#so like you can organize different scenes in different documents but keep it all in the same file

[not-rome]

I have a thing for spreadsheets. I can't stop making them for everything. Each of my chapter fics have a spreadsheet with multiple sheets. There usually at least three sheets but some have like 10. I'm fully aware I use them a little obsessively (I cannot do anything without updating/adding onto the spreadsheet) but I can't stop now. Things are so much easier to navigate in writing because all the information and organization I need is in one spot, neatly laid out. Everyone should use spreadsheets in my opinion.

[corvidarcana]

Objectively it was probably good writing, but I would rather read But Next Time On My Terms again tbh

That’s totally fair!!! It was just a silly oneshot i thought up this past week, sorta a cool-down project after writing so much for National Novel Writing Month ^^ it’s nothing extravagant and i def don’t expect it to be a smash hit or anything, haha! 😊

[cal-kestis]

HOW TO: Do A Crystallize Gif Transition

Hi! I was asked to explain how I did the transition effect in this gifset, so here's a quick tutorial! Disclaimer: This tutorial assumes you have an intermediate understanding of gif-making in Photoshop using Video Timeline and requires the use of keyframes.

PHASE 1: THE GIFS

1.1 – Determine how many frames you need. Since you need at least 2 scenes for a transition, consider limiting the amount of frames you'll use per scene. For a transition between 2 scenes that's 540x540px, I would recommend no more than 30 frames per scene (for a final gif that's 60 frames). Even that may be pushing it depending on your coloring. Just be sure to consider the dimensions and colors of your gifs in relation to the amount of frames to keep your final gif under Tumblr's 10MB limit.

1.2 – Import frames, crop, resize, convert to smart object for Video Timeline, color, blend, etc. Do this as you normally would! If you need a tutorial for the basics, here's my tutorial. :) Please note, the methods in this tutorial only work with gifs that are converted into smart objects in the Video Timeline workspace.

Tip A: I recommend using scenes where there's a lot of one color (or scenes where you can manipulate it to look like that). The crystallize filter on a gif creates A LOT of movement that can feel a bit chaotic. Having your gif be primarily one color reduces the eye strain a bit imo.

Tip B: I like how this effect looks with blended scenes because it allows me to use different "crystal" sizes (more on this in Step 2.2). Check out the USERGIF Resource Directory for plenty of blending tutorials!

1.3 – Move all your gifs into one document, group into folders, and arrange. Once everything's in one doc, keep everything organized in a group folder! I have just two scenes, so that's Folder 1 & 2. Within those folders are the gifs I blended, which I labeled by gif color. Then, simply drag Folder 2 so it continues right after Folder 1. (Make sure none of your adjustment layers from Folder 2 accidentally affect Folder 1! You can do this by clipping your adjustment layers to match the length of the gif as I did, or using clipping masks.)

(Ignore that lone Hue/Saturation layer lol. I decided last-minute that I wanted my gif to lean more pink than red.)

PHASE 2: THE FILTERS

2.1 – Duplicate each scene. We're going to use opacity keyframe animations on these duplicated scenes that allow it to go from "normal" to "effect" and vice versa. The filters will only be applied to the duplicates. In the screenshot below, all of my duplicates are highlighted:

2.2 – Apply the Crystallize Filter. Above your sharpening settings, apply this filter by going to Filter → Pixelate → Crystallize. On the pink gifs, I made the crystals bigger (cell size: 45), and on the black and white gifs, I did a cell size of 25.

The different sizes help break up the uniformity of the crystals imo, creating more of a mosaic-like look, which is what I wanted to match my gifset concept.

2.3 – Apply the Oil Paint Filter (Optional). Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint. Here are my settings (they're the same for both crystal cell sizes):

Brush – Stylization: 0.1, Cleanliness: 8.6, Scale: 0.1, Bristle Detail: 0.3 Lighting – Angle: -60, Shine: 0.7

This filter helps soften the cells a bit while adding some texture (left: no oil paint; right: with oil paint):

2.4 – Repeat steps 2.2 & 2.3 on all duplicated scenes.

PHASE 3: THE KEYFRAMES

3.1 – Add opacity keyframes. The very start and end of each scene needs an opacity keyframe set to 100% opacity. Move 0.09 seconds from each of those points, and place another opacity keyframe, this time set to 0% opacity. We're basically making the crystals fade in and out. Please reference the screenshot below for keyframe placement:

If you need more info on opacity keyframes, check out Phase 2 from this fade transition tutorial I did on usergif.

3.2 – Repeat step 3.1 on all duplicated scenes. All the keyframes in Folder 1 should line up exactly and all the keyframes in Folder 2 should line up exactly!

PHASE 4: THE DUPLICATES

4.1 – Convert back to Frame Animation. If you're not sure how to do this, I've written out the steps here. I rec the action linked in my general gif tutorial which I shared earlier!

4.2 – Delete duplicate frames. Whenever you use keyframe animations, you'll get duplicate frames. That's just how it works, unfortunately. If you follow my steps exactly (specifically the 0.09-second spacing, which follows my tried-and-true 0.03-second rule), you'll have a total of 12 duplicate frames exactly — 3 duplicates per keyframe section. Just manually delete them! You can spot the duplicates by eye, but with this spacing, it's usually the 2nd, 5th, and 8th frame for each transition section. The selected frames below were my duplicates:

If you want to learn more about why there are duplicates and the math behind it all, I explained it in more detail in this ask.

4.3 – Export and you're done!

I hope this tutorial helps! Let me know if you have any questions :)

[evertidings]

Hello! I'm thinking of starting an IF story later this year, and am completely new to coding and how to organise a chose-your-own-adventure. I was wondering whether you could share how you organise each route/the story of WTS, please. Love your work!

hi!! if you're overwhelmed by formatting and you're writing in twine, i'd actually recommend writing directly in the twine app. it has a great mind-map aesthetic that can help you visualize things.

but if you're curious as to how i write, i've attached some screenshots below. i believe i've talked about this before, but i'll go over it again because why not?

example #1: sections

one of the most important steps for me when organizing a document is having headers. it allows me to jump from section to section, rather than scrolling through for ages trying to find something. it also helps me break the chapter into smaller sections, which makes things less overwhelming for me.

example #2: choices.

in terms of the document itself, i make sure to differentiate texts with various colours to make things easier on the eyes. i also make sure they are visually different. for example, in chapter ten, i wrote my choices in a purple colour and indented them slightly. i also write each line with bullet points, just so i know the text that follows is part of that choice and not general text.

example #3: if statements.

similar to my choices, i colour my "if statements" in a different colour than the general text. i also indent them further than the choices and change the bullet point that it's written on, just so i can further differentiate the two. for those who don't know, if statements act like flavour text, which show up only if you've completed or met a certain requirement prior to the scene. in the picture below, the flavour text reveals itself if you've been rude to Blane seven times or more. otherwise, you get the general text.

overall: aside from those two formatting decisions, my word document is really standard. luckily, i'm able to keep track of a my branches in my head, so this system works for me, but it goes without saying that it won't be for everyone. as i said at the beginning of the post, if you're more visual, twine (or some sort of mindmap tool) might be useful. hopefully this is (slightly) helpful. if anyone has more questions on this, please let me know! i'm always happy to answer them :)))

p.s. if anyone is confused about all the "<" and ">" symbols, that's just part of my twine coding. i usually copy and paste what i write in word into my code, so this just saves me from typing it.

[jdragsky]

Hast thou secret wisdome regarding producing a big Yazeba's-scale collaborative TTRPG project? Particularly like the nitty gritty of having a ton of co-authors. How do you hire/pay them (flat rate? hourly? per word?), how you organize and assign responsibility for parts of the book, how details/characters kept in sync when different people are writing the same stuff. Would love to read it if you've discussed it before.

hi i put off answering this for a while so i could think of a good answer

basically ok so here's a couple different things to think about:

are they freelancers doing work for hire or are they co-creators? if they're freelancers, paying them by the word or by the hour is generally correct. if they're co-creators, they may be taking on more risk at the start (i.e not getting paid) but should be paid with royalties or a portion of the profits afterwards

there needs to be someone doing all the logistical overhead and organizing, and that person needs to keep a tight ship and ideally not be involved in the creative side.

for yazeba's we made lots of docs with character personality explanations, concept art, art descriptions, and so on �� basically lots of behind-the-scenes documentation that readers dont end up actually seeing

contracts save friendships! write down somewhere how you all plan to split things, who is responsible for what, and so on, and stick to it.

the biggest thing i'd warn, though, is this!

start SMALL! don't go from zero to big collaboration with no experience. don't bite off more than you can chew! the most relevant skills for this kind of project isnt actually creativity it's community organizing and management. do smaller projects with small teams to start and work up to yazeba's.

i had a decade plus of organizing and yazeba's was still a colossal venture that was, frankly, at times far too big for me to take on. i made some big mistakes and mishandled things at times in ways i still really regret. start small and build up the skills you need to accomplish it, one step at a time.

[lookingfts]

hey can i ask for tips on how you write this fast? i always fall into writer's block and i never know how to break it.

Sure! I've always been a pretty fast writer, but I do get stuck. Here are some things that help me:

Setting a small word goal. For me, that's about 500 words. I don't write every day, but if I have some time and I want to write, I try to break it down or it gets overwhelming. I'll either write 500 words and decide that's enough for that day, or more likely, I keep going and write a few thousand.

Switching between fics. In an ideal world, I would always finish one thing before moving on to another, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write that specific thing. The other day I had planned to write a new chapter of Sugar and it just wasn't coming to me, so I switched gears. I'll usually have one longer fic in the works, and then some shorter fics or drabbles whenever I need to write something different.

Skipping scenes. Sometimes I just cannot figure a specific scene, and I used to insist on writing things chronologically. Now I understand the value of just skipping to the next scene, or writing the scene you most want to write first.

Changing small things. I write in light mode and edit in dark mode, or vice versa. I sit in different places in my house. I listen to different music. Even a tiny change in perspective can help shake something loose.

Keeping notes constantly. Every time I have an idea for a plot point or dialogue, I write it in Google docs. I have documents for all my fics, plus a document that's just fic ideas and random snippets. When it's time to write, I already have something to work from. I have it all organized by chapter, and the outline doesn't have to be fully fleshed out from the jump, but it keeps me from asking "what's next?"

Trusting my instincts. I doubt what I've written all the time, but I always remind myself that I've doubted my writing before, and people like my work. So I just keep going and trust that whatever comes to my mind is the right direction to go, even if it's not the direction I originally planned for a fic.

Treating writing and editing as separate jobs. This was advice I read a while ago and it's so valuable. I don't edit as I'm writing. My goal is just to write a first draft and then look at it later, usually a few hours later or the next day when I've had some distance and can see it clearly.

Not forcing it. Yes, I often have to push myself to write SOMETHING because starting is the hardest part. But if I'm stuck, I just go for a walk or snuggle with my cats or stretch or watch something on YouTube. By not focusing on the problem, you can often resolve it.

I hope this helps a little! If anyone else has tips, please leave them in the comments.

(And here's a bonus photo of my cats)

[rweoutofthewoods]

Can you show how you organize everything in Word? I'm trying to do a similar thing lol

ABSOLUTELY! I'm a bit of a Word diehard so I will jump on this chance. I'll try my best to show this through screenshots, but if it's not clear enough it may be better to make a tiktok where I can actually talk through it, so pls let me know <3

The outlining tool:

This is my holy grail. If you go to the little bar on the bottom right of Word, the outlining button is to the right of the web layout button. Once you click on that it'll look like this:

from there you can select the text u want and change from body text to level 1, 2, etc. I usually just work with level 1 and 2. I make the chapters level 1 and then I make the scenes level 2. As pictured above u can see my notes section is level 1, and the scene is level 2. I usually write the name of whoever's POV it is (in a multi POV. fics) and a short description of the scene so I can easily find it if I need to go back and reference something.

Once you make all your headings, you can go to the review tab at the top of Word and click reviewing. It will come up with all ur comments first, but just click the middle icon with the list symbol and it'll come up like this:

This makes it so easy to navigate anywhere in the doc you need to find. You can also see how my headings look in the doc.

I organize all my notes and random scenes at the end of my document in exactly the same way with headings. I just keep writing the fic in the space above it and leave all that at the end

anyway that's pretty much it, I have a sort of organized chaos method, but I don't really like to save things in different documents or plot and make notes elsewhere. Literally everything goes in the same doc the actual fic is being written in. Like, I've managed to lose entire documents of fics in the dark depths of my files, I couldn't keep track of multiple documents.

Thanks for coming to this Microsoft Word seminar with Mere 🫡

[idrellegames]

hi there! sorry if you've gotten a similar ask before. do you write wayfarer directly into twine or do you keep it in a separate doc? do you just have really clearly labeled sections in a word doc or something or is there a specific program you use to keep track of every story path? basically, with something as expansive and w/ as many routes as wayfarer, how do you keep all your writing organized?

I have answered this before, but I can't seem to find my posts on the subject (you may want to peruse my coding in twine tag, the masterpost has a bunch of different resources for this kind of thing!).

But in short, no, I do not write Wayfarer directly into Twine. This could functionally work for a very small game, but I would still advise against it as Twine doesn't really work as a word processor. You can't proof-read in it.

My process has three main steps:

Outlining

Writing

Coding

Compiling

Outside of my big beat chart (which spans the whole game), I break each episode down into their own outlines, and then break the routes of each episode down into their own outlines. Sometimes specific sections end up with their own outlines too. My system probably doesn't make much sense to anyone other than me, but as long as I know what the divisions are, then it's all good.

I write in MS Word. Each episode has its own folder (sometimes with subfolders) and every section of the game gets its own document.

Here's the main folders, each episode goes into its own thing.

This is an subfolder for Episode 1, specifically Route B.

Within my word documents themselves, I use a colour-coding system for separating out branches and sections. This is extremely useful for writing dialogue loops, like this:

I also add in any coding notes (variables, true/false states, stat checks) while I am writing so I know what I need to do when I sit down to code 4+ months later. I usually throw a X or XX on choices after I have written them as a note to myself that I have finished it (this is just personal shorthand - X means I've done the pass version of a check, XX means I've done the pass and fail states).

I use about 8-10 colours in my documents; I have a set of MS Word macros set up so I can easily switch between them.

I share my word documents with my editor via OneDrive, which makes it easy for her to got through and proofread.

I use MS Word because I've been using it to write since the 2000s and it's what I prefer to use. I have also been writing professionally for over a decade now, so I have systems and strategies in place that work for me that I've developed for myself over time. But if you're new to writing and you're looking for a word processor that can also help you with outlining and keeping your story straight, something like Scrivener may be helpful.

One the text is ready to be coded, it's a lot of copy/pasting from Word into Twine. When I'm coding I will typically be running multiple programs at once:

MS Word

MS Excel (for my variable sheets)

Twine

Notepad++ (which has some regularly used code stored in it; I also use it to edit CSS and Javascript, as well as any really code-heavy sections since it's easier to do that in Notepad++ than it is in the Twine editor)

Notepad (just the regular version - I use it for writing notes to myself while I'm coding)

a web browser to launch tests in as I code

Once I am done coding and I have tested things, it's time to compile. The Twine editor can only handle so many passages and text in one file (around 500-700 passages before you hit massive lag), so I break Wayfarer into multiple story files. Having multiple story files also makes it really easy for me to cross-reference events (if I need to grab a passage title to reference it later) because I don't have to look through one big file. If I know the event happens in Episode 2's first scene, then I know I need to open Chapter_2.1.

My Twine library looks like this at the moment:

I am using an old version of the editor (with an up-to-date version of SugarCube) since I didn't like the new one. I don't necessarily recommend using the Twine editor when you can easily make your game with Twee extensions in Visual Studio Code and have better support and functionality, but this is what I like and it really comes down to personal preference.

But because everything is in separate files, I have to merge them altogether. I have Tweego installed on my PC; it's run through the command prompt and outputs multiple story files into one HTML file. I've talked about this process here and here.

And that's basically it! I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution to keeping track of your IF. You need to figure out what works for you, based on your writing and outlining habits, how big your story is, and how much you intend to keep track of.

Hope this helps!

[oddmawd]

Out of curiosity (and of course please do not feel like you have to answer this)

How do you keep your story organized?

I use Miro Board to help me lay down my plot and timelines, but I’m always curious what other tools writers use to outline, organize and such for their writing.

Id love to also just create a post and have writers and artists add to it over time as a source of knowledge and help….but I’m not sure how to start it honestly.

i love this questions and for me it's SCRIVENER, baby, SCRIVENER

i'm using OCCULT PIECE as an example because it's a massive project and Scrivener absolutely helped me bring it to life (it finally corralled my brain into something manageable LMAO)

not sure how familiar you are with this software, but it combines a word processor with a file organization system so i can flip between documents within a work super quickly...keeps all my notes, drafts, and other docs at my fingertips

the column on the left shows the docs and folders i've set up to keep this massive AU project organized...i have folders for each story, with subfolders that have notes and chapters for each work, and then i have separate folders for worldbuilding notes, character notes, connections between stories, and similar...i expanded a bunch of the folders so you can see what's in 'em if you want a closer look

Scrivener also has a corkboard view so you can see your story elements all laid out, and you can move them around as you see fit, which makes rearranging scenes (should you choose to put separate scenes into their own text docs) very easy

i like this software for its utility but also because you pay for it once and then can transfer the license to different computers when/if you change to a new one, and you can get it pretty cheap using discount codes that come up pretty frequently (usually they're a NaNoWriMo prize)

i have never used Miro and IDK how it compares! will have to check it out and seeeeee

as for the post people can add to, do you mean like a Tumblr post with reblogs, or like a shareable document people can circulate and add to at will? would this be for a large collaborative story or universe or just general information? sounds cool either way! love it when a community comes together...

[rainbowdaisy13]

This "PR document" leak, has interesting timing. The talks about her hanging with Trumpies, doing PR clean ups for friends & this gets dropped. But a PR situation makes it worse. Cause if Travis is actually your real boyfriend, sure you're blinded by love & hanging with this entourage. If it's not, you willingly got into business with Trumpies and chose to promote a team owned by an evangelical 'kill the gays' Trumpie, while you're at it.

And no, this isn't performance art. That would require her at the end to go "I would never actually associate with these people or promote these organizations". In what universe is that a possibility? Anything short of that would still be a terrible look on her. If they're all on board, that version of performance art reveal would require revealing that the relationship was fake but still presenting Travis & entourage as great people she had fun doing this with. The Chiefs wouldn't agree to her trashing the image of Patrick or Travis. People don't seem to understand that this bearding is different because the NFL and the Chiefs are involved. She entered a bearding deal with corporations, not people. Taylor recreated some scenes from her MVs with Travis because that's as much leeway she has to make this "fun". Other than that, it's souless greed.

PS: Threatening to sue for this the same day this bs got "leaked" but NOT threatening anything with Trump, should tell us everything we need to know. Beyonce threatened to sue him the next day. Weeks later and Taylor is still silent. One of the only artists to not say anything in response to Trump using her likeness for his campaign. Even dead artists had their representative denounce Trump's usage of their likeness. So dead people can do more and act faster than alive Taylor! (Fyi other right wingers are also using her likness on a state level because they got brave due to her silence).

PS 2: If you have to keeping the goal post moving to fit the PLAN, maybe you were wrong from the beginning (by you I mean people in general, not you personally Rainbow 💕🤍)

[tkwrites]

I’m curious about your writing process. Do you write with pen and paper? Digitally? Is all your work in one doc for the series or is each fic a separate doc? I’m a nerd for organization and behind the scenes lol

Hi Lovely, 

I write digitally and almost exclusively on my laptop. I type much faster than I can write with a pen, so I prefer to type as my hands can better keep up with my mind that way. I do occasionally write on my phone, but it’s also not as fast, so I only do that when I don’t have a computer available. 

The vast majority of my writing is done in a program called Scrivener. It’s a software that was built for writing novels, and you can easily plan chapters and scenes in it.

In terms of the Snapshots series, shorter pieces have their own text document. Longer pieces, like Five Days of Joy, have their own folder, where I keep track of parts of the story in different documents before combining them all together. 

Here’s a screenshot of my Snapshots project organization:

Pieces with an asterisk are in process. 

Also sorry this screenshot is so giant. I don't have much experience with graphics.

I also occasionally write in Google docs if I need to work on a piece away from my computer. I have docs on my phone, and that’s how I write on that device. Docs are also the easiest way to share writing with beta readers. 

Let me know if you have any other questions. I’m always happy to talk about the writing process!

[aheathen-conceivably]

Hello darlings! 🍂

So a while back someone asked if I’d ever be willing to share my planning document for the story. As I’m currently in the process of extending my in-game year to 6 days I took a moment to redo my template. While it is still blank and spoiler-free, I thought this would be a good time to show you all what it looks like. Of course this includes a long rambling explanation so I’ll leave everything for anyone interested under the cut…

So first and foremost this is just the template that helps me, and may not work for others. I also know some simmers keep a calendar oriented around in-game events like birthdays, weddings, etc.; however, mine is designed to help me translate my writing into orderly in-game shoots as well to see if there’s an imbalance in posts.

To break it down, I use a system where 6 in-game days=one real life year (although this template could be used for any formula). Each of these days is listed under the year and corresponds to a color for easy visual delineation. The pattern then repeats itself each year. Under each day, I have five slots categorized by times of day. This is because I usually have more than one post to shoot on the same day, so I can list them out neatly to the right rather than all in one line. It also gives me a better idea of what time of day/lighting to shoot each scene in.

Moving to the right, you can see that scenes fall into different categories. I mostly use “story posts” which is just the scenes as written in order. “Other events” and “Etc. Posts” are for things like letters (when I will need to load into another household to take photos there) or portraits, lookbooks, etc. All the way to the right is where I tally up the total number of story posts for that year, which helps me identify gaps in the narrative.

When I am ready for a particular arc (as I’m currently in the 1930-1933 arc this already has a completed spreadsheet), I read through the writing that I have and plug each scene into the corresponding year. I can then move some scenes up or down if need be as well as see where I can add scenes. When it’s completed, I can go in game and know exactly what needs to be shot next or if I missed anything. It does take a bit of time to translate my writing into this spreadsheet, but I find it saves me a lot of time and headache in the overall process.

I hope that this wasn’t overly complicated as I know systems/organization techniques often make sense to those who use them but not to others. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments 🥰

[casualsavant]

20 Questions More

This is a deeper and more detailed version of the 20 questions for AO3 fanfic writers. Thanks to @TetsujinOtaku88 for the tag. I'm doing this #Supercorp style.

1) How do you keep getting ideas for your ship / fandom?

I think the Supercorp Fandom is pretty self-perpetuating because the canon needs to be fixed and there's lots of AUs to put them in. Plus there are so many talented people whose art, video edits, and fanfic fuel each other.

2) Which authors inspire you in your fandom, and why are they so freakishly good?

Following the answer above I think the beauty of Supercorp is that it attracts really talented creators. I love reading @searidings, @jazzfordshire's fix-its and canon-adjacent stuff, @lgbtimelords, @coffeeshib, @mycatismyeditor, and @snowydragonscave just to name a few. They have such a deftness of language and an understanding of the characters that it's hard to stop reading!

3) Aside from the characters of your main ship, who are the characters you love to write?

I really love Sam Arias, Jess, and Alex. I wish I could get a better handle on Kelly because DANSEN forever. I also have a soft spot for Eliza and a deliciously evil liking for Lillian.

4) Are there pairings or tropes you know for sure you'd never write about? Which ones?

Karamel, Lames, Top Lena, Bottom Kara. To each their own. It's just not my thing.

5) What is your writing process and why is it cursed?

Carry around a little notebook to scribble ideas, lines, sometimes whole scenes. Figure out a rough outline / structure / plot. Do unnecessary amounts of research. Open doc file. Plunge into dismay and self-doubt. Watch the show. Get frustrated. Open the doc file. Be filled with despair and self-loathing. Get a blast of inspiration and productivity. Cycle through mental instability, writer's block, and actual writing. Get dragged by Kara and Lena to unanticipated places that derails what I intended to do. Sighing and doing what the muses want. The elation of completion. Struggling with summaries and tags. Posting. Crippling anxiety and running away from AO3. Lather, rinse, repeat.

6) What is your favorite part of your writing process?

The elation of completion. The unnecessary research is fun too.

7) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research for a fic?

Cherry tree mutations and the structure of yakuza organizations in modern Japan.

8) Is there a particular writing rule you struggle with (grammar, spelling, tense, reality in general)?

Different tenses in the same document. Also it's and its.

9) What was your hardest scene to write so far and why?

Describing Kara's post-PZ night terrors and Lena’s fever dreams in Deliverance. Also the action sequence at the end of that story was so difficult.

10) Have your characters ever done something you didn’t expect, changing your plot completely?

ALL THE TIME.

11) If you could converse with any of the characters, who would it be and why?

Both of them. After I come to my senses and out of a dead faint because I was meeting them at all. And then I would die of sapphication.

12) What are some of the tropes or themes that you find yourself returning to in your writing?

Oh my usual tags are: light angst, tooth-rotting fluff, friends-to-lovers, Lena needs a hug, Kara gets a hug.

13) What's your most important resource as a writer?

Talking with other writers!

14) Can you share some of your strategies for editing and revising your work?

I usually give it some time before I edit so I can have relatively fresh eyes. Spell checking, punctuation, and grammar suggestions help you catch things but NOTHING beats reading it over yourself.

15) Which is worse: making the summary, picking the tags, or the anxiety when you post your fic?

Definitely the anxiety!!!

16) How do you define sucess for your fanfic - hits? Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? Or just if you like it?

I think it's good to track kudos and I love getting comments. But ultimately I wrote for my enjoyment or for my peace of mind because the idea would not let me go.

17) Do you have a playlist for your favorite character / ship?

Nope but that's not a bad idea. 🤔

18) If fan art was going to be made from your work, which fic would you pick and which fan artist would you like to create it?

Wow I'd be thrilled if any of them got art. I am partial to the way @rustingcat draws Sakura blossoms though so maybe Cat for No Wrong Seasons.

19) How many WIPs do you currently have?

8 total. Finishing "the Arcana", "The Sound of Veracity" (Part 2), Prequel and Smutilogue of "Always With Me, Always With You", Supercorptober 2023 "Art" prompt, SG Mayhem fic, the Telepathy/Empathy fic, the Body Swap fic.

20) What's your advice to new fanfic writers?

I posted my first Supercorp story in March 2023 feeling it would be completely lost in this large fandom and having no hope for it. I felt that I was too late. That everything had been done (and done better). I did find readers who liked and some who really loved my work. But mostly I learned to write for myself, which has truly been a gift. Write for yourself. Write what you'd want to see. You'll get better at it over time.

Tagging but no pressure: @fyonahmacnally @nottawriter @chaotic-super @luthordamnvers @fazedlight

[campbyler]

can i ask what your guys’ writing style is? like how you write or plan for big fics like this?

hi!! thank you for this question! (some minor-ish CH2 SPOILERS INCOMING BTW so if you haven’t read it yet i suggest coming back to it once you have!)

the three of us all have a tendency to Overwrite so much, and andi and thea have outlined their fics extensively in the past, but i (suni) only started doing so in the last few months and it was because of this fic! we did so so so much planning before ever starting to write, even all the way back when we first conceptualized this fic in january. we have maybe three or four different versions of the outline, a whole document to organize what songs we’re choosing for each chapter to put on the playlist, an entire google slides presentation of the timeline in order to keep track of it LOL so there has definitely been very meticulous planning that we’ve put a lot of time into! our earliest version of the outline looked something like the first pic fkwjdkwk (thea was in the trenches. andi was Stressed about the outline. i was sitting back laughing my ass off)

and the second two are from our current working outline that we are at this very moment using as we write (ft some Key Plot Moments for you). we have all 15 chapters of the fic outlined like so and already had them outlined for a while before even starting! that way there’s no confusion among the three of us over what happens when and where and to whom. since we all planned the fic together and have a good idea of the flow of events (barring individual scene choices and stuff ofc) we usually start writing the chapter once the person before us is a reasonable way through — that way, there’s enough for us to work with so we have content to reference from the previous chapter, but it’s early enough to get a head start so we (hopefully) don’t get too backed up!

basically, it’s a really long fic with a lot of lore and a lot of Events and we needed to keep track of it. so we wrote it all down. we also have a google doc for everything. biiiiig fans of shared google docs. yes, this did all take months. lol. yes we are very proud of ourselves. hehe 🤸 thank you for this question! feel free to hit us up for more writing process related inquiries anytime, we’d love to talk to you guys about it!!

[aoxue]

Fic Writer Q & A

Via @heyholmesletsgo ! Thanks for the tag! <3

How many wips do you have currently?

Excluding notes and brief scribblings, and counting just projects I've written a substantial amount for? Literally 30. About half of those have seen new writing/edits in the last six months, if we want to define some kind of "active" status.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish?

Clearly, I struggle to finish my fics broadly 🙃 But I have been fighting tooth and nail with one story for an upcoming zine, and I can't put my finger on why! It's not long or complicated, but it's just been an utter slough to write up. Apart from that, probably Come Back Alive, my Appalachian horror spin on Yi City, just because that one IS quite long and complicated. It's been three and a half years in the works, and I'm still trying to stick the landing in terms of climax and resolution.

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

Depends on the sort of inspiration! If a story concept or an idea for a plot point hits me, I'll try to throw it into a document or on a private discord server I have that's expressly for this kind of brainstorming. Other times, a particular line might come to me, and I'll try to capture that in a similar fashion, but that might get me writing for several hours. Inspiration might come from a movie or a TV show, or very often from music.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

Not for every fic, but for the bigger projects, yes! I have about 7 fic playlists between WIPs and fics I've actually posted. Like I said, I often get inspiration from songs, so I like gathering those in one place. My playlists tend to be 1) repositories for songs that already are/could be inspiration for the plot, relationships, or setting (this is especially true for AUs that are far removed from canon!) and/or 2) mixes I can put on the background as I write that can put me in the right headspace/atmosphere without distracting me. Other times I need quiet, or generic instrumentals, or ambient soundscapes -- it all depends.

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized?

I need to be organized when I write, or I will get frustrated because I can't make sense of what I'm doing with the plot. "Balls to the wall," for me, typically leads to some really pretty paragraphs, or a good, scene, but I'm not all that much closer to a coherent, finished story. I get stuck in the "edit as you write" habit really easily. So I need a roadmap to keep me on track, definitely, and I also need to work on throwing out rougher first drafts.

Tagging anyone who feels like it :)

[pathogenic]

Vampire the Masquerade Questions for Anabell, Harriet, Cali, and Jules

I. ESSENTIALS

1. What name did they go by as a Kine, and what name do they go by now? Why and how did they choose this name, if it’s different?

Anabell - It's no different than the one she has now - she has always been Anabell Blaines, she will die Anabell Blaines. She would only pick up a new name if she starts to live for a little too long (but so far, this has not happened).

Harriet - Harriet is much the same, but it would take a lot more for her to pick up a new name. She'll just say she was named after her mother if things get too long.

Cali - Cali's fun - he's had this nickname his entire life, but I did toy with the idea that once he's lived long enough (and if his humanity continues to drop), that he'd be Nero to those he doesn't know. They don't get that familiarity.

Jules - Jules picked this name for themselves prior to death. Works well since it isn't documented anywhere. They're not parting with it any time soon, thanks.

2. What year were they born (or how old would they be in life), and what age do they appear? What age do they feel?

This is where I have to admit that my bookkeeping for my vampires and their ages is very weak!

Anabell - Anabell would have been born in the 40s as she was in her 20s when the 60s rolled around. During this time she was a party girl and definitely was big in the hippie scene. It wasn't until the 70s that she had her crisis and worked to become a priest, then in the 80s she was Embraced. So she appears to be in her early 40s, but she should be pushing 80 by now. She still feels pretty young.

Harriet - Harriet would have been in the start of her 30s when she was Embraced, and she's only been Kindred for a few years. She doesn't feel that different from when she died just yet.

Cali - Cali would have been born around 92, and I'd have to double check my notes to see if he was embraced 2014 (We have the luxury of real dates here, ST is that organized and I'm in awe still). He was 22 when he died, so by now, he would be 32. He certainly looks like he could pass for being older than he is, which is his saving grace right now. This won't be the case for much longer and boy is he aware of it. Cali is my youngest Embrace.

Jules - Okay so by my math, the game Jules is set in is in the year 2000, Jules have been Kindred for about 3-ish years at that point, so they were embraced roughly 1997. By then Jules would be starting to hit their thirties, so they would be born between 1967-1970. By now they would be hitting their 50s in 2024, and certainly doesn't feel it.

3. Which Clan do they belong to? How do they feel about their Clan?

Anabell - Anabell is a Brujah! She matches the idealist portion of her Clan very well as she is very passionate about the idea of salvation and the fact that folks can be redeemed. She doesn't like the iconoclast portion of her clan and finds them all to be ruffians with nothing better to do than to cause problems. Her emotions run hot and she can have a difficult time keeping a lid on them during tense moments making her Very Brujah.

Harriet - Harriet is a Ventrue. So far her main exposure to the clan is her husband, Frederick, and the Prince of London, Mithras, so her opinion of them is incredibly skewed. She feels like she has some very big shoes to fill and is doing her best to live up to the examples provided to her. No doubt once she meets some more Ventrues and sees some more... tame examples, she will flourish in this clan just fine.

Cali - Look at him. Look at his personality. This man is a Toreador who should have been a Ventrue, but my god doesn't he make one hell of a Toreador? His general opinion of the clan is rather good since both Frankie and Callum are Toreadors as well. True there are some horrid people in the clan that he'd rather not acknowledge, but he rather likes his clan. He wouldn't say that out loud however.

Jules - Jules is Caitiff and would be the first to tell you that this shit sucks. 0/10, do not do this. They're constantly being picked on for this fact and they're not trusted by most Kindred. This shit is NOT fun.

4. Which Predator type do they most align with and why?

Anabell - She is an Osiris predator type! She feeds off of her own congregation because that is what was easy to do. They trust her, and she doesn't think she is hurting them since the Kiss seems to feel good. She is a natural leader and it is very easy to keep them in line so no one blabs (She is... very good with Presence, whether she likes to admit it or not)

Harriet - She is a Scene Queen that feeds from her own occult circles. She liked to invite them over for seances and other scary events. When the lights are low, it's not hard to sneak in a little nibble - plus it adds to the atmosphere! Do those girls even know they really are in a room with a monster? That's her fun little secret.

Cali - Oh this is a fun one, he was a Scene Queen who worked hipster bars and would start bar fights if he was caught being a little too on the nose, but now? Well, now Cali is an Extortionist who learned that by working with Finlay (who went from Sandman to Trapdoor), he can coerce folks into letting him take blood and not saying a word about it. To be fair, with the way he hunted previously where he'd single out someone who looked like an easy target and then abandon them somewhere for others to clean up, he was already heading down this path.

Jules - Jules is presently a Bagger. Due to how much they unsettle others and the fact that they're just... not comfortable with this whole Kiss ordeal, they find it a lot easier to just buy blood from their buddy Broseph. Of course, they'll come to discover that this won't work forever and that their wallet DOES have a bottom...

5. Who Sired them, and into what Generation were they Sired? What’s their relationship with their Sire like, and what were the circumstances of their Embrace?

Anabell - Her name is Shirley and she was a prostitute from the 1800s out in Texas when the cattle trade was huge. Anabell is 11th generation Brujah. Shirley had selected Anabell for the Embrace because she discovered that she had True Faith.

Shirley WANTS to live again and thought that maybe if she pushed Anabell and tested her faith, she could get her to the point where she could turn the undead back into living beings. If it worked - well, Anabell could revive herself and then Shirley and they could be done with this whole thing! No harm, no foul.

Except it didn't work, and Anabell lost her faith. They both resent each other for this. Shirley did the bare minimum as a Sire afterwards, and Anabell had to figure out how to live on her own, which fucked her up because hey. This is her mother again, isn't it?

Harriet - Her husband is her sire, and iirc she is an 12th generation Ventrue, but I would need to double check. She was Embraced partially because she wanted to be (due to her fascination with what her husband is), but also because she was a danger since she did snoop and found out more than she should have.

She is blood bound to her husband, so she cannot act against him easily. She is aware that he is not the best person ever, but well, she still loves him because she has to, and she's not about to be a bad wife. That would be a bad, terrible stain on her reputation.

Cali - Cali was embraced by the ex-Prince of Glasgow, Alex. He is a 10th generation Toreador. Their relationship is... Woof. Cali initially liked her a lot because she was his ticket to success. He worked hard to please her and to provide her with the art pieces she wanted to gentrify Glasgow. He was her ghoul for awhile.

The problem is Cali is not a romantic guy, he has fallen in love with exactly one person both in life and death, and it was not Alex. He could never be the object of fascination that she wanted. When he was Embraced, it was rushed, panicked, and sloppy.

Cali soon found that he chaffed under the Camarilla. How could he be the Childe of the Prince and be nobody at all? This caused them to have frequent spats before Cali finally fucked off and then his friend Frankie was Embraced instead. He still has a very sour relationship with Alex and refuses to have much of anything to do with her.

Jules - Jules doesn't know their sire, nor their generation, not that that matters. They just know that when trying to figure out what happened to Lloyd, they got too close and someone took care of them after that. Now here they are.

6. What level of Humanity are they? Has this changed over the years they’ve been dead?

Anabell - She is at Humanity 7 and does everything she can to keep it that way. She does not want to become a real monster and she wants to make sure she can always go back to being human (nevermind the fact that you need Humanity 10 for that - I know it, she doesn't)

Harriet - Currently she is at Humanity 7, though ideally she should be closer to Humanity 6. She is not very humane when it comes to more Kine and is eager to let go of her humanity. I'm sure this will be normal and fine.

Cali - My boy is at Humanity 5. He's brutal, pure and simple, and that willingness to step on others and his methods for hunting has caused him to get more detatched from his humanity. Plus killing and Embracing his ghoul didn't help any...

Jules - Humanity 7. Rather in touch with people and does their best to keep it that way, even if they're a little unnerving to be around.

7. Which Disciplines do they possess, and which do they favor using?

Anabell - Presence, Dominate, Potence. Best discipline is Presence, though it is tied with Potence right now. Best ability is Spark of Rage.

Harriet - Dominate, Presence, Fortitude. Best discipline is Dominate, best ability is Cloud Memory (she's baby right now). Wants Auspex.

Cali - Wide spread actually... Presence, Dominate, Auspex, Fortitude. Best discipline is tied between Presence and Fortitude. Best ability is Toughness. Got Fortitude by swapping blood with his partner, Finlay (Hecata).

Jules - Auspex, Obfuscate, and Potence. Best discipline is Obfuscate. Best ability is Prowess. More dots in Obfuscate to hide and steal, but uses Prowess more to keep coteriemates safe.

8. Who are their Touchstones, if any?

I'll do one each since I find that is the best way to do Touchstones is to have A person who represents that character's humanity. (Thanks Von)

Anabell - That would be Father Ryan. He is a very non-judgemental guy and was the first real friend Anabell made since she started her new work. He is very kind and open and that is what she aspires to be.

Harriet - Her butler Ellis fits the bill here. He has been something of a father figure since hers left her life. He is dedicated, loyal, and very kind towards her. She would be very lost without him.

Cali - His lawyer, ha. He was supposed to go to college to work for Mr. Morcambe, but life changed for him and he decided to drop out and go to art school instead. He still keeps in touch with Mr. Morcambe for... reasons. (He is a troublemaker.)

Jules - Mr. Boshaw - he runs a lot of the local venues, so Jules keeps in touch with him to make sure Lloyd's radio show has accurate information on upcoming shows. They love Mr. Boshaw's jovial, playful demeanor. Helps keep them light as well.

9. What are their Convictions (moral opinions and standings they hold fast to)?

Anabell - Keep to the Commandments, Seek forgiveness whenever possible.

Harriet - Keep your hand hidden and a smile on your face, Curiosity is the most important part of life

Cali - Never be poor again, Be prepared to step on others to get ahead in life

Jules - The most important thing in life is to have fun, Keep those closest to you safe and stand your ground.

10. Do they belong to any sect or are they independent?

Camarilla - Anabell Blaines, Jules Guillory, Harriet Berkeley

Sabbat - For one game, Anabell was converted to the Sabbat

Anarch - Nero "Cali" Ramsay

II. LIFE

1. What did they do (as a career or in general) before they were Embraced?

Anabell - She was a priest for an Anglican church.

Harriet - She was a housewife.

Cali - An artist in resident doing public works of art.

Jules - Ran a record store and a radio show with their partner.

2. Do they still have mortal family or friends, or descendants of those people? Who were they closest to during life, and is there anyone they’ve contacted after their Embrace?

Anabell - Well, functionally yes, she would still consider herself to be a friend to Father Ryan, but they lost touch, and now she knows she would definitely register as wrong to him since they're getting on in years and she has not aged. She doesn't keep in contact with her family, but she does keep in touch with those that attend her church. She hasn't reached out to anyone else from her life since her death. Most are starting to die off at this point anyways.

Harriet - She is still very much attached to her mortal life. She keeps in touch with those that she holds social gatherings with and pretend to be alive, she still is in touch with her mother, and she had no kids of her own (Frederick was already dead when they met thus they could not conceive). She is going to have a very hard time when she needs to break these contacts.

Cali - Mixed bag. A lot of those hew as close to in life in Glasgow are also dead now, so that does make it harder to stay human. Most of his mortal contacts now are business related, or he knows them second hand through Finlay. He has been in contact with his family, but that is very light and he is starting to realize he needs to break that kind of soon. He's a little hesitant because he worries how they'll handle his "death".

Jules - Jules still has a lot of contacts from life, specifically from the music scene. They weren't really that close to anyone beyond Lloyd, so they aren't too worried about how their mortal life pushes in on their Kindred life. They'll burn that bridge when they get there. Since they weren't close to their family at all, that was an easy one to toss.

3. What were their hobbies, skills, and interests?

Anabell - She likes music and collects vinyls that she likes to play in her apartment, but she also sews, she embroiders, she loves to read, she loves debate. Those are her kinds of things.

Harriet - She would love calligraphy if she had given it a shot, but she loves writing and making things look pretty in that regard. She loves the occult and would often participate in various seances and she would carry out her own investigations. This is also another one who was an avid reader.

Cali - Huge sci-fi nerd, but will never own up to it. Like he has a collection still, but keeps it hidden because he'd rather folks didn't know how much of a nerd he really is. He also liked video games and board games, but stopped playing them almost all together since he died.

Jules - Beyond music and going to concerts, Jules has a good mechanical sense. They like taking things apart and putting them back together. They do a lot of DIY as a result.

4. Did they have any vices, addictions, or mental illnesses? Which carried over into death?

Anabell - She is... better at lying than she likes and isn't above using it to help herself out. She wouldn't consider herself really dependent on anything, but her lying habits did follow into death. She also has a hyperfixation problem that definitely followed in.

Harriet - She obsesses and hyper fixates, and that definitely followed into death. She is also rather easily paranoid and all this vampire business has only validated those anxieties.

Cali - Given how I play him, he has ADHD for sure and his Toreador-ness has only made it worse. The man is prone to fixating on a project hard and not really stopping for anything or anyone. He also is fairly restless and lacks much of a filter.

Jules - Jules has honest to god depression and will not seek aid for this. This followed into death, but they have difficulties with motivation and finding the will to do a lot of things, but everyone gets like that - right?

5. What were they most afraid of in life? How has this changed?

Anabell - To be condemned and damned, and becoming Kindred has made this like 10x worse, so it became a central point to her character.

Harriet - She mostly feared an uncertain future and failing the expectations people have of her. This has not changed in death as she feels she still has to play the role of The Good Wife to Frederick.

Cali - Stagnation, death, finding out everyone was right about him being a failure. This is what drives him to aim higher and higher and higher. Icarus type character.

Jules - Isolation. Losing Lloyd is what pushed them to their death, and they fear it happening again, and now there are more Kindred they are attached to. It's getting scary for them!

6. What were their goals and ambitions in life? How has this changed?

Anabell - Simply put, Anabell wanted to help others and to ease their suffering. If she can make sure someone in her congregation doesn't go through the same hell she did growing up, she'll consider that a success. Now it has become saving others to saving herself as she gets older.

Harriet - She wanted to be a good wife, but she also wanted to know more about the supernatural world. Now that she's in, she can really start to dig deeper and deeper. She wants to be a scholar in her own right by the looks of things. I should get her into Noddism, truly.

Cali - He still has something to prove. He has his degree, he has put out works that people can recognize. Now he wants to be a name, he wants to be an artist people just know. Now in death, there is still that drive, but he wants to be someone in charge, someone calling the shots. He wants to be a big dog here.

Jules - Mostly, Jules didn't have a lot of ambition. They're kind of content where they were, running a shop with their partner, just surviving. In death, they're mostly concerned with protecting their coterie, but they also are starting to wonder what eternity looks like for them. What the fuck do they want to achieve? Is it enough to just live?

7. Did they follow any religion or spiritual paths in life? How did that change when they died, if at all?

Anabell - Anglican in life and death, though lost her True Faith ability because she views herself as being abandoned by God. She wants to get back and she wants to be redeemed, but is that possible for her? She doesn't know and the answer scares the shit out of her.

Harriet - She's Protestant, but doesn't really practice. She can talk the talk if anyone looks at her too closely, but is she really a good Christian? Ehhh... She goes to church sometimes - what more do you want?

Cali - Presbyterian in name only. Doesn't attend church, doesn't really follow any teachings, but if you asked, that's his best guess, otherwise he'd say that it really isn't for him.

Jules - Full on atheist. Not interested in religion in life, not about to start in death.

8. When they were Embraced, what was the aftermath like? Did they fake their death, do their loved ones think they went missing, etc.?

None have gone so far as to fake their death yet and many of them, as mentioned above, do have contact with friends and/or family prior to death. Some like Cali have claimed to develop a disease, so they cannot be in the sunlight anymore and work mostly in the nighttime.

Anabell would be the one closest to ending her mortal life and finding a way to either remake herself or start building a network so she can dodge the public. Cali realizes that he's going to have to do this soon, but he has time. Jules doesn't really see that mattering yet, and Harriet is quite frankly too young to even worry about it, Kindred wise.

III. DEATH

1. What have they spent most of their years as a Kindred doing?

Anabell - Mostly, she has been working at her church and trying to keep a low profile. In the Houston campaign, she was helping resolve an Infernalist issue, and for the Tucson one, she has been picked up by the Sabbat and is working on going more towards the Orthodoxy.

Harriet - She's joined a coterie against her husbands wishes because it has been demanded of her. She is looking into weird supernatural occurrences around London, primarily she is looking into a series of murders that have a primary suspect being a local Kindred.

Cali - Oh, you know, overthrowing the Camarilla in Glasgow. Normal things. Mostly he is part of the source of a lot of political instability in the area because he's trying to shape things the way he wants them to be. Alarmingly successful little brat at it too.

Jules - Mostly investigating a weird event in New Orleans that caused all the local Kindred and some Kine to frenzy. They also spend a lot of time working on that stolen Jeep for some reason. They really, really like that damn thing.

2. What’s the entire lineage of their bloodline, from them all the way back to their Clan’s Antediluvian? Is there anything in particular that they and their grandsires all had in common?

The only one that has anything interesting going on here is Cali. Frankie is currently looking into this, and since they have the same sire, what's true for them is true for Cali as well, so stay tuned. I just know that he has a fascinating Toreador line.

I don't know about his grandsires, but I do know that Cali has a weird theme of cycles around him as he was ghouled by Alex, was Embraced as a rush part, and his relationship soured and he defected. Lo and behold, his Childe Daniel has a very similar story going on.

3. How do they adapt to the changing times around them? Do they still uphold values, styles, or other things from the past?

Anabell - She is getting antiquated. Her mannerism, her slang, her fashion, it's all getting older and she finds herself out of place. It's what is making her really worry about what she'll be doing and where she'll be soon enough.

Harriet - Has not been dead long enough to even start thinking about this.

Cali - He's not really out of date, mercifully. Once that happens, he's going to be floored. To be fair though, Cali has always been something of a grandpa compared to his peers so he might adapt just fine, actually. He makes retro work.

Jules - They look like majority of their generation right now, so they aren't too worried. Once that population ages though, they might be in trouble. Still, they keep up with local metal scenes and they feel that they can adapt. Time will tell if they're right.

4. Do they have a coterie? What position do they take in that group, if so? Otherwise, do they have any notable Kindred (or other creatures) friends?

Anabell - She sure did! She was the political leader there and often lead the discussions with important figures. She did, however, sell them all out to hunters that promised they could turn her human and she got shot in the back of the head and killed for it! :D

As for the Tucson game, she is an SPC, but she is now tied to the actual pack of that game as one of the player characters, Penny, is shaping her up to be a Bishop.

Harriet - She is part of a coterie and plays more of a specialist role. She is their tie to high society and their in for more upper class places, but mostly she provides her knowledge on occult happenings in the city.

Cali - Cali is kind of the tactician of the group? I'd love to say he's the muscle, but to be frank, Finlay fills that role better. Cali does a lot of planning and takes a lot of hits for everyone. He's a somewhat smart punching-bag.

Jules - They're mostly the one who sneaks around and does some underhanded work. When it comes to it, though, they're one hell of a tank alongside Lloyd. They liked to make sure no one gets hurt.

5. Which of their Clan’s stereotypes apply to them? Which do they act against, or embody the opposite of?

Anabell - She is a very emotional character, and this makes her easier to rile up, falling in line with the typical image of a Brujah. She falls very well into the Idealist group of Brujah and has grand visions for herself, but not necessarily Kindred as a whole. Still, she is not the rebel punk that you imagine when you hear Brujah!

Harriet - She's high class, she is very well put together, she would probably do just fine in a board meeting, she likes things to be orderly. In that respect, she is a proper Ventrue. However, she is so invested in magic and mystery that she would have made a much better Tremere.

Cali - Insufferable artist, but he doesn't match the whole idea of the pretty flirt Toreador that the books like to present. He's rude, he doesn't keep up with his appearance as much as others in his clan, he is not going to mesh with the high class parties associated with the clan. Still, he would have made a fine Ventrue with his lust for power and desire to rule.

Jules - Caitiff so heyo.

6. How do they feel about the Antitribu of their Clan?

Non-applicable. None of them have met Antitribu.

7. Have they Embraced anyone? Ghouled anyone?

Anabell - Had a ghoul once to keep a character safe so he didn't get killed by the Camarilla. I don't consider this to really be a part of her canon anymore though. :0 No Embraces!

Harriet - She has considered ghouling Ellis, but decided against it as she would like to man to have an end to his days, he deserves that much.

Cali - YES. He had a Ghoul named Daniel who he kept to basically help promote his art and secure gallery deals, but he ate him and turned him into another Toreador. Oops!

Jules - No and frankly really hates the idea of ghouling, much less changing anyone.

8. Do they prowl, or is there a city they permanently reside in?

Anabell - Primarily was in Houston. For the Sabbat game, she moved to Tucson.

Harriet - Lives in London, unlikely to move any time soon.

Cali - Primarily lives in Glasgow, due to circumstances in a game, he might be moving Edinburgh, but he hopes that is not permanent.

Jules - Is from Portland, moved to New Orleans.

9. What’s their haven like?

Anabell - It is a small 1 bed, 1 bath. She has a cross wall like any good Texan that she likes to routinely shuffle around. Her furniture is mostly dated and definitely has a retro 80s kind of feel to them. She has a prized gramophone that she likes to use from time to time, but she does have a more modern record player as well. It feels very homely and welcoming.

Harriet - Shares an estate with her husband. It is nice and has plenty of decorations, but the estate feels very cold. Her mother usually stays, but she also has her own smaller home that she goes back to from time to time. Pretty much envision the most stereotypical posh Victorian home and you got it.

Cali - Used to live in an apartment that was referred to as Casa de Arse by Frankie and Callum (Cali refused the name for the longest time). It's nice enough and it is decently furnished, but it was rather clear a bunch of 20-somethings lived here with how spare it was decorated. Cali also sun-proofed the place, so the windows are a little sketchy.

Since then though, he moved into the Tower with Finlay. There he has a small apartment and helps run the pub there, mostly being a bouncer when there is trouble. One of the floors has been converted into a studio for him to work in, and that part looks like a bomb went off between his small-scale stone works and clay works. He doesn't do big-scale projects here as it would be impossible to move around.

Jules - They also have a small apartment that is mostly trashed as Jules is not very good at this whole "cleaning" business, but they do try. Since their death though, they find it is a lot easier to keep the place nice. Mostly full of clothes, CDs, a TV, some sheets on both a bed and a couch, things like that.

They also have a bunker under the record store in case him and Lloyd lose track of time. They made it the greatest 70s abomination possible complete with shitty shag carpet. There is a TV with a game console and a boombox down there along with a cot. It's hideous.

10. Do they believe they are descended from Caine, or do they follow a different path?

None of them really go down this path at all, but Anabell can certainly be convinced. She is the only one who is close to this ideology.

If Harriet knew it existed, she would certainly gobble this up as well...

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Anabell - For her Camarilla game, that is a solid no, you don't do this. For the Sabbat, you probably shouldn't, but really she is coming around to the idea... She could probably diablerize some folks and get away with it. Rather keen on the idea of having someone with you forever, but hates the fast that she could lose herself if they win.

Harriet - Not interested, and not super aware of it's existence either. Once she knows of it though, I can't see her being too keen on trying it.

Cali - On paper? He'd say that it's a shit idea. If it was presented to him and he knew it would probably up his chances to be stronger? He'd do it. He's tough, he'd win (probably not).

Jules - Hell no. They're technically in a Vaulderie (long story), but they won't do anything beyond that.

12. Regardless of whether or not they adhere to Camarilla rule, have they ever broken any of the Traditions?

Anabell - Actually, she's rather good at keeping to these. She kind of thrives with rules to play in. The only one I can see her committing is breaking the Rule of Destruction. If she felt someone was out of line and the Camarilla was too slow to act, then she'll be the hand of God here.

Harriet - Another one who is rather good at this. She would probably break the Rules of Hospitality by accident as she might feel it is more important that they come to her.

Cali - Ha. Smashed the rules of Domain and Progeny. Fuck your territory, and by the way, new Toreador in town.

Jules - Would knowingly break the Rules of Hospitality. Fuck you, you don't need to know that they're in town. They don't care to play kiss ass to a Prince like that.

13. Do they believe in Gehenna? How do they feel about Thin-bloods, and do they believe they’re a sign of the end times?

None really believe in Gehenna and believe it all to be bullshit. None feel particularly strong about Thin-Bloods. If anything, Cali is rather warm to them due to Sorcha. He likes to give her grief, but he rather enjoys having her around.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Anabell - Has indeed had a fear frenzy and a hunger frenzy. The second is how she discovers her cool flaw Stigmata - so once she is hungry enough, she begins to show the wounds of Christ. Which. Did freak her out a lot.

Cali - Yes! The first time he met Finlay, Finlay ended up stabbing him in the throat. During the recovery of this incident, he went into a hunger frenzy and ate Daniel. :)

The other two have not had any notably frenzies.

IV. SECTS & NON-CAINITES

What do they think about…

1. …the Camarilla?

Anabell - It is order, it is the only thing that makes sense in this undead life as they are trying to make sure they don't rock the boat too much. When converting to the Sabbat, she thinks they are blind to the larger picture. They serve old Kindred instead of God and they cannot see that these old Kindred are trouble.

Harriet - It's all she knows so far, but she likes the order they provide. Surely without the Camarilla, all Kindred would be wild and they would be wiped out by Hunters and then what!? Her adventures and her exploration would be over!

Cali - Old farts that don't know how to change their ways even if they tried. He doesn't mind the Camarilla per se, but come on, you have to be older than everyone there to make decisions? Christ, no one needs to hold his hand and make his decisions for him, thanks.

Jules - It sucks, but they suppose it works. They are keeping an open mind to other possible routes though.

2. …the Anarch movement?

Anabell - She gets it, but she thinks they're unorganized and that their infighting is just going to cause larger issues. She doesn't ever really see herself joining their fight as she would much rather spend her time doing something more productive than arguing about structures and who should lead.

Harriet - The moment she meets them, I know she's just going to think they're a bunch of malcontents wailing about nothing because they aren't the ones in charge. She doesn't think they would even know what to do with themselves if they had the power they keep crying for. Pathetic in her eyes.

Cali - It's the only way to be. It's fluid, which allows them to adapt to the times and to keep up with the world. It allows for young Kindred to actually contribute something. Old Kindred might know a thing or two about survival, but what do they know about the modern age? He also sees it as an opportunity to get that power he wants.

Jules - They'd almost go for them, but damn, the ones that they met were just a bunch of wanna-be punks with no greater ideas other than "we gotta stick it to the man!" Is that really the best they can do? They're almost embarrassed to be seen with them.

3. …the Sabbat?

Anabell - She used to think they were a bunch of brainwashed idiots who was marching forward in a death cult, but since joining them, she found there is more structure and order than she originally gave them credit for. She rather likes their view on being vampires and finds herself agreeing with their theology.

Harriet - She won't like them when she meets them and would share the sentiments with Anabell about them being a death cult. Who cares if they have political leaders? Have you seen the way they treat the lowest rung? They're nothing more than fodder for the older Cainites to play with.

Cali - Has never actually encountered any Sabbat, but would find them to be insufferable.

Jules - They keep picking up young Kindred in New Orleans and turning them out to do stupid things to fuck with the Camarilla. So they find them annoying. Plus they wrecked their record shop at one point, so fuck them.

V. CLANS

What do they think about…

1. …Clan Banu Haqim?

Only Anabell has met anyone from the Banu Haqim. Her and her coterie rescued him from a Tzimisce home. She is rather impressed by the one she met and enjoyed talking with him since he was a very polite fellow. She would like to know more about the clan and what they do.

2. …Clan Brujah?

Anabell - Oh, some are just fine and are actually nice Kindred to speak with. They're a passionate lot and that can be used to do a lot of good, but some are nothing more than punks who want to be angry at everything. She doesn't care much for those Brujah.

Harriet - The ones she have seen seem to have a chip on their shoulder against her. She doesn't care much for their rebellious nature, but some are perfectly reasonable folks. As a whole though, she'd rather avoid them.

Cali - His only real encounter with the Brujah have been through a Scourge named Miss Drake that turned him into a CapriSun at one point. They're a rather scary, brutish lot to him.

Jules - Rather fond of the Brujah, given that Lloyd is one. They're a fun crowd that really knows how to party. They'd probably want to be a Brujah if they had the choice.

3. …Clan Gangrel?

Anabell - Doesn't know too many Gangrel, but the ones she know are quiet and reserved types. They're brutal, but they get the job done. She doesn't like nor dislike them, but she doesn't go out of her way to do much with the Clan.

Harriet - The man Gangrel she know is a coterie member named Selena. So far her impressions are they are a very removed sort, but they're really good at their jobs within the Camarilla. She can respect that.

Cali - He got intimidated to hell by a Gangrel. 0/10, doesn't like them much.

Jules - Eh, they're the wild clan right? The ones he knows don't really like to work with the Camarilla much and would much rather just lead their Kindred lives away from the political nonsense. They can dig it.

4. …Clan Hecata (or their predecessor clans, Giovanni and Cappadocian)?

The only one that has had any real contact with the Hecata is Cali and good god is he in love. Cali never cared for magical bullshit before, but seeing Finlay perform Necromancy changed his mind real quick. He likes working for the Hecata and, if he could, he would genuinely try to get in with them, even knowing all the family and political bullshit that goes on within the family.

5. …Clan Lasombra?

Anabell - After getting in with the Sabbat, she rather likes the Lasombra and finds that she has something in common with this clan. She doesn't care for the Social Darwinism that is the core part of the clan, but the strong contemplation on self and what they are is very in line with her.

Jules - Hates them simply because they know it was a Lasombra that's stalking them and fucking things up for them. They know their store was hit by a Lasombra and ooooh when they catch them...

6. …Clan Malkavian?

Anabell - A source of many headaches. She is used to wrangling Malkavians. It's not their fault that they are insane due to their Clan curse, but please stop giving her the most insane visions and making her go on goose chases. She's about to lose it.

Harriet - She rather likes them and would like to meet some more. Quincy, the main Malkavian she knows, is rather kind and seems to see the world better than she can. She wishes she could see the world through their eyes sometimes. What is it like to hear your other clanmates all the time? What's it like to know things you shouldn't?

Cali - Troublesome lot that have a knack for melting his friend's brains. There was a Malkavian Baron that they blew up because she melted Callum's brain. Chez is a new member of the Wild Roses who is a Malk, so his opinion may change because Chez is starting to both impress and scare Cali.

Jules - They're fine, they just are dealing with a really weird clan curse that they cannot even begin to understand how frustrating it is. Both of his Malkavian party members are under their wing at this point. Vala is young and inexperienced and doesn't know how to cope with being a Malk yet, Natalie is just fascinated by the dead, it's not like they can boast that they're in in a much better mental state. They honestly think everyone else is too hard on the Malks.

7. …Clan Ministry (Followers of Set)?

Cali doesn't trust them. The only one he knows if Felicia King and she is a very slimy character. She's honest, but she is still very manipulative. He keeps his contact with them to a minimum. He's very glad that Frankie did not join her cult...

8. …Clan Nosferatu?

Anabell - Firmly believes that the clan is full of tricksters at this point. Every Nosferatu she has ever met has been a complete and utter troll of some kind. Has a theory that they're doing this on purpose to fuck with her, and to be fair, she is partially right. They do think it is fun to work her up.

Harriet - Quick to judge them, really. They look repulsive, they don't like to play nice with other Kindred majority of the time. Still, they have their uses, so there is no sense in tossing them out...

Cali - The only one he knows is Foghat and he was a weird dude. Nothing inherently harmful about him, though. Just odd.

Jules - They're completely convinced that they have to be the most humane of all Kindred. This might be the nicest clan to them since they were uncovered to be Caitiff. Sure they're weird and rather eccentric, but that's not a bad thing. They rather enjoy working with the Nossies.

9. …Clan Ravnos?

Harriet only knows Riley so far and finds the clan to be troublesome, but dangerously fun. Every time she works with Riley, she finds herself on a new insane adventure that she is finding she... rather enjoys. That's trouble!

10. …Clan Toreador?

Anabell - No real opinion. She worked with Toreador in both campaigns and finds them to be a reasonable lot with a strong aesthetic sense, usually. She doesn't really think highly or poorly of them.

Harriet - Ah, a clan worth being around. Sure some are strange and off putting, but most are pleasant and have lots of interesting things to talk about! She rather likes the Toreador.

Cali - A pompous crowd, but the best of the Kindred around, really. Since Glasgow is dominated by Toreador, he has a lot of exposure to his own clan. He thinks that they're an adaptable lot and that they can fill whatever role is needed of them. I wouldn't say he's proud to be Toreador, but he can't see himself being much else.

Jules - Weirdos, said with all the affection that they can muster. All the Toreador in New Orleans are just as strange as the Malkavians, but some have a stick up their ass about it. Jules likes the more down-to-earth Toreador.

11. …Clan Tremere?

Anabell - She has no clue what to make of the clan. Their abilities are terrifying and amazing, and majority of the Tremere she met were very reasonable folks, but that blood magic... That can't be holy, that's an abomination of some kind.

Cali - To be fair, he only really knows Jamie and he thinks that Jamie is an arrogant klutz that has his uses. He's smart, he's the only one there that can do "Tremere bullshit", but Cali isn't his biggest fan.

Jules - Yeah, that's a bunch of arrogant pricks. As a whole, they don't like dealing with the Tremere. They're secretive, they don't like helping their coterie much. It's better to avoid them.

12. …Clan Tzimisce?

Anabell - Since joining the Sabbat, she is very unsettled by their abilities. What the Tremere do is unholy, but what the Tzimsice do... Listen, she can work with them just fine, but keep your hands to yourself.

Cali - Should not meet the Tzimisce. He would want Vicissitude after he got over his initial disgust.

Jules - Weirdos, derogatory. What they do and the way they act so polite and refined makes their stomach churn. They would liken the Tzimisce to like a B Movie monster with how cartoonishly grotesque and evil they are in Jules' eyes.

13. …Clan Ventrue?

Anabell - Doesn't care for how high and mighty some Ventrue act, but does recognize the clan as having produced a number of good leaders. Still, she wish they wouldn't talk down to her near as much as they do.

Harriet - They're the cream of the crop and they ought to act like it. She has her husband and Mithras as role models and as such, this makes her view the clan higher than she would if she knew more Ventrue.

Cali - An alright sort, but the only one he knows is Monty, and he's an outdated fellow. They seem like a nice clan to be in good with, but he doesn't really feel too strongly about them yet.

Jules - When asked, they only had this to say - "Ugh..." Their encounters with the Ventrue have not been nice as Caitiff...