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

[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!

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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."

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[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.

[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.

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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.

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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)

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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?

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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

˖⁺‧₊˚✦

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

[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.

[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!)

[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

[aoxue]

Fic Writer Q & A

Via @heyholmesletsgo ! Thanks for the tag! <3

How many wips do you have currently?

Excluding notes and brief scribblings, and counting just projects I've written a substantial amount for? Literally 30. About half of those have seen new writing/edits in the last six months, if we want to define some kind of "active" status.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish?

Clearly, I struggle to finish my fics broadly 🙃 But I have been fighting tooth and nail with one story for an upcoming zine, and I can't put my finger on why! It's not long or complicated, but it's just been an utter slough to write up. Apart from that, probably Come Back Alive, my Appalachian horror spin on Yi City, just because that one IS quite long and complicated. It's been three and a half years in the works, and I'm still trying to stick the landing in terms of climax and resolution.

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

Depends on the sort of inspiration! If a story concept or an idea for a plot point hits me, I'll try to throw it into a document or on a private discord server I have that's expressly for this kind of brainstorming. Other times, a particular line might come to me, and I'll try to capture that in a similar fashion, but that might get me writing for several hours. Inspiration might come from a movie or a TV show, or very often from music.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

Not for every fic, but for the bigger projects, yes! I have about 7 fic playlists between WIPs and fics I've actually posted. Like I said, I often get inspiration from songs, so I like gathering those in one place. My playlists tend to be 1) repositories for songs that already are/could be inspiration for the plot, relationships, or setting (this is especially true for AUs that are far removed from canon!) and/or 2) mixes I can put on the background as I write that can put me in the right headspace/atmosphere without distracting me. Other times I need quiet, or generic instrumentals, or ambient soundscapes -- it all depends.

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized?

I need to be organized when I write, or I will get frustrated because I can't make sense of what I'm doing with the plot. "Balls to the wall," for me, typically leads to some really pretty paragraphs, or a good, scene, but I'm not all that much closer to a coherent, finished story. I get stuck in the "edit as you write" habit really easily. So I need a roadmap to keep me on track, definitely, and I also need to work on throwing out rougher first drafts.

Tagging anyone who feels like it :)

[uncleasad]

A friend recently asked, among others, “how does one get good at naming a fic?”

I don’t have any good answers, because naming is hard. Really. (There’s a famous maxim in computer science that naming is one of the two hardest problems in that field.) Hopefully, maybe, like all other things writing-related, one gets better at it through practice, though I still struggle with it sometimes (there are some real head-scratchers among my fic titles).

That, unfortunately, is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem when you’re starting out. (I have no-so-fond memories of this. Not that I have a huge number of great names or fics to my name now, but you get the picture.) So maybe throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks? 😂

Seriously, though, naming is hard. It is often the last thing I do with a fic. It’s very rare that I have a good name for a fic before I start writing or even soon after. (There’s a reason I tag most fics here with a semi-descriptive phrase, like Roman Republic Hosie.)

Exceptions include my first fic, Have At Least One Totally Epic Love, which gets its name from a famous Hayley Marshall quote from The Originals S5 which in part inspired the fic, and, among others, my most recent, The One with Hope’s Wedding, which is a twist on the name of the Friends episode that inspired it? See a pattern here?

(There’s also a kinda anti-example, Two Scoops of Hosie Delight, where I had the title to start and tried to write a fic around it; it’s not a great fic.)

Sometimes an idea will come to me when I’m writing. In that case, it’s usually because I’ve made someone say something I really like. This is also my go-to option when I get to the end of writing and/or editing and still have no title: I look for a fun line or sentence. Even better if it captures something unique or descriptive about the fic. (As an aside, all of the Legacies episode titles are lines someone spoke in that episode.)

The other major area I try to mine for name ideas are things related to the fic’s content in a broader sense: the theme or subject, the mood, or something related to the description. I don’t have a good example off-hand from my own work, but let me dissect (from a reader’s POV) a title I really like from a fellow author, pins, needles & hexes by vitrisimbre.

This fic is a Hosie Hogwarts AU, and one of the things I really like about it is the dual meaning of “pins [and] needles.” On the one hand, “pins” and “needles” go well with “hexes” in a magical sense, e.g. poking dolls with pins as representational magic, while on the other hand, the phrase “on pins and needles” is a way of describing excitement, anticipation, and even sometimes trepidation. In this fic, the Saltzman twins are yanked from the Muggle world and thrown into the world of magic at Hogwarts, so Josie is experiencing a bunch of those emotions from that, and then again from a burgeoning attraction. There’s also a third meaning of “pins and needles” in English, which is that tingling of numbness in a limb when it goes to sleep—but I have no idea if that is relevant to this fic yet. (It’s a great fic, so you should read it!)

If you have a series, you can have a pattern or theme that carries through all of those titles. My Tales from the Salvatore Kitchen series features titles that are either—and often both—bad puns and food/dessert related, for example. The “model Josie/painter Hope” trilogy started with Hope painting a landscape, and that theme carried through with the titles: Landscape of Your Skin, Landscape of Your Heart, and the unfinished Landscape of Your Secrets. (The actual series name there, however, is the very uninspired, though descriptive, The Model and the Painter.)

tl;dr

Some good sources of ideas for fic titles, in my experience:

Quotes from the real world or other media, and riffs on them

Titles from the real world or other media (including song titles!), and riffs on them

Favorite and/or fun lines from the fic itself

Riffs on descriptions/subjects/themes/moods of the fic

Fellow writers, any other advice on naming fics, and how to “get better” at it so that you feel like you like your fic titles?

[allthefoolishdreams]

hi! i hope you're well! for the ask game - 1, 10, 15, 18, 19, 21, 26 and 30? <33

(this is jeonghoneyss btw, i'm not sure if i mentioned before haha)

hi!! thank you, i am doing well, i hope you are as well!! <3

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again?

Something new I tried this year was non-linear narrative (in my minchan divorce fic), I've always loved non linear narratives since its an interesting way to tell a story. I think so far its turning out well! although it is based on a story so that did help make it easier. Either way, I would absolutely love to write more non linear narratives if I come up with an idea that it'll work best with

10. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

Honestly? I don't know! Out of the ones posted this year, I think maybe the superchan fic might have been my happiest to work on. I do know working on you are strange always makes me pretty happy as well (when i'm not hit with writer's block)

15. Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023

I have only posted 4 fics this year and I know you have read 2 of them, so I'll just rec the other two: chansung fic (which is angsty and about commitment issues and complex feelings regarding relationships but i enjoyed writing) and this minchan fic (which is a bob's burgers au and just overall a silly and fun time)

18. What was the hardest fic to title?

without a doubt it was my spidey minlix fic, I just didn't know what to call it even when I had the first chapter completed already which is unusual for me because by the time ive written that much I have title ideas already. I'm not sure if you read the author's note but i did almost title it "spider-boy (king of thieves)" which is a taylor swift lyric because it fits far too perfectly but i decided to search it on ao3 and saw that a lot of the fics using that as a title were spider-man aus which made me scrap the idea so fast. I ended up scrolling through Black Cat and Spider-Man panels + looking up Black Cat quotes for inspiration and decided that i really liked the line ""You are strange, my love. I guess that's why I find you so irresistible." and shortened it because I thought the quote would be such a fitting line for minlix considering they are both strange (affectionate) <3

19. Share your favorite opening line

if I keep it to fics I posted this year, I think my favorite would be from my chansung fic: At a young age, Jisung learns just how easy it is to pack up your life and leave it all behind.

I feel like it fully captures the main vibe of the fic

Also, here's one for fics I've written this year and not posted. I'm cheating here by giving several lines but here's the opening for my jilix songwriting fic because I really like the opening paragraph:

The first time Jisung meets Felix, he’s struck by how gentle and kind he is.  He’s mesmerized by his voice, like everyone else is; the deep, smooth tone and accent. The clumsy way he stumbles over his Korean in a way that makes it obvious he’s still learning. And he’s especially mesmerized when he starts to show off his vocal abilities, the range he’s capable of. It’s something else entirely. Perhaps, more importantly, he’s mesmerized by his bright grin despite how prickly Jisung is towards him, which isn’t necessarily anything personal, he’s prickly towards everyone. Unlike the others though, Felix brushes it off and continues to ask questions like he doesn’t genuinely mind how closed off Jisung is; he's never annoyed or scared of him. All while offering him bright smiles each time they interact. And it’s a beautiful smile.

21. Share your favorite piece of dialogue

I can't think of any off the top of my head. I do think a lot of my favorite dialogue I've written is from you are strange, especially the minho and felix conversations when they're bantering in their respective alter egos, it's always so fun for me to write. Their dialogue in their civilian life is very good to me too, but I don't think I can choose a favorite. I also remember enjoying the group discussion from chapter one when they're discussing Spider-Man since it was so fun to write

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

I don't think I have any specific satisfying writing moment, but I guess seeing my word count on ao3 go up so much just within the year was pretty satisfying to me especially since like i mentioned i only posted 4 new fics

30. What’s something that you want to write in 2024?

I'm not gonna lie, my goal is just to finish all of my wips. But I do want to write the batman!chan fic thats been brewing, I havent started since I know it'll become a monster of a fic and I'm trying to prioritize finishing my current superhero aus before starting a new one lol. which reminds me, I have Thoughts on other superchan side stories, other than the felix one so thats also on the list, so far nobody has pointed out the Minho (or Hyunjin) name drops in chapter one of superchan which goes along with my thoughts regarding the au. Another thing I want to write is that seunglix christmas fic I mentioned before, I'm thinking of writing it out in advance for next december

Also, not going to lie, all the descendants talk makes me want to dabble into fic for it but im not sure yet. We shall see!

(thanks for the ask <3)

[muffinrecord]

What translations are you looking forward to, as of now?

Excellent question! Let's see... Oh I'm counting "translated" and "recorded" as the same for this.

Main Story stuff

I'm really looking forward to the last parts for Puella Historia. I wanna know how it all ends!

I forgot which chapter it is but I REALLY want to see the main story part where Juri + Yuna raise Ao as a baby asf;laskfoa

I also never read the event doc for Toyo's thing, so I'm excited to see that. People seem to have positive feelings on it

Event story stuff

I've been looking forward to the Swimsuit Mami event cause Mami content! Apparently it also has aliens in it? Which is... kinda weird. But I guess Kyubey is an alien, so....

I'm really curious about Only Dreamers (Kushu release) because her MGS totally made me interested in her character, and it looks like it has Ikumi and Yukika in it? Whom I love.

Ashen Revolution looks to be pretty good but it's stuck in review hell right now I think.

Akari's event looks interesting and kind of classical mahou shoujo (oh no my love interest is in love with my cooler adult magical girl self!) so the premise is interesting. Hotaru is also in it and I'm really fond of her.

RAINBOW COLORED SUMMER looks fucking FANTASTIC.

Magical Girl Stories stuff

Yukika-- I like her and I'm curious as to what her mgs is about.

Swimsuit Mami-- as mentioned above, gotta have that mami content. The only thing I hesitate on is if it involves Nagisa somehow 'cause I don't really enjoy their dynamic (I maintain that mami needs an older friend who lets mami be a kid, not a stupid baby character). (I don't hate Nagisa, I liked her in her Wish event)

Konoha & Hazuki-- I liked their event waaaay more than I expected and tbh the Azaleas feel super nostalgic to me; it's going to be a treat when their mgs is recorded!

Asahi-- I barely know anything about her so I'd love to get to know her better

Perenelle-- tbh her character doesn't interest me too much but the idea of a wandering hundreds-years-old magical girl who is aloof and may or may not help out other magical girls is very appealing to me. I'd love a spinoff just on that concept alone-- a woman who has seen it all and stays the same no matter how much history changes.

Mikoto-- I'm not sure what her magical girl story is about, but I'm hoping that it's about her pre-witch. She seems super fascinating

Heruka-- she captured my heart and I wanna know more about her. Her event was my favorite PH! Although apparently it was also the hardest one to translate, so I'm not gonna hold my breath on it

Amaryllis-- she's a dear and I'm excited

Historia Yachiyo-- gotta see what the star^2 girl is all about.

Quotes Stuff

actually I was gonna write here but god that list would be so fucking long, this would be unreadable. hmmm but some highlights would include:

Anime Mami

Matsuri Hinata

Seira Mihono (all the theater girls really)

Rui Mizuki

Swimsuit Mami

Tsuruno & Felicia (Delivery)

Nayuta Satomi

Anime Tsuruno

Rabi Himuro (and her kimochi ver)

Darkness Kanagi and Mitama

Chizuru

Olga

Heruka

Masara & Kokoro

Amaryllis

Historia Yachiyo

Devil Homura

I promise that this is just the highlights, I wanted to include so many more

Thanks for the question! This was fun to look through.

ALSO just to make sure: no rush to the translators, reviewers, or JSONers!

[thevoidstaredback]

Hello!! I just wanted to drop by to say, I freaking adore your writing. And that I think you and I would be amazing friends based solely on your ear-worms. I’m really enjoying the Letters Between Brothers series. The grief you’ve captured through the latest chapter tore at my heart. Thank you for sharing your stories!!!!

I've been trying to form words for twenty minutes.

That's so nice! I'm so happy you're enjoying my brain rot! (even if a lot of them are hanging threads rn)

I always have room for more friends!😸😸

Letters Between Brothers is one I've been excited to share for a while, but haven't been able to (it's part of the DCxDP Bang event that everyone should check out because everyone who participated did fantastic!). When I wrote it, I had no idea what to do for it, actually. It's technically the third story I've done for this fandom, so it went through a lot of revisions (and even a complete rewrite). I try my hardest, in all of my works, to capture the emotions that the characters would be feeling in that moment (background as an actor really helps with that, believe it or not), so I'm extremely happy that it translated to you [all] properly!

Communication is a love language, and sharing my stories with you all is just an extension of that🖤🖤

[coldshrugs]

💖, 🤔 and 🧠 for the fic asks?

💖 What do you like most about your own writing?

i mentioned this in a different ask, but i think i have a strong sense of character voice? at least in dialogue. internal narration is my own mixed with the pov character, but try my best to capture them there too. it's one of the most important parts of writing for me, and as a reader, failing to "believe" the character takes me right out of a fic. it doesn't have to be a characterization i subscribe to for me to believe it. and the same goes for anyone reading my fics--they don't have to sign up to my specific list of headcanons, but i do want readers to feel that the characters work while they're visiting. also, i really like how i capture intimacy of all kinds! describing relationships and their parts is such a joy 💗

🤔 What is the hardest part of writing fic?

previously answered here and here, but i can complain more. the hardest part of writing fic is wanting to write but feeling so so sleepy, or having to go to work, or needing/wanting to do anything else. where is the time!

🧠 What’s an idea you have that you can’t quite call a WIP yet?

this only has like one sentence in a word doc so far but. i want to write io accidently falling asleep on estinien's shoulder on the airship to garlemald slfdks. idk!! it's so cute to me. right after aymeric tried to point him in the direction of his own feelings and not long before he gets so angry at her in garlemald before realizing he does actually want to be with her. just a soft mushy moment when esti is not really thinking hard about it but enjoying the closeness :>

[practically-an-x-man]

Answer the questions and tag 5 fanfic authors you know

Thanks @goldheartedchaoticdisaster!!

How did you get into writing fanfiction?

I was writing fanfic as a kid before I even knew what it was, I was always coming up with little stories and ideas (it always ended up where I hand-wrote ~6 pages and proceeded to completely forget about it), but it was during the early COVID pandemic that I actually started getting into the fandom scene as a whole. I started reading fanfics when I needed a pick-me-up (@asteralpine's Loki's Lullabies series GOT ME THROUGH the pandemic, no joke, they're probably the reason I stayed sane), which then led to me experimenting with writing some of my own and daring to post it.

I had the benefit of finding a little writer-friendship with another writer on AO3 when I first started out (we both wrote for Hank McCoy and would comment on each other's fics), and they would comment on every chapter of my fic even though it was probably extremely obvious that I was a new writer who didn't always know what they were doing. I genuinely think that without that encouragement and feedback, I would have fizzled out and lost confidence as a writer, so I am forever grateful to brigid1318 on AO3 for helping me get started.

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

12, not counting rollovers (y'know like "X-Men: Movieverse" vs. "X-Men: Alternate Timeline Movies"). A couple of those are just gift fics or oneshots for friends, though, not regular fandoms I write for.

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

Three and a half? Not counting all the things I wrote as a kid before I even realized they were fanfic

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

Hm... I'd say it's about a 50/50 split. At the moment I'm not really branching out and exploring new fics to read, I'm kinda sticking with trying to keep up with my friends' fics since I'm so busy right now, but I'm always writing something or another.

5. What is one way you've improved as a writer?

I think crafting my characters has really improved overall. My early OCs weren't awful, and there are elements that I still like about them, but my more recent OCs just feel so much more real and human compared to the old ones.

6. What's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Oh man... the history of the New York Aquarium - for my Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire fic, Heart in Your Hands. The weird part is that, since one of the characters is a ghost from 1915, I had to research both the modern version and the historical timeline, to make sure the character had the right perspective on it. And just the layout of NYC as a whole, since I've never been there myself.

7. What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

I mean, I really love any comment I get and I will never complain (unless you're mean, but... y'know, that's a given), but I LIVE for the comments that pick out particular lines or moments that they noticed. I work hard to include symbolism, foreshadowing, or even just fun bits of figurative language in my writing, and I never know what gets noticed by the readers, so I absolutely adore comments that let me see inside a reader's head like that.

8. What's the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

Uh... Taking Flight as a whole is pretty fringe. It takes place in the Fablehaven fandom, which is tiny, and on top of that, it involves a lot of discussion into various cryptids and magical creatures, some of which are very obscure.

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

Pure-blooded romance, for sure. I need there to be something else happening, even if it's small or weird or whatever. I've never been able to read or write a story that's solely about two characters getting together.

10. What is the easiest type?

I'm gonna say angst or horror. I watch a TON of horror movies (it's kinda my job lol) and read a lot of horror books, so capturing that whole atmosphere is really easy for me at this point.

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

Most of my writing is on AO3, though I've gotten into the habit of doing some writing here on tumblr too - mainly oneshots, ficlets, bonus pieces, etc., while the main fics or series are on AO3.

12. What is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

I read the Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires a while back and was fascinated by the character James Harris (I want to slice him up and put him on microscope slides), and I want to write a piece exploring more of the book's themes of subtle manipulation and abuse. I haven't written it yet because 1. I don't trust people's reading comprehension and I worry it would be misconstrued as me glorifying abuse when it absolutely is not, and 2. I haven't seen anyone really talk about the book so I can't imagine many people would read it

13. What made you choose your username?

I chose my tumblr username first, then just made my AO3 username the same one. It's an anecdote about my personal life - I've got a ton of genetic mutations (my body is lowkey a total mess) so I'm 'practically an X-Man'

Tagging (no pressure!): @can-of-pringles @kyber-infinitygems @witchy-self-shipper @negative-speedforce @sashathedoge