#what fanfiction is) into my posts and writing

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

Hello, I am an amateur writer, and would like for people to see my original fiction. I've never posted writing anywhere, so I would be starting from scratch. My question to you though is, why host your writing on your own site, rather than somewhere like AO3? Is that an avenue you would recommend to someone who doesn't necessarily want to sell their writing at the moment?

AO3 is for fanfiction and is non-commercial. While it is true that they don't remove original fiction, and it's probably possible to solicit funding for fics on it by linking somewhere like Tumblr and then to Patreon or whatever, me taking advantage of their free labour and their server space to host my original fiction that I write to pay my mortgage would be what we like to call a "major dick move". I have no interest in skeevy bullshit like that. If you ever intend to sell your fiction, I'd recommend not posting what you want to sell on AO3 at all because you're just creating future issues for yourself when you monetise. (AO3 is, however, an excellent place to post to get readers who will give your other fiction hosted elsewhere a try. The first Curse Words readers were all people who liked my fanfic on AO3 and wanted to see more of my writing.)

Having my own website just works out best for me and the way I like to do things. It's certainly not the only option. There are plenty of web serial hosts out there, and they're a good way to get readers since people go to those places specifically looking for web serials. Royal Road and Scribblehub were the big names last I checked, and that's probably still true. If you don't have any particular interest in running your own website, a site like that is a good place to start, since there's a ready audience, a ready community of fellow writers, and it's all set up to add chapters to your stories as easily as possible without you having to add your own links or do anything fiddly, the reader is built into the website already.

[xaviesstarlight]

Finding Your Fanfics

Warnings: SFW fluff, slightly suggestive at end

Saturday night, Tara and Simone stop by your apartment for drinks to unwind from a long week of work. Xavier was already at your place when they arrived, but the two hunters didn’t mind. You and Xavier might as well be married at this point, so they were used to him being part of your little gatherings. He busies himself with preparing you finger foods and mixing cocktails, doing his best to stay out of the way while you all chat. Simone is sharing the plot of a recent fanfic she found of your favorite drama when Tara drunkenly spills your secret for the whole apartment to hear.

“That plot sounds like the one you wrote not long ago,” Tara says to you. “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Simone was reading your fanfiction?”

“SHUT UP!” Simone yells as she excitedly bangs on the table. Xavier pokes his head into the living room, curious as to what could’ve gotten Simone so riled up. “You write fanfiction!? I have to find it.” Simone grabs her phone and begins tapping away at her screen with the investigation skills of a bureau agent.

“No!” Panicking, you try to grab her phone. A blush rises to your ears as you attempt to stop her, but you’re too dizzy from the alcohol. “It’s really not much worth looking at, so please don’t. Just let me die right here from embarrassment.”

Tara pulls up the fanfiction on her phone. “Stop worrying. You’re a great writer,” she says. “Here it is.” Giggling, she hands her phone to Simone.

At this point, Xavier mindlessly wanders over to the girls without you noticing. You are curled into a ball with your face hidden in your hands, halfheartedly begging them to stop reading but also laughing. You don’t notice Xavier reading the screen over Simone’s shoulder until his head snaps up, eyes narrowing in your direction.

“You write about Lumiere?” Goosebumps prickle your skin at Xavier’s question. You glance up to see Xavier towering over you with crossed arms. Yep, you’re sober now. Xavier hates Lumiere, even though they’re the same person. “And this isn’t exactly family-appropriate. What is the plot here?”

Tara and Simone immediately feel the tension in the room. They quickly excuse themselves, practically running out the door to escape your boyfriend’s wrath. Unable to look Xavier in the eye, you whisper, “I can explain.”

Xavier tilts your chin up, so you are forced to meet his steady gaze. “You’re writing ‘romantic’ stories about Lumiere and posting them for everyone to see. From what little I read, you are a talented writer, and I would love to read more of your work. But Lumiere? And why keep it a secret? Do you not trust me?” Xavier pouts. “Do you still like him more than me?”

You poke Xavier’s cheek. “Of course not, silly bunny. I love you the most. You know that. I only wrote one story about him, because a reader asked me to for her birthday.” You cradle Xavier’s face in your hands. “I wasn’t keeping my writing a secret from you. I haven’t written since college. Tara saw me jotting down ideas when I first started back a few weeks ago, and I’m not used to sharing this with anyone. It just didn’t cross my mind. I’m sorry.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you are the only man I think about, Xavie. I love you, and you are more than welcome to read more of what I write.” Xavier begins to glow. He picks you up from off the floor, carrying you to the bedroom. “What are you doing?”

“Your writing is so good and descriptive, but there was one passage in the love scene that I couldn’t quite picture. I was hoping you could show me.” Xavier smirks, and your heart flutters in response. You don’t know whether to curse or thank that reader for her commission.

[the-fab-fox]

ALL OF THIS SO FREAKING MUCH.

Y'all. We have been saying this. Pleading with y'all.

My number one question to my bestie Jen any time comment numbers in used to get I'm no longer getting on newer fics:

Has my writing gotten worse or something?

And I fucking GUARANTEE I'm not the only one who has this thought and has to be talked around by friends.

Think about this. When a book is popular... When it's popular because it's good... Do you know why it's popular...

Not because it's good. I mean, that's the reason it got there but it's not how it got there.

The how is by people talking about it... Reading it... Telling their friends... Making posts about it... Tagging the author in social media to tell them and your followers how it made you feel...

THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR FAVORITE FANFIC WRITERS.

Share with friends in the same fandom you know that will love it. Talk with them about it. Make posts on your blog about it linking it. And for the love of Apollo, Dionysus, Inari Okami, Tyche, Loki, Athena, Hades, Persephone, Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Hestia, and Agni (my patron gods)—COMMENT AND TELL THE WRITER WHAT YOU THOUGHT AND FELT.

We are not being unreasonable. Especially since it is still an issue that you readers have the power to solve if you would just take maybe two minutes max (unless your comment is long—which yes you can absolutely leave long comments, ones I've gotten are some of my most cherished ones) and all the suggestions of what you could do up there in TOTAL - maybe an hour or two max, depending on how many people you have to share it with.

But really. Stop. Stop. Stop. STOP TRYING TO GUILT TRIP OR GASLIGHT (yeah. Some of y'all really do be doing that) INTO THINKING THAT WE DON'T DESERVE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH COMMENTS. THAT JUST READERS READING SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR US. THAT WE SHOULD WRITE FOR OURSELVES AND NOT COMMENTS.

Like I'm sorry. Yes we write for ourselves first but that does not mean we can't and shouldn't expect readers to do their job on their end.

I'm not going to sugar coat this lesson or cut it into mini bite sized pieces any longer.

FANFIC READERS. you may not want to hear this but listen up.

Your job as readers is to comment and kudos the fic you like. If you love it, you should absolutely be doing that and taking the time to share it with others who would enjoy it as well. If you are rereading it so much, comment periodically to tell the writer this and what it means to you and share.

The numbers look like they do on AO3 because you all failed to do your job.

But you can fix it. You just have to start. Doing. Your. Job. As. Fanfiction. Readers.

Full stop.

I really don't understand how "without getting kudos or comments a fanfiction author is going to assume that people who clicked their fic didn't like it" became a controversial take.

I don't know why some people think an author should imagine, or guess that people who click their fic enjoyed it it when nobody is telling them that.

If you're re-reading a fic constantly, or leaving it up in your tab so that it re-loads every day for a hundred days the author is not going to know that unless you tell them. They'd love to hear it. It would make their day.

And if you don't tell them you liked their fic, there's no reason for them to assume you did.

[pharma-tard]

So nobody knows if those text messages are actually legit and even if they are it's literally just thought crime at this point?

Also really brings in a question why you or anyone sat on these for what two or three years as everybody keeps saying so was it really about outing a dangerous person or more likely a vendetta considering other people you claim have allegations against that you didn't expose or what your play in all this is.

There are actual dangerous and creepy men running rampant but you choose this and to do so on the day you did for a reason but tumblr ppl like yourself are retarded and dont need much to bark up a tree.

Do better.

I'll break this down bit by bit

>So nobody knows if those text messages are actually legit

I confirmed they were real when I got them, there's no reason for me to post what I saw for that bc it drags multiple other parties in purely to convince like three people. I've been extremely diplomatic with this drop because it's real, and I think the fact he deleted immediately speaks for itself.

>even if they are it's literally just thought crime at this point?

This is literally the same logic as "no you don't understand, she only looks 10, she's 9000 in the lore". Yeah, it's a "thought crime" -- it's not acceptable to think children or dogs are sexually attractive, and it's even less acceptable to indulge those fantasies. This is not revolutionary thinking.

>Also really brings in a question why you or anyone sat on these for what two or three years

I got the screenshots at like 5 AM Saturday (Serbian time) and gave myself until Sunday to have the post ready. That's about 36 hours.

>so was it really about outing a dangerous person or more likely a vendetta considering other people you claim have allegations against that you didn't expose or what your play in all this is.

This is so stupid and I have to break this down into chunks

Yes, it's about outing a dangerous person. I don't see why "Pharma doesn't like people who want to fuck kids and dogs" is such a hard thing to believe.

I never had anything against him before I found this shit out, in fact I don't think I ever even talked to him the entire leadup to this. I'm extremely loud and annoying about people I hate, and the worst I do is start fights and talk shit. Like come on, you're writing fanfiction at this point.

All I've posted is that I have allegations in my inbox about other people, I didn't say which people, and the purpose of doing that is to encourage people who've actually got evidence to come forward. Would you rather I just post a bunch of "he said this", "he did that", anons with nothing backing them up? Use your head here.

>There are actual dangerous and creepy men running rampant

Yeah and we just got rid of one of them. Again, send me evidence and I'll do the same shit to whoever tf it is you're thinking of.

>tumblr ppl like yourself are retarded and dont need much to bark up a tree.

Very unfortunate choice to use a dog metaphor here is all I'll say to that.

[mangooes]

Beauty and the Beast

A Sylus x reader (non mc) fanfiction

~ In which (Name), the most beautiful maiden in Taurus City, yearns for a life outside her walls.

It is recommended to read this chapter while listening to the "Belle" ost from the beauty and the beast! As i took alot of inspiration from it while writing this prologue chapter!

Prologue - There must be more than this provincial life!

The city of Taurus was a place where time moved slowly. Each morning began with the scent of fresh bread wafting from the baker’s shop, the sound of birds chirping, and the chatter of civilians busying themselves. The old cobblestone pathways bustled with merchants selling their wares. The people were simple, content in their quiet lives, easly satisfied with their bussiness and routines. Yet there was one among them who did not quite belong.

(Name)

Now, it's no wonder that her name means "Beauty". Her looks have got no parallel. They praised her beauty that has no pararell with anyone, though just as often they shower her with praises, they whispered about how she always had her nose stuck in a book, a bookworm, a lone girl who cares too much about the outside world for her own good.

While others gossiped in the marketplace or busied themselves with mundane chores, (Name) wandered through the village square with a novel clutched to her chest, her soft brown eyes lost in distant thoughts of grand adventures and far-off lands.

'Little town its a quite village..' she thinks, walking down the long path, only her book keeping her entertained.

"Bonjour (Name)!" "Bonjour Miss Mausine!""Bonjour little madame.!" "Bonjour!"

Everday, like the one before, every morning just the same, to this provincial...life.

She walked towards the end of the road and stood atop the hill overlooking Taurus City, the wind gently tousling her hair as she gazed at the vast landscape before her. She sits on the lush grassfield, too engrosed in her own world. 'Isn't this amazing??' she thinks to herself, reading the words written in the book on her hand. "This is where she met prince charming! Tho she won't discover that its him till chapter three... oh how i could read this book all over again!" she gushes herself.

The wind rustles through her hair, as she looks up towards the view infront of her. Beyond the sharp cliffs, rolling meadows and endless forests lay a world she had never seen, one filled with interesting things, with stories far grander than the ones bound in the pages of her books. Her mind drifts off, imagining a field of beautiful flowers...just like the ones in her storybooks, just like a fairytale.

Looking at the view infront of her, her eyes stared at the horizon longingly, 'wish i could have taken you to that flowerfield papa...'

A nostalgic feeling surges, Her father, Maurice, a kind and eccentric inventor, often chuckled at her longing. “The world out there isn’t always as wonderful as the stories, my dear,” he would say. "But father, whatever the cost, I want to see it with my own two eyes!" (Name) would always replied, "I know I know.." her father laughs, "When the time comes, show it to me too okay dear? Promise me that you would always be happy.." the distant memory echoes, her heart ached for the lost of her only family member, for something more than the repetition of her daily life.

The villagers, however, did not understand her yearning. To them, (Name)’s beauty was wasted on her oddity. Nothing like the rest of them. A puzzle to the rest of them.

Of course, many had tried to court her, but she found no charm in men who could only speak of hunting and drinking, boasting about their richness and arogance..

What was the point of a handsome suitor if he could not dream beyond the village borders? If he could not see the endless possibilities waiting beyond Taurus’s walls?

And so, (Name) remained an enigma, admired yet isolated.

(Hello! Might edit this later but I'll post the first chapter on friday since i have an upcomming test tomorrow :(( hope you guys enjoyed this prologue tho! Comments and sudgestions are welcomed <3)

[messrsrarchives]

Hello! I adore your blog and your yaps so much I’ve been following you for a few months now and I first wanted to tell you that you do so much good! So, a huge thanks to you for using your platform for trans topics/Palestine/as well as fandom etiquette/awareness and for just being amazing!

All things aside though, I do have a question! I was wondering what your opinion on @the-dead-gay-oscars was. I stumbled upon it recently and felt kind of an icky feeling about it, because it just feels like another way of comparing fanfic to mainstream media when fanfic isn’t really meant to be like that? It’s also putting a bunch of fanfic out there for people to vote on/critique publicly, and I cant find whether or not the fanfic writers are asked for permission for their fics to be included in such an event- especially when I know a lot of people have boundaries over that kind of thing. I just wonder if it brings back that almost expectation for fanfiction to be like published modern literature/movies. I doubt anyone had the intention for it to be like that but I just don’t really like it?

Idk, it just left me feeling weird about the whole thing, but maybe I’m being over dramatic and critical over something meant to be fun, which could totally be the case. 😅

Anyways, thank you so much for what you do! Have a nice day!

hiii !! first of all!!! thank youuu 😖😖🫂🫂

and yeah,,, not a fan. idk if this mention tags them and if it does, sorry!!! just some gentle opinions 😖

idk like,, "best" categories in fandom really ick me out. and i think it can be very discouraging to others? like how does the voting work? do they select nominations and then others vote?

oh you've said they do! so yes, then it turns into "oh my work wasnt as good as the one that won" etc etc - i just think there's better ways to show appreciation than creating more pedestals in a fandom that already has a massive issue with idolisation, imposter syndrome, etc etc

and whether the authors are asked permission or not is irrelevant to me (actually,, probably worse if they are and agree in my mind)

idk. good concept, poor execution that i personally think is just discouraging and competitive when this space is for everyyyyyyone to create and enjoy without worrying whether you're better than someone else or the "best" etc etc. and yes, 100% brings expectations.

i get it was for appreciation, but i dislike the notion when really you could just comment on a fic and say you liked it, and then make a post recommending it, or rec it to your friends etc etc. you know??

we don't need awards and competition, we need community and an encouraging space where everyone feels confident to engage and write and draw and edit and do whatever it is that they do without worrying about whether they're the best at it or if they're as good as someone else

unless i get best rant poster. then it's okay. (I'M KIDDING THAT WAS A /J. THAT WAS A JOKE.)

[arliaeien]

This makes me think about my evolution as a writer.

My first long fic, as a new writer, I used to consider a chapter done around 2k~2,5k words. That's around 10 pages in Word.

Rewriting this same story one year later, it grew between 3,5k~5k. At the same time, as a reader, I was enjoying more and more the longer chapters (between 5k~10k).

There had been a long time while I only was writing one-shots, then engaging as a beta reader, making translations... To sum up: not writing stories, and even less, ones needing me to arrange a new story in different chapters.

Some years ago, I dedicated myself to the rewriting of my first story (the last I've done) and had those quite big chapters (around 7k), I was happy with, and that didn't make me think, except that one time, I had to cut one too big in two smaller ones. Those chapters were in no way a 'one idea, one chapter' thing like. The cuts were rather happening when there was a change about the place, and/or time passing.

And when I started writing the sequel of this 80k story, about the characters meeting monthly, I just wrote a one-shot for every month. Whatever it was 10k, 20k or even 30k.

It's not written in English and the fandom was almost dead for the last ten years. There were no readers (think like 30 hits in five years on AO3). So why should I have cared? The big one-shot was what I personally prefer.

Came year 2021. New fandom, existing fan base in English, no one in my mother tongue. And I've gotten this idea of post-canon story. One, nobody had done before me. Or rather, nobody had done it, the way I wanted it to be. It's this that has triggered me trying to write in English. ...probably succeeding, at some point. It is a 70k, in the end.

First long story in a while, whatever the language was different, I've kept the same tastes and methods, reflecting over the construction of the story, and ended up having chapter between 5k~7,5k. My goal was quite easy : three main ideas / scenes making one chapter. Providing long chapters to readers was what's important to me, because that's what I love myself.

Up to these last years. I'm working on a monster story (156k ongoing \o/). I didn't have any plan, starting writing it. My first chapter was a two-big-scenes, around 3K words, which I consider cool enough. Second chapter... was happening later, somewhere else. And I ended up having four-big-scenes, 7k words. Yeah, could cut this in two parts. Except number 3 was 3-big-scenes and 5k words. Go tear your own hair out. This was difficult to me. I couldn't work with chapters with sizes so different. It wasn't me. It didn't feel good. I couldn't see how anyone could actually enjoy such variations. How could it be considered otherwise than "Oh yeah, one long/short chapter!" / "Oh no, one long/short chapter!" depending on the reader's taste.

How long is not the point. REGULARITY was the point.

So my badly proportionate 'chapters' became 'arcs'. And every arc, was cut around 1,5k words. One idea, two maximum, and cut! I loved this. Writing fanfictions about one manga whose chapters were arranged to form arcs, it felt like respecting the canon better. Felt great!

...well, I was still myself. My goal of going between 1,2k~2k words for one chapter become 1,5k~2k. Then 2,5k. Today, I'm a little annoyed proofreading, having to fight against myself for some of them not going over 3k. Not too bad, but not what I wanted.

This to say: I'm living a paradox. The way I publish this story wouldn't suit me as a reader. 1,5k or even 2k a week is to me desperately slow.

I just can't. Re-reading some moments of the story for pleasure, or working on it, I usually go with 3 of them. Sometimes 4. All by instinct, not caring whether it's an arc or crossing two or more of them. Because the 5k~10k is what work for me as a reader :P

So, what's my point?

The ideal length doesn't exist. It's a matter of skill, and of feelings, but not only. My ideal length as a new writer was different from 2-years experience me, 5-years, 10-years, and now 18-years experience me. Sometimes I've cared about reader-experience, sometimes I haven't. I have loved the years producing the fattest one-shots. It's unrivaled freedom writing something. But even without arranging chapters, there were breaks, cutting scenes, the reader was able to breathe. And nowadays, publishing weekly for one year and a half, I use a format I wouldn't like myself but readers seems to enjoy (and that's strangely the same as the one I once used as a beginner : 2,5k per chapter).

...perhaps all this is a circle. ⚪

While looking for something else, I found an old ask I answered about "ideal chapter length" in terms of word count.

I've been asked this probably a dozen or more times, and each time I need to take a moment and adjust my thinking to take the asker's point of view into account. Because the thing is? The only time I ever try to factor the word count into how I write a story is when I'm aiming for a true drabble.

For whatever reason, this difference in thinking stuck with me today and I actually considered why that might be. And I think it's because I'm in my 40s and the first 25-30 years of my life, any stories I was reading were printed on paper and bound into physical books.

When I imagine a novel, I still think of a mass market paperback on my bookshelf. An average one would be maybe an inch thick, probably in the neighbourhood of 300 pages. A long one would be maybe as much as two inches thick and 500 or more pages long. A short one was always nice to have because it filled in the gaps in the shelf because 200 page books were so much narrower. Or so it seemed.

When I started posting my fic online, I still thought in terms of pages. I'd type them out in whatever word processing software I was using at the time, and I'd usually get a chapter's worth of ideas into 3 or 4 pages. Turns out that's about 1000 words, which makes sense with the number of 1000 word essays I wrote in high school. I'd been trained to encapsulate an idea into approximately that length.

And that's what it comes down to. The thing that always made that question seem weird to me. A chapter isn't about how many words there are in it, just like a cake isn't about how many cups of flour exist in each slice. A chapter is a an idea that helps make up a bigger idea called a story, and it needs to be however many words that idea needs to be to get it out.

[camcat1320]

Book 4: Air, the Missing Element

People have been asking for a link to my fanfic. I'm sorry to disappoint but the majority of it is still in development. I have posted 2 pilot chapters but these are being rewritten. If you want something to gnaw on, here's the link to the pilots.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55222942/chapters/140068033

The idea for this fanfiction is to write what might've been Book 4 had it not been shut down. It will have a total of 19 episodes and a movie length finale. I'm writing it in Y7-FV tv rating style so it is appropriate for all ages. I'm also writing it as a screenplay to help me cut down on writing time.

This fanfic will be a slow burn Zutara/Taang fanfic with a message of friendship and chosen family in the end. Heavy social and political topics will also be explored, taking inspiration from the pages of history.

Thank you!

[toshio]

okay friends. it's been a while since i did an "anime recommendation" post but i'm gonna try do more of them! just remind me on anon or something, i love doing them & sharing my fave anime w/ y'all, duh.

do you like historical fiction? japan? hip-hop music? nujabes? (rip legend, he died in 2010) giant swords, drama and action?

let me yap to you about one of my favorite animes ever.

"samurai champloo" サム��イチャンプルー (2004)

the series takes place during an "alternate" version of Edo Japan (anywhere from 1603 to 1867) and it's not historically accurate at all, it's basically just historical fanfiction. even though the anime takes place during the past, the characters are written veryyy contemporary (2000s lingo basically). expect to hear upbeat, hip-hop music with otherwordly yet immaculately produced instrumentals/samples while there's swords clashing.

speaking of music...

let me tell you. the soundtrack on this anime is fucking INSANE. if you enjoy hip hop music, fresh beats, instrumental music that will make you stay up at night and question your existence, this anime has it. mind you, this music was released in the year 2004, and kids on tiktok now are jamming to "aruarian dance" (one of my favorite instrumental songs from the OST) and putting it in the background of their influencer or goofy cat reels. the year i'm writing this post is 2025 and the kiddos fucking looove this anime's soundtrack. it's absolutely timeless. get. into. it. it's that fucking good. all of it is on spotify and other streaming platforms btw. support my king nujabes.

to summarize the plot, Samurai Champloo follows the adventures of three (3) characters. a young girl who's originally a tea waitress (Fuu) who brings two gifted swordsmen with her. their polarizing personalities make the series extremely entertaining, as they often clash and argue over anything. (just dudes being dudes, y'know?)

Mugen (in red) who's your typical jackass. he's rude and lewd. loves women. very unhinged. a lot of fans vibe w/ this guy, his personality is unlike anything i've ever seen in anime. absolute trailblazer. he's the type of kid in high school to pick a fight with you for absolutely no goddamn reason, like over your lunch or something petty.

Jin (in blue) is your typical good guy. quiet dude who is calm and collected. he rarely smiles, and is basically that one quiet kid who's a total badass. we all knew that kid growing up. that's jin. we love jin.

i guarantee you the first episode of this anime will have you HOOKED. this anime is the origin of this iconic misleading boob gif btw. weeb tumblr veterans know exactly what i'm talking about.

the first episode is such a rollercoaster, and a really good introduction to the series. oh and this is one of those rare anime series where the english dub is STELLAR. highly recommend the english dub if you don't like reading japanese subtitles. it fits perfectly with the hip hop music playing in the background. you've got amazing voices like Steve Blum (voices Mugen), Kirk Thornton (voices Jin), and the iconic Kari Wahlgren (voices Fuu).

let me know if you guys pick up this anime, it's a classic! you can get your daily dose of Japan, sword clashing, and hip hop beats. there's about 26 episodes total, nothing too crazy long.

[pebblysand]

this is a political space.

i know. i've been a bit quiet lately.

quiet with everything that's happening, and since castles ending, and not that i've been regrouping, but i've been putting off blogging. mostly because in the grand scheme of things, i don't believe that what i say (or think) really matters, and i never want to sound pedantic or entitled. but.

i have gotten/seen a couple of comments about castles in the past few weeks that have made me reflect. specifically, in their own way, both the ones i'm thinking of at the moment, were saying multiple versions of the same thing: "i read fanfiction for the purpose of escapism, and i didn't like that this fic featured politics so heavily."

now, i want to state at the outset that i am not writing this post to throw shade at these commenters, or to complain in any way. one of them follows me on here, and was awfully kind and sweet and really not meant as a criticism at all, just an observation. the second was a post made on reddit, which is a reader space, and they have a right to their opinion as long as they're not screaming it in my face in my comments (which in this case they weren't), so that's no problem.

it's just that, as i said above, it's made me reflect, and question. why do i do this? as you may know, i've embarked recently on my first "real" project since castles (the fault in faulty manufacturing, part 2) which i'm hoping to release on St Patrick's Day (please lord let me keep my deadline), and am envisioning to be probably around the same length, wordcount-wise as tfifm (but we shall see).

broadly speaking, it is a story about love and choice, and hope, and sacrifice. more narrowly, it is a story about a girl who is having to cope with being caught in the aftermath of two wars: a colonial war she didn't fight in (the Troubles) but is omnipresent in her daily life, and a civil war she did fight in (the Second Wizarding War) but which almost no one around her knows exists. it is a story about the dynamics of marital affairs and the boundaries of choice, a story about the realities and ethics of war reporting in the media and a story about adoption and surrogacy.

i wonder: do you see where i'm going with this? my point is: chiefly, yes, i write about people. i write about people and their lives and i write with as much empathy as i can muster, to give a voice to my characters (and through them, to all of us). that will always be my guiding principle. but i also think that to me, with the kind of writing i do, the line between people and politics is thin. how can i write about abortion and/or surrogacy, without acknowledging dobbs? how can i write about muggle rights without acknowledging the fact that muggles and squibs are an allegory for marginalised communities?

the comment i read on reddit basically said: "i liked pebbles until she started including politics." i won't lie: it made me cackle (because what a slay) but since then, i can't stop wondering: what "until" are we talking about, here? the aftermath of the war is political. the trials are political. harry's job as a cop is political. ginny's assault is political. or, is the problem when international matters got involved? when muggle politics became more explicitly influential? is the assault on a personal level okay, but the moment you give it political resonance with #metoo, it isn't?

nothing i write will ever exist in a political vacuum. because people and their experiences don't exist in a political vacuum. and, to be clear, i have never written to convince anyone. i am not here to convince you that the 2003 US invasion of Iraq was wrong, or that violence against women is endemic. if you are a reader and disagree with these statements, then that is - frankly - your problem, not mine. i see my work more like a... dissenting opinion. a hopeless, mostly impact-less but also somehow hopeful and impactful dissenting opinion.

i was re-reading the dobbs dissent this morning (as one randomly does, lol). in conclusion, justices breyer, sotomayor and kagan wrote: "with sorrow, [...] we dissent." these days, i think that's why write. because with sorrow, i dissent. and i don't think my little fanfictions in this little corner of the internet will ever be important or change anything to the world we live in - i don't even think the original fiction i will eventually write (i promise) could change anything. i just hope that someone else will read my work and think: "yeah, with sorrow, i dissent, too." and so, with sorrow, we will continue to dissent.

i know (and understand) that what fandom wants, right now, is escapism. i know (and understand) that to a lot of people, right now, fandom is a safety valve and a safe space away from the aggressions brought on by the rest of the world. you see this even with published fiction and the rise of "cosy" literature. and god, i get it. i really do. i don't blame you. what fandom wants from me, right now, is more slipped and the wolf's just puppy and less castles, act 3.

but i can't give you that. it's never really been me, and it's certainly not me right now. i don't want to escape, i want to blow up barricades. i don't know if that will ever change, i don't know if i'll feel differently in a year or two years' time. but for now, as far as i'm concerned, as far as my work is concerned, this is a political space.

and with sorrow, i dissent.

[izzythedemigod]

I just found the funniest font ever

Like. What is this. Why is this. Who is the target audience of this?

[carolinanadeau]

"this female character is underdeveloped" TO YOU. I can read subtext and I know all about her backstory and her rich inner life. also she told me personally

[xxplastic-cubexx]

personal happiness or what the fuck ever

bonus:

[lumiy-a]

apparently this post generated some backlash on my husband, as i received more than one anon ask accusing him of scolding me as if he was a parent, and that he doesn’t have the right to draw the line at the sheep, and i should get the sheep anyway… (a sheep i don’t want, for the record)

guys. i appreciate your concern but… notwithstanding that he was clearly joking when using this wording, my husband is the NO. 1 supporter of each and every single crazy hobby i get into. he was supporting me when i was making cosmetics and transforming our apartment in a lab where he had to be careful before picking up a glass and thinking it was water. he supported my “i prepare all food from scratch” journey and ate stuff that should never be eaten by a sane human. he supports my fanfiction writing even if i forbid him (yes! i draw lines too!) to read it. he supports my tatting and defends my hobby in front of people who turn up their nose when they learn i do such a grandma thing*. he cheers on my drawings even if he doesn’t know who the people in the drawing are. he supports my spending a fortune (of our money) to finish collecting the w.i.t.c.h. comic. he always moved his chair next to my piano when i was still playing so he could hear what he could through the headphones (we live in an apartment so i rarely played open).

*yes yes before i get an anon ask on this: i can defend myself and my hobby on my own too, but trust me it’s nice when your life partners also stands up for what you do

i wouldn’t marry someone who doesn’t support my stuff and who doesn’t treat me like a grownup but i think i also have to say that he DOES have a right to voice his opinion on whether he agrees or not on acquiring a SHEEP in an apartment that we SHARE. wouldn’t it be the same for me? imagine he comes back home one day with a sheep and at my questioning look he says, “i’m a grownup, you don’t get to decide for me if we can have a sheep”

i think here the “we” is the key. one thing is not letting husbands decide for you and being bosses instead of partners, but this doesn’t mean that i get to become the boss. we share spaces and a life so we should agree on things that concern both of us, like… well, having a sheep running around in our apartment in a big city.

husband’s reaction to my “i was watching some videos on how they spin wool with the drop spindle” was “okay, i’m fine if you want to do it, but i draw the line at when you want to have the sheep” so i suppose we’re good to go for now

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Happy Birthday to Fallen London; My favourite British people beefing it with bats simulator.

[wandaverse]

playing with fire.

— buff firefighter!wanda x college student!reader

— summary: the 5 times you meet and the 1 time wanda lights a different kind of fire

— tags: pure fluff, major horniness, implied smut

— word count: 1,252 words

1. the first time you meet is late at night when there’s a fire in your dorm.

someone down the hall sets fire to their microwave trying to heat up a burrito. deeply asleep with fatigue from the week’s intense assessments, you don’t hear the screeching alarms.

without hesitation, a chilvarous wanda arrives at the scene and kicks down your door, carrying you out bridal style. wanda’s not complaining, not with the way you sleepily nuzzle into the safety of her neck.

through your sleepy haze you wonder who the buff woman carrying you out the building is, she smells like smoked cedar with faint hints of sea salt. you decide that you like this scent and the warmth that accompanies it.

2. you next meet at a sorority party gone wrong.

your friends get the stupid idea of trying fire breathing. the only thing you end up breathing though is clouds of smoke when your sorority house almost burns down. wanda arrives in the nick of time in her blaring red truck and douses the flames.

something else ignites within you though when you meet her properly for the first time, awake and certainly alert. you take in the sight of her breathless figure after rushing to fight the flames. so this is who saved you that night in your dorm… oh.

wanda is not particularly amused at you and your friends’ irresponsible antics. you shrink under the weight of her disapproving gaze, but also can’t help but cheekily grin. wanda can’t stay upset, she has to admit you look cute with ash all over your face.

3. your paths cross again when you notice a kitten stuck in a tree while studying on your campus’ lawn.

after many futile rescue attempts, you call emergency services and once again your knight in shining armour (or rather, reflective PPE) arrives. she gallantly climbs her ladder and saves the kitten. you don’t deny enjoying the view of her sunkissed skin when she takes off her jacket to swaddle the kitten.

afterwards, wanting to prolong the encounter, wanda asks if you want to ride with her in her fire truck to drop the kitten off at the nearest vet. you excitedly accept her offer and enjoy the trip around the city. wanda secretly steals fond glances at you, looking adorable with the kitten in your lap.

4. the next time you meet is not in the face of life threatening danger, but rather danger to your self-composure.

on a regular trip to the supermarket, you pass the row of calendars and your eyes land on a familiar face on the annual westview firefighters calendar sold for charity. you can’t ignore the curiosity that compels you to take a sneaky peak at its contents.

your cheeks instantly burn red when you turn to february’s page and find your favourite firefighter scantily clad and leaving little to the imagination. standing in a shallow pool of water with flames raging around her, wanda poses with an axe slung across her shoulders, wearing only a black training bra and her firefighter pants. her buff arms and unsurprisingly toned abs are on show as she stares directly at you the camera. you fight the urge to bite your lip at her flexed muscles, her sunkissed skin, the shine of her sweat mixing with ash. you’ve never felt so taken before, you forget your bearings for a second.

that is, until you hear a familiar voice call out your name.

your ears register her presence before your eyes and you quickly shut the calendar, throwing it back on the shelf as if its touch has burned you. you ready to make an excuse until you finally look up and find the firefighter just as scantily clad as, if not more than, her outfit in the calendar’s photoshoot.

wanda approaches you, seemingly in her post-workout fit and you have to stop yourself from drooling at the sight of her sweaty and taut arms and abs, only this time in real life. god, the photo doesn’t even do her justice. wanda calls out your name again with a husky laugh and your blush profusely, realising you’ve been caught ogling her not once but twice.

5. you meet once again when you move out to an apartment near campus and decide to cook dinner for yourself.

you quickly realise that you actually have no idea how to cook when your entire kitchen ends up in flames. wanda arrives just in time and puts out the grease fire. for a second, you can’t help but question fate. it’s as if there’s only one firefighter in all of westview with the way wanda always finds her way back to you. you’re not complaining though.

she turns to you and scolds you for your carelessness, but not before checking that you’re okay and not hurt by the wild fire. your heart secretly skips a beat at the continued display of care. ever the prince charming, isn’t she?

before she leaves for the next emergency, though, she asks you out for dinner instead. unsurprisingly, you say yes.

+1. the evening of your first date arrives.

you’re lounging on the couch in your apartment watching a sitcom when you hear a knock on your window. wanda has climbed up the fire escape and asks to be let in like a lost kitten. you lift open the window with a laugh and she tells you that she’s set up a picnic under the stars on the rooftop. she escorts you back out the window and up the fire escape. you giggle adoringly at her antics.

the evening goes well as you two happily find that the spark between you wasn’t imagined and isn’t going to fizzle out anytime soon. conversation flows naturally and you enjoy the food wanda has cooked for you. she jokes that at least one of you can cook, which earns her a playful slap. but when you reach over to do so, you accidentally knock over a candle and almost burn the entire picnic blanket. the fire is quickly avoided though thanks to wanda’s quick reflexes. she gives you a humuored tsk, but you secretly revel in her display of protection.

the evening comes to an end as the city around you calms down and the stars settle in for the night. wanda escorts you down the fire escape once again and the butterflies in your stomach continue to take flight. when you reach your window, you turn to wanda and thank her for the evening, for thinking of such a lovely idea and packing such a delightful picnic. when you place a goodbye kiss on her lips though and she takes you in her arms, you quickly realise that that’s not the only thing she’s packed.

wanda pulls back and blushes sheepishly at your realisation, but it’s enough to set you off. all night you’ve been teased with the sight of her shirt lifting and showing the slightest glimpse of her abs, the tight fit of her t-shirt’s sleeve around her arms, the simple yet alluringly attractive way she runs her fingers through her hair. she’s been teasing you all night and you decide that you’ve had enough. you quickly engulf her in kisses and pull her boldly through your window.

your night rages on and as the flaming sun begins to rise, wanda pleasantly learns that there’s one particular fire that she just can’t put out.

the end.