#will hopefully develop into a longfic

[hrtiu]

Lucanis WIP

I'm working on a Lucanis x Crow Rook fic and thought I'd share a chunk. The story is going to explore some of the darker aspects of the Crows, and how their respective backgrounds influenced them. This snippet in particular is about how Lucanis's background has made it difficult for him to separate intimacy from violence. This scene is from when he is around 18, and has just moved out of Caterina's villa.

TW for brief violence and spicy makeouts. I'm hoping to get more written before I actually begin post this to AO3, but would love to see if anyone else is interested in this kind of story. I'm really excited about it!

Caterina was not the first visitor Lucanis had wanted in his new apartment, and yet here she was.

Caterina’s cane thunked heavily against the cheap pine floors as she toured the modest space, her nose wrinkled at the smell.

“You know the family’s downtown apartments are always available to you, right?” she said, her eyes scanning the slim bed, rickety desk, and barren drawers that served as Lucanis’s only furniture.

“I know. I’ll move there when I feel like I’ve earned it. How can I understand my marks if I’ve hardly lived in the world?”

Caterina nodded, and Lucanis couldn’t help but feel like he’d passed some kind of test.

Caterina sat carefully on the stained chair in the corner and nodded her head.

“You’ll do well here, my boy,” she said.

“Or I’ll die.”

A genuine laugh fell from Caterina’s lips at that. Lucanis couldn’t count the number of times he’d heard Caterina’s personal motto growing up: succeed or die. And of course Caterina loved nothing more than her own orders repeated back to her.

“That’s right, she said with a smile, “And I know which side of the coin you’ll fall on.”

“Thank you.”

Caterina reached into the dusty old handbag she always carried and pulled out a short, wicked-looking dagger.

“One last gift before I go,” she said, and instead of handing the blade to Lucanis, she walked over to his bed and tucked it nearly under his pillow.

“Really, Caterina?” Lucanis asked. “You think I don’t have enough knives?”

“You can never have enough knives,” she dismissed. “And now you have a proper Crow housewarming.”

“My house definitely feels warmed,” Lucanis muttered under his breath.

There was no way Caterina’s sharp ears didn’t hear him, but she ignored it.

“I’d best be on my way,” she said, gathering her things to herself with her chin raised. “Your cousin wants to show me his own apartments.”

“Of course.”

She walked out the door and Lucanis watched her go, wondering what she’d think of Illario’s luxurious new home. It would be strange, living without his cousin for the first time since their parents had died. Lucanis was worried that their time apart would deepen the already growing contrast between them.

From somewhere down below, Lucanis heard the street front door of his walk-up apartment close. Caterina was gone, and something tense in Lucanis’s chest eased.

Then, mere moments later, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Lucanis’s heart rate picked up. He had barely heard her footsteps approach his door. She must have taken his urge for discretion seriously.

In two steps the door was open, revealing the smiling, heart-shaped face of the woman he adored.

“Mariana!” he said, embarrassed at how breathless he sounded.

“Lucanis! I waited for your grandmother to leave. It felt like it took forever,” Mariana said. She was the picture of Antivan beauty: rich, clear skin, a generous figure, and mouth made for smiling. 

“I’ve been waiting for this visit all week. Imagine how long that’s felt for me.”

Her smile broadened, and Lucanis knew he’d never tire of seeing it. He’d thought her smile cute when they’d first met at her stall in the market the previous year. Now, after sharing evening strolls, stolen kisses, and countless cups of coffee, Lucanis was convinced she was the most beautiful woman in all of Thedas.

“May I come in?” Mariana asked, and Lucanis realized she was still waiting on the threshold.

“Of course, of course, mi vida.”

“‘Mi vida’?” she said, stepping into the apartment with a coy smile. “You’re very bold today.”

He closed and locked the door behind her with one fluid motion, then pulled her into his arms.

“Something about you makes me feel bold.”

She laughed and swatted him playfully on the chest.

“I’m just a normal shop girl. What could possibly be inspiring about me to a Crow?”

He caught the hand that had swatted him and pressed it to his cheek, relishing in the feeling of fingers meant to caress and love rather than maim and kill.

“You are anything but normal to me, mi vida.”

Lucanis believed this with his whole heart, but he couldn’t deny that her very normality was part of the appeal. As steeped in the cloak and dagger of the Crows as he was, the pure and unqualified affection of a girl like Mariana was a breath of fresh air.

“Hmm, pretty words,” she hummed. “Do you care to prove them?”

Her hand pulled gently down his cheek, onto his chest, and further down. Not to the point of lewdness, but further than they had ever gone before. She’d always respected his boundaries, and the canals and alleyways they’d frequented in the past hadn’t afford this level of privacy.

Lucanis’s mouth went dry. Alone with Mariana. Nothing holding them back.

His hands went to her hips and he pulled her flush against him. He couldn’t pull away even if he’d wanted to, drawn to her like the tides to the moons. 

“You drive me crazy,” he said, lowering his mouth to the space where her shoulder and neck met.

Her arms snaked up his back and she walked him backwards through the small apartment. Back, back, back, until they were falling onto his bed. Soon, she was straddling him. Her small hands raked up and down his body, and his thoughts lost any form of coherence.

Things were moving faster than he’d expected, but how could he complain? He was in paradise. She was bliss.

She kissed him, her tongue passionate and demanding. He tried to keep up, but in the back of his mind a strange sense of unease started to creep in. 

What, are you afraid, cousin? Illario’s mocking voice sounded in the back of his head. What would the other houses think if they knew the great Lucanis Dellamorte was afraid of women? Afraid of sex?

Mariana started to undo the buttons of his shirt, and Lucanis let her, defiantly spurning the voice in his head. He wasn’t afraid of this. He wasn’t afraid of anything.

He reached for her thighs under her generous skirts, but before he could explore further, she unbuckled one, two, three belts and threw them to the floor. The fine leather and metal knife sheaths thudded heavily on the wooden floor.

“We won’t be needing those right now, will we?” she said with a smirk.

Then she leaned in to kiss him again. As she leaned, her weight shifted. A warning voice that sounded strangely like Caterina broke through the muddled warmth in his mind. The voice screamed at him words of danger, caution, and violence.

Mariana was on top of him, her knees pinning him tightly to the bed and her hands pressing his shoulders into his pillow. Lucanis suddenly felt trapped, as vulnerable as a hare in a hunter’s snare. He jerked his body to the side right as Mariana’s dagger stabbed into his ribs.

“House Velardo send their regards” her hot breath hissed into his ear.

Ignoring the pain, Lucanis’s hand strained against her grip long enough to find the handle of Caterina’s knife under his pillow. As his fingers closed around it, he yanked his hand free and sliced the dagger across her neck in a flash. She collapsed on top of him immediately, her warm blood dripping onto his bare chest.

Lucanis’s heart raced with adrenaline. He shoved Mariana’s body off of him and forced himself to stand. Upon inspection, the wound in his side was deep but not lethal. She would have got him right in the heart if he hadn’t moved at the last moment. She certainly had known what she was doing.

Hands shaking, Lucanis gathered up his clothing and set about washing all the blood away using only the water from the tiny sink in the bathroom. He had no idea how long it took. Then he dressed himself and headed for the Diamond.

He told the man who usually dealt with the bodies about Mariana’s corpse. Only the location--no other details. He told nobody else.

That night, he drank with Illario until the shaking stopped. If Illario noticed, he said nothing.

[empressofthewind]

Hey there, Meronia fan! Do you mind if I ask for Meronia fics recs? And, do you have any fav ships (from any fandom) that the dynamics remind you of Mello/Near?

You can't imagine, how excited I am to find your blog. Let's just say in my older anime/manga group who love Death Note mostly ship Lawlight & Matt/Mello, anti Meronia and are Near haters. So when I said I love Meronia, some blocked me and said I was the weird one. So, I never said it again. But now, after I got out from that group I feel better. Then finding your blog with amazing Mello and Near's metas, I'm so happy! Thanks for your blog...

Thank you very much!!! I'm so happy to hear this :-) in my experience most people on Tumblr are pretty normal about Meronia, and it's SO easy to block/filter users who aren't.

Unfortunately re: ships with similar dynamics, I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'll put this post in the ship tag; I'm sure someone else will have an answer!! In terms of fic recs, I've actually set up my bookmarks page on AO3 to function like a rec list. I have 36 fics there each with a little blurb and I'm constantly updating it, so hopefully a decent amount that you haven't read! I'll pick 10 of them to link here for easy access (ordered by rating in case you can't/don't want to read the mature ones):

the roof by @lightningblade | 3692 words | Rated T

This is a college AU focused on the development of Mello and Near's relationship through a series of encounters on a rooftop. The writing is GORGEOUS, the progression is masterfully done, and it removes the element of the rivalry without removing the core of what makes Meronia such a great ship! There's also a companion piece up as of yesterday which I'm still recovering from (very very positive).

Dear Mello by @tzviaariella | 4158 words | Rated T

This fic is written during the canon timeline through a series of emails. It's an AU where Mello survives, originally written for the 2023 Meronia Zine but also posted on AO3 (which is what I've linked here). The format is really creative and I'm OBSESSED with the way Mello and Near's dynamic is written. The petty back-and-forth is very entertaining and in-character, and there's a certain familiarity and fondness underlying it that I adore. There are also a few artworks throughout which is a nice treat!!

How to Get Any Guy to Fall in Love with You by Sick_head_Sweet_heart | 7025 words | Rated T

This one has such a late-2000s fandom classic feel to it that I'm surprised it's only a few years old??? It's set at Wammy's House, in which Matt gives Near advice on how to make Mello fall in love with him. The dynamic is insanely cute and I'm obsessed with the way Matt and Near's friendship is characterised here. Them scheming together is something I need more of in fics!!

The Mihael Factor by spiritcrimson | 16 chapters | Rated T

One of the longest completed works I've ever read for Meronia and I have been DYING to find something like this ever since. It's a talent agent x singer AU, and it's literally everything I could have asked for in a longfic. A unique idea, compelling progression and a fun antagonistic dynamic that blossoms into a really sweet romance. It's a slowburn but it doesn't drag on at all, and the ending is SO well worth the wait.

3 + 1 by @squidish | 2423 words | Rated T

x + 1 fics are a favourite trope of mine, as is the general concept of Mello and Near behaving inappropriately in the workplace, and this one combines both of those perfectly. The premise is 3 times Mello and Near got walked in on by one of the SPK members, and 1 time they were caught by the whole group. The writing is SO delightful and there are several lines in this that are permanently lodged in my brain. I find humour in writing immensely difficult to pull off so I'm always in awe of authors who can integrate it naturally, and squidish's writing is a great example of that! (Worth noting that this one is slightly more mature than the other T-rated fics here, so I've put it closer to the M & E section; however the smut scenes are not explicit)

it's friday, i'm in love by @neallo | 2676 words | Rated M

You could read literally anything by neallo and it's guaranteed to be good, but to keep this list short, I've included one angsty fic and one lighthearted fic so you can pick the vibe. This one is more lighthearted, and it depicts a very tender moment in which Mello shows up at Near's door drunk and dances with him in the kitchen. This is a prequel to a bigger AU focusing on a casual relationship between them, but it also holds up as a standalone fic! It's unbearably sweet and there are many lines in there that made me audibly laugh.

Speculation on Demisexual Sex Drive by SayHiDestery | 4069 words | Rated M

The smut scene in this fic is so intimate and perfect, I'm melting just thinking about it. It's an established relationship fic in which Near has PTSD and has certain struggles with intimacy, and Mello guides him through it. It's quite slow-paced and takes its time to linger on the small details, which I absolutely adore, and the writing itself is vivid and beautiful. It also features demisexual Near!!

Winning the Game by clearmain | 4134 words | Rated E

This one is a PWP set mid-canon, immediately after the raid on the SPK. I'm a huge sucker for bold & bratty Near and that's EXACTLY what this fic serves. The way this introduces elements of rivalry and competition into their relationship is excellent and makes this fic feel faithful to their canon dynamic. It's a compelling push-pull with an open but hopeful ending that very succinctly captures the complexities of their relationship.

A Certain Hush by BlueberryAsh | 5434 words | Rated E

One of the first fanfics I read for Meronia and I'm not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. This fic has had SUCH a massive influence on the way I view and write the ship. It's a little glimpse into Mello and Near's relationship immediately after getting together. It's really cute and sweet in a way that feels authentic to the characters, and I'm incredibly impressed by the way it manages to give just enough backstory for their relationship to make sense without getting caught up in the details. Genuinely a masterpiece!

i want to hold you (hostage) by @neallo | 4 chapters | Rated E

The aforementioned angsty neallo fic! This one is an exes AU set during the canon timeline, and it is, as you can imagine, a very fraught dynamic done SO incredibly well. The tension is absolutely delicious and there are earnest moments littered throughout that are guaranteed to have you tearing up. Brilliant setup, brilliant writing, brilliant dynamic; just an absolutely stellar fic on all counts!!

[skyrim-forever]

11.First "big purchase" they ever made on their own for Theo

W. First time they realized their relationship is endgame... or isn't for Ondo

🖌️ - First character you created, or first character you wrote for for well you!

Awe thank you so much friend!

Theo's first big purchase was actually buying back something she had to sell when she first moved to the Imperial City. She originally sold an enchanted ebony dagger that was her father's that he stole from a guy in Morrowind. After making money fighting, she purchases it back as it hold sentimental value <3

Neither of them ever thought they'd end up together and as their relationship develops this impending doom (for lack of a better word) hangs over them. As you've read my fic We Will Find a Way, the exact moment that Ondolemar realizes he will do whatever it takes to be togteher is when Elenwen lets it slip that she was the one who made Theodora leave Skyrim. At this point he has already been deeply questioning his position in the Thalmor heavily (both for reasons related and unrelated to Theo), so this is kind of the breaking point for him. Trying to leave, find her, and hopefully make some sort of life together is worth the danger.

See growing up I used to create characters or self inserts (as a lot of us probably did/still do) but I can't remember any of them specifically. My first tes oc was named Anya, she was a Nord from a small farm in Eastmarch. I have tried to write her story through the Dragonborn DLC, plotted 20 chapters but I just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't clicking. I think the issue was I felt like I had to write a longfic, because that's what everyone else does. But I really don't enjoy it. I like one-shots and minifics, I prefer to focus on character rather than action, and I know what themes I like to explore now.

[c0rpseductor]

struggling to stay awake but i watched the sarah z video about fanfic as an art form (very good) and then in the related videos saw several from a youtube account that gives fanfic writing tips. i was curious so i watched the one that’s like, “tips for writing fanfic that can’t work in original fiction” and have thots

i guess i kind of feel ambivalent about it bc like. on one hand i agree fic as a medium encourages and can sometimes greatly benefit from a lot of stuff that doesn’t fly in original fiction, like cutting out canon events we’ve already seen or descriptions we should already know. a fic doesn’t have to be a totally standalone work given it already depends heavily on the context of the canon it’s derived from.

on the other hand i kind of struggle to see how some of these tips benefit _any_ form of writing? like “the pace can be very choppy or glacial if you want! pacing doesn’t matter!” feels like poor advice to me if you’re trying to make your fic read well. canon can prop up a lack of exposition but cannot change the way your fic reads as its own work. i think pacing very much still matters, and “good pacing” can be somewhat subjective, but the actual wording of the advice was along the lines of like, pacing straight up doesn’t matter, which i don’t agree with at all. i think a featured comment along these lines (bc the video maker showed some other writers’ opinions that they liked) was essentially like, “you can have really incredibly slow pacing and it be fine if the story is just a relationship study and there’s no plot or themes or meaning.” EVERY STORY HAS FUCKING THEMES AND MEANING IT COMES FREE WITH YOUR FUCKING XBOX. don’t fucking encourage people to be uncritical writers oh my god

i also like. i understand that i have different aims when i write fic than other people. with the longfic i’m working on right now, i want it to retell shadowbringers (hopefully on to endwalker) with my wol and highlight things FFXIV made me feel that were meaningful to me, and i’m choosing to have a slow pace so that readers can both have that experience again through my WoL’s eyes and figure out who the fuck he is without it feeling like a hasty exposition dump. i also personally don’t like how a lot of ffxiv fics in a similar vein read, bc they skip big important canon developments and emotional moments, so i chose to like…not do that. i also know i have at least one buddy (hi faiya) if not a couple buddies who are reading it fandom-blind, so i wanna add descriptions of locations and people. (plus, again, having a biased POV character means every description is Free Characterization, Baby!) i also think having descriptions immerses a reader more even if they reiterate canon, and it can be a helpful convention to establish so that describing new locations and so on doesn’t necessarily feel so, like, jarring. with shorter pieces i skip unimportant stuff but still like having the opportunity to set a scene and work in some inventive prose.

which, like, tooting my own horn i guess. obviously i like how i write or i wouldn’t do it like that. i try to have reasons for everything i do and think about my goals for what i want my writing to evoke and the experience i’m trying to create. however i am increasingly beginning to think the experience i’m trying to create is one that just really doesn’t read like fanfiction. on one hand, i don’t always like how fanfiction reads, so to me that’s good. on the other, though, if i don’t always like how fanfiction reads, idk if i’m the best judge of these kinds of intentional stylistic breaks in fanfiction as opposed to original fiction and how well they work. i don’t like choppy pacing, i don’t like fics that dwell or feel circular vis a vis pacing, i don’t like fics that just leave shit out that would potentially strengthen the story they’re trying to tell (100% bitching about emetwol shb retellings that skip and summarize every cutscene even when it would be a big relationship moment for emet and wol. like come on it’s free development they give it to you), and i’m okay with fics that don’t have much sensory description of established stuff bc i can fill in but they’re that much less engaging for it. some of these pieces of advice strike me less as useful shortcuts in a transformative work and more as shortcuts that actually weaken a transformative work. fic has to exist in conversation with canon, but a fic i think also has to have an existence as its “own story,” if that makes sense.

i know to some degree it depends a lot on the individual fic, too. for a short fic or a oneshot i feel way more like i’d agree and say “yes, by all means, skip the exposition and unnecessary description and get to the part we’re meant to care about, we have limited real estate here, devote it to the details of import!”, like i certainly don’t sit describing the layout of the crystarium room every time i write a ficlet about it. but i’m more reticent to say that about longer pieces where you have more time to explore and recontextualize and reiterate shit that might still be relevant to your work as a whole.

definitely a thing where like. i don’t want to get super egotistical or on my high horse about it bc despite feeling more confident as of late i do know i have a lot of room to grow as a writer and even just in terms of utilizing fic as a medium efficiently. but i wouldn’t be giving these out as blanket pieces of advice, which i felt the video was doing. the only blanket advice i would give out is “read and dissect published works to see how they construct prose and do other technical stuff,” because those are transferable skills and i think knowing how a story is constructed on the page is crucial to making informed decisions about how to take one apart and put it back together. but i’m also the guy who is saying this to you while very much aiming to apply it to unmonetizable age gap gay catboy porn a maximum of 15 people will read so you can take my words with a grain of salt approximately the size of your forearm

[melodygatesauthor]

Weekly Update - 07/09/2023

There's a LOT to cover this week but it's all REALLY important so please read <3 (below the cut) ~

Announcements

~ Cruise ~

I'm going on a cruise from 07/15/2023-07/23/2023! I really shouldn't have, but my family peer pressured me into it and now I can't get my money back if I back out so I'm going anyway lol.

I paid extra to have WiFi in my cabin, however I don't know how good it will be. I refuse to pay the ridiculous amount of money to use the data on my phone out there. That being said, my online time will be limited.

If for any reason I cannot access my internet or have issues getting on Tumblr @whatthefishh will give you all an update letting you know. (She hasn't confirmed this with me yet but I assume she will lol)

I'm going to be trying to get some works written ahead of time and scheduled to post while I'm away so it will be like I never left! (except I won't be able to respond much).

~ Masterlist ~

My masterlist is ALMOST complete. Once I'm done with it this time I will NOT be changing it again (unless my aesthetic changes but that will only be a cosmetic update). I'm happy with the way it's organized right now and I don't think it can get any better than it is personally lol. (I'm very proud of it please praise me)

~ FAQs ~

I'm working on an FAQs list to hopefully mitigate some of the repeat questions I get, or so I can just link them instead of having to respond to each individual question.

~ Thank You ~

The biggest thank you possible to those who sent in tips this week. I can't thank you enough. I added the tip thing without the expectation that people would actually use it so to have so many of you this week blew my mind. I love you, and I appreciate you more than you can know.

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren't a promise/guarantee, they're a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - should be posted this week

Pink - In progress actively (working on but will not be posted this week)

Red - Backburner Fic (will work on later. See WIP list for status)

Long/Chaptered Fics Updates

A Bit Dodgy - This fic is currently on hiatus. The plan is for it to return 07/31/2023. Things may change and if they do I'll let you all know! Thank you for bearing with me. More detailed explanation here.

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 2 is coming right up! Just a couple scenes to add and it will be good to go. I'm thinking I'll be able to churn out one chapter a week but don't hold your breath please haha, things are getting really busy, but this fic is at the front of my mind right now for sure. - New chapter this week

The Fractured Moon - currently working on These Fractured Knights (TFM Bonus Chapters) 🫣😏 - Hoping to have the next chapter out this week. This has been moved to "longfics" since it will be at over 40k words upon completion. - New chapter this week

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can't Fight - New chapter coming out this week.

Not a Doctor - Part 2 coming soon - not for a while though.

Worth the Risk - taking a small step back from this for now. It’s not at the top of my inspiration list so I’m moving it down the line temporarily. - will work on a later date

The Good Doctors - idea by @burnincrown - Dr. Marc Spector - It's going to be a long time in the works, and it will probably replace TFM when that one is done. In development - Work on it a different week

Requests Updates

There are 4 ficlets left for my 1k follower celebration. Finally getting them done (I'm almost at 2k now lmao but won't be doing a celebration until a different milestone).

As a reminder, once these requests are finished, my requests will be closed for good. You can see the post explaining that here. Thank you again for the support and understanding!

Moon Boys X f!Reader by @simpforbritgents

Asking for something like Feeling Flustered where the moon boys are doing guided phone sex.

Marc Spector X f!Reader by @blueflowerhat

Marc shower sex based on AI prompt.

Nathan Bateman X f!Reader by @campingwiththecharmings

This is the prompt that hit me like a Nathan-shaped mac truck! -> “if you don’t like my teasing why are you moaning”

Nathan Bateman X f!Reader by Anon

Cam girl reader x Nathan - Nathan turns to a cam girl, he's been kinda stalking her. (Excited hehe)

That's all for now guys! I love you all and thank you so much for all the support you continue to give no matter what. You're amazing <3

[inevitably-johnlocked]

HEYA - this might be a bit of an odd request but I've been aching for some longfics with slow burn and a shit ton of angst, particularly the unrequited love but it's actually mutual pining tone. Certainly wouldn't mind some internalised homophobia, jealousy and "watching the love of your life marry someone else/die unexpectedly". I'm completely fine with a bittersweet or even unhappy main character death ending.

I guess to sum it up, what are your favourite, most beautifully written long fics (preferably 50k or 100k plus) Johnlock stories centering around angst and pining fruitlessly (or not) for the other?

Hey Nonny!

Oh, what a great ask... Everyone loves my pining lists, so why not compile all the long ones from all my lists into ONE list? LOL. Hopefully this list pleases you!!

LONG PINING FICS (50K+)

See Also:

Pining Sherlock || [MOBILE FRIENDLY VERSION]

Pining Sherlock Pt. 2 (Under 5K)

Pining Sherlock Pt. 3 (5K+)

Pining John

Pining John Pt 2

Pining John in S4

One Sided Pining

Mutual Pining

Mutual Pining Pt 2

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by SilentAuror (E, 50,635 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4/S4 Divergence, Case Fic, For a Case / Reverse Fake-Relationship, Conferences, Marriage Equality, Travelling / New York, Pride, Homophobia, Bottomlock, Marriage Proposal, John POV, Sexuality, Love Confessions, Emotional Love Making, Public Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Passionate Kissing, Needy/Clingy Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Touching / Hand Holding, Bed Sharing, Little Spoon Sherlock, Intense Orgasms) – John and Sherlock go to New York to attend a conference run by the National Defence of Traditional Marriage Coalition in order to investigate the potential bombing of the annual Manhattan Pride parade. As the conference unfolds, John finds himself repulsed by the toxic ideology being presented, which becomes relevant to his own unacknowledged issues and his friendship with Sherlock...

Triage by scullyseviltwin (E, 51,612 w., 14 Ch. || Character Injury, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Falling in Love, Slow Burn, Sherlock POV, Toplock) – Sherlock’s mind goes exceedingly, devastatingly quiet and gray-blank. When he speaks it’s through a thick haze, it’s through molasses, he’s so disconnected from the words that it may as well be the unconscious shooter speaking.

In the Dark Hours by hubblegleeflower (E, 51,639 w., 12 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE ||Friends to Lovers, Unreliable Narrator, Closeted Bi John, Angst, Miscommunications, Slow Burn, First Time, John’s Blog / Epistolary, Selective Mutism) – John, wounded and silent, drifts back to Baker Street for healing...and then goes home again. He visits, gets more upbeat, chattier, smiles, jokes... and still goes home again. Sherlock wants him to move back in - it just makes sense - but John shows no signs of doing so. This is the story of how John and Sherlock learn to say what needs to be said when they're both so very, very rubbish at talking.

Never Change a Running System by Lorelei_Lee (E, 54,246 w., 18 Ch. || Pre-TRF, Romance, Humour, Drama, Sex Toys, Anal, Rimming, Masturbation, Frottage, Blow Jobs, Public Sex, First Kiss / Time, Virgin Sherlock / Loss of Virginity, Accidental Voyeurism, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Experiments, Naive Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Straight With an Exception John, Hand Jobs) – Sherlock discovers his sexuality – with far-reaching consequences for John.

A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w., 16 Ch. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because...new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride... prepare for blast off. Part 1 of SpaceBois go to Space

Isosceles by SilentAuror (E, 56,609 w., 7 Ch. || Post-S4, POV John, Original Male Character / Sherlock Dates Another Man, Love Triangle, Jealous John, Virgin Sherlock, Sexual Coaching, Angst, Romance, Domesticity, Unrequited Feelings, Miscommunication, First Kiss/Time, For a Case, Friends With Benefits, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Spooning) – After solving a case for a major celebrity, Sherlock gets himself asked out. When John asks, he discovers that Sherlock has no intention of going, at least not until John agrees to coach him through whatever he might need to know for his date...

The Thing Is by TSylvestris (E, 56,743 w., 21 Ch. || Case Fic, Dev. Rel., Anal/Oral, Blow Jobs, Meddling Mycroft, Drama, Romance, Humour, Casual Encounters, Pining Idiots, Possessive Sherlock, Orgasm Delay, Rough / Alley Sex, Public Sex, John Whump, Drugged John, Emotional Love Making, Awkward Relationship, Marriage of Convenience, Switchlock, BAMF John) – The problem with living with Sherlock, John thought, was that you never, never, ever knew the significance of anything. Like your flatmate's nose buried in your hair. Whilst you're in bed. Part 1 of Nitroglycerine

Lunar Landscapes by J_Baillier (M, 57,046 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || S3/TAB Fix-It, Slow Burn Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Confessions, Drugs, Pain, Medical, Injury, Sherlock Whump, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks,  Romance,  Secrets, Tragedy, Trauma, BAMF John, Doctor!John, Drug Addict Sherlock, Injured Sherlock, Grieving John, Idiots In Love, Protective John, POV John Watson, PTSD Sherlock, Sherlock is a Mess, Medical Realism) – An accident forces John to face the fact that Sherlock's downward spiral had started long before his flight to exile even left the tarmac.

One Little Change by jadztone (E, 58,312 w., 12 Ch. || ASiB Divergence, Fake Relationship, Bed Sharing, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bi John / Gay Demisexual Sherlock, Switchlock, Alternating POV, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Case Fic, Angst with Happy Ending, Emotional Love Making, Butt Plugs, Cuddles) – Our story begins right after John and Sherlock's first meeting with Irene Adler in September. It splits off into an AU that imagines them taking a case where they act as bait to hook a killer targeting closeted gays in secret relationships. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many things happen that have our boys wondering if maybe they have a chance with each other. Then Irene fakes her death on Christmas Eve, and things get a lot more complicated - especially since they still have a killer to catch.

Bridging the Ravine by SilentAuror (E, 58,887 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Couple For a Case, Bed-Sharing, First Times, Confessions, Awkwardness, Sex Trafficking, Massages, Wet T-Shirt Contest, Group Therapy, Past Loss of Child) – Sherlock and John go undercover at Ravine Valley, a therapy centre for same-sex male couples in an investigation into a possible human trafficking ring. As they pose as a couple and fake their way through the therapy sessions for the sake of the case, it quickly becomes difficult to avoid discussing their very real issues. Set roughly six nine months after series 4. Part 1 of the The Ravine Valley series series

The Burning by SrebrnaFH (M, 60,658 w., 24 Ch. || Reverse Reichenbach, Suicide, Depression, Hurt Sherlock / John, Separation, BAMF John, Good Big Brother Mycroft, Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Fake Character Death, Rescue Mission, Reconciliation / Reunion, Hospitalization, Marriage Proposal, Illnesses, Physical Therapy, Happily Ever After) – Something went very, very wrong. John had seemed, if not happy, then reasonably content with his life. Sherlock had never predicted something like THIS might have happened. Not in his worst nightmares. He was the lousiest friend ever, apparently. At least Mycroft found him something to occupy his mind with, so that he didn't have to go back to 221B and stare at the walls and the chair, where John Watson would never sit again.

The Progress of Sherlock Holmes by ivyblossom (E, 62,006 w., 25 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || First Person Sherlock POV, Pining, Angst, Slow Burn, Infidelity, Sherlock Learns About Himself, Happy Ending) – Sherlock struggles with his feelings for John, makes a mistake, and learns just how important he and John are to each other. Non-BBC Mary / John, but it’s a *complicated* relationship.

The Bells of King's College by SilentAuror (E, 64,019 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S4, Missed Opportunities, Angst with Happy Ending, Fake Relationship, Case Fic, John POV, Jealous John, John in Denial, Travelling / Holidays, Virgin Sherlock, Wedding Proposals) – It's only been two weeks since Eurus Holmes disrupted their lives when Mycroft sends John and Sherlock to Cambridge to pose as an engaged couple at a wedding show in the hopes of solving six unsolved deaths...

You Have Drawn Red From My Hands by J_Baillier (T, 67,085 w., 17 Ch. || Three Garridebs, Heavy John Whump, Hurt / Comfort, Pining, Heavy Angst, Case Fic/Adventure, Slow Burn, Sick Fic, Injury, Guilt & Depression, Just Talk Already Please, Medical Realism, PTSD) –  John getting injured leads Sherlock on a path of guilt and revelations.

Hell Sent, Heaven Bound by ConsultingHound (M, 64,381 w, 16 Ch. || Angels / Demons AU ||  Fallen Angel Sherlock / Angel Cop John, Alternate First Meeting, Slow Burn, Case Fic, John & Lestrade are Friends Before Sherlock, BAMF John, Mind Palace John, Friends to Lovers, John in Denial, Sherlock Picks Out John’s Clothing, Clubbing / Dancing, Mildly Jealous John, Awkwardness, Kidnapping, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Sacrifice, Worried / Anxious Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Immortal to Mortal) – Ex-War healer and current angelic guard John Watson is not having the best day. He overslept, he’s underpaid, and now there’s someone tagging the Council’s building walls. However things may be about to get interesting: there’s an unusual stranger hanging around (the definition of tall, dark, and handsome), a literal underground cult is brewing, and rumblings are coming from hell. Can he keep his neighbourhood safe, how and why is he being connected to all this, and who the hell is Sherlock Holmes?

White Knight by DiscordantWords (M, 69,840 w., 13 Ch. || S4 Compliant/Post S4, Marriage For a Case, Jealous John, Pining John, Janine / Sherlock Fake Relationship, Serial Killers, Case Fic, Undercover as a Couple, Weddings, John is a Mess, Misunderstandings, Wedding Planning, Jealousy, Drunkenness, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – Green. The word green was used to convey a great many things. Illness. Envy. Inexperience. Standing there amidst Janine's chattering bridesmaids, watching Sherlock furrow his brow and study fabric swatches, watching him smile and simper and flirt, John thought it a remarkably apt colour choice. Because he felt quite sick to his stomach, he feared the source of said sickness might very well be jealousy, and he had absolutely no idea at all what to do about it. Or: Sherlock needs to fake a relationship for a case. He doesn't ask John.

The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sick Fic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him. 

Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w., 18 Ch. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he's a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover's trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world's highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?

Secrets and Revelations by Hisstah (E, 83,535 w., 9 Ch. || Sentinel / Guides Omegaverse AU || Adventure, Violence, Anal / Oral, Omega!John / Alpha!Sherlock, Case Fic, Politics, Mild DubCon) – Dr John Watson has some major secrets that he's kept from his flatmate, Alpha Sentinel Sherlock Holmes. Now the Sentinel Tower is after him. Can John stay out of their hands until he can reveal his secrets to Sherlock? Part 1 of Secrets and Revelations

Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater /  Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation) – John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Not Broken, Just Bent by Schmiezi (E, 87,585 w., 43 Ch. || Pining, Love Confessions, Rape/Sexual Assault, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Villain!Mary, Suicidal Ideations, Main Character Death, Sherlock First Person POV, Parentlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Love Making, Possessiveness, Depression, PTSD, Kidnapping, Virgin Sherlock, Eventual Happy Ending) – "For a second, I allow myself to remember teaching John how to waltz. There is a special room in my mind palace for it. A big one, with a proper parquet dance floor. For a second, I go there. I remember holding him, closer than the World Dance Council asks for, excusing it with the fact that we are training for a wedding, not for a competition. For a second, I feel his hand on mine again, smell his sweat, hear the song we used. For a second, I allow myself to love him deeply. For a second, only a second, that love reflects on my face." Fix-it for S3, starting at the end of TSoT. Evil Mary.

A Case of Identity by jkay1980 (T, 91,009 w., 22 Ch. || Post-TRF, Fake Relationship, Case Fic) – John and Sherlock have succeeded in rebuilding their friendship after Sherlock’s fake suicide, but an unusual case puts their relationship to the test. They pretend to be engaged and attend a marriage counseling workshop. Under the pretext of the case, Sherlock turns out to be a master of seduction, and John finally learns he might like Sherlock more than he thought. Slowly, John discovers that he loves Sherlock not only in a friendly, brotherly way, but both men have to fight their own demons before they can think of taking their relationship to a new level…

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

31_Days_of_Porn_Challenge_2017 Series by distantstarlight (E, 96,540 w. across 31 stories || Prompt Ficlets, Assorted Kinks, PWP) – A collection in response to the 31 Days of Porn Challenge issued by AtlinMerrik! Thanks for doing that because this has been buttload of fun (that joke never gets old). All stories will be brief stand-alone one-shots. 

The Baker Street Nativity by SwissMiss (E, 99,662 w., 23 Ch. || Nativity! AU || Teacher Sherlock / TA John, Pining, Sherlock POV, UST, Angst, Christmas, Music/Song Fic, Anal / BJ’s, First Kiss / Time) –Fusion between Sherlock (BBC) and Nativity! (2009 movie starring Martin Freeman). Sherlock is a primary school teacher and John is assigned to be his classroom assistant. Together, they are charged with putting on the school's Nativity play. What could possibly go wrong? Part 1 of The Baker Street Nativity Verse

Definitions by siennna (T, 101,528 w., 12 of ? Ch. || Dev. Rel., Pining, Fluff and Romance, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff, Cuddles, Girl’s Night, Texting, Virgin Sherlock, Drunk Sherlock, Background Mollstrade, Hair Petting, Laying on Lap) – Sherlock’s journey in defining his flat mate and stumbling through the muddled world of emotion. {{This feels complete even with a ? Chapter count}}

A Study in Winning by Jupiter_Ash (E, 106,658 w., 11 Ch. || Tennis AU || John POV, Dirty Talk, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Happy Ending, Sherlock Speaks French, Switchlock, Wimbledon) – John and Sherlock are professional tennis players and it’s Wimbledon. One is a broken almost was at the end of his career, the other an arrogant rising star tipped for greatness. It should have been a straightforward tournament. It really should have been. How were they to know that a chance encounter would change everything? Part 1 of Tennis

Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w., 27 Ch. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller, Switchlock, Rimming, Emotional Lovemaking, Lots of Sex, HJ/BJ’s) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe

The Burning Heart by May_Shepard (M, 119,150 w., 21 Ch. || Canon Divergence / Post-TRF / S3 Rewrite, John’s Sexuality, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, POV John Watson, Gay John) – When Sherlock dies, John Watson feels like his life is over too. He’s completely shut down, until Mark Morstan, a new nurse at John’s medical clinic, catches his attention, and helps him uncover the long buried truth of his attraction to men. Although he’s certain he’ll never get over Sherlock, John plans to move on, and build a new life with Mark, unaware that Sherlock is not quite as dead as he appears, and that Mark is hiding secrets of his own.

The Swan Triad Series by Pennin_Ink (T, 121,660 w. across 3 works || Swan Lake AU || Magical / Fairy Tale AU, Romance, Falling in Love, Pining, Psychological Torture, Transformation) – Sherlock and John grow up spending every summer together. Their mothers' attempts to play matchmaker only fuel their mutual resentment and scorn. But then, one summer.

A Further Sea by i_ship_an_armada & ShinySherlock (E, 125,492 w., 23 Ch. || Historical Pirates AU || Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Doctor John / Pirate Captain Sherlock, Sailing, UST / RST, Masturbation, Action / Adventure, Mild Angst & Peril, Romance, Shaving, Molly/Janine, Bottomlock, Hand / Blow Jobs, Past Drug Use, Slow Burn, Mild Violence, Facial Shaving, Happy Ending) – Here be a tale of adventure for both body and soul, but beware if ye be not of stout heart, for this be piratelock, ya savvy? Luckless ship's surgeon John Watson takes a chance, and finds himself eye to eye with The Ghost, the scourge of the seven seas and a definite thorn in the side of the blaggard, James Moriarty. But when John finds there's more to this most cunning pirate than be meetin' the eye, he has to choose... is it a pirate's life for him?

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball 

Colors by Quesarasara (E, 140,537 w., 17 Ch. || Pleasantville-Inspired AU || Soulmates, Colour Bonds, Alternating POV, Angst, Fluff, Pining, Case Fic, Medical Procedures) – Everyone on earth is born with eyes that see in black, white, and an endless series of greys. When you meet your soulmate, you finally see the world in color. We're all searching for the person who brings color to our lives. John and Sherlock are no exception. Part 1 of The Colors 'Verse

Midnight Blue Serenity by BeautifulFiction (E, 151,907 w., 19 Ch. || Friends to Lovers, Gay Bar / For a Case, Drugs, Pining, Case Fic, UST) – When Sherlock infiltrates a club in order to track down a serial killer, his altered appearance is enough to make John question his assumption that Sherlock is beyond his reach. However, is he the only one who appreciates his flatmate's charms, or is Sherlock at risk of becoming the next victim? 

Gimme Shelter by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (E, 159,368 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE|| 70′s Surfer AU || Period Typical Homophobia, Hawaii, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Professional Surfers, Gay John / Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John was a Sailor, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining) – All John Watson wants is the feeling of a freshly waxed surfboard under his feet and the hot California sun baking down onto his back. To finally go pro in the newly formed world of professional surfing and leave the dark memories of his past behind him as he rips across the face of a towering blue barrel. To lounge beside the beach bonfire every evening with an ice cold beer tucked into the cool sand beside him and listen to Pink Floyd and the Doors while the saltwater dries in his sun bleached hair. That's all he wants, that is, until the hot young phenom taking Oahu and the Hawaiian shores by storm steps up next to him in the sand in the second round of the 1976 International Surf Competition. (PUBLISHED AS ‘The Sea Ain’t Mine Alone’)

Mise en Place by azriona(M, 161,004 w., 28 Ch. || Restaurant (Kitchen Nightmares) AU || Sherlock is Gordon Ramsay / Celebrity Sherlock, Restauranteur John, Harry Plays Prominent Role, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, Cranky Sherlock, Bed Sharing, Slow Burn) – John Watson had no intentions of taking over the family business, but when he returns from Afghanistan, battered and bruised, and discovers that his sister Harry has run their restaurant into the ground, he doesn't have much choice. There's only one thing that can save the Empire from closing for good – the celebrity star of the BBC series Restaurant Reconstructed, Chef Sherlock Holmes. Part 1 of Mise en Place

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court. Part 1 of the Care And Companionship series

Radioactive Trees In A Red Forest by Maribor_Petrichor (E, 280,251 w., 73 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-S4, Suicidal Ideations, Alcohol / Rx Drug Abuse, Coming Out / Bisexual John, Seizures, Past/Referenced/Implied Child Abuse, Hallucinations, Rehab, Celibacy, Sobriety / Relapse, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, Psychological Trauma, Nice /Not Anti-Mary, John’s POV, Parentlock, First Time, Angst, Switchlock, Angst with Happy Ending) – John Watson is what happens when a man can no longer see a reason to go on. John Watson is what happens when a man starts to let go. "It is what it is." John Watson is what happens when what "it is" becomes too much to bear. This is a story of the life, death, and resurrection of John Hamish Watson. (TO READ)

[nerdywriter36]

hi i heard you had a 1920's au poto fanfic !! that sounds really really cool do you have a link to it ?

hi there!!

So the full fic is currently still in the works, but there is a oneshot up for it! It's called The Blackened Rose and introduces you to some of the characters in the longfic, as well as the speakeasy that serves as the main setting. I've linked it here for you to check out!

All of the interest in this AU in the last couple of days has really been mind-blowing, and I am all the more inspired now to keep developing it and start writing. It will hopefully be up in the very near future! Thank you for the ask! <3

[lonewolflupe]

For the ask game:

🫓 What is your most popular fic?

🍥 What's your favorite fic you've written?

Thank you so much for the ask! ^^

🫓 What is your most popular fic?

I think it's Echo Of Your Mind. I was already deep in the writing process of my longfic (see below) with several chapters posted when I came up with this story. Echo Of Your Mind was my first one-shot, and it made me a simp for Echo (which I still am). It was also my first time writing canon x reader, and I made the choice of writing it in the present tense. Which I'm not doing again; I really prefer writing (and reading) in past tense. So I might do some editing/rewriting one day. But besides the present/past struggle, this fic is still very dear to me, so people liking it so much means a lot to me <3

🍥 What's your favorite fic you've written?

Definitely my longfic A Lupe Of Faith. It's mostly because I put so much of myself into my OC Lupe, and because of it being a multi-chapter fic, there is room for character development and details. It's also my very first fic and it's still ongoing, so I think all my growth as a writer is visible in it. It's also the story I've put the most thought into, pondering over scenes and interactions overnight, reshaping and editing so everything works out (hopefully). There's also some very emotional scenes in there, which were hard to write but might be my proudest parts. So this fic is very close to my heart!

Some honourable mentions are my one-shots Battle Scars (Echo + Rex during TBB), On Vanilla And Caramel (Fox x reader) and A Buir's Burden (Alpha-17 + Cadet Rex + Cadet Cody).

[antimony-medusa]

Fic Recs April '23

What did I read this month? As ever, it's mostly going to be Dream SMP, but I wander outside the fandom ocassionally, and we've got some QSMP and 3rd Life this month! You can keep an eye on my Ao3 bookmarks if you ever don't want to wait the full month, but here's a shor tlist (I tried to keep it short) of especially fun/intersting/good things.

The Fics - Oneshots

Human condition by InsomniWillow Fandom: QSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Tallulah, Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fluff, Developing Friendships, Human/Monster Society Length: 1/1 chapters (this might be a multi-chapter though), 3,515 words

New to Qusadilla Island, Ordinary Guy Wilbur Soot brings his tiny daughter to the new school that's opened up. The school that is FULL of terrifying players and their kids. This is just super cute slice of life fluff and it's a fun setup to see Wilbur go "oh god, that's a demon, that's a shark god, is that Philza Minecraft?????" while he's trying to remain chill for his daughter.

where you hide your heart from me by 75hearts Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot Tags: Pogtopia, Suicidal Thoughts, Wingfic, Wilbur Soot Is Not Okay Length: 1/1 chapters, 2,223 words Just gonna grab the summary for this one cause it's perfect.

“I’ll fucking kill you if you pull a single feather,” Quackity says. “Don’t threaten me with a good time,” Wilbur says.

-

or: in Pogtopia, Wilbur preens Quackity's wings.

They're SOOO prickly and the situation is just two people full of broken edges hitting off each other, and you want it to be better, and at the same time this is the only way it could be.

you think they'll make it? by honeyblock Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Niki Nihachu & Wilbur Soot, Niki Nihachu & Jschlatt, Niki Nihachu & Wilbur Soot & Jschlatt Tags: Alternate Universe - hadestown Fusion, Niki Nihachu-Centric, niki as orpheus and wilbur as eurydice, implied/referenced suicide. Length: 1/1 chapters, 7,968 words

Niki breaks into Hadestown to try and get Wilbur back. And then she meets Jschlatt, and then she goes spare. Oh man this is a beautiful and lyrical setup, and then Schlatt is just so odious and hateable, ad then Niki getting furious enough to take on a god is So Satisfying. Delightful.

Manna from Heaven by ResidentHesitant Fandom: DSMP Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Ranboo/Tubbo Tags: Married Ranboo and Tubbo, Domestic Fluff, Pesach | Passover, post-canon, slice of life, Found Family Length: 1/1 chapters, 3,152 words

Tubbo hosts his first seder. This is just a joyous slice of life with the whole community coming together to celebrate passover. A glimpse into other traditions for me, and full of love for the characters and for judaism. This fic is so happy. It's canon to ME. I love it.

take this life and hold it by the hand by Odaigahara Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Philza, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & Philza Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Crow Hybrid Philza, Piglin Hybrid Technoblade, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Happy Ending, Inspired by that video of Kestrel Dad. Length: 1/1 chapters, 2,292 words

Technoblade is just having a perfectly normal day with his family (who are polar bears) when his friend the crow shows up with— Phil, is that a BABY? What are we gonna do with it? And what does it eat? This is just so so funny. Techno and Phil are both so helpless with a tiny baby, they don't now how to feed this little one, at one point a dead mouse is put on the baby's face and everyone looks at him hopefully. It's so funny.

The Fics - Longfics

The Musketeers - SBI AU by Anarchy_and_Piglins Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Wilbur Soot & Tommyinnit & Technoblade & Philza Tags: Alternate Universe - Historical, 3 Musketeers Fusion, BAMF Everybody, Tommyinnit Angst, Philza Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Humour, Emotional Hurt/Comfort Length: 2/4 chapters, 8,086 words

TommyInnit is on a mission of vengance to kill the man who murdered his father, with only his dying words that a man named Philip d'Athos is responsible. Philip, meanwhile, is trying to figure out who's impersonating musketeers. They are on a direct collision course in 17th century France. I'm sure this will go well.

missing or obstructed by skelew Fandom: Hermitcraft, 3rd Life Rating: Teen Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Grian & Rendog, Grian & GoodTimesWithScar, Rendog & Martyn InTheLittleWood Tags: Post 3rd Life, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Watcher Lore, Amnesia Length: 4/? chapters, 13,890 words

Grian is back in Hermitcraft but he can't forget what happened in 3rd life. Unfortunately everyone else has forgotten what happened. Everyone except Rendog, who he remembers very strongly as his enemy. This one started as a character study and you can tell, it's very deliberate and mediative with the characters, and it's just slowly growing through the questions of what they do now, and what they do with these relationships they have to people they care so much about and also those people don't remember it.

See How They Run by Aard_Rinn Fandom: DSMP Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Tubbo & Tommyinnit & Ranboo, Technoblade & Philza Tags: Alternate Universe - Borrowers Fusion, Rescue, Captivity, Dark SBI, Dehumanization, Non-consensual touching (nonsexual), Tubbo-Centric Length: 3/3 chapters, 10,590 words

Benchtrio are Borrowers, and Tubbo gets caught by Emduo! Man, this starts with Tubbo falling into oil and not being able to climb out (he's eventually rescued by Emduo), and it's honestly terrifying. I really felt like I was a tiny creature clinging to a spoon. It continues to play with the fact that Tubbo is just so TINY and defenceless.

wasteland by chrysalizzm Fandom: DSMP Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Relationship: Dream SMP Ensemble Tags: Alternate Universe - Heroes & Villains, Hurt/Comfort, Disillusionment, Morally Grey Characters, Political Corruption, Systemic Bigotry, Unreliable Narrator, Alternate Universe - Superheroes & Superpowers, Mind Control, Bittersweet/Open Ending, Multiple POV, (and more! It's a series) Length: 11/30 fics, 72,431 words

MASSIVE sprawling superhero epic digging into power issues, morality, villainy, cohersion, sexism and other 'isms, marching towards an inevitable end. It all ends in tragedy, but oh my god the journey there is so rich and beautifully drawn. Each fic in the series is a different spot on the timeline and you see characters from so many different POVs, as events come into greater focus and you realize what the fuck HAPPENED to break people like that. This is very much a fic to read while spamming the sobbing emoji in the chat with a friend, but oh man I have to see how it all comes together and if ANY of my guys make it out. I don't know if any of my guys make it out! :SOB:

sharp temporary walls (the long-term cliff edge of the world) by Odaigahara Fandom: 3rd Life SMP Rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence Relationship: Grian & GoodTimesWithScar Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ghosts, Memory Alteration, Corpse Desecration, Animal Death, Friendship, Horror, Angst with a Happy Ending Length: 1/3 chapters, 5,042 words

3rd life is down to two players, but they're both hurt. They decide to wait and heal before a final fight. The world waits around them. Just the tone of this one is so eerie and creepy. The world is just so silent and malevolent, while Desert Duo tries to heal, while also knowing that it all ends in death. I'm not gonna spoil it but what happens when Joel's dogs show up looking for their master is SO GOOD and SO BAD at the same time.

And They Were Ghosthunters | TNT Duo AU by commaclear Fandom: DSMP Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot Tags: Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Fish out of Water, Alternate Universe - Angels and Demons, Happy Ending Length: 21/21 chapters, 46,984 words

Wilbur Soot is a demon who's tired of being bored in Hell and decided to go to Earth, where he gets a job on a Ghost Hunting show run by a guy named Quackity. Surely he has lots of oppurtunity for sin here! Two problems though: Quackity is really cute and might actually be a genuinely good person and Wilbur is falling for him, and Love is toxic to demons. This one is legitimately so very funny and such a fast read. I sat down to read the first two chapters and then i looked up and I'd read 46k.

catbag by supinetothestars Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence Relationship: Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & Philza & Tommyinnit, Tommyinnit & Tubbo Tags: Alternate Universe - Superheroes & Superpowers, Villain SBI, Hero Tommyinnit, Child Abuse, Truth Serum, PTSD, Secret Identity, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort Length: 5/? chapters, 30,665 words

Okay so the summary for this one was:

Suspected of betraying the Hero Guild, Apprentice hero Tommy (A.K.A. Blindspot) is put under Security Protocol Catbag: a locked-on noise cancelling mask equipped with truth gas. His mentor, Dream, calls it a necessary teaching tool.

Meanwhile, SBI wants to know why their least favorite loudmouth little Hero has suddenly stopped talking.

And I read that and I was like "supinetothestars is going to get me back into reading tommy-centric superheros", and it's happened. It's so good, the characters are so thoughtful (and feel way more like canon characterizations vs fanon), and they run up against each other in really interesting ways. Wilbur is a paranoid bastard in a way that feels realistic and canon! The superpowers are interesting and interestingly played out (tommy's power is he can make himself unnoticeable!) and the relationships are adhering to tropes enough that they're like, oooooo, what happens next, I have a delightful suspicion, but they are pulled off well enough that they still feel fresh. It's really good.

Double Down by Onelituli Fandom: DSMP Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death Relationship: Dream & Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Ranboo & Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Dream & Sapnap & George, Tags: Alternate Universe - Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland Setting, Rated for Language and Dark Themes, Mystery, Flashbacks, Slow Build, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Grief/Mourning, No Villains just Antagonists, Bittersweet Ending Length: 11/13 chapters, 67,663 words

Oh man how even to explain this one. The Dream SMP ensemble is imprisoned in this post-apocolyptic setting where they have to compete in challenges to win cards. The higher the suit of the card, the harder the challenge. And people will die, they are dying, the challenges are killing them. They don't know why they're here or who is making them do this, but all they can do is try and make it together despite a structure that keeps trying to turn them against each other and destroy them. This is structured with lots of flashbacks and mysteries, and the mystery of what HAPPENED to these people is ever-present. And how on earth they possibly make it out of this challenge with even one person alive. This one is such a mystery, I don't know what's HAPPENING but I want to KNOW. And that's it for this month! I'll see you next time!

[seoafin]

omg hope you dont mind i just wanted to share with you since youre a really cool writer and you’re awesome at connecting canon to lore you made up yourself. theres this longfic i really wanna write but its so difficult tying loose threads around in the plot and in some backstories that my mind gets tangled especially when im trying to fill in details + add extra scenes to the main story that will (hopefully) make sense as part of the world and my protagonist’s development. even worse the story isnt even finished and the whole fandom’s accepted that it probably wont be 😭😭 this shit is crazy hard so how the hell you did it with rip!mc is actually so impressive!!!! you and every other “i will mold canon as i see fit” type of writer are literally the best on God

ahhhh thank youuu but honestly if i'm being real i couldn't have done it without the people here that have added so many dimensions to ripmc to the version that you see written. ripmc is truly a collective effort and credit where credit is due!!!! this blog would be nothing without the people that constantly comment and leave nice asks i'm so very appreciative of everyone.

[f1uffy-turtle-fanfic]

Hey, y'all. I wanted to just give a general writing/life update for you guys atm since I haven't said anything in a while and wanted to let you know I'm alive.

So, life. My current job has been holding well, but I'm struggling to catch up financially, but nothing too bad. Luckily my partner recently got a job too, so things are looking up. We're currently taking a bit of a vacation right now after a few emergencies have come up and stressed us out. Luckily I had the PTO.

And for the elephant in the room: my writing. I have actually been getting a little more consistent, believe it or not. I've finished drafting the first and second chapters of my main project, Spectral Ties and in the midst of writing chapter 3. Current word count in a session today yields about 597 words, totaling 3.5k for the current chapter with more to go (and assuming that chapter will finish around 7-8k).

At my current rate, I might have enough to revise and publish on Ao3 around October, but I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed forward to March 2025, around my birthday (also the birthday of the original idea of Spectral Ties known as Soul Bound).

I have updated The World of Spectral Ties to fit the new naming conventions of the magic system and I may update further to talk about other factions and organizations on the Boiling Isles that I've developed for that AU the further on I write. I've also added another fic from my Ao3 that I'm sure I've published on this blog as well called The Final Book, so if y'all want to check that out, feel free.

In other writing news, I feel like after finishing these next few chapters, I'll draft up some one-shots in either The Owl House or other fandoms like The Locked Tomb. I also have an Infinity Train/Owl House crossover idea, but I feel like that might be another longfic, hopefully shorter than what I project ST to be (10 chapters compared to ST's 30-40 chapters). But, that'll have to wait until I actually start writing those.

But yeah, I hope y'all are well. Don't die. And I'll see you on the flip side.

~Robyn

[fioreofthemarch]

in need of a beta!

Hello ✨ I’m looking for 1-2 betas for a new longfic I’m working on for Tears of the Kingdom. I’m still in the development/plot-breaking phase so won’t have anything ready for at least a month.

Please message me if interested, no experience or anything needed. If you are interested in worldbuild-y, lore heavy, zelink biased novellisation of TOTK, then this is hopefully for you!

[pintsizeninja]

Tagged by @wondrouswendy! Thanks for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Just 9 fics so far.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

70,681

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Alan Wake. In the past I've written for Leverage and a few others, but not consistently.

4. Top five fics by kudos

I Know A Few People - Peter Burke & Eliot Spencer, a White Collar/Leverage crossover fic

Definitely Unusual - Nathan Ford/Eliot Spencer, a Leverage fic

Ichabod vs. the Government Shutdown - Ichabod Crane & Abbie Mills, a Sleepy Hollow fic

Ragnarök - Odin Anderson/Thomas Zane, an Alan Wake fic

Letting Go - Nathan Ford, a Leverage fic

5. Do you respond to comments?

I didn't in the past because I have awful social anxiety, but I do now because I know how hard it is to leave comments and I want to be sure readers know how much I appreciate them.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Ragnarök, by far. That ending was incredibly difficult and emotional to write.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Gods in Disguise, my latest Odin/Zane one-shot has a pretty happy ending despite the tragedy that awaits those characters in the future.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No, I don't think I've published enough yet.

9. Do you write smut?

Absolutely. I'm not sure I could write an Odin/Zane fic at this point that didn't contain smut.

10. Craziest crossover?

Probably one of the first fics I ever wrote, a dumb The X-Files/Dark Tower series by Stephen King crossover. Not my proudest moment but we all have to start somewhere.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

lol, no. I haven't published enough and my work isn't popular enough.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope

14. All time favourite ship?

If we're talking ships I actually write, then by far Odin/Zane. All-time favorite ship though is probably tied between Mulder/Scully and House/Wilson.

15. What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I don't have any WIPs other than Ragnarök's sequel, and I'm most definitely finishing that one.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Descriptions and character development. I'm currently writing characters with little canon development, so I've essentially turned them into OCs and it's been a lot of fun to develop their voices. Hopefully I'm good at writing smut, because I quite enjoy writing it!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Reusing imagery. When I find something I like, it's hard to resist using it again. I also put way too much stock in external validation, which is... tough when you're writing an extreme rarepair. Writing really brings out a lot of my mental health demons and it's difficult to stay positive and motivated sometimes.

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

If it fits the character.

19. First fandom you wrote in?

The X-Files - that crossover fic I mentioned above.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Ragnarök. I took what was supposed to be a simple exploration into a sparsely-detailed canon event and turned it into an intense tragic love story. While I've written smut before, I'd never written romance and it was challenging and extremely rewarding. I'm now working on the sequel to that fic, and have plans for a third longfic and several other one-shots. It's also the first longfic I've completed, so it will always be special for that reason.

I'll tag @autisticwriterblog and @annachibi (if you've been tagged already, sorry for the spam!)❤️

[fatesundress]

For starters, I know you get this kind of comment all the time, but it’s true: Your style of writing is honestly so breathtaking and incredible. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever read anything better in my life. I always look forward to reading your works, and I just have to ask, how did you develop your writing style? It’s like - the details, word choice and plot are always so interesting and authentic. I really hope this ask isn’t overbearing, I’m just so entranced with the way you write.

oh wow. i don't have crying reaction images on my laptop good enough for this unfortunately

this is not overbearing at all anon!! you made my night :')

i mentioned briefly that i initially wrote poetry, which i think translates into my writing style being on the more lyrical/flowery side, and up until recently i really struggled with and hated dialogue and anything character-centric. now it's my favourite and the prose has actually become ancillary in my process at times. honestly language/writing is my biggest and oldest special interest and i've always become really easily fixated on dialects, phrasing, words that stand out to me, etc, so i sort of collect them as i go and they'll get stuck in my head for days where i just compulsively repeat or draw them out with my hands — writing is just easier and more socially acceptable lol. i keep a very long list of words i like that i'm constantly adding to (i'm sure you can find some repeats in my fics) and i get excited at the prospect of writing something that could elicit the same feeling in someone else that i get when i read/hear a phrase that clicks for me. (recent example is in the early narration of baldur's gate 3 when one of the mindflayer's eyes are described as "wet, orange pearls" GOD i can't stop thinking about it) i guess it's like how some people get really hyped about solving math equations or puzzles. that's me when i can write something accurately to the way it feels in my head.

otherwise, i'm obsessed with tom riddle, so that helps. i was talking a while ago about writing an invisible life of addie larue au for him and that's because it's not an exaggeration to say he's always at the back of my mind. every piece of media i engage with somehow loops back to him. i am literally always Putting Him In Scenarios. for plots specifically, to be honest i actually find it hard to write on here sometimes because i always want to do more with him than i find i can in a oneshot! i lean toward longfics with ocs because, well, i get to Put Him In More Scenarios, and ones more niche to my tastes.

hopefully that answers your question, i got a little carried away but thank you again 😭<3

[gardensystemtv]

Did a lil thing with OCs, lol. anyone else wanna do this? These are all my main character OCs currently (not counting D&D characters)

We go into a lot more details under the cut, and compare every OC with their Love interests so...

So, let's go into it more, we have Dragon Age first:

Marian is on perfect forehead kissing height for Merrill. Marian is a half-elf rogue, in my Medievalpunk DA2 crossover fic, where she tries to navigate all the hostilities of Kirkwall while keeping her family safe, and catching very unexpected feelings for the Dalish elf that fell into her life. Fic(s): Tender Love warms Cold Hearts (Rated E for gore, NSFW scenes are marked to skip easily)

Faith is a film student moving to Kirkwall, where she meets Merrill in her class. the fic is largely a meditation on religion, with Faith struggling to find her identity as a half-elf, and where she fits in with the Elvhen religion because of it. She was shunned by the elves in her hometown, but Merrill is very eager to make her feel included. Faith can also comfortably nestle herself under Merrill's chin, making for very comfy cuddles. Fic(s): Have Faith in Me (Rated T, does not contain violence or smut)

Cassidy appeared to me in a dream, so doesn't have a firmly rooted story yet, but towers over her girlfriends, and is very comfortable cuddling with them both piled on top of her. No fics yet

Almithara reluctantly took up the position of Inquisitor, and Sera was one of the few levities that made the job bearable for her. She fell in love quite quickly, and does anything to keep her archer safe. No fics yet, but hopefully soon.

Jane has always given everything to help others, and neglecting herself in the process. but Liara can cut through that, and recognizes the deep emotional needs inside her. Fic(s): Stolen Nights among the stars: A M rated one-shot about Liara strugglign to keep the relationship hidden from the rest of the crew Orbitting the Shadow of my Twin: A M Rated longfic, with two shepards on opposite sides.

Kate Shepard towers over both of her lovers, even if she is slightly shorter than her twin sister. She is ruthless, not holding back to obtain her goals no matter the costs. But Thane makes her see the parts of life worth loving, and Samantha reminds her that she is someone who deserves to be loved regardless of the situations she is thrust into. Fic(s): Make me forget my worries: An E rated very smutty one-shot with her emotional vulnerability around Thane. Orbitting the Shadow of my twin: A M rated longfic, with two Shepards, where Kate is forced to go after her own sister.

Demi is the main character of my original work Untethered, that I honestly think hasn't aged greatly and am tempted to rewrite. She has DID, and discovers this, and meets her headmate Avelyn around the same time she develops her crush on Jess. Fic(s): Untethered an E rated fic that, honestly, in my own opinion is too smutty and needs to be toned down. That was a masterlist of all my OCs, in case anyone is interested, I'd love to see other people's OCs, so feel free to tag me Tagging some moots now: @breadedsinner @mxkelsifer @poetikat @seraandthebees

[quarantined-fics]

What's your process for actually writing long fics? Currently working on writing my own but it feels overwhelming to keep things in check.

hi dearie!! i fully agree, the process can be very draining

in my case, i mix being a gardener and an architect. most of the time, i have a very vague idea of how a specific chapter is going to go and just let it flow on its own, but the outline of the entire story tends to be (and usually needs to be) very clear in my head.

another thing is having an ending in mind. i write retroactively, often starting to plan by thinking of an ending scene that i think would satisfy me (and hopefully a reader). from there, it's just connecting the dots of circumstances and plot points that need to occur in order to get there.

i write a veeeery basic outline. usually just the chapter name and at least one thing that needs to happen in it to progress the plot forward. keep in mind that the one thing needs to be major - everything else is a minor occurence, but nevertheless builds up atmosphere, provides exposition, or grows your characters. and again, it is at least one thing - what i've noticed is that some writers add more and it can work wonders with the right writing style, i just prefer mine with one major plot point. sometimes when i'm reviewing an outline, i add mini-notes like "add/ed foreshadowing here" or "provide more character development/exposition/description" - this focuses you on the task at hand, not the plot in its entirety, so it's less daunting to look back at.

from there, everything else is sitting down and focusing on one chapter. only on one. take your time and don't push yourself, pressure takes the joy out of anything. do not edit as you write, it will slow you down and make you overthink. leave editing for the very end (including grammatical mistakes), i suggest changing the font to refresh the mind and catch mistakes quicker.

one more thing that helped me is community. aside from fandom who are supportive and constructive, i found people outside of that comfort zone that i can discuss writing with and share my ideas. and afaik, beta readers can be greatly beneficial (i'd like to find one, although i hardly share my fandom life IRL)

then again please take everything here with a grain of salt - i am, after all, a beginner, and i have a ways to go before i am fully satisfied with my process and final product. i take any advice i can find and try and see what sticks, and what i wrote here works for me, but won't necessarily work for everyone.

good luck with your own work, nonnie!! if you are comfortable, feel free to reach out over messages♡

fellow fic writers, i encourage you to rb this with your own advice/process for longfics ♡ writing and reading fanfic is what unites us