#sorry about dying I have a ton of WIPs I haven’t finished yet

[cakeflesh]

swk scribble,, silly monke🍑

[spencer-reid-in-a-pool]

A - Z 🤍🤍

I’m assuming this means all the asks! So buckle up LOL. And thank you for taking an interest in lil ole me. 

A: How did you come up with the title to [insert fic]?

Since you didn’t specify which title, I’m just going to talk about how I come up with titles in general. Normally, they happen one of two ways. Either I will come up with a title I think sounds cool out of the blue and then base a fic of its vibes, or I will write a fic to completion before deciding on a title. I like to use something that one of the characters say in this situation. It feels very full circle to me, if you will. 

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

Unfortunately, my life is nowhere near as cool as the characters’ lives I write about. So no, I can’t say that my stories are based off personal experience. Unless you count me naming side characters my middle name every so often to indulge myself oops. 

C: What member do you identify with most?

I guess by member it means character? And to be honest, I’m not really sure. I relate a lot to Spencer Reid I suppose, because I have never been popular and have always been a target for whatever shit life throws at me. I also like to think I’m kinda intelligent? Although if you look at my grade in my stats class right now, idk what to tell you-

D: Is there a song or a playlist to associate with [insert fic]?

Since there was no specific fic asked about, I can’t really answer this one! But to be honest, I don’t think there are any fics that I have written that I associated with songs. 

E: If you wrote a sequel to [insert fic], what would it be about?

The first one that came to mind is Guest Speaker. If I wrote a part three for that, it would probably be fluffy domestic cute stuff with Spencer. 

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“I don’t even know what it was…it happened so fast. Did you kill it, Geralt?” Jaskier asked in a huff. Geralt crossed his arms, and shook his head. “I figured I should make sure you didn’t die first, bard.” Jaskier nodded, a simple “Ah,” leaving his lips. “Well, no matter. You can fix me right?” 

He sounded like he was poking fun at the situation, but I could hear the fear in his words. I decided to try and make him smile before I did this next part. It would be painful.

“Anything for Geralt of Rivia and his emotional support bard.”

(This was just really funny to me for some reason, and I feel like I did a good job with their characterizations! And then Y/N comes back with the emotional support bard comment and it’s something I would say in real life. From this fic.)

G: Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

It depends on my mood! Sometimes if I’m frustrated with a story or a scene, I’ll write them out of order based on what type of thing I feel like writing. But I would say 75% of the time I write my fics in order.

H: How would you describe your style?

To be honest, I have no idea. Do I even have a style? I just write stuff and hope that people read it and like it. 

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

Happy endings pfft. So cliche, but like- they make me happy. Unless I am feeling particularly angsty that day and want to make an ending a complete train wreck >:) 

J: Write or describe an alternative ending to [insert fic].

In this fic...I would let reader live LMAO. But like- I was feeling angsty that day okay-

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

Reader dying at the end of the fic LMAO, in the fic linked in the previous one above this one.

L: How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Uhh 😬 Maybe once? If that 😅 I’m usually so excited to post that I just kinda go ahead and click post and hope for the best. I rely on spell check and grammar check a lot ���And I just hope my story flows well.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I don’t think so! I keep my to do list public so everyone can see what fics I have planned. The only two I don’t have on there are the ones for the upcoming fic swap on @imagining-in-the-margins ‘s discord! But that’s cuz they’re secret :)

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

I wish that I would finish the 85486824 WIPS I have, does that count? And that I would write down all the ideas I have in my head that I haven’t even given words yet. 

O: How do you begin a story–with the plot, or the characters?

Ooh this is a tough one. I’m not really sure how to answer it actually. There have been fics that I come up with a general idea for a plot for first, and then others I will decide what characters I wanna write for before I have any clue as to what the plot might be. 

P: Are you what George R. R. Martin would call an “architect” or a “gardener”? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

Oh I am 100% the type of writer to let the story unfold as I go. I have outlined two, maybe three of my fics? And then I didn’t even follow through with them because I had more ideas come to me as I was writing. 

Q: How do you feel about collaborations?

I would literally LOVE to collab with someone!

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

There are a ton, and I am so sorry if I missed any! @imagining-in-the-margins @randomfandomimagine @reidetic @lexieshuntingsstuff @writing-in-april @reidgraygubler @zhuzhubii @dreatine @andiebeaword @dontkissthewriter @spencers-dria @sunlight-moonrise @personofsinterest @ontheoddoccasioniwritestuff @reidlusts @itslatinamagia

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

Oh boy! 😅 There was only one bed, mutual pining, manic pixie dream girl, kissed to keep quiet, just to name a few!

T: Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

Not that I can think of! 

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

But I have way more than three :’( @imagining-in-the-margins is definitely the first one off the top of my head. Last year I was in a really bad spot, and she invited me to her Discord, and it helped me get back into writing. Plus I made some life long friends in the server. @writing-in-april I love her sm because she is always around when I need her, and it’s nice to have a friend that thinks fairly similarly to me. @lexieshuntingsstuff and @reidgraygubler go hand in hand! They are the best sprinting buddies a girl could ask for. 

V: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

Ooh this is a tough one. I can’t think of any off the top of my head! Lame answer, I know 😅

W: Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

Definitely more specific ones lol. It makes it a lot easier on me. 

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

Reader >:))

Y: A character you want to protect.

SPENCER REID AND JASKIER OKAY THEY DESERVE THE WORLD

Z: Major character death–do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can’t tolerate?

Again- Spencer and Jaskier. I will not TOLERATE THEIR ERASURE !! 

[hollyand-writes]

A Review of the Year – Writing Meme 2018

I haven’t actually been tagged in this one this year, but I’m gonna do it anyway because I want to 😂 Here’s the 2017 writing review for comparison -- I was tagged for that one by @thejourneymaninn, who I tag again (among others at the bottom of this post! SORRY FOR TAGGING YOU ALL TWICE TODAY) for this year’s version ❤️ 

Most of 2018 was spent writing a book I was hired to write by a client, which was published at the end of summer, so I had to put all fanfic writing largely on hold until then. So -- considering how busy I was writing (and then later helping to edit and publish) The Book™, I’m happy with my output for 2018 tbh. 

Strangely enough, while I certainly published fewer fics in 2018 than I did in 2017 (1 one-shot and updated 2 longfics), I actually wrote more words, both published and unpublished, despite being far busier professionally! 

Total number of completed stories:

31 completed on AO3, 3 still in progress.

1 of those completed fics was written in 2018 (and 1 of the 3 longfics in progress was started in 2018).

Total word count:

47,213 words posted to AO3 in 2018 (226,518 total from 2013–2018)

Plus another 28,100 words written but not posted anywhere

Fandoms written in:

Dragon Age 2. I’m only interested in DA2 fic, and I don’t see that changing.

Looking back, did you expect to write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?:

Until I did this review, I didn’t realise I actually wrote more in 2018 than I did in 2017, despite being so busy writing The Book™? Which has really shocked me -- I wasn’t actually expecting to write much this past year, but I didn’t realise I wrote as much as I actually had! 

I wrote 75,313 words of fanfic in total in 2018 (compared to just under 59k in 2017, and about 150k in 2016) and won NaNoWriMo this year -- something I failed to do last year -- and published only one completed fanfic (an M!Handers one-shot) to AO3 during the year, while continuing another longfic started in 2017 and posting another longfic in 2018 (most of the latter was written in 2017, though, just not posted anywhere).

What’s your own favourite story of the year?:

I hate to admit it, but I’m going to have to say “A Chance Engagement” -- the Regency AU Carver/Merrill WIP written in the style of Jane Austen (currently 41,971 words and 25 chapters long), if only because I continue to have a ton of fun writing it, even though it’s hard work (especially with all the research) and it’s much harder to write than any other fic I’ve ever written. 

Did you take any writing risks this year?:

I think the main risk I took in 2018 was publishing longfics before I actually finish writing them (like “Employer Relations”, the Gym AU M!Hawke/Anders WIP), especially with my poor track record of finishing WIPs I’ve posted on AO3. (I didn’t even get to update “The Templar And The Blood Mage” this year, let alone finish it, and that one’s been going since 2013!) So I guess I’m taking the risk that I might not finish the longfics I have in progress on AO3 😂 

Last year I said “Everything I ever write and post is a risk, because I never know how anything will be received.” That also stands for this year, I think. 

Do you have any fanfic or profit goals for the new year?:

I would like to finish and fully post at least one (ideally all three) of the DA2 longfics I’ve currently got in progress on AO3, and start FINALLY posting up (and finish writing) “How To Push Up A Daisy”, the Carver/Merrill Gym AU longfic I started writing in 2016(!!!) 

Best story of the year?:

My one and only finished work published in 2018 is a 1,505-word fanfic called “Open Book” (rated M, pairing M!Hawke/Anders, canonverse setting), and while I wouldn’t call it my best story I suppose it is my best finished story, if only by default. With 483 hits, 49 kudos and 7 people leaving comments, it did OK on AO3 in my opinion, though. 

In terms of my best story, though, that would probably go to one of my longfics in progress in 2018. 

Most popular story of the year?:

As per my 2017 review, it depends how you define popular:

“A Chance Engagement” easily has the most kudos and hits (1,308 hits, 98 kudos), but that’s probably because I started it in 2017 

“A Chance Engagement” continues to have the most comments (a whopping 416 418 comments!!! – although only 212 213 are actually from readers, and I try to reply to each comment if I can)

“Employer Relations” has the best kudos-to-hits ratio (191 hits, 39 kudos – hardly any hits 'cos it’s only 2 chapters in and the fandom’s dying LOL)

My “most popular” fics are still fics I wrote before 2018.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

Nothing I wrote this year, I don’t think...? I mean, I’m always happy to receive more kudos on “A Chance Engagement” but that goes without saying 😉😂 

Most fun story to write:

It’s a toss-up between the following two:

“A Chance Engagement” – the Regency AU Carver/Merrill longfic that’s in progress. Because I am getting to re-read a lot of Jane Austen and delve into Regency England history while writing it, and I love it 

“Employer Relations” – the Gym AU M!Hawke/Anders longfic, because HELLO gym AU / weightlifting AU, what more could you want?!? LOL 

Story with the single sexiest moment:

I have absolutely no idea, sorry. I’ll leave this one to my readers to tell me 😂 

Most sweet story:

Again, I’m not really sure. Probably the Regency AU? If only because it’s meant to be a chaste, teen-rated, slow-burn romance? Not sure if it qualifies... 

“Holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you!” story:

Last year I said “I wrote one of these in 2017, but unlike 2016 I didn’t post it anywhere. Suffice to say, it contains a very niche kink I secretly have.” 

Of course I wrote another in 2018, but again I didn’t post it anywhere 😂 

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters:

Nothing that I’ve written this year, tbh. 

Most unintentionally telling story:

Nothing that I’ve posted publicly, as yet.

Hardest story to write:

“Open Book” (M!Hawke/Anders one-shot). This one was for the Handers Reverse Big Bang 2018, and I struggled with it so much that I couldn’t even write a fic with the minimum 1,500 word count until something like two hours before my posting deadline. I struggled with writing this fic for weeks -- I just had zero inspiration and I wouldn’t say I was that happy with the final result. 

Biggest disappointment:

Not finishing any of my longfics in progress. I was hoping I’d have one of them finished and fully posted by the end of 2018, but sadly it was not to be. 

Biggest surprise:

“A Chance Engagement” continues to surprise and delight me by how many comments it receives. Thank you so much, everyone, for your support ❤️ 

Tagging: 

No obligation to do this if you don’t want to, but for the second time today (I’M SO SORRY IF I’M BOTHERING YOU ALL) I tag: @barbex, @storybookhawke, @mhandersmyheart, @ungenue, @andrew-blackthorn, @ayantiel, @stitchcasual, @tearsofwinter, @greensphynx-thecloset, @todisturbtheuniverse, @manicparadox, @bexterrr, @ethydium, @mikkeneko, @kagetsukai, @dovabunny, @wardsarefunctioning, @rhythm-diary, @aban-asaara, @thetemplarandtherogue, @gothkimmyschmidt, @reikah, @uchidachi and any other writer I’ve missed off who might want to do this (no obligation to do this, of course!) ❤️