#this fandom has so many talented artists and writers

[pastawayallday]

I couldn’t resist, I had to draw something from Firefight by @remedyturtles . I’m obsessed, I legit cry at every chapter.

[legallyobtuse]

this is everything!

🔴🌸✉️🔵

collab with @elorberryart !!!! thank u for entrusting me with the alex to your henry 😙

[saquesha13]

May I just say how well fed we are in the Steddie Fandom?

I’m sure someone has said all of this before, so i’ll just say it again.

It’s been over two years since we were introduced to Eddie Munson, only getting a handful of scenes of Eddie and Steve together - let alone interacting together - and it’s all thanks to everyone in this fandom why I am in the biggest steddie rabbit hole not looking for anyway out.

• 28,986 Fanfics to choose from on Ao3 alone. 👀

• thousands of beautiful fanart to browse through from talented artists. 🤌

• so many gorgeous edits of the boys, videos and pictures both. 😻

• cosplayers bringing them to life & letting them hold hands. 🥹

• how active so many ppl are after two whole years still constantly creating food for my pathetic brain to feed off of. 🩷

It’s beautiful how even though these characters didn’t interact nearly enough on screen, we all took one look at Eddie holding the glass to Steve’s throat and all thought the exact.same.thing.

I honestly love it here.

This fandom has me writing fanfiction again, something I haven’t done in YEARS and wasn’t planning on doing ever again really.

The goddamn chokehold steddie has on me is literally insane.

If you’ve contributed your talents into this fandom at all, if you’ve supported artist and writers with comments/likes/kudos, THANK YOU ♥️

[midnight--sadness]

I live for your gihun ideas amsndkdndkdjd do you post on ao3? Or have any recommendations bc I would love to know !!

my ao3 is midnight30sadness but ill ge honest i havent posted there in literally 3 years and only have one (1) squid game fic

BUT i have so much squid game brainrot and so many fic ideas in my head that im pretty sure im going to write something and post!

now, for recs, i just want people to know that this is my opinion, obvi, and this fandom has so many talented artists and writers!

wips:

"lost in you" by nugetandnutmeg - sangihun, a/b/o, no squid games

"in others words (i love you)" series by BreakFreeKillerQueen (Johnlocked221b) - sangihun

"Cho Sang-woo's Guide to Surviving Two Weeks Without His House Husband!" by SquashGame (Pls_mdr_mee) - sangihun, no squid games

completed:

"Upping the Stakes" by Chaseachren - the salesman/gihun (mind the tags!⚠️)

"every time you call me crazy, i get more crazy" by thericochetarrow - inhun

"All Roads Lead To You" by pictureswithboxes - saebyeong, university au

i have so many others but these are the ones that stuck in my brain

[helenvader]

Love Letter to the Fandom

I would like to gush a bit about the Rings of Power fandom, because it's been one of the best things that happened to me in the past two years. :-) ROP is the biggest hyperfixation of my life, and thanks to being in the fandom I met so many nice, smart, funny and incredibly creative people (some of them in person).

We truly are blessed when it comes to creativity: there are so many amazing artists, skillful gif makers, talented fanfiction writers. It's also been a pleasure to read all the great meta and exchange theories, ideas, or simple details from the show that I would never noticed if other wouldn't have pointed it out. Our community has also triggered my own creativity; and most of my stills / videos / fanfics would never exist if it wasn't for discussions with other fans. Let alone ending up where I co-organised two events with the lovely @queenmeriadoc. It has also re-awakened my interest in Tolkien. I have been a fan for 30 years, but had a long hiatus. It's great to be back. :-) THANK YOU so much for making my life brighter!

And cheers for the good times to come!

And if you feel like sharing your positive experiences in the fandom, please do so!

[sly-s-n0nfusion]

….kinda having a lonely, nostalgic moment and as a person who has been in the octopath fandom since 2019 and an active content creator for it since 2021 I just want to say that I miss when the fandom was active. I miss when there was daily content on the octopath tumblr and twitter tag and fics on ao3, I miss when so many talented artists and writers created art and stories for it and that content got the attention it deserved, I miss when art would get 1k+ notes on tumblr and fics would get 100+ kudos on ao3 and I miss when content creators would do collabs and zines and create together for it and I miss so many creators who left the fandom.

So if you’re reading this it probably means you’re here for my octopath content as well and to you and all the other people and content creators seeing this, thank you so much for keeping this little treasure of a fandom alive :)

[madmarbles4]

It astounds me as to how criminally underrated some of Alice Oseman's works are. I mean, Heartstopper is the most popular for a reason (I love the show and comics), and Solitaire has grown its own following, but I see so many people missing out on amazing books like I Was Born For This, Radio Silence, Loveless, as well as some short stories that are an extension of Nick and Charlie's storyline.

I mean, IWBFT has a unique perspective of how to manage fame from the artist's POV as well as how to cope with fake friends. Radio Silence has so many moving pieces including many characters' individual growth and storyline, as well as coping with academic and privacy struggles online when it comes to creating in a fandom. Loveless was also an eye-opener about asexuality and how to branch out in university. And, Nick and Charlie and This Winter added so much depth to some topics Alice didn't have time to cover in the comics.

Anyways, in short, Alice Oseman is an extremely talented artist/writer and she includes so much diversity and realistic representation in her work. Thank you for listening to my rant lol <3

[venomous-qwille]

hi there!! i stumbled across gitm out of nowhere and it immediately became one of my favorite things like ever. your writing is just soooo amazing and everything but i won't gush here!! i just have a couple questions!

so i've never stepped foot in the dca fandom at all until now, but it seems like a lot of fun! how does one really get into it? just sorta show up?

and two, i see characters on here that aren't (yet?) in the fic that everyone seems to know a lot about! where can i learn more about them?

that's all, sorry this is long! i'm not very good at putting things to words lol X)

Hiiii thank you, I'm so happy you are enjoying the story- and also welcome to the DCA fandom! Most everyone is very friendly here and we boast an insaaane number of talented writers and artists for such a 'tiny' niche. We have a looot of active tumblrs and discords @daycarefriendpickup comes immediately to mind if you are interested in meeting people in the fandom, but there are many others out there! We have a discord for GITM (Misutamojis) where most of the peeps are from the DCA fandom also. If you are looking for some HQ DCA fic to get started with, I recommend checking out Solar Lunacy by Bamsara, Long Road Ahead by @bubbiethesaur and I See You, Sundrop by @shirajellyfish (shiracheshire on ao3)!

In regards to the characters that haven't turned up in GITM yet, there are many many many... GITM has a ginormous ensemble cast that will grow over the course of the story ^^ the best place to find out about those characters (see their art and read the existing drabbles about them) is in misutamojis!

(friends in the DCA fandom pls feel free to recommend blogs and discords etc in the replies!)

[lisbeth-kk]

As proposed by @fluffbruary, I have made a Valentine's rec list. Now that I've read through it, It seems to have become more of a love letter...

First of all, I want to thank someone special in the Sherlock fandom - the remarkably talented podficcer extraordinaire @podfixx There isn't a day that goes by without that comforting voice weaving its way to my heart and core. Picking a favourite is almost impossible, because every single one is a gem. But, there is one I will promote a little extra on this romantic day.

The Wedding Garments by cwb

Summary: This is the story of a young consulting detective who wants nothing to do with marriage and an army doctor who wants to find true love. It's 2020 post-Brexit England and the British government is encouraging arranged marriages. Candidates meet through state-run agencies and date in hopes of finding love (and tax benefits). Sherlock doesn't need or want a spouse, at least not until John Watson shows up. Hesitant to give in to his more carnal urges because of the way they derail his mind, how will Sherlock progress toward the more intimate aspects of a relationship? The answer lies in a very special wedding gift.

**********************************************************

There are authors and fics out there that get less attention than they deserve. This story is just one example of that. It's utterly sweet and there's a dog! Sherlock's dog. Please, give it some love!

Late Nigh Emergency by consult_this_prick

Summary: Sherlock shows up late one night with his sick dog at the doors of John's veterinarian clinic.

There is a collection on AO3 I want to direct your attention to. It's called Johnlock on Holiday in FTH 2024 The title says it all, really. Perhaps you'll find some holiday tips.

*************************************************************

Of course, you don't won't to miss anything the giants of this fandom has written. (I'm only going to name a few of them)

Kaleidoscope by @totallysilvergirl

The Last Envoy by @calaisreno

John Watson's Big Adventure by @mydogwatson

The Wisteria Tree by @silentauroriamthereal

A Quiet Life by @discordantwords

The Silence Between the Notes by @jbaillier

Lost in a Good Book by @khorazir

To Stand Before the Storm by @arwamachine

***********************************************************

Honourable mentions of writers that never dissapoint:

A Strange Encounter by @holmesianlove

Rache (German for Revenge) by @blogstandbygo

By the Bi by @keirgreeneyes

When the Worst Parts Begins by @thalialunacy

Without Complexities or Pride by @raina-at

White Pony Tattoo by @meetinginsamarra

The Murder of Sir Emory J. Amat by @chriscalledmesweetie

Kinesis by @stellacartography

An Experiment in Ethanol by @the-reading-lemon

Like a Man by @hubblegleeflower

The Gilded Cage by @the-pen-pot

***********************************************************

It wont't do to forget the fantastic artists this fandom is so lucky to be blessed with. Go visit their blog to see their portfolio.

@petite-madame @bluebellofbakerstreet @helloliriels @justanobsessedpan @gooolabatooo @ceruleanmindpalace @nitaelwyart @a-victorian-girl @starrosea

************************************************************

And last, but certainly not least, the fandom's librarian, the keeper of lists for every possible and impossible prompt, AU, trope, etc - Steph @inevitably-johnlocked

*************************************************************

We have a saying where I live: no one mentioned, no one forgotten, and I am certain that I have forgotten many amazing people, but not mentioning anyone would undermine the task completely, so there's that. It is what it is...

Much love to you all!

[witch-and-her-witcher]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going! Thank you to everyone who tagged me and have had me in their inspo sections, I adore each and every one of you!

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

518,691 (hoping to add another 3-4k to this before midnight hehe)

I CANNOT drop that number without thanking the fucking dream team who has read EVERY SINGLE PUBLISHED WORD of mine: @popjunkie42 and @climbthemountain2020. From cheerleading, to pumping the breaks when my run ons be running, I appreciate the ever-loving hell out of both of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Honorable mention betas who hold up that number: @cauldronblssd, @wilde-knight, @thesistersarcheron, and @rosanna-writer. I truly appreciate every one of you babes and your critical, brilliant eyes on my self indulgent streams of thought.

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

21! 13 of those were one shots.

If I can be real, I have two multi-chapter WIPs sitting in my docs, but it felt too irresponsible to post those once I started getting buried in grad school.

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Heading into the new year, I have 2 in progress fics: Ruin Me for the Fourth Wing fandom and Who's Gonna Know You Like Me? for ACOTAR.

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Any of my poly fics! I really have to thank @acourtofladydeath for her beautiful brain child @polyacotarweek for getting me into the poly mind set. Although I only wrote throuples for that week (and since aside from the background Nesta/Eris/Azriel/Cassian in Who's Gonna Know You Like Me?), I am interested in writing more complex poly pairings in 2025.

I also can't leave out @yanny-77, @copperfirebird and @hockeyspiral23 for supporting the violaiden obsession! I adore writing the three of them together so so much and it's so fun to have others to share the brain rot with!

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

I had never done a true canon rewrite before dripping in gold! It was so so fun taking an in text scene and making it queer as hell.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

It's undeniable that A Court of Chaos and Darkness's reception took me by surprise. From the moment I couldn't shake the concept of the fic to the over one hundred kudos it received before I took it off of anon. But even more so, the absolute comfort blanket this fic was as I wrote it was shocking. Something in the healing occurring, in the recognition of the complexity of parenting and the messiness of the parent/child relationship really struck me.

The fic @revenge??? I love you filthy azris lovers. This was an outlet for some of my dating app blunders and shenanigans and you all really said "serve."

And then there's my first omegaverse fic and the first of it's kind in the Fourth Wing ao3 tag (when it was posted, I believe there's several more now!): so what now? The Fourth Wing fandom has been warm as hell and so inviting to me, but you have all really embraced me bringing weird into the tags and I just can't thank you enough as I gape at the stats.

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Either of my sapphic fics: dripping in gold (genderbent feysand) and lunch. (morlain ft the mommy kink tag!)

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

There are so, so many talented artists that inspire me! @thrumugnyr, @copypastus , @queercontrarian and @lucychanart have been my muses for all things Tamlin. @climbthemountain2020 and @wilde-knight are triple threats and their art brings me such joy! There's also @dustjacketdraws that always has primo Cassian and Nesta vibes!

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

There are SO many. First and foremost, my babe @popjunkie42. I love you, my muse. Something about reading your writing and just chatting with you inspires all of my ideas to flow. @asnowfern is another muse and writer I can always turn to for inspiration, we were just recalling her Turning Darkness Into Light elucien spooktober fic that tickles my imagination so much among her other works!

I'm inspired and impressed endlessly by @climbthemountain2020 ability to flawlessly produce well developed, gorgeously vivid stories.

@highlordofkrypton, @missfckingfortune and @beesays inspire me constantly with their raw talent and skill and for the first two, the hot and steamy smut they can turn out. @jules-writes-stories inspires me with her OC work and beautifully layered plots (Mithras, my toxic love.) @c-e-d-dreamer inspires me with her fun AU worlds, but also with her fearlessness to tackle toxic relationships - @secret-third-thing is in this same boat as well as @iftheshoef1tz, @foundress0fnothing, and of course the OGs @thesistersarcheron, @whisperingmidnights, @separatist-apologist and @the-lonelybarricade.

There are so many more of you. I love this community and the inspiration that flows all around your creative, galaxy brained minds.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

SO many, but those I haven't mentioned yet who are so so talented (but not limited to this list): @dusk-muse, @chairofchaos, @shadowsandlint, @xxvalkyriesxx, @fourteentrout, and @littedidyouknow.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

None this year, but the idea is fun!

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

Could You Love Me While I Hate Myself is my proudest accomplishment this year by far. I always told myself I couldn't: write OCs, write a longfic, or write a fic that would ever break the UNBELIEVABLE stats this fic has done. I proved myself wrong on every front.

Thank you so much to @asnowfern, @popjunkie42 and @wilde-knight for seeing me through this capstone fic and for believing in me and helping me see myself in a totally different light.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

Be as silly and self-indulgent as possible.

If you have a killer idea/dialogue line/etc - WRITE IT DOWN. YOU WILL NOT REMEMBER IT LATER.

14. What is your advice?

Surround yourself with people who make you feel like you can accomplish anything and you will never fail because there they will be, gassing you up flop or not.

I love you, harem. Writing is so fun BECAUSE of you. <3

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Continuing to eat, serve and let the haters drown in it.

[steddie-island]

When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let's spread the self-love 💛

Thank you! 😘😘😘

It was a big writing year for me and there are a lot of fics that I'm really proud of. 🥰

Mutually Beneficial - Smutty filth with a mean dom Eddie. 😌

Wallpaper - Platonic Stobin, with Steve coming out as transfem to Robin (TBH I love all 3 of the fics that I did in this little 'verse.)

Sweet as Cherry Wine - Featuring transmasc Steve Harrington and vampire Eddie Munson. Again, I love all 3 that I've done for this 'verse and am excited to do more with them.

Love is a Battle(vest) - Steve replaces Eddie's battle vest and they get together about it.

Squeezed In - Steddissy filth with some sweet schmoopy feelings that sneak back in at the end. Eventually there's going to be a part 2 to this, too. I just have to finish it.

I'm also going to follow your lead and rec some of my fave fics of the year! All of these are Steddie unless noted otherwise.

Like Lovers Do by @v3llichor - Just SO FUCKING SOFT. You can't go wrong with any of their fics (I know I'm biased here but Dra-mate-ic was a gift fic for me that is just full of Steve and Eddie both being ridiculous and dramatic and Robin and Chrissy being fed up with them. It's so cute, go read it!) Also No Fairy Tale Ever Started This Way, it's so funny and so hot and just really gives us dork 4 dork Steddie.

I had been hungry, all the Years by @jamiethegardener55 The Steddissy fics of all Steddissy fics. Also go read her unsafe, medium sane, very consensual series because it is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Mine by @runninriot (another author where you literally cannot go wrong with any of the fics you pick.)

Proximity by @stervrucht Some of the best fucking pining you will read I s2g!

To the moon and to saturn by @pennyplainknits Correction— this is the series name but you should read both parts anyway! The first part features Steve helping Robin when she's asking him to explain going down on someone (SO SWEET and so well done I cryyyyy) and the second part is lavender marriage Stobin and it is also so 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰!!

Sub Eddie Week by @steddieas-shegoes All 7 parts are just exquisite. 😌

Demisexual/Virgin Eddie by @pearynice Another series where every one of them is just so fucking good. Just do yourself a favor and read all of them because 😍!!

I don't know you figure it out by @wynnyfryd The first Steddie series I got into, I read this on Tumblr and then immediately went and read it on ao3 once I was caught up. Mind the tags, this one has some angst to it, but it's so fucking well done and makes me want to bite shit in the best way!

I know I've left a lot of really talented authors off of this list, I would be here all year if I tried to remember every amazing fic that I managed to read in 2024. We're a fandom that is really lucky to have so many amazing authors and artists.

Here's to Steve and Eddie keeping our brains rotting in 2025!

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

my mum bought me my first neil gaiman book, maggots!!

So, I don't know if you'd call it a book like a story, rather, it's a series of essays by Neil that were illustrated by Chris Riddell. My mum listened to the story of how I was kidnapped adopted by the Good Omens fandom. She was very confused, but since I'm an author and artist, she bought me the book, Art Matters.

And I've been seeing so much beautiful fanart and edits and fanfiction from this fandom, I swear to God or Someone, and it's all reminding me what a wonderful thing fandom is. And art is.

I read the book, and it was amazing, and here's a few quotes from it that I think the ridiculously talented people who created the book and the show as well as every fan who has made this creation grow should hear.

"And remember that whatever discipline you are in, whether you are a musician or a photographer, a fine artist or a cartoonist, a writer, a dancer, a designer, whatever you do, you have one thing that's unique. You have the ability to make art. And for me, and for so many of the people I have known, that's been a lifesaver. The ultimate lifesaver."

"...while you're at it, make your art. Do that stuff that only you can do. ...the one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can."

"And where would be the fun is doing something you knew was going to work?"

Well, you heard him, maggots. Go on creating. You are all so, so important. I came to tumblr because I was lonely and I wanted a friend.

I found a family, instead. In this very strange fandom that kidnapped adopted me. I love you all, and I'm glad to cry with you. I haven't even got to season 2 yet.

Side note...

Welcome, @neil-gaiman, join the maggots in watching me sob over Aziraphale and Crowley. It really is very quiet, gentle and romantic out here.

[dinarosie]

Snape Artists Deserve Better

Since joining the Snape fandom, I’ve noticed something that really stands out. Compared to other character-based fan communities, the Snape fandom feels overlooked. There’s also a lot of negativity aimed at him, mostly stirred up by Marauders fans and "Snaters." This creates a tough environment, especially for artists and creators who focus on Snape. Unfortunately, their work doesn’t receive the recognition or support it deserves, which can be really discouraging.

I’ve seen so many amazing Snape artworks—pieces that have clearly taken tons of effort and time—get completely ignored. Meanwhile, similar artwork of the Marauders (including characters we barely know anything about like Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas… ) gets thousands of likes and shares in just a few days, quickly spreading across social media platforms. This isn’t just about Tumblr Art, either. The same thing happens with Snape videos on TikTok. They often don’t get the attention they deserve, no matter how well-made.

What’s worse is that even casual Harry Potter fans—those who aren’t part of the Snape or Marauders fandoms—are afraid to post anything about Severus Snape. They worry about the backlash they might face. If they decide to write about him, draw him, or make a video, they often feel like they need to constantly explain that they’re not "Snap supporter" or "Snape fan" and that they’re just creating art. Otherwise, they’ll get bombarded with nasty comments.

This whole situation has made artists hesitant to spend time on Snape-related content. They know it either won’t get the attention it deserves or they’ll face a wave of negativity that makes them regret ever posting it. It’s really sad to see so many talented artists being pushed away because of this toxic environment.

I totally feel for these artists, writers, and overall Snape content creators. Sharing your work takes a lot of courage, especially when you know it might be met with negativity. Art is meant for expression and creativity, so it's tough when those who put their heart into it feel like their work isn’t appreciated.

I don’t know how much longer this toxic atmosphere toward Snape, his fans, and the artists who create content about him will last, but it’s just not fair. Every artist deserves to share their work without fear and get the recognition and support they’ve earned.

[mermaidslabyrinth]

Thank you HotD Fandom

I have been writing since I was around 11. All my works would stay in notebooks, on my word document, or printed out on paper and stashed away. I did post my first fic when I was around 13. Then sporadically through the years. The last time I posted any writing of mine was 10 years ago. But I’m trying to open up more with my writing, creative thoughts, by exposing my work little by little. And out of all the fandoms I’ve been in, it was the HotD fandom, the people I found, that made me feel comfortable enough to do so. Also, I’ve never been more proud or had more love for an OC I’ve created before Rhagerys. I’ve commissioned pieces of art of him, something I have never done with an OC before, and I am quite excited for that. 

So my thanks to all the HotD fans that I have had the pleasure of interacting with (following, being mutuals, reblogging their posts through someone I follow). I have had such a wonderful time and do hope to continue to do so.  I decided to write this because who knows what the future will bring. And I wanted people to know just how much they can make an impact.

Many thanks to: 

@emilykaldwen her ask started it all and I will always be grateful for that. for she was the one who helped me step away from the corner and join in with the other creators. It’s a slow process but I am getting there. 

@selfproclaimedunicorn seeing your OC tags on regular posts emboldened me to start doing the same. It’s another, subtle, way for my work to be put out in the universe. Doing so has even helped me flesh my OMC more in the tags of certain posts. 

@happilyhertale for her wonder writing (I will reblog them. They are on my list). And her continued supply of Daemon/Matt posts. They keep me going with writing Daemon scenes.

@ewanmitchellcrumbs for that ask she answered very recently about just going for it with your writing. It inspired me.

@thought--bubble for being such a lovely person. Your writing skills are top notch (your stories are on my list). 

@vhagar-balerion-meraxes you helped me from being a wallflower to slowly coming in and joining along with the rest. You were the first person in the HotD fandom to extend a hand and pull me into the fun. You make beautiful gif sets. You are very sweet. I appreciate that I was able to find your blog. 

@sylasthegrim I know I don’t show it but I am so happy I follow you. You are slowly converting me to a Cregan appreciator. Like I get it. Your stories are so creative (I will read them they are on the list) and you are so open and kind in your inbox. 

@multiverse-of-multifandoms your fantastic gif making. You help me feel comfortable when I’m joining in on the fun. 

@livmondcole you are one of the sweetest ppl I’ve been lucky enough to follow. You show patience and kindness through your words. 

@dr-aegon you are one of the reasons I was able to get a commission of my OMC. I checked your blog one night and you had a reblog of someone who opened up commissions. They are working on it now, I’ve seen the line work and I’m excited, and I have you to thank for it. Besides that you are one of the reasons that I started to really like Aegon. I see how much you care for him and it warmed my heart and the little disaster did as well. 

And even though she is no longer part of the fandom: peachysunrize was such a wonderful person to follow and read her stories and read the asks ppl would send her. 

Honestly all my HotD mutuals. 

Also shout out to the artists, your works are amazing to see. And shout out to the other fic writers, your writing is enjoyed by many people who like reading about their favorite characters. And the gif makers, the creativity and patience you have. The sets I have seen have blown me away. I know all of these are talents that need to be praised more. The work you all bring to the fandom is always such a gift.

[soupbitch-moneybitch]

you know what's so gd impressive about ofmd? like, maybe the most impressive part of the whole already very impressive show? how well-rounded the characters are for how little time they have to be on screen

i spent many years in the fandom of another ensemble cast show that had a million seasons and hour-long episodes, and maybe like, five of the characters were worth the time of day. ofmd, tho, not only has an incredibly quality core cast, but even the characters they introduce for five seconds manage to have depth and appeal

take ned low's crew for example. we have a bunch of people who take up maybe a third of the episode's screen time, but by the end, the script and acting are so good that you're rooting for them as they unionize and sail away to greater pastures

then you have characters that are great on their own, but also enhance the main characters in the span of like six seconds

evelyn? a godsend, 11/10, want her back, and she was the impetus for mary taking control back over her life. steak "steaky" knife? rip big man, we knew you for two minutes but loved you, and you gave us slight insight into izzy's history/influence on the republic of pirates. hornigold wasn't even really hornigold and yet we /still/ managed to get backstory about him and learn things that added context to how ed turned into blackbeard

honestly, the amount of talent it takes to be able to make almost every character on the screen someone who either 1. drives the plot forward somehow, 2. is just delightful and entertaining, or 3. is a combination of both, all within a space the size of a needle tip is fucking astonishing. as a professional writer i am horny for how well these mother fuckers hone their craft, and as a fan of the show i'm just extremely well-fed

i've said it before, but this is genuinely so much more than a gay little pirate show (although it is also that, and i love that about it). it has so much artistic depth and everyone involved has talent coming out every orifice. i am so glad i have the privilege of watching it. every part of it is so refreshing, i am genuinely in constant awe

[areyoudreaminof]

some word salad behind the cut

I never thought I’d ever get into writing. My self esteem is so minimal it’s nearly non existent, so I had never bothered to try. But I started writing last year and found I was enjoying it. I made grand plans to write more until I didn’t.

My passion became my poison, suddenly.

As I scrolled through endless fics and writers much more talented than I am, my anxiety perched itself on my shoulder like a crow and squawked in my ear.

“The shit you’re putting out? No wonder nobody is reading it. You’re writing boring stuff. Who gives a fuck about kids and one shots?” It would say. I’d reply that I didn’t want to write smut. I don’t like doing it and it felt silly.

“So why are you writing at all?” Anxiety Crow said, “That’s what people want. And you can’t even do that.”

It came to a head right before Elucien Week. Last year, I wrote three fics I am still immensely proud of. One of which opened a door for me with the first Next Gen characters I came up with. I had assumed that I’d have something else lined up for this year's Elucien Week.

But in that year, I had a lot of personal changes and mental health challenges that weren’t getting better. I made the mistake of starting a long fic and it became this beast that I couldn’t tame. Even one shots and snippets became a chore. I’d have to force myself to finish a chapter, to try and translate the images I saw in my head to paper, but it wasn’t working. This coincided with my depression peaking in early 2024, in which I got suicidal and had to seek help.

By January, I’d gotten more frustrated with my writing, by June, I despised writing in its entirety. Three days before Elucien Week was due to begin, I hovered my mouse over DELETE ACCOUNT on AO3 and nearly trashed a year worth of work. I decided to take a step back to clear my head and to put a stop to this toxic competition I had with myself. I didn’t want to lose the hobby I’d grown to love and destroy the new friendships I’d made. I was absolutely terrified of losing those wonderful friends I’ve made and I felt so guilty and angry at myself for fumbling the bag and not writing anything.

I can’t even tell you why I obsessed over it, I may never go back to writing at all, but the weight of that self hatred has eased up from my chest. It’s not eating me alive anymore. That’s not to say it’s gone of course. Just the other day I had another major moment of doubt, and nearly trashed everything, again. I’m trying to parse through my own mind constantly to sort out my own spirals and triggers. Some days it’s working, others it’s not.

I think I’m now telling you about it, because I’m sure you’re feeling it too. People reached out to me to check on me when I left and others to let me know they were having the same problems. The feelings of inferiority among fandom, the nagging expectations we placed on ourselves. Never mind any of the challenges we face in our daily lives. What’s the worth of my mental health and happiness and why the fuck do I keep measuring it like this?

Whatever comes of this break, I hope that all of us can find our self worth, wherever it is. I see so many incredible artists, writers, and people that inspire me to want to keep going. If you’re reading this, you’re one of them.

Take a breath and take a break. We’ll figure it out.