemplative) comics, although I think the structure would have to be reworked (like maybe juxtaposing Tobbi and Fenn's reactions to trauma more directly instead of in two separate narrative sections). Film... not really. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with film adaptations. I like that the written word and even comics still leaves space for the reader to fill in the blanks with their own imagination, and I think I sort of always write with that in mind.

15. How do you come up with titles for your fics/chapters?

I often seem to pick lines from songs. Not always, but it seems to be a safe thing to resort to when I don’t have other ideas. Sometimes something just forms as part of the creative process, sometimes I have to figure something out. For The Peridan Chronicles (the title of which is a sort of pun on the name of one of my fandoms and “The Methos Chronicles” from the other) I intentionally follow the “In Which…” naming convention for the chapters, namely “In Which Our Hero…” I did that for the first chapter because it was a fun way to play on the clash of worlds happening in it, basically, and I liked it so much I kept it. At some point in the story I intend to switch “our hero” to other designations marking where Peridan is at that point in his life, but I haven’t gotten there yet.

16. At what point in the process do you come up with titles?

Depends a lot. Sometimes a title forms quite soon - that was the case with The Peridan Chronicles, that title came to me basically right at the heels of the very idea of writing that particular crossover, and is pretty much inseparable from it. That seems to be the case sometimes where the story is a bit of a "high concept" story. Other titles are the very last thing I come up with. In many cases, I have a working title that eventually changes because the story grows under my hands and perhaps develops a "message" the original "high concept" did not yet have. I have a Painkiller AU WIP that started out with the punny title "Big Trouble in Little America" and the "high concept" of "Steve and the Howling Comamndoes team up with a Czech resistance group to deal with the Hydra base in Czechia that you can see in the maps in the film"; currently it bears the title "While the Winter Army Stands", which I suspect is the final one, but the story is still very far from finishing.

17. What’s something you’ve learned about while doing research for a fic?

Relative to the abvementioned WIP, probably the biggest thing I learned researching for a fic is the personal history of the Czech writer / songwriter / … Bob Hurikán (pseudonym), and various of his friends. And now I have FEELS about a flawed human being doing his best. In Real Life, he founded a resistance group we don't know much about because he kept it a bit independent. From my research, I strongly suspect he founded and named it as a tribute to a friend who joined the Resistance practically the moment Nazis rolled in, and perished in a concentration camp. Bob himself escaped execution only because it was scheduled for VE Day. Bob wasn't supposed to be the main character. Now he probably is.

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic?

"It felt like an eternity; it felt like far too short a time." - when Methos first sees Aslan.

19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs.

“You have been Knighted,” Lucien observed and sipped his tea. The evening was growing colder.

“Under duress,” Zayne said. “And by a heretic Jedi who proceeded to turn Sith, subsequent return to the Light notwithstanding. I distinctly recall I told him ‘kriff you’ right after the ceremony, and walked away. I would have done it earlier in the process, but he had a lit lightsaber, so I figured he’d take it better if I let him go through with it. I don’t think it holds much water.”

“Under present circumstances?” Lucien retorted. “I don’t think anyone who could protest is still alive.”

Zayne sighed.

“At least two such people still are,” he said.

“You think I would protest?” Lucien asked, bemused.

“When the possibility first arose, you tried to kill me,” Zayne pointed out mildly, like it was a little inside joke and not one of Lucien’s greatest regrets.

20. What’s a favorite title for a fic you’ve written?

As a title, that must be The Peridan Chronicles. Succinct, to the point, says a lot about what the story is, leaves a lot of room for the story to become what it wants to be.

21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why?

A couple times, sure. Often because it was something I wrote ahead in the story and by the time I got to that point, it no longer fit. I also wrote a whole long bit about Sarah Altmann exploring Frank and Steve's flat which I tried to turn into some sort of character exploration for One Hundred Tours (And Still Counting)... and it just got long and meandering and did not say much. But I still treasure the detail I came up with where they have post-its and schedules on the fridge door and one of them in Frank's hand says "Thu 1600 - Postpone eschaton". It's a sort of nerdy joke where Frank does something on Thursdays he does not want to miss (presumably helping out in the youth centre) and it basically means "Avengers-related apocalypses better NOT happen then", except that Frank has some theological knowledge and an Immortal kinsman who lived through Biblical times, and he knows that's not what the word "apocalypse" means, so he used the correct one. It might have been my other pick for my favourite line I have written, because I like how (unlike the rest of the piece) it says quite a lot about my version of Frank and where he is right now, in a very short space; but unfortunately it got cut.

22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing?

I prefer to at least start with a rough idea. It keeps me focused. The story may grow and demand a different ending after all, but generally speaking, I want to start at least with the gist / feeling of the ending. (Hope. It’s always hope.)

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

It tends to be a mixture of “where there is a logical place to end story-wise”, “how long the chapter already is”, “what I’m trying to have this particular chapter to say”, and things like that. Since my stories tend not to be particularly action-heavy, I tend not to have to grapple with things like cliffhangers, so I think actually it tends to be fairly easy for me - my stories often more or less already come to me in chapter-form, in terms of, yes, each chapter kind of trying to say something (even if they often grow more chapters than expected).

24. Share a moodboard for (one of) your current WIP(s).

I don’t do moodboards; though I do have a “Peridan Chronicles Inspiration Board” on Pinterest.

So here are some snapshots of that. These sections are largely concerned with what I picture Stormness Fast like, so it's also relevant to We Can't Fall Any Further, We Cannot Reach Any Higher. It doesn't cover all aspects of the house and its surroundings, but at least as a rough idea.

And the above are illustrations from books I read in my childhood, by Tony Wolf, which were definitely a strong influence on my focus on the smaller inhabitants of Narnia and their doings.

25. Have you ever upset yourself with your own writing?

Hm, I don’t know what exactly is meant by “upset”, but if it means “strong feelings I have to take some time to process”, then yes, definitely. Especially in recent years, every now and then a story takes a turn under my hands I didn't entirely expect, and a bit of a darker turn maybe, which I think is a reaction to how hard in many respects the past couple of years have been.

26. Is there something you’ve written that you would never want your family to see?

I don’t show most of my writing to my family, and I don’t think they know I write fanfiction (they do know I write things I don’t share with them). I don’t necessarily think they wouldn’t like it, but… Well, we’re a very analytical family, and I don’t think I want to be analysed to that extent. I am fine with strangers online seeing things in my fics I didn’t necessarily intend to put there, and often that sort of discussion is enriching; but I suspect some of my family members might the same way draw conclusions about me that I didn’t necessarily intend to put in there. (Would they find confirmation of their own ideas / points of view that I don’t actually necessarily share, or would never put the way they do if actually asked?) And that would be the exact opposite of enriching. I don’t really hide the side of myself I put in my fics from them - I just prefer to reveal it in normal conversations as relevant to our lives / as a relevant reaction to what they say / ...

27. Is there a fic you were nervous to post/share? Why?

Survivors (Bright with His Splendour remix), since it’s a remix of an existing work by another author that I poured a lot of heart into, before I even knew remixes were a thing, and it sat unfinished for years.

Te Choruk’la’kajir Aka (The Stone Table Mission), because it was a gift in a gift exchange, and a bit of a scrambling to have SOMETHING to post when my original idea exploded under my hands into something I had no chance of finishing on time.

Ceasefire, because it was - though I did not yet have the terminology for it, a reader years later named it and was spot on - a story from the POV of someone who dissociates a lot, and I had no idea how it would come across. I had a period like that myself, though in my case it had more to do with suffering from anaemia - so I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t know what I was doing, if you see what I mean. :D Considering that, I think it’s not a bad story - just not one that was easy to write, or is easy to read.

Plus I now have several WIPs where I know I will be nervous about posting them when (if) I eventually get around to it, because the themes are darker than usual for me, or, in the case of the WW2 story, I'm dealing with real people, and… I think mainly I’m worried that I might downplay some issues, or depict them incorrectly.

28. Have you ever tagged a fic “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat”?

No. :D Is that some sort of meme?

29.  Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.)

“His classmates started calling him "Flagpole Kallus". He grew like a weed. He was, now, the tallest human in the class.

He had also gained a reputation as a fierce, street-smart fighter.

None of them were entirely sure what "street-smart" actually meant; but in their sheltered world, Alexsandr Kallus definitely came closest. He won fights, even fights with people larger than himself, he could fight dirty, and he displayed a certain insouciant, cocky, aloof charm that was only heightened by his ability to win fights without getting too ruffled.

None of them were aware how easily that mask slid off once he returned home from school. None of them knew of the moments throughout the day, behind corners and closed doors, when he sagged, and sighed, and racked his brains for ways to do better.

Nothing he ever did was good enough.

And then the war came. And nothing anyone did would ever quite hold the candle to Chancellor Palpatine in Senator Menelaus Kallus' eyes. The Chancellor said this. The Chancellor said that. The Chancellor was doing this and that. The Chancellor would save the Republic.

The Chancellor did not save the Republic. But by that point, the Republic was not good enough.

The Empire would do better.”

It’s from my latest posted effort. I briefly considered starting with a chapter from Kallus’ childhood, but ultimately decided it would throw the structure of the fic out of whack and it would be better to reveal the things from his childhood gradually. Some of the above may still find its way there (some of it already has).

30. Ask anything!

Eh… I don’t really know. :-)

I’m Bored and Anxious So I Slapped Together a List of Fan Fic Writer Asks

1. Share a song that makes you think of [fic title] 2. Do you read/reread your own fics? 3. What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written? 4. How many WIPs do you have right now? 5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write? 6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time? 7. How many ideas for fics do you have right now? 8. What project(s) are you currently working on? 9. Do you write every day? If you wrote today, share a sentence of what you’ve written! 10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting? 11. Do you have specific playlists for writing fics? 12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it! 13. How much planning do you do before writing? 14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick? 15. How do you come up with titles for your fics/chapters? 16. At what point in the process do you come up with titles? 17. What’s something you’ve learned about while doing research for a fic? 18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic? 19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs. 20. What’s a favorite title for a fic you’ve written? 21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why? 22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing? 23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)? 24. Share a moodboard for (one of) your current WIP(s). 25. Have you ever upset yourself with your own writing? 26. Is there something you’ve written that you would never want your family to see? 27. Is there a fic you were nervous to post/share? Why? 28. Have you ever tagged a fic “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat”? 29. Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.) 30. Ask anything!

[writeroutoftime]

🌿how does creating make you feel?

🍉in what ways has writing helped you process trauma and/or navigate through your own life?

🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

🦋what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

thank you so much, lovely, for sending all these in! let's go!

🌿how does creating make you feel?

Honestly, it gives me so much freedom and joy. I love (almost) all aspects of writing. From when I randomly get an idea, to when the story is finally complete. It really is such a mood booster!

🍉in what ways has writing helped you process trauma and/or navigate through your own life?

I can't say that it has helped me process trauma, but I think it has given me the space to explore and feel confident in many aspects of life. Sometimes when I'm feeling really insecure, reading certain fics help me to feel better and better deal with that emotion later on.

🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

Hmm, well I worked really hard on my story dreamland but it was for that show netflix had a while back "hollywood," and so it never really had an audience. But I remember pouring over the fic trying to get it as perfect as I could.

🦋what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

Definitely that my fics don't sound/seem realistic or are too "childish." I just always read stories that are absolutely beautiful and I try to make sure my stories sound the same too. I've been writing fanfic for many years now, and I know my writing has improved since when I first started, but sometimes it's hard to shake the feeling that everything I write sounds like a ten year old wrote it lol.

💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?

Ooo, this is a hard one! Honestly, I think most of my one-shots I feel pretty confident in. It's mainly my unfinished series 😂 I want to finish them, but I also started them a year or more ago - when my writing was different, as I've said. So, I gotta figure out the best way to tackle getting started with those again.

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

I like to think that in my writing (for the most part at least) I'm pretty good at keeping our characters 'in character.' For example, in my one Anthony Bridgerton story, I think the dialogue between the family at the beginning is totally what an evening at the Bridgerton dinner table would sound like!

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

Truly, any comment/feedback puts a huge smile on my face! But, connected to the last question, I love when people say that the story, character, or specific piece of dialogue sounds like it really came from the source material! That means so much to me!

I also love when people tell me any emotional reactions to what they read! Partly because it means I did a good job, but also because I want to know I'm not the only one who has intense reactions to fanfics lol

[windupalisaie]

unburdened & content

(alisaie/wol | romantic fluff  | post stormblood - a year after ala mhigo’s liberation | 3178 words) 

A pair of arms emerged from the dark and wound around Alisaie's waist. Her hand reached for the hilt of her rapier on instinct, only to remember that the blade usually strapped to her belt wasn’t there. For a brief, fleeting moment, she panicked.

"Guess who?"

The question was caught between velvet and silk, with a light rasp that clung to otherwise smooth words. The warmth of a familiar giggle danced against Alisaie’s neck and her ear, bringing with it the equally familiar scent of petals and spice that mingled with a rich thread of wine. Alisaie relaxed.

"You're far too adept at cloaking yourself in shadow, Warrior of Light."

She did her best to not make the surprise she'd briefly felt obvious and made sure the title was a sharp little knife when she spoke it—much like the ones its bearer often threw around without care. The shadow behind her giggled again upon being unmasked. 

"Caught me," Poppy replied in a rueful, singsong way and leaned forward to prop her chin on Alisaie’s shoulder. "Just wanted to see if my darling little wallflower is enjoying herself."

The jab was gentle, edged only with a hair of playful sharpness. Still, Alisaie glanced sidelong in a way she knew was petulant—eyes narrowed and lips pursed—at the woman who used her as a headrest. When she caught sight of the bright eyes that stared back at her, crinkled with a sweet and genuine smile, Alisaie couldn't help but smile in return.

"I'm enjoying myself as much as I can," she said, sounding droll. She crossed her arms and leaned back into her love's embrace, sighing lightly to punctuate her response.

Parties were never Alisaie’s preferred environment. Forced pleasantries and talk of politics were always Alphinaud’s forté, but she'd learned to endure it all in her own way. She was never sorely missed in the moments between conversations, even after slipping away to the darkened sidelines to catch her breath. 

It’d been a long evening of speeches and socializing. Ala Mhigans were a lively bunch, at the very least, and, to their credit, the celebration could hardly be considered stiff. Alisaie smiled again when she looked across the crowd and caught glimpses of her fellow Scions, who all mingled amongst members of the Resistance and leadership from the Eorzean city-states.

"I have to admit,” Alisaie said quietly, “it’s good to see everyone together again." 

A warm feeling of contentment tinged her words. The hum of agreement Poppy replied with held a similar warmth. 

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" she asked.

The question gave Alisaie pause. The memory of the night they were all together last was vivid despite being years old at that point, and replayed in her mind as if through the clear facets of an unaspected crystal:

Having defeated the Warriors of Darkness and collected their missing comrades, every Scion had crowded into the Solar of the Rising Stones in attendance of an impromptu meeting called by Alphinaud in order to decide the course of their future. It felt like an epoch ago, before their entanglement in the war, in a time when Lyse still counted herself among their ranks and before Papalymo—

Alisaie shook her head to clear the thoughts away. The motion helped combat the stab of sadness that suddenly slipped into her gut like a knife.

"It has," she said in agreement, quiet and just a bit somber. As if sensing her tension, the arms around Alisaie's waist tightened their embrace.

"Well,” Poppy said, “I can see you're clearly having the time of your life here, but—" before Alisaie could even think up a quip in return, Poppy cut the teasing short to continue, "—want to sneak away with me for a bit?"

The question, along with the puff of breath that came with it, pushed against Alisaie's neck and made the skin there prickle into gooseflesh. She turned her head, enticed already, and smirked at the sight of the playful twinkle in Poppy's eyes.

"Lead the way," Alisaie replied. She didn't bother with hesitation, having learned long ago that it was best to just play along with her love's mischief, and was rewarded with a flash of sharp teeth.

Poppy's arms released her, but her hand slid against Alisaie's a breath later until their fingers tangled together, pulled taut as knots. The gentle tug that came soon after was a wordless command to follow.

Poppy led her through the darkened edges of the ballroom with the silence expected of one whose multitude of titles included the darkest shadow. It was a marvel how she seemed to thread the ambient aether around them both to form a cloak of darkness that shielded from prying eyes. Alisaie was ever-appreciative of the discreet ways Poppy always managed to rescue her from the boredom of parties with.

When they broke free of the confines of the celebration, Poppy let the shadows fall away. The palace opened up around them, all gold and buff marble and towering pillars holding up lofty domed ceilings that filled Alisaie with awe. She hadn't explored the massive place so thoroughly before, but noted how all previous manners of Garlemald had been expunged, replaced instead with rightful banners of rich purple and alabaster griffins.

The hoods of the Resistance were styled after the very same majestic beasts, with beaks that dipped down in respect towards the Warrior of Light and her companion, as they allowed the two women past their guard. A grand staircase was ascended, and Alisaie suspected she found herself on the famed Royal Menagerie when they emerged onto a sweeping terrace paved in ecru tile.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Poppy's question broke through the prolonged, though comfortable, silence that had slipped between them. Alisaie hummed her appreciation at the sight of flowers that swayed in chilled gusts of night air, painted in shades ranging from vermilion to rosy pink. Still hand in hand, they stepped towards the center of the garden and among rows of massive flowerbeds. When Poppy's hand slipped away from hers, it was replaced with a crisp coolness that made Alisaie miss her touch.

"This is where I fought him." Poppy moved towards the nearest plot and bent over to pluck a flower from its bed. There was a slowness to her motions that made it look like she was in pain, or that she feared the bloom she held might shatter at her touch. "A lot of things ended here," she added. The words seeped quietly into the night, heavy with the weight of troubling memories.

Alisaie knew that Zenos met his end on the Menagerie. She hadn't expected it to be a place so serene, though it was clear that the serenity didn't reach Poppy fully. Something about her demeanor changed as she held the flower up. Her eyes narrowed in deep thought and perhaps in anger as the sliver of moon that hung above them outlined her profile with a soft, pale glow. Though the light was scant, it still reflected off her eyes like a flicker of cold flame.

Alisaie watched her, unsure what to say. When her gaze fell to the jagged scar visible beneath the chest wrappings of Poppy’s sparse armor, the red of the flowers briefly brought the phantom, coppery tang of blood to her nose. Her own anger flared in an unbidden flash of heat, directed at herself for not being able to stand at Poppy’s side during that final battle. 

"Many things began here as well," Alisaie said after a moment. She unclenched her fists and shed her senseless anger—it would do her little good a year late, after all—then offered Poppy a determined little smile instead. "Ala Mhigo's unfettered future, for one."

Poppy remained entranced by the flower in her grasp. Alisaie’s words broke through her silent musing and she lifted her head to meet her gaze, seeming startled and unsure. She exhaled a breath that felt like it lasted an age, but also seemed to lighten her burden, if only just a bit.

"I didn't want this place to be soured, is all," Poppy explained with a shrug, sounding sheepish, and glanced back down at the flower that twirled between her fingertips. Its pink petals held fast to the stem despite the abuse. "It's too pretty for that. So I brought you. It can't be sour if there's memories of you here."

Alisaie huffed at the flattery, though a smile still tugged at the corner of her mouth just enough to betray her. Poppy caught sight of it in an instant—fast enough to act before Alisaie could squeeze in a retort.

"Enough talk,” Poppy said and waved a hand before her face, as if she meant to swipe the dreary cobwebs of old memories away. “Dance with me?"

The question caught Alisaie off guard. Her wide-eyed gawping was likely what pulled the smile back onto her partner’s lips.

“Dance? Here?”

Her incredulity sharpened that smile to a wolfish grin. “Why not?”

It was a challenge, if she’d ever heard one. Alisaie stared at the hand extended towards her for a moment before she rose to it. 

"If you insist,” she replied, tone tart. “I'll indulge my dear Warrior."

Fingers brushed together and a step closed the gap of space between them. Poppy's free hand deftly tucked the flower she held into Alisaie's hair, where it made its new bed just above her ear. She smirked at the gesture, though the gentleness of it filled her with warmth.

Poppy took both of Alisaie’s hands in hers. Alisaie looked down at them, feeling calluses brush against her own, seeing scars stretch pale lines across olive skin. Poppy's nails were filed down to minuscule points and lacquered a dusty, petal pink that matched the flower she'd just held. The charming style of it suited her.

Alisaie remembered, suddenly, something her mother often said to scold her long ago, when she was but a young girl who had a bad habit of chewing on her nails while she read: you can learn much about someone with just a glance at their fingernails, and thus you must needs care for your own. She'd never quite understood the meaning behind those words. Not until she saw Poppy’s hands.

She remembered long nails carved into menacing points on the eve of many a battle, ones that were sharp enough to be considered knives in their own right. She remembered the aftermaths, the bandages wound around palms, the nails splintered and shattered, with blood caught underneath, sullied in conflicts won. She remembered still how in the darkest hours they were left overgrown and haloed by purplish bruises, left untouched by self-imposed neglect. 

Those were the hands of the Warrior of Light, of the soldier, of the weapon. The hands that held Alisaie’s then were a stark contrast that bespoke contentment and peace, rather than the hardships of war.

Alisaie remembered, also, the scent of wine on Poppy's breath when she snuck up on her, and caught it faintly between them then in their closeness, still rich and sweet. She thought of how Poppy had always quailed at the sight of a goblet and eyed opened bottles with obvious suspicion. Alisaie was surprised that she'd indulged, especially after having confided in her long ago about the fears that followed after the night in Ul'dah, and the other at Falcon's Nest.

Then it clicked into place: Poppy felt safe. Her myriad of wounds, no matter how countless, had begun to heal. The realization warmed Alisaie further.

"Ready?" Poppy asked, snapping her back to the present with amused impatience. "Or are you stalling?"

"I assure you that I'm not," Alisaie replied, tone tart once more. She straightened her back and pulled Poppy closer. "Lead the way," she said for a second time that night, and knew how she sneered likely made it sound more like a challenge of her own.

Poppy, of course, rose to that challenge in an instant. Their positions were sorted out, with hands finding waists and shoulders and holding one another. And thus their dance began.

Alisaie thought it would be nigh impossible with no music to guide them, but Poppy managed to surprise her, as she always did. She pulled them both along with her usual ease, her movements fluid, following the thrum of some unheard melody that steered her. Alisaie kept up through sheer determination alone, loathe to be outdone by her partner.

"You look a bit impressed," Poppy said after a while. She twirled them around with an effortless grace that somehow managed to come off as smug. Alisaie rolled her eyes.

"Quite. I'm impressed you haven't tripped over me yet."

Poppy tutted her disapproval before a wicked grin lit up her face. She was clearly undeterred by the comment.

"Oho, but you haven't seen anything yet!"

Both her hands traveled to Alisaie's waist and wrapped around her back, pulling her closer before she was urged backwards again. She half expected to be dropped to the ground, but Poppy held tight, dipping her so low that her head brushed against the flowers beneath her. Alisaie stared up at her, silent with surprise, and instinctively wrapped her arms around Poppy’s neck in fear of falling.

The ornate bits of gold sewn onto Poppy's formal battle garb glistened beneath the moon's half crescent and clinked together softly as she shifted to lean over. The sharp pauldron that jutted from her shoulder cut into the night sky above her, and the fearsome daggers that hung from her hips shone as moonlight pooled along the faded scars that cut across her cheek and lips. She looked every bit like the gilded hero of legend she was oft made out to be, and Alisaie couldn't help but be enchanted by the sight.

Poppy's smugness melted into satisfaction, then turned to something even softer. Her lips grazed against Alisaie’s in a feather-light kiss that stole the breath from her lungs, and her eyes fluttered closed when a more firm kiss followed.

She was practically gasping when Poppy pulled away, only to peer down at her warmly from beneath long lashes. The florid sweetness of the blooms that danced all around them clouded Alisaie's already reeling mind.

"You—" words failed her for a moment, as she'd been completely disarmed. "You… you hopeless, senseless romantic! You were planning this all along, weren't you?"

The amorous moment was shattered when another grin broke across Poppy's face. She laughed at the accusation as she straightened her back, pulling Alisaie up with ease.

"Caught me again. It's your own fault, though," Poppy said in a singsong way while her eyes narrowed with mischief. "I love you enough to prance around like a fool, after all. Lucky you," she added, tail swishing behind her in satisfaction.

Alisaie should have been more irritated from the embarrassment of being briefly turned into a blushing, swooning maiden, but no such feelings of contempt ever came. Only a warm fondness filled her, along with an amusement that pushed past her lips as a chuckle that Poppy shared in.

Poppy released Alisaie from her grasp, but didn't back away. Their hands came together again in a wordless want for contact, and they swayed, fingers twined and cheeks pressed together. It was a ghost of their previous dance, though more pleasant with the added closeness.

"I am lucky," Alisaie said after a while, quiet and assured. When Poppy chuckled again in reply, Alisaie felt the sound rumble against her. 

"I'm glad you think so."

There was a frailty and shyness behind the words that made Alisaie's heart stutter. She caught the faint thread of wine on Poppy’s breath again, felt the subtle sharpness of nails against her palms, and her thoughts abruptly turned to the precariousness of it all. The state of the realm, their lives, their love—everything felt so delicate.

It felt like madness, sometimes, to think of the breadth of her love for Poppy. And it was madness, for how could she fall in love with a whirling tempest, or the harsh crackle of a roaring fire, or the sharpened end of a freshly polished knife, or the light, blooming warmth of hope? It was a foolish notion to fall in love with intangible, fleeting things, but Alisaie was stubborn and ever content in that folly, because she knew that the Warrior of Light was no weapon cast in metal to be wielded, nor a statue carved of stone to be worshiped—she was but a woman of flesh and blood who loved just as deeply as she did.

Their love was foolish, perhaps, and it was terrifying. The feeling was fragile, caught between them like a little bird, its frantic wing beats not unlike the fluttering of their hearts. Yet in all its fragility, it also held an unfathomable strength. It was an act of defiance to love a hero, Alisaie knew, as it was to be a hero in love. But together, they were both stronger for it.

"You're so quiet tonight," Poppy whispered, and Alisaie felt the warmth of her curious concern brush across her cheek. "A lot on your mind?"  

"Yes," Alisaie admitted. There was no point in lying, but she didn't quite know how to articulate the thoughts that occupied her. 

Poppy hummed. It was a thoughtful little sound. She pulled back just enough so Alisaie could see that her face was twisted into an unimpressed look.

"You think too much," she said, and it sounded almost like a scolding. And in that moment, Alisaie had to hold back the laugh she felt bubble up at the absurdity of it all.

“Well,” she began to reply without a breath of hesitation, "between the two of us, someone has to."

The jab pulled a pout onto Poppy's lips. Alisaie couldn't help but smirk.

"Seems like my wallflower is more of a nettle," Poppy said, speaking with as much sharpness as the mentioned plant. "Thinking is for politicians. In case you’ve forgotten, we're the ones who fight," she reminded her pointedly. She then heaved a dramatic sigh and moved backwards to step onto a flowerbed, pulling Alisaie along with her. "Though, I guess there's not much fighting to do for now,” she said with a thoughtful tilt of her head, before continuing with her usual mischief: “All that's left to do is dance!" 

They were surrounded on all sides by flowers. Poppy took Alisaie’s hands again and spun them both around. Alisaie conceded, grinning as she gave in to her love's whims, and the fondness that filled her heart made her feel as resilient as the blooms that bent against their movements.

"I suppose I can't argue with that."

Alisaie loved Poppy always, but loved her most as she was then: unburdened and content, twirling among petals, bathed in scant moonlight as she laughed. There were no titles, no duties, no pain. She was purely herself, and that was all who she needed to be.

[sunset-peril]

I'm tagging myself -

Here we go

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

AO3 says 23.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

Currently, 227,092

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, The Legend of Zelda only. I do have Ace Attorney and Sonic the Hedgehog fics on my AO3, however. Poke around at your own risk.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Trial of the Zora Armor

Saying Goodbye

The Battered Princess (I'm rewriting/reworking this one due to heavy lore changes so while I won't recommend it to people anymore, the original version is still online because a lot of people apparently love it)

Ashes Remain (Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies)

Guilty as Ganon

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

I always try. I want to encourage people to interact with the fics, so I always try to interact back. Sometimes I just... have no clue what to respond to a comment.

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

Uh, probably Saying Goodbye. It's literally a short story about what happened between the "Zelda's Awakening" memory and Zelda confronting Calamity.

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

Honestly, now that I think about it, I have a lot of semi-angsty endings. I guess the fic I wrote for Shiptober 2021's Day 5 prompt has the happiest ending overall, while it appears that Successors has the happiest non-short-story ending.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Honestly, what is truly the definition of "hate" anymore? Everyone seems to have a different definition. I've never had someone (at least that I can remember) tell me to stop writing or die in a whole or anything, if that's the definition we're going with.

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

No. I really don't find it necessary to advance the plot. While I have many T fics and a few M rated fics, none have smut.

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

I've tried, but I've given up on it because it always gets to complicated. The closest I've gotten recently to a crossover is simply extra lore for Successors, where Link and fam are descended from TP Link and the Guardian of Wisdom technically originates from Lorule. I probably will only do crossovers of two or more Zelda games. A TP/BOTW one does sound appealing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'd cry tears of joy if someone wanted to/did

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

Yes, a long time ago. I don't think it exists any more. I don't think I'd repeat the experience, unless a family member wanted to co-write.

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

Probably ZeLink. No matter how many fandoms I hop, I always come back to them.

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

That title used to go to Battered Princess and Guilty as Ganon. However, I finished those. I guess I can pass off the title to the Princess rewrite, which currently has a working title of "I Told Her" (I was listening to this song while I was setting up the document, lore and all that jazz for the rewrite and just slapped something in the title spot haha)

16. What are your writing strengths?

Making people cry. 👍

(Sometimes I get really poetic, but I can't do it on command. I'm honestly not sure what my strengths are. Other than making people cry.)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Scenes where dialogue timing is important and variable. Also slow-paced domestic scenes.

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

I wouldn't write a fic entirely in another language, currently. I don't mind spattering various languages into a fic, but I wouldn't write an entire fic in something other than English. Mainly because my non-English word bank is not large enough to support anything more complex than a children's picture book.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I don't remember which one exactly, but it was either My Little Pony, Epic Mickey or Wings of Fire. This was long enough ago that Epic Mickey is the only one that's still worth a side glance (in my opinion).

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Trial of the Zora Armor, with Successors as a fairly close second. Armor was so fun and easy to write and it was the first time where I actually had a lot of engagement and it was the first one I ever finished. However, its sequel (Successors) required a massive amount of worldbuilding and the worldbuilding was so fun to do.

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you to my talented friend @linksthoughtbrambles for the tag!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Five. I write sloooow

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

182,205

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The Legend of Zelda

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Calamity of Link's Cargo Shorts

Sacrilege and Sororities

The Mushroom Risotto Incident

Cross My Heart

In the Blood

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

Always. People take the time to comment, so I will always take the time to respond. I sincerely appreciate people taking the time to comment, since it makes my day and fuels my fic writing.

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

I'm allergic to unhappy endings, so I'll never end anything truly sad. In the Blood is the angstiest one so far (that will have a happy ending), but I also have a Hylink fic in the works that will probably be the most sad (but will still have a good ending imo).

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

Cross My Heart. They go get hitched in "West Hyrule"/California and live happily ever after.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully not yet. Everyone has been very kind so far.

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

All of my fics on AO3 are rated E, so... Yep. But I don't write it without plot. I have to have the plot and character development.

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

No, but I'd love to do some silly ones. I did draw a lotr crossover that would be fun. And HTTYD. And Star Trek!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes. I was not happy about it.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have not, but I'd be honored if that ever happened!

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

No, not officially, but I am writing a fic that my friend Newt and I came up with together. Selkie AU let's goooo

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

Ooof I would have to say zelink/hylink, but I am also BIG into Xena/Gabrielle, Kirk/Spock, Mako/Raleigh, Rauru/Sonia, Jon/Martin, and Achilles/Patroklos (from the Iliad solely and specifically!).

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

I have way too much faith in myself that I'll finish fics. But I was thinking of writing a silly ice skating/blades of glory AU that I will probably not get around to.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Humor and emotional resonance I think? That's what people seem to enjoy and what I try to convey too.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm terrible at setting the scene. Description is noooot my thing at all. I try to work on being better at it though, especially with more atmospheric writing like in my zombie apocalypse AU.

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

I'm not sure if I understand this question correctly. Like lotr style making up an entire new language, or contemporary writing using a different modern language and not translating it? I don't foresee needing to do either with any fic for loz, since it's not like I'm going to have Link or Zelda bust out some untranslated Elvish etc for funsies (since that wouldn't be fun for anyone). If I was writing something and wanted to specify it was in another language, I'd probably keep it in English and italicize it so the reader knows, like I did in Cross My Heart.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I think I wrote some Grade A Absolute Crap fanfic that never saw the light of day for star trek. A simpler, still very embarrassing time.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Cross My Heart. I liked the plot, the weird structure, and the revenge narrative. It's near and dear to my own heart

[screadingchallenge]

Behind the Keyboard Volume 21

Behind the Keyboard is a series of interviews with different Schitt’s Creek fanfic authors. The series will last as long as there is interest (from authors) and capacity (from me). If you are an author from the Schitt’s Creek fandom who would like to participate, send a DM to this account.  

Each author was given ten questions. The first five questions are the same for every author, the last five will vary.

Let’s meet our next author:

@chelle-68​ / chelle68

How many fics have you written?

19 (Crazy…I only meant to ever write one and get it out of my head.)

When did you publish your first fic on AO3?

June 23, 2021 (holy crow, almost a year!)

Describe your writing process from “Oh, I have an idea” to pushing publish on AO3. 

Well, I guess it’s pretty much like anyone else. I have a thought or an idea pop into my head that I think about until I need to jot things down in my notes app. Sometimes that’s just a sentence, sometimes a jumble of words like “David smells brownies/reminds him of Adelina/gets emotional”. When I think I have some real time, I open a document and start writing and see if what I had bouncing around in my brain will come out into a real story. I’m not even really sure how it’s going to end until I get there. Once I get through a first draft, I go back over it and rework things or sentences; tweak things here and there and then see if one of my lovely betas are available to help me make it something actually coherent. I’ve discovered recently that I really need to take time to write more things in my notes as I’m thinking of them because any time away from those notes makes me wonder where I was going with it or a scenario is fully mapped out in my head but now I’m looking at my notes and thinking “oh yeah…gee, I had something pretty good. Now where is it hidden in my mind?” A few weeks ago, I had a really fun thing all pictured in my head with dialogue etc, then my life went wacky. Now that things are settling down a bit, I want to write it but it’s foggy right now. I wish I had grabbed my phone when I was first thinking it through and just jotted it all down, even if it was 3am. And yeah, currently, everything I write is on my phone. I’m looking into a laptop and tablet. I haven’t had my own for a very long time. Any suggestions? I’m leaning towards the MacBook Air? Or iPad. 

Tell me about your most recent fic? What do you love about it? Is there anything you think you could have done better?

My most recent fic came into my head at around 4am a couple of weeks ago when I couldn’t sleep. I hadn’t thought about writing or even reading much the past few weeks and honestly wondered if I would ever write anything again. My mind and days have been so full of real life. But suddenly there it was. Just a little thing. I could see David whispering something to Patrick while he was sleeping and I got up that morning and actually wrote something. It was the first time in weeks that I actually had some time to myself and it just all came out. It was nice to know that I could still do it. I think that’s what I love about it the most. A sign of life, so to speak. That I’m starting to come out the other side of this messiness in my life. I’ll always look at that one and remember that feeling of knowing everything was going to be ok. It’s called If Only You Knew. 

As far as doing it better, yeah, I always think that. I’m my own worst critic. Comes from a very long history of low self-esteem starting in childhood. One of my favorite writers recently described having “imposter syndrome” and I went “that’s it!” But I’m trying to be better about believing in myself and trying to accept compliments and be more sure of myself. I will say, I am very new to writing so I need to start slowing down and learning more about the process and technical things, but also to let my mind open up, work harder and dig deeper. My mind tends to operate at a “let’s get this done quickly and efficiently” level. I think that comes from working in a business that is all about making a deadline every day and my creative mind has been pushed into near extinction. 

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about publishing their fic for the first time?

Just do it! And I know that sounds like a Nike ad, but it’s true. Just open a document, grab a notebook and a pen, whatever works and just start writing the words that are in your head. Even if you think it’s rubbish. It’s most likely not but just the start of something. Get it all written down. Play with it. Go over it. Tweak it. Rewrite it. Rework it. Then when you’re ready, find yourself a really great, honest beta or two (or more) and be open to their suggestions and thoughts and corrections. I love mine. And I have made the most amazing connections and friendships from writing and opening myself up to this experience. Then when it’s ready, take a deep breath and hit “post”. It’s scary but I promise, people are really good. Nobody is going to scream at you to never do it again. At least nobody has said it to me yet. It’s such a rush knowing you’ve put yourself out there like that. And be proud of yourself for doing it. 

Most memorable comment you’ve had on one of your fics?

Honestly, they’re all memorable and cherished. I love every single one because someone took not only the time to read something I wrote, but also took the time to leave a comment, even if it’s just an emoji. Knowing someone was moved or something I wrote made them laugh: it fills my heart, truly, and means the world. I go back and reread them. They make me smile. I will say one comment that I was very moved by was actually a reply to a comment that I left on someone else’s fic. I  had commented how much I enjoyed it and how I was happy they had decided to start writing again and the author responded that reading my stories had made them want to find their old AO3 password and try posting again so that really touched me. That was a bit mind-boggling, actually.

What parts of writing are easy for you? What parts are hard?

I don’t know if any of it is easy as it’s still so new to me. I guess writing introspection comes easier to me. Getting into someone’s head like David or Patrick and figuring out what’s happening in their minds at any given moment. That’s fun. I could write that all day. A lot of my fics probably read like they do go on all day. 

What’s hard. The banter and teasing between David and Patrick is tricky. They have such a love language of trolling each other that’s so witty and quick. I absolutely love it but writing it is challenging. Stevie is hard because there’s a fine balance of, again, her quick wit and teasing but you have to be mindful of not tripping over into her just being mean. She has a big heart and doesn’t want to hurt anyone but she also needs to protect it. 

And sexy times. I haven’t written a lot of smut and I struggle with it. I don’t want it to be just an instruction manual of which parts are going where and I need to let myself just go with the emotions of what the characters are feeling. I think that’s what is sexy and hot. What they’re feeling and experiencing. The heart behind the actual act (acts?) itself. It’s a matter of getting out of my head and stop overthinking it. 

How much of yourself do you put into your stories or characters?

I think what drew me into Schitt’s Creek initially was the fact that I saw a lot of myself in these characters. I could identify with David, Patrick and Stevie in so many ways that I think it comes through in my writing, because I understand them in many ways. I have been in so many shitty relationships that I didn’t want to let go of or let people treat me badly because at least I could tell myself I was wanted or needed, like David. Trying to find connection wherever I could. I’m also a people pleaser like Patrick, to the point of making everyone else happy even if it makes you miserable or keeps you from being your true self. Not wanting to hurt people or rock the boat, so you keep things to yourself. Stevie, not knowing quite where she fits in or where she’s going in life. I cry every damn time she sings “Maybe This Time”. It’s such an amazing turning point for her and I feel that. Heck, I even see a lot of myself in Rachel. Chasing a relationship that doesn’t work for years. Or trying to make one work for all the wrong reasons. 

Do you think your fics have a brand? What is it?

I guess just that a lot of them are very introspective. Not really sure if I think there’s a brand. It’s just me. Rambling. 

Tell me about your current WIP if you have one.

I don’t really have anything except some lines of dialogue in my notes app. It’s a continuation of the high school AU I wrote for Media Fest, Paradise Found. 

I have notes jotted down for a David leather jacket fic (which is the one I wished I had written down all the thoughts in my head at 3am) and I have an idea of writing something about Rachel and her backstory. Another one about an original character I wrote about in another story of mine ages ago. Just thoughts jumbling all around. Can’t wait to invest in that laptop. Typing on my iPhone is making my thumbs tired. And having life quiet down so I can think about writing. 

This was really fun! Thank you so much!