#support your local fanworks organization

[vulcan-highblood]

Apparently AO3 is down because of hackers, so I think I'll donate a little extra this month. <3

[fandomtrumpshate]

Defeating Tr*mp and the Republican party: how you can help

So as you've probably heard, there is a presidential election coming up in the US this November. You may even be experiencing some concern about the outcome of that election -- given both the high stakes and the active efforts by Republicans to suppress the vote -- and wondering what more you can do to stave off the possibility of a literal fascist takeover of the United States.

The good news is: you're not helpless. There are wonderful organizations out there -- staffed by knowledgeable, talented people with their feet already on the ground -- and they could use your help.

Here are a few of them:

VoteBeat offers deeply-researched local reporting about elections, which is both valuable and rare in the current news environment. A spinoff of ChalkBeat, it was founded and is run by journalists from ProPublica.

Spread the Vote is an organization that works on the ground to help every eligible voter secure the documentation and the access they need to make their voices heard. In particular, StV runs a program called Vote by Mail in Jail to help ensure that incarcerated persons also have access to these rights.

VoteRiders, like StV, works to ensure that every American has the opportunity to vote. In particular, they provide financial and practical support to trans people so that they can get hold of the documentation they need and can vote safely and confidently.

FairVote advocates for ranked-choice voting, a system in wide use outside the US which far more effectively captures the will of the electorate. (we don't have an individual feature page for them, but FV was one of FTH's supported orgs in 2020.)

(This is just a short starter list of amazing organizations, pulled from FTH's supported orgs list in past years; there are plenty of others. Please feel free to add them in reblogs!)

Ways you can help

Donate to one (or more!) of these organizations. These are all fairly small operations, even if their goals and their impact is large; they could use the help!

Volunteer your time. Many of these organizations rely on volunteers to make their day-to-day operations work. Sometimes it's necessary to do this volunteering in person, but often there is a remote option for volunteering if that's what works for you.

Run a fanworks auction to raise money. FTH recently rolled out a full and detailed playbook, sharing all of our organizational materials and step-by-step guides for how to use them and adapt them to your needs. This is a great moment to put that to work! Whether you want to raise money for one of the organizations listed above, or for some other nonprofit, or even for a progressive local candidate that could use the support (FTH doesn't do individual candidates, but you shouldn't let that stop you!) you can make a real difference while also helping to put more fanworks into the world.

[atelierlili]

💚Fandoms United For Helene Relief💚

Recently, Hurricane Helene has devastated areas of Appalachia and in particular Asheville, North Carolina. It is the deadliest mainland hurricane in the US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Many have lost their homes, possessions, and are struggling for food and other basic necessities. 

The hurricane hit many areas that are historically impoverished, and the North Carolina State Climate office state that "the full extent of this event will take years to document – not to mention, to recover from."

Katniss Everdeen’s home, District 12, is set in Appalachia, and The Hunger Games movie was filmed in Asheville, NC, and so the Hunger Games fandom wanted to put together a charity event and invite our friends from other fandoms to join. You might have seen us before as Hunger Games and Friends for Helene Relief, but as tumblr has been cracking down on these lately, we were shadowbanned and terminated twice. Nevertheless, this is an effort that we find extremely important to address and have come back as Fandoms United for Helene Relief. Due to this, there have been a few changes such as an updated email and dates that have been pushed back. It’s also the reason that we’re posting this on one of our team member’s personal blogs.

Fandoms United for Helene Relief is a fanworks collection to raise money for local charities addressing the needs in Asheville, NC and other areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Fanfiction authors and fanartists from any fandom can volunteer to submit a new work to the collection. Fans who give to one of the approved charities can then email the event proof of the contribution and receive ALL of the fanwork submitted to the collection. 

Approved charities: Our focus is on local charities who have ties to the community, know their needs, and will stay for the long haul in these communities over the years as they rebuild. Our list of approved charities include organizations that help foster children, unhoused, seniors, animals, general relief, and more, for whatever cause is close to your heart. Information and links to their donation pages can be found on this google doc. 

Fanwork criteria: As mentioned before, the work needs to be new and not published on any other platform. We ask for a three-month period from the release of the collection until authors and artists post the work to another platform. Fanwork can be from any fandom, for any character or ship. All fanwork must be rated PG-13/T or lower. As organizers, we won’t be able to verify the ages of those donating for the collection and cannot risk sending explicit material to minors.

Timeline: We want all interested contributors to commit to the collection by November 2 by submitting this google form. Final works must be submitted to fuhrgames74[at]gmail.com by November 16. The organizers will then compile the collection and it will be released November 30. Those fans who would like access to the collection can email proof of contribution to fuhrgames74[at]gmail.com at any time up through December 30. Those who email prior to November 30 will have access on the day and those who email after release day will receive it as soon as possible once the proof of contribution is received. Fanfiction authors can then publish their work on other platforms February 23, 2025.

FOR MORE UPDATES AND INFORMATION PLEASE FOLLOW US AT @fandomsunited4hr !! I will be posting more info, which includes our featured artists and writers, there in the future.

Questions or comments can be sent here on our tumblr or emailed to fuhrgames74[at]gmail.com

Whether you write, donate, and/or reblog, we appreciate your support!

[destielfanfic]

from the inbox, #9

From the inbox, #9, special edition - Destiel fic reccing Now and Then

Hi! First of all, your blog is absolutely wonderful! I wish there were a billion more like it for all pairings and fandoms lol. Do you know of any other good supernatural rec blogs?

As long as there were destiel fics, there were also dedicated fic reccers. Some stayed with fandom longer, some moved on faster, so, now we have a mix of active blogs and archived blogs. Here’s small collection of destiel fic rec resources that I’ve come across on tumblr. This is by no means a definite list and you are welcome to add your own resources in the notes! Let’s keep fic reccing craft alive and diverse!

Destiel Fic reccing NOW, currently active blogs in 2023

@profoundbondfanfic - an active and prolific destiel fic rec blog with dedicated mod team. Follow them on tumblr and have a rec every day!

@destielficbasket - a blog that reblogs a wide variety of destiel fic rec posts from other Tumblr blogs. All goods in one place!

@deancasfanficrecs - destiel fic recs and fic rec reblogs, lots of posts to chose from!

@destieltaggedfic - blog full of original themed fic rec posts, sorting destiel fics from different angles.

@mixtapebookclub - a tumblr blog for destiel fic podcast. Thematic podcasts and fic rec lists at the same time. There is also a Mixtape Book Club AO3 collection for your convenience. 

@cocklesdestielfiction - what it says on the tin! They have destiel, but they also have cockles recs and gif sets. Check them out!

@destieltropecollection - a very unique blog that collects themed self recs from the authors. Check out their neatly organized Master List Collection 2017-2022 or follow them to get the latest Destiel Trope Collection 2023 rec lists every day in May.

The Destiel Fan Survey Favs Collection on AO3 contains 2793 fics and 668 bookmarked fics that were chosen by destiel readers in several fic surveys organized by destiel writer @unforth. Check out this vast collection of reader choice fics!

Destiel Fic reccing THEN

@destielmybeatingheart-deactivated - what to say, this was the main blog for destiel fic rec back in the day. Unfortunately, the mod left fandom and later took down the blog and, with it, all their fic rec posts. See this post to appreciate what we used to have. In coming weeks, @destiel-fic-rec-lists will continue to reblog available destielmybeatingheart’s rec lists with updated links to AO3 when possible. You can find them under #creator: destielmybeatingheart tag. 

ask about other spn blogs like ours - this is 10 years old ask and a lot of blogs here are not active anymore or full of dead links, but if they are up, you can still browse them. The list includes some non spn fic rec blogs as well.

@deancasfix - destiel fic rec blog, reviews, rec lists and asks, last update May, 2020.

@deancasfanficnet - a blog to promote destiel fic writers, various posts, last update April, 2020.

@destiel-fics-for-you - destiel fic rec blog, reviews, rec lists and asks, last update June 2016.

Last but not least, don’t forget to browse our destiel fic challenge master post Where Is Destiel Fic In 2022 and occasionally check out @destiel-fic-rec-lists​ blog for fic rec lists made by other fans. (hint - all reblogs are tagged with their creator’s urls, so you can easily find their other posts on the blog)

Support and cherish your local fanfic reccer. You never know when you’ll need their help to find your next favorite fic!

Destiel fanworks on AO3 - 111,567 (May 8, 2023)

You can find previous From The Inbox posts here.

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, welcome to Radio Free Monday! Sorry it's on Tuesday...the day off yesterday messed up my brain!

Ways to Give:

awheckery linked to a fundraiser their friend Bill has organized for burial expenses and a memorial service for Jean, a trans activist who recently passed. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for ladyyatexel, who is currently unemployed and needs to raise $2500 to cover rent and expenses for January and February; you can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Hunter, who needs help paying for specialist surgical treatment for her basset hound Myrtle's severe glaucoma; they're also trying to defray costs of previous treatments. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for sovay, whose cat recently passed from kidney disease; they're raising funds to cover treatment expenses prior to Autolycus's passing. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

News To Know:

Anon wanted to let people know about Duck Prints Press, a small indy press that specializes in queer stories, including a lot of short fiction and anthologies published through Kickstarter; they've published queer fanworks based on Much Ado About Nothing and The Three Musketeers, among others. They're running a campaign right now called Aether Beyond the Binary, featuring nonbinary protagonists in aetherpunk (magic-tech fusion) worlds. You can read more at their site or support their Kickstarter here.

Recurring Needs:

rilee16 is raising funds to cover utilities, to afford medication and possibly an upcoming move without local support and with short paychecks; their roommate, who in the past has been physically aggressive, has destroyed some of their belongings and stolen controlled medications. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

thelastpyler is raising funds for food for the week and medication for their sister; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

chingaderita's partner's family house recently caught fire and completely burned, killing his grandmother and causing extensive property loss; he has also recently lost his job due to the fire, and a number of family members have since become ill. They're raising funds to keep food on the table, and get their partner mental health aid, and now are looking at doctor's bills for medical treatment. You can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

thegeeksqueaks is a high school science teacher (who has fundraised previously for supplies and comfort items for her students, particularly her neurodivergent and queer students) who has been seeking a diagnosis for ongoing migraines, vertigo, and head pain for most of the year; she now has a diagnosis and a procedure date, but needs to raise $1.5K to cover the post-insurance payment estimate. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here, give via Paypal here, and give via Venmo here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[samanthahirr]

samanthahirr's 007 Fest 2023 Masterpost

COMMENTS

510 comments! With comment-multiplier bonus points, that's 700 points for comments!

FICS 

(>750 words)

(No) More Than This (Chapter 1-2)

We Eat First With Our Eyes (2022 Prompt #6 "nsfw")

The Chase (Chapters 1-4) (2022 Prompt #6 "nsfw")

(750-2,500 words)

Relating in Kindness

With Heart Hardened

FIC SUMMARIES (i.e. "stories sam isn't writing")

The Vampire from the Deep * (2020 Prompt #31 "Vesper is a vampire")

Office Hours

The Quartermaster's Mission Holiday (2018 Prompt #22 "And then they were roommates" & 2023 Prompt #222 "Enjoying a nice view")

COCKTAIL RECIPES

The Skeleton's Bite *

The Jamaica Contact with a Side of Danger *

Jinx's Bikini *

The Blow Me Away *

Mr. Hinx Fizzy *

Paradise Bird ^

INCORRECT QUOTE MEMES

00Q - I want to wake up with you

Bond/Swann - You often use humor to deflect trauma ^

NomiPenny - How's the sexiest person here? ^

Bond/Moneypenny - Better off as friends ^

Bond/Tanner - I'm getting in the shower ^

Bond/Boothroyd - I want to kiss you ^

Q/Bond/Moneypenny - Sorry I'm late *^

Tanner/Mallory - Are you trying to seduce me? *^

Bond/Tracy - I don't do relationships ^

Bond/Mansfield - I really like your top ^

Bond/Felix - We both look very handsome tonight ^ (2023 Prompt #223 "Insecure about how they look")

HEADCANONS

10 Hosiery Habit Headcanons *

Bill Tanner's Bedding Set (2023 Prompt #22 "Flowers")

Original Character - Gina Castillo's Case File *

5 Biggest Swimwear-Embarrassments Headcanons * ^ ^ ^

7 HR Complaints Against MI6 Staff Headcanons ^

SCAVENGER HUNT TASKS

#1 leave someone an anonymous comment of positivity *

#6 create a crossword puzzle: "007 Animals"

#9 (x5) create an incorrect quote meme, images optional

#12 write an acrostic poem: "Moon Moth" *

#17 create a film poster with a local landmark "The Dying Reflection"

#25 show a character's bedding set "Bill Tanner's Bedding Set"

#26 show your pet working for MI6 "009-Lives"

#29 (x2) solve a Find the Difference post (@bluebellofbakerstreet & @kitten-kin)

#30 create a cocktail recipe "The Skeleton's Bite"

#33 (x3) solve a crossword puzzle (castillon02 & bluebellofbakerstreet & kitten-kin)

#35 spot a Bond reference in the wild "50 Bond Gadgets You Can Own"

#36 create a fancast film poster "First with a Bullet" (Aldis Hodge)

#43 gift a fanwork to a member of another team: "Drabble: Alec/Bond" for @emiliasilverova

#46 create an incorrect quote meme, images required: "I want to wake up with you"

#48 collaborate with a teammate: "The Chase" with @aprettyspy

MOODBOARDS/COVER ART

The Vampire from the Deep moodboard

The Quartermaster's Mission Holiday moodboard

Office Hours moodboard

Original Character - Gina Castillo's Case File moodboard

(No) More Than This cover art

We Eat First with Our Eyes cover art

6 Cocktail Recipe title cards (see above)

MISCELLANEOUS

Off the Books playlist (2023 Prompt #198 "create a playlist for a fic")

Fancast Film Poster "First with a Bullet" (Charlize Theron)

Drabble - MoneyTanner ^ (2017 Prompt #4)

Drabble - Tanner/Mansfield * ^

Drabble - Alec/Bond *

BETA'D WORKS

1 fic for @emiliasilverova (Achillean Delights)

2 chapters for @hammerbacks (Taking in Water chapter 2 & Warm Water chapter 9)

2 chapters of "The Chase" for @aprettyspy

EVENTS

1 film (Flash Gordon) hosted

1 Productivity Hours hosted

1 Bond Bingo Hour attended

4 Productivity Hours attended

5 Longfic Readalongs attended

* indicates Theme Day bonus ^ indicates Unique Rare Pair Ship bonus

510 comments, 15 theme days, 17 unique rare pair ships, 9 fics/chapters posted, 3 fic summaries, 11 incorrect quote memes, 3 drabbles, 6 cocktail recipes, 24 headcanons…and a dozen more miscellaneous creations! I had no idea I could be so productive/creative in a single month! 

Endless thanks to my @teamqbranch captain and cheerleaders and teammates for their support and encouragement! I'm grateful I got to spend so much time with all of you this month. And a huge thank you to the @mi6-cafe mods for organizing such an awesome event! And now I need a nice long nap.

TOTAL POINTS FOR 2023 FEST = 1,670

[its-tea-time-darling]

reflections on fandom

(i didn't realize where i was going with this post when i started writing it but im happy my thoughts spelled out this way <3)

i've been looking at instagram more than usual the past few weeks (it's something about the very curated intense dopamine kick reels give the brain i think that is attractive when the brain can't make any dopamine itself but anyway), and something that really gets me is that there's no creations, or i should say 'content' on instagram that exists without monetary motives behind it.

and in a way i understand that very elaborate outdoor videos for example are hard to do when someone has to work a full time job to support themselves, and that it is a valid career choice in this day and age to be a content creator (just like writing for a home-decor magazine has traditionally been a job). but - and this isn't a new revelation i'm aware lol, i'm just reflecting on this for myself - it really isn't good for the brain to be exposed/ "consume" content like that. or rather engaging with this content needs a sort of. constant, conscious vigilance not to get drawn into consumerism.

i feel that way about bookstagram (is that its name haha) too, and would probably feel that way about booktok too if i had tiktok. that while connecting over love for books is wonderful, i don't think i could find profiles that talk about books but don't center around new appearances only, and where accounts after a certain follower count cannot survive without promoting books you should or could buy.

i *am* judging from afar here because i don't significantly engage with bookstagram, but i remember, particularly during a time where i didn't have a lot of money, feeling resentment for a culture that seemed to tie your love of reading to *buying*. while for me it was libraries or nothing.

i guess i have a yearning for places where i can find inspiration in ways not connected to monetary motives - which does bring me to tumblr, and to fandom.

to think that in this day and age, there are whole communities of people that center around something that generates no money, and that centers entirely around love. that people pour passion, time (so much time!) and resources into fandom is truly something that makes me believe in humanity.

maybe this ties back to my swissness haha, because "clubs" are such a big thing here, and many make the case that it's something that gives society as a whole a sense of community and connectedness. i don't know if the word 'club' transports what i mean, it means organizations where members come together to pursue some type of freetime activity such as music, sports, bird watching, anything. it's a cultural practice that has been developing in the direction of less and less people participating in it (the reasons that have been guessed for this are varied), but you know it touches me in a way that fandom is exactly that!

and it touches me specifically for my case, because i had been active in clubs all my life (from scouts to handball to environmental, feminist, students and queer clubs) until chronic illnesses put a stop to that part of my life. and then i found, you can guess it - fandom! or well, it found me. but really i am full of appreciation that i have found something, a hobby and a community, that has been such an enrichment for my life. and that it's accessible for me/possible for me to participate in it in a way that real life clubs wouldn't be anymore (at the moment, and for the foreseeable future).

it's easy for me to fall into the trap of thinking of fandom as 'silly', as a side thing, as not a 'real' hobby or not a 'real' community because it has no physical manifestations - or it can have by having fanworks printed - but in moments of clarity i do understand and can appreciate that it's just as real and ''worthy'' as the "real life", local clubs i used to be a part of.

[edzephyr]

How did you go about finding all the original artwork etc., for your preservation project?

Did you start searching for it and then others started sending you stuff?

When I was just getting into Star Trek I was gifted 3 boxes of fanzines by an ex-convention organizer. I had started to write a book (/extended thesis; the PhD I never did) on Kirk and Spock's characterization and relationship, and as part of my research I realised that a lot of physical fandom history was in danger of disappearing, or already had, as original generation fans were dying and their collections - art, written/publishing materials, and fannish ephemera - was becoming lost (e.g. disposed of by disinterested parties). I saw a lot of art in zines and newsletters and wondered where the original work had all gone. I was gifted the two giant Shelley Butler pieces, that so moved me, that (also as an artist myself) I decided to create the first archive dedicated to Kirk and Spock (and the Enterprise) that prioritized collecting, preserving and sharing original art pieces related to them. Shelley, for example, does not know where most of her originals are now. It would be great to find more of hers, and provide her with scans.

The biggest challenge is when collections including art and fanworks pop up that have come from estate sales and third parties try to cash in; finding funds and negotiating is tricky, and I am glad of the team stateside who help with that in the immediate term. It leaves the challenge of fundraising to cover these costs. Unfortunately my industry is fickle and terrifically difficult to tame, and my income is not a lot to write home about. It would be much easier if I were doing the work I'm capable of, and earning accordingly!

I make it a point to support fellow artists whenever I can, and so the collection is a mixture of contemporary and vintage. Every artists' take has a story to tell. There is also some official and production related art but it is not easy to find, nor often affordable. I missed a TMP concept sketch of Spock on Vulcan due to hesitating over cost, and regret that greatly. There is a set of TAS animation cels to share that was offered at modest cost by a friendly trader at my local comic con, and this is a terrific piece, but requires a custom display that has not yet been addressed (time and cost).

I do wish more vintage pieces would come out of the woodwork and simply land on the doorstep, so to speak, but it's not an expectation; it's a lucky and generous thing if it happens, and always so encouraging. I have also acquired art from other fandoms and gifted that to appropriate fans/archivists - it all works best by supporting each others' efforts.

[princesscas]

Alright, I’ve had it up to here with all of these ‘anti-ao3′ posts every time the yearly donation drive comes around. Some of ya’ll truly do not understand nor realize just how lucky we are for having a fanfic site like the Archive. And some of you haven’t endured purges like Livejournal, FFNet, or Quizilla— oh, and the one that happened here on Tumblr not too recently in Dec of 2018. And it’s not like you can’t find a timeline of fandom purges from 1992-2019. Along with a list of fanwork content banned by different archives/companies. 

AO3 is NON-PROFIT and VOLUNTEER RUN they are NOT a greedy company that will delete decades of work at a drop of a hat without prior warning. No one makes money from the archive or its content. The OTW (Organization for Transformative Works) pays to host the archive and it takes a lot to keep these servers running. They don’t host advertising, and instead, they hold pledge drives to ask for support from the users. 

Let’s be real for a second. Do any of you who are against the archive and what they do, really want to go back to the dark ages of being afraid that you’ll get sued if you post that 300-word drabble that you wrote at 2am? Yeah, you probably still do because you have no idea what you’re advocating for. 

“Make your own archive,” you cry out as if the Archive wasn’t created for that exact reason. 

“But they allow certain icky tags that I don’t like,” you screech into my ear as I shove a college-ruled sized paper into your face reading: OTW was created to work toward a future in which all fannish works are recognized as legal and transformative, and accepted as legitimate creative activity. (x)

��That doesn’t matter! I said I don’t like it and I want it taken down right now,” you scream while stomping your feet on the ground, jaw dropping when I pull out a mile-long scroll in large text: If a tag is found to have violated the Terms of Service in some way, we will never change the tags on a work or bookmark. (x) 

So that one fic that grosses you out? Don’t read it, scroll right on through and continue on with your life. It cannot possibly harm any real people since it’s fictional. What’s the difference between an explicit horror novel at your local used bookstore VS a 100k+ recovery fix-it involving heavy-themed tropes? None, that’s what. 

AO3 is against censorship and will never cherry-pick what can or cannot be allowed on the Archive if the TOS has not been violated, of course. If they were to do that (they won’t), then that would mean real people in real time would have to manually go through every flagged content. They thought that it if was worth protecting the things they loved, then it was worth protecting the things that they themselves don’t particularly like, too.  

If you think BDSM is abuse (it fucking isn’t, the whole point is that it’s consensual for both parties and if not, that’s getting into abusive relationship territory), then what is to say that a fic that contains dom/sub undertones wouldn’t be considered under the same category? Yeah, that’s where censorship gets tricky and well, bad. You’d have thought that you’ve won your long-time battle, but turned out, your favorite fics would vanish in a blink of an eye. Just like FF.Net back in 2012! 

Also, we do not need an app because then, AO3 would have to cave to Apple and Google’s strict guidelines that discourage anything from nsfw to rpf. Use the desktop version, use it on your mobile browser, and download fics to your phone. 

Be grateful that AO3 exists.

[wolfstar-in-color]

Creator’s spotlight: alifeincoffeespoons

It’s September and our fourth Creator’s Spotlight is here! We are so happy to share with you today the thoughts of a wonderful creator: @alifeincoffeespoons. We’ve rec’ed her fic Sirius and Harry go to Whitecastle here and we did the description for one of her artworks here (which includes the rec of some mitski songs!!).

As usual, here you have one of our favorite quotes of the interview, and under the cut you can read the full interview!

“Remus and Sirius understand each other on a level that few other characters in the series do. They have so many shared experiences and so much history, and there’s so many different ways to write them as a result. They are also foils, but somehow also a matched pair — they move in sync so easily.”

alifeincoffeespoons prompt: “It’s a rare sunny day when Remus sees Sirius, for the first time in three years, and he has to resist the urge to call emergency services immediately and announce that he needs to be hospitalized on account of a broken heart.”

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself

A: My Tumblr username is alifeincoffeespoons (inspired by Eliot’s “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock”) and I go by spellingmynamewrong on AO3. I’d probably be considered part of Gen Z, and I’m Asian-American, which inspires a lot of my work. I usually create works of writing, though I also dabble in fanart occasionally. I’m a fan of both modern and canon divergent AUs; I’ll write canon compliant content occasionally but not very often, given how tragic canon is. 

Q:How did you start creating in the fandom? What did you wish to bring into the fandom?

A: I started writing back in middle school, and I’ve been reading and writing fanworks on-and-off since then. My first work of fanfiction was for Harry Potter too, although I didn’t start writing for Wolfstar until later on. I want to write works that make people think more deeply about — and even critique — the existing world of Harry Potter. There are a lot of deeply problematic aspects of the original work, as we all know, and I think we have an obligation as creators to call them out and demonstrate why they are so problematic.

Q: What things about Sirius/Remus as characters or in their relationship inspire you to create around them?

A: Remus and Sirius understand each other on a level that few other characters in the series do. They have so many shared experiences and so much history, and there’s so many different ways to write them as a result. They are also foils, but somehow also a matched pair — they move in sync so easily.

Q: What things would you like to highlight about the Wolfstar fandom and your experience in it?

A: It’s such an expansive fandom! That’s one thing that’s dawned on me over time — it has so, so much history, and so many individuals are or have been involved in it. 

Q: What type of content do you wish you saw more in the fandom?

A: I’d love to see more content that deals with the historical circumstances of the wider world around them — I’m a big sucker for historical fiction and real-world context. If we’re going for a particular sort of story, I’d love to see more superhero AUs. Also, a Good Omens AU. I saw fanart for it once and it’s never left my mind. There are so, so many possibilities there. 

Q: What is your favourite wolfstar fan content (fic/fanart/gifset/etc) and how does it inspire you?

A: This is so hard to choose! Let’s go with some tropes instead — I love fix-it fics, and I also find canon divergent AUs very interesting, particularly ones that involve giving Harry a better life. I’m also a big fan of Modern AUs, though. I also love humor — whether that be a full-on humor fic or just one with humor interspersed lovingly throughout.

Q: Which of your own identities inform your creative processes? How has that process been for you?

A: My Asian-American identity likely informs my creative process the most. There are so few Asian characters represented in media still, particularly fan-created content, and I’d like to see that changed. What I usually do is incorporate small details that can feel universal but also give readers an insight into a particular culture — usually through food or similarly common experiences. It comes fairly naturally, actually, since I often write about Asian or Asian-American characters in my original fiction as well.

Q: What advice do you have for other content creators with diverse backgrounds in the fandom? What would you say to people that might feel they don’t have the “right” experience to participate in the creation of content related to Wolfstar?

A: If you’re comfortable, definitely share your experiences — we always need more diverse voices in fandom. I don’t think there’s any particular history or characteristic you need to be an active participant in Wolfstar fandom. 

Q: How could we build a more diverse fandom?

A: Firstly, by seeking out and supporting content that features characters with diverse backgrounds. Secondly, by calling out rhetoric that marginalizes diverse creators. Thirdly, by doing our best to do better ourselves.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to modify in Sirius’s or Remus’s characterizations to bring new perspectives to them?

A: I’ve often written Sirius as Asian, mostly because I think it truly does add another layer to his characterization. I’ve explained some of my reasoning behind that in this Tumblr post I wrote eons ago. I often also write Remus as Jewish — I saw this headcanon a long time ago and it’s stuck with me since. My characterizations of them are always shifting, though, and I’m sure they will continue to over time.

Q: What does diversity mean to you? What does that encompass in fannish spaces?

A: Diversity doesn’t just mean including a POC in your work or an LGBTQ character; it means giving them meaningful, non-stereotypical narratives and characterization. In fan spaces, that means supporting creators from diverse backgrounds and works featuring well-written, diverse characters. It also means, as a creator, doing research on the cultural backgrounds of characters you are writing about, particularly if you do not belong to that culture yourself.

Q: Is there a resource you would recommend for fans to read when it comes to learning about diversity?

A: If you’re interested in learning more about Asian-American culture and diversity in particular through literature, two memoirs I read recently and enjoyed were Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings and Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H-Mart. I think they give insight into the Asian-American experience and are also incredibly moving. There are lots of resources for writing out there, on Tumblr, Reddit, and elsewhere. Also, sensitivity readers, if you are a writer, are critical. 

Q: Is there a project/organization that you want to hype?

A: Given what’s been happening in Texas and in countless other states across the U.S. — horrific attacks on bodily autonomy and the right to choose — please donate to Planned Parenthood.

Q: Any cause that you want fans to know about so that they can support it?

A: Rental assistance — the Supreme Court recently struck down Biden’s eviction moratorium. If anyone you know is at risk of being evicted, please direct them to local and state rental assistance programs (a tool to search for them: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/find-help-with-rent-and-utilities/).

Q: Leave us with a quote or work of art that always inspires you.

A: Whenever I need to write, I’ll put on a Phoebe Bridgers song if it’s a sad section I’m writing, and if it’s a relatively happier section, I’ll put on a NIKI song. Other artists that inspire me: Mitski, Lorde, Lucy Dacus, Taylor Swift, Lily Allen, and Lizzo.

[thisweekingundamwing]

This Week in Gundam Wing (August 22-28, 2021)

Hey Gundam Wing fandom!  Here’s your weekly roll-up.  Show your fellow fans some love. 

--Mod LAM

EDIT (August 29): have removed tags for richardarmititty per their request (and for evan-wins for good measure).  Please do not submit posts by either party going forward.  I will also be BLOCKING both accounts to avoid future inadvertent inclusion (again, per their request to not be associated with the content captured in this roll-up).

Fanfiction

The Life of the Immortal Jellyfish (CH.14/35) by @lemontrash

Pairings: Duo x Wufei

Characters:  5 pilots + Relena, Hilde, Noin, Une

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings:  post-canon, post-Endless Waltz, UST, roommates, Preventers, slow burn, insomnia, friendship

Summary:   Is it chance that lands Duo and Wufei in the same university dorm room? They're not stupid enough to believe that but too tired to fight it. Duo's dragged himself back from the brink of going too far and remains teetering on the edge while Wufei's doggedly trying to prove himself to the 'good guys' in the aftermath of the Eve Wars. Sleep and normalcy eludes them both. As they become increasingly aware how damaged they are, they start to edge towards friendship, or something more, but all too soon the peace seems jeopardised by a new and manipulative threat.

Thrash (welcome to the gutter) by @gemstonecircles for @noirangetrois

Pairings: Duo x Relena, implied Heero x Trowa

Characters: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Relena, Hilde

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: safehouses, friends to lovers, unresolved (and eventually resolved) sexual tension, graphic sexual situations, 

Summary: “Not that it’s not a pretty bitchin’ look,” Duo said, his words slightly distorted by the key-pin hanging from his mouth, both his hands engaged with the grocery bags from the pick-up location in the city outside, “And OverKill is an excellent choice, but don’t you have your own clothes?”Relena and Duo are pent up in a safehouse and something’s gotta give. Eventually.

Lucerne by katopiyo

Pairings: Duo x Quatre

Characters: Duo, Quatre

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: canon insert, dancing

Summary:  Duo and Quatre catch up in the Peacemillion's break room.

The Empresses’ Third by @tziganecaffiends and @zaganthi​

Pairings: Wufei x Treize x Meilan

Characters: Wufei, Treize, Melian

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: threesome, alternate universe - everyone lives, fix-it, happy ending, love, prisoner of war, coercion, Light Dom/sub, pegging, Porn with Feelings, families of choice, implied/referenced child abuse and suicide

Summary:  Out of a war, she had secured the safety of her husband, obtained a third, and had a daughter. They had managed to fix their colony, and they now had viable economic gains that were steady and sufficient to support their people because she had felt greedy, angry, horny, and petty, yes. Because her husband had been fascinated by the man who was now showing Mei-Xing the parts of a rose bloom, and stumbling for a moment as Wufei gave him the right words in Mandarin.

Warmth by @noirangetrois for ​Purdys aka Diane

Pairings: Heero x Relena

Characters: Heero, Relena

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: huddle for warmth, only one blanket, resolved sexual tension, sexual situations, Heero’s an idiot

Summary: The front door opened and Relena heard the sound of rain pelting down outside. Heero entered and shut the door behind him, dripping water everywhere.“You didn’t wear a jacket!” She had been asleep when he’d left to scout the perimeter and hadn’t realized. “It wasn’t raining when I left,” he replied.

Stand Without Flinching (CH.46/?) by @angelselene​

Pairings: Heero x Duo, Trowa x Quatre, Wufei x Sally, Steve x Tony, Wanda x Vision

Characters: GW and MCU cast

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: GW-MCU crossover, alternate universe, canon divergent, fix-it, romance, Preventers, PTSD, moral ambiguity, family reunification, slow burn, found family

Summary:  Wufei wasn’t sure what to expect when Maxwell came back in by himself.

With Open Arms by @bryony-rebb​

Pairings: Zechs x Noin

Characters: Zechs, Noin

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: post-canon, post-Endless Waltz, reconciliation, emotional hurt/comfort, semi-public sex, porn with feelings

Summary: In the immediate aftermath of Endless Waltz, Zechs and Noin (ahem) reunite.When he looked back at her, there was a slight furrow between Noin's brows, a downward twist to her lips; her eyes seemingly stuck on the slim leather fold of his wallet. "The dead man carries cash," she quietly observed.

The Art of Making a Machine by @the-reanimated-bhg

Pairings: N/A

Characters: Dr. J, Professor G

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: two brilliant minds bickering incessantly, failed NaNoWriMoFic, humor

Summary:  A Story of Love, Friendship and Fisticuffs

Fanart

Heero Smoking by @bettertasting

No Sleep (Heero x Duo) by @bettertasting

Heero and Relena by @alphaikaros

Heero and Relena Halloween by @alphaikaros

Halloween Relena by @noromax

Wufei by @farshootingstar​

Quatre by @darksharinganz​

Other Fanwork

Cosplay and Gunpla

(RG) XXXG-01W Wing Gundam review by @reversemoon255

Custom EW Heavyarms 1/100 HG by @the-reanimated-bhg

Heavyarms by @christianmswanson

Sandrock and Deathscythe by @christianmswanson

Shenlong by @christianmswanson

Discussion and Headcanons

@kittykatz​ took and online survey and found 8w7 is Une’s enneatype according to PDB.  Try it yourself over here!

Gundam Fuel Source by @meggie-stardust​

@kittykatz​ is sharing some scans of GoL and their thoughts on the scenes

​Wufei and Treize’s fight and the immediate aftermath

Miscommunication at its finest

The Lightning Count

Singapore base + more Treize and Zechs

Heading to outer space

Heero’s freak out

Duo and Hilde

Other Fun Stuff

@incorrectgundamwingquotes is still making us laugh

It’s Always Sunny in Gundam Wing by @incorrectgundamwingquotes

Skeletons by @the-reanimated-bhg

Make it happen by @the-reanimated-bhg

Helmet-ception by @the-reanimated-bhg

Too hot to handle by @vegalume and @janaverse

Calendar Events

@gwcocktailfriday​ is back with this week’s prompt!  Be sure to post your responses on Friday (September 3) between 3-5PM EST!

@/ficwip (Twitter) is hosting a "Rise of the Dead Fandoms" event. Contributor sign-ups end on Monday (August 30), so be sure to register soon! Creation period runs September-October; posting will be in November.  More info at their FAQ.

September is National Prostate Awareness Month and @expewrites​ and @boxofhatebrains​ are hosting a GW Prostate Health Event at @prostatehealth-gundamwing​ beginning September 1.  More info is available on the Event AO3 Page but in brief, options are to (1) create something or (2) donate to your prostate health organization of choice.

@gundamzine has opened up the mailing list, so be sure to register to get your FREE PDF on October 1!  In the mean time, be sure to follow the account so that you can learn about the stellar 2021 Zine Crew members. Also consider donating to the team’s chosen charity, World Literacy Foundation (donations are optional, but encouraged).

The @weedgrandpacookbook is a go!  The project will be an homage to the fanon of Howard as the Gundam Wing’s chillest Weed Grandpa. Yes, this includes content that promotes/celebrates/normalizes the consumption of marijuana and adjacent substances recreationally. The FREE digital zine would be presented like a cookbook, with room for meta, fic, general advice, art, graphics, crafts (Gundam-themed pipes anyone?), and of course, dank recipes.  More info to come this month, with sign-ups planned for October.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the theme, this zine will be considered 18+ NSFW. Be mindful of your local laws regarding creating and engaging with content of this nature.

Spooky prompt idea generation for the GW Hallows Event will kick off mid-September, and posting period will happen in October.  Stay tuned to @thisweekingundamevents!

Keep an eye on @gwoc-october​ while you’re at it for news on the GW Original Character (OC) October Event.  You can expect a prompt calendar to go live in September with posting in October...but you can also just use the month to showcase works with your original GW characters!

Also, @thisweekingundamevents​ will be opening sign-ups for the 2021 Holiday Gift Exchange in September!  Participants will get their assignments in October, followed by the creation period November-December and finally posting in early January 2022.

Got an event you want us to showcase?  Let us know!

[anonforlackofabettername]

I keep seeing posts about ads on ao3 and ignoring the advertisers get to censor content argument, ignoring the fanworks need to be free so they can have legal protections argument — which are both valid arguments mind you but are beside the point — do people on the internet not know what a nonprofit is? They are tax-exempt organizations that provide services to the general public based on their stated mission and generate money to operate based on donations, government grants, and tax exemptions. The reason ao3 asks for your money is because asking for donations is literally part of their business model and they don’t generate that money elsewhere because they aren’t supposed to. Like it is for every library, college, museum, theater, and any other nonprofit you can think of. Relying on third party ad revenue to provide for services to the public is generally considered the opposite way to get this done. The reason nonprofits don’t sell your data to third party entities is because for the most part they aren’t supposed to be selling anything. Obviously things like tickets, memberships, and gift shop sales are exceptions but even then, my membership with the local museum is considered a donation to the museum to support operating costs and let’s me get in for free instead of paying for a ticket every time I want to go. I just. Research how nonprofits work before you criticize ao3 or want to suggest changes to how they run things

[fandomtrumpshate]

FTH 2022: The details.

In late 2016, the Fandom Trumps Hate fanworks auction was founded in response to the disastrous US presidential election, as an attempt to band together and put some good back into the world by raising money for nonprofit organizations working to protect the vulnerable and marginalized. Over the past five years, we've raised more than $135,000 together for a range of progressive organizations — and we aren't quitting now.

In this post, you'll find the calendar for the 2022 auction, as well as this year’s list of supported organizations. If you're unfamiliar with FTH, or if you just want a refresher, take a look at our freshly-updated FAQ.

This year, we are raising money for roughly a dozen small, progressive nonprofits doing vital work on shoestring budgets: advocating for immigrant children, providing running water to Navajo communities, supporting incarcerated sex workers, and reviving local journalism, among others. Additionally, we are supporting the whole category of organizations known as abortion funds: grassroots community groups that help people make the best reproductive choices for themselves. We've identified a few specific abortion funds that are worthy recipients, but we have also linked the National Network of Abortion Funds' directory to help you connect to your local abortion fund. See the full list of supported organizations here.

FANDOM TRUMPS HATE 2022 AUCTION CALENDAR

Monday, January 31st -- creator signups open

Sunday, February 13th -- creator signups close

Sunday, February 20th -- browsing period begins*

Wednesday, February 23rd, 8am EST -- bidding opens

Sunday, February 27th, 8pm EST -- bidding closes

Sunday, March 6th, 8pm EST -- proof of donation due from bidders

* browsing period is a window of time when all auction offers are visible but bidding has not yet opened. It's a great time for bidders to figure out which offers are appealing to them, and for creators to double-check their offerings posts for errors.

We will be posting more in the coming weeks with full details about how to sign up, how to find the auctions you want to bid on, and other auction logistics, as well as more information about each of our supported nonprofits. Follow us to stay updated!

[ghostflowerdreams]

Where To Find Free eBooks?

In case you don’t know the Barnes & Noble Nook uses the relatively common ePub format, while the Amazon Kindle uses a renamed version of the Mobipocket MOBI format. You can convert the Kindle AZW and Nook ePub formats to make them compatible using a free online eBook conversion service. This site will tell you how...[x]

Even though, AZW is an Amazon format used exclusively on the Amazon Kindle it can also be opened on smartphones such as iPhone, Android phones, and BlackBerry, computers (Mac and PCs), and tablets (iPad, Android tablets, and Windows 8 tablets). While the ePub format can be opened with the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Sony Readers, Kobo Reader, and of course the Nook from Barnes & Noble.

There are also some other types of eBooks formats available too. Such as the format PDF (Portable Document Format) by Adobe that can be viewed with the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The reason for mentioning these formats is that it’s good to know which will work for the device that you want to read on. It’ll be less work for you, but if it’s not compatible there are plenty of online sites that offer to convert them into the format that you do want, for free. 

Anyway, there are thousands of free eBooks available on the web to download legally – either because their copyright has expired, or because their authors have chosen to release them without charge. Down below is several websites that have plenty of free eBooks available and many formats to choose from. Some sites even offer free audiobooks.

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Kindle eBooks (Top 100 Free)

FREE eBooks on Nook | Barnes & Noble 

Google Play: Books - Top Free eBook

Rakuten Kobo - Free eBooks

Project Gutenberg - is the top archive to download free classics in ePub, AZW, plain text, and HTML format. It’s the primary repository of free public domain eBooks. When the title enters public domain, it means the rights to this work have expired and the book is publicly available. The site itself is available in English, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese, and the catalog includes books in all languages.

Smashwords - is a top place with titles from independent authors. There are around 200,000 titles in the catalog. You can download the books in either ePub, PDF format, or read them online in your browser. Secondly, all books on Smashwords are DRM-free. That means if you download an ePub file, you’ll be able to read it on the Nook and any other device which supports that format. 

Internet Archive - is a non-profit digital library with the mission of “universal access to all knowledge.” The website is a huge digital library of text, audio and video files. It offers over 3.8 million eBooks and texts.

Open Library - is an initiative of the above mentioned Internet Archive. The site positions itself as “the world’s classic literature at your fingertips”. There are over 1,000,000 free eBook titles available.

BookRix - is a German-based self-publishing platform that has currently over 20 thousand publications to offer. You can find here novels, short stories, children’s books, or poetry, all of which are mostly from European authors. Books are available in over 30 languages, including German, French, Spanish, but also Swedish, Czech, or Serbian.

ManyBooks - the site offers 29,000 free eBooks. The book detail page displays not only the usual fields like the author or publish date, but also word count and the reading ease. The number of available formats is impressive, such as ePub.

OverDrive (Rakuten OverDrive) - is a proprietary, freeware application developed by OverDrive, Inc. for use with its digital distribution services for libraries, schools, and retailers. If you have a public library card (which you should because it's free and easy to sign up for), OverDrive is invaluable. All you have to do is find your local library, sign in with your library card number, then browse all the eBook and audiobooks your library has to offer by subject, language, and keywords. You can also place holds on titles and add books to a wish list. After you click "Borrow," you'll be directed to your Amazon account to download the title to your Kindle device. Once the loan period expires, the book will automatically be deleted from your account. 

Free-eBooks.net - is a platform for independent authors who want to avoid the traditional publishing route. There’s a huge array of new fiction, non-fiction, and even audiobooks at your fingertips, in every genre you could wish for. Ebooks are available as PDF, ePub, Kindle and plain text files, though not all titles are available in all formats.

NoiseTrade - is a global online audio and book direct-to-fan distribution platform based in Nashville, TN, that enables its users to upload, their originally-created music and books and give away for free without digital rights management to anyone who provides at least an e-mail address and zip code. It’s free and offers any format PDF, ePub, MOBI, or audiobook files, and from desktop to mobile too.

OAPEN (Open Access Publishing in European Networks) - The OAPEN Library is a not-for-profit organization based in the Netherlands, with its registered office at the National Library in The Hague. It contains freely accessible academic books, mainly in the area of Humanities and Social Sciences. The only format available for download is PDF.

Wikibooks - is a collection of open-content textbooks, which anyone with expertise can edit – including you. Unlike Wikipedia articles, which are essentially lists of facts, Wikibooks is made up of linked chapters that aim to teach the reader about a certain subject. You can download any page as a PDF using a link provided in the left-hand menu, but unfortunately there’s no support for other formats.

LibriVox - is a non-commercial, non-profit and ad-free project that is powered by volunteers. Their goal is to make all books in the public domain available, for free, in audio format on the internet.

Comic Book Plus - is a massive public domain comic book archive. It has also sprung up a new site Digital Comic Museum which is available for everyone that’s interested in and/or wants to download free public domain Golden Age Comics.

Internet Sacred Text Archive - is a freely available archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics.

La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec [The Electronic Library of Quebec] - All texts on this site is public domain and is available in PDF, EPUB format, MOBI and WORD format.

Ebooks libres et gratuits [Free and Free eBooks] - The eBooks on the site are available in several formats: MOBI, eReader, BBeB Book Sony Reader, ePub, and PDF. You can find all the details and download links on the Software page. 

Bonus: There are also hundreds of stories self-published online for free on a variety of websites. Some are even non-professional for the more geek-inclined like fanfiction. Fanfiction, for those who don’t know, are stories that utilize the characters and setting of already existing television shows, movies, comics, or books. They’re all free and available for everyone to read online (even join and write their own), but keep in mind that you may encounter sub-par writing since there are various skill levels found on these types of sites. Some writers on it may even lose inspiration and abandon stories halfway through, so be sure to check off the box for completed works in the search options.

FanFiction.Net - (often abbreviated as FF.net or FFN) is considered to be world’s largest fanfiction archive and the most popular too. It has currently well over 10 million users and hosts stories in over 30 languages. You can find stories on almost every fandom -- books, anime and manga, TV shows, movies, musicals, comics or games. You can read it online or download their official free app on mobile. It’s available on iOS and Android devices.

FictionPress - is a sister site of FanFiction and it contains over 1 million original stories, poems, and plays. The site has a similar format and rules to FanFiction.net, except that no fanfiction is allowed. 

Archive of Our Own - (also referred as AO3) is a non-profit, non-commercial open source repository for fanfiction and other fanworks. It contains four million works in over 29,000 fandoms and it has a pretty well optimized search function. AO3 even offers the option to download works into four formats, such as in HTML, PDF, MOBI and EPUB. These formats can be accessed on your computer and on a range of portable devices, including but not limited to phones (e.g. Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy), e-readers (e.g. Amazon Kindle), and tablets (e.g. Apple iPads, Amazon Fire).

Wattpad - is a community for readers and writers to publish new user-generated stories in different genres, including classics, general fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, poetry, fanfiction, spiritual, humor, and teen fiction. You can also access Wattpad from mobile devices, which is available for iOS and Android.

These are just some of the most popular ones, but a quick search online can list them all. 

[timepetalscollective]

New Year, New Name, New Goals

Prompts blogs have taken on a particular association in our fandom: more fics, unity, and fun. But also with overshadowing other fandom things, fewer non-prompt-blog fics, overlooked fanworks, discouraged opinions, and more. 

We’d love to be more about sharing everyone’s thoughts, your ideas, celebrating when everyone creates any fanworks, sharing new ideas, and highlighting what we don’t see as often. While making a couple operational changes we’re keeping our classics like bingo, monthly inspiration/ideas, rec lists (now called fanworks recaps), and most importantly your ask prompt ideas!

Everyone’s ideas are so important to us that they’ve inspired our new name, timepetalscollective. A collection of ideas. Sharing them is half the fun. ^_^ So let’s have more fun!

Part of that new thing is to have events every month -- these events are completely voluntary, but we want to help make the fandom world a much more welcoming and positive place for fandom creators big and small, while giving a little back.

All fanworks for these events will be freeform, based on ships/characters in order to make it more accessible to everyone to join in. Write what you want, we got your back. Each entry per month must have participation and fanwork, or we cannot count it. Each event post that needs it will have tons of links and resources to consider! We literally mean charity in the dictionary definition -- you can donate to charity or do something kind and positive that helps others to do with the monthly theme. Please don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do.

Here is our Annual Fanwork Events Planner

The Adopt a Star Challenge! Everyone who creates a fanwork (fanart, special gifsets, moodboards, manips, fanfic, etc.) each week for any of our ships during the month of January will be put into a drawing (multiple winners) to have a star adopted for them, in any name they choose. They will receive an email certificate and a link to be able to view their star in real time. All proceeds will go to astronomy research! More info in the main post.

Black History Month & Femslash February! We will be concentrating really strongly on femslash and black characters! We’d love to see lots of love for them.  Fanworks for charity! Any fanwork creator can create anything, for any ship we cover, but in order to be part of the event, please send us an ask with info on your donation to a charitable or kindness cause, be that money, you’ve donated time toward anything positive in your community, cans of food, books, whatever you’ve done to help your community and the world! Two winners will be contacted to have a small donation made to a charity of their choice in their name. 

Spring Cleaning Month! Go ahead and jump into that closet you’ve been dreading, that box you don’t wanna think about, etc. and then anything you decide you don’t need -- donate it, whether to a charity or a thrift store, or a library, a friend, a church rummage sale, a local elementary school class, etc. Let the us know what you’ve done, and then create a fanwork. You will be put into a small drawing, and a random winner will be sent a Doctor Who Big Finish Audio of their choosing!

Fanartist Appreciation Month! We will leave a post for fanartists to reply to if they are interested in being interviewed and showcased on our blog! There will be between 2-4 interviews and showcases per week for fanartists so that people can get to know who they are, and the amazing work they do! A lot of times the fic community and the art community can feel so separate -- we’d like to help bridge that gap!

Children in Hospitals! There are many young children in hospitals who don’t get enough of a childhood, and we’d like to really start an event that helps with that. You can donate time, a small bit of money, or even toys to hospitals! Send cards, etc. Send us an ask with what you’ve done, you can even discuss it in the creator’s notes of whatever fanwork you make! You can even donate to these hospitals via amazon,  you can do it at Johns Hopkins or Great Ormond Street Hospital or you can find a local hospital and google how to write children letters, or send coloring books! The options are endless! 

Switchsies Month! For the first two weeks, fanwork creators are to make something -- anything -- based on the available ships that we cover. Then, all who are participating will be assigned another person’s fanwork to create something for. For instance, a fanartist could be assigned a fanfic to make fanart for, a drabble writer may be assigned a mood board, a gifmaker may be assigned a multi-chapter, etc. We want to encourage supporting each other!

Save the Ocean! Every person who creates a fanwork for this month will have their names put into a random drawing! There will be two winners at the end of the month, who will have their favorite ocean animal adopted in their name, and an adoption kit will be sent to their home! The bonus is in the helping wildlife conservation, while having fun!

Plant A Tree Month! Do something kind for the environment! Help clean up a street, recycle, start a compost, etc.! Be creative! Please consider sending a $1 donation to One Tree Planted and send us a message that you’ve done it. Do whatever kind environmental thing you’ve done, and then submit a fanwork! We will randomly draw 2 names of participants to be sent a Doctor Who Novel!

Back to school month! We will be concentrating really hard on any fanfic related to school! We will also encourage back to school charities! Can you donate time, books, money, school supplies, jackets, backpacks, etc? Literally anything you can do to help education in any way. Send us the details! You will be placed in a drawing, and two winners will have a Doctor Who Pop Vinyl sent to them!

Unfuck Your Space Month! Did you do your fall cleaning? Submit us a picture of your cleaned space (you can send before photos if you want, but no pressure and we won’t judge) or let us know that you have decluttered thy habitat! Then, create a fanwork! All names will be placed in a randomizer and two winners will be chosen to have a random piece of Doctor Who merch sent to them -- based on their fave character or ship!

We Love Animals Month! Do you heart animals? If you create a fanwork for this event, we ask that you also donate time, or money, or toys, or anything you possibly can to any animal organization or shelter! Even if you go and adopt a pet from a local shelter, or buy off a shelter’s amazon wish list, go walk a dog for neighbors who are sick, elderly, or injured, anything that gives back to animals in some way. Let us know, and then be entered into a drawing. Winners will have a small donation made to an animal charity of their choosing in their name.

Cards for people in the hospital during this holiday season! Go ahead and google any letter writing charity you’d like to be a part of and send someone a fun holiday card and get well soon card. The cost isn’t very high, but the smiles and thoughtfulness of it can make a huge difference! Let us know you’ve done this, and create a holiday fanwork! We will do a weekly drawing, 1 winner per week will have a small donation made in their name to a charity of their choice. 

[shark-myths]

Fic Against Fascism

CALLING ALL CREATORS…

We are recruiting fan creators of every kind (writer, artist, podficcer, playlist-maker, moodboarder, Top 5 Harry Styles As Breakfast Food-ers—whatever you do, if you want to be involved, we want you) for a Fic Against Fascism charity drive.

How will it work?

People of the Internet will choose what kind of work they want within the price tier of donations they want to make. They will submit their request with any specifications they may have, including creator-specific requests. (e.g., ‘I want immoral-crow to write a gladiator Fall Out Boy AU and I want it to be between 2-5k words and I want somebody’s mouth to get bloody, I don’t care whose.’)

Creators will volunteer for works they’re interested in. You won’t ever have to create something you haven’t agreed to.

Once the request is accepted, people will make their donation to one of our approved charities, organizations that are poised to support underrepresented minorities and oppose fascist political action and hate crimes. We are open to suggestions about which charities should be on this list, especially if creators or bidders have a favorite local or global charity they want to specifically support. Current charities include Planned Parenthood, The Alliance for Global Justice, True Colors Fund, Human Rights First, The Trevor Project, Southern Poverty Law Center, African American Policy Forum, and the ACLU.

Bidders whose bids are accepted will go ahead and make their donations. Once we receive proof of the donation, the creator will contact their bidder with a flexible estimate of how long it will take to complete the work, and get to creating!

You can always write or create more than you’ve been ‘paid’ to. Bidders won’t have to donate more just because some of us can’t help but exceed word counts.

Bidders can always donate above the suggested donation. It is, after all, for charity.

This is a very new process, so things are still subject to change! We are open to suggestions.

Creators are not committed for any set length of time or number of works. I envision this as an ongoing project, with creators are free to come and go as they please. Maybe you want to volunteer one work, maybe you want to volunteer twelve—it’s up to you.

We are aim for the project to officially start sometime in October and continue for as long as people are interested in pursuing social justice and political change through, um, the fanworks we were gonna create and consume anyway.

What size donations are we talking about?

This will vary tremendously based on the art form. Here are current price points, which as still subject to flex and change prior to the project’s official start:

               Art

               Small B&W Drawing - $10 (Size will be defined by creator)

               Large B&W Drawing - $20

               Small Color Drawing - $20

               Large Color Drawing - $35

               Physical, Archival Quality Print of Artwork Mailed to Bidder – add $10 (The cost and execution of this will be the responsibility of the organizers, not the creators. It also means people only have to give their physical addresses to one internet stranger of ill repute (i.e., me))

               Writing

               .5-1k Fic - $10

               1-2.5k Fic - $20

               2.5-5k Fic - $30

               5-7.5k Fic - $40

               7.5-10k Fic - $50

               Longer work - Negotiable by creator; make offer

               Podfic

               Per 10k words - $20 (Podficcer and bidder will work together to get permission for fics; podficcer can make no guarantees about permission)

              Other

              Mini headcanon/drabble/sketch for those who have no cash but still want to be involved - $5+

              Sad gay headcanon about any FOB lyric by shark-myths/scarredsodeep - $5+

              Add $10 to any scarredsodeep fic bid for disastrous handwritten originals mailed to you

              Playlist for custom vibe (e.g., Fake Dating; Pop Punk Christmas; Dirty Vegas Regrets; Tony Stark Feelings; as a companion to a particular fic) – $10 for a 5-song playlist, $20 for a 10-song playlist, longer playlists negotiable

Have ideas about types of work you’d like to add to this list so your skillset can be included? Let us know!

What fandoms will be included?

That depends entirely on the proclivities of our volunteer creators! Some fandoms we can cover so far include Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, Marvel Cinematic Universe, select Marvel comics (including X-Men and Avengers), Star Wars, Star Trek, Pokemon, Ghostbusters 2016, The X-Files, and more. Personally, I can be persuaded to try writing almost anything (…as long as it’s queer).

 Does this project sound like something you’d be interested in? GREAT!  Here’s what I need from you:

Your pen name

Your preferred email address to be contacted at (this will not be made public)

Fandoms you are interested in creating for

Type of works you are interested in creating

A brief bio for the site (optional)

Where prospective bidders can find samples of  your work (optional)

You can submit this information either to my tumblr, shark-myths, or through email to marvelgirl238@sbcglobal.net. You can also take a look at the very rough, in-progress website at ficagainstfascism.wordpress.com.

Updates about the project will be posted on my tumblr in the ‘fic against fascism’ tag, through email to those who are interested in volunteering, and on the website. Please consider sharing this post with any creators you know, and consider what kind of bids you might be interested in making yourself.

Thanks for spreading the word, guys! More info coming soon!