#the more feedback i can get. the quicker i can get this published in ao3

[divinenanny]

Feedback Fest 2024: The Nanny recs!

It's International Fanworks Day today, and @transformativeworks is asking for fic recs! (for more information check out their post!)

The Nanny is a very small fandom, I have 1872 fics (from all sites, including RUNHP via the Internet Archive) in total, and just 407 of those are on AO3 (including crossovers in which The Nanny is not the main fandom).

But despite being a small fandom we are and have been blessed with amazing writers. I have had trouble limiting my recs to just 10. My recs cover both CC/Niles and CC/Fran as ships, most are rated E/M so check the rating if you care about those things. In no particular order:

what would you do (if they never found us out) (affectionately known as wwyd) by @groovebunker - CC/Fran - In Progress - CC and Fran cannot keep their hands off each other, starting with being locked in the wine cellar. They're together and figuring this relationship out. The writing is amazing, the characterization spot on and @groovebunker introduced and convinced me of CC/Fran as a valid ship and I am forever grateful to them.

i like you (a latke) also by @groovebunker (I recommend everything by them but want to highlight these two) - CC/Fran - Fake dating and a hanukah party at Sylvia's. So sweet. So comforting. So lovely.

Christmas Special by @7billionneedles - CC/Niles - An amazing advent project, publishing a chapter a day in December 2023. They are at least 60% responsible for getting me through that month. Also fake dating, a little mystery, a little adventure and so much fluffy loveliness. And long, I love long. It was great reading this a chapter a day, and rereading it was even better.

The Hell Of It by @7billionneedles - CC/Niles (ish) - Major Character Death - MCD is not my jam. But this one. This one. It is so beautifully heartbreaking. Making me cry ugly tears in just 1259 words. If you can handle MCD, read this one. Now.

With Luck Like That by @tayryn/Tayryns_tower (restricted) - CC/Niles - Niles accompanies CC to a weekend away to woo some backers, and instead they woo each other. All kinds of shenanigans, lots of spice, but also romance and fluff. A great comfort read.

In Vino Veritas by @seariderfalcon - CC/Niles - The summary covers it: Blame it on the alcohol. Six times Niles and C.C. let liquor loosen their inhibitions and one time they didn't need it. Many lovely kisses, eventually matching up with canon (yay, Dummy Twins).

How Will I know (If She Really Loves Me)? by @enchantedslothh - CC/Fran - In Progress - CC meets Fran in Flushing the day Fran is fired from the bridal shop. Fran goes to work for the Sheffields, and the story pretty much follows canon, but it is CC and Fran starting a relationship (and CC is a lot quicker than Maxwell). It is lovely to see canon through this lens.

vignettes from the kitchen (and the couch) by @itsfantasticallyhomoerotic/iffoundreturntomissbabcock - CC/Fran - CC and Fran decide to fake date to make Maxwell jealous. Well, that never back-fired in the history of (fan-) fiction ever :D

Life As We Knew It by Aninsomniac1999 - CC/Niles - Lots angst, dating other people, not admitting that they belong together.

normal days on upper east side by uppereastsidegirl - CC/Niles - In Progress - Lots of scenes between CC and Niles, during canon. Great to see them in the spotlight. This fic is translated, so does have some grammar/spelling issues, but it is worth it.

Special mentions I couldn't fit in anymore: it's all there in black and white by @groovebunker (CC/Fran journalist AU, in progress), Enemies With Privileges by @7billionneedles (CC/Niles, during canon)

Also, if you want, you can check out my own fics on AO3 (all CC/Niles).

[vvh0adie]

can i just say that any writing done for free on the internet is not up for professional publishing critique

my thing is: unless i go on your blog and see the content you reblog/make pertains to some nasty heinous shit

(incest/race play/pedophilia/beastiality; meaning this is who you are as a legit person and you actively promote it in positivity)

then i go check your masterlist and its sewn into the fabric of your fics, imma side eye you, report, and block.

but lets be honest i would hope ppl just report/block during the first scroll cuz i don’t know why we’d want those type of people on tumblr anyway. tho we’re not here to discuss that further and definitely not another time. if you know you’re into the shit i listed above FOR REAL, get the fuck off my blog and play in traffic.

but if someone writes something you don’t like or if you think their writing isn’t up to gramatical/literary standard, don’t get in the fucking comments or asks to tell us that. we do this shit for fun. this isn’t fucking goodreads.

ALSO DONT REBLOG FICS YOU DIDNT ENJOY AND RATE THEM AND LEAVE BAD REVIEWS IN THE FUCKING POST. WE CAN SEE THAT SHIT!!! THIS GOES FOR TUMBLR, AO3, AND ANYWHERE ELSE THAT HOST NON-PROFIT FICTION WORKS.

(and no kofi and patreon don’t count as profit, if an author explicitly tells you that you will have access to their wips and early access to fanfiction that will eventually go onto tumblr or ao3. you already knew to expect some hobbyists writing. and you need to know from reading the already free content on their blog, that you like their writing well enough to invest in it. it doesn’t make sense to pay for something you KNEW you already hated. if it just so happens that you’re author sets a standard above what you consider fanfiction writing and it feels more professional, then lucky you…… it’s still not up for critique. that’s just means someone took their craft “serious enough”)

i also see you bitches who put ACTUAL FICS INTO GOODREADS! HAVE YOU LOST YO DAMN MIND CUZ LEMME HELP YOU FIND IT QUICKER THAN MOSES PARTED THE SEA!

when people come to your fic recs, they are most likely not looking for bad fics AT ALL, they’re hoping you’ve done your due diligence in curating a collection of fics you deem amazing so they DONT have to sift thru “bad” fics. you making more work for yourself and other readers.

but some of y’all love to be negative and get wet from twiddling your thumbs on this keyboard to spew unnecessary or productive “criticism”. unless we asks or have a link to a feedback box/google forms, SHUT THE FUCK UP.

social platforms besides goodreads are not here to help reader experience. goodreads is the place to leave reviews for BOOK YOU EITHER PAYED FOR OR THE AUTHOR HAS PROFESSIONALLY PUBLISHED FOR WIDER CONSUMPTION.

i love goodreads too and criticism of books I FIND AT BARNES AND NOBLES😁… because i’m able to avoid things like bad grammar, bad literary skills, poc and queer trauma porn, and other shit i don’t wanna be exposed to.

what i do think is valid, is asking a fic writer to tag properly. i’ve read shit and been blindsided cuz “dead dove” tags weren’t added. i’ve even asked and they’ve made it a point to belittle me. i thought it was a good fic in terms of plot but i wanted to be able to blacklist those words for if they wrote more content. but they completely turned me off due to how they responded so i just never wanted to read more of their work.

i didn’t harass them because frankly it had content i didn’t like (not anything that would make me question their overall morality, unless you count the not tagging, but that’s a bit much). instead i just blocked them and moved on.

there have been times where the grammar in a fic was really bad, the formatting of a fic had huge gaps that made reading difficult, or they didn’t put a cut on their fic. i didn’t contact them, i just blocked them.

so for the love of baby jesus, just block. only when you feel that something DETRIMENTAL is being posted like WHITE SUPREMACIST MANIFESTO or SOCIALLY TABOO type shit is being PROMOTED (they need to actually believe in this shit) in someone’s writing and has built a following of like-minded people, then really the troops so we can deal with it.

but bad grammar or that yandere fics with non-con in is not something to be harassing people over.

(some folks writing language is not their first so they’re learning thru writing or they’re a native speaker who still messes up/has a disability and just because some likes to write/read dark fics doesn’t mean they advocate such acts. plus while it may not be the healthiest, it’s some people’s coping mechanisms and i can’t blame them cuz a good therapist is hard to find and even harder to pay for —at least in the US)

so go read shit you actually like. and if you just so feeeeel it in yo spirit to rate some fics and leave bad reviews download Calibre Library and have at it. it is only seen by you and on your computer. so make that your lil hate diary or whateva🙄

anyway duces. i just had to say a lil sumn cuz i saw one of y’all attacking the homies. i love my moots and i miss the ones that left becuz of the bullshit💜💜💜

also if anyone thinks i left something out or wants to correct something feel free to tag me or reblog💖

[cresvalkyrie]

First Draft

Okay, so I finally mustered up the motivation to finally write my Pokemon Rejuvenation fanfic, and the first draft of my prologue is done! I’ll be editing it over time, but I’ll post it up here so people can enjoy it as well. I also like hearing from you guys, so if you liked it please do provide some constructive feedback on how I can do better. So, without further ado, here’s the beta prologue chapter :D Words: 1,415 words C/W: None so far

Phantasmal Arboret was a strange land, many would say.

It is not a place that you can find on any map, nor is it somewhere that can be reached by mundane means. Only those permitted by its sole inhabitant could hope to enter the mystical realm. And the process of gaining her approval was not an easy feat, for it is only once in a blue moon would she willingly appear before humans. Even then, she does not and will not hand over this privilege lightly, for she is highly particular about the people she lets into her beloved abode.

It is, for this reason, that Phantasmal Arboret had been untouched for centuries. Millennia, even. Until tonight, that is.

For tonight, beneath the watchful gaze of the dazzling full moon, Phantasmal Arboret welcomes its first visitor in a very long time. A girl of sixteen years, all but dead to the realm atop a bed of flowers in a mist-filled clearing.

She stirred, roused by the gentle caresses of a soft breeze, yet did not wake. Only when her ears caught what sounded like a voice did she arise, dazed, eyes still bleary with sleep. She glanced around, silently taking in the tranquillity of her surroundings, until something - several, actually - dawned upon her.

One, she’s in a forest.

Two, she lived nowhere near a forest. Nothing significant, except for the fact that she called a tropical region home. And there are no forests in such climes - only jungles and rainforests.

And three, there was not a soul in sight. So whose voice did she hear?

Jolted awake by shock and urgency, she hurriedly rose to her feet, almost stumbling over in her haste to get up. There was a faint giggle in the air.

“My, did I startle you?” teased the Voice, though she could detect a hint of sheepishness in her words. “Apologies. That is not my intention.”

The girl said nothing, opting to simply shake her head.

“Do you know your name?” asked the Voice politely.

Her brows furrowed at the innocent question, but it isn’t clear whether it was done out of deep contemplation or a genuine distress borne from not knowing the answer. Perhaps it had been somewhere between the two possibilities. Either way, she did not respond immediately, letting the question roll around in her mind for a while before she spoke.

“...Hauyne,” she said, hesitantly. “That’s my name.”

“Good,” the Voice breathed a sigh of relief, though she wasn’t exactly sure why. “I had feared that your time in the chasm had worn your mind away to the point of no return. I’m glad to see that this isn’t the case.”

Chasm? What chasm? Why had she been in this chasm, whatever it is?

Countless questions swirled within Hauyne’s mind, though she made no attempt to voice it out despite her confusion. She was certain that she hadn’t been any chasms; after all, the last thing she remembered was settling in for the night, still buzzing from the victory of finishing her latest challenge run of her favourite game: Pokémon Rejuvenation.

How could she not, when the run would’ve ended in failure if it weren’t for a timely critical hit from her Togekiss’s Dazzling Gleam? It was still a spectacular win, even if it was sheer dumb luck that saved the run in the end.

…The point is, she definitely did not recall leaving her house. And she was pretty sure that she didn’t have a history of sleepwalking.

“...Ah, but where are my manners?” rambled the Voice, startling her back to reality. She had almost forgotten that she was in the middle of a conversation with a disembodied Voice.

Without warning, the whole world was engulfed in an endless sea of white. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, everything returned to normal. Or, at least, as normal as it gets for someone stunned by the abrupt change in brightness and still blinking stars out of her eyes. By the time she recovered from the unexpected flashbang, there was now a woman standing in her midst, her hands folded in front of her.

“My name is Variya,” the woman introduced herself with a genial smile, acting as if she hadn’t just given her guest vertigo with her flashy entrance. “And I have a proposal to ask of you.”

“Variya?” she repeated, a glint of recognition in her eyes. “You’re…”

“I see that you’ve heard of me,” mused Variya, a thoughtful look crossing her face. Then, she smiled. “Well. That makes things easier. You are fully aware of what I am about to request of you, yes?”

Hauyne nodded. “To assume the role of the Interceptor and save your world, right?”

“Indeed,” Variya inclined her head slightly, her countenance taking on a serious demeanour. “Soon, a great Calamity shall befall my beloved home, and only the Interceptor may deliver it from its fate. You are our best candidate for the role.”

“Why?” asked Hauyne, frowning. “I have no stake in this.”

“Quite the contrary, my dear,” Variya countered with an odd, enigmatic smile. “You have something we don’t. Something that could very well turn the tides of this conflict. Do you know what it is?”

Hauyne’s eyes widened, a sense of understanding dawning upon her. Then, she frowned. “But that doesn’t explain why I should accept your proposal. Nor does it tell me why of all the players out there, you chose me.”  

“Let’s say you accepted my proposal and became the Interceptor,” began Variya. “With your metaknowledge and the ability to defy fate without suffering the consequences, what’s stopping you from altering the fates of those you care about? Perhaps you could have given them the life they never could have.”  

She would never admit it, but the offer was starting to get tempting. Call it foolish sentimentality, but she had gotten attached to those little pixels representing the main cast on her screen as she travelled Aevium. The notion that she could help them secure a better future than what was previously plausible had been planted in her head, and there was no way Hauyne could have shaken it off now. It was simply too tantalising for her to dismiss it.

“As for your second inquiry,” continued Variya, either oblivious to or ignoring Hauyne’s contemplative state. “I called for you, simply because you were the only one who heard my pleas for help.”

Hauyne said nothing, only offering a quiet nod in understanding.

“So what will be your answer?” proposed Variya, looking at Hauyne with anticipation. “Do you accept, or will you refuse?”

“Let’s say I refuse,” said Hauyne, crossing her arms across her chest. “What will you do?”

Variya seemed taken aback at the hypothetical she suggested, if the sudden flinching was of any indication. Her verdant eyes gleamed with some emotion she couldn’t identify, or perhaps emotions, and for a moment Hauyne feared that she had somehow gotten ahead of herself. Before she could even spit out a hasty apology, Variya spoke.

“...I will return you from whence you came from,” the woman said carefully, speaking with a measured pace as though afraid that she would lose her composure if she were to go any faster. “And I shall select from the remaining candidates in the hopes that one will accept their role. You may wash your hands clean of this affair and carry on with your life, whatever it may be.”

Hauyne said nothing, but one could plainly see the turmoil of conflicting emotions raging within her eyes.

“I will ask again: will you become the saviour that my world needs?”

“...Yes,” Hauyne replied, after a moment of hesitation. “I have nothing to return to, so might as well.”

Variya beamed, this time a genuine expression of joy and gratitude. “Thank you.”

A familiar sigil illuminated from beneath Hauyne’s feet, bathing the entire clearing in holy light. She jumped back, surprised, yet she couldn’t help but stare at the sigil underneath her in awe. It was the sigil of the Core: the source of the Interceptor’s powers, and also the heart of the planet that  Pokémon call home. With it, she could…

“Interceptor, oh great Interceptor,” Variya said, reverence in her tone as she bowed imploringly at Hauyne. “Please deliver the world from its fate.”

Brilliant light erupted from the sigil, engulfing everything into a sea of white. Then, darkness, and the sensation of falling… falling… falling…

Until Hauyne felt herself hit solid ground.

[ladymatt]

Get To Know The Writer

I was ambushed tagged by Sarah, Queen of the Scots aka @alineppenhallow  & Tiggy, The Feline Keeper of the Flame aka @the-burning-tiger  so that I may answer these writing-related questions! So here goes! This is for my fan fans!  Cheers, babes! ;-))

*just kidding*

WRITING TAG

1) How many works do you currently have in progress? Using the word ‘progress’ in the loosest of terms, I currently have 4 that I’ve begun but not completed, and I have 3 more to start in the immediate future!

2) Do you/would you write fanfiction?

I do and I have - though they only boast a modest word count!  Unfortunately, like most other writers, it’s a case of having lots of interesting ideas but so little time to execute them!  

3) Do you prefer paper books or ebooks?

While ebooks have many advantages, there is no comparison to inhaling the scent of a printed page, whether it be new and fresh or well-worn and musty!  And no back-lit screen with endless scrolling capabilities could ever replace the tangible pleasure of turning a page!  Plus, an illustrated book cover can be as memorable and beloved as the story within!

4) When did you start writing?

I think I was around the age of 3 when I first started forming letters, gradually gaining in confidence till I could finally do away with my alphabet stencil......Ok, sorry! I was about 12 when I started writing romantic mini stories (blame Mills & Boon, ok?) and poems, but it was only in May of this year when I posted Driving Him Insane to AO3 that anyone else set eyes on anything I’d written!

5) Do you have someone you trust that you share your work with?

I DO!  I have the robust support (and undying love) of my unbelievably talented bestie, Britt @blj2007 whom I trust COMPLETELY to give me honest constructive feedback before I hit that coronary-inducing ‘Post’ button!

6) Where is your favourite place to write?

Sharing a house with 5 men, there isn’t really anywhere I can escape to in order to write, but I do put on my headphones as a clear ‘Do Not Disturb’ as I turn my screen away from prying eyes and try to hammer out something on the living room couch (I mean the keyboard, you filthy creatures!) or in bed, when everyone’s asleep!

7) Favourite childhood book?

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore! This beautifully illustrated book triggered my love for rhyme, words from a bygone era and scene setting! It’s also a good example of how to capture emotion in a story!

8) Writing for fun or writing for publication

Oh, purely for fun!  I have NO illusions about getting anything published and, to be honest, it’s not a long held ambition of mine!  So long as whoever reads what I write has a smile on their face after reading, I’m happy!

9) Pen and paper or computer

Well, I write down all my notes and story arcs in a battered old notebook (the pages are so well-thumbed, they’re barely clinging to the spiral binder) but I use my Chromebook to try and translate said notes into some semblance of a story! Plus, it’s quicker to do the millions of corrections needed before I deem it fit for consumption! 

10) Have you ever taken any writing classes?

Nope, and it shows, right?  To the readers I beta for, you hereby have my public confession that I’ve been blagging it all this time!  But...I do tend to pick up new words quickly and hopefully, I’m not too bad at knowing how to phrase a sentence! 

11) What inspires you to write?

Malec at the moment, of course! I think their beautiful relationship is full of complexities and I find it a rich source of material!  Honestly though, whether it’s to compose a smutty 35-verse Malec poem for my best friend’s birthday or send a heartfelt message to someone I barely know, it’s the need to convey my thoughts and feelings (sprinkled with a little bit of humour) that makes me pick up a pen or open my Chromebook!

I now entrap tag: @blj2007   @prettylightwoodinspires  and @magicandarchery  XXXXXXXXXXXXX

[jarchieriverdale]

I'm writing a Riverdale fanfic (Jarchie mainly, with Beronica on the side) which is one of my first proper fanfics ever. Any general tips or maybe even just tips for being brave enough to actually, you know, share it? I'm feeling so awkward about this entire thing!

Can I first start of with saying: so much kudos to you for wanting to put your fic up! Fandoms getting new fics and writers is always a huge YES because we always need more & definitely welcome it ^_^(This definitely ended up being really long, but I made a list further down if you don’t wanna read all my rambling. I’m not sure what specifically you’re feeling awkward about, but I covered a bunch of stuff :))

Reading this I was like, I’m probably not the best person to ask because I have really bad anxiety ?? but then I was like, actually, you know, that’s why I’m probably one of the best people to ask because HOW the HELL do I manage to do this despite that? And honestly it involves a lot of self-talk + bravery + a fuck-it-I’m-gonna-do-it-who-cares mood. And I have a feeling this post is going to be rather long, but I’ll just talk through my own experience and what I’ve told myself, and maybe it’ll help you (or someone else) as well. :D

(I decided to put this under cut IT’S SO LONG IM SORRY (& if you’re on mobile I’m even more sorry t_t) 

I’ve actually been writing stuff for YEARS. I started fanfics in middle school, before that I was writing my own little stories. Little me in primary school and early middle school, so badly wanting to be a writer (I RP’d a lot between 07-10 as well). But I never shared my writing. SOMETIMES with close friends, if I bought up an original story and they were interested I would send it to them. Otherwise, I wasn’t about to share it with anyone. ESPECIALLY not my fanfics when I started. A lot of my earliest have gone unseen by the world (and myself for years). I’m sure this may apply to a lot of people if you’ve written stuff for years, regardless what type of writing it is. I don’t know if you’ve written other stuff before anon, but if you haven’t that’s okay because we all gotta start somewhere & if you want to share it right away that’s one hell of an achievement and damned awesome. On the other hand, if it’s taken a while, that’s great too. Either way, sharing can be one hell of an anxiety inducing situation.

Okay, so when it came to finally posting stuff up, I’d definitely been writing a while, but at this point I knew I really wanted feedback on my writing, and to see if people enjoyed it, so that was a huge factor in me sharing it online. I’d never find out what people thought if I kept it to myself forever. Critique can sometimes be tough (just before my ImperialRemnant account on AO3 I wrote fanfic elsewhere and definitely had “this sucks” reviews - which isn’t so much a critique, but actually being a dick because they weren’t helpful - and definitely had fics that did rather terribly - still do - but it’s all a learning process & you eventually get used to it).

It’s also important where you post it, AO3 would be best of jarchie and beronica, as well as tumblr. Fanfic.net usually does better with gen fics. They’re the only ones I use, although I have accounts on some other sites I still gotta go on.

So I’ll go through things you should remember if you’re nervous about putting up fics (and things I have to remind/tell myself constantly):: 

1. I’ll start with the fact you’ll definitely get reviews/comments/critique like I said previously. But most people are REALLY REALLY nice, so don’t freak out (I tell myself, as I’m trying to rationalise), and I haven’t had anything terrible since making my ImperialRemnant account on AO3 or fanfic.net. And there are always times your fics won’t get any comments at all– and that’s fine too! I’ve had that happen to me, and in the long run, it doesn’t feel like a huge biggy??Also, sometimes people aren’t gonna like what you do and they’ll say that, but that takes me to a second point–

2. It’s not your problem if somebody doesn’t like something. This is really important to know. You wrote the fic because it’s a concept you wanted to write, and something you really wanted to share and that’s amazing. You put tags on everything in your fic, so the person will go in and know what to expect, so if somebody does say something, then it’s like… “it was in the tags/summary? Why did you read this then? Wtf?” then 0% your fault. (Tagging’s important guys! I do find it hard so if you do too then try! You’ll usually be fine). 

3. In regards to quality of fic, there’s definitely is a lot of amazing stuff out there, and that’s overwhelming. But you gotta know, there’s a lot of bad stuff too. I hate to say it, because it’s the nice thing to say all fic is good, but the reality is that’s not true. Your fic may not be the best (hey it may be damn amazing I haven’t seen it xD), but there’s a damn good chance it’s not going to be the worst either. Say to yourself this fic isn’t terrible, it’s fine. Your quality will improve over time anyway when you grow as a writer (Lord forbid there’s stuff from a year ago I published and I’m like… why did I do that…but that brings me to the next point).

4. SOMEBODY WILL LOVE YOUR FIC, I GUARANTEE THIS. I didn’t know this at first but learnt it quickly and have to remind myself EVERY TIME. Even if, later, you’re going “oh god that fic was a dumb idea”, there will be someone, at some point, who will have loved it and enjoyed it and wished there was more. It may just be one or two people but goddammit your audience is always gonna start small, and if it stays that way it will always be worth it for someone (that someone can be yourself too!). The best feeling is when somebody gets excited from your updates (HUGE reason why people should leave comments if they love a fic, because there’s a lot of people who are passive readers even when they love love LOVE a fic & just leave a kudos, definite issue. But I hope as a fandom we can not be like that?).

5. Your writing is not going to be perfect to you, it’ll never be perfect, you’ll be sure there’s a way something could be written better, but maybe you don’t know how to make it better (especially if you don’t have a beta!). I never expect fics, when I go in to read them, to be perfect. No writer is perfect, even properly published writers. You’re going to have to tell yourself it’s the best you can do RIGHT NOW for THIS fic. Put it through an editing program maybe if it’ll make you feel better (I use prowritingaid sometimes?) or leave the fic and go through it later. It’s gonna be fine.

6. Don’t expect much at first. Sometimes first fics can be very successful for people, but there’s a shit-ton of people where this doesn’t happen and it takes a while. When I first put fics up on AO3 they only got less than 10 kudos or something? You will eventually write something that a lot of people may love, but it can take a while. I think… well I’ll give you an example with the Star Wars fandom– I first wrote TFA & Kylux on AO3 before The Force Awakens had even come out, so obviously I didn’t get a lot of attention. When the movie came out, there was few fanfics but I was already there so a lot of people would read my fics (dunno if they liked them, but since they were some of the ONLY ones that existed they didn’t have much choice ;P). If you’re writing fics in a growing fandom you might be more likely get more attention later on your fics, if only because there’s few choices. Some of my fics still have barely any kudos, but I have nearly 60 fics and they’re gonna be a hit or a miss (& they eventually gather more kudos overtime, so even the worst fics have at least a few). With Jarchie, I was actually surprised I got as many as I did, but this fandom’s in the process of growing and I assume a lot of people are reading all the new fics?? It’s probably good for you actually, to right now put a fic when people are reading it and into it. 

6. It gets easier. Man, I ain’t even kidding, the first time I was putting up a fic I was freaking out like mad, going back and forth between the tag, mouse hovering over the publish button, re-reading a billion and ten times. It was ~kinda~ easier in a fandom where nobody was reading the fics because you definitely don’t expect much, but there were a couple of people who definitely enjoyed the series I was writing once I’d put some stuff up. And as time went on, it got much more easier. There’s a huge gap of time I didn’t put any fics up and it was hard to update again, but now that I did it, it’s once again easier to do it. I still have internal battles with myself over it, but it’s quicker to get over it and much easier to win. 

7. I forgot a note so I’m just gonna add it quickly. But if you’re really weird about it, you can first send it to a friend to look over, or a mutual or something. Or, since I myself never could do that, just tell someone about the idea– and I suggest telling someone you know won’t make a negative comment about it. Sometimes a “that sounds interesting” or “that sounds cool” can be even a little helpful. If you’re lucky, might even go a long way.

Honestly, my mind goes through a whole lot of panic, and sometimes it just takes a good mental day, and some excitement about the concept of my fic, to be able to be brave enough to finally put something up. I usually have low expectations when I share it (being a pessimistic person by nature, so as not to disappoint myself), but I’m like… somebody’s gonna like it at some point, it’s not the worst fic I’ve ever seen, it’ll be okay. And if a fic doesn’t do well, then you just need to put it behind and move on (repress memories haha). Leave it up, don’t take it down, somebody may eventually come across it and love it, but there’s no harm done having fics that don’t do well. It might just be that it’s not gonna appeal to most people, and that’s okay.

At the end of the day your fic’s gonna be okay. There’s a bunch of amazing, unique, horrendously weird, terrible, awful fics out there and the last thing you need to feel is awkward. I know this ended up being a monster of an essay but I hope it’s helped, even a little.

tl;dr? No need to feel awkward, sit yo ass down and just fuckin’ do it. Shit’s crazy.