#to one day write a story about a niche topic

[mobirights]

In The Limelight - wolfstar

A snippet from a wolfstar fic I'm working on based on my experience in the American high school thespian society (level: impossible. -1000 aura for long-lasting trauma). Theatre kids unite!!! There are so many terms in here that only a theatre kid would know, and I will define them when the fic is published, but right now... I'm lazy, just look them up lmao.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Remus hates One-Acts. 

Well—that’s not entirely true because he’s literally in Godric High's this year and it's always his favorite experience. He just hates watching them, especially at Districts. And he admits some of them are really good. He’ll never forget that production of Sorry, wrong number from Sophomore year. Literally on the edge of his seat that entire show. 

One-Acts in general, however…

He’s fallen asleep during at least 60% of the One-Acts he’s watched in his four years of high school. His final year is no different. That is why he has noise-cancelling earbuds, James’ shoulder, and his comfiest pair of vans. 

“One Act nap?” Lily asks from his other side just as he lays his head on James. 

Remus looks forward as the EmCee walks on stage in a bright green hat and announces the third One Act performance of the day (first for Remus and everyone at Godric because they arrived late).

“Good morning, District Six! Our next performance is a production of Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare.”

He rolls his eyes and turns to Lily, sighing. “One Act nap.”

The thing is, Remus loves Shakespeare as much as the next drama nerd. His first show at Godric was a production of As You Like It and it’s probably in his top five experiences at this God-forsaken school. But for a One Act? Come on. There have been some good ones, but more often than not, schools don’t know how to properly cut shows to forty minutes without losing a lot of integral plots and meaning that Shakespeare intended. He still shivers remembering that one production of Taming of the Shrew in Sophomore year. 

“Stage Managers, are you ready?” The EmCee calls back to the curtain, met with two voices shouting back “Yes!”

“Troupe 228, your time starts now.”

The house lights dim. Just before everyone goes quiet, Remus manages to whisper, “Which school is this?” to James on his left who smiles brightly and mouths Salazar as the troupe’s crew starts to set up their stage in the semi-dark. 

Remus huffs and turns his music high enough to drown out the noise, but low enough to go unheard in the silence of the PAC. 

Salazar Northern Preparatory Academy. SNPA for short. Godric’s rivals, naturally. Remus tries not to be concerned with school rivalries and petty feuds, but everything about SNPA just grinds his gears. Technically, their real rival is Rowena High School because it was built after Godric in the 80's and stole half their student body because of zoning changes. Salazar, though? Their rivalry and hatred for each other dates back to before the schools were even built.

But Remus would rather not think about that. He just wants to take his nap and ignore SNPA like he does every year, James’ alleged long-lost friend from there be damned. 

He’s about to close his eyes when the stage lights turn and a group of girls and boys walk on stage in the most ridiculously modern teenage outfits. He assumes one of them is the Princess of France, and the others her attending Ladies and Lords.

Huh. Interesting way to cut the show, starting with this scene. 

The boy playing Boyet starts the opening monologue, and Remus is surprisingly entranced, his head half-way to laying on James’ shoulder. As the scene goes on, he somehow gets engrossed in the story. He doesn’t remember when he turned off his air pods, but the voices on stage are now clear and not muffled. He finds himself genuinely enjoying the show. The girl who plays the Princess's comedic timing could rival James—and he will never know he said that because as much as he loves his friend, Remus will not be fueling James’ football-field-sized ego. 

James wraps his around him and Remus leans into the touch. He might just watch this all the way through.

Then—and this will be documented as the moment Remus lost all sense and reason—the King and his Lords walk on. If it wasn’t obvious before, this is a very modern rendition. From the way James and Lily literally cover their mouths, he’s sure the modern costumes for the King and Co. are hilarious, but Remus is only focused on one thing.

Person.

Front and center is the most beautiful man Remus has ever seen in his life. Maybe he’s exaggerating because a younger version of him would have said the same thing about James (don’t judge him, he was repressed and the boy was nice to him), but this is different. 

“Fair princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.”

Holy shit. Yeah. Way different. 

The beautiful man in question has shoulder-length jet-black hair that looks softer than silk. His skin is like a porcelain doll’s, almost eery in its pale complexion, but so enticing. The only thing Remus can imagine is how bright his face must flush in the sun. Not only that, but this man has the voice of an angel—No, not an angel. A devil. It’s raspy and soft all at the same time. Smooth vibrato that steals all the attention on stage. The voice of a true singer, no doubt. 

As beauty in human form continues to talk, Remus feels lost. He’s seen and read this play more times than he can count, but with a voice like that, he can’t even follow the story anymore. All he hears is the honey-sweet voice of sin incarnate.

Yeah, he’s fucked.

[power-handmaiden]

Day 223: Pounded In The Butt By My Bizarre Assumption That Chuck Tingle Books Are Just Covers And Not Actual Books

Can't relate to the protagonist of this one! That's okay, though. I relate enough to his friend. Having enough thoughts on the Tingleverse to fill an entire college final presentation... easy!

OK, I'm aware of the existence of people like the protagonist, though more often I've encountered people who are aware of the stories but assume that they must be formulaic and it wouldn't be worth reading more than one or two of them. And... to be honest I even understand why they make that assumption. If most people set out with the stated goal of writing as many erotic absurdist stories as Dr. Tingle does, I think they would end up repeating themselves a lot. (Because that isn't what most people are particularly passionate about and they would run out of ideas!) They don't go far enough to imagine themself in the position of dedicating themself to a topic they love, rather than someone else's niche of living object erotica.

Believing the stories are only covers, or that the stories are all the same, or that Dr. Tingle is a collection of collaborators or an AI... it all comes down to the same thing: the belief that one person couldn't possibly have so many unique stories in them. The refusal to consider the great accomplishments that are possible when one creates while following nothing but their passion. Refusing the reality of Chuck Tingle means living in a world that has a limit on creativity. Accepting that one person channeled love and passion into such a large collection of works opens one up to such a nicer world of possibilities! Like the protagonist at the end of this story, all of us can benefit from believing that every creator is capable of achieving something impressive with their passion.

[elumish]

My Experience With Digital-First Royalty-Only Publishing (Part 1)

Disclaimer: this is just my experience and my not reflect everyone's experience with this story of publishing.

The Concept:

The are two major distinct components of this sort of publishing: that it's digital first and royalty only. Digital first means that their primary business model is based in selling ebooks rather than physical boks. They don't sell in brick-and-mortar stores, but for my publisher, at least, you can buy physical copies of the books, which are made to order. Royalty only means that authors aren't paid an advance for the book. Instead, all of their payment is directly from royalties, which they start getting paid immediately (as opposed to needing to earn the advance before you get paid any royalties). Generally, these royalties are higher than for traditional publishers.

This is considered indie publishing, as opposed to traditional publishing through one of the Big Five (Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan). I have basically only seen this for romance publishers, though there may be others that I haven't seen.

This is not vanity publishing--I don't pay my publisher, they pay me.

My Publishing Story:

In 2023, I wrote 10k words of a new story in three days, mostly on my phone. After a bit of random internet hunting, I decided to send it in to the publisher with a series plan for another three short pieces (10-15k words) that would together make one full story. A couple months later, they responded and asked if I would make it a full novel and also write another two in the same series. I agreed.

In April 2024, the book was released.

The Submission Process:

A number of digital first romance publishers (including those that give advances, like Harlequin) accept both agented and unagented submissions. That means that you don't need to already have an agent to submit to them, as opposed to most more traditional publishing companies, which only accept agented submissions.

Pro: lower barrier to entry, you get to avoid the querying process

Con: you have to advocate for yourself

Every publisher has a different submission process and different guidelines--some have broad word/topic guidelines and anything within that is fair game, some have specific calls for stories (e.g., we want stories of 30-80k words about billionaires), some have specific imprints or subgenres with different guidelines (e.g., historical romance for 50-80k words, fantasy romance for 60-100k words).

Generally they also request a summary, an equivalent of a query letter, and sometimes also some verion of a series plan.

The Contract:

Probably my biggest issue with working with this publisher was the contract. After a bunch of back and forth after they sent me the contract, they told me that they don't negotiate their contracts with unagented authors.

This is a sort of nuts line to draw, and to be totally honest I almost decided not to publish with them because of it. It would be totally reasonable for you to not publish with anyone who has that policy.

Ultimately, I decided to still publish with them for three reasons: 1) I did a lot of internet sleuthing and couldn't find anyone talking about issues with working with the publisher any time in the last decade, 2) I was comfortable enough with the contract terms to agree to them, and 3) the book is a niche enough subgenre that there's basically no chance I would get it published elsewhere.

If it was a different book or I was in a different stage in my career, I might have made a different decision.

Editing:

The editing I received was primarily copyediting rather than developmental editing. There was a little bit of developmental editing, but the vast majority was copyediting. I'm not so arrogant as to think that that's because my writing is just so perfect that it didn't need developmental editing.

There were ~3 rounds of editing that I went through with my editor. She would make a combination of edits in track changes and comments, and i would either accept, reject, or change. There were some things I rejected because they were intentional stylistic choices, and there were some things I accepted even if I didn't love them because they were part of the publisher's style guide. Everything else was a negotiation.

Overall, I didn't give in to something that I hated, and I don't think my writing suffered for the editing. There are choices that I wouldn't have made, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm right.

Part 2 will include marketing, payment, and my path forward in publishing

[dearunreliablenarrator]

I'm here, queer, and highly likely to disappear*; but here's a very unreliable introduction to this narrator.

Hi, I'm Saturn (for now at least, i think.)

I'm a black 20-something year old writer with a imagination that happens to be active at the wrong times. When I'm not writing, you'll find me struggling through classes and holding my cats in air jail for chewing on my clothes. and you probably thought a college dorm dryer was bad...

I often use music as a progression for my writing, using it to build the personality and lifes of my characters, cause I think you can tell a lot about a person with the type of music they listen to. This goes the same for food, whether they're cooking (or lack thereof), eating (which there'll a lot of and not just food), just for the sake of storytelling. Cause food can tell a story too!

You'll also see the use of Sims4 in these posts, there's nothing better to me than to be able to build my world from the ground up even if it is tedious. I often burnout myself out between both writing and building so its nice to be able to switch between the two! here's a small character visual as a start!

it's also nice to watch my characters evolve real time, they tend to outgrow some things faster than i can keep up.

As a current researching and scrappy practitioner, you will see hints of practical magic(k)/workings/information in my works. Influences from traditionally african american practices will be underlying themes in this world of mine; within my scope of course. How my characters navigate through a world that is both mundane and spiritual is something they'll have to overcome in all aspects; and how they affect future lives and timelines is all hanging on the fading tradition of storytelling.

follow, share, and embrace their stories; because there's only one way to keep them alive.

as for what i write or rather my niche: the unreliable multiverse

genres: (comp) (hist) (queer) romance, urban/southern horror, urban fantasy, and apocalyptic sci-fic.

topics/tropes: religious deconstruction, religious trauma, witchcraft (mundane, practical, scrappy, cultural, A(A)TRs.) anti-racism/racism,politics, social structure,found family, star-crossed lovers, childhood friends to lovers, ancestral/familial secrets, morally-grey protagonists,coming of age, the anti-christ, HEA, small town horror, mental illness/disorders, philosophy.

for some these topics may be a lot, and while i want my writing to be a source of escapism...fiction will always be influenced by reality, and that is something that will be in my writing (just not to the extremes), expect CW and TWs but they will not always be there.

CURRENT WIPs: the big three

Where The River Bends:

Bored of modern romance and her own life, Elaine Brown suffers from being a daydreaming, skeptical, hopeless romantic. In a plead to the Universe to grace her with a new addition to her routine, she finds herself stumbling into spell unlike her very own. Warren Soo has be dreaming of a life where days can feel like a breath of fresh air. When a random chance driven by his choices puts him in the space of unsuspecting Elaine, he can't help but be bewitched by the ease in which her days go by. Together, they navigate the modern world of romance with just the sprinkle of magic.

theme song

tag: #goddamnitsamson

Aletheia:

Sanctum, place of human design created to preserve those who survived the last of nature's destruction. When humanity was suddenly reckoned with the damage of over creation they are forced to pick between two things.

Stay or leave.

For those that had the ability to leave, Sanctum embraced them with open arms; promising a generational haven within their walls. Here, the people are communities; removed from the worries of past plagues and mortal insecurities. But all peace must follow order.

Questioning the world she's grown in , Emilia Porter has wanted to escape the stone boundary of Sanctum. Taking a chance to explore the land beyond, she registers for the Vanguard; the exploration and task forces that protect and serve the lasting stand of humanity.

Now away from the containing hands of those who seek perfection, she must weigh the truths; both tailored and unwritten.

theme song

tag: #findthetruthyouseek

Cherries Under The Sun:

A southern gothic horror that follows Grace Davis even in her dreams. Stuck in a constant cycle of despair, Grace often finds herself living in a loop of a forgotton past, wondering about the should've, would've, and could haves of her life. When her small college town of Marietta is shaken by a rise in missing cases, her hollow world soon becomes a flash of white papers and bloody lines. Now that her daily life of being ignored comes to halt and the lives of those around her are blurring together, they must now find a way to get their world back to normal. Before it is erased altogether.

theme song; intro; taglist

tag: #howsweettheesound

I don't know what else to put here, but that my characters are much like myself. Weird, witchy, creepy, romantic, sensitive,sarcastic, inquisitive (that's a big word for elmo), and a range of clumsy that only a handful of people can enjoy sooo...

IF you've found me or my wips to be interesting, please feel free to follow, ask a question or comment. Thanks for reading all this and from reader to another, create the book you've always wanted to see. Edison out!

i also don't really know how taglist work but if you wanna here's where to keep up! #theunreliableverse

1.* psst...you can find me and (to be)published works here!

[late-to-the-party-81]

Answer the questions and tag five fanfiction authors you know!

Thank you @metalbvcky. NPT for @mrs-illyrian-baby @doasyoudesireandlive @km-ffluv @labella420

🍓 How did you get into writing fanfiction?

As a teen I was a voracious reader and tried to write my own stuff based on other books I'd read. I also loved ST:TNG and wanted dearly to be in an episode and had lots of the books. I wrote my own ST stories with OC's (gratuitous self inserts), but they never went anywhere. In my late teens I read some Xena fanfic on the internet. But that was it for a great number of years.

At the beginning of 2021 I sat and watched the entirety of the MCU films in chronological order (I'd seen most of them before and was mainly a Thor gal.) I fell down the Stucky rabbithole. Deep. I decided to look up fanfic. AO3 was now a thing! I wrote (a very poor) Stucky fic and here we are, almost 3 years later

🍇How many fandoms have you written in?

As my ST stuff never made it further than my parent's old PC in the days of dial-up, I won't count it.

I've written for MCU, various Chris Evans and Seb Stan Characters and one fic for RWRB. I've been toying with writing a one-off Criminal Minds fic as a gift for a friend.

🍈How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

Three in July since I first published anything on AO3.

🍎Do you read or write more fanfiction?

I try to balance it out. If I have a period of hyperfocus writing I try to then go through a period of reading. I read on both Tumblr and AO3, so try to keep that even as well.

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

Getting betas to pick me up on tense changes, overuse of words and rogue commas. Reading more. Practising. Writing outlines for longer stories so I don't go off-piste.

🍑Do you have any bad habits as a writer?

Getting bored half-way through a long fic, especially if the first few parts haven't had a lot of interaction. Which is why I try to write the whole thing before I start posting.

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

Engineering courses at MIT and, for a separate fic, Violet wands, including the ways to use them and the differnt types of accessories you can use with them. I even watched a Youtube video.

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

Any comment! Anything that gives me the validation I need!

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

I wrote a transformation into Tsum-tsum fic that was both cracky and smutty. That's pretty niche.

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

Action scenes. I loathe them. I'm constantly wondering if they are long enough, and make sense.

🍏What is the easiest type?

Short things that are either PWP or fluffy slices of life.

🍑Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

Mainly on my elderly laptop on G-Docs, and in every moment I can - normally afterwork before dinner and on Mondays when I don't have work.

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

There are a few characters and ships I haven't written that I'd like to. And I suppose I'd like to write a proper long, over 100k fic at some point.

🍇 what made you choose your username?

When I made my AO3 account I felt as though that at 40, and only really starting in Fandom in this way, I was late to the party, so that is who I became.

[pockykierra]

Hello my friends! I hope everyone is having/has had a fabulous day :)

There is something I have debated on whether I wanted to make a post about, as I try to keep my blog a place of positive vibes and this not that. But after a lot of back and forth, I think I need to speak on this.

On Friday I received an anonymous ask from someone who was... miffed, I will say, about the length of time between chapters for my Good Omens WIP, Saying The Quiet Part Aloud. Ideally, I would have liked to message this person and have a conversation, but as they are anonymous, I cannot do that (if you are the person who sent me this ask, please reach out, my DMs are open).

I will start by saying that the amount of love and praise I have received for my Good Omens fics has just blown me away, and this is no fault of the GO community. I am so incredibly grateful that so many people love my writing. Before writing for GO, I only ever wrote for niche ships and was involved in smaller communities where everyone knows each other. All that to say, this is the first time I have ever received a message like this.

My feelings were not really hurt by this ask, because I think I've lived enough of life that being accused of writing a sentence a day (which, honestly, is pretty hilarious, I laughed out loud when I read it) doesn't shake me.

But I will say that comments like the one I received are part of the reason why many authors abandon their fics.

People have forgotten that art and fanfic is not something you are entitled to. I write for myself first and foremost, and because I love my stories so much is why I am glad to share them with others. But no one is entitled to my stories. I appreciate that there are people out there who are so excited for my stories that they want to read more as soon as possible, but there are kinder ways to broach the topic. I've received a veritable FLOOD of asks from people who have kindly and respectfully asked on a timeline on the next chapter, and I am more than glad - ecstatic even - to answer them, even if I don't know myself when the next chapter or story will be out.

I have a lot of stuff going on outside of writing, a lot of life to live. And even if I have nothing going on and I could be writing, but choose to spend that time with my husband and family instead, that still doesn't justify an impatient message.

I know it's hard to wait for fics, but sending mean spirited messages is the quickest way to ensure an author stops writing.

And to all those who have been sending me so many messages and leaving comments and kudos and so many other things, thank you, you are the lights of my life <3 This will in no way effect the upcoming chapters of STQPA, and chapter four is still coming soon, along with a special little surprise ;)

[lovewash3d-doll]

•.*🩰*.•.Tips on How to Write Consistently .*•🩰*•.

………………………………………………….………………………

I am a person that especially struggles to write consistently: I’ll have a month-long writing phase where I write every day and then months without scribbling a single word. Over the years, I’ve developed some tips and techniques to initiate my writing phases even when I’m in the pirouettes and twirls of stress or a lack of creativity. They may be helpful to you or anyone attempting to write a little more!

1) Mentally Schedule Writing Time 🩰

Scheduling writing time is beyond adding it to your to-do list or planner as it is often left unchecked and forgotten—I’ve very guilty. Instead, you have mentally schedule it and put it in your mentality that you will write today! Tightly affirm that you will write and put it high on your priorities for the day! If writing is an afterthought, it will also be an afterthought before bed and the following day. Determination is really key and so is sticking to your word!

It’s also important to plan writing at reasonable times and for reasonable durations. I tend to plan to write after I finish my schoolwork but, I always end up too worn out and tired and simply slip into to bed. Instead, plan to write at a time where you know you won’t have any distractions or other tasking taking priority. If you’re seeing a friend later, grab your laptop or pen in the two hour period before. If you’re busy for the day, wake up an hour early or sacrifice some of your phone scrolling time for a quick few paragraphs.

Additionally, don’t expect yourself to immediately write for long periods of time or write very much. Unrealistic, unattainable goals can very easily kill your spirits so it’s important to be realistic. Start with 30 minutes and with the goal of writing one scene and naturally, as you get more in the mood, those 30 minutes will expand to an hour or even longer and your story or piece will have a fresh page written soon enough.

2) Books, Movies, & Music🩰

Before attempting to write, I always try to create the perfect atmosphere even if I may not particularly be in the mood! If I want to get in a creative mindset overall, I love reading a book in my genre or watching a tv show or movie that relates to the topic or plot line of my story. I mainly recommend reading a book since absorbing writing is a great way reinforce oneself to write. I also create music playlists for every story and listen to a couple songs before my writing session! It definitely sets the tone and puts me in the mindset of my story!

3) Do a Writing Challenge 🩰

One of my grandest periods of consistant writing was thanks to a writing challenge I did! For a Creative Writing Class project, I decided to follow the writing routines of several authors and blog about my experience. I dedicated at least half an hour every day and my results were fruitful. Not only was it a fun experience but, it also reinforced me to write and I got a lot of insight into different approaches! Any writing challenge is a very good motivator and I highly recommend it! For my challenge, I specifically pulled writing routines from this book (linked).

4) Journal Sessions 🩰

If you especially struggle to carve out large portions of time for your writing on a daily basis, a great tip is using a journal! Whenever you have 10-15 minutes of down time, let your stream of consciousness flow and write any scene or stanza or any part of your larger piece. Don’t worry about its quality: it’s simply important that you scribble something down. Once you have a considerable amount of time to focus on your writing, transfer your notebook writings to your laptop and edit away! After a few quick journal sessions, you’ll have a decent amount of material that you can mold into draft. It’s a lot easier to edit than to stare at a blank page!

5) Trip to Barnes & Nobles 🩰

This is a very niche tip that only applies if you are planning on writing a novel and looking to publish! I love Barnes & Nobles and sometimes, when I’m in a large writing slump, I love visiting a store and taking in the smell of fresh books and tracing book spines on the shelves. Looking at new releases and imagining my own book on those shelves really motivates me to go home and pick up my pen! It reminds me of my goals and sends me into a larger writing phase!

I hope this helps! Reblogs are appreciated! 🩷

XOXO,

lovewashed doll🩰

[bunnylovesani]

Confused as to how you can criticise me for giving you a panic attack and anxiety by trying to privately talk to you but then making a public post saying ‘fuck you’ and encouraging people to send hate.

Ava has written about fratboy!Anakin and ceo!Anakin even though she wasn’t the first to come out with these ideas. But has she given credit to the original authors? No and she shouldn’t be expected to because these are SUCH COMMON FANFIC TROPES, as is the idea of a stalker. They do not belong to anyone. To say you’ve created an au requires some character and world building that makes it niche and different to the other ones out there.

If you had written about Anakin as a dyslexic redneck astronaut then that would be uniquely specific and an original idea that shouldn’t be used without permission. The mere idea of a stalker doesn’t cut it- especially since our ones have completely different plots and personalities. You did not CREATE stalker Anakin, he’s been around for years on the internet.

It goes without saying that I condemn plagiarism and claiming other’s hard work as your own. If I saw real examples of that I would call it out and support the affected authors. But sharing commonly played out and overused ideas is not plagiarism. I’ve been reading psycho/obsessive/stalker fics for various fandoms since I was a teenager.

James Kelly is a literal mechanic so of course the plot was going to have something to do with cars, not to mention the fact that my dream car is a Sakura pink Porsche 911 Gt3. My reader has always been a self insert pink-loving girly girl so it felt natural to include that. The type of car is also mentioned literally once.

I will however say that I hear and understand that point of criticism more than the others and I apologise if I subconsciously took inspo from her illicit affairs series. I can assure you it was not on my mind when I wrote my fic but I can see that the detail of the car is reflected in both our writing. But the car is where the similarities end. A billion books and stories in the world have harmless overlaps.

While we’re on the topic of plagiarism: I’ve seen people on here write fics where it’s clear as day that they took inspiration from my work. Never once have I minded because I understand that as long as my direct words and hyperspecific details aren’t lifted, I don’t lay claim to general / vague ideas. I have a degree in literature so I’ve studied the legality and boundaries surrounding plagiarism and ‘inspiration borrowing’ - which is why I decided to take a stand rather than take the easy route and pacify you. I wanted to make a point that you do not own such a vague idea or trope and every publishing house in the world would agree with me there.

Beyond the concept of internet etiquette which half the time is just pandering to entitlement, you don’t have a leg to stand on. If you want to become a published author, start acting like one.

[trappedinafantasy37]

Okay, I've stopped crying, kinda of.

I have officially uploaded the final chapter of To Be Free From the Gods and have marked it as complete. I can hardly believe that it is over. I have spent hours and hours of my time over the course of about 5 months on this story. I have gone through three entire notebooks, recorded 68GB of video reference, and I'm sure I've given myself carpal tunnel. I've actually formed a little bit of a callous on my finger where my pen would rub against it as I write.

This is the first time that I have put in so much effort into something of my own choosing and was not compelled to do so because of work or school. I have learned a lot of things while writing this and intend to apply as much of what I've learned to my other stuff. I've also gotten a lot more comfortable writing about topics that I never thought I would be comfortable writing about (such as smut and violence). I've also had fun being able to build and nurture my own creative writing skills since I've never really been much of a creative person. And it is nice to have an outlet in which I can get some of these thoughts that are in my head out of them.

As of right now, I do have a small queue of fics that I do plan to write with I Want This One now being my primary focus and I have officially started working on my Shadowheart x Minthara fic. It also makes me giddy that I have my own little niche of followers. I have had at least two people tell me that they have designated time slots in their day just to read my stuff and it makes me feel so honored.

But, like I said, I have spent so much time in my life on TBFFTG and I want to talk about it, cause I'm not ready to let it go just yet! So, now that I'm no longer concerned about spoiling the story, I'm opening up the floor to any questions anyone has. Feel free to ask about my writing, why I made certain choices, Daedra, or anything else. Please, please, please, give me a reason to talk about Daedra. I feel like I don't actually talk about her enough.

[veliseraptor]

March Reading Recap

Juliet: The Life and Afterlives of Shakespeare's First Tragic Heroine by Sophie Duncan. I actually really liked this one! It was an interesting look at several different lenses that have been used over time to look at Juliet (specifically Juliet, not the play), including the relationship between fascism and Juliet in Verona, Italy and the development of West Side Story (didn't know Juliet was Jewish in an early version). I enjoy sort of niche/specific books focusing on a very particular subject, and this book scratched that itch well.

The Brilliant Abyss: Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean, and the Looming Threat That Imperils It by Helen Scales. I read this book too soon after The Underworld by Susan Casey which, while not necessarily a better book, covered a lot of the same terrain. The trouble with a keen interest in a niche topic is, I suppose, that the books on it can start to get repetitive sometimes. It was still good, though, and this one focused a bit less on the history of human exploration than Casey did and a bit more on the ecosystems themselves, which I did welcome.

Blood of the Chosen and Emperor of Ruin by Django Wexler. The second and third books in the series that started with Ashes of the Sun - both continued the trend of "I don't know that I'd call these particularly good works of literature but they were very enjoyable and propulsive." The second book was stronger than the third - I ended up feeling like the conclusion of the trilogy was weaker and a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the experience as a whole and would offer at least a tentative, general recommendation of the series for those looking for a fantasy series that's not particularly innovative or serious but is an exciting ride.

The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis. This book reminded me a little bit of Such Desperate Glory but wasn't quite as well done, I don't think. The back compared it to Mass Effect but I don't really see that as a reasonable comparison. Possibly one of my favorite things about it was the cover design, which fucks. I still liked it, though, and I'm going to read the sequel.

The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race by Farah Karim-Cooper. Sometimes when I read things I feel like a snot because I go "this is interesting information but the writing feels a little amateurish" and that was my situation with this book. It was good analysis and interesting to read, though sometimes the "and this is how this is modern-ly relevant! q-anon mention" felt a little bit...ehhh, unnecessary, but the writing itself was...yeah. It felt amateurish. Which might just be a result of the book itself being targeted at a particular audience that's less academically-minded than I am, that's certainly possible, but it did affect my enjoyment of the book.

Last Days by Adam Nevill. Mostly this was good spooky fun, though it lost me with the "the ultimate bad guy is an overweight bisexual actor with AIDS" (it's a little more complicated than that, but not enough). Too bad, because conceptually and in terms of imagery it could've been very good. Between this and my last Nevill, I might have to give future books a pass. My search for horror that isn't playing on bigoted tropes apparently continues, since I'm on a bit of a streak there with this and Ring.

China: A History by John Keay. I'd call this one a solid overview despite the choice to use "bureaux" for the plural. However, I'm taking a lot of it with a grain of salt since as far as I can tell he didn't use many or possibly any Chinese secondary sources, and relied primarily for quotations/analysis on English secondary sources. I would've liked to see more of a balance. Still, as far as background information and a general broad history goes, it feels like it was worth reading for me to get a little more background/grounding in history I don't have a lot of familiarity with. (Also, holy shit did Ken Liu crib hard on Liu Bang and Xiang Yu for The Grace of Kings and now I know that.)

Remnants of Filth: vol. 3 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou. I continue to really enjoy this book and this volume might be my favorite yet - the flashbacks were satisfying to fill in some of the gaps in mysteries as yet unrevealed, and having Gu Mang fully "back" (more or less) is a fun development that is already having consequences changing the dynamic between him and Mo Xi in delightfully angsty ways. Of the cnovels I'm currently in the middle of this one is close to LHJC as far as my favorite.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi. This one is what I think people would call a "romp" which is all well and good and I probably should've known what I was getting into, but I think I am just not much of a "romp" reader. It was fun, I guess? But I don't know that I felt like it was good, and I'm probably not going to go around recommending it. My first Scalzi, and I don't know if that's typical of him, but I probably won't be in a hurry to pick up another one anytime soon.

Invisible Planets: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation ed./trans. by Ken Liu. Short story collections are really hit and miss for me, but this was actually a collection that was pretty hit all the way through! Very interesting stories, a couple I'm still thinking about. I'm looking forward to reading my other collection of short stories in translation, which includes some fantasy - some of these actually felt somewhere between fantasy and science fiction in a very interesting way that I liked.

--

phew. I read a lot last month! Currently I'm reading Medea by Eilish Quin (we'll see how that goes); I have on my docket The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (recommended to me) and I think I might reread She Who Became the Sun so I can read He Who Drowned the World. I've been on more of a fiction than a nonfiction kick of late, but I am eyeing Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn and might make that part of my rotation. we shall see!

[sister-lucifer]

Genuinely curious why someone who seems to sexualize (fictional) serial killers and (fictional) murderers draws the line at "proship" stuff, which is also very much fictional? Aren't most horror characters actively problematic? Or is it virtue signaling with little knowledge of what "proship" actually is, you're just trying to show that you're not like "other" freaks, even if you're cut from the same cloth. Lumping people who ship weird stuff in Fandom spaces in with literal nazis is such a silly take. It just trivializes the sentiment when you say that you believe real life nazis are on par with people who engage with dark topics in fiction. You're a "proshipper" by the very nature of the fandoms you're in, as horror is the most "problematic" a medium there is.

[tws for discussion of sex abuse, gore and incest under the cut]

pro shipping is the attempt to normalize things like incest and pedophilia within shipping and fandoms. while yes these characters are fictional, and i completely support the existence of dark content as a medium to explore these topics, my issue is with the fact that proshippers want to treat incestuous and pedophilic relationships as normal. there’s no trigger warnings on proship content, no indication or attempt to keep these things away from those it could harm (pro shipping is also super common in fandoms of kids shows, like steven universe and MLP, which is super worrying for obvious reasons). There’s a difference between writing something dark to explore its existence vs writing about a father raping his young daughter as though it’s a completely normal and healthy relationship. that sort of content pushes the idea that children can consent and want sex, and often pushes blame onto victims of assault. with no tws or any sort of attempts to guard this content, and the fact that the way it’s written actively seeks to normalize these actions, it’s incredibly dangerous.

i expanded more on this sort of idea in this post (and there’s a follow up here if that matters idk), which i highly recommend anyone who’s questioning this sort of thing reads and takes a look at the other things linked in said post, because i do think it’s important to have these discussions. there’s a difference between normalizing and exploration. everything i write has a content/warnings section. i don’t want gore porn to be normalized, which should be inherently clear by the fact that all of my dark fiction has a wide array of trigger warnings on it to make sure no one thinks it’s normal or will accidentally stumble upon it. i’m happy to have my niche little community, but i would never want something so shocking to be easily stumbled upon by someone who didn’t want to see it.

there’s a difference between writing something dark or disturbing while actively advertising the fact that it’s not for everyone, vs posting “ship” art of a child being abused and acting like it’s so cute and perfect. someone who didn’t know better could take that to heart.

sex abuse is real and rampant in our society, and it affects and hurts people every day. that’s different than fake serial killers.

also…i fail to see how having both nazis and proship on my dni is equating them? youre allowed to put whatever you want on your dni. i’ve seen people with “creepypasta fans” right next to “proshippers” on their dni, and i don’t say anything, i just move on. it’s not my business why they don’t want those people interacting with them; maybe it’s because they had a bad experience in that fandom, maybe it’s because they don’t want to see gore, maybe it’s because the stories just unsettle them, why do i care? it’s not a personal attack against me, it’s just their prerogative. it’s not my place to argue with them, they can put whatever they want on their dni and it’s not my place to try and change their mind. they’re not equating or lumping in anything, they just don’t want those people interacting with them. and that’s fair enough.

it’s also a bit of a stretch to call horror a “problematic” medium when the very nature of it is meant to be disgusting and scary. if its disgusts and scares you…..good?

you’ll never find me in someone’s inbox trying to change their mind about what they are or are not comfortable with, i just block and move on, like everyone should really. i’ve seen some seriously dogshit takes on this site, and despite how absolutely abhorrent they are, i just block and move on. it’s easier, safer and happier that way.

if you really care this much, you can make your own post about it, or come out of your anonymous box and talk to me for real. i sure as hell don’t care that much, so i won’t guarantee you’ll get a response.

seriously though, if you hate me that much, just block me and move on. in fact, i actively support people blocking me. it reduces conflict, and i know that my content isn’t for everyone, and that’s totally okay.

i don’t want this response to come off as angry or indignant because really these sort of discussions are important, i just can’t say with my whole heart that you sent this ask because you wanted to talk; you sent it because you’re angry at me for what you perceive to be a slight against you or something you believe in. i get it. but believe me, you get a lot more out of life when you remove the things that make you upset instead of trying to argue with them. start caring less and blocking liberally 👍

[scribe-of-hael]

Thundercracker HCs

TC headcanon that follow nothing in particular of Canon and is as very bias to my own au where I build him up to be kinda different because him and Sky are very underdeveloped and utilized. LETS GO

•TC is more well kept, and organized , he is able to throw down but at the end of the day he cares about himself to keep his up keep

•He is the youngest of the trine and it kinda shows with how more optimistic and far more light hearted he is than his brothers

•TC had always has had a fascination with , what? You guessed it! Writing !

•Writing is TC'a passion, it was one of the focal points he was hooked on when agreeing to join the Decpticons was because of Megatron's writing for when it first started. He was touched to his very spark with Megatron's words. He learned very quickly how words and working could affect one another.

•he researches endlessly of writing, works, and genres. He prefers stories with happy ending but he is also about drama and some dark themes.

•He is also a photographer, he loves to take picture of his brothers, the scenery or even important moments. It has gotten him into trouble for stopping in the middle to capture the moment.

•His writings are important to him, it doenst matter if he feels or even if he's hurt he will take some time out of his day to write. Because he reads do much, if its niche knowledge or even history you want to know you come to TC.

•Try to keep him on topic he will jump aorund and get a bit carried away with rambling /pos

•TC had always questioned the Decepticons almost as soon as he joined , it only grew with time and the more worried he got, worried he got for his brothers Especially Starscream and Megatron's growing abuse towards him.

•He is definitely a kind spark, who wants to see the beauty in it all, which some bots call him soft amd weak for

•he more sensitive and emotional ,this can be both good and bad. He panics and is filled with paranoia. He tends to overthink and complicate things.

•just because he is kind. Do not mistake it for being weak. He is just as fierce as Star or Sky and honestly probably could be more unpredictable about what he will do. He can be just as scheming , clever and resourceful. He is a Decepticons for a reason.

•he is prone to outbursts of emotion, if it is anger its connected to his abilities. His sonic booms can become more powerful when emotional driven. Nothing like shattering brain modules when he decides to have the pulse of five sonic booms in half a millisecond.

•His frame is way more durable than the other two because of the constant subjection to his own sonic blasts. Its reinforced but also allows its self to vibrate to allow the sound to travel.

•Oh and he writes Erotica and is kinda a freak/pos

•He is Demi though, having taken little to no partners because he could never properly feel a connection depsite having a desire for a partner. While he wants someone he wants to truly have a deep and lasting connection

•he is nothing but in love with being in love which makes him prone to being vulnerable and easily taken advantage of in hopes of finding someone fo love, which Star and Sky (mostly) intervene to stop their brothers spark ache.

•TC also loves animals, that includes his dog Buster whomst he'd give his life for

•He adore human culture so DAMN much this bot is also obsessed with vintage items humans have made.

•He wear glasses despite not needing them because he thinks they make him look cooler/smarter

•TC's main thing is he writes stories and incorporates real people into characters. There are many stories you will find character eqiailants to bots he's encounter or events he has lived. You'll come to find writing isn't just his passion, but his cope for the war and even after it.

[sungbeam]

spread some love !

talk about your favourite mutuals and why you like them

hi anon! thanks for sending this in :') im always so bad at posting these things, but i can def do this one. i don't know if i would classify them specifically as favorites, but more so people i've interacted with the most 😭

@justalildumpling : i don't even need to go on besides saying that this woman is my soulmate. "in another life" but we're gonna beat the universe and meet in every life, type of connection. the girl who has seen me at my worst and has still treated me with as much kindness and compassion and care as she did the first time. i feel like in certain ways, we're kind of polar opposites, but also the same? i mean, on paper we can be so different, but when we talk abt what we like and dislike, when we laugh together, it all becomes something of the same and she restores my faith in other people again. she's the person who constantly makes me want to be a better person.

@ethereal-engene : one of my two beloved 姐姐's on this site skfnrknf but i remember talking to ash so many nights abt just any and everything. i am so happy that we're comfortable enough to be able to joke around, share our niche interests, have deep conversations, and even pen pal!! like i think it's crazy how SIMILAR our families are; we could legitimately be long lost sisters haha but also the blood of the covenant runs thicker than the water of the womb sometimes, so that makes sense. she's one of my comfort people, and honestly, i feel like we both come out of nowhere with some topics, but either person will hop right into the convo regardless and just vibe 🤧

@winterchimez : my second 姐姐 on this site !! my older sisters def take care of me well and i am so grateful for that :')) ally is always so supportive and yet so energergizing to talk to. she's def seen a lot of my brainstorming and i feel very comfortable bouncing ideas off her. she's always so generous with me too, like care packages??? RAH 😭 obviously, i love her for reasons besides the material goods, but it's a love language nonetheless. ally is prob one of the warmest and most welcoming presences on this hellsite tbh, so if ur ever looking for a new friend/mutual, she's the best.

@loveliestfelix : nana is another reason why im still around. i like to thank that beomgyu drabble every day for kickstarting our friendship because i have never met someone i have had such lengthy and fun brainstorming sessions with. nana is the type of person i would love to meet irl and just share stories over coffee with, though i feel like i always associate her with train rides and coffee now HAHA she's also one of my greatest writing inspirations, like i was and have always been blown away by her mind, and her word counts. i love calling her the queen of angst, and you will never be disappointed when reading something of hers.

@jaehunnyy : chip's been here for a really long time, like guys, no one can compete when she's been here since i had park jisung as my pfp and she had jeno as hers 😭 i think i really treasure our friendship and how much it's grown over the past two years :')) so much has happened over that time, and i think that if i met her in real life, i would just be blown away by how pretty she is like TT anyways,, i always love talking to her because of how much chaotic energy we create when we do, like i feel like we can power an entire city grid with how much chaos we make, and it's all the better for it. i love her very much, and i hope she understands just how wonderful of a person and friend she is.

@mosviqu : oh, my beloved bar, i love u to bits and pieces. i think recently you've become one of the few reasons why im still here writing and posting. like i am so utterly, from the bottom of my heart, grateful for all of your support and the love you've given and shown me. and even when we moved to dms to converse, i just realized how cool you are as a person, and how similar we are (in the best way possible). it's really nice to be able to connect with a person on multiple levels, and im really happy that was the case with us :') as soon as i saw ur love for tomorrow by chanyeol, i knew there would be something more to our friendship. i am so very fond of you, and your writing blows me away every time i read it.

@zzoguri : moni :( i hope ur doing well, friend, and i know you haven't been active here lately but i do wish you all the best. i love how passionate and committed you are to improving in writing and developing your own creative writing style, and it's so impressive to read your writing in general :') i love the confidence you advocate for yourself, and how real you are. thanks so much for being a friend; i just really appreciate all the support and hype you've given me during my time on deobiblr, like thank you for being such a thoughtful person.

@wuahae : cat and i have definitely interacted more off this site than on this site, but i felt that it was dire she was included here nonetheless. like bro, thank you for literally being the reason i come out of my apartment (or in most cases, invite people to my apartment), and for thinking of me! i think i once told you how hard it is to find friends in college, but you've made my experience here far less lonely. i love getting dinner with you, planning outings, and making weird animal noises together on the streets 😭 also, cat's writing is literally so poetic, and just her explaining to me her plot ideas tears visceral reactions out of me TT

@yunhoszn : i feel like me and fawn are low-key on the same wavelength a lot of the times, but in general, i think fawn's just such a rad person. i've told her once or twice before but i genuinely love her writing style because it has so much personality in it. it just makes reading her fics such a fun and enjoyable experience. also even off this site, i have so much fun interacting with her, like just commenting on her instagram posts like the gremlin i am, i know she's gonna hit me with the best response back skfnkejd (waiting for the day i go to where u r so u can do my makeup low-key... ur so fly, pls do my makeup...)

@goldenhypen : em, my lovely twin :')) i know our interactions have def decreased, but i don't think that's decreased the fondness we hold for one another. i remember when em first started interacting with my works and then followed me, i literally rolled off the couch cuz i started fangirling 😭 and she is one of the most genuine and brightest presences here. she is a follow forever, bro, you better follow her forever. i just adore her compassion for others and her absolutely adorable fic concepts, and omg don't even get me started on her work ethic 😭 i wished u the best everyday you had requests, i don't know how u did it. you are literally superhuman.

@hqrana : i haven't spoken with noa in quite awhile, but im guessing it's cuz she's girlbossing her way through to that nursing program 🤧 my favorite woman in stem girl in this hellsite, she is my beloved xnonie 😭 i think i just appreciate noa's undeniable presence and character so much, like she brings so much energy to my inbox whenever she's here, and her support of my ideas and fics just makes me 🙇🏻‍♀️ like thank you for being here. and to know we both love marvel and taylor swift? i feel like she has to be like,, my best friend? like she needs to be my best friend?? sending hugs and well wishes your way, always.

[heich0e]

hewwo liv i think you mentioned you read nonfiction so i was wondering if you had any recs? i'm trying to widen my repertoire a bit more and start reading more nonfiction (as much as i love fiction i think my brain has started regressing a little), but the only nonfic ive ever dipped into are my econ textbooks haha

also i hope you're having a good day !!!!!

HI GUY!! i think one of the best parts abt non-fiction is how nondescript that classification is, and consequently how enormous and diverse your options are within it. i think it's easy for people to generalize non-fiction as being boring retellings of fact or history, because most people's first introductions to non-fiction reading are academic. but in reality there are so many different types of nonfiction, and so many different styles of presenting it in writing. (for the sake of simplicity i'm gonna just limit this convo to narrative nonfiction, but if u wanna read something expository like a text book or instruction manual power to ya.)

my recommendation would be to start with something like a biography or memoir. to me, reading a really good biography doesn't feel very different from reading a novel. you're still following someone's story, they're just a real person and not a character. from where i'm sitting right now i can see trevor noah's biography 'born a crime' on my bookshelf, and i remember really loving that one the first time i read it. having been a fan of his comedy, his narrative voice felt authentic and familiar throughout the book. setting aside his demonstrated talent for storytelling, it's also just a very interesting look into life in south africa under apartheid, along with its lasting impact, and as a mixed race child, noah's personal perspective is extremely compelling.

(keep in mind, i read that book as someone who was already a fan of trevor noah's so i immediately had a personal connection/interest to the story. if you have any comedians/musicians/actors/artists you really enjoy, maybe see if they've done any writing—that could help find something you connect with! i also recently read david mitchell's 'unruly' and i really enjoyed that one too—but i find him funny, and like learning about the history of monarchies. 'crying in h mart' by michelle zauner is also great.)

true crime is another popular non-fiction genre that i find people have an easier time getting into. i'm not a huge true-crime reader myself, but i've read a few interesting ones! i tend to go for ones that are more local to me, so i won't necessarily give any recs for this one.

i also had a weird phase where i was reading a lot of books about boats and shipwrecks. not sure what that was about. i read walter lord's 'a night to remember' when i was like 10 and i think that really is what it can all be traced back to. 'the wager' by david grann was fantastic (he also wrote killers of the flower moon which was very good, and not about a boat) but i recognize this is a very niche area of interest that u probably do not care about.

i also really like essay collections!! they tend to sort of cross or blur a lot of lines when it comes to genres, because while some would consider 'essay collection' a genre in and of itself, the essays themselves usually as collected around a particular topic or theme. another added benefit of essay collections are u can kind of leisurely pick away at them, or jump around in the book, since you usually aren't beholden to reading them cover to cover and following a single narrative thread. less pressure!!

a couple other recommendations, though at this point i'm sure you've given up on me (fair):

'the patriarchs' by angela saini

'i want to die but i want to eat tteokbokki' baek sahee

'persepolis' by marjane satrapi

ok i'll shut up now!! i don't even think this was helpful!! my advice to you would be to think about something you're already passionate about/interested in, and find a book about it!! or think about something you'd like to know more about or be better educated/informed on. it's out there i promise <3

[sanfangirl-cynicalromantic]

It's Always The Quiet Ones

In which Elsa writes fanfiction, but she never expected one of her own friends to read it.

~

Elsa was antsy. The professor was reexplaining the topic to students who hadn’t  been listening for what felt like the upteenth time. They had learned this subject three classes ago.

Now a college senior, Elsa didn’t appear to have changed too much in four years. She was still quiet, but more shy than haughty and aloof. She had shed her narrow tunnel vision to just ‘out out as soon as possible’ and instead had taken her friends’ advice - she had those now, too - to take a class out of pure enjoyment. But she needed this prerequisite. One of her said friends, Astrid, was also in this class so she could take a different elective, but Elsa was happy to share a class with someone she already knew. Now neither of them needed to make unnecessary conversation with other classmates and had an automatic go-to in the case of any group projects.

Her hands halted over her keyboard. There was no need for taking notes right now and she found herself navigating to a project she’d been stumped on for a while.

Not academic, but purely creative.

Fanfiction.

She’s not sure how it happened. She had sat down and watched a single episode of a show with her sister and then when an edit had come up later on her YouTube page she had idly clicked on it. One click had led to another until she found herself sucked into reading fanfiction feverishly under her blanket at night, too guilty to show her face to the empty room. Eventually, ideas had built up in her head and she had written a little piece. It had been freeing, knowing that she couldn’t be ‘not good enough’ because this was fanfiction, and anyone could write it. She hadn’t expected the heartwarming responses she’d gotten, or the spiral into madness as the dam inside her had broken and she scrambled to write all of her ideas down.

She had a sizable collection of works on AO3 after over three years, and had developed a signature style and carved a niche for herself in the fandom.

What she had gotten really good at was smut.

There was a saying, “It’s always the quiet ones.” Prudish pre-fanfiction Elsa, forced into socializations by her parents because apparently homeschooling online was ‘isolating,’ would roll her eyes, irritable at the guys who’d inevitably say so about her while wagging their eyebrows, hating being the butt of some joke she wasn’t sure she understood. Diabolical post-fanfiction Elsa now would flush guiltily at how true it rang. She still couldn’t say ‘sex’ in front of her younger sister without hesitating, but years of reading had opened her mind to ideas she’d never thought were possible, which had led to research, which had led to writing her own smut.

The professor had deemed today a review day, fed up with all the repeated questions, and after mentally answering all the problems so that if she were called on she could answer, Elsa opened up her special email account, drumming her fingers absently as she looked over her AO3 stats. She clicked away to the tab that held her WIP, taunting her. She needed motivation. She needed validation and an assurance that she could actually write a reasonably clever and hot story. She needed more comments.

She navigated to her drafts and selected a partially smutty oneshot she had written a little while ago on one of her sleepless nights. It had been a sleepless night for the couple on the other side of her wall. Good for them. She prided herself on being continually able to look them in the eye the next morning. She added a short little spiel in the notes, citing no beta and sleep deprivation to excuse errors (like she hadn’t already combed through the very explicit scenes of roleplay and creative positionsing to make sure everything was grammatically correct for her own sanity’s sake) before publishing it and clicking the tab closed decisively. The ninety minute lesson wasn’t even a quarter way through. She resolved to focus for the rest of the class.

Sadly, it didn’t get any more interesting. She made a conscious effort to engage and resist the effort to madly refresh the page and check for comments. Some people aren’t addicted to AO3, she reminded herself sternly.

About half an hour later, her ears perked up at the sound of an email notification. Coming from one of her seatmates. She forced herself to look straight ahead. Damn AO3 for making her develop a physical reaction to emails. People got emails all of the time and she doubted most of them were from AO3.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Astrid dig out her phone. She stifled both an amused grin and a resigned sigh. Astrid was very opinionated, and once she made up her mind her decision was final. And the thing was, she was most often right. If she had gotten her phone out, she had given up on the house today.

Elsa was not nosy by nature - she wasn’t - but she was bored and antsy and spending time with Anna had its side effects. Astrid’s expressions were minimal. Her boyfriend Hiccup could usually accurately tell what she was thinking by just a quirk of her eyebrow about half the time. The next person who could understand her half as well was Jack, who considered himself an expert on her and Hiccup’s relationship - at least, compared to the rest of the friend group. That was fair. Elsa considered herself a generally observant person who could relate to Astrid the most. Plus, she had the advantage (or maybe the misfortune) of having her dorm room situated right next to Astrid’s; the walls between them were excruciatingly thin. The phrase ‘it’s always the quiet ones’ certainly applied to Hiccup and Astrid as well. But Elsa understood Astrid’s preference for privacy, and so respectfully never commented on the things she overheard.

If Hiccup frequenting Astrid’s rooms more often instead of vice versa coincided with an increase of publishing smutshots, well, her readers were nothing but happy.

Whatever Astrid was doing on her phone, it seemed to be taking a long time and had her completely absorbed. Her face was stony and cool, and the only reaction Elsa could see was the occasional raise of what she was pretty sure was an interested eyebrow.

At last, the lecture wrapped up and Elsa gratefully annotated her planner before playing it and her laptop neatly in her bag. Astrid stood up with her, still glued to her screen, and the automatically made their way to the group’s designated spot under the big tree on the west side of campus. Astrid had finally cracked a smile and was typing something on her phone. Probably to Hiccup, if she wasn’t scowling. Neither said anything because they weren’t the sort to fill the silence with unnecessary  talk. Elsa didn’t mind, but was glad when she saw Jack and Hiccup waiting for them outside.

She supposed it was just one of those days where she got a craving for social interaction. There was no other reason she was looking forward to talking with Jact at all.

“How was class?” Jack called in greeting. She smiled politely at him, grateful he had started a conversation.

“It was ridiculous,” Astrid scoffed. “Nobody remembered anything from the previous lessons. It was an absolute waste of time.” Elsa shrugged in agreement.

“At least it meant he postponed the homework,” Elsa added, satisfied with her socially acceptable input to the conversation. She would still start the assignment of course, unless she had a stroke of inspiration for her WIP, but they didn’t need to know that.

“It’s the little things,” Jack agreed easily. Hiccup tried to put his around his girlfriend’s shoulders comfortingly; he knew nothing irritated her more than imbeciles. The only thing she hated more than idiots was anyone who dared to make fun of her boyfriend or slight him in any way - but in those cases, the reaction wasn’t annoyance, it was murder. Astrid dodged his arm and Hiccup cocked his head, confused.

“‘Fraid we’ll have to cut things short today,” Astrid said briskly, grabbing her boyfriend’s hand and making to leave. They all turned to look at her, surprised. She gave Hiccup a loaded look. His eyebrows shot up and he began to sputter immediately.

“Oh. Oh. Okay, yeah. Er - sorry um … something urgent just came up? Yeah, urgent, so we gotta …” he allowed himself to be dragged away just as an email notification chimed on Elsa’s phone.

A comment? She wondered eagerly. Probably spam, she reminded herself.

Jack was snickering and shaking his head. “Wish I had a girl who read smut,” he chuckled.

A girl who reads smut, you say? Elsa thought before she could tamp it down. She cleared her throat and took out her phone instead.

It was from AO3. Elsa’s heart sped up and she bit her lip to keep herself from letting out a shrill, undignified sound of joy.

axes-forever (Registered User) has left the following …

Aww, Elsa loved that reader. Their comments were never long, but they were funny and appreciative and had been with her and her writing since the beginning. She had checked their bookmarks once. There had been a reasonable amount, around eighty or so, which made Elsa assume that axes-forever was a bit selective - a compliment for her, since a good deal of her works had been saved. Aside from those, they seemed to be a big fan of Percabeth and Manorian, and Elsa could only approve of their good taste.

She opened the email.

[Istg I read this immediately after I got the notification in the middle of class. Worth it. You never fail to deliver.

Brb gonna go try those moves on my bf]

Elsa nearly dropped her phone as Jack’s words finally processed. Was he insinuating that Astrid read smut? She didn’t seem like the type, but then neither did Elsa. And considering some of the things she’d heard from the other side of Astrid’s wall … Well, reading smut didn’t seem far-fetched at all.

Wait … Astrid had been reading something on her phone during class only a little while after Elsa had just posted. Axes-forever had gotten the notification in class, and then said she was going to try those moves on her boyfriend. There were too many coincidences with Astrid’s unsubtle exit for them to not be the same person, weren’t there?

Holy shit.

She could be wrong, of course. She could be so wrong. What were the chances of her being right? But Elsa was naturally intuitive and she knew she had the right once she’d found it. She looked at the retreating figures of her friends with wide eyes.

Jack cocked his head to the side. “Hey, you okay?” he asked gently. “You look like you just remembered you forgot to turn off the stove or something.” Elsa let out a shocked laugh.

“No,” she said, shaking her head and smiling. “I just realized my plans to immediately go back to my dorm room aren’t a really good idea right now.” He barked out a laugh.

“Well … we could go get a coffee, if you’d like?” he offered with the slightest bit of uncertainty. Elsa felt something like a warm bubble expand in her chest.

“I’d like that,” she admitted.

[oliversrarebooks]

What's something niche or non-plot-relevant that you really love about your story/stories?

Oh, that's a good question

This might be apparent, but I have a terrible weakness for process and protocol. There's something so appealing to me about inventing a process and then subjecting my characters to it. The best example is the auction house in Bookseller, but it also turns up in most of my other stories, like Human Resistance and anything medical I write. The impersonal nature of it, the inevitability, the feeling of being swept up by something out of your control... it's delicious to me. I particularly love the anticipation, where the whumpee knows exactly what is going to be done to them and is powerless to stop it.

This is part of why I'm really dying to write some BBUish pet processing whump at some point! I'm working on a little pet whump story right now but it doesn't have the processing part, just the recovery (which in itself is a process). Eventually I'll feel more inspired to do my specific take on this, I think. The Drip as a concept absolutely fascinates me and I think it's underused in BBU whump personally.

Other processes I'd love to write more about if the opportunity presents itself:

A conveyor belt with automated machines that processes humans (this has been a recurring daydream of mine since childhood)

Dollification - I keep starting this one off and on but can't quite get the angle I want on the topic

Omegaverse (I have some long-simmering takes on omegaverse that I do intend to get out there one day - I know most people are in it for the smut but I'm in it for the process, the protocol, the power exchange... don't get me started on my ideas)

Rituals involving human sacrifice or possession

Magic spells

Faefolk protocol - another long-simmering idea of mine that grew out of my MHA vampire AU. This involves an uptight, straight-laced vampire hunter encountering and falling in love with a capricious fairy king. My story about Benjamin and Ember and the cell phone was an attempt to translate this story to modern day, but lately I've been thinking about keeping the original setting. Part of what I love about this is the clash between the uptight human's self-imposed regulations and the freewheeling fairy king's magically imposed restrictions.

Shady government facilities with human experimentation

Brainwashing amusement park rides and carnivals

I'm super behind on asks and prompts and even Bookseller but eventually I'll get to all this. Someday...