#this was the hardest one to write. to really capture my idea

[theliteraryarchitect]

Hi, this is a really specific situation, but I'm at a loss. I had an accident that left me with lasting brain issues, and my writing has taken a hit. I went from being able to churn out a 3k word chapter in a day to needing an hour to write 50 words. I have so many ideas but can't express them, and I hate writing as a result. I know practice and just pushing through are going to be the main pieces of advice, but do you have any other suggestions or resources for someone who is having to re-learn how to be a writer?

Hey there! First off, I’m so sorry this response took me so long. Your Ask really stuck with me, and I wanted to give it the thought and care it deserves.

I can’t imagine how frustrating and heartbreaking it must be to go through such a big shift in your writing process. Losing that ease and flow—especially when you have so many ideas—is a huge adjustment. It’s a testament to your creativity and drive that you’re still thinking about how to keep writing despite the challenges.

You’re absolutely right that practice and pushing through are often the go-to advice, but I think it’s equally important to give yourself permission to grieve what’s changed. Writing can feel like such a core part of who we are, and when it’s harder than it used to be, it’s natural to feel a sense of loss.

Here are a few suggestions that might help as you navigate this:

1. Try Different Mediums: If typing feels like slogging through mud, maybe experiment with dictation software or voice-to-text tools. Speaking your ideas aloud could help you capture more words without the same strain.

2. Focus on Smaller Goals: Instead of trying to write full chapters, set tiny, manageable goals—like jotting down a single image or one sentence that excites you. Those little wins can add up and feel more achievable.

3. Explore New Ways of Outlining: If you’re struggling to get the words out, focus on the ideas instead. Create bullet points, mind maps, or even doodles to capture the essence of your story without the pressure of fully fleshed-out prose.

4. Be Kind to Yourself: This is the hardest one, but it’s so important. Writing isn’t just about the final product; it’s about the joy of creating. Even if the words come slower, every step you take is progress.

And don't forget to give yourself a ton of credit! Re-learning how to write in a way that works for you now is an incredible act of resilience. You’re still a writer, and your stories are still worth telling, even if the path looks different.

Hope this helps!

Bucket

/ / / / / / / / / / /

@theliteraryarchitect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler, a writer and developmental editor. For more writing help, download my Free Resource Library for Fiction Writers, join my email list, or check out my book The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

[pickingupmymercedes]

It comes with the territory (1/3) - Lewis Hamilton

Sequence: It comes with the territory / Hardest truth / Not even ours

request: "Hey Ella! I got an idea from some stuff I'm seeing on twitter. Some people thought that Alex was mild in her celebration for Charles win and started comparing her with how Nicole used to celebrate Lewis, she's even kinda trending and it made me think of some angst with Lewis new gf being criticized and compared with his ex and feeling really bad... 😘" - Anon

pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Reader!

warnings: angst, it kind hurt to write this

wordcount: +1K

a/n: Anon, lovely anon, it took me sooo long to write this one (when doesn't it though?!) but I swear I've had it on my drafts ever since you sent it, I just couldn't get those dialogues right. Anyway, I hope the wait is worth it 🫶

As always, I'm open for feedback, come say hi!

______________________________________________________________

The plane hummed softly as it cut through the night sky after an intense race weekend. Lewis had finished second, and although he would have preferred to be on the top step of the podium, he felt satisfied the performance he had dragged out of the car.

The fans had been loud, the energy palpable, and he had Y/n, for the first time, by his side. However, glancing over at her now, he noticed her face illuminated by the phone screen, a furrow etched between her brows. The usual vibrancy that she held was dimmed, replaced by a quiet intensity.

Y/n had made her debut in the F1 paddock as his girlfriend this weekend, and though she was no stranger to the world of motorsport, the attention had been overwhelming.

She had been to races before, blending in with the grandstands as just another fan, but this was different.

Walking hand in hand with Lewis, she had felt the eyes on her, the cameras flashing, and the whispers following her every step.

As he peered over her shoulder, he saw her scrolling through a barrage of social media posts.

Criticism. Comparisons. People calling her stuck up, saying she believed she was better than everyone else.

Comments about how she hadn't mingled with the Mercedes team, how she had kept to herself.

And the most painful of all, comparisons to Nicole. How she, almost a decade back, had been friendlier with the engineers, happier in her celebrations.

Lewis's heart ached as he watched Y/n's face grow more disheartened with each swipe of her finger. He wanted to say something, to take the phone from her hand and throw it out the plane window, to tell her none of it mattered. But he knew that wouldn't help.

Y/n was strong, but even the strongest could be brought to their knees by the weight of the world’s judgment.

Lewis had tried to shield her from the worst of it, but he knew it was impossible to escape entirely. The F1 world was as ruthless as it was glamorous, and everyone wanted a piece of her, the woman who had captured Lewis Hamilton's heart.

It came with the territory. That’s what he had been told all those years ago.

He had noticed the change in Y/n throughout the weekend, a transformation broadcast in broad daylight.

On the first day, she had been a bright, curious presence, eagerly engaging with everyone. She had asked his engineers a million and one questions, her enthusiasm palpable as she delved into details of the car, he was sure he had never been told himself. Her eyes sparkling with genuine interest, and the team warming to her instantly.

Afterall, she had been the first one in ten years he had brought out to the garage.

But come Sunday, that spark had dimmed. As he looked over during the podium celebrations, he saw her standing at a distance, away from the cluster of Mercedes engineers and mechanics.

She seemed smaller somehow, as if she had shrunk within herself, retreating into a protective shell.

Concerned, he had asked her about it later, wondering why she had pulled back. She had shrugged, her expression guarded, and said she didn't want to bother them in their workspace. Her words had been casual, but Lewis knew better.

He could see the hurt behind her eyes, the uncertainty as she did a triple check to her outfit, to her hair, to how she would think twice before saying anything outload.

It pained him to see her, someone so vibrant and warm, feel the need to diminish herself under the weight of others' scrutiny.

They landed late; the drive home heavy as they went through the roads of an almost empty London.

"Long day?" he asked, his voice low.

She nodded, not looking up. Lewis reached for her hand, a silent offer of comfort.

"I know it's been overwhelming" he began, his tone gentle. "This world can be a brutal place, especially when you're in the spotlight."

Y/n sighed, her fingers moving to entangle in his "I feel like I’m drowning in it all, Lewis."

He squeezed her hand. "It's understandable. But I’m here, to talk, to feel, to try and make sense of the madness"

She looked up, his eyes catching the sadness in her glance that almost had him choke up in pain. "It's the comparisons that hurt the most." She turned to the window and murmured.

Lewis studied her features, he could see the strain in Y/n's posture, the way she held herself tight, as if bracing against an unseen storm. He didn't push, didn't pry, just held her hand and hoped his presence was enough to offer some comfort.

The rest of the ride passed in silence. As they got home, Lewis helped her with her coat, their touch a silent language.

The next morning, Y/n was unusually quiet. Lewis found her in the kitchen, staring into a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. He knew they would have to address the elephant in the room, but he also had no idea how to bring up the subject again.

It didn't take long for her to come to him though.

"I feel like I let you down this weekend." She finally spoke.

Lewis met her gaze. "Why would you say that?"

"I was so distant, so... guarded. I didn’t even feel like myself." Her voice steady as she finally held his gaze

Lewis put down the reports he had been pretending to read and walked over to her on the table. "Why would you say that?"

Y/n looked up at him, her eyes glassy but confident. "I saw what people were saying. That I didn't talk to the engineers, that I stayed away from everyone, that I think I'm better than them. And then... the comparisons to Nicole."

Lewis sighed, pulling out a chair to sit beside her. "Y/n, you were overwhelmed. It was your first time in the paddock as my girlfriend. That's a huge deal, and it's okay to need space."

"But they don't understand that," Y/n continued, her voice clear as she tried to articulate her feelings. "They just see me as this aloof, stuck-up person who doesn't care about anyone but myself. I was so excited on Friday. But by Sunday, I couldn't even bring myself to go near anyone. I felt like..." she took a deep breath and turned to look him before continuing “I felt like I was in the way, like I was intruding on their space. I kept thinking about how they're all so used to this, and there I was suddenly in the middle of it all. I didn't want to bother them or distract them from their work.

"You could never be a bother" Lewis insisted, his voice firm yet gentle. "The team welcomed you because they know you're important to me, and because they could see how much you genuinely care.”

“Look, I get it. I saw the comments on social medias. It's overwhelming, and it's easy to feel out of place. But that's not on you, love. " Lewis pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms.

"I hate that you're feeling this way, Y/n. I wish I could shield you from all of it. But it doesn’t work like that. That comes with the territory and we both know it. The rest of the world can think what they want, but it doesn't change the fact that I love you, just as you are. You don't have to be perfect, and you don't have to change to fit anyone's expectations."

Y/n leaned into his embrace, her voice barely a whisper. "I just want to be enough."

Lewis held her tighter, his voice full of emotion. "You are so much more than enough."

They spent the rest of his Monday off together, their phones lost somewhere in the kitchen. Their quiet companionship all they both needed.

As the day drew to a close, they sat on the terrace, watching the sunset. Y/n leaned against Lewis’s chest, his arm around her.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the rustling of the trees.

Lewis squeezed her hand. "For?"

"Being here. Understanding."

He turned to face her; his gaze steady. "You're strong, love. Stronger than you think. We’ll face this together, we’ll always do."

______________________________________________________________

TAGLIST - @saturnssunflower @xoscar03 @chocolatediplomatdreamerzonk @happy-golden-hour @vicurious28

@0710khj @thecubanator2 @neilakk @bigratbitchsworld @adriswrld

@fearfam69691 @cmleitora @goldenroutledge @timmychalametsstuff @jpgnsf @priopp123 @strqirlhrts

If you’d like to be added to my taglist you can leave a comment or send me a dm/ask.

[partycatty]

I can't get enough of young Johnny MK11! I love him, god!🥵 How do you like this topic for fanfic? Fem!reader put his jacket and glasses on his naked body, and took sexy selfies.😎❤️‍🔥 Johnny saw this aaand here I’m already giving way to your fantasy hehe~

Thank you in advance! I like the way you write! Well done💕

i'm not sure if i read it right ?? lmk, but i went with my interpretation

johnny cage > call me

johnny's out late working, as usual. you've had enough of waiting and decide to bait him into coming home early

warnings: PHONE SEX TEEHEE

notes: do you guys also like genuinely tweak out wishing he was real? he's so perfect? peak malewife? wishing u were [REDACTED] his [REDACTED] rn?

masterlist

• you were often left to your own devices when it came to living with johnny. he, after all, was a star constantly running around on new projects. any studio would be at his knees for just one contract. he was hollywood's richest man, and you were lucky to call him your boyfriend.

• sure, it had it's moments. the paps stealing upskirt shots from you wasn't ideal, neither was the bush stalking. but you could see past that. what was hardest was when johnny would be gone all through the night, dressed in that stupid ninja mime getup that you learned to loathe since it pulled him away more than his other works. does the world really need a ninja mime trilogy? yes, apparently.

• boredom overtook you, since browsing on your phone for eight hours was now becoming a horrible habit on your neck - and mental stability. you took to mopping the floors, tidying the countertops, dusting his awards. finally, you settled on your walk-in closet.

• it was spacious, big enough for you to each get a side. your side was always decently organized to your liking, but johnny's was... atrocious. jackets hung on one sleeve, some on the floor. the only thing that was neatly organized on his side was the giant rack of sunglasses. he always had a pair to match the outfit and occasion. he probably had about three pairs on him at work.

• as you tried to rearrange his clothing, his distinct, classy scent filled your nose, sticking to the inside of your nose and you couldn't help but feel heated. you missed him, him and his dick. you took a deep whiff of his iconic blue and purple jacket, the one he left at home knowing he'd have to get in costume anyway.

• you threw it over yourself, embracing your torso and spinning in the mirror. it fit him perfectly, but on you it was like a blanket. the sleeves sagged off of your arms and your midsection was swimming. his size was impressive, his form shaped like a greek god.

• you couldn't help yourself, the memories of him and scent turned you on. blame pheromones, dammit! but, you realized you could take advantage of this.

• throwing your shirt off, you donned the jacket again, wearing it like he does - chest exposed. a purple pair of sunglasses practically screamed your name from the rack and you put them on. you looked just like him...! no, not really.

• touching yourself in his clothes was not a new idea, but there certainly was a new idea blossoming in your head. you pulled your phone out and snapped a mirror selfie, trying to flex like he does but your muscles were muffled from the loose fabric.

• how's this for the next cagecon? you text johnny, attaching the photo. you didn't expect him to reply right away, considering he was at work. but before you could lock your phone for the moment, his name popped up within milliseconds.

• don't take me away from work, baby! johnny replies with a winking emoji.

• what if i want to? it's so lonely in your mansion, you reply with an angel emoji, sitting on the edge of your shared bed as you fight a grin. you angle the phone downward, capturing your bare chest. your nipples brush against the jacket, making them stick out through the front. johnny takes a moment to reply, but you feel your phone vibrate once, then twice, then three times.

• fuck, you're so hot in my clothes.

• i'm taking my break early. can't work with a boner.

• the third message was a short video of him palming himself through that stupid costume. the only thing you can thank that outfit for is how prominent it makes his bulge.

• phone sex through texts was also nothing new to you two, considering the distance. as your fingers sink under your panties, assuming that's where things will go before you get a fourth message.

• call me. please.

• you sit up straight, biting your lip. his desperation always got you going. you kicked your pants and panties aside.

• you send one last photo, your body spread out on the bed in his clothes. your hand conceals your dripping pussy playfully.

• why should i? you shoot the message out, giggling at your own words.

• johnny doesn't even reply, he opens your message and calls you. you eagerly accept his call. his voice is echoey and rough. you realize he's hiding in the bathroom. his breathing is heavy.

• "are you proud of yourself?" he asks in a low rumble, trying to stay quiet but his flustered huffing makes his voice whiny. "look at what you did."

• he sends a photo. his cock is eager and out, and you see a teardrop of precum on his tip. you happily exchange that photo for another one, a short video of you gingerly touching yourself. he lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

• "i couldn't wait til i'd get home," he admits, and you hear the slick sounds of him jerking off. "i want to, i want to come home and fuck you like that, but i'm here for another two hours."

• "you couldn't have waited?" you ask in disbelief, circling small loops on your aching clit.

• "no." johnny's reply sounded so sure of himself, so convinced in his words. he was as firm as he would've been if you asked him if he killed someone. he knew this to be a fact, he could not wait. "i can't help it, sweetheart. you're just so... god."

• his breaths get heavier and needier, you can sense he's speeding up on himself. you try to match what you assume is his pace, one that he confirms through another video. he held the phone below his dick, giving you a delicious view of his abs and bobbing adam's apple as he swallowed hungrily.

• his arms were painted white, but his hands were his usual flesh tone since he wore gloves for the costume. even still, his veins were incredibly prominent and really helping you reach your climax.

• "we gotta make this quick, baby," he grumbles into the phone, muffling his moans through bitten lips. you're a little louder due to your privacy, much to his delight. "people'll start looking for me."

• "johnny," you whimper out, back arching up off of the bed. "i'm already close." through your haze, you get a video of you masturbating wildly, the jacket now sliding down to your sides and fully revealing your tits as you fuck yourself. "i-i need you, i need you so bad-"

• "i know, baby," he breathlessly replies, straining himself to avoid moaning out your name and attracting attention. "let me hear how badly you need me."

• you could only spew out utter nonsense at this point as your orgasm is dangerously close. he seems to get the memo, though, and gives you permission to cum with him. your needy cries and his muffled grunts make a perfect chorus that you only wish were in person.

• when your breathing slows, as does his, you hear him chuckle to himself. a new message appears in your chat.

• his weeping dick was cradled in his palm, as was a entire handful of semen dripping down his fingers. he wanted to show you just how hard you made him cum from phone sex alone.

• "round one was now," he mumbles as you hear him tear a piece of toilet paper to wipe his hand. "round two is when i get home. you gonna be ready for it, princess?"

• the phone rests on your bare, damp chest as you fixate on the ceiling. you take the sunglasses off and wipe your face with a smile.

• "i'm always ready," you reply with a giggle.

• "that's my girl. see you in two hours. i love you." and with that, he hangs up, leaving you a naked, sweaty mess that's only concealed in his jacket.

[i-got-the-feels]

Art I Made in 2024

January

Most Popular

Kinn, Porsche and parental angst is popular and even my favorite? No one is surprised

Favourite

Other favorites - Pat and Ming | Pran and Dissaya

Again, parental angst, please pretend to be surprised. I remember struggling to find the right coloring to capture the emotions but I'm glad with the final result

February

Most Popular

Was very big brained of me to make killer paradox x Crime and Punishment quote edits and honestly did an amazing job at it - proud of it

Favourite

The show made me cry. I wanted to honor every life yi jae lived and I think I did that

March

Most Popular

Sapphic pining and yearning with galaxy metaphors? You got it, boss

Favourite

This is a 3 parter

My name x The Glory - my favourite badass woman consumed by hurt, anger, guilt and revenge. Know that I was always love you. This edit will always be special to me because it was my first multiple characters across show edit. Glad I participated in the @userdramas event

Queen of tears - using the stripes and gaps in her memory was very big brained of me

Doctor slump - honestly in love with the coloring

April

Most Popular

I love women. I worship well-written woman. I am in awe of woman who can act out these well-written layered characters. Shogun gave me all of this and more

Favourite

The scene in QoT that hurt a lot. When she refused to marry him - though it's clear they both still love each other. She sees herself as a burden because she is sick and doesn't want to be with him but he finally sees the woman he loves now that the loss is imminent - the hurt and resentment didn't matter as long as he had a chance to build and live a life with her. I think the quote perfectly captures it and the coloring captures the melancholy and clarity they both have and it's my second favorite QoT set of mine.

May

Most Popular

Did QoT have it's problems? Yes. But we're those 2-3 months of watching the joy filled with joy and purpose? Also yes. So of course I made a good bye edit when the show ended

Favourite

23.5 was heartwarming and adorable. This edit was my first time doing social media template and honestly did quite a decent job for first time

June

Even when I don't make edit of shows, I make edit of ✨women✨

July

Most Popular

Shin Ha Kyun playing cunty morally grey diva who began to be morally ambiguous after meeting gorgeous young diva who is unhinged is always magical. Thanks to this show for introducing me to Kim Young kwang.

Honestly love the quotes, it's a combination of few quotes and my writing and dare I say I did a badass job

Favourite

Thank you, a bloody lucky day for giving me yoo yeon seok as bloody murderous psychopath, looking forward to more such roles. This edit's idea began because I saw him all bloody, then I saw Jung eun's character die and was like oh this is happening. The quote for her character was hardest to find but I found a good done Finally

August

Most Popular

I've said it earlier, I'll say it again. I watched the show thanks to @guzhufuren and am glad because hua ein and xiao bao have become my favorite grumpy x sunshine couple

Favourite

It is a two parter

The king of pigs

I was NOT prepared for the ending. They only said the bullying was graphic. No one told me I'd cry even after the episode. Jung min shouldn't have been pushed to do what he did. Kyung min shouldn't have had to live with the guilt of witnessing what he did. The anger, the hurt and the sadness at the injustice of what they experience made this edit

Shadow Detective

The first part of the show was GREAT. The second part was mid. You know what was consistent though? Lee sung min's acting and that's what made this edit - the awe and respect I felt for him and how he acted in this scene at the beach.

September

Most Popular

Knowing that she developed feelings for him drove me insane and bought this edit

Favourite

I am a very huge nerd for Episode titles so really love this set and especially gyeongseong creatures being congruent with theme of boundaries - between morality, power and empowerment was chefs kiss.

October

Most Popular

If a show talks about revolution as beautiful as gyeongseong creature does and I don't make an edit, know I'm depressed (like legit, netting the clinical ICD-10 criteria) or dead.

Favourite

This show was beautiful and I'm happy I could pay it a proper tribute. Murder in a small village, where everyone is guilty to some extent, you will always be my favorite

November

Most Popular - Straight

Yoo yeon seok as rich powerful chaebol tsundere is what my dreams are made of. Honestly this edit was born after THE EPISODE 2 SCENE.

Most Popular - Gay

You know the shows trailer was good. When you are sad by it days after watching and it and it reminds you of the music you listened to in your adolescent years, which then you of course continue listening for weeks to come. P'Aof, gemini and fourth, looking forward to my ruining.

Favourite

The Heart Killers Episode 1 and Episode 2 captured really well the desire - be it lust, to belong, yearning and pining

Kant x Bison - the same kant who doesn't bother exchanging names with his hook ups being disappointed bison left!!! the red and oranges-ish hue to show desire and passion and I'm afraid I ate and left no crumbs with quotes

Fadel x Style - fadel's anger and guilt for having a desire and yearning to be loved and to belong but the anger and guilt not being enough to stop making him feel? Delicious. Also once again the coloring and quotes? Perfect. I devoured. The quote took me HOURS to find.

December

Most Popular

Glad I wasn't alone in loosing my mind over style kissing fadel's scar with absolute gentleness and devotion

Favourite

It's a 3 parter

Kant and Style and Guilt - honestly no one likes what Kant is doing, including kant but hating him for it just shows you don't understand him. Honestly, can't remember doing such a word heavy edit but @ropebunnykant liz's trust in me is something I am forever grateful so for thanks a lot love, this - including my writing, happened because of your tags

Fadel x Style x 10 Things I Hate About You - I have never denied being a basic bitch

Kant x Bison x Stories scene - honestly slapped with the coloring and the quote

Thank you @fujunfuren @ryoun @natahjikio @shenzhiheng @spicyvampire for the tag - I love doing at the end of every year. Nice to see the shows I watched, recollect how they made feel and how they played into the editing

I tag @riggerbison @thisautistic @puppy-phum @sparklyeyedhimbo @fadelsburger @bisonsclothespin @pharawee and anyone who wants to do this

[writingsfrombeyondthegrave]

This blog has officially reached 100 (+) Followers!!

You have no idea how much this means to me. I cherish each and every one of you. When I started writing a few short months ago I never expected to receive any attention at all really.

As a result of 20+ people following me just based on Dc Titans, I am happy to announce that they have officially been added to my list for requests!

For the near future I will be coming out with the following fics (in no particular order):

-Dwayne x Half-Vampire!Reader (The Lost Boys)- A casual night with Dwayne after being turned.

Fluff, Comfort, very high chance of the other boys being annoying but that's a given REQUESTED

-Dick Grayson X Vigilante/Titans!Reader (DC Titans)- Reader doesn't believe Dick when he reveals his feelings for them due to his past relationship history. He goes out of his way to try and prove that he's a better person than he was.

Frenemies to Lovers type vibes, Reader acts like an asshole throughout but its lowkey warranted. Fluff with probably just a splash of Angst.

-Astrid Deetz x Gn!Reader (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)- The final part of An Accidental Haunting, which features little shenanigans that the couple now goes through, now that the reader is alive again.

Just pure teeth rotting Fluff. Reader being a dumbass, as per usual. Flirty reader and also Reader who forgets they're alive now and almost gets themselves k*lled. REQUESTED

-Poly!The Lost Boys x Ghost!Reader (The Lost Boys)- This fic is still stumping me but I'm trying my damn hardest to make this decent enough to post. Poly relationships have always made me a little uncomfortable for personal reasons. (No hate to anyone who is in a Poly relationship, reads about them, prefers them etc.) I don't want to let down the people who are looking forward to it though, so I appreciate the patience.

-Dennis Rafkin X Ghost!Reader (13 Ghosts 2001)- Part 2 of my self-indulgent fic that I am extremely excited to write.

Angst, Hurt and Comfort, Enemies to Lovers (Kind of)

-Tom Riddle X Fem!Reader (Harry Potter)- Chapter 2 where I will be getting more into the story aspect and less of the background information. I'm very sorry that it's taken a while for me to write it, but I promise it is on my to-do list. I am currently doing some research to make the story somewhat more accurate.

-Ryan Kuhn ("The Jackal" from 13 Ghosts 2001)- 13 Ghosts backstory fic loosely based off of the snippet of information that was provided by the 2001 movie. I desperately feel like there was a missed opportunity for a spin off based on the ghost's past lives and their capture by Cyrus. I'm going to do it myself through fanfiction, because I can.

This one will also have many warnings beforehand and I will sat it now, as well as when I write the story. I DO NOT support the character's behavior, nor do I condone any of his actions. Again, this is a character and not a real person, but the point remains.

I will not blame my inactivity when it comes to writing based solely on my depression, but it is a big factor at the end of the day. This milestone does give me a huge boost of confidence to continue writing and that is exactly what I plan on doing. Thank you all very, VERY much.

-Ghost <3

Also: TO THE PEOPLE TAGGED BELOW-

Please COMMENT on which tag list you would like to be a part of. (or if you just didn't see my tag list post and wish to be added) Otherwise, I will just put you in the general tag list. If you do not want to be in any of the tag lists and I tagged you in this, just tell me and I will take your name off the list completely.

If you need a reminder as to the upcoming tag lists, you can find it here.

@yukina23 @aviradasa @lucky-lem0ns @000-colby @humbuginmybones

Credit:

Green ghost divider by: @sister-lucifer

[linskywords]

From this post!

How many fics have you worked on since January? 12, not counting snippets I've started and not finished. (I posted 299,668 words, which is so painfully close to 300K. Should've been less concise somewhere...)

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? I had never written a wandering heart story before, and I'd never posted two stories with overlapping timelines in conjunction with each other. I'd never written an ace romance. I'd never written a four-person polycule. I'd also never turned anyone into a worm.

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.) I would have to say anonymous tumblr asks.

How many fandoms did you write for this year? Just the one!

What ships captured your heart? I wrote a lot of Jack/Nico this year and a lot of McDrai, and a lot of assorted others. I'm really enjoying the overlapping recent eras of USNTDP players and siblings.

What characters captured your heart? I just want Connor McDavid to be happy 😭

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year? So many new ships! Roope/Wyatt, Jamie Benn/Joe Pavelski, Jack/Quinn, the Edmonton polycule, Macklin Celebrini/Will Smith.

What fic meant the most to you to write? Oh man, tough call. Maybe the one where Connor turns into a worm.

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on? Probably the Where You Lead 'verse fics. Writing sub perspective is just the best.

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing? Probably Help Me Hold Onto You, the Trevor/Jamie WYL story. I had had so much of it in my head for months by the time I started writing it, and the fic itself was such a long journey.

What fic was the most difficult to write? Like a Handprint on My Heart, the Jamie Benn wandering heart story. I made Jamie waaaay too depressed in the first draft and had to tear it all out and start again.

What fic was the easiest to write? The Great Leon Draisaitl Lookalike competition. Practically that entire story came to me in the shower, and then I wrote it in a single morning.

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year? The Great Leon Draisaitl Lookalike Competition was the shortest at 2,092 words. Help Me Hold Onto You was the longest at 75,926 (though the Quinn wolfverse story will almost definitely be longer than that when it's all posted).

What were your go-to writing songs? I don't usually listen to music while writing, but I did get into Gracie Abrams and Maisie Peters and Olivia Rodrigo this year.

What was the hardest fic to title? Titling is the WORST. I either have a great title from the start, or it's a nigh-on impossible quest. The Hughescest story and the 1988 wolfverse timestamp were both posted around the same time and I had titles for neither of them, and then the titles I found were annoyingly similar to each other (What a Fire Feels Like and And His Heart Is Burning). Kinda Wanna Kiss Your Boyfriend (If You Don't Mind) was hard to find and required a lot of discord brainstorming. And I spent a while agonizing over various possibilities for the Jack wolfverse story, Like Juliet or Guinevere or Eloise, because I wanted to use a Marianne quote from the Sense and Sensibility movie but I also didn't want people to think Jack was going to die. 😅

What's your favorite title of the year? I'm really fond of But the Punchline Goes, from the Roope/Wyatt soulmate story, because I think it fits the story on its own and it also has the delightful (to me) easter egg of being the lyric from All Too Well right before Taylor snaps back at her ex about their age difference ("I'll get older but your lovers stay my age"), which was very relevant to the fic. I also really like Proof Enough of a Broken Heart, because Quinn is SUCH an Elinor Dashwood.

Share your favorite opening line: I tend to use opening lines as sort of...preliminary thesis statements? Things to be disproven? Something like that. So most of them contain a big chunk of the story premise but aren't necessarily all that punchy on their own. My favorite is probably from the Will/Mack story: "Mack finds out he’s pregnant in the usual way: from a blue stripe at the bottom of the toilet bowl." Totally confusing and a piece of worldbuilding I continue to be delighted with.

Share your favorite ending line: How dare you make me look at the last lines from all my stories. Last lines are the worst.

Share your favorite piece of dialogue: Don't know if it's my favorite, but what's coming to mind is Mitch and Dylan at the end of The Great Leon Draisaitl Lookalike competition, after Dylan has successfully set Connor up with this guy who is totally not just actual Leon Draisaitl, nope. Dylan is congratulating himself on finding such a good lookalike, and Mitch is like, “You used to play in the pacific division, right?” “Yeah, why?” says Dylan. “No reason,” says Mitch.

Share your funniest line: Woof. No, that's way too hard.

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story? I was super surprised by how intensely piney the ace!Quinn/Brady fic got. I thought my ability to write pining was powered to a large extent by sexual tension, and it turns out that was not true.

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand? Scrivener, baby! Hahaha I would not be able to write this much by hand.

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year? Moment? Sheesh. I don't know, writing is a pretty satisfying activity in general.

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic? Posting feels like enough of a celebration for me.

How did you recharge between fics? I don't, really. By the time I finish posting a long thing, I've spent so much time editing that getting to start drafting again is refreshing in itself, and short things don't really require a recharge.

Did you create fanworks other than fic? Not unless you count responding to tumblr asks.

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!) Lol, I think just the HRPF CestFest. Though a lot of my stories were prompted, directly or not, by people on tumblr.

If this were an awards show, who would you thank? My wee hrpf discord. makeit-takeit. My irl bff who gets to hear all my story ideas in great detail despite not being into hrpf. My husband who thinks it's great and not ridiculous that I spend all this time writing.

What's left on your to-do list for 2024? Not much, fortunately, since it's over.

What would you like to write next year? Ah, the most important question! I of course want to finish the Quinn and Jack wolfverse stories, which is more about editing at this point. I have 2-10K written on no fewer than four different Where You Lead 'verse stories, and I'd really like to finish at least some of them (::cough:: Connor ::cough::). I'd also maybe like to start wolfverse stories for Trevor and Cole; I have somewhat specific plans for Trevor, and some vague notions for Cole. Aside from that, who knows? Maybe more WillMack, maybe some Nate/someone (Jo???). There are a lot of other couples I've been meaning to add to the wolfverse (gotta add TK/Patty to at least ONE of my 'verses). I've had a psychic wolf companions McDrai story bouncing around in my head for a while. Would still love to write a Persuasion AU (maybe that's the Nate/Jo). A Cyrano de Bergerac AU would also be fun, maybe via tindr. So many possibilities!!

[lincolndjarin]

The BKS Screen Adaptation ˖⁺‧₊˚✦

(aka the really fucking dorky thing i've wanted to do for ages.)

if you like Best Kept Secret and you've wanted to know what i imagine in my mind when i write this is the post for you. i put way too much time into this if i'm being honest, but it was so much fun i hope others enjoy it!!

includes fun things like hypothetical casting and soundtrack !!

SPOILERS FOR BEST KEPT SECRET CHAPTERS 1-25

ever since i started writing Best Kept Secret it's helped me tremendously to imagine it in more of a cinematic sense. i love movies. i love all of it, the cinematography, the soundtracks, the casting, all of it has always greatly interested me. so that's how i've always pictured bks in my head, as a movie, or more appropriately a single season of television lmao. anyhow, i've been feeling real fucking fried lately and i just started a proper schedule with my meds so i'm exhausted and i wanted to take a short break from writing to put this together, (more writing) this is long and self indulgent but i had a lot of fun with it so who cares i guess.

The Media Source :

in all honesty i think bks probably wouldn't work as a movie? this might just be the entitled author in me speaking but there is just like, so much stuff? i feel like it wouldn't be properly represented in the 90-150 minute format because there's just too much shit happening. ALSO i write my chapters the way i write my DND sessions, meaning they typically have a prominent ending point that i think translates best in a show format so i'll be presenting this as more of an Max original type beat, 13 episodes ranging from like 50 minutes to 90 in length. (pretty hefty but this is my hypothetical world where i get whatever i want lmao)

The Casting :

bks has a fair amount of original characters that all exist in my brain and in said brain i visually know what they look like and in y'alls brains you have an idea what they look like. like lowkey if i'm being real in my brain space bks is sort of animated? like in the style of arcane sort of lmao, so i don't really have physical manifestations of them but i have always had actors in mind of who i imagine would play them so here's that.

Leodall :

i mean if this is my dream hypothetical and i can do whatever i want i think it would be hilarious but also relevant to cast someone sort of silly as leo.

i think that it's important that leo is a little rat bitch by the end but also like he should be just sort of a clumsy disarming guy to start. i get a couple different vibes but like lowkey hear me out.

Jack Quaid??

like he's sort of just a lanky silly guy but also is capable of doing terrible things, i think he'd be a great leo and would also he'd be able to be disarming and likable at the start. just sort of harmless and nervous (until he isn't)

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Lysa :

honestly the hardest person to cast. i love her dearly because in my brain she's done way more than she's done in bks lmao and it's hard for me to seperate that sometimes but i thought about it for a while and i settled on someone who i think would capture Lysa as i imagine her in my mind.

Stephanie Beatriz :

she's visually how i imagine Lysa but also i love her so i think she'd be great.

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Elaine :

this one has always been a no brainer to me. i'd want an actress who is instantly likable and capable of bringing a character that i've grown very fond of to life. there has only ever been one person that comes to mind when i picture someone playing Elaine.

the mother herself : T'Nia Miller

Elaine & Lysa have been sort of wishy washy in description for two reasons, one being that as the story has progressed and they've developed they've become clearer in my mind, two being that there is so much bks and posting something this big chapter by chapter means sometimes i forget what i've previously said (nobodies perfect lmao) but personally T'Nia Miller is one of my favorite actresses and i think she would 100% do Elaine justice.

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Kodo :

this has always been a tough one for me. this is kind of wild but when i started bks i never intended to kodo to be downright evil (idk if i've ever said that before but it's true lmao) i originally intended for him to be more of a harmless idiot? the plot was going to revolve more so around how princess had a lot of internal battles about cheating on a husband who was neglectful at the worst of times but still absolutely harmless.

i realized pretty quickly how much of a fucking bummer that was LMAO. it's hard to write a hot sex scene when the main characters internal monologue is full of guilt, so i VERY quickly made the switch, and it was definitely the right choice, the story needed a villain and i needed to give Kodo some sort of depth so it fell into place pretty quickly. i was also rewatching game of thrones around this time so, surprise surprise, i bet you can guess who i was inspired by. that being said, i don't think Jack Gleeson is the right choice for this role, first off bc that guy should never play a villain again lmao, get him a fucking romcom or something, but also because if i could pick anyone in this hypothetical situation i would pick an actor that is relatively beloved.

kodo is supposed to be really fucking hot (unfortunately) princess isn't interested in him because he's an ass but he's supposed to be pretty attractive, but also at the end of the say he's a prince. like we know he sucks but i would want to cast someone that lowers an audiences expectations and makes them think that he's gonna be chill at first. if you've seen the movie Promising Young Woman (if you haven't drop everything and watch it rn) they do something that i fucking adore, which is casting men that are liked, Bo Burnham, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Max Greenfield, etc. to lower the audiences guards. that movie is jarring for several reasons but i myself fell prey to the casting, i was comforted by actors who i loved and felt a personal pang of betrayal. (great fucking movie, cannot stress this enough)

two actors come to mind for this role, one more than the other but i'm still fond of both.

one choice being : Nicholas Hoult

the only thing that i don't love about this is that it would be a bit repetitive, we've already seen him in the terrible husband role lmao, but it would be fun to see him be far less redeemable than his character in The Great lol. but also he's fucking phenomenal, there's no doubt in my mind that he would be able to capture the character.

my second choice is gonna be a huge hear me out. like some of y'all are about to be real mad at me but fucking- just give me a second to explain i swear there's a vision here.

my second and preferred choice would be : Josh Hutcherson

listen listen listen. i adore him. actually my pookie bear ^^

which is exactly why he's fucking perfect??

people who don't know the source material are lulled into a false sense of safety bc he's just a little guy, he's just a silly little guy. and if you do know the source material you're like is that fucking peeta?? did they make kodo cool as hell?? no they did not. they just wrapped him up in a pretty package.

i'm saying lets get this man back to blonde and let him let his acting chops loose, i think he's perfectly capable of playing the nightmare that is kodo harand and i think he's the best choice like let him be evil.

pretty boys can be evil as a treat.

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Din Djarin :

i mean, come on, we all know who's being put in this role.

Pedrito :

he's din djarin don't tell me otherwise. this era pedro ^^ is bks din like i didn't make starwars but i did make bks and this is canon bks din lmao.

but also like whatever they put in his pedro juice when he was doing plays? i'd get him some of that for this.

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Princess :

this is all in my self indulgent fantasy right? then yeah i suppose i'll play the princess, pull a lin manuel miranda and step up, i was in into the woods in highschool so i've got plenty of experience.

in all seriousness i would cast someone who sort of reminds me of myself, i would be lying if i didn't write her as a vague reflection of myself. i haven't really written a reader like that other than her, she's special to me so in a screen adaptation i would want to be sure that she's done justice.

the obvious choice to me is Stephanie Hsu :

she's a princess, idc. absolutely fucking phenomenal actress (robbed of her oscar btw) and i think that she would be perfect also cause like please cast asian women in things where their entire character isn't built around the fact that they're asian, let them have a character unrelated to that fact PLEASE. she's gorgeous, talented, and charming like she's my bks princess, always has been, anytime i've fancasted bks in my head she's my leading lady.

but also there is a second option that comes to mind which would be the lovely : Simone Ashley

i haven't been shy about how bridgerton inspired bks. she's the love of my life, another actress where i see her and i'm just like yeah she's a princess, it's a no brainer like that could very well be bks princess.

The Plot ( things i'd add, keep, or remove ) :

i'd keep most things the same, obviously i'd cut certain things to properly fill the available time

i would go full hbo max privilege, i want steamy fucking sex scenes, the sex is important to the story like let's be real. some of dins growth is shown through sex, the way he goes from being completely in control of things to being more willing to be vulnerable?? that shits important.

i would def add a lysa and elaine plot, they would have a side plot

there isn't really much i'd cut, if anything i'd cut the blowjob in chapter seven lmaoo, just bc that's the only thing i've ever considered changing in the story just bc it's always felt unnatural to me.

The Episodes :

this section is gonna cover how i would present each episode and also what chapters would be featured in each episode.

also just as a general creative choice i think princess would lowkey be fleabag lmao. like she def talks to the audience cause she's a little silly but also bc her internal monologue is written to be a little funny

Episode One :

chapter one

chapter two

i think this episode would follow the source material well. i actually really like the first couple of chapters of bks, i think they were a good hook for the story so i would keep things similar to how they're written.

Episode Two :

chapter three

chapter four

same as episode one ^

Episode Three :

chapter five

this would be the din episode, instead of princess talking to the audience i like to think just for this episode he would instead. also i have sort of a specific vision for this.

it's canon that bks din is relatively hard of hearing so i would want this episode to open on him getting ready in his cabin before doing all the flashbacks of his point of view of everything. he's not wearing his helmet for the first few minutes while a song plays and he cuts his own hair, his face is never visible in the shot.

everything else stays the same

this is where i get dorky.

dins internal monologue will convey something that i'm not sure i've properly gotten across in bks LMAO but i've always written a din who feels naked in front of princess and not in a sexy way but in an emotional way. he always feels as if she can see through his helmet and it makes him real fucking nervous around her lmao.

so like lowkey hypothetical ending shot is from out in the hall, princess inviting him in and from behind he isn't wearing his helmet bc metaphors.

Episode Four :

chapter six

chapter seven

chapter eight

i think the focus here would be six and eight tbh, if i'm being honest the rules were supposed to be way more important than they ended up being lmaooo, i just went in a different direction with it so i would maybe change that to something else. the book is still important for chapter 25 so maybe like a contract or something that they both sign.

Episode Five :

chapter nine

chapter ten

chapter eleven

yeah i mean this is me being unoriginal but like if it aint broke don't fix it so like i'd keep a lot of stuff relatively the same

Episode Six :

chapter twelve

chapter thirteen

chapter fourteen

^^ same here

Episode Seven :

chapter fifteen

chapter sixteen

i think that the ending spot would be different here than in the source material, the chapter ends with din asking her to come to the cabin but i think instead i would just end with the kiss and open the next one with the cabin convo

Episode Eight :

chapter seventeen

chapter eighteen

chapter nineteen

this is like the anti angst episode, these chapters should be all relationship building up until the chapter nineteen sex scene which i would want rather tastefully done but still filthy. that's sort of the tagline of this hypothetical show, tasteful and filthy

Episode Nine :

chapter twenty

chapter twenty one

another anti angst chapter except this one has a big bad ending so yknow, big dramatic ending, i honestly think there is no need for 'tasteful' violence. like this should be extremely jarring, like din has been protective to a fault but this is like straight up mandalorian possessive rage like fr get his ass yknow? lets see that blood

Episode Ten :

chapter twenty two

chapter twenty three

chapter twenty four

this would probably be the longest ep in my opinion. twenty two is real fucking hefty but also the lunar markets is gonna be the big surprise set piece i want that shit to be gorgeous like i imagine it being so fucking twinkly and delightful

Episode Eleven :

chapter twenty five

lets keep this one straight from the source material, like just use the chapter as a script yknow?

Episode Twelve :

chapter twenty six

chapter twenty seven

i can't say anything about this because it's not technically written yet lmao

Episode Thirteen :

chapter twenty eight

chapter twenty nine

same here ^

The Soundtrack :

music is important. we wouldn't have bks at all without music because it was music that inspired me to write in the first place and it's helped the story along since then, every time i get stuck on something plot wise i play music until something clicks. it's always been the secret ingredient for my writing so it would be extremely important to a screen adaptation.

i think it would be fun to have each episode end with a smash cut to the credits with music, i've always been a big fan of that so this section contains music that i'd use for specific scenes but also what song i would want playing at the end.

Episode One :

end this ep with :

I Can See You (Taylor's Version)

i mean it's a little on the nose but this is lowkey bks anthem so i think it's a solid choice for the ep one ending also it's always fun to end on a pop song yknow?

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Episode Two :

end this ep with :

Honeymoon - Lana Del Rey

another bks anthem, like listen to the lyrics it's crazy, and i think based on the ending of chapter four this would be an appropriate ending song

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

Episode Three :

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

this would be the opening of the episode. din never facing the camera and he would get ready for his day while this plays

end this ep with :

Not Strong Enough - boygenius

this is def his ending song like bks din would cry if he heard this song.

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Episode Four :

end this ep with :

See You Again (feat. Kali Uchis) - Tyler, The Creator

this is one of those ones where i'm just sort of like hell yeah. in my minds eye this works, there is a visual here like trust.

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

Episode Five :

end this ep with :

I'm Your Man - Mitski

mitski is another artist that bks!din would listen to in his cabin while he cries like this is def how he's feeling at the end of chapter eleven

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Episode Six :

end this ep with :

Saturn - Sleeping At Last

with where this one ends i think that something sort of soft is important, a solid instrumental works well here

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Episode Seven :

end this ep with :

Starboy - Vitamin String Quartet

i wanted something a little more upbeat but also sort of on theme and i think this is extremely accurate.

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

Episode Eight :

Religion - Lana Del Rey

this is the sex song.

like this is and always has been the song that plays when they have sex without his helmet one for the first time, i consider that to be the first time he's really din with her during sex and this song is straight heat so of course this is what plays during that scene.

end this ep with :

Electric Love - BØRNS

i mean it's a little cheesy but i think it's fun and this episode ends in a happy place so it's neat to have a happy song refecting that yknow?

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

Episode Nine :

Like Real People Do - Hozier

i mean, this is the song that inspired the chapters featured in this episode, it's an important song because a lot of bks later on revolves around the need for normalcy, these two just want to love each other like real people

end this ep with :

I Fought the Law - The Clash

i mean like, this is a bit silly but also like i love when a show ends in a dark spot and a hilarious upbeat song plays, like, i eat it up every time and i think this is just so fun lmao like he fr fought the law (im hilarious)

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Episode Ten :

end this ep with :

Lover - Taylor Swift

sort of a calm before the storm song, relaxing ass song before all hell breaks lose in the next episode yknow?

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Episode Eleven :

The Secret History - Kerry Muzzey, The Chamber Orchestra of London

this is our searching for din song. long ass sequence, def longer than it is in the chapter lmao

end this ep with :

Borderline - Tame Impala

god i fucking love this song

but also i feel as though this song has a sense of dread to it that i think is perfect for the way chapter twenty five ends

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Episode Twelve :

this is a hard one to pick definitive music to, there's a lot of music that is relevant to the chapters featured in this episode so here's just like, a cluster of music that i think would be relevant

Skyfall - Adele

The Night We Met - Lord Huron

Eleanor Rigby - Cody Fry

Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens

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Episode Thirteen :

My Love Mine All Mine - Mitski

i obviously can't say what this would be in reference to but the last technical scene of bks would end with this song. i think the epilouge would have different music

Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine

i kinda sorta think that the epilogue could be crammed into a montage that could just be a post credit scene to this song.

that's all, if anyone actually read all of this i will kiss you fr like you're crazy for that and i love you.

if you write fic this was so fun?? like i really do recommend doing this or like a less extreme version of this lol i've been trying to force myself to take a little break from writing but i couldn't think of anything else to do so i did this haha

[tj-dragonblade]

Fic Talk

Tagged by @seiya-starsniper @dsudis and @valeriianz - thanks! This is a fun new set of questions I haven't seen circulating before!

How many wips do you have currently? …Uhhhhh. Ahaha. Let me go calculate just a minute. Okay. There are 13 wips that are proper individual files with varying probabilities of actually getting finished. There are three additional individual files that are not proper wips, just notes/synopsis of ideas I've had and would like to write. Then there is the original 'Scribs' file that I originally started jotting notes in with ten more 'wips' that may or may not ever be finished, plus three more of the notes/synopsis-level ideas, and a handful of one-line or song-title ideas.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish? Why do you think that is? Any of the older ones, honestly, entirely for lack of focus. I am hoping to force myself into giving at least one of them the attention it needs for a bingo square. Because when I make myself focus on one, make myself buckle down and work on it, I can usually make it happen. I can do it for Fluffbruary; therefore I can do it elsewhere too. But there is always some new idea coming along that is very distracting and then there's the problem of Which Do I Want to Work On? and getting a burst of idea for this one and then a few lines of inspiration for that one and I wind up with far too much time spent re-reading all of them and, if I'm lucky, adding a line or two to a handful of them.

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you? Obsessively typing away at my phone, frequently (and unfortunately) when I'm meant to be working. Trying to capture as much of the momentum as possible while it's there.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different? No. I have a couple different playlists of 'Dreamling Vibes' that I will sometimes put on, but nothing really fic specific. But chances are if a song is part of the springboard for the fic, I have put it on repeat at least half the time I was writing. 'Bus Stop' broke into my top 25 most played songs while writing its fic, for the record.

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organised? There is very little about my process that can be called organized. I write whatever's coming to me and make notes about things I wanted to do that I didn't get written out yet so I don't forget the next time I come back to it. It's frequently non-linear. I'm easily distracted by shiny new ideas. I count it a feat worth celebrating when I actually get something finished and posted.

Tagging, no obligation, tag me into your already-existing posts etc: @chaosheadspace @staroftheendless @teejaystumbles @the-apocrypha @kydrogendragon

[katmajik]

Just saw your chapter titles on instagram. LOVE. Which was the easiest to name? Which was the most difficult? Do you have a favorite? Does it coincide with your favorite chapter?

thank god someone finally asked me about the chapter titles, i’m erecting the Church of Our Lady She Gets It in your honor as soon as i’m done talking A Lot about this

easiest:

(8) “anatomy of a porn title” came to me before i even had the concept of this book. milo’s experiences working at the store are almost 100% my own, and one of my most memorable days was when i had to process 200+ dvds (this involved a lot of scanning, stickers, and organization). so i’d had this one in my back pocket for a while.

when i finally had a grasp on the story i wanted to tell around my personal sex shop chronicles, (1) “a crisis of sexual identity” was the easy-breeziest chapter title, because it captured the Point i wanted to make.

writing a demisexual romance, even being demi myself, is… not super easy? especially because i wanted to play with the idea of love at first sight, which is so often conflated with lust, and that just doesn’t work the same when you’re on the asexual spectrum.

so much of this book is about being queer and how our labels, however liberating, can also be suffocating, because—particularly in the age of social media expectations—we become so preoccupied with being queer The Right Way. and there is no goddamn Right Way, but we’re pressured into these kinds of performances, and then before you know it your priority is appeasing some dickweed on the internet who says m/f relationships can’t be queer, instead of your own happiness.

so, we start with milo’s crisis and we follow him through the journey of realizing that, hey, actually, this ain’t so bad.

hardest:

(4) “sick of dating apps, just gonna pygmalion myself a boyfriend” and (9) “the epic highs and lows of grocery store music” both went through several iterations, none of which i can remember now because mostly they were Fine, but they just didn’t pop.

when i landed on (4)’s, honestly i was a little miffed at myself for taking so long because that’s a phrase i made up and use a lot, so i should’ve had the chapter title from the get-go.

stevie’s story starts off with agitation with her dating app experience, which she worries is coloring her first impression of milo because he was nice to her and easy to talk to in ways that app matches aren’t—and then, BAM, he shows up to the bar where she’s sitting there thinking about him and proves her first impression right, as if she manifested him into existence.

now if only i could do the same thing for myself… that’s the dream, babyyyy.

favorite title vs favorite chapter:

i think both have to be (5) “how many degrees of separation are there between kevin bacon and your love life?”

there are several sociological concepts that have stuck with me since college (probably because the head of the department, who was the best dude but also the most notoriously ruthless grader, wanted me to major in soc, and i’m a sucker for a compliment). “six degrees of separation”—the idea that every person is connected to every person through no more than six other people—has a celebrity counterpart, “six degrees of kevin bacon,” which posits that you can trace every actor to kevin bacon.

i am a little bit obsessed with this, because the separation/kevin bacon rhyme alone is so deliciously SERENDIPITOUS, it blows my mind.

for milo and stevie, (5) is the moment where they realize the friends they’ve had in common for ~2 years, and it’s really only been timing that’s kept them from meeting until now (and the timing was a little tricky for me to sort out, too, but i’m happy with how i got there).

sometimes you just keep missing people until it’s Meant for you to run into each other, and i think there’s something deeply romantic about those prior missed connections. there’s a sense of “i could have been loving you longer, but maybe, this way, i get to love you better.”

and, even though milo doesn’t Love stevie yet at this point in the story, his pov in this chapter is circling this conclusion.

thank you SO MUCH for this ask, may love and light bless you for all time, forever and ever and etc. amen 💞✨

(if you’ve happened across this little ditty and want to know more about what’s your vibe?, here’s a link!)

[createandconstruct]

Writers ask -- 1, 6, 13, 14, 25, 32, 37, 40, 53, 60, and 71!!!

- dogwaterdish :D

But of course!!! (Skipped a few that already got answered)

6. Do you have your work beta’d? How important is this to your process?

I usually do… usually………@polandspringz 👀 but when my beta reader is too busy working a full time job (the audacity) I rely on myself or a close friend. I’d say betaing is pretty important to me but recently I haven’t had anyone who can do it so I’ve been doing the heavy lifting of reading my own work once I finish.

13. what’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

Do NOT edit while writing the first draft. Don’t. Just DON’T DO IT. KEEP GOING DON’T REREAD DON’T LOOK BACK JUST WRITE.

Also…*sighs* proofread. When you’re all done. Even if you have a beta reader, doing a read through is so important. I’ve done so much tightening up on fics from rereading it fully through. One thing that’s helped me when I’m really struggling with focus is I’ll have my document read to me. I have such a hard time starting the task of proofreading and one thing that’s made it easier is a text to speech add on to my browser. Lifesaver. It can’t help with everything but it does so much heavy lifting. Also I think knowing how your work would read for someone who is using text to speech is SUCH a huge thing. I’ve been using it so much more because of that too.

25. What fic do you wish you got more of a response on?

Definitely “to rise and return. again and again.” my post Heroes: Rising fic. I sometimes go back and forth on changing the summary thinking that maybe that’s why it didn’t get traction. But I think maybe it’s because part of the fic is writing a scene and dialogue from the movie? Not sure. I’m thankful for the love it has received! It was actually the very first mha wip I ever started so I’m proud that it’s finished. The response while smaller is still full of such love that I can’t be sad about it. I think there’s just always that part of you as a writer that wonders what went wrong with that one specific work that made it less appealing or liked than others.

32. Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

Oh man to pick three. These are the three that come immediately because literally no matter what they write I will read: 

achievingelysium @queenangst, @spiritusrex, and @aconstantstateofbladerunner

achievingelsium I’m just in awe of them. They write so much. They’re power is unmatched. How do they think of so many ideas. Like I want to capture that inspiration. SpiritusRex is quality every single time and I love them for that. I think they were put on this earth to have my exact tastes. aconstantstateofbladerunner. What can I even say I would kill and destroy to be as good a writer as them.

37. How do you choose where to end a chapter?

This is still a skill I’m working at. I’ll admit I enjoy a good little cliffhanger! But if there’s no cliff to hang from I suppose I go with what feels natural for the progression of the story. Ending it at a point that feels just right so that the next chapter begins strongly as well is important to me. There’s been many times where I’ve been just ripping my hair out over where to end a chapter and even the line to end it one. That’s always the hardest for me. So often I want it to feel perfect.

53. How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

I’d say I read more than I write. During the work week I’m often so brain dead once I get home that I have no strength to sit and write so I just lie in bed and read. Now that I’ve gotten a better footing with work though (first two years were ROUGH) I actually have time to do writing. This past October was the most I’ve written consequently since like 2017! In my heart I want to be a perfect 50/50 split because I love reading as much as I love writing. And there’s so many things I want to finish. But... life keeps happening... I wanted to write something over the winter holiday...and then I got punched with norovirus on Christmas Eve (actually still recovering from it) so all I’ve been capable of doing is reading fanfiction. This ask game is honestly a really nice ease back into thinking about writing which helps me quite a bit : )

71. When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

A separate doc is my best friend. For long narratives I NEED an outline and breakdown of each event. Especially when time is involved in the story. All my multi chapter fics have their own separate document. “Satiate” has one and is like 11 pages long with lots of me yelling at myself, keeping track of the quirk effects, making sure events make sense, and ensuring I’ve accounted for the little details.  

(also I accidentally read 72 instead of 71 so here’s an extra answer)

72. What order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

There’s been quite a few fics that I’ve done my favorite scenes (“thicker than blood” and “safe on all sides”) but I also tend to do front to back. I may write a scene just to get it out when it comes to me (especially when I think of specific phrasing) but oftentimes I try to write mostly front to back in reading order. It just makes more sense for my brain. I’m very visual as I plan and super detail-oriented. I need to see the order of how things play out or I’ll get super hung up on it. So going in reading order is the way to go.

(Sorry that took forever!! Thank you so much for the ask!!!)

[Get to know your fic writer! ask game]

[zaph-kiel]

The request:

Failed escape

This request was given to me by my brother. That's all.

FUCK THIS IS SO HARD TO WRITE 😭

Ignore how ooc this is lmao

--------

This was the nth time they had escaped from his men. This new escape artist was driving him crazy!

There was a new criminal. They had only really started causing problems about a year ago, so still fairly new to their job, and yet the silvermane could never catch them. They had this... way about them. They would always almost let themself get captured and then slip away last minute. It didn't matter what the silvermane or Gepard had planned, it seemed this criminal was always one step ahead.

Y/n chuckled to themself as they watched from afar at the guards who looked around in a panic, blaming eachother for the loss of prisoner. "They never learn, do they?" Y/n played with the handcuffs that had been around their wrists but a minute ago. "Thanks for the trophy~" they said to nobody really, then vanished.

__________________

"Servaaal!" Y/n whined out as they flopped on her counter "it broke.." They muttered, letting go of the item they were holding.

"It's your fault for having it so complicated!" The Rockstar said, grabbing the sickle and pressed a button, splitting the sickle down the middle and unfolding it, turning it into a bow. "Where did you even get this idea?... no matter, did you get to see my brother?" She teased. Serval knew of the rivalry between Y/n and Gepard. She also knew that Y/n (though they denied it) had a crush on the silvermane captain.

"Nope, he didn't show up." The escapist sighed with a pout. "I feel like he's ignoring me... Serval, tell him to pay more attention to me!" They whined. They loved bullying Gepard. Mainly by constantly playing this cat and mouse game and making him think that he's won, only for them to escape from right under his nose. And for those times where they wouldn't even let themself get caught, the worst they stole was a knife or food. It was like they never intended to keep the valuable things they stole, but they only stole said things for the heck of it.

"Then maybe steal something more valuable this time? Maybe break into the Supreme guardian's room." Serval suggested.

"Bronya's room? But she's so sweet! A cinnamon roll! I know shes strong and all, but hush! She's baby!" Y/n whined again.

__________________

"Why did I agree to this.." Y/n wondered as they sat on a rooftop, looking up at the massive building. While Y/n hadn't met her personally, they never felt any hatred to the current Supreme Guardian.

The theif stood up and got to work, easily slipping by the guards. Y/n had heard from Serval multiple times about how Gepard was both confused and concerned about the fact that they hadn't been active as of late. It's because Y/n had been planning possibly the best heist of their life.

"Fuck... okay, let's just do this." They muttered to themself and climbed down.

It was stupid, all they were going to steal was a fucking snow globe. Of course, they had to be careful so it wouldn't break. It's not like they were stealing it to keep it. It would be returned to Bronya safe and sound. They just wanted Gepard's attention.

Fuck it felt good admitting that.

____________________

The beginning was easy, sneaking in and actually getting to the snow globe. They snagged themself a few snacks aswell.

But it was the getting out part that was difficult. Hell they almost got caught atleast 4 times.

And once they thought they were actually out, Gepard was there. Ready. And they let themself get caught by him. But only for the time.

Gepard returned the snow globe as planned, however this time, it was almost impossible for them to escape from the silvermane. Goddamn it was difficult.

But Y/n managed.

And soon, they found themself hiding in Serval's shop. A groan left them and the slumped over, "that was the hardest fucking heist of my life." Then a smile crept up on their face. "But, atleast Gepard was there to capture me this time!"

Their words caused the woman to laugh, "You're really down bad for my brother." Her response almost earned her a random small item chucked at her head, which made her laugh even more. "Nice shot, dumbass!"

With a tilt of her head and a pat on the stool, Y/n understood that she wanted them to sit over there, "c'mon, let me patch you up."

Y/n sighed and got up, walking over and slumped onto the barstool like chair, resting against the workbench behind them as Serval started to take care of the wounds all over their body. "You're not usually this roughed up. C'mon, off with your shirt."

Y/n did as they were told, taking off their shirt as they explained. "Ugh, some guards on the inside saw me while I was on my way out. I had to be careful so the globe wouldn't brea-!" The door to the workshop slammed open.

"Sist- YOU!" Gepard yelled out as he locked eyes with Y/n. They just stared back at him with shock.

"I'm out." Serval said and quick retreated back further into the building. "Try not to destroy anything!" She yelled out before finally disappearing behind a door.

"Traitor.." Y/n muttered out after Serval left, turning their attention back to Gepard. "Hi.." They said, then bolted for the same door his sister walked through.

Except Y/n didn't move an inch.

Gepard had an iron grip on their arm.

"Why were you shirtless with my sister?!" He asked, authority ringing though his voice while his eyes held possessiveness. Clearly he had gotten the wrong idea.

"Whu- wait! She was just patching me up after that fight!" Y/n explained in a hurry. "I have no feelings for your sister! I swear!"

Gepard tightened his grip. He was an amazing guard but also a protective brother. "What makes you think I believe that?! I'm sure all you try to steal is for her!"

"It's for you!" They blurted out. "I steal because i- I like you." Y/n clarified, "I don't know how else to make you notice me. You take such pride in your job. So having you chase me means I'm someone you see as worthy!"

That.. was kind of twisted, but coming from someone of their background, it also made sense.

"You.. steal because you want me to.. chase you?" Gepard asked, just wanting to make sure he understood it correctly.

And with a fast nod, he understood.

"Is that also why you let yourself get caught? Because you don't actually want the objects you steal?"

Another nod.

Gepard hummed. "Well, I can't just let you go. After all, you still stole those items. And especially with today's little.. heist. I'm going to need to put you under arrest." He stated coldly, yet he let go of their arm. "However, once you get let out.. well, maybe we can continue this conversation." He blushed.

And that sealed it.

[eshtaresht]

6 , 10 , 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 22 , 28 , 29 !!!!!!!!

I am biting you. with tongue.

6. What characters captured your heart?

well you know me I've loved the polygun quartet since day one (circa february 2023).... this year I wrote fics about some other trigun characters as well, but there's been what, 4 entire fics in Milly's pov???? your honor i LOVE her dearly!!!! but at the same time, vash is still just like me fr fr (derogatory) and I think I understand him even better neow not that I tortured him some more :}

10. What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing? (already answered, copying here)

oh If We Live for sure!! it's only 7 chapters but it took sooooooo long to finish.... and it's only an interlude to a grand post-canon ww lives idea I have that I hope to write..... some day.............. I'm not a fast writer alright but I'm really glad I finally finished that one and thus was freed. for now.................

14. What were your go-to writing songs?

TECHDOG by Patricia Taxxon. yes, all 12,6 hours of it. there's a good match for a wide range of emotion so I just listen to whatever part is fitting at the moment!!! not a song, but another great band for writing trimax trigun specifically is Disparition. can't explain it, they just Get It

15. What was the hardest fic to title?

honestly, none??? idk titles just come to me cause im their most special little fishe

17. Share your favorite opening line

How much can you fit under your skin? takes the 1st place with:

The bullet has made a home beside Wolfwood’s lower rib. Nice and snug in the meat of his side. Deep. Clearly, on the way to the exit it decided it felt just right as is. Bitch better be cozy, Wolfwood thinks maliciously.

18. Share your favorite ending line

this one was much harder to pick as i'm a sucker for a good ending line.... but I chose this one from Schrödinger's Lazarus as it carries so much punch:

It feels like more of a reminder to self, but he listens, even pulls my flesh hand closer to his chest in such a sentimental gesture it makes my heart ache. It strikes me that fate cheated me into seeing two things I wasn’t supposed to today: my death and his reaction. I bite the inside of my cheek and hold my lips tight so that no promises I can’t keep may slip through.

22. What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

I use Scrivener mostly! find it really handy both for outlining my big fic ideas and for writing oneshots. also I occasionaly use gdocs if i want to go the text by some friend before posting. i don't write by hand cause it just doesn't hit the same spot... also it's much slower and I'll need to transfer all that to typed text anyway so liek. doesn't work for me

28. If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

all the beautiful beautiful people who comment on my fics I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER <3!!!!! !!<3!1!!!1<3!!<3!!!! also special shoutout to my bestie @hudshem who's been and continues to be my personal yes-man

29. What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

I wanted to write and post a oneshot about ww and livio rebuilding the orphanage that would link If We Live with that au's later parts..... but unforch i barely started it....... here's to hoping I can finish it before spring

thank you frand!!!!!!! this was very fun

[og ask game link]

[mrmustachious]

Header image and questions from @ficwip! You can find the list of questions here <3

How many fics have you worked on since January?

157 total fics, including one shot collections posted into one ao3 work.

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

Writing 100 Drabbles! I've never attempted to write drabbles before, and this was a fun and interesting challenge.

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

Definitely Thunderbirds as always.

How many fandoms did you write for this year?

2 (Thunderbirds and 9-1-1: Lone Star)

What ships captured your heart?

Pen&Ink was the one I wrote the most for, but I probably spent more time thinking about Tarlos.

What characters captured your heart?

Gordon Tracy (ofc <3) and Carlos Reyes.

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

Nope

What fic meant the most to you to write?

there’s no one I can trust, I used to think there was

I put a lot of love and care into that fic. It's one of my favourites I've ever written. I loved every second I spent writing it and I'm still so proud of it.

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

two hearts that beat in the rhythm of one

This fic is just a load of love and sweetness and it just made me so happy to write. I would love to write more for this universe.

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

Whump 100

I was chipping away at this fic all year determined to finish it by the end of the year, so it was very satisfying to finish all 100 drabbles.

What fic was the most difficult to write?

aAsWlAeKeEp

This fic went through several rewrites until I got it to a place I wanted it to be. It was really difficult to try and portray what I was picturing in my head, but eventually I was happy with it and I love the finished product.

What fic was the easiest to write?

This is hard to pick just one, a lot of them were pretty easy actually, especially the shorter ones.

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

Shortest are probably the drabbles I wrote at 100 words each, the longest is there’s no one I can trust, I used to think there was at 13k words.

What were your go-to writing songs?

Anything by Citizen Soldier. I listened to them a lot this year.

What was the hardest fic to title?

Some of my Whumptober fics were hard to title, hense why they're just named after the prompts XD

What's your favorite title of the year?

aAsWlAeKeEp

I have yet to see anyone comment on it though... XD

Share your favorite opening line

Penelope stood at the edge of the sea.

(AU (Elementals))

Share your favorite ending line

Hopefully, he wouldn’t dream this time.

(aAsWlAeKeEp)

Share your favorite piece of dialogue

“I think that you two have an unbreakable bond, but without realising it, you’ve been putting too much strain on it over the years. It’s not going to snap, it never will, but it will weaken. I think it already has.”

(there’s no one I can trust, I used to think there was)

Share your funniest line

It must have been a sight. Gordon and Virgil bleeding, John white as a sheet, Scott looking haggard and on the verge of tears, and Alan-

“Alan’s stuck in the tree,” was the first thing he said to her.

“Right,” she said, with a single nod.

(Babysitting)

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

I didn't expect there’s no one I can trust, I used to think there was to get as dark as it did, but adding the darker themes of Gordon's past just added to the story and explained much better why he was the way he was and the way he acted.

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

Mainly Google Docs and Fighter's Block.

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

Completing Whumptober for the 6th year.

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

Start a new one XD

How did you recharge between fics?

Either watching a show, playing a game, or reading.

Did you create fanworks other than fic?

No

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

Whumptober, 12 Days of Christmas, and 100 Drabble Collection: Whump Edition

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

ME. jk, probably my fandom friends and readers <3

What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

Maybe some more winter themed fics. I have a few I have yet to post, but it would be nice to try and write more!

What would you like to write next year?

I want to reach my 200th ao3 work! I have a fic I have been working on for a little while now and I want to finally get on with writing it and finish it, and post it for number 200.

[richincolor]

Interview with Janice Lynn Mather

Today we have author Janice Lynn Mather sharing with us all about her new novel “Where was Goodbye?” that publishes next Tuesday, April 30th. The novel is an exploration of grief and mental health after the death of a family member. 

K. Imani: This novel was truly touching as I felt so many emotions throughout Karmen’s story and her journey to understand her brother. What was your inspiration for Karmen’s story?

Janice: Two truths: life is painful, and humans are amazing. The story began with the thought that we, as people, live through so much—including unexpected, agonizing, blinding loss. And yet, we continue to move through life and the world. I wanted to slow down and think about what it’s actually like to live through an almost unfathomable loss. How do we do that as people? How does a young person, especially, handle that when there’s so much going on simply with trying to figure out life as a teen bordering on young adulthood?

K. Imani: I can imagine when telling a story about grief you want to get it right. Can you describe the type of research you completed to understand how people respond to grief?

 Janice: Life experience informs my understanding of grief. I got the idea for the story, began writing it, and then, less than a year into the process, I unexpectedly lost my own son soon after his birth. I would never have chosen to write a story about grief and loss under those circumstances, but I went ahead with the story. I had other experiences with grief too—my own, and that of others around me. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to both support and let down folks around me as they grieved by saying or doing something that was helpful—or not. I think for many of us, we mess up in how we approach or avoid someone who’s grieving. Hopefully, our mistakes bother us enough that we go over them and try to figure out what we could do better, how we could be kinder, more considerate, next time.

K. Imani: Some of my favorite parts were the flashbacks with Karmen and Julian. Can you share why you chose to include the flashbacks into the narrative?

 Janice: I have a soft spot for flashbacks myself. Maybe I spend too much time revisiting actual events in my mind, but I find going over the past can be really important in navigating the present. For Karmen, flashbacks are an important way to connect with Julian again, to feel like her old reality—the one where life felt right and Julian was there—isn’t gone forever. It’s also a way for her to try to make sense of the incongruity of Julian’s absence now. It’s a way for Julian to be active and real, in the story, as he is in her memory.

K. Imani: What was the hardest scene or chapter to write? 

Janice: I don’t want to give the story away, but there are moments when Karmen revisits the night of Julian’s death head-on, and grapples with his death really directly. These moments are some of the most painful for Karmen, and I feel these for her. Capturing the scenes was intense, and took a lot of emotion and energy.

K. Imani: What are you hoping teens come away with after reading Karmen’s journey in search of understanding her brother? 

Janice: Books and reading have been shown to be such an effective way of promoting understanding, empathy, and emotional intelligence. I think all of us who are avid readers and lovers of stories know how meaningful it is when we read a book that reflects us—our background, or our struggles, or our pain, or our joys. My hope for readers depends on their perspective. For those whose experiences are close to Karmen’s, I hope they feel heard. For those who haven’t lived with loss, I hope the story sparks understanding of what that journey might look like.

K. Imani: Can you share what you are writing right now? 

Janice: Right now I’m moving between a historical fiction piece about three interconnected family lines, and trying my hand at picture books.

K. Imani: That sounds exciting and I’m looking forward to it. As for reading, what books by other Black authors are you looking forward to?

Janice: We go through dozens of kids’ books in our house, monthly. I’m really excited to get my hands on Journey to Grandma’s House (Fall 2024) by Nadia L. Hohn. Nadia’s an amazing and prolific author, editor and presenter, and her Malaika series has been a huge hit in our home.  I’m also eager for A Week of Shenanigans by Janet Costa Bates. I think the name says it all.

Thank you again Janice for sharing your time with us and sharing more about “Where Was Goodbye”. Please check out my review on Friday, then run to your nearest bookstore on Tuesday to grab her book.

_____________________________________________________________

Janice Lynn Mather is a Bahamian Canadian author. Her first novel, Learning to Breathe, was a Governor General’s Award finalist, a Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize finalist, shortlisted for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, an ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, an Amelia Bloomer Book List pick, and a Junior Library Guild Selection. Her second novel, Facing the Sun, was an Amy Mathers Teen Book Award winner. Where Was Goodbye? is her third novel for teens. Janice Lynn lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

[the-sprog]

The titles of 3 and 4 of your WIP post intrigue me so much, could you tell me a bit more about them?? Thank you Sprog !! 🐻‍❄️🍄😽

Thank you!! Ok so, Number 3: That's not tubular.

This is a Camp Camp fic I started writing but wrote so little of that I didn't even get to the prompt part of it 😅 It's supposed to be about David dagging de-aged by Harrison to when he first joined Camp Campbell! The episode where David tells Max the tale of his and Jasper, telling him about how much of a sourpuss he was, how much he used to be like Max, and Max being like "Yeah you made that up just to make me like camp", is why I wanted to write this. There's some magic bullshit in this show that I think gets overlooked too much.

Harrison made his brother disappear, we should talk about that more.

So I wanted to use this to get Angsty!David and Max to meet. The plan I had for this was to basically give Max a rival. Someone who threatens his place as the one at the top of the food chain. Until they find a way to get him back to Regular!David, that is.

I enjoy writing Max. He's a little kid who's had to grow up too fast and trying his hardest to make everyone hate him, but failing miserably. While David is kinda... refreshing for me. He's unapologetically optimistic to a fault.

It's called "that's not tubular" because uuuuh basically David as a child called people squares, even though it's slang from like the late 40s. And the way people react in the show it's like he swore real bad. So I wanted to use more old slang, and in a situation where tiny!david has to react to something he doesn't like, I feel like tubular would get said.

I'm struggling to choose a snippet for this fic because I haven't touched this idea in... some time... and my punctuation and epithets usage has gotten significantly better in the meantime.

The first one to pick had been Neil, then Space Kid, Erid, Dolph, and so on and so forth, until everyone had a straw in their hands. Max glanced at the other kids’ straws, realizing that David didn’t really understand how drawing straws is supposed to work. All of the straws, but one, have to be the same length. Instead, each camper had in their hand straws of all sizes, making it extremely difficult to figure out who had won. They took some time, comparing each straw, and concluded that Harrison had been the winner of their game.

Numer 4: Ghost for a day (or two)

This one is a sequel to a Danny Phantom fic I published, "Point of Capture". At the end of that fic, Danny is inside a cage and is being dragged to his parents' lab to do some test. In "Ghost for a day (or two)" Danny accepts a truce to let them do non invasive tests to learn more about ghosts and give him a chance at redemption.

He runs away with a power dampener on him.

I got the point of him reaching Sam and Tuck when he escapes. Even though he accepted the truce, he wasn't sure how the dampener would work, so he decides to leave, regroup, and then if it turned out to be truly safe, he'd go back to the Fentons to help them learn more.

This sequel would be about Danny going about his day stuck as Phantom (I know that canonically when he loses his powers he detransforms, but it's less that he loses them and more like he can't access them. So he can't transform) but trying not to make anyone notice while he goes to school and fights ghosts, while also trying to find a way to get his powers back. And also about some headcanons about the philosophy of death in a world where ghosts exist. As well as an exploration of how the Fenton parents think when it comes to ghost morality.

The title is kinda self explainatory, I feel like. Danny gets stuck in ghost mode and it takes longer than he expected to get his powers back.

This wip also suffers from having been written 3 years ago. I haven't touched it since. The punctuation is horrible, especially when it comes to dialogue tags.

His dad reached closer to the cage and freed him. Danny eyed the portal, then his parents who were at that moment preoccupied with setting up their equipment. “I’m sorry” he murmured, then ran to the portal’s button and pressed it. Getting pricked in the finger so many times is starting to get on his nerves. The sound of the opening portal caused his parents to turn around, and his mom to run towards him. Danny didn’t spare any time and jumped inside the green swirl. He said ‘sorry’ again, that time louder than before, after seeing the disappointment and confusion in his father's eyes. It hurt. But he can’t risk it.

I really want to touch up these two fics again. I think there's some real fun to be had, especially with the DP one.

[fredoesque]

fic ask game:

✦

ϟ (for "it's just better in my mind") the brief moment about the car crash that killed nick's parents reallllyy did this for me bc i have been planning a fic revolving about this exact concept for awhile so i was like oh my god what a perfect interpretation

▵ from stan fic lol

✦ what was your easiest fic to write & your hardest?

the easiest to write was probably this place lets you down (easy), which i wrote in about a week in an insane burst of inspiration. like i was using my lunch breaks to jot down scenes with pen and paper. i did struggle a bit with the ending but even then. uncommonly smooth sailing

the hardest was probably nothing new under the sun. i had a very clear idea of what this fic was about and how i wanted it to end, but actually writing the fic and getting to that ending. oh boy. i was fighting with this thing for months. but i am really proud of how it turned out!

ϟ tell me what moment/scene in [fic] made you sicko in the window.jpg to read and i’ll tell you which scene made me feel that way to write

that moment from the car crash is actually a favorite of mine as well haha. but to pick a different bit i also had a lot of fun writing the scene were linda and nick are talking about old billy. i looove writing characters talking around the things they actually want to say. and billy's story itself was just really fun to come up with

▵ pick a fic and I’ll tell you my favorite line

ok difficult question but it's probably this one:

All they need is a house free of hauntings and maybe some music—Stan’d like if they had music.

which is stan thinking about his and linda's plan to get out. idk i feel like it captures this sense of hope that's supposed to be throughout the fic, that's small-scale and sort of fragile but very genuine too