#visualheresy

[frozen-fountain]

Hi Froze! What was the last thing to make you laugh to tears? OR what are the books that inspire you as a writer, the ones you reread the most?

The last time I laughed to tears was, I think, when my friend and I were filming the video presentation for my tutoring course. Ahead of what I actually plan to do I'd prepared a short lesson on writing CVs, including some example ones for her to look at and find the flaws in. Only the examples were so silly (I invented characters; one woman had 420 in her email address, and one guy used ClipArt) we both needed to giggle about it first and get it out of our systems before the camera started rolling. I think there was a good amount of nervous laughter in there, too.

As for books I've reread the most, over the course of my whole life it's probably His Dark Materials and LOTR, for being favourites from a young age that still hold up. I also reread The Bloody Chamber every few years in full, and individual stories every so often between those. But I'm also really inspired by terrible books I never want to read again - so encouraging.

[lordbhreanna]

SHIP HEADCANONS - Garrus/Shepard

Thanks for the tag @naldoreth 🌺

Gives nose/forehead kisses: Garrus (he likes to do the forehead touch, which in my headcanon is a common way for turians to display affection, since they don't really do the kiss thing).

Gets jealous the most: Well, we have seen Shepard getting a liiiittle jelaous of the turian lady (though that could be part of the roleplay). I don't think any of them is particularly jelaous, beyond some silly stuff like that.

Picks the other up from the bar when they’re too drunk to drive: Garrus.

Takes care of on sick days: They would both take care of each other. I have this headcanon that Shepard would check on him every free moment she got in ME2 when Garrus' injury was still recent.

Drags the other person out into the water on beach day: We know turians are not very fond of water, but he's curious enough (he wants to retire somewhere tropical, after all) so when they're on the beach and he hesitates, Shepard would push him.

Gives unprompted massages: Garrus. Shepard needs them, and according to Vetra in MEA, massassing a turian requires powered tools 😆 Not much room for unprompted ones.

Drives/rides shotgun: Much to everyone's (and Garrus especially) chagrin, Shepard usually drives. In her defense, she's better with skycars than military vehicles.

Brings the other lunch at work: Shepard would bring him food to the main battery when he was overworking himself, and he would take her dinner to her quarters 💕

Has the better parental relationship: I think Castis isn't as bad as it looks, and the good thing is that, despite their differences, he and Garrus are able to see common ground. However, if we count Anderson, Shepard wins. You can't beat Anderson, sorry Castis!

Tries to start role-playing in bed: Shepard, all the way. The whole Citadel date seemed like her idea and I love that, actually.

Embarrassingly drunk dancer: It's tempting to say Shepard, but she's already a terrible dancer, so I like imagining that after a certain amount of alcohol, Garrus would fit the bill. I mean, he's already a bit silly when dancing in full armor.

Still cries watching Titanic: It would be funny if Shepard showed Garrus the movie, and he was the one ending up more teary eyed. He likes Fleet and Flotilla if I remember correctly, so it'd suit him. He's such a soft boy 💕

Firmly believes in couples costumes: Similarly to the roleplay, I think Shepard would be the one to come up with this.

Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas: They would both do (weapon mods are expensive!)

Makes the other eat breakfast: Garrus to Shepard. And sleep as well.

Remembers anniversaries: They both do, but I think Shepard would have them more in mind. Garrus has a family of his own, but Shepard doesn't - and she has found one in him and the Normandy crew, so she's extra careful with those details.

Brings up having kids: Garrus, canonically.

(I love that so many of these can be answered thanks to the actual canon material. Shakarian will always be the ships of dreams ✨)

Tagging @ithilien-wolf @visualheresy @fiannans and whoever wants to do it!

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

heheheh!!!

Ship Headcanons - Ada/Leon

Thank you for the tag, @visualheresy !!! >:3

Gives forehead/nose kisses: So I have a very specific answer for all of these. Forehead is def Leon giving them. He's much more affectionate than Ada but in private settings they're more half and half. In terms of forehead kisses specifically, I hc that he kisses her temple more, sometimes along her hair line and her cheek. Ada's the one that gives noses kisses, and other things for his nose too heh heh she also likes how adorable he looks when she boops his nose

Gets jealous the most: Leon, but it's not serious. Rarely does he actually take the time to get mad at her about something about her past or even in a present day setting. Ada doesn't get jealous as much as she gets insecure that she can't provide Leon what he wants or needs.

Picks the other up from the bar when they’re too drunk to drive: Leon's the drunk ass. Ada's picking him up. Ada is NOT getting drunk in a public space. here's ada dragging leon from a bar lol

Takes care of on sick days: Leon would take care of Ada much more despite her protests. BUT he would also know if she really wants to be left alone. Feel like Ada is the type to let it fester because she's not willing to seek help. me crying over when i wrote leon taking care of ada. Ada would do the minimum in terms of, checking in for a fever, MAYBE staying with him if he gets worse. But would most likely give him meds, water and leave him to sleep. If he's already sleeping she might watch over him quietly. But she's not gonna wait around all day.

Drags the other person out into the water on beach day: This depends. If perhaps Leon's in a bad mood, Ada would wanna drag him out into the water. Leon would probably entice Ada in other ways to join him in the water. here i have them at da the beach hehe

Gives unprompted massages: Ada. She's a bit more touchy feely in that way - than him. He MIGHT but he wouldn't be necessarily as good as her. I hc that Ada gives AMAZING massages, she can turn leon into a limp noodle (yes that way too)

Drives/rides shotgun: ADA'S DRIVING

Brings the other lunch at work: Ada might cause she would wanna tease him about it. in an au setting tho, Leon would be the one heading to her work and giving her lunches hehe

Has the better parental relationship: ... what does this mean. like their parents? they dead. i really can't say tbh cause we don't know either of their relationships with their parents. unless this means like, them being parents? half and half, it depends on what aspects of parenting since there's so many ways to parent

Tries to start role-playing in bed: Ada 100% Leon might but he's bad at it. he's cringe but she loves that

Embarrassingly drunk dancer: Leon is also a terrible dancer sober and has two left feet but doesn't mind that Ada is a splendid dancer. She'd help him along and finds it endearing that he's so focused on getting the moves/steps right she'd just want him to move along with her and to stop panicking. she wants him to just feel the moment rather than the act of trying to dance well

Still cries watching Titanic: Leon. He's a movie dude. Would've had Titanic in the two part VHS tapes. also when is like canonically the first time leon saw boobs LMAO

Firmly believes in couples costumes: ADA SDFBSKFk leon's not one to dress up anyways and would just go along with whatever ada had planned

Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas: Ada

Makes the other eat breakfast: LEON. he's a breakfast dude. Ada a habitual breakfast skipper and maybe coffee or tea drinker before she just starts her day. she might have a small brunch later but she only really starts eating breakfast more when Leon asks for it or he just makes it because he WANTS BREAKFAST. fic where i wrote leon crying over breakfast (i think it's chapter 6?)

Remembers anniversaries: Leon ;_; but Ada does also but she's more silent about it. She'd still wanna celebrate but only if he wants to. If there's some sort of anniversary or even his birthday she'll still drop off something for him if she can. wrote about his birthday here

Brings up having kids: LEON but only in a sad way. Maybe if he's being sad about missing out on it but also in a way where he's worried he wouldn't be able to provide a good life for them anyways so it's better off this way. ada i feel would NEVER bring up having kids unless she was actually PRENGNENT.

Tagging whoever wants to do this!!!! :3

[teatin]

fic stats meme

Thanks for tagging me, @visualheresy!

rules: give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the fewest words.

(All fics are Leon/Ada.)

Fic with most hits: in the quiet daylight, 3,975 hits

When Ada finally looks at him, she can’t stop the plea that falls from her lips. “Stay.” "That's usually my line," he says. "You're not being fair, Ada." “I know you,” she replies. “I know what you want.” “Oh yeah?” he edges even closer to her, a challenging look in his eyes. “And what is that?” She meets his gaze unflinchingly. “The same thing I do.” (Or: A seemingly typical one-night stand in Europe turns into something much more permanent. Leon, Ada, and the art of building a life backwards.)

Second most kudos: these treacherous desires, 227 kudos

He turns his gaze back on her, his expression loaded yet inscrutable. “You do it so well,” he shakes his head. “Acting like you really care.” The words hit her, sudden and stinging. “You don’t think I do?” He looks at her, the way one might look at an indecipherable puzzle. She supposes that in a way, that’s what she is to him. “Honestly, I don’t really know what to think anymore.” (Or: Leon and Ada, falling apart and growing back together.)

Third most comments: all the roads we didn't walk, 15 comment threads

They meet for the first time in a dying city headed for destruction. What happens next? Infinite possibilities, each with its own triumphs and tragedies. Just how many ways can a single story be told? Let's find out. Or: Leon and Ada; beginnings and endings, and the in-between. Six alternate retellings of their story. (Alternatively: Five endings that never happened, and one that just might.)

Fourth most bookmarks: to our phantoms yet to come, 65 bookmarks

She looks at him meaningfully, and when she speaks again there’s a candor in her voice that he desperately wants to believe but isn’t sure he’s ready to. “Would it be so hard to believe that I simply wanted to see you?” He laughs, and it sounds so foreign that he’s momentarily taken aback. “Considering I’ve heard nothing from you for the last six years? Kinda, yeah.” “Still holding a grudge over that, aren’t you?” Ada says, and the levity of it all is enough to set him on edge again. “Evidently you didn’t need my help figuring out the truth.” Leon shoots her a look. “Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have been nice to hear it from you.” (Or: In the aftermath of Spain, Leon and Ada struggle to rebuild their trust in each other.)

Fifth most words: so stay a little while, 8,470 words

Ada sighs dramatically. “Can’t a girl drop in on an old friend without being interrogated within an inch of her life?” “Oh, is that what we are now?” Leon raises an eyebrow. “Old friends?” Ada cocks her head at his response, and for a single terrifying moment, Leon wonders if he’d shown his hand too early. Nearly two decades in, and somehow being around her still feels like playing a losing game, like walking down a meandering path toward certain, inevitable defeat. “What we are has always been up to you." (Or: A familiar face crashes Leon's post-Alcatraz staycation, bringing buried emotions and half-healed wounds to the surface.)

Fic with the fewest words: certain perfect blissful moments, 1,000 words

The question catches him mid-nap on a breezy Tuesday.“Do you ever regret it?” “Regret what?” he asks. She averts her gaze, instead trailing her fingers across his skin in a pattern he does not recognize. “This. Leaving your entire life behind.” He chuckles. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve got it right here with me.” (Or: In a near-distant future, Leon and Ada contemplate the choices that have led them where they are.)

Tagging (no pressure) @hiraeth-doux and @neezuko and anyone who wants to do this!

[beastlyinstrument]

#28: feeling for each other in the dark - @notrattus ☁

A Fool For You - @lordbhreanna ☁️🥀

Tell Me You Love Me - anon x pink-strawberry-kisses ☁️🥀

Fallen Angel - romanticprism ☁️🥀

Of A Sweet Tooth - awlsk ☁️🥀

Voilà - AParisianShakespearean ☁️💦

Cemetery Drive - guleyasha 🥀

Fleeting - lordbhreanna 🥀

Orbit - auxiliatus (vanteism) 🥀

haunt me, then - @kastlequill 🥀

sleepless nights - virulentbound 🥀

Simul In Morte - awlsk 🥀🐦‍⬛

In The Quiet Daylight - teatin (@wondertrevor) 🥀🔥

These Treacherous Desires - teatin 🥀🔥

To Our Phantoms Yet To Come - teatin 🥀🔥

Scales & Measures - @whatsarasaid 🥀🔥

Eden - whatsarasays 🥀🔥

In Tomorrow's Dawn, You'll Be Long Gone - lordbhreanna 🥀🔥

From Where I Lie - Barkleby 🥀🔥

Migration - longtimewaiting 🥀🔥

Unanswered Questions - virulentbound 🥀🔥

Aeon NSFW Headcanons - @pink-strawberry-kissess ☁️💦

Let's Get Away For A While - AParisianShakespearean 🥀💦

we are not traitors but the lights go out - @visualheresy 🥀💦

Ada telling Leon to f*ck other women - pink-strawberry-kissess 🥀💦

halloween - bitterandthesweetness 🥀💦

we are not traitors but the lights go out - jcavero 🥀💦

Only Lovers - AParisianShakespearean 💦

That Night - BGShepard 💦

Hit me hard and leave me to die (because I won't ever leave you) - Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness 💦

Friendly Skies - shelbyshoe 💦

𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

day 1: lazy morning sex - notrattus 💦

day 2: stolen clothes - notrattus 💦

masterlist.

[whatsarasaid]

fic tag game

Rules: Make a new post and post your latest/most recent line from your WIP and tag as many people as there are words. Tagged by @eri-223.

From Nem, Re: "Do you still do this sort of thing?"

One of these days, the stars will align and I'll get back into fic writing (I have a feeling those stars will be called Death Stranding 2). Role-play currently satisfies all of the scribble urges. The collaboration is more appealing to me, too. It turns writing into two children violently knocking Barbies together while pruning in a mud puddle out back, and that's energy I struggle to find when writing solo. I think I also like facilitating ideas more than creating them. Always an angel, never a god—when it comes to writing, at least.

Anyway, here's the most recent last line I wrote from a role-play reply:

He moons over the cookies and cake, making some polite-haha joke about how you won’t find these in MREs.

The rules are made up and the points don't matter, so only tagging @visualheresy (I have a fic of yours languishing in an open tab, begging to be read, and I'm excited to sink my teeth in here soon), @tallmatcha (one day we'll share a fandom again <3, I have hope), and @primewritessmut.

[frozen-fountain]

I should hope so! @garth-greensleeves, @ourspecial, @laboradorescence, @keioschaos, @visualheresy, @danceswithdarkspawn!

FISH QUIZZZZ!!! FISH QUIZZZ!!!! TAKE IT!!! special request from my friend avery shoutout avery <3 it's right up my alley anyways... im so jellyfish coded !!

quiz made: june 2024

[part-of-me-zine]

Contributor Spotlight: @visualheresy

Tugging at your heartstrings comes one of our writers, Jessica! She will be bringing sincerity, emotion, and exploration of complicated relationships through her awe-inspiring writing to the zine.

[i-write-fanfics-to-procrastinate]

WIP Wednesday

It’s not Wednesday anymore, but I couldn’t resist. Thank you, @visualheresy for the tag, I actually love tag games like this and sharing pieces of my work! I’ve been so so bad at writing lately... But I’m trying my best to get over the slump and get some more oneshots finished! (I have so many yakuza wips because I can’t find the strength to finish anything apparently.)  Anyways, here’s one from a Judgment fic I’m working on... er... very slowly. 

I’m going to tag @leviathan-dee and anyone else who’d like to join! :D

That was when he saw her. 

Toru Higashi had met Saori Shirosaki on precious few other occasions. He remembered the breathless thank you she had offered him, how relieved she had looked, the shimmer of her lip gloss drawing his eyes. Now she stood in front of him, her arms stacked full of books and papers. They were inches away from colliding, just a hair’s breadth apart. And Higashi didn’t mind at all. 

Saori took a step back, clutching her bags and books. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry,” But then she glanced up, and registered who she was speaking to. “Higashi-san?” 

“Hey,” Higashi dropped his cigarette, flattening it against the concrete with the toe of his shoe, “What’s all this?” He gestured to the junk the lawyer had in her arms. The question felt stilted and awkward, but he really wasn’t sure what else to say.  

“For a case… I was just on my way back to drop them off at the office before heading home for the night.” 

“All this? You look like you’re about to keel over. Let me help,” he offered. 

“It’s okay, I’ve got it handled.” 

“At least let me help you with the doors,” he said. Saori hesitated and then nodded once. 

“Alright.” 

[frozen-fountain]

1, 2, 10, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23!

Share a song that makes you think of [fic title]

You didn't specify one so here's The Shooting Star by Gojira, which always makes me think of Aperture Priority. It's a song, evidently, about grief - but something in the slow chug of the music itself makes me think of the "going through the motions" feeling that not fully acknowledging and processing that grief can have. If that explanation makes any sense.

2. Do you read/reread your own fics?

Yes! I need some time and distance from them in order to be surprised again and to have lost some of the emotional investment I have in trying to perfect a new piece, but at the end of the day, I wrote what I wanted to read.

10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

I really hoped Aperture Priority would get a slightly warmer reception than it did. I think it's one of my best ones and it centres my favourite character in the game (Barret), but I can also understand that a 25K oneshot that's the fourth in a series might be a hard sell.

14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick?

The Big One that my FFVII is building to could work really well as an anime series, I think. It'd never actually work because it relies very much on the context of the previous fics, which are too all over the place in tone and content to cohere into one running narrative, but I can daydream.

16. At what point in the process do you come up with titles?

It could happen any time. Sometimes I have a title that suggests itself right away, sometimes I have to really sit and brainstorm one when it's all that stands between me and posting.

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic?

He was only a shadow in the doorway at first, the brilliance of the world outside redacting his face.

This sentence kicks off the first meeting of a story's protagonist with the superior she forms an intense and immediate crush on (Elena meeting Tseng, for those in the know). I made his entrance as intimidating as possible to try to reinforce that, at least in my take on the dynamic, she's attracted to the power she thinks he wields more than anything. But it always stands out to me because I knew I wanted a striking and unusual verb to describe the light obscuring his face here; it took me a while to find "redact", but when I did, I felt like I'd pulled off a heist. Considering they're in secret service, there's whole wells of allusion and connotation behind that one.

19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs.

“Just three words,” [Terra] said. “Two, if you bring in a contraction.”

“Yes. It was me who told you what a contraction is.” Celes groaned at the burn beginning to kindle in the muscles of her arms.

This is a pretty benign exchange on the surface, but the context in which is takes place is so very NSFW it cracks me up every time.

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

Already answered!

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

NO IDEA WHO TO TAG UHHH

@oursassyjho @oreo-leon @visualheresy @elenafisher-wong @october-faye @emiliastargirl @ask-a-w @sarndonic @roundleo i tried tagging some peeps but the tags didn't work so rip uhhh if you wanna do this then do it!

also to clarify i don't actively dislike the concept of major character death- but it has to be done well imo, same with love triangle, most of the time it's not a real triangle. it's gotta go all three ways imo lololol

Fanfic Trope Tiers (you can rename the tiers)

not mine!!!!

but tagging @pink-strawberry-kissess, @firstaidspray, @dearingsxx, if you guys want to!!! no pressure!! anyone else also welcome to do it!

[lordbhreanna]

9 People to Get to Know Better

Thanks for the tag @boom-ovaries-gone!

1. Three ships:

a. Garrus/Shepard (Mass Effect). My Mass Effect brainrot has come back with a vengeance and it's just reminded why I love them so much. No other choice-based RPG has managed to replicate the feeling of having two characters fall in love over the arc of three games like Mass Effect does, and for me Shakarian feels better because it uses the first game as a foundation without any romance, then goes on to develop the relationship into something more and, by the time you reach ME3, you get to experience the intimacy and deep bond between two persons who trust and care for each other in a way that feels incredibly rewarding, because you have witnessed and experienced the journey to get there. And that's why, for me, these two are and will always be top tier ship material.

b. Jill/Nicholai. Does it make sense? No. Do I care? Also no. It's fun to imagine scenarios where they would have to be forced into an alliance, be enemies with benefits, Nicholai gets a sort of "redemption" arc, and more. Sky's the limit.

c. Sauron/Galadriel (LOTR & Rings of Power). I didn't go into ROP expecting to get a hero/villain ship of this caliber, where the stakes are the highest, but here we are. I couldn't believe where they went in the final episode, feeling the showrunners wouldn't have the guts, but OH THEY WENT PLACES (within what the "canon" allows them). I have yet to dip my toes into the fanfic, but it looks very promising.

2. First ever ship: Ada/Leon (Resident Evil). They changed something in my brain chemistry when I was just 8 years old and here we are.

3. Last song: The Last Ascent from the Deep Rock Galactic OST (a co-op game I've been playing with friends where you are a team of space dwarves tasked with mining in extremely dangerous planets' undergrounds - it sounds crazy but it's super fun and the music is good and epic synth tunes).

4. Last film: Murders of the Flower Moon. Despite its length, time flew by while watching it at the cinema.

5. Currently reading: Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S. A. Corey. It started slow, but I'm almost finished with it! The second half is much more engaging than the first, which drags a bit.

6. Currently watching: Babylon 5's season two. Despite the dated CGI and some low cost alien designs, this show has aged incredibly well with its themes.

7. Currently consuming: Nothing, waiting for dinner in a bit.

8. Currently craving: A weekend of doing nothing but playing videogames.

Tagging (but don't feel obliged to): @naldoreth @evesparda @visualheresy @fiannans @whatsarasaid @skyemcflye @rin-may-cry @tanstar @chaoticclaire

And if you feel like doing it, please go ahead and consider yourself tagged!

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

Thank you!!!!! @visualheresy :D

rules: give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the fewest words.

IM STILL A BABY WRITER FOR THIS FANDOM LOL

Fic with the most hits: The Night Shift

Leon found himself looking forward to each and every shift that she would come in. Knowing that he’d be able to see her again. They went on more “not dates,” which mostly consisted of sitting in the corner of the cafe after his shifts. And occasionally enjoying a stroll in the park that often went on too long into the evening. They spent a few nights on the park benches, staring up at the skies and the few stars that managed to shine. - from chapter 2

Second most kudos: Mornings with you

Still not stirred from her sleep, a soft smile grew on his lips as he admired her sleeping form. So rare to see, he couldn’t help but stare. Like a flower that only blooms once, he cherished these soft moments. Memorizing it and tucking it away. She was much more spared from any scars from the world than him, perhaps it was just her ability to always slip away that kept her more unscathed from the world they lived in. She was perfect to him, despite knowing that she was far from perfect from everyone else’s eyes. Her flaws he always seemed to overlook, found them to be endearing somehow. 

Guess that’s how love works. 

Third most comments: A Midnight with you

“You shouldn’t be playing around when you’re working. Should you, Agent Kennedy?” She asks in sultry honey filled voice.

Leon swallows, unable to stay focused. He’d lose focus whenever he was with her.  Especially from her. The warmth of her hands permeated through his suit to his chest. The feeling of her touch trailed down towards his thigh, getting far too close for comfort. He felt his body twinge suddenly. His dress pants growing uncomfortable in seconds. 

Fourth most bookmarks: A Vacation with you

The morning light fills the entire bedroom in that pleasantly annoying way. The sun is so perfectly bright and beautiful but Leon struggles to keep the light away, shielding his eyes with his arm as he struggles to fall asleep again.

He can’t. His head is still pounding. Albeit more tolerable than last night. But more sleep is exactly what he wanted, he’s on vacation after all. Already regretting his choices yet again, he takes a few seconds to recount his night.

He had dinner by the little restaurant near the hotel, the bar. Drinks. More drinks. Even more drinks. Red cherry. The red drink. Red dress. The woman at the bar.

Ada.

Fifth most words: Longing with you

Ada stirred, a more audible sigh leaving her. “Are you going to sleep or keep staring at me?” She finally opened her eyes to see Leon fairly close to her, just inches apart. Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness fairly quickly, seeing the halo of the light from the window shining against his dark blond fringe. Casting an heavenly glow to him. A sight she wished she could see more often, just like this, every night. After everything was said and done, and they only had each other and nothing else.

“I don’t know. Will I see you in the morning?”

Fic with the fewest words: and i'm cheating here but my one post of all my fanarts has the fewest words LMAO some of my leon x ada fanart

my current fave is my newest piece

i have no idea who to tag but whoever wants to do this!!! please do!!!!!!!

[greensaplinggrace]

I was tagged by @spikedspiegel. Thanks a ton! :D

Rules: Tag 9 people you want to know better/catch up with and then answer these questions!

Last Song: False Confidence - Noah Kahan

Last Movie: A Tale of Two Sisters

Currently Reading: I’m doing a reread of Fortress In the Eye of Time by C.J. Cherryh

Currently Watching: BBC Merlin (rewatch lol)

Currently Craving: grilled cheese alkdjfals;kdjfa

---

I’ll tag: @lesbian-dorito, @justawholebunchofcows, @lynnexxx, @melinabeana, @visualheresy, @ooo-itchy-tasty and @ambientauraa

[frozen-fountain]

<3

Well, for what it's worth, I met my partner of six years in a fandom space initially! As for those who I consider friends, here's a compendium of the good humans I've met, either through a shared interest or a more general fanfic-oriented community:

@garth-greensleeves, @vcaudley, @bowieandthemickjaggernauts, @westieistryingherbestie, @ourspecial, @hrh-spinach, @keioschaos, @helloquotemyfoot, @chaosrising451, @morgan-diablood, @danceswithdarkspawn, @late-to-the-fandom, @wandringaesthetic, @laboradorescence, @visualheresy, @anjael, @bleepbloopbotz

And that's only a small sampling. There's others who don't use Tumblr, others with whom I don't feel I've reached the friendship plateau yet but hope we'll get there through knowing one another better, others I don't follow but enjoy seeing around like a neighbour, and others who were friends once but who've drifted away over time.

If I can offer some of my own thoughts on the thesis question here: my feelings on fandom as community are complicated in ways that mostly have to do with late stage capitalism; it's still ultimately a consumer demographic even if through transformative works we're breaking down the divide between fans and creators, and even if the friendships are real, and I do view it as a symptom of this crumbling social order that many of us are so distanced from actual communities that can provide for our needs and look here for connection instead of around us in real time. A shared interest forms a safe zone when getting to know someone in person feels awkward or unsafe. But that's not an either/or - as I say, the connections we make here can be just as real and just as profound, even if they're different and not an adequate replacement. And I say this without judgement, as I hope is clear. I'm here too.

I also think how much of a community a fanfic sphere is can vary according to the size and age of a fandom. A fandom that's very old and/or very large is more likely to splinter into different groups, drawn to different parts of and approaches to the source material, and sometimes these can clash. On the whole I think you're more likely to find that strong community spirit in smaller fandoms, or even in spaces dedicared to the craft more than a specific property.

If you're reading this, OP, it might interest you to know I'm on the moderation team of the r/FanFiction subreddit, and I'd be very happy to answer any questions you had for your project if you think they might be of use!

Hello lovely people !

I was wondering - have any of you found friends over writing/reading fanfiction (and over AO3)? If yes, care to share how?

Why I am asking: Im a sociology student and I'm writing a paper about the fanfiction community and IF there even IS a community, and rn I'm basically stuck which is why I thought why not ask amd get inspired hehe XD

( I just tagged every fandom I am in & in case this appears on someone's page who doesn't know me, hiiii 🤗)

[whatsarasaid]

For that 40 question fanfic meme, I'm sorry I picked so many! 1 through 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 28, 29, 31, 37, and 38. Can't wait to see more work from you btw :)

😭 Jessica, why are you so lovely?

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

Short. Delicate, careful moments. Theme and imagery-heavy. Little dialogue. Almost poetry. Focused on the human experience and (dis)connection.

​2. Is there a trope you've yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

One of these days, I'd like to take a swing at AU. I get self-conscious about it, though, ​because a) many people dislike them and b) it's my own world, and the amount of decision-making is dizzying. I'm better at observation than ideation.

3. ​​Is there a trope you wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole?

I don't write explicit content, and so that eliminates a great many tropes, and thankfully, most of the worrisome ones. Any sort of suffering for suffering's sake is off the table. Let's just say that, in general, I try to avoid gratuity and extremes.

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

If I talk about ideas, I get the gratification of having shared them without having done any of the work, and am therefore less likely to produce the actual thing! It's for everyone's benefit that I keep my cards close to my chest.

5. Share one of your strengths.

Leaving the reader going "Oh!" or "Oh." at the end of a fic.

6. Share one of your weaknesses.

The outrageous inability to write a real plot or anything long. I've studied Dan Harmon's Story Circle and Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey but run into the problem I have in many facets of life: I'm better at theory than praxis. Filling in the gaps with what actually happens in a story shatters my brain. This has everything to do with the fact that I don't think in language or events, but rather impressions. Having to translate thoughts into words is difficult enough when it's 500 words. Over 5000, and I start repeating phrases and tangling imagery and tripping over myself. It's a mess.

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you've written and explain why you're proud of it.

My pieces are basically snippets themselves. 😕

​​8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you've written and explain why you're proud of it.

Nearly every line of dialogue in scales & measure is written one or two steps away from what the characters are actually saying. The quippy humor also works well in that fic.

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

scales & measures (because it was over 5000 words) and absolute bearing (because I wrote it in a pandemic during finals​ and had many people asking for it).

10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

the refrigerator and velocity were written in fugue states.​

11. ​​Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

​It's a hobby, but an important one. I used to play instruments or draw, but as I got older and busier, those skills atrophied and I could no longer express myself with them. Writing, however, has (somewhat) stayed sharp because I use it in my day-to-day, and so I can still scratch that creative itch with it. When I don't write fiction, I crust over.

13. ​What's the best writing advice you've ever come across?

Answered here. ​15. ​If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

scales & measures or ever the survivor, maybe?

17. ​Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?​ ​Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

Start-to-finish. If I'm in a real rut, out of order. No worksheets or outlines, we die like men.

21. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Answered here. ​23. ​Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Passing on this one. It's too overwhelming.

29. ​If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

If a story has left me wanting more, then it did it right, and anything I could add would detract.

31. ​Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

I prefer to be canon-compliant if only because I have more skill in research than I do in creation. Why make it up when I can look it up? Unless I think I can make things cooler or more logical than in canon. In which case....oops. Slipped.

37. ​Talk about your current wips.

• Death Stranding prompt: Fragile partnering with the UCA. • Control ficlet: Trench and the NSC. • Silicon Valley fic(let, maybe): Sorting Richard and Jared now that Jared no longer blindly idolizes Richard. • Resident Evil fic: Carlos(-centric) and Jill post-RE:3 to RE:5.

​38. ​Talk about a review that made your day.

On the hellscape that is the internet, I've somehow had the pleasure of receiving some of the kindest, most articulate comments. Like, really. The reviews my readers leave make me all flustered. I'm so thankful.

Ones that stuck with me, though: Both @visualheresy​ and @tallmatcha​ have read fics of mine that aren't even in fandoms they follow, and took the time to comment, saying they were beautiful. And I think about that a lot. Like, it wasn't even their thing, they were just there for my writing, even if they didn’t understand the context, and that makes me watery inside if I think about it too much.