#this was seriously an honor and a joy to share with you nonnie thank you for asking me!

[beefrobeefcal]

Beefro's Annual Report 2024

I have been tagged countless times regarding a recap and/or what I was thankful for by so many wonderful friendos - but I'll give credit to @jolapeno for kicking us off.

This time last year, there were only 400 of you following me while I wrote my silly little stories. I had no idea how the year would go, from coming close to deleting everything to finding a community of people and friends who I now count as irl besties. I changed up the content I write and have explored all sorts of new things with the love and support of all you.

I love you all so very much. Here's to keeping one another afloat and warm in 2025,

Beefro👌🥩💜

Below are the fics, posters and things that I am very proud of from 2024 (masterlist can be found here).

One Shots:

Purpose: I know, I know... I have hooted and tooted about this fic before, but I really loved this so much. The fact that @perotovar loved it also makes this extra sweet. I know I am not known for seriousness and such, but I loved the experience.

like a cigar: I love this one for many reasons but chief among them is the brainstorming with @noxturnalnymph and @strang3lov3 that brought it to life. That evening will stay with me from now until the day I yeet from this mortal coil and I love you both so very much.

what the hell is wrong with tim: A vanity project that sat in my wips for 5 months. I started it because I wanted @pedroscouts badges for 'Sex Pollen' and 'Tim Rockford'. Then all hell broke loose and in to the wip bin Tim went. I finally dug him out and plugged away at it and the end result is one I am proud of. I worked hard for Tim... and all he got was pussy-fluid induced conjunctivitis and an eyepatch.

Shorties:

For the Stars: This one was brought about for my beloved Deedle @bitchesuntitled - she has worked hard on her sobriety, then wisely and bravely chose to celebrate it with her community. I was honored to get to take part in this celebration.

Ezra Goes to Church: @toxicanonymity knew what we needed during the summer and brought about the Manspread Olympics. This shortie, sitting at 350 words, has brought me so much joy. A titan's girth in so few words.

Series:

There are Other Fish in the Sea: This one came from a deep place of ouch. I had found a community on here who enjoyed the same things I did and it blew up in my face bc some people cannot play nice in the sand box. I still remember sending this idea to a beloved moot and their response was "I'm sorry, what are you going to do to Frankie & Mouse???" It was cathartic and a blow out way to change direction and I love Ezra.

the BEEF: I know there is only one fic in this anthology series so far, but I love the concept for it so much (thanks to @covetyou). The grumpy old neighbour Joel that kicked it off really allowed me to be as unhinged and horny as I wanted and my love for him is eternal.

Posters:

This year, I took up making posters for my wips and fics to boost my moral in writing. It helped! Below are the ones that have really made me fluff my feather in my cap (some are still wips).

Things:

Monthly Prompt Challenge: In a bid to share my ideas and thots, I started this in September. So far, no one has told me to stop and I very much enjoy do this!

beef Art: This year, I had Canva introduced to me and I have never looked back. You can see some of the horrible things I have created here.

Community: I have been most fortunate to have been welcomed and held by some extremely fabulous folks on here. There are so many of you, from the casual reblogger to the routine ask dropper (@deathsholywaterr, looking at you 💋) to the beta fish (@weregirlbyknight) to the shy nonnies... and to my beloveds who's usernames/pics made my heart warm, all of you keep this beef smiling. Thank you.

tagging bc you're a repeat offender in my heart:

@strang3lov3 @noxturnalnymph @weregirlbyknight @whocaresstillthelouvre @bitchesuntitled

@goodwithcheese @jolapeno @secretelephanttattoo @perotovar @sp00kymulderr

@rebel-held @romanarose @endlessthxxghts @wintrwinchestr @xdaddysprincessxx

@toxicanonymity @pedrit0-pascalit0 @yopossum @hellfire-state-of-mind

@tinytinymenace @jennaispunk @crowandmousewritingco @yallhearsm @missredherring

@kedsandtubesocks @slutsoutgutsout @magpiepills @sr-lrn @maggiemayhemnj

@mothandpidgeon @schnarfer @mando-abs @timelordfreya @artsy-girl-76

@wordywarriorwrites @ace-turned-confused @studioghibelli @bluecookies-and-ink @evolnoomym

@covetyou

[carpemermaidtales]

what is erised?

OMG! Hello, nonnie, first of all I want to thank you for bestowing me with the honor of introducing you to Erised!!! This is so exciting! And I’m so excited for you!!!@hd-erised​ is one of the most amazing fests in the HP fandom! It’s a winter gift exchange for fic and art that posts amazing pieces throughout December and reveals the creators in January. It’s a fest that has been running every year since 2013 and evolved to fill the void left by HD Holidays, the original winter holiday exchange fest from ye olden days of fandom (yours truly participated in three of those rounds with some of my first fanfics and boy howdy were they bad when I found them again recently hahaha!). It’s hosted by three amazing people, @gracerene09, @sassy-cissa, and @capipuff and each year they do a brilliant job of corralling creators, organizing the whole fest, lovingly and carefully matching gifters and giftees, and providing us with fun bonuses like a guessing poll and fun facts at the end of each round. As with most of the established fandom fest events, it’s home base is on LJ and can be found here. However, as I was mentioning in a post the other day, most of the popular fests also have a tumblr presence to promote the revealed works, so as long as you’re following the fest’s tumblr you’ll be in the loop for when posting starts on December 1, 2017! (So soon!! It’s coming, it’s upon us!!!)It’s one of my favorite fandom events, and not just because those of us that participate in Erised bust our asses and pull out all the stops to create amazing things to spoil our assigned giftees with. A lot of the fandom’s favorite fics and art are results of Erised! So, you may actually be familiar with it without knowing you are!I mean, just look at these all star favorites that are from previous rounds (taken from page one of the parent collection on AO3 sorted by kudos):Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop (also: Written on the Heart)Azoth by @lol-zeitgeisticA Convenient Impracticality by @firethesound (also: The Light More Beautiful)He Who Must Not Be Normal by lettered (also: Another Mask Behind You)Lumos by birdsofshoreThe Moon Looks Lovely Tonight by Omi_OhmyIn Which Harry is Magnetic North and Draco Is An Idiot by @bryoneybrynnSide-Along by @lqtraintracks (also: Weeds or Wildflowers by LQTT and @ilikebangbang)On the Turning Away by @blamebramptonAny Instrument by @dictacontrion (also: The Vanishing Department)Love Comes Tumbling by taradiane(The Piece) I was Missing All Along by lauren3210 (also: Five Weddings and a Potions Accident)On Call by Faith Wood (faithwood)The Little Marauders Nursery and Day Care by @digtheshipper​And those are just the fics! There’s also amazing art every year! Like, last year’s famous sock that destroyed the fandom (thanks @ano-ka-ba​ haha) - Breakfast Is For Eating In!The other amazing thing about this fest is actually participating in it and, more than getting a gift crafted to your tastes (which is fucking awesome!!! I was blessed with art from dustmouth last year!!! still not over it), is actually getting to hear from the person you write or draw for – it’s the best to see them fall in love with their gift! It’s just wonderful all around, for creators and for the fandom’s readership. It wouldn’t feel like December or the holidays without Erised for me!I’ve had the pleasure of beta/alpha reading a handful of this year’s submissions and the truth about Erised’s amazingness and the quality of work just rings more true each year! Seriously, y’all aren’t even ready haha. I can’t wait to see which works this year become instant favorites across the fandom.Now, to get you started, these are where you can find the previous year’s works along with the masterlists from those rounds:H/D Erised 2013 MasterlistH/D Erised 2014 (AO3) | MasterlistH/D Erised 2015 (AO3) | MasterlistH/D Erised 2016 (AO3) | MasterlistAnd 2017′s collection can be found here: H/D Erised 2017 (posting begins December 1, 2017!)And, while we’re on the topic of Erised, I want to highly encourage you to leave kudos, comment, and share any stories or art you enjoy from the fest with your friends and followers! Recs are so important and are deeply appreciated by the creators who pour so much of our hard work and time into crafting these works!

[kaustic]

//mentions of death (not specific, just generally) Hihi, again. So I’m just now realizing this may sound a but strange, but a bit ago, you answered my vent ask, and I still think about what you responded constantly. It was about how I found it hard to accept death, despite always being surrounded in spirituality and basing my whole belief system upon it.

You responded with something I seriously doubt I’ll ever forget- about how love is energy, and their energy still passes down through the memories and the little things that remind us of them. And now, every time I get reminded of anyone that I’ve lost, instead of feeling powerless over what could’ve been done, I think about that response, and I feel content. Happy to have shared that with them, happy to continue sharing their energy with every little moment that brings them back.

So, what I’m trying to say is, Thank you. So much. I will never stop appreciating you for bringing the joy of them back to me.

Nonnie, I think this is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. I'm actually gonna start crying. Words can't describe how happy I am that my ramblings have helped you so much. I am so glad that you found something that helps you and I am endlessly honored that it was my words that inspired that. I don't even know what to say this is... wow. Thank you for the kind words. I'm certain I will never forget this. <3333333

[dictacontrion]

Hey for the ask thing F, I, and U ! Thank u I love your blog and your work !

Thanks, nonnie!! These have been a blast!! 

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Okay so I actually love writing dialogue, it is kind of my fave, and I don’t have one single favorite, but this one, from Make Me a Headline (I Want to Be That Bold) came to mind: 

“I want you.”

“For—bed?” Harry asks, eyes flitting nervously upwards at the ceiling and, presumably, the bed above them.

“Yes,” Draco answers, “but not only.”

Harry takes another step towards him. “What else?”

“Dancing,” Draco says. “Champagne.”

“Yeah?” Harry prompts.

“Dinner,” Draco adds. “Letters.”

“Answered letters?”

“Answered letters. And…dates.”

“Public dates?”

“Yes. And…” Draco takes a turn at stepping forward, “breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“Breakfast,” Draco repeats. “After…”

“Bed?”

“Yes.”

“For breakfast, you’d have to stay.”

“Yes.”

“And you want?”

“Breakfast.”

“Oh,” Harry breathes. “Breakfast.”

I like it because I think usually I’m drawn to snappy banter, and clever characters who are able to explain themselves, and when there’s lots of witty subtext, and this is sort of the opposite of that. It’s a very emotionally naked moment for them, and it felt like piling on the words wasn’t going to work. What matters here, for them, is how well they understand each other without words, that they know each other so well they don’t need further explanation to get what’s at stakes. Well, and that they’re able to create this space that works emotionally for both of them, such that Harry can be reassured while Draco doesn’t have to put himself so explicitly on the line that he recoils into defensiveness. But how to get them to communicate that when saying it would defeat the purpose? This felt like the really right solution - the economy of language, the repetition, the construction of the story so that the readers and the characters have to recall a lot of complicated history in order for this to have meaning, and (hopefully) that the simplicity of the actual words pushes the reader to be present alongside the characters in being attentive to the complexity of the meaning behind them. And I thiiiiink it does that successfully? Though readers would know better than I would! 

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

My writing guilty pleasure is 100% the banter mentioned above, which wouldn’t be a guilty pleasure at all, vs something very fun, except that I tend to do it when I’m stuck or stonewalling, so will occasionally feel a bit guilty when I notice that’s what I’m doing.

My reading guilty pleasure (though as a phrase, I prefer smug indulgence to guilty pleasure!) is probably 1D/BBC RPF AUs, which, there are just some really fun ones, and it’s in this fic space that I don’t write or rec or mod or really blog about very much, so it’s work-free pure indulgence. 

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

I take this question to ask what I like about three of my favorite fic writers’ writing but, if you’ll bear with me, anon, I am going to intentionally misinterpret this for a moment (and will do it over properly if you like!) and tell you about three of my favorite fic writers and why they are some of my favorite people (with the caveat that I could easily do this for a dozen more!) and #sorrynotsorry, hopefully these lovely individuals will be up for tolerating some tenderness.

1. I have had the extraordinary luck to be within driving distance of @firethesound​ for most of my fic-writing life, and while I’m sure many of you, like me, admire her writing enormously, I am here to tell you that it is the tip of the iceberg. I have lost track of the number of times I have been having a crap week, only to show up at fire’s house and find the kettle on and cookies waiting, or the number of times she’s listened while I talk through whatever’s bothering me, or the number of days that have been improved by her company. She can be very stealth about how funny she is, and how incisive her commentary is, and how thoughtful her views are, and how observant she is, and how creative and resourceful and resilient and patient, and how she cares for the people around her, and how curious and interested she is, and how good at figuring things out, and how determined, and how generally much of a stone cold badass she is when the situation calls for it, but it’s all very, very present and I am perpetually blown away, and so, so grateful to the universe that our paths crossed. It’s made my life more balanced and fuller and funner and funnier and inspired, and that’s very much par for the course when spending time with fire. 

2. @gracerene09​ is a brilliant writer who just knocks my socks off a little bit more every time I read her latest work, and also has been my adventure buddy across two continents, three countries, and two (soon to be three or possibly maybe four!) states, and holy fuck she is amazing. She is so thoughtful and so unbelievably on the ball and possessed of good common sense and feet firmly on the ground, and she is the rare human who manages to be all of that and imaginative and silly and hilarious and adventurous and game for flights of fancy. Like, we can have a spreadsheet and a plan A and a plan B and then get drunk and have a selfie competition and end up wandering some random places absolutely cackling our butts off. And having seen her in all of those contexts and done loads of fandom and RL stuff with her, I can absolutely say that she’s one of the few people in the world whose judgment I trust implicitly. Even when we disagree, I trust her process and her ability and willingness to talk it through and figure it out. I also have the hugest admiration for the way she approaches the world with an eye towards growth; if she notices something she wants to change, she changes it, and she does it in ways that are deeply reflective and considered and dauntless and principled, and it’s truly incredible and an honor to see how that’s played out, is playing out, over the years. 

3. When it comes to fandom, and to life, @writcraft has become one of my absolute favorite people to talk to. Writ’s approach to writing and thinking is so masterful and meticulous and smart, I am constantly in awe. I have endless appreciation for the way they’ve written queerness into fic, which takes it so seriously and pays homage to its history, and would happily listen to them talk about queerness and culture for hours, both as it has to do with fandom and as it matters in the world beyond. And alongside this phenomenal, blinding awareness and knowledge, they’re also so much fun. I often come away from my conversations with writ reminded that all things - fandom, politics, the daily business of life - are meant to have elements of joy and connection in them, that the object isn’t only to learn and work for change, but to remember what it is that’s worth working for, and to stop and enjoy it, and to change things, even when that involves taking risks, in order to build a more enjoyable, connected, intrinsically motivated life. Whether it’s a serious conversation about political commitments and practice, or a serious conversation about fandom, or getting drunk and sweaty and dancing till ready to drop, having writ around is guaranteed to make it richer and sweeter and better. 

Fic asks!