#this is what they don't tell you about writing an emotional support fanfic. once it's over you fall down

[cyclogenesis]

I finished and posted the Ryan/Hugh fic yesterday and I feel so bereft now man...like I miss it. It was such a nice distraction from everything to be able to wake up and look forward to working on it and have this lovely little escapist world to go to where everything's beautiful and problems are solvable and love makes it all worth it. I hope it makes other people happy too now.

[olderthannetfic]

This is a stupid question and might be too personal but I wonder if you or others have thoughts on this. Is it generally hard to combine having a job, children and continuing to be bit of a "weird nerd"? How to find rolemodels and people to vibe with and is there time for fixating on the things (obviously staying up reading fanfic until 3am before morning shifts or painting warcraft miniatures 60+ hours per week is probably not advisable anymore but you know). Is the difference actually like night and day or what is it like?

--

A huge, huge, huge amount depends on whether your partner is actually supportive, if you have one, and what kind of work you're trying to return to after having a kid.

Tons of weird nerds just cart their kids along to their D&D sessions or whatever. There's nothing odd about that.

The bigger problems arise when you're economically marginal and don't have adequate childcare or when you have a manchild spouse who not only doesn't do half the work but becomes baby #2.

In my particular case, it took me most of the first year to get my brain back in a space where I could work on creative writing. (Sorry, people who are waiting for book 3. It's coming! It's coming!) But I'm lucky enough to not be facing a lot of money troubles, and I don't have a partner to worry about. This makes my situation night and day from one where you're trying to figure out how to both pay the rent and do all your own childcare.

Chronic sleep deprivation is probably the biggest issue when it comes to being able to enjoy things or carve out time for hobbies.

In general, reading on a kindle or phone (which you can do one-handed and on an object that is somewhat less vulnerable to drool and grabbing fingers) is a great hobby to combine with dealing with little monsters. Breast feeding is boring and takes a hell of a lot of my day.

--

I don't think the weird nerd aspect is significant at all unless you feel inhibited about not being a normie parent. (Personally, I already dress my kid like a fucking elf all in green and shit like that and have no qualms about telling someone where to stick it if they think she should wear pink.)

But the more caretaker-y parent often ends up so sleep deprived and miserable from lack of emotional/financial support that their whole life goes to hell, whether their hobbies are "weird" or otherwise.

And even if there are two or more supportive team players raising the kid, money troubles breed like tribbles once you spawn.

If you live in the US (which you might since you didn't think to say), there isn't much structural support, but you can fix that with money. So, anon, how much money have you got?

[lala-blahblah]

I absolutely cannot sit down and write a nice version of this bc my brain says no, but i would like to let you all know I'm thinking of a fanfic where older Edgeworth is moving back to the US (or japan, whichever universe you subscribe to) and runs into Nick in the store while buying mass produced art to hang on the walls of his new house.

And Nick is like "dear god do you want your house to look like a dentist's office. Please do better" (in a friendly way, they are too old for rivalry at this point) and so Nick invites Edgeworth to come over and take any of his old artwork from college, since it is just sitting in a portfolio in a closet somewhere. And Edgeworth agrees to come over and look through Nick's old stuff together. There are themes of 1) growing older and like reflecting on the past and 2) Nick's character trait of finding meaning in challenges vs Edgeworth's tendency to stick with what he does well. In my head I imagine that Nick was good at art and it came somewhat easily to him and that bored him, and he was drawn to law in part because it was hard and it excited him and made him want to try harder. And i think tying that in with fatherhood, like it being unexpected and hard but something he thrives at because he feels good when there's a challenge. Potentially also touching on how like, when he lost his badge he felt very listless and depressed because he wasn't being challenged anymore, there wasn't anything to drive him and motivate him. And I think Edgeworth would be impressed by seeing Nick's old pieces (I assume he hasn't seen much of his art before) and wondering why he didn't choose to pursue art further. He also thinks about how art had always put him off personally because he couldn't get it "right" right away, and on the other hand how the structure and logic of law came easily to him, which led him to become a lawyer. I think he measures his self worth by his success in his field because he never had the support to believe he had intrinsic value as a person and maybe wasn't so good at making emotional connections with people. So that big contrast between them is so interesting... I think Edgeworth would be jealous of Nick's bravery in pursuing something he was bad at without giving up and Nick would be jealous of Edgeworth's success in law, but in a subdued way as they've grown older.

A far as actual scenes in the fic, I think I would use Nick's art as a conduit for my own agenda to have them talk about topics that are of interest to me... I would like Edgeworth to feel out of his depth for once and for nick to be the confident one as he talks about something he is well versed in, and for edgeworth to have to face that discomfort and also be a little impressed intellectually with Nick. I think I would do that by having them look through some abstract art Nick did (my intro painting classes were all abstract so we could focus on color mixing and getting comfortable with the medium). Edgeworth compliments Nick on a painting with a bunch of colored squares in gradient clusters and then gets embarrassed when Nick tells him those were just color mixing swatches. Alternatively, in my mind they are both asexual and I think even though this feels like a hallmark cliche I would have Edgeworth flounder and be very embarrassed over Nick's old figure drawing piece. I feel like Nick would be like "no you don't understand it's all very professional and normal when we draw them, like it's just about learning the shape language" and Edgeworth would be like "this is very improper and I don't know how to react can we please not look at naked people!". I don't think i would do both, but something to upset the power dynamic for a moment would be interesting! Nick is always the awkward one I want to see him shine for just a moment enough for edgeworth to go "wait what... i've known him for so long but perhaps i don't really know him at all..."

I would want Edgeworth to end up taking a series of 3 canvases Nick did in an oil painting class that were still lifes of objects the teacher had set up around the classroom. I headcanon that Nick actually far preferred drawing people to objects and rebelled against the assignment by hiding his reflection in one of the objects in each drawing- the top of his head is hidden in an ornament on a christmas tree, his eye is reflected in the shine of a china vase, etc. So it's a little secret, and Edgeworth kind of likes that... it is sweet in a way to see a much younger Phoenix captured in time like that. Something Edgeworth will be reminded of when he sees the paintings but nobody else will catch onto

I would want to layer this with a fatherhood storyline... I think i would frame it as nick inviting edgeworth over to dinner with him and Trucy and Edgeworth stepping into this domestic family life as a visitor and witnessing how its transformed Nick, like seeing him from a different lens. I think after they pick out paintings and have dinner they sit around talking. Trucy had been sitting with them, earlier she showed off some magic tricks and gave Edgeworth a picture of hers from the fridge to add to his new art collection (it's a rainbow dolphin and a sea turtle wearing top hats. Nick says she's in her Lisa Frank era). But she's been quiet for awhile and Nick realizes she's fallen asleep and it's like 11. He's like, crap, i screwed up i should've paid attention and gotten her put to bed, I'm a bad father and I have an audience for this failure. And on top of that, I already failed at being a lawyer, no matter what I try I always disappoint everyone. It's an unexpected moment of vulnerability there... like he's seemed so put together and grown up to Edgeworth this whole time like a whole different person, but he's not a different person he just has different sides to him. And this moment is one where edgeworth can be like hey, no, you're a great dad, and I'm impressed by you and everything you achieved. And I think that could lead into vulnerability from Edgeworth about his relationship with his dad and how he misses him/how he feels like he hasn't really been loved by anyone since his dad died, and how Trucy is lucky to have someone like Nick in her life.

Nick excuses himself to carry Trucy to bed and Miles starts cleaning up the kitchen. I would give a moments pause here to talk about the strange intimacy of going through someone else's kitchen cabinets and drawers, you feel like a stranger there trying to put yourself into someone else's shoes to understand how they live in this space. Maybe he guesses the right drawer for the silverware first try and he feels a little spark of connection. like "we are different in many ways but we are alike enough that we look in the same place for our spoons". Details on the kitchen too about the kid safe plastic bowls and knives that indicate a child is part of the household, that the household has been built around the child, in fact. Edgeworth lives alone and I imagine things are kind of fancy for him (he's a man who wears a cravat so he probably has fine china right). It's completely different from this shabby mismatched cutlery that Nick has, but this kitchen has personality. Maybe he wouldn't mind having a kitchen like this so much. This is a hint at him being lonely, being included in this family unit just for a day has given him this curious sense of longing, for what he isn't sure... does he want kids? Does he want Nick? Does he just want to be part of a family? These are confusing questions and he would much rather not feel anything at all, but unfortunately it is late and he did have a glass of wine with dinner so emotions are Happening.

He hears Nick sigh tiredly as he comes into the kitchen, and Edgeworth starts to ask him where his tupperware is when suddenly Nick is wrapping his arms around him and Edgeworth is Very Tense because he's never good at knowing how to act in situations like this and he and Nick have never been on a hugging level before and he's not sure what this is even for. Then Nick is like "I keep thinking about what you said earlier, about feeling alone ever since your dad passed away. I didn't know, that's such a long time to feel alone. I don't want you to think you're on your own". Edgeworth relaxes a little bit because now he knows what the hug is for and what he's supposed to feel from it. Its very kind of Nick to worry but its unnecessary and he says so. He has colleagues he's friendly with and people from law school he keeps in touch with, he's alright. And Nick says he knows but he also knows it's difficult living the way they do, and what he means is single and in your thirties. Because everyone else is getting married or living with a long term partner or at the very least dating and their lives are focused on that relationship as the center of their being. And when you don't have that, not only is it harder to relate to the people around you but it is harder to feel like you matter in people's lives, because they all prioritize their partner before their friends. And maybe their situations aren't exactly the same (Nick has a daughter while Edgeworth lives alone) and maybe their choices were made for different reasons (Nick used to date and didn't mind it but didn't see a need to prioritize it. Edgeworth found himself unable to distinguish with certainty whether or not he was actually romantically interested in people, and rather than make the wrong choice he decided he would rule out error by choosing no one at all). But regardless, they both know first hand the isolation that comes with trying to carve a path for themselves that does not include a life partner in a world where everyone else comes in pairs. And Nick is reaching out across that emptiness saying hey, we might both be building different lives, but there's room for you to be a part of mine if you want.

Outloud, Nick says "Really, Miles. You aren't alone in this." and Edgeworth says "Well, Phoenix, neither are you". And he stands there and lets his friend hug him, and it doesn't feel like butterflies but it does feel solid and warm and good. And he doesn't even worry about whether he's supposed to let go by now or not, because it's nice, not being alone.

They stand there in comfortable silence for a long moment before Nick speaks again. "hey, remember when you used to hate me? And look at us now." Edgeworth turns his head sharply. "I never HATED you, Wright. I simply thought you were foolish and a waste of my time." He realizes a little too late that this is probably a rude thing to say to the person that just gave you a pep talk, but Nick just laughs, his head still resting on Edgeworth's shoulder. Looking at him from this angle, face almost fully hidden, Nick could be any age at all. It's easy to imagine for a moment that he's the same nervous version of himself that stood across from him in the courtroom for the first time all those years ago. The only thing breaking the illusion is the subtle streaks of silver that cross his temples. Not entirely sure why he does it, Edgeworth kisses the top of Nick's head. He feels odd about it the moment he does so, realizing it comes across not as a platonic or romantic action but as a gesture suited for a dog or pet of some kind. Nick looks up, looking confused but not displeased. "What was that for?" "It was a thank you I suppose". Miles steps away now, still uncomfortable with perceived failures even if those failures are just in social interactions, and begins to gather his things while Nick gets down a tupperware from a cabinet. "Thank you, for the dinner and for the paintings." Edgeworth continues. "I'd like to repay the favor once I get settled into the new house. Trucy's invited too, of course". As he says it, he realizes he genuinely is looking forward to seeing them again. Nick walks him to the apartment door and they say their goodbyes while Edgeworth tucks the paintings (and Trucy's dolphin drawing) under his arm.

He gets halfway down the hallway when he hears Nick calling after him. "Hey! Miles! Take an art class with me sometime" Newfound friendship or not, Edgeworth just looks at him in disdain. "what, so you can show off your superior art skills? No thank you, Wright" "No, for fun. You can make things of your own to hang on your walls. We can do something I've never done before so we're evenly matched. Like printmaking? Origami? Um, pottery?" Edgeworth bristles at the suggestions but takes a moment to acknowledge why he's feeling that way; again, it's that fear of failure. But he's enjoyed himself today and deep down he thinks it could be fun to try something new, not with the goal of being perfect at it but with the goal of spending time together. Nick surprised him today. Maybe he can surprise himself. "... I would consider pottery" Edgeworth admits. And Nick looks really happy about it. "Great. I'll book us a session then. It'll be fun, you'll see. Edgeworth shakes his head, but there's no malice behind it. "Have a good night, Phoenix" "You too. Get home safe Miles".

Edgeworth gets home a little before midnight and props the three canvases against the moving boxes still stacked up in the foyer. Tomorrow, he'll figure out where he wants to hang them. Right now though, he walks over to the bare fridge and carefully pins up Tracy's dolphin drawing. There's a lot more work to do, but it's already starting to feel like home.

[uriekukistan]

Fanfic Writer Interview

thank you @alonelystargazer for tagging me!

no pressure tags @earthtodora @sunnyyflowerrs @kentuckyfriedmegumi and @kat-likes-writing !!!

How many works do you have on AO3?

counting the ones i moved to "anonymous" i have 36 for 3 fandoms

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

Family is Embarrassing

Dancing With a Stranger

summer lovin'

koi no yokan

honey and lavender

all itafushi. i write other fandoms/ships sometimes but yeah im mostly known for itafushi. if i can even call myself known.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

okay so i DO but im just really slow right now because of uni. like i have 100+ comments stacked up im so sorry guys. uni is kicking my ass. but usually i try to bc i like to let readers know that i appreciate the support <3

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

....this is hard i have a few that are pretty bad. the one that hurts me the most is right where you left me (ghost au)....idk it's like sad and happy. they both sortaaa get what they need but also like they dont get to be together, and i think (hope) it was obvious from the start that a happy ending wasn't on the table for them

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

contrary to popular belief i write a lot of happy endings!!!!!! i want to say koi no yokan even though it's not out yet, not because it has the objectively happiest ending, but because the whole thing is so angsty and a lot of people have said they doubt that i'll actually give a happy ending. and i will! anyway, i'd say its the happiest because its like. relieving at the end. without giving too much away.

Do you write crossovers?

i don't think i'd write a crossover in the traditional sense where characters from two medias interact, but i've written au's where i put the characters from x show into the universe from y show. that's probably as close as i'll get to a crossover.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

four times...ngl i was a bit confused abt one bc it felt like they hadn't read the fic, one time they just hated the ship and took it out on the fic, and the other was recent......that once kinda upset me bc of the second ask they sent.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

uh. hm. i have. i'm very shy abt it so i would never post it in a way that'd tie back to me, and only a few ppl actually know abt the details.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i've seen.........but im also chronically offline these days

Have you ever had a fic translated?

also no, but i do frequently get comments in spanish which is cool

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

tbh i think it'd be fun, but i'm also so particular abt my process that i think it'd frustrate the other person. however....there would potentially be a few ppl i'd be interested in writing with. but once again, i'm shy

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

itafushi ofc. my number one forever, i don't think a singular ship has ever grabbed me by the throat like this before

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

sigh theres so many. i recently published a new fic and i'm like not even feeling motivated to write the next two chapters......i feel bad abt that bc i did already share it. this is why i need to write all if not most of the multichapter before i share it. most of the things i have rn are just ideas tho bc i havent had time to write much that's new

What are your writing strengths?

oh god......um i think i do a good job creating an emotional atmosphere and taking the reader inside the pov character's head

What are your writing weaknesses?

description for sure. i'm just not good with visual things, whether its art or descriptions in writing. i'm also not observant which doesn't help like i couldn't tell you anything about what's happening around me right now which is Not Good. either way it hinders my writing fs. also i think sometimes i struggle w pacing and characterization. and dialogue. um. honestly i think i have a lot of weaknesses, i'm not the fondest of my own writing unfortunately.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

hm. i think it has a place ig, but personally i would never do it, despite the fact that i'm trilingual and definitely have the capacity to.

also this is an unpopular opinion, and i think it comes from my time studying japanese in university, but when i see like "gojo-sensei," or "itadori-kun" type things, it does make me cringe a bit. like i know that is what they are saying but like if i did that in class it would be marked wrong so i've just been trained to read it as incorrect.

What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

ngl rn im only interested in writing for itafushi. i would like to write more for tokyo ghoul soon though

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

at this present moment.....right where you left me. there is also a budding au in my drive that i'm quite fond of but i'm waiting to share more details on that

[starwritingbri]

20 Questions for Writers

Thanks for the tag @theblueeyedfirebender!! I appreciate it! 💙💙

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

42! (And I have a backlog of at least 10 unpublished things I'm working on)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

667,317

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Predominately, I wrote for Lockwood and Co, but recently I dipped my toes into Fullmetal Alchemist because I've had so much inspiration to work with.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Lucy's Letters

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

No grave can hold my body down

How to be a Heartbreaker

Coming Home to a Forgotten Melody

All Lockwood and Co fics, which tracks for now 😂

5. Do you respond to comments?

Absolutely! I always stress that my responses to comments aren't enough, but I appreciate comments so much that I absolutely want to show some of that gratitude and interact.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Most of them Somewhat kidding. I do tend to lean into an angsty ending only because you know what will come to pass if it's canon compliant, I don't feel the need to rehash it. The angstiest so far is probably she lost her sense of light, she has to hold my hand. Main Character Death will do that, but I think a whumptober fic I've got ready for Day 2 will end up topping this.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I'd say a toss up between Melody and I'll Be Home for Christmas.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Once or twice, but I have a good support system. Fic hate is so wild to me because it's free work people do out of pure joy for the material. If you don't like something, just don't read it? And if you're a new writer who received hate, don't let them stop you. Someone in the world will love your story and a hater says more about that person than it does about you!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have ONE smut fic. Just the one. I've wanted to try a couple other times, most recently for smutober, but it's just not something I really enjoy doing. I just enjoy writing other things more, personally. Power to those who can/do!

10. Do you write crossovers?

Not really? Like, I'll put the characters in a different world, but I haven't written a true crossover yet.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so, but who knows? There's so much content out there.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not really, aside from a friend helping with some French phrases on a fic, but I'd be so down for it!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not yet!!! But Bugs and I have been prepping (and she's actually managed to write some one shots) on a FMAB Soulmate AU we're planning. I'm super excited for that, and would definitely be open to working with other writers too!

14. What is your all-time favorite ship?

I don't know if I can definitively say a favorite ship, but let me tell you, my favorite ship dynamic is very clear. Couple who have copious trauma, are absolutely soulmates in every sense, but they never kiss in canon.

Royai, Locklyle, Kanej

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Gahhhh, I want to say I have every intention to finish all my fics, because I really want to, but that Harry Potter fic that was my first ever dive into fanfic... I love the character I made and how the plot of the story grew. I know how it's supposed to end. But just...HP, right? It's hard to want to go back with everything that has happened with the author and all that jazz. So it's probably never going to be finished, and that does make me sad.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Metaphors, I've been told. I think I'm also good at creating emotion with my work and bringing humanity into what I'm writing.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

How much time do we have..... Kidding, but it can be really hard to uplift your work and really easy to tear it down. I know I can get long winded, I feel like I've got phrases I overuse or that characters end up sounding the same. I'm going to stop myself before I end up absolutely unraveling my confidence here.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I did this once, and it was difficult. I ended up having a friend offer to translate for me after she read it because it came off stilted and she's a native speaker. Bless her. I would love to do more because language has always fascinated me, I just don't have the ability myself to do it the justice it deserves.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The usual for someone my age - Harry Potter. I still have a soft spot for it getting me into fanfic and helping me write even when I didn't have a lot of ideas going on.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

This is so hard, but I think it has to be Coming Home to a Forgotten Melody because I'm just so proud of it. It was a NaNoWriMo fic, and I wrote like 93k words in a month. Fun fact: I've fully edited it myself to be an original work. It's been looked at fully by a couple friends and then it's with one last person with a couple chapters left before I can start shopping for agents 🙈

Going to tag: @luckylolabug, @lenacarstairspotterstewart, @polithicc, and anyone else who'd want to do it! This was fun!

[pepperf]

Hi!

So I’m writing a fanfic rn where post s2 the sibs go on a road trip. There’s no kugelblitz or anything like that. It’s basically the s1 timeline. However, I want to put Lila in it. The only problem is that the s3 events are what lead to her character growth (doesn’t kill Five because they have to work together to stop the kugelblitz, comes back to the academy because the briefcase won’t work and to drop off Stan, doesn’t hold a grudge against Diego because of the kugelblitz, tells the whole pregnancy thing to Diego because of the kugelblitz). I also don’t really want Stan to be in this fic. 

Ok, so I guess my question is, how would I insert Lila into this fic without having her kill five, hold a huge grudge against Diego, or bring Stan into it?

Thank you so much! I'm posing this question to as many tua moots as possible and I understand if you don’t want to answer because this is a loaded question. 

Ooh! I don't know about 'loaded', but I think there's a lot of different ways you could go about doing this, and it's one of my favourite thought exercises - because, honestly, if I was in charge, I wouldn't have gone with the pregnancy storyline in s3. It's fine, I guess, but it kind of puts restraints on their relationship before we've got to see all the fun, chewy stuff. But THAT ASIDE...

So, personally, I think the pregnancy is incidental to Lila's character growth. Everything that happens in s3 is as a result of what she went through in s2. Her reactions to discovering that she's pregnant are a mix of old habits (manipulation!) and new priorities (getting back to Diego!). Her life was altered in s2, and she would have continued to change and grow, no matter what happened next.

I think meeting and falling in love with Diego is the pivot point. Not simply because of the love part, but actually mainly because it knocked her out of being blindly loyal to the Handler - and once she'd been forced to consciously acknowledge her mother's flaws, those worms weren't going back in the can. It was always going to end in Lila needing to confront and/or leave the Handler. Deep down, she knew her mother wasn't really on her side, that she was only loyal to herself, but it took that outside influence to bring it to a critical point where she could no longer ignore it - and also to let Lila realise that there were other options.

Diego is the tool, as it were (and how much do I love that there's a plot where the man is the supporting character to the woman's character growth? SO MUCH, YOU GUYS), and Lila was knocked off course by him - and then knocked up, fner fner.

So, I think you can go a couple of ways:

1) Lila has already found her own way into acknowledging the Handler's flaws. Maybe she found out about her parents? It doesn't have to include her finding out that Five was the one to carry out the assassination (heck, write an AU where it was Cha Cha or Hazel who did it).

Or 2) Lila is still loyal to the Handler, but meets Diego in your fic, and goes through some of the same emotional growth as she did in s2.

Anyhow, thank you for asking, it really is one of my favourite things to think about! Hope it helps!

[melodygatesauthor]

Hey Mel I have questions. You seem to know things.

First of all, do you know anyone who like...designs blogs? I want mine to look better but I hate that crap.

Secondly, your new layout and everything looks super rad. I'm not bugging you about it btw, you are a busy creator - I'm just curious if you can pass along info.

Next, what would you say is your favorite way for your readers or ... art viewers to show appreciation? Do you like reblogs most? Reblogs with comments? Or tags? Or mainly replies. Both, all?

I used to be a serial liker way back when (I know, I'm Satan) but once I realized how important rb'ing was (thank you, educational posts), I started doing it all the time, and I try to interact, which has turned out to be lovely and so much more fun! Anyway, what's your fave feedback method?

Omg hi babe!!!!

Thoughts below the cut:

You give me too much credit with "you seem to know things" hahaha. I TRY, but this hellsite is a challenge!

Firstly, thank you SO MUCH for the sweet compliment on my blog. I have gone through MANY different styles and different schemes before landing on this one. For me it was VERY trial and error and I definitely like this one a LOT.

Designing your blog is tough, and despite having my BFA in graphic design, I sucked at it until I started figure out what works best for me, the writer, and for my readers. The thing I discovered that works best for me personally is the simplicity, but I did have it set up much more complex (and I'm in the process of switching my masterlist to the simpler style STILL)

I don't know anyone who designs them, though I wonder if that's something that people would do? Do they charge money for it? If anyone reading this has any thoughts on that, let me know!

A couple of resources I recommend are:

Canva.com (for the actual design)

Colorpalettes.net (for coming up with color schemes you like)

Pinterest (for photos if needed)

For your second point, I'm ALWAYS happy help anyone with anything I can <3

For your next question, I've talked about this previously but I'm always happy to take the mic when someone hands it to me to discuss this further. Reblogs with comments will always be mine, and most, creator's preferred form of support/appreciation.

- Side note: Financial support is technically the best way to show support/appreciation for most artists but I don't ever want to charge money for fanfiction because that opens up a whole can of worms that I don't think most fanfic writers would really want, despite it sounding good in theory. - For example, most fanfic writers are writing out of passion, emotion, and just raw feelings. As soon as you start charging money, it starts being more of an obligation for the writer (less fun). I also like that you don't HAVE to have money to enjoy creative works like fanfiction, you can enjoy it for free. It's a community that thrives off of my providing the stories that my brain enjoys coming up with, to people who enjoy reading them. - Though I will say that if someone sends me a tip or something just to show support that's AMAZING. I just mean, I don't think putting fanfiction behind a paywall is something we want inherently.

That being said, the LEAST anyone can do, is reblog. I also used to be a serial liker, not knowing how important reblogs were. Let me paint the picture and tell a story lol:

Person 1 sees Artist making art and says "I like this." The Artist is happy and says "Thank you that's so sweet of you. I hope others like it too," but before they can even finish their sentence, Person 1 is gone. Person 1 never tells their friends about the amazing art they saw. Person 1 doesn't even tell the artist WHY they liked their work. (And in some cases, Person 1 says "I like this. Hey can you make me an extremely complicated commission for free so I can have it and also not tell my friends about that?") - Person 1 is a "serial liker" and an asshole entitled reader. We hate Person 1, they're an asshole.

Person 2 sees Artist making art and says "I like this." Now, they go to their friends and say, "I saw some art. I liked it," and they don't elaborate. So their friends, might go see it, but Person 2 hasn't really done anything to "sell" your work to their friends. So YES it's SO MUCH better than what Person 1 did, but Person 2 could still be better.

Person 3, our queen, our beloved, sees the Artist making art and says "I like this." Then Person 3 not only tells their friends about how amazing it is, but they also tell the artist why they liked it so much and the things about it that made them happy. Their friends can see how excited Person 3 is about the work, thus inspiring them to check it out and spread it to their friends by reblogging as well.

All of this to say, Person 3 is the ideal reader, they reblog, they engage with you, they're spreading the word, and sometimes that can be the difference between an artist continuing or ending their time on tumblr. I've seen it happen twice, and it's fucking heartbreaking.

Just something to think about for others who don't understand why we push for reblogs so much!

[fairyringsandwings]

can you please share with us your writing tips (especially for beginners and stories for romance and smut).

also, can you share some tips on how to overcome anxiety and worrying on whether on not your should publish a story, especially if its a self-indulgent or ooc fanfic .

Hello Dear Anon!

I completely understand you having anxieties and worries over whether or not to publish your writings. It's quite scary putting your work out there for people to read. I actually still get very anxious before updating or publishing new stories. I go through a whirlwind of 'people are gonna hate this' and 'this is the chapter they realise how terrible a writer I am' and 'they're gonna abandon my story cause of how badly I wrote this chapter'. But, I enjoy writing, and every time there's always at least one person who likes the story too and that definitely makes it worth it to me.

For what it's worth, the majority of fanfic readers are kind and supportive, regardless of the writer's skills. I think over the 12 years I've been writing fics, I've maybe had 3 or 4 mean comments (and it's always been from anti-shipper/rival ship shippers who are only out to upset people and stir drama). Most people remember that fanfic is FREE and written by people of all writing levels, during their free time. No one can complain about it and most will only give you advice, tips, and criticisms if you ask for it in your author notes and most are very kind when doing so.

Whatever kind of fic you want to share, there is definitely someone out there who will love it! Don't worry about it being ooc. It's always fun and interesting to see different interpretations and sides of characters + you might be writing them more in character than you realise, but it's your nerves telling you otherwise. And a story can neeeever be too self-indulgent. My stories are all 100% self-indulgent! They are perfectly catered to my oddly specific likes - fanfics are just as much for their authors as they are for their readers.

As for writing advice, I don't really know what kind of advice to give, but I'll share with you some of the tips + resources others have given me which really helps me! :D

Descriptionary | Helping Writers Find The Words (wordpress.com)

This is an amazing site! It'll help you find ways to describe things like emotions, colours, environments and physical appearances. It'll also give advice on other aspects of writing like pacing.

I also use Grammarly to help me pick up spelling and grammar mistakes.

Always remember, your first draft of a chapter doesn't need to be perfect. It can be messy, mistake-ridden and filled with blanks or lines like *they fought*, *they kissed*, *something happens*. Just get that first draft down - the skeleton of the chapter, if you will - so you can go back and edit it, fixing the mistakes, fleshing it out, finding better word choices and filling in the parts you got stuck on. It's much easier once you get a draft down, no matter how messy and chaotic it is. If you get stuck, move on to the next part. You don't have to write it linearly. Having an ending in mind can also really help as it gives you a target to aim for.

Read lots and write whenever you can!

As for writing smut and romance, it's my fav things to write about but I really struggle with it as truth be told, I'm a sex-repulsed ace/aro who has never even kissed anyone xD So, I can't draw from experience and sex ed in my catholic school was pretty... um... well, not helpful. So, I turn to these links for guidance and quick help.

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Smut Fic by QuinnAnderson

How To Write A Kiss (Old Tumblr post. Original deleted. But it's got useful tips that I like to refer to)

Interesting Writing Words (Tumblr post)

Emotion Cheat Sheet (Tumblr Post)

If anyone has any writing advice, please feel free to share!

[sleepyowlwrites]

FTWT CCCLXXXI

slowly but surely I WILL get through my hoard of tag games. words this time from @artdecosupernova-writing

this is once again a fanfic edition, but that's what I have the spoons to write these days and the doc is open.

jealous (reckless endearment - fandom: top gun)

“Huh.” He doesn’t have much to say to that. Maverick went ahead and adopted a whole other kid while he was off having a decade long temper tantrum. Bradley doesn’t know how he feels about that. Maybe he’s kind of upset. Maybe he’s jealous. Maybe he’s glad Maverick had somebody with him all these years so he wasn’t entirely alone. It’s complicated, and he’s too tired to feel such a mix of emotions.

angry (the name was: family - fandom: the 100)

"It's a very noticeable limp," Sage said finally, forcing the words out. Maturity was harder with people who matched it for some reason. "Everybody thinks I could fall over at any moment."

"You could," Bellamy commented, without spite.

"Obviously, yes." Sage acknowledged it while staring at the sky. "But I can stand and I can walk and I can't just sit around doing nothing."

"You haven't been," Bellamy said.

"Obviously, yes," Sage repeated, glancing at him irritably. He actually smiled for half a second, and Sage couldn't really be angry with him.

happy (blood ties - fandom: the untamed)

“Senior Lin!” His voice was perhaps a trifle loud, but he was happy to see her and hurried over to sit on the other side of the table. “I missed you too,” he said in a quieter tone, smiling across at her.

“Well, now that we’re all together, maybe someone could explain the situation that we’re facing. I hope it’s better than, Sizhui, there’s a situation at Koi Tower and I could use your help. Please bring Jingyi and Wei Wuxian if he’s around. Sect Leader Jin Rulan.”

Jin Ling gave Senior Wei half of a withering glance before plopping down on a seat. “You memorized my letter?”

“Considering it’s length, that wasn’t hard to do,” Senior Wei said mildly.

sad (forest secrets - fandom: power rangers samurai)

The walk back to the entrance was short, supporting Antonio’s argument for them going around in circles at first. Thalia’s hand dragged along the trees they passed like she was saying hello and goodbye at the same time. Mike had so many questions that he couldn’t think of them all at once. He kept his mouth shut and Emily didn’t say anything else either.

“Here.” Thalia stopped in between two large trees. “Get home safely,” she said as they filed through. Mike wanted to put a hand on her shoulder or something to make her stop looking so sad, but he didn’t want to startle her again, so he did nothing, just nodded at her gratefully, hoping that she got his meaning.

When they’d all gone through, each of them glancing back and shaking their heads when they couldn’t see Thalia anymore, they stopped to regroup.

“We can’t just leave her there,” Emily said, distraught. “She’s all alone!”

confused (untitled - fandom: once piece live action)

Ussop was still confused as to how he landed in this position. He followed Mari’s every direction because he was used to taking orders, and because he didn’t know what else he could do. The whole rest of the crew was still unconscious, and honestly, he could feel himself flagging. Mari had said he still needed a second dose, and he could tell.

The two gang members - because yes, Ussop was at least that observant - had complied with Mari’s wishes without much argumens, even giving her fond smiles when she wasn’t looking. It was very curious but Ussop was feeling too drained to even think about asking. By the time they had gotten everybody onto the ship and laid out in hammocks, Ussop had dark spots dancing in front of his eyes.

dazed I don't like my options so SKIP! I will recommend Enhypen's Drunk-Dazed for you to listen to - and you should watch the mv because it's great for spooky season.

except, explain, excite, exit. BONUS: caterpillar, loop. one penny's worth of pressure tags for @strangerays @papercutsunset @italiangothicwriteblr @winterandwords @toboldlywrite @flowerprose OR ANYBODY

[undeniablyares]

•°Sorry if this message sounds rude for a min, but when will the next fanfic for Demon Days? I'm not trying to rush you but I'm wondering when the next fic will be. I love your 1st and 2nd work of Demon Days, and I hope to see more of those pairs in your future fics of Demon Days°•

Oh, it's okay to wonder and check in like this! I promise I'm not put off with your ask or feel pressured to write. It's alright, and I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed the first two stories in the series. I'm proud of what I've written and mapped out so far with regards to everything, but there is a bit of negative history behind the first fic in the series that often makes me hesitant to keep working on it.

While it was originally my idea and I had been mapping and planning things out with all the different pairings, plot, and demon depictions of the Hashira, I invited someone else to write part of that first chapter with me, and we've since had a falling out. Though I wrote most of the first story and all of the second one on my own, sometimes my emotions get in the way of letting me peacefully continue writing this one. Don't worry, though. I'm stubborn as hell, and like I said, it was my idea originally and I had tons of plot mapped out for this one. I'm not about to let anyone else dissuade me from telling my stories, so I'm definitely planning to continue the story once I'm feeling up to it.

I'm fairly certain I'm going to rework and rewrite the parts of that first story that I let my ex write before just so I can feel better about continuing the story on my own, since he's removed himself as a creator. Once the first story rewrite is finished, I'll continue with the third story. Next up was supposed to be demon Sanemi on Kokushibo, with a little bit of AkaRen sprinkled in there, I just wish I had a more solid timeline of when that's coming for you. I'm currently putting all my effort into finishing my piece for the upcoming Kizuki Zine, but after that, I may tidy up some shorter WIPs and then get back into Demon Days. I think it's been a long enough break.

Thank you again for the kind words, support, and ask, my friend. I promise I'll do my best to make the next chapter as interesting and sexy to read as the first two. <3

[practically-an-x-man]

Fanfic ask game :)

👀 📥 🖊 🏅📚 👩‍🏭 😈

thank you!!! You're amazing bestie!!

👀 Do you have any WIPs that you would never let see the light of day? If yes, what are they about?

I've got one at the moment I think, more of an idea than a WIP bc it's not technically on the page yet. I don't know if I'd post it even if I did write it because 1. the fandom is abysmally tiny (I don't think there's even a tag for the movie on AO3 yet), 2. it's very self-indulgent and probably on the verge of a lazy/unrealistic plot, and 3. I just feel like it would go dead even if I did post it, so obviously my other fics are going to take precedence

📥 What is your fave fic to receive comments/messages on?

I mean, I love them all. I don't get very many comments on my fics in general, so I really treasure every one. That being said, I feel like people are really engaged with Who Waits Forever Anyway?, so I get some pretty dynamic comments there, and I really wish people would comment on Desert Song because so far nobody has and I feel like it's some of my best writing

🖊 Post a snippet from a current WIP.

Alright, here's a bit from the next chapter of Bolts and Blasters, my Star Wars fic:

A bit of the truth leached into those final words, and maybe that was why he didn’t question it. Poe just nodded, though his lips pressed into a thin, uneasy line. 

“Don’t know how much you’ll find,” he admitted, “Everywhere’s tapped dry. We had ships coming in from practically every habitable planet, and they all need to recover after that. You’ll be lucky to find bacta.”

“You’re so encouraging.” Indigo huffed, giving him a look, “But I have to try.”

Again, she found glimpses of truth amid the lie. She hated that she couldn’t tell him more. She hated that she had to dodge his questions like this. She hated to lie to a friend.

With luck, it wouldn’t matter. He’d learn that it was a ruse within a day, yes, but he’d forgive her if it all worked out. 

If. 

Indigo sighed, and stepped forward long enough to pull him into a hug. If he thought that was strange, a farewell hug for a supposedly-brief supply run, he didn’t breathe a word of it. She’d been a little shaky these past few weeks, after all. He wouldn’t begrudge her a bit of support after everything she’d lost. 

When she pulled back, Poe’s brows had drawn inwards with suspicion. She took a step back, swallowing hard. 

“Good luck on your mission.” he told her, and didn’t say anything more. His posture was stiff, mechanical. He’d probably already guessed it. He was rowdy, yes, but he’d never been a stupid man.

Indie grit her teeth, forcing herself to turn away. 

🏅 What is something you recently felt proud of in regard to your writing (finished a fic, actually planned for once, etc).

The last two chapters I posted, on two different fics, were both over 7k words long, and I thought they were both very good. And I'm devilishly proud of how much emotional damage I've put my readers through in Bolts and Blasters, particularly since I've already started writing the resolution to it.

📚 Do you read your own fic?

All the time lol. I write it for me, so of course I reread it.

👩‍🏭 If one of your fics was going to get you arrested, which one and why?

Desert Song or Nom De Guerre. I'd like to think that my depictions of thievery, pickpocketing, coup d'etats, underground crime groups, and whatever else that writing 6 Underground fanfiction entails is decently accurate (or at least enough for suspension of disbelief)... but is it TOO accurate?

😈 Is there anything you enjoy doing that you think your readers hate?

I have a few fics where the main character's POV is in first-person perspective, and I know that's pretty polarizing. I still write most of my fics in third-person and even a few in second, but there's a certain level of perspective and closeness in first-person that you really can't quite get in the others. It feels more like they're telling their stories, rather than having this omniscient or godly Narrator walking them through it. I don't use it all the time (only 2 of my fics use first-person, and both also have POV shifts to other characters, which are written in third-person) but I think it can be very powerful when it's done right.

[rebelfire]

Okokok, this is something I'm obsessed about with the second season. It truly drives me nuts that everyone responds with a combination of hating on Lark, thinking Sparrow is 100% a pushover, and either not thinking about how Rebecca could have rationalized it or thinking she's a monster. But all of this gets solved via the prophecy!

I've been playing around and writing a fanfic that explores this and what happens after Willy's death but haven't completed it enough to share yet so here's the jist:

The twins found out about the prophecy before the kids were born. I couldn't narrow down how and when it really came about, so I'm guessing when they were teens. These two feel so much guilt for releasing the doodler and now everyone thinks that at least one of them has to have a kid to fix the mess. Lark is the most directly responsible, but Sparrow recognizes there's no way he could take on that responsibility. Sparrow is the love wolf, so he tells his brother he'll do it, Lark just need to focus on supporting him and the kid.

We know Rebecca knows some of what's going on, but not about the twins being responsible for the Doodler. So somehow she ends up with Sparrow and agrees to take on this responsibility with him. They were YOUNG though. They aren't waiting for real true love to start a family. They have a job to do and the sooner they have a kid the sooner they can train her and she can save the world. Rebecca's background is kinda a mystery, but she's a centrist so she's just going to make things work, just like Sparrow. We know that even after he's confronted by the affair while being Doodlerized and having a breakdown, he has nothing but nice things to say about his wife, so he understands that even though he's hurt she has good intentions. Instead, he finds a woman to marry who, for her own reasons, agrees to it and they get married. But she starts having second thoughts while they're engaged.

This is where the affair starts, we know. She can't talk to Sparrow because they're essentially trapped together, so she goes to Lark. Maybe she was more attracted to him but he was never going to get married and have a family, who knows. Either way, he is an escape for her. For Lark, they are SO CLOSE to having a savior, just gotta get Sparrow and Rebecca hitched and pregnant, then they will have the end in sight for the doodler. He's not thinking of the emotional repercussions in the long run. His role is to support the marriage, not help them realize maybe they're not meant to be. Plus, he's also very young too. So he comforts Rebecca, reassures her it'll work out, and in being so goal oriented and young and naive he leans into whatever she needs at the moment, and that's to feel like she still has autonomy. He goes along with it and has now betrayed his brother. Obviously he feels TERRIBLE, but the wedding happens, and now to try for a baby. Well that shit it STRESSFUL, especially if that baby is important like a prophesized savior! So she goes to him again, and once again he's focused on how to take down the doodler, and it ultimately doesn't matter if it's Sparrow or Lark who provides the DNA. He continues to feel awful but he rationalizes it, only now it's become a THING. Once Hero's born maybe Lark thinks it's all over, but it's not!

Suddenly the thought occurs to him, or to both twins together, that the marriage is stuck. If Rebecca leaves, she's getting the kids because what judge would award custody to a dad who, with his twin brother, is training a very small child survival skills to the extent that these two are. Plus, Rebecca has the money, not Sparrow. And now the reality is that if Rebecca leaves and takes Hero, unless she agrees to help them, the prophesized savior is going to be unprepared. This is bad for Hero because they don't know how it'll all work and if she's meant to win by offense or defense, so she may be helpless without them. But it's also bad because you can't just get a new savior, so the world will be doomed!

So Lark just tries to keep the peace, to do whatever is needed to keep the marriage together, a marriage that isn't his. And we know that Sparrow knows about the affair and has accepted it even though it hurts him, so he must recognize the need as well. They are supposed to be "the same man twice", so they've come to the same conclusion, but it's still such an emotional betrayal they can't talk about it. I imagine Sparrow doing things like passively giving them a heads up when he's coming home with the kids so they don't get caught.

So when they think they might die and they're sending one final message to Normal, Lark has a moment of weakness and just wants to apologize in some way. It slips out, but he can only admit to the first betrayal, possibly because Sparrow freaks out. Sparrow has been denying it so long to try to keep his marriage together and not resent his wife, who he knows is also a victim, that Lark bringing it up makes him have a meltdown, and THAT'S what we see when he tells Normal he's not proud of him. He is dealing with so much in that moment. He hates what life has become, what he and his brother did to the world, to Rebecca by involving her, and he knows he's hurt his kids.

Sparrow's role was to deny and put on a happy face to keep up morale because he had to be a DAD. Lark's role was to achieve the mission objective, and he could self destruct in the meantime so long as he didn't kill himself and he got the job done. That's why when Sparrow is having his breakdown and hurts Normal they essentially switch roles. Lark is now the emotionally aware one that tells him when he's being cruel, and he tries to apologize to Normal and remind him the twins are not his responsibility. When Normal shows up at the Papa John's Lark tries to comfort him. He's not great at it, but I wonder if he thinks he even can be helpful emotionally unless he's pretending to be Sparrow.

But this also makes Rebecca's brief death so devastating! She was a young woman who got caught up with these twins who are doing their best but are also trapped. She took on too much and has been tredding water trying to make things work, and when the end is in sight, she dies. Her son cares, and the twins certainly care because they know she's been trapped with them, but nobody else seems to care all that much.

Unrelated to this episode but as a twin, everytime I remember Lark had an affair with Sparrow’s wife, I’m just… in disbelief. Like, I hate when people ogle at my twin and I, and are like “WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A TWIN!” “I WISH I WAS A TWIN!” “WOW! HAVING A TWIN IS HAVING A BUILT IN BESTFRIEND!” However, weird objectification aside, they’re not wrong. I DO have a close bond with twin that I don’t with anyone else. For most of my life (and all my childhood), we were on the same wavelength emotionally speaking. Obviously we had put diffrences, but the way we viewed the world and reacted to things emotionally was almost the same. In middle school, we both were struggling mentally, but we understood each other, she felt like the only irl person who truly understood what I was going through, because she was going through it too. To me, our relationship is taken for granted. No matter what happens, how much we fight or bicker, I have never once in my life doubted whether she loved me or not. Her love has always been, and still is, the strongest constant in my life. And even though the way we view the world and act emotionally is no longer exactly the same, she is still the one person I feel understands me the most.

And that’s why, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Lark did that. How could he have done that. I could NEVER, see myself betray my sister like that. And yes I’m young, and ace (and on the aro spec), so you could argue it’s not the same but like, even if I were allo, I just, can not see myself having an affair WITH MY TWIN’S S.O.! (also I just hate the idea that cheating is just a thing that happens sometimes like, I’m sure there are relationships that recover from that, but come one, seriously it’s so easy to not cheat) The worst part is that I still think Lark loves Sparrow. Scratch that, I know he still loves Sparrow. I’m not good at wording it, but the best example I can think of, is Lark pretending to be Sparrow so that he could fix Sparrow’s relationship with Normal, so that Sparrow doesn’t have a bad relationship with their son. I’m thinking of that person who made a post about how Lark shows love and I wish I could remember so that can point to that, but it mentioned Lark sewing bulletproof into Normal’s suit. Anyway, Lark LOVES Sparrow, and they are each other’s world. The problem is that they’re codependent with each other, which can make them enable their worst attributes, or let them brush things off that shouldn’t be brushed off.

I can’t imagine doing what Lark did to Sparrow, to my sister. Idk how my sister could EVER forgive such a betrayal. I know some romantic couples can genuinely work together to overcome an affair, so I guess that can be applied to platonic and familial situations as well. But still, Sparrow TRUSTED Lark more than anyone else in his life, for Lark to break that that trust, it just… idk. Also, I definitely understand why Sparrow forgave Lark, they can’t lose their only family left. They are each other’s world. Especially after everything they’ve gone through. Tho I will say, I don’t think Sparrow’s just completely over it either. His wife and brother had a fucking affair together. That has to hurt. Plus, there are little lines when referring to Normal that Sparrow’s said that leads me to believe that Sparrow has some unprocessed feelings about the affair pushed deep, deep down to keep peace.

I wonder how much thought Anthony put into to that plot point. Most of the times it’s played as joke but if you think about it for 2 seconds it’s so fucked. But Anthony cares too much about the kiddads for me to believe it was just a joke, like the Hermie’s dads situation. I wonder what made him think this is a thing Lark would do.

This isn’t supposed to be an “I HATE LARK” post. I think he’s a very interesting character, the way he’s reacting and processing to everything that happened in S1 and S2 is fascinating. And just to reiterate, I know he still loves Sparrow. But still, I keep thinking about how do you betray the person who’s your whole world, who you arguably love the most. Or guess, my real question is WHY. What has going on in his head that led him to doing that. Even from a more selfish standpoint, I don’t think Sparrow currently trusts, or will ever trust Lark the way he did pre-affair. And I don’t think Lark is stupid enough to believe having an affair with Sparrow’s wife wouldn’t irrevocably change their relationship.

I wish I could be more eloquent, but I always forget and every time I remember what he did I just don’t know how to feel about it. Idk, I just keep thinking about them. I can’t help it, I’m a latino twin, they were handcrafted for me.

If you have any thoughts on this, PLEASE DO SHARE THEM WITH THEM WITH ME. (also idk if this conversation’s already been had but I haven’t engaged)

Ps: something, something Lark hates himself so much he tries to ruin his relationship with Sparrow because he feels like he doesn’t deserve love, not even from Sparrow. Yah started thinking about it outside my perspective. I can see that being his reasoning, but still…I just, I can’t image actual doing that. But yah, I think I’m satisfied with that reasoning.

[recurring-polynya]

Favourite thing about Byahisa?

I feel like people have gotten the mistaken idea that I am a Byahisa shipper, which I really am not, at least not in the way I am a Renruki shipper. I am interested in their story, which is a tragedy, but I do not, say, think about them kissing in my spare time. I don’t have favorite tropes or anything like that. I guess the thing I like best about them is simply that it happened.

I have said this before, but Hisana is not, in my opinion, a character. She is a plot point. We see her only through Byakuya's memory. We don't know what she was like. We don't get any of the circumstances that lead up to her abandoning her baby sister. Nevertheless, she is the catalyst for Rukia's adoption, for Rukia and Renji's separation, for Byakuya and Rukia's long estrangement, and, I like to think, that their attempts to rememer her played a role in their eventual connection.

I think a lot about this excellent post re: Rukia meeting Kaien by @troius about how Kubo is able to tell incredibly poignant stories with just a snapshot, but I think this one hits it even more: The assistant captain had a wife. Pardon my French, but fuck that hits hard. The assistant captain had a wife.

The panels of Byakuya telling Rukia about Hisana hit similarly to me. It's not a full story. Byakuya has just been stabbed through the heart, and he is apologizing to Rukia, trying to explain himself as he sweats and bleeds all over the ground in a very non-Byakuya fashion. The first thing he says is that she died. There's something I want to tell you. One spring morning, 50 years ago, before the first plum tree blossomed...I lost my wife.

He goes on to tell the facts of the story as they relate to Rukia-- Hisana abandoned her, Hisana never stopped looking for her, Hisana died full of regrets. It's so curious and mysterious to me out of a fairly small flashback, half a page is taken up with Hisana apologizing to Byakuya for not being a better wife, but I don’t get the sense that Byakuya is bitter or mad about it. It's never entirely clear in these flashbacks how much the nostalgic character (in this case, Byakuya) is actually saying out loud, and how much they are just remembering. This is the only part of the flashback that is not actually relevant to Rukia, and I think that this is a part that Byakuya is remembering to him--with pain--that along with everything else, he could never impress upon Hisana how much she meant to him.

We get only a handful of reflections of Hisana-- Byakuya contemplating her portrait during two end themes, Rukia being asked to perform a dance Hisana once performed with the implication that this is a matter of great personal importance to both Byakuya and Rukia, a scene in Fade to Black where Byakuya walks with his wife and supports her as she collapses. These are so brief, but they all impart the same idea, Byakuya had a wife, whom he loved. She died. In the spring. Before the plum blossom bloomed.

Byakuya, as a character, is very stoic and rarely shows emotion, so these glimpses are so poignant and powerful. The other thing that we do know about him is that he was a hothead in his youth, (and then some things happened) and now he's Like That. The (and then some things happened) is so intriguing and mysterious and sad. I was only planning on including the top three panels of the page above, but that last panel-- the hugely empty room, the sun pouring in, Byakuya’s posture. I lost my wife.

I did not have a lot of sympathy for Byakuya as a character when I started writing fanfic, but I had to deal with him, so I dug for something I could latch onto, something I liked about him, and that something was that he had a wife and he loved her. She was common. Marrying her cost him a great deal of political capital and possibly also his relationship with his grandfather. She was chronically ill. She was crushed by the trauma of her early afterlife. Byakuya loved her.

The other thing I like about Hisana, writing-wise, is that she connects Rukia and Byakuya, but she is wholly absent. She is a void in the space between them, a thing they can explore together, but only if both are willing. I am also fascinated with the way Hisana's gravity effects not just them, but Renji. If Hisana had never abandoned Rukia-- an act that she regretted for the rest of her afterlife-- Renji never would have met Rukia, the defining event of his own existence. On the other hand, if it were not for Hisana, they wouldn't have been separated, either, the other defining event of Renji's existence. We don’t really get to see it, but as Renji settles into his role as Byakuya’s second, he must, at times, act as a weird conduit between his boss and his best friend. In some extremely weird ways, Renji, a loud, 6′2″ meathead with too much eyeliner and too few social graces, has taken on Hisana’s role in connecting two people who are absolutely terrible at connecting to anyone.

Bleach is a story about ghosts, or perhaps many stories about many ghosts. Byahisa is a love story that is also a ghost story, and that is one of my very favorite things in the world.

[oivsyo]

I'm so happy!! I thought I wouldn't recieve an answer, nevertheless this soon! I've written to other shippers before but they seem not active anymore.

I'm looking forward to December then! I NEED more on NejiHina haha I started shipping them when watching the war for the first time, like, the moment exact that I realized Neji's feelings for Hinata (and around the same time Neji became my fav character, even above Hinata... I first hated him, then liked him and then loved him). Tbh, I watched the war arc and end a lot of time later, like, I stopped al 14 and ended it at 19 YO. Then watched it again with my husband, and this time at 26 I'm watching again just focusing on Neji. So, I was not a shipper before 2015 but I'm one of those "old" ( in age) shippers. It justs makes more and more sense the more adult I am, I feel haha also, I'm very Canon strict to establish the relationship (though I do enjoy the fillers that shows it), it makes absolute canon sense that Neji loved Hinata, it's actually impossible IMO to separate him from that fact.

Aaaand, since I'm very logic/factual, I decided not to only do a fanfic to have them together but to give them logic enough that it could have been canon. Like, I decided to rewrite the story since the war to avoid his death without taking the emotional impact. In the midst of it, I decided to make justice to all Konoha 11 + Sai (even Sakura, just no more Naruto and Sasuke pls) and rewrite parts of them too, so I have a lot in my plate right now. I'm working hard to fill all the wholes I see the best I can, both in the main story and in my AU. I'm working hand to hand with the OG material (canon and anime only), so I'm simply "coping" some parts as it is, changing minor things on some parts and major things on others, and then, in postwar, I'm going to finally lead the story on my thoughts mainly. But it's taking sooooo long. I'm doing the first script by hand on english, but I intend to do the final one on Spanish since is my main language and I want to go as in deep detail as I can. Maybe I'll translate it back later.

Does this makes sense? Does it sounds like something worth reading?

I also wanted to tell you that here in Mexico NejiHina seems to be in the rise, kind of. It's more like it has become really popular on TikTok, many many fans loving Neji, and it leaded to 2 memes: Neji Chiquito (Mini Neji) and Neji Norteño. The later refers to the fact that Neji is in love with/ attracted to his cousin; it's a meme but is a huge one, and it implies people recognizes and accepts the fact that Neji was in love with Hinata. Some leave it at that, but many others wished they could be together or state that Neji was a better option for Hinata than Naruto, that also being because a lot of people was upset about NS ending and hate Boruto series.

I'm sorry about the long post 😅 I needed out, I feel like I don't have ppl enough to talk about this haha I also wanted to know your opinion on my project and to let you know that in spite of how things turned out, NejiHina do is getting more recognition on some places.

Good day once again, anon! I'm sorry for making you wait for so long. I read your message right after you sent it but I didn't have enough time to reply properly. As far as your message was full of passion it deserved a thoughtful reply.

I understand you so well about writing to other NejiHina shippers. That is what I did when I returned to NejiHina and started to draw again after more than a decade long hiatus. I didn't know anyone, most accs looked dead so I just started to post my pics. And I'm endlessly grateful to @cyanis-art @nyxvoidart @incensuous @nejihina-and-mlb @nejihinata @toonamifaithful and other people who noticed and liked my arts, wrote comments and supported me in many ways. In the beginning support is needed as air, so I have no idea whether I would continue to draw NejiHina if not their support🙏

I'm looking forward to December then! I NEED more on NejiHina haha I started shipping them when watching the war for the first time, like, the exact moment that I realized Neji's feelings for Hinata (and around the same time Neji became my fav character, even above Hinata... I first hated him, then liked him and then loved him). Tbh, I watched the war arc and end a lot of time later, like, I stopped at 14 and ended it at 19 YO. Then I watched it again with my husband, and this time at 26 I'm watching again just focusing on Neji. So, I was not a shipper before 2015 but I'm one of those "old" ( in age) shippers. It justs makes more and more sense the more adult I am, I feel haha also, I'm very Canon strict to establish the relationship (though I do enjoy the fillers that shows it), it makes absolute canon sense that Neji loved Hinata, it's actually impossible IMO to separate him from that fact.

Thank you for sharing your story! It has always been interesting for me to know how other fans came to NejiHina. I've discussed it with quite a number of people and there are some similarities in their stories. Many of my NejiHina fellows say that 'once you feel the chemistry between them you will ship them without turning back'. Also there are many fans who are older than 25 y.o. Most of them agree that NejiHina is a mature ship that goes beyond plain romance. Many ppl started to ship them when they were teenagers and returned to this ship as adults.

As for me, I started to ship them as a teenager after watching s1 and the beginning of Shippuden but I didn’t look in too deep back then. I rewatched Naruto, watched the rest of the series and Rock Lee SD only 1,5 years ago and I was surprised how many NejiHina moments there are and started to love them even more. There is also more info about Hanabi and the Hyuga clan, so I crushed into the clan too.

Aaaand, since I'm very logic/factual, I decided not to only do a fanfic to have them together but to give them logic enough that it could have been canon. Like, I decided to rewrite the story since the war to avoid his death without taking the emotional impact. In the midst of it, I decided to make justice to all Konoha 11 + Sai (even Sakura, just no more Naruto and Sasuke pls) and rewrite parts of them too, so I have a lot in my plate right now. I'm working hard to fill all the wholes I see the best I can, both in the main story and in my AU. I'm working hand to hand with the OG material (canon and anime only), so I'm simply "coping" some parts as it is, changing minor things on some parts and major things on others, and then, in postwar, I'm going to finally lead the story on my thoughts mainly. But it's taking sooooo long. I'm doing the first script by hand on english, but I intend to do the final one on Spanish since is my main language and I want to go as in deep detail as I can. Maybe I'll translate it back later.

Does this makes sense? Does it sounds like something worth reading?

“to fill all the holes” is exactly what I have been doing for the last 1,5 years 🥲💪

I’m not good at writing, so I draw to show my headcanons and write short notes on twitter and here. Gladly there are NejiHina fellow artists around me to discuss our ideas with. And we are happy to wellcome new people to discuss NejiHina with.

I can’t speak on behalf of all the community but personally I’m a sucker for canon compliant + canon divergent stories. It seems I will never get tired of the multi-chapter slowburn stories about Neji and Hinata and the Hyuga clan.There is a NejiHina fan-novel in my language that is written with this approach and when I’ve read it I understood that this is the type of fan-fiction I like the most. I like it when the story begins as in the canon but gradually diverts from it. This appoach provides numerous opportunities to develop side characters making them MCs, adding original characters, developing the lore. This is exactly what I do for my own headcanons so I fully support you. I wish you good luck in writing what you’ve started! Take your time and I’m looking forward to reading your story in English some day!

I also wanted to tell you that here in Mexico NejiHina seems to be in the rise, kind of. It's more like it has become really popular on TikTok, many many fans loving Neji, and it leaded to 2 memes: Neji Chiquito (Mini Neji) and Neji Norteño. The later refers to the fact that Neji is in love with/ attracted to his cousin; it's a meme but is a huge one, and it implies people recognizes and accepts the fact that Neji was in love with Hinata. Some leave it at that, but many others wished they could be together or state that Neji was a better option for Hinata than Naruto, that also being because a lot of people was upset about NS ending and hate Boruto series.

Oh, I saw Neji Chiquito pics on the net! I guess there are many ppl who like him, mini Neji is so cute! I would like a t-shirt with him!

I also came across ‘Norteño’ comments to NejiHina pics on pinterest and on Twitter but I thought that it was some kind of sly insult. Like ‘sweet home Alabama’. Anyway, thanks for telling me about it! I would be very interested to know the origin of this meme. Why northern? 🤔 I also remember comments about Santiago-something, are these things connected?

I'm sorry about the long post 😅 I needed out, I feel like I don't have ppl enough to talk about this haha I also wanted to know your opinion on my project and to let you know that in spite of how things turned out, NejiHina do is getting more recognition on some places.

That’s ok! It seems we have a lot in common, I also like to write very long texts if the topic is interesting to me XD

You can write me so that we will discuss Neji & Hinata, the Hyuga clan and so on =3

[kendochick-moor]

Hey Moor! I love your writing, your Art of Datibg a Rich man series is one of my absolute favorite fanfics ever!!!

I’ve got a writing question but please ignore this question if it’s annoying or you don’t feel like answering！I want to know how to you write your characters thoughts and emotions so well?? I noticed when I was rereading the Madara prequel to Art of Dating a Rich man it’s always clear, sometimes painfully, what he’s thinking or his emotions are - BUT you never really write “madara thinks” or “madara feels”.

Maybe this is a selfish ask but I’ve been trying to write and and I want to get better but I can’t seem to communicate thoughts or feelings well without it sounding clunky or awkward. When I think of good writing and the kind of quality I want to be able to achieve someday, your works always come to mind. There’s something very natural and graceful about how you write your characters that they’re almost tangible ( if that makes any sense?) but I can’t seem to do anything even remotely close.

Again, please ignore the question if you want. But you should know in all seriousness I reread your fanfics seasonally and can’t thank you enough for the joy they bring!!!!!

Magic. :)

(Jk!)

Also, thank you very much for the compliment! <3

To answer your questions!...

1. I treat the people in my stories (fanfic and OF) like people. :) I refer to them the way I would refer to people whom I know, with emotions, attitudes, shortfalls and motivations, all of which can change over time, like real people do. :) I don't know why/how, but it makes it easier for me to write them when I consider them people instead of characters.

2. A friend of mine once beta'd an early fic for me for the Saiunkoku Monogatari fandom and she left a comment that has stuck with me for 15+ years: "What’s another way to say this?" BOOM. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. It's the crux of 'show, don't tell'. Instead of telling what someone feels, think about how it could be shown/displayed/conveyed: a furrowed brow could indicate concentration, concern, anger, confusion. A simple gesture can convey so much--and it may mean different things for different people (characters). Context, dialog, situation and characterization will fill in the blanks--but that furrowed brow is what indicates to the reader the impact the situation/action has on the people (characters) in it. I think very visually (constantly.... I am the one who hears a song and within 20 seconds I have a scene/story that reflects its emotion/impact). It's a compulsion, tbh. It's why I have so many WIP. But if/when I find my writing/a scene is dragging, the first thing I start checking is, "what's another way of saying this?". (And then choosing a passage that I think would be more meaningful/impactful if I changed how it was presented.)

3. I am really impressed you noticed this, because I don't know if I have mentioned it often: I very much avoid using the words, "feel/felt". "Think" is another, though I admit that I have been lazy and started using it again more recently. :) Thisr relates back to #2 above: don't tell what your character/person feels/thinks--show it via their actions and behaviour.

I am not sure how familiar you are with K-dramas, J-dramas and Taiwanese dramas, but I find they employ symbolism and actions very effectively to convey intention and meaning.

Example: Imagine a young woman (who was forced to hide her gender and live as her twin brother for reasons). She may still long to be able to someday live her life as a woman, but is afraid of what her family will think since she has been a boy for so long. What may reassure her would be her family telling her that they support her. But what would show it? Her father presenting her with a beautiful dress, possibly one she admired in secret, and him telling her he has always been proud of her, no matter what/who she was. (Kudos to those who recognize this scene from a particular K-drama!) Does her father specifically outright say, "Go, be a woman now!" ? No. He gives her the tools and his support so she has the agency and confidence to embrace it herself. He shows her (and, in turn, the audience.)

You mentioned TAoDaRM above. :) This fic may come across more naturally written because some characters and actions are based upon real people, and that made writing it much easier. (Hashi and Tobi are based on very specific people, for example, who are very important to me.) I tried very hard to SHOW emotion and reaction in this story with body language and dialog (and parallel scenes--where dialog or actions in one scene are repeated again later to compare and contrast the growth of a character or compare him/her with something that was previously mentioned... think of Sakura’s dinners with each of the men, or when Madara teases Hashi about Hashi someday being jealous of him, or of one man saying, "the girl or your brother", and Madara repeating it to Tobi...) These words, actions, scenes and parallels are all quite deliberately placed to bring the reader's attention to the importance of these scenes and events. Different contexts give the words different meanings and evoke differentemotions. :) Again with the goal of making these characters feel like real people.

If you would like more examples or would like to talk through any of this, let me know (I am a flaming narcissist and love talking about myself and my work). I genuinely enjoy helping others, so if you'd like we can chat about your stories, I can beta for you, and/or if you're on Discord we can voice chat and look at your strengths and goals together ❤.

EDIT: .... there's also extensive use of Resist the Urge to Explain (RUE) in TAoDaRM... but that's another post for another day. ^_^

I hope this helps! <3

Happy writing!!! I have a massive amount of respect for you analyzing your work and wanting to improve!!

[amethystina]

🥺 and 😈

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

Small but instinctive shows of affection and tenderness. I'm a sucker for subtle details and even more so when they're so engrained in someone that they've become a reflex or a habit. And I mean that both for heartwarming and heartbreaking scenes.

Like someone being handed a cup of coffee and they realise it's JUST the way they like it. Or someone already reaching for the thing their loved one needs before they're even asked. Or just the wordless, unconditional support of doing something for someone else because you know they need it in that moment.

But, also, is there anything worse than being excited about something and wanting to share it, but it's not until you, on pure habit, turn to tell the person next to you that you remember that the space is empty? Or how a song, a colour, a brand, or a scent can make you think of someone you once loved, your heart swelling on pure reflex — only to come crashing down the next second when you remember that person is gone?

Seeing those moments will never fail to make me emotional because there's just something so beautiful about how much love you can find in those simple, heartfelt actions. The space between people is filled with little habits, quirks, and instincts, tying us all together, and they're sometimes stronger and more eloquent than any verbal declaration of love could ever be.

😈 Has there been a point in a story where you did something just to be playfully mean to your readers?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: No, but I HAVE teased my readers about dramatic/angsty/painful things that happen in my stories. By which I mean that I can be a mean little shit when the opportunity presents itself, but I don't intentionally create the situations just to be mean (playfully or otherwise).

My emotions usually have very little to do with how I choose to write my stories. I write them because I enjoy them, of course, and won't include elements I truly hate, but I build my plot in a very boring way, focusing more on what seems reasonable and realistic than what I, myself, might feel for in that moment.

And I think that's one of the reasons why my fics feel so structured to a lot of my readers — the plot isn't affected by my emotional ups and downs and won't suddenly change course because of a random idea that suddenly caught my attention.

Also, while I know it's very common to joke about how writers love to torture characters and their readers, I don't. I derive no pleasure from torturing anyone, fictional or otherwise. So, on principle, I won't make choices just to be mean to my readers, not even to be cheeky or playful.

But I WILL tease them when they willingly walk into something I've warned them will hurt. And, sometimes, I will employ certain tactics to make the emotion hit just a little bit harder.

So proceed at your own risk ;)

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