#this is important for fic writing purposes

[explosionshark]

Many people are being stupid in the notes of this post on purpose, it seems, and in typical internet fashion acting as if acknowledgement of a cultural bias is a direct personal attack.

A key part of this conversation that is important to acknowledge is the user-reported demographics we have to work with about the fanfiction community (at least on AO3). Obviously the results from the last ao3 demographics survey are limited but it's still worth considering. The majority of respondents identify as women, which fits with what we generally assume when talking about fic writers. And in the slash vs femslash numbers disparity conversation, this is something people bring up all the time: fic writers are mostly women and women are mostly attracted to men. You wouldn't ask straight women to write femslash for Woke Points, would you?!

However, 80% of the (yes, majority women) respondents to the survey identified as LGBTQ+ in some form.

So. That kind of throws a wrench in the 'M/M is dominant in fic spaces because the majority of fic is written by straight women' excuse.

If only there was... Some kind of broad systemic cultural force... Perhaps aligned against women... The effects of which aren't always consciously acted on... That we could reflect upon as a possible motivator behind this phenomenon of M/M dominating fan spaces...

im about to start screaming

[psychopomp-namine]

this is a dumb question and the answer is probably something like, "they didn't really think about it" but it's been bothering me for a while. where is the kitchen??

we know from the chibi shorts and yingdu ep 1 that cheng xiaoshi does the cooking. he even showcases this in S1E2 when he tried to replicate the noodle recipe

it seems they use this counter a lot for food. when they're eating, it's either here, the table next to the storefront sofa, or in the sunroom

but according to the floor layout, there is no kitchen in the first floor (or second, or third). there's the studio front, the dark room, a restroom, and the sunroom

so... where does cheng xiaoshi cook?? is the kitchen just not shown here?

the only thing I can think of is that he brings out cookware to the sunroom, like when they have hotpot. and I don't think cheng xiaoshi cooks elaborate meals or anything, so that's probably enough, but that's still such a hassle though? maybe that's why they always order takeout in the chibi shorts.

he looks so happy in this ad that I think it's a shame if they don't have a proper kitchen in the studio. I don't think this is in their studio but uh. it should be?? I'll pretend this room exists in their studio.

anyway, yeah, the answer is probably "they didn't really think about it" but the logistics of cooking in their studio is bothering me lmao

[triglycercule]

oh yeah before i forget cute mttpoly headcanon because i said so: when killer finds out (through SOME way of means. he has his ways) that dust and horror like something then at every chance he can he goes and finds that thing for them :3 because I SAID SO AND IT'S CUTE ‼️‼️ (something something killer has no idea how to properly show affection and appreciation after believing his whole life was meant to cause pain and suffering to those close to him and now that he's trying he does silly goofy stuff like this hehe,,,,,,, dust is DROWNING in piles of fluffy blankets and books. horror cannot keep up with eating the amount of snacks killer keeps stealing for him 😞😞😞)

[opha]

something something forcing curly to do the right thing by being the only man on the ship with a functional moral compass, or in lieu of that,

becoming anya's gun-toting shadow and emptying the cylinder into jimmy if he ever goes near anya again

[4lph4kidz]

i was thinking about your dirk and hal poll and i want to mention that i think your concept for ink and iron where dirk creates hal from his reflection by enchanting a mirror is so cool 😌

thank you! hal's predicament and purpose within the canon narrative is so fascinating and i felt it was really important to find a way to explore what i find most interesting with him. i can't take full credit for the concept though i took inspiration from a few placees (one of my friends pitched the idea of the mirror accidentally dumping him onto jake's doorstop for example) but overall i think the idea is very fun and i'm really excited to write more hal stuff!!! also i'm going to take the opportunity to share this oldish doodle i found:

the mispelling of angel as angle was NOT intentional (<- dyslexia haver) but it probably explains a lot. he's pointy

[hr-twink]

~snippet sunday~

from the impending ch6 of We Were Friends, Once

River finishes his tea and fishes a cigarette case out of his breast pocket. He offers one to Webb who accepts quickly. River holds out a light and watches as Webb’s slender fingers hold the roll to the flame and then bring it to his mouth for a skillful puff. Some color returns to his face. “So,” River says, lighting and taking a drag from his own fag. “Am I allowed to ask why you’re here?”  Webb looks at him and takes another puff; this time he exhales the smoke from his mouth and re-inhales it through his nostrils in a practiced fluidity. The smoke escapes his lips again when he sighs.  “Allowed to ask, not allowed to know.”

[mariathechosen1]

The hype around aai2 is making me remember how much I love this franchise. More specifically, how much I’ve fucking missed being a part of a fandom with actual good quality wlw ships.

Most fandoms I’ve been in recently have either no popular f/f ships, or that one token wlw support ship with no personality of their own.

Meanwhile:

There’s Franmaya!! Junithena!!! Lanamia!!! Fradrian!! Truepearl!!! Aurametis!!!! Kay x every single female character she’s ever interacted with!!!!

It’s great.

[teecupangel]

"comes out of the coffin with a hot tea"

I HAVE AN IDEA! Stupid one... but still one! Another one of Desmond's being thrown into the past, but this time the apple has read too much about fainting Victorian women and made him in some sort sickly (We can make it as a backlash to almost dying and his burned arm). I mean.... what can i say! I just love the duality of a character that in one moments seems like a breeze can knock them down and in the next they win against you with only a stick in hand!

"sips some tea"

That would also made a good cover for Desmond! If he was trying to not put himself under the radar of his ancestors of course. Who would believe that the most sickly man in -put a city name here- is able to clime roofs, fight off the guards and also win without a scratch? Maybe Connor? Malik? Who knows! :D

"throws the coffin out the window and leaves through the door "

(stares the window for a moment… well, okay. I mean… I have no idea how a coffin could fit thru that but okay)

I mean… if you really want Desmond to have some kind of handicap of the ‘sickly’ kind, may I suggest the setup for “The Villainess's Days Are Numbered!” where the main character’s HP keeps getting depleted? This means... even taking one step gives him a -1HP penalty and stressful times (or any time he overexerts himself) gives him a double HP reduction penalty (which means that -1HP turns to -2HP). Oh, and his default HP is only 1210 and he can gain a max HP reduction if the circumstances call for it)... maybe even go down as far as 200 max HP, hhhhmmm?

This means we have the ‘joy’ of making Desmond have to maintain his HP XD

So Desmond has to be bedridden to keep his HP up before he does any ‘stunts’.

It would be funny if we place him in a very awkward position too.

For example…

Third Crusades? He’s one of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s children. Hell, he could be the son who took over Ḥalab so we have an excuse to place him during the time of Altaïr’s Chronicles.

Renaissance Italy? Make him the ‘child’ of one of the many clergymen against Rodrigo becoming pope to give an excuse for Ezio to ‘know’ of him. Bonus points? Make him a relative of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza

American Revolution? One of the Schuyler children (Philip Schuyler has a lot but you can pick one of the Schuyler sisters if you want to make this a Hamilton reference or if you just want Desmond to be part of all that drama in general XD)

The main point is… Desmond has to maintain his sickly body, all the while making plans how to screw up the timelines without anyone noticing it.

[trans-yllz]

okay question. what does ancient chinese elopement even entail for wangxian

[kevingorg]

actually real last post. how long do you think before mack does get sick of it all and requests a trade. either because of the losing or the false hometown or the daddy issues. or all of the above. like i hope he stays with the sharks forever partially so i can see what kind of monstrous metastasis his relationship with his dad grows into but also partially because i really do enjoy watching the sharks. but realistically how many years could YOU make it with your helicopter dad hovering over your shoulder at every moment before you start to realize that this is actually really fucking you up as a person and the only real option is to get out.

[mrpenguinpants]

Omg you're back again hello 👀 how have you been????

Big mood on the "man I wish this author would finish their fic" LOL I've been rereading my own wiring recently and going wtf. Where's the rest of it?

For a limited time only babyyy

But I've been good. Extremely busy but it's okay, the pto is worth it. That's what I keep telling myself at least :) but how are you??? Is anything interesting happening? New developments perhaps 👀

The funny thing is that I've actually been talking with a few mutuals, and they've all told me that they recently went back to re-read their drafts. Maybe it's something in the air or we're all feeling a bit nostalgic? Or because everyone is on break since it's summer.

[reposenotes]

This blog is just a home for what will essentially be “overflow author’s notes” for future chapters of The Purpose of Repose

I tend to get a bit wordy in my a/n’s, and due to vocal readers+the work that goes into writing this fic+life putting gaps between updates, it felt appropriate that I make a separate space to share my thoughts [instead of dumping walls of text on Ao3 — I’m aware not everyone wants to read all of that]. I’ll simply include a link on each new update!

This is just me not wanting to annoy people on Ao3 (or on my main blog, @thirdeyeblue)

Hopefully, you’ve only found this blog because you wanted to 💖

[microwaving-tesilid-argente]

thinking again about my fic writing process and how ailette is just completely absent from it. i think she's just too strong, any story with her in it would turn out happy and well. i have too much faith that canon will turn out completely fine and dandy bc like she's in it, of course tesilid will be completely fine. i literally have to redact her out of the story for me to explore any kind of tesilid whump.

[c0rpseductor]

i don’t even believe in Emet Lives Fixit like that’s not really my bag i just really like when people draw him with the big scar

[charmwasjess]

🍌, 🍍, and 🥭 :3

AHHH! Thank you for the ask! :D :D

🍌 In your opinion, what’s the funniest joke/reference/pun you’ve made in a fic? 

I used "reference" for the last banana, so you get a silly pun from Milk Run. Jocasta Nu giving Dooku a hard time for getting himself and Qui-Gon arrested in a nature persevere.

-

He could tell by her voice that she was looking something up. “I could get there in under two hours, if I take one of the Archive ships.”

Dooku did not want to continue to have the Milk Run Argument with her, especially now, but he mentally scored himself a point. How could he have been acting too superior about the relative importance of their respective jobs, when her station allowed her ready access to such things, and his did not? He and his Padawan had arrived at this planet ingloriously packed on a slow-moving tourist shuttle.

“You could simply… transfer the credits to me? This is merely an administrative miscalculation. I have things well in hand here. ”

“Speaking of your hands, let me see them.”

“What?”

“Your hands.”

“Hands?”

“Dooku.”

Dooku sighed. He raised them, resigned, to show her the binders. “It is fine. Standard procedure, according to my arresting officer, as I was using weapons at the time of my detainment.”

He watched Jocasta’s lips silently form the word ‘weapons.’ “I will be there in a little less than two hours. In the meantime, do not do anything stupid. In fact, please, do nothing. Do not take any action whatsoever. Sit tight.”

Sit tight? Oh, she was funny. Dooku exhaled.

🥭 Rank from most enjoyable/fun to write to least: Fluff, Smut, Angst, Crack.

Oh this is hard! Okay. From most enjoyable to least: Angst, Smut, Fluff, and sadly, Crack being least.

I don't really write proper Crack, but I started a fic that's Humor/Crack-adjacent last week and it is giving me so much anxiety.

🍍 What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with? 

Such a fun question! :D I answered it here.

[alwaysbethewest]

I don’t read a lot fic so I’m simultaneously living in an ignorant lalaland but also wanting more and afraid to venture into wild territory for fear of repeatedly encountering the Joel you mentioned. If even someone like me has noticed it, then it’s truly pervasive. I like to think I do a decent job of separating the character from their dominant trope/au/fanon but it gets hard <insert Oscar Isaac coffee gif>

I'm kind of in the same boat! I'm not reading that much these days (and when my brain is ready to I have a looong to-read list for other characters!) but I like to scroll through the fandom tag and skim the summaries. I'm sure there IS some great, thoughtful, in-character fic out there but I rarely see anything that draws me in. I've actually literally just added a tag filter for his name so I can stop looking in the first place because I find it so dispiriting and confusing 😕