#you ever write so many tags that are so similar that you just don't process the words as words anymore

[pechadream]

Fond Memories

Here's a small comic of my SDV farmer Luna and her grandpa back when she was younger!

Expect more Luna minicomics (Or the very rare fully colored comic) in the future! <3

⚠  Do not repost my art or I will come after your kneecaps  ⚠

(Bonus comic under the cut!)

Don't worry, she'll lift that sword someday.

(Today is just not that day)

[smellslikebot]

"how do I keep my art from being scraped for AI from now on?"

if you post images online, there's no 100% guaranteed way to prevent this, and you can probably assume that there's no need to remove/edit existing content. you might contest this as a matter of data privacy and workers' rights, but you might also be looking for smaller, more immediate actions to take.

...so I made this list! I can't vouch for the effectiveness of all of these, but I wanted to compile as many options as possible so you can decide what's best for you.

Discouraging data scraping and "opting out"

robots.txt - This is a file placed in a website's home directory to "ask" web crawlers not to access certain parts of a site. If you have your own website, you can edit this yourself, or you can check which crawlers a site disallows by adding /robots.txt at the end of the URL. This article has instructions for blocking some bots that scrape data for AI.

HTML metadata - DeviantArt (i know) has proposed the "noai" and "noimageai" meta tags for opting images out of machine learning datasets, while Mojeek proposed "noml". To use all three, you'd put the following in your webpages' headers:

<meta name="robots" content="noai, noimageai, noml">

Have I Been Trained? - A tool by Spawning to search for images in the LAION-5B and LAION-400M datasets and opt your images and web domain out of future model training. Spawning claims that Stability AI and Hugging Face have agreed to respect these opt-outs. Try searching for usernames!

Kudurru - A tool by Spawning (currently a Wordpress plugin) in closed beta that purportedly blocks/redirects AI scrapers from your website. I don't know much about how this one works.

ai.txt - Similar to robots.txt. A new type of permissions file for AI training proposed by Spawning.

ArtShield Watermarker - Web-based tool to add Stable Diffusion's "invisible watermark" to images, which may cause an image to be recognized as AI-generated and excluded from data scraping and/or model training. Source available on GitHub. Doesn't seem to have updated/posted on social media since last year.

Image processing... things

these are popular now, but there seems to be some confusion regarding the goal of these tools; these aren't meant to "kill" AI art, and they won't affect existing models. they won't magically guarantee full protection, so you probably shouldn't loudly announce that you're using them to try to bait AI users into responding

Glaze - UChicago's tool to add "adversarial noise" to art to disrupt style mimicry. Devs recommend glazing pictures last. Runs on Windows and Mac (Nvidia GPU required)

WebGlaze - Free browser-based Glaze service for those who can't run Glaze locally. Request an invite by following their instructions.

Mist - Another adversarial noise tool, by Psyker Group. Runs on Windows and Linux (Nvidia GPU required) or on web with a Google Colab Notebook.

Nightshade - UChicago's tool to distort AI's recognition of features and "poison" datasets, with the goal of making it inconvenient to use images scraped without consent. The guide recommends that you do not disclose whether your art is nightshaded. Nightshade chooses a tag that's relevant to your image. You should use this word in the image's caption/alt text when you post the image online. This means the alt text will accurately describe what's in the image-- there is no reason to ever write false/mismatched alt text!!! Runs on Windows and Mac (Nvidia GPU required)

Sanative AI - Web-based "anti-AI watermark"-- maybe comparable to Glaze and Mist. I can't find much about this one except that they won a "Responsible AI Challenge" hosted by Mozilla last year.

Just Add A Regular Watermark - It doesn't take a lot of processing power to add a watermark, so why not? Try adding complexities like warping, changes in color/opacity, and blurring to make it more annoying for an AI (or human) to remove. You could even try testing your watermark against an AI watermark remover. (the privacy policy claims that they don't keep or otherwise use your images, but use your own judgment)

given that energy consumption was the focus of some AI art criticism, I'm not sure if the benefits of these GPU-intensive tools outweigh the cost, and I'd like to know more about that. in any case, I thought that people writing alt text/image descriptions more often would've been a neat side effect of Nightshade being used, so I hope to see more of that in the future, at least!

[steviewashere]

🪱🪱Worm Wednesday!!!!!🪱🪱

I was tagged by the lovely @hotluncheddie! Hello, I'm sorry for the rambling mess this is going to be. But I know I missed this like two weeks ago, so bear with me.

Okay, I'm going to try and be normal here. I have, honestly, so many worms in my brain. They're dancing and stomping and I'm just going fucking nuts with how much is in my brain at the moment. And also I took excedrin this morning for my migraine and that had caffeine in it and it's more caffeine than I would normally have—anyway.

Y'all already know one of my brain worms, the whole omega verse sensitive nips omega Steve thing. Which, I will plug the post here because I don't have the energy (yes, I do, but I don't want to echo myself) to share all the craziness about that in one post.

I'm also thinking about young Steve Harrington, which is kudos to this post and lots of people's tweets over on the twitter. I won't go into it, same reasons as the omega verse thing so just...again, bear with me.

But! But the actual brain worms I'm having currently, in this very moment, also have to do with another post I made on here. I want to go more in-depth with, though. So, some days ago, I came across an Instagram Reel that was a clip from the YouTube video interview between Jon Bernthal and Dungeon Master Deborah Ann Woll.

So, brief brief summary of this video is basically: Jon Bernthal says that he wants to play D&D, Deborah Ann Woll then gives him a scenario of walking through the woods and while he's walking he hears snap of twigs, and then she basically prompts him with "What do you do?" And he responds, now I can't remember exactly what he says, but I believe it had something to do with investigating the source of the snapped twigs.

Anyway, the video is excellent and you all should check it out. She basically explains D&D in a way that would make sense to anybody, in the matters of asking a player or a potential player what they'd do in certain scenarios, then bringing in the "rougher" elements such as the History checks or Perception checks in the game.

And I want to write something along the lines of Steve approaching Eddie about D&D. Maybe he wants to play because Dustin keeps bugging him about it, but he's too nervous to accept. Maybe he just wants to know what it's like. Maybe he even wants to be a substitute player one of these days just in case somebody can't show up. Something, y'know, where he's approaching Eddie. But he's really, really confused about where to even begin. He's got a character sheet, he's looking at the manuals loaned to him or he even bought himself, he's looking at all these stats and all these options and he just doesn't know where to begin.

Also, brief intervene here, I would be basing this off of 5e rules because that's what I play and frequently toy with. So...don't be mad at me if I get something "inaccurate for the time". I, first of all, honestly don't care. And second, I was not alive in like 1977 when the game first came out. And there's nobody in my life who played it then or possibly has played it ever outside of 5e. Moving on.

So, he tries to explain his character sheet to Eddie, obviously getting a bit overwhelmed in the process. But Eddie stops him. Says something like, "Hold on, okay? Let's just take a baby step here. I'm going to give you a scenario and then I want you to tell me what you'd do."

And he lays out that same, or even just something similar, to what Deborah Ann Woll gave. (I'm going to base this off of the video. Very original, I am.) So it's something like:

"Okay, you've got a small dagger attached to your belt, it's concealed within a hilt. And on your back, there's a bow and a quiver—or a pouch—of arrows. You're walking through the woods. It's dark, heavy clouds hanging overhead, moon obstructed, you can barely see your surroundings. There's leaves under your feet, gravel, sticks. But then, before you can step your foot down next, something crunches in the distance on your left. What do you do?"

There's a pause. A long moment where Steve is considering his options.

"It's a far away sound, right?" Steve checks and Eddie nods. There's a little hmph from Steve as he continues to think. "Can I tell how far away it is? Is there a way to distinct the length of it?"

Eddie maybe smirks, eyes already glowing. "Give a perception check." And at Steve's befuddled expression, leaning in and brows furrowed, Eddie continues on. "So, you're going to roll one of those dice that you always see the kids with. The D20, that's the one you'd use right now. 20 is the highest you can get"—

"The best I can get. And 1 is obviously the lowest, so the worst."

"Right! So...let's say you were to pick up a D20 right now and roll it. You get a...a fourteen. And your perception, one of those skills on the top of your paper"—and Eddie would grab Steve's character sheet, to point out the number he already placed there—"this one right here. And on your paper, it looks to be pretty high. A sixteen is what you have. So...I'm going to ask you to add three more to your dice roll."

Steve squints at the paper. He doesn't take long to do the math, muttering a little under his breath. "Okay...I'd have a seventeen for my perception check." And he looks up to Eddie for confirmation, in which he gets. "And if it's possible out of twenty...that means I can probably figure it out well, right?"

Eddie nods with a smug hum. "You're already a natural." He leans back a little from Steve. Eyes away in thought. Goes on, "So, I'll know right away, based on that number you give me that you're extremely perceptive. I tell you...okay, the sound you hear is roughly ten feet away on your left."

"That's really close," Steve murmurs. "I think I'll...I'll ready that bow on my back. Take it off, grab for one of my arrows. Poise it."

"Mmm...And as soon as you get your bow in the right position, you begin to make out what seems like a pair of eyes. From the darkness between the trees, those eyes emerge closer and closer, revealing the large figure of a sixteen foot owlbear. Its feathers are spread wide, splaying defensively. Eyes glowing, it seems, yellow and bright. The body girth of a bear, but the head and mannerisms of an owl. It trills and squawks in your face. What do you do?"

Anyway, it would go from there. Tried to figure out a monster that wasn't an owlbear because that's what was used in the video. But uh...my brain is not being original right now, so that's basically the whole example from the video. But I just adore that video so much, the simple, yet impactful way she taught the basics. And I think it could translate so well to Eddie and Steve messing with D&D together.

Sorry for a long ass post lmao

Tagging (no pressure): @puppy-steve @scoops-aboy86 @ataliagold @marvel-ous-m @pearynice

@wheneverfeasible @rogueddie @sidekick-hero

[agirlandherquill]

oc interview tag

thanks @willtheweaver for the tag!

this one looks like fun!

i'll be using Edeva from Ruin's Reprisal for this one,

Were you named after anyone? - "Well, my middle name comes from a distant relative - Maenaire, I think there was a legend written about her once, I never had the chance to find out her story but my mother clearly saw some similarities between us."

When was the last time you cried? - "Ah, that. Do tears of anger count? I cried enough while I was screaming at Fenley for being a mangisen - that's a pig, in my native language. I think he got the message, tears or not."

Do you have any kids? - "No. I never considered children, and I don't think motherhood is a suitable role for an Exilza. I would never subject a child to this life, but if that ever changes... I don't know, maybe I would, if I found someone - someone that was right."

Do you use sarcasm a lot? - "More often with Fenley than not, I don't know why he just- Brings something out in me."

What is the first thing you notice about people? - "...In the old days, I would have said their faces. Faces can change, they can hide things, but I always looked at the eyes - These days, I notice whether someone is armed. I know more dangerous people than not at present and... It can never hurt to be safe."

What is your eye colour? - "Blue. Though Fenley would have many other things to say - He pays far more attention than I."

Scary movies or happy endings? - "I need no tales to know fear, and though I have yet to know one, I'd prefer a happy ending."

Any special talents? - "I can silence the most fearsome man the country has ever known with a single word, does that count? Oh, and please don't tell Fenley."

Where were you born? - "Vitaire Manor, right here in Aliria."

Do you have any pets? - "I was too preoccupied with the goings on of Court to take responsibility for anything other than myself, sadly. And in the wilderness now, I would wish that upon no animal."

What sort of sports do you play? - "Something of a verbal sparring match with Fenley, though sometimes, rare times - things almost turn violent. He never lets me harm him or myself in the process, which is nice. And despite what he says - I do win our arguments."

How tall are you? - "As much as I would love to call myself average, Fenley's laughter can be heard from here - I know, I know, I'm not as tall as I think I am."

What was your favourite subject in school? - "I seldom had proper lessons, aside from personal tutors but... I learned to dance, with Arden. That was one of the lessons I enjoyed the most."

What is your dream job? - "I've never had a job. I've always had an expectation - my engagement to Arden decided most of my life, until our wedding day - Well, I won't say being engaged to a Prince is simple, but it was certainly easier than being an Exilza."

now for the tags! i just updated my tag list so here goes! no pressure of course, looking forward to getting to know some other people's characters! - also open tag!

~ ~ ~ tags ~ ~ ~

@the-ellia-west @tildeathiwillwrite @drchenquill @365runesofthesystem @coffin-hopping

@godsmostfuckedupgoblin @a-mimsy-borogove @frostedlemonwriter @i-do-anything-but-write @r-u-living

@thatuselesshuman @lead-to-code @sunflowerrosy @theaistired @phoenixradiant

@autism-purgatory @corinneglass @tiredpapergirl @patheticexcuseforawriter @missmisanthrope

@your-writing-motivation @littlestchildofthemoon @morganxduinn @thebrownleathernotebook @rmhashauthor

@lamuradex @fantasy-things-and-such @glasshouses-and-stones @hattonthehatman @humbly-a-doppelganger

@hopecreatesstuff @ramwritblr @s-pendragon7 @thelastneuron @heartreactor

@ihauntmyhouse @shiningstars-world @scaewolf @mehxis @just-emis-blog

@joeys-piano @ramitola @thestoryteller8 @yrndrgn @riveriafalll

@lawrencespen1777 @theverumproject @zackprincebooks @ansanity2 @justjariel

@orion-lacroix @jupiter---daydreams @vinniehorrible @stars-forever @thewritingautisticat

@whatwewrotepodcast @anaisbebe @appleandsnow @urnumber1star @chaotictravelerrants

@andagii-projects @dragmewithyoutonirvana @a-bi-cat-with-books @fearofahumanplanet @just-a-domesticated-cryptid

[ivaspinoza]

OC names tag

Rules: Answer how you came up with your characters names and personalities.

Thank you dear @poethill for the tag! I am not big on tag games, but this weekend I finally had enough time and space to go back to my novel (drastic changes btw), so this feels right for this moment. I'm going with the main ocs:

Angie

Named after the Rolling Stones song, Angeline has a lot of anger because I had a lot of anger when she was born. Lots of questions, as well. She can be mean or rude, but not in a hot-villain way. She is just human: sometimes, she messes up. Her traits were also a reaction to the ''Bella Swan'' female character. Or the ''dangerous but absolutely pornographic'' type of female character. Or the ''I'm strong like a boy'' type, or the ''I don't fart'' type. I guess Angie is a place where I processed and still process some aspects of my femininity, anger and relationships. Angeline means Messenger (of God), which is the meaning of the word Angel (Greek - Angelos), which has too many layers and personal implications as well.

Evan

Another name I never second-guessed: it just popped into my head, ready to go. At the time, I had a friend who understood me incredibly well, without the need of words. He just knew how to get through me. Evan has lots of his personality. And my taste for rock music belongs with him.

Damien

Inspired by Damien Rice (for a long time, he was my favourite singer/songwriter). My best friend at the time, a girl, inspired some aspects of Damien. Also, the dynamic between him and Evan was similar to ours, so I incorporated and exaggerated some of that.

Madeleine

Tried to rename her a bunch of times, because of Angeline, but nothing will stick besides her original name. Maddie is a mix of many girls in my life, including myself.

Anthony

Like all the others, his name just appeared in my head and it felt absolutely right. There was a manga with lovely art and shit plot that one of my online friends at the time used to read, and she had all these pictures of her favourite character. I don't think kids these days will ever understand how precious pictures were before Pinterest, but anyway... She used to write fanfics, not about him specifically, but we talked a lot and his personality influenced many aspects of Anthony. She was big on angst, that's all I can say.

Tagging @cssnder @mysteryofvampires @drchenquill @valyalyon @informedimagining @crow-with-a-typewriter

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

totally feel free to ignore but what are some tips you have for writing? I rlly want to write x readers soon but idk how to start

Write for yourself: write what you want, when you want, for whatever reason you want, and don't let it become an obligation. It's hard to gain traction on a site like tumblr so you don't want to get discouraged by a lack of feedback/notes: which will probably happen if you're trying to write for others instead of yourself. Gaining fame should be irrelevant to you: it'll make you happier in the long run and save you a bunch of self doubt.

Read a lot. It can be whatever you prefer: fiction, nonfiction, fanfiction, etc. It simply helps to remind you what proper grammar, sentences, and characters look like. If you ever find yourself struggling to word things, take a break and read something else.

If you're creating a new blog to write on, reblog things to it or make unimportant posts on it immediately upon creating it. They can be things you'll end up deleting in the future, it really doesn't matter, it simply helps your blog be seen in the tags you're looking to post in quicker. Tumblr; at least when I started, has a sort of authorization process (for lack of a better term) where a new blogs posts will not be seen in tags until they've made a couple posts/reblogs. It's a sort of "prove you're not a robot" process that ends quicker by doing the aforementioned things.

Tag things properly and learn proper fanfiction terms.

Rewatching/rereading is your friend. Sometimes it's necessary to watch clips back again to see the little things that you might have missed on your first viewing. Even the smallest of interactions can really help to flesh out a character when writing for them.

Watch other films. There's only so many different kinds of character archetypes out there and finding similar characters to watch can help you come up with ideas for the ones you want to write for.

Don't limit yourself. Experiment with different kinds of fanfiction and see what works for you. You might prefer one type of fanfiction over the other or you might want to write different kinds. (i.e. look into the difference between imagines, headcanons, blurbs, etc.)

Don't force yourself to finish something. If you want to write ten different things all at once, don't force yourself to complete the post you're struggling with when you could finish two different ones in the mean time.

Give credit where credit is due. Don't grab a gif from a random place and claim it as your own or steal writing from somebody else (even if it's just a small segment). Always tag or link wherever you've found something and respect peoples wishes if they don't want you to use it.

Being self indulgent is part of the fun but try not to let it cloud your judgement when writing for different characters; especially if you're trying to appeal to an audience. There's a fine line between writing fanfic and making an oc out of preexisting characters: both are fine but if you're trying to appeal to the masses and/or be accurate, don't force things to fit just because you wish they were so.

That's all I got off the top of my dome so I hope that this helps! Good luck!❤

[contentloadingandstuff]

Parent headcanons - Sara, Ei and Lisa

Characters: Kujou Sara // Raiden Ei // Lisa Minci

Genre: Fluff

Note: I felt like writing some fluff, as I tend to neglect it a lot. So I made a randomizer with characters from the game, and spun it. I tagged it as 'male reader', but can be easily read as GN reader.

Here's my attempt at some fluffy headcanons :p

//Kujou Sara\\

First of all, congratulations for convincing her to have children in the first place.

Sara never got to experience any warm, parental love, and as such has trouble offering it. She has the instincts, sure, but her affections come out as awkward most of the time.

Looks to you for support when your child has any emotional issues.

Sara, being raised in a very conservative and tradition-focused society, has a solid view on how a family should look like. She most likely would like to have a son and a daughter.

May try to push her son towards a military career, and her daughter to the shrine, as tradition says. If they don't want such a future, she will try to get you involved. Please, explain to her that there are other ways in life than what society says! She will step down a fair bit if you support your children.

Will most likely try to pursue the traditional role of a mother while on parental leave, but will soon understand it's just not for her. She is a busy woman, used to constant action and the military routine. Sara hopes you are alright with providing the quality time and the emotional support she can't.

Doesn't mean she won't try to show her love, obviously.

Her motherly love shows mostly through acts of service.

If there is anything she can help with, she will do it. Even if her duties call, Sara will make sure to put them on second priority, or just hand them over to her subordinates.

That is aside from academic help. Sara recieved an education, but is not very eager to sit through it again. So help the bird-lady, alright?

Gifts are the second language of love, as her sizable paycheck allows it. Expansive clothing, rare foods, books and high quality toys, as well as others. They are not always on-point, but her children will surely appreciate the gesture.

Is the strict, somewhat scary mom. You'll most likely take on the role of the lenient, fun parent to balance it.

Bullies? What bullies? If anyone will be stupid enough to raise their hand on her son or daughter, their parents will go through absolute hell until they come on their knees to her, begging for forgiveness.

If her children will inherit her Tengu blood, she will help them tend to their wings and teach them how to fly.

She is loyal to the Shogun, but after enough time will rethink her priorities.

Now that she has a family, a real one, to return to, she will rethink the whole 'leading the charge' thing as well. Commanding from the back seat is not for her, so she will take to staying on the sidelines instead.

That said, her zeal will increase. She is now not only fighting for the safety of her ideals and the Shogun, but also her own family.

Overall, a 6/10 mother. She is not very good at this, but she tries her best.

// Raiden Ei \\

Ei would only have a child with someone similar to her - a god. She has lost so many people in the past, and she just couldn't afford to see her partner wither away, and outlive her children (I assume demigods live shorter).

If Ei were to meet her love before the Archon war, she would be a completely different person nowadays. With someone to help her cope, the isolation and Vision Hunt Decree would just not have happened. But, for this scenario, let's assume you met her after the Inazuma story quests.

She will take her time starting a family. Raiden Ei has a lot of issues to work through, but the healing process will be faster if you will be there by her side.

Ever since her childhood, between all the fighting and bloodshed, she entertained the thought of having children at first, but the image of her own family grew more and more distant the more she fought. Soon, it was completely forgotten. It was you who reawakened the desire in her.

Ei was split between wanting to have one child to devote her love and affection to, and having multiple. She came to the conclusion that one son or daughter would be lonely by themselves, so two children will be her dream.

Her role may make her out as very busy, but personally I think that's not the case at all. With the Tri-commission to do all the work, Ei only needs to approve existing ideas and solutions, and propose new ones every now and then. That leaves her with lots of free time.

Wanting to devote full attention to her little ones, she will ask you to take over most of her duties. She will still take part in the most important discussions, but will avoid exhausting herself. You, being the loving and understanding partner, will gladly help her.

To say your heirs would be spoiled would be like saying nothing. Being the children of the leaders of a powerful nation certainly has lots of perks.

Ei will not hesitate to indulge her children in luxuries and expansive entertainments, like food or toys. You may want to keep an eye on her though - she will forget that her children have actual bodies to keep clean of cavities.

Gift giving, physical affection, quality time - Ei will try to give everything she has in store.

She will often get confused at modern things, looking up to you for guidance. She will learn eventually, but it's all still quite new to her.

Auntie Miko will make frequent visits, if only to tease her friend and play with the youth. A friendship will form between them, and Miko will get into all sorts of predicaments with them when they grow up.

The Plane of Euthymia will become brighter and more lively when she takes her children there.

When it comes to roles, Ei will be the helpful and loving type, who can annihilate her enemies one second and wash her child's hair the next.

The roles of fun and serious will be split between you two.

When it comes to jobs for her heirs, Ei will do her best to not let them experience the same things she did - which means keeping them as far away as possible from the military and politics.

If anyone dares to pick on her joys, they will be gone in a flash, leaving only a black stain on the ground to remember them by.

In summary, 8/10. Tries hard, and gets the results. Gives her little ones all the attention and love she can muster.

// Lisa Minci \\

It was a hard decision for her to make.

Since becoming aware of her incoming mortality, she wanted nothing more than to live her life to the fullest. That includes trying out new things, drinking tea, dating and having a family.

But, on the other hand, when she will die, she will leave you alone with your kid.

Lisa ultimately decided to take the risk, but agreed to have only one child with you in mind.

Has no preference over their sex.

Her comfy job at the library puts no stress on neither her mind nor her body, so the pregnancy will go without issue. Her maternity leave will be relatively short, and she will often visit the headquarters to escape from her little ones and get some actual sleep do her duties, of course.

Lisa is going to cherish every moment she is granted with you and her children.

Quality time is her absolute favorite, mixed with constant words of affirmation.

Lots of walks, lots of picnics, game nights, cooking together or any other imaginable activity (appropriate for the kids' age that is) are frequent.

Insistent on eating every meal together.

Will hog most of the time and attention of her kids.

Will spoil them to the limit, leaving you to take the hit and be the serious one.

Lisa would still be very helpful, especially in academic troubles.

The mage would take a lot of pictures, and hang them on every accessible surface. Every memory worthy of immortalizing must be made such. Not for her, but for you and the kid to remember.

She has no delusions that she will live long enough to see her joys go to work - she would like to, no doubt, but it's a foolish hope. That said, her heir's role in the world is up to them to choose.

Will insist on sleeping together, sandwiching the kid in between you. It's the best position to be in, being able to hold the people that made her the happiest woman in Teyvat as she drifts off to sleep. That is where she would like to pass away.

Will offer words of wisdom and book recommendations when the kid grows up enough to understand her.

As painful as that will be, she will try her best to hide any symptoms of dying. Lisa just... doesn't want to see you or them distressed over her state.

Will make life difficult for any bullies that might surface, maybe going as far as to dish out the punishment with her Electro vision herself.

A stellar mother. 10/10. Cherish her while she lasts.

Thanks for reading!

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is: MISSBERRYCAKE! They have six fics posted to AO3 in the Stranger Things fandom and five of them posted to the Steddie tag!

Our anonymous nominator recommends the following works by Missberrycake:

When the Sun is High (I'll Meet You in the Woods)

An Act of Grace

If I Loved You Less.

Blackbird

The Wonder

"I'm nominating missberrycake for a spotlight because I've loved a number of her works that I think have been underappreciated. Her pieces can be quite melancholy, but I think are really lovely and always leave me feeling content. She writes dialogue and characters in a very believable and layered way. I first came across her after her most popular fic, though I think she's done some fabulous ones since!" -- anonymous

Below the cut, Missberrycake answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

Ooh, I have a long and storied past with shipping and, while I've been a Stranger Things fan since the start, I hadn't really picked up any shipping threads until S4. I think Steve and Eddie have a great mix of that jock and loser dynamic and enemies to lovers vibe that works really well - but also the ending to S4 was really ripe for some good angst storytelling. A little reminiscent of Stucky or Reddie.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

Hm. I'm not sure. I am a sucker for time travel, but I don't think I've red too much of that. Probably slow-burn - I just love being frustrated!

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

Well … according to my most used tags on Ao3, it's AUs and Time Travel, and Friends to Lovers shows up there as well, which all sound right. I know that I'm enjoying a book or show or whatever when I think, I need to write and AU of this!

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

Ahh! That's too hard - I have a lot of bookmarks for fics I love! It’ probably a battle between Lovesick in Loch Nora by red0aktree and standing up the dead by heartofwinterfell. The first is so gah, you know? So romcon. The latter, I love the concept. Even though it's Max-led, Eddie is fabulously done in that fic, for sure.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

Not really - ideas tend to swoop in when I'm not actively thinking about it. I have had a niggling little thought about a folklore esque cryptic came back wrong story, something creepy, you know. But we'll see!

What is your writing process like?

Overly organised! I'm a planner, so I need to know what the ending is before I start - I will generally map out acts and scenes and character arcs before I write the first sentence, which I think helps me immensely so that I don't have to do so many edits later.

Do you have any writing quirks?

I'm sure I must do, but I don't know about them. I guess - I'll tend to write all my dialogue in a scene first as a but of a template and then fill in the gaps.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

Oh, when I've finished for sure. The only time I've ever abandoned a fix was when I posted as I was going on a schedule and it really killed the enjoyment of it for me - too much pressure on timing and the lack if ability to go back and fiddle with things.

Which fic are you most proud of?

I'll stick to my Steddie fics, so it would have to be An Act of Grace, for the Bigbang. I adore that fic, honestly, and worked really hard on it. I think it came out almost exactly how I wanted it and I was so excited when posting finally arrived!

How did you get the idea for An Act of Grace?

It was two things, really - firstly I had watched ‘Howards End’ with Joseph Quinn in and fully needed to see Eddie in the similar time period, I could not get it out of my head - the idea of a servant Eddie and aristocratic Steve came to me pretty quickly after that and was too perfect. Also, though, I wanted to do something with a distinctly English vibe to it (I am English!) - I sometimes feel a bit at sea writing USAmerican characters and settings, so something more familiar I though might work better for me.

When writing When the Sun is High (I’ll Meet You In the Woods), what was something you didn’t expect?

For it to be so popular, actually! Particularly as it was being posted. It's my most popular Steddie fic by a country mile and I'm really fond of it - trying to get a version of Steve and Eddie who had a history to work with canon was a fun challenge.

What inspired If I Loved You Less?

Well, its an Emma AU, so Emma! I was watching the most recent film adaption and NEEDED to write it, but I also loved Clueless growing up, so putting a modern twist on it made the most sense to me. The placement of characters in that story was very fun!

What was your favorite part to write from Blackbird?

The tree decorating scene, for sure. I love that part of Christmas myself, so I had a great time adding in little bits and pieces from people I know and traditions they have.

How do/did you feel writing When the Sun is High (I’ll Meet You In the Woods)?

Gosh, it feels like it was so long ago! I was just excited to get something out into fandom, I think, and to become part of the community.

What was the most difficult part of writing The Wonder?

Ooh, probably knowing that it wasn't going to do very well? 😄 I completely love that little fic, so to kind of keep it contained to just Eddie and Wayne - even mostly Wayne - was tricky. Sometimes less is more!

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

Hm. In the epilogue of An Act of Grace, Claudia gives a little speech about Steddie. I think I like that a lot for the way it kind of sums everything up so nicely. A bit of a snapshot of them as characters.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

Nope! I've taken a bit of a break from writing at the moment, buy I've been at it for 13 years, so I'm sure I'll be back at it in the future.

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Just to say thank you to whoever submitted my name! It's made my month, probably!

Thank you to our author, Missberrycake, and our anonymous nominator! See more of Missberrycake's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[bloodinwine]

Writing Interview

🖤Writing Interview Tag Game🖤

Thank you for the tag @starryjuicebox

When did you start writing?

I think the earliest memory I had of sitting down to write a story was probably when I was eleven? I was working on something based on what my dad gave me as a story prompt. Turned out it was the premise for Fallout 💀

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I think I would class what I'm writing as a...romantasy maybe? Except not so heavy on the fantasy part??? I normally don't read pure romance novels though. I largely read fantasy books - sometimes sci-fi.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Hmmm. This is interesting, it's less that I want to emulate a certain writer and more that I hope to evoke similar feelings to how something I'd read made me feel. When I get to respond so emotionally to a piece of art, I have to ask myself too like... how were they able to do that? Magic. I haven't been compared to another writer before.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

Sometimes I'm in my study room when I'm proofreading and doing more serious edits. But when I'm just drafting or vibing, I'm writing on my laptop in bed.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Music is a big one for me. To me, nothing gets me more ready to dive into that document than listening to some good music and just putting your mental headspace completely in your own little world. It's my favorite part of writing.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Yes and yes. UY has a recurring theme of the passage of time and how little of it there is. Astarion's immortality and Effy's human life are at complete ends.

What is your reason for writing?

Nothing tangible on this earth is more cathartic to me. It's become so essential to my overall well-being.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

I appreciate them all. Writing is lonely and when you get to finally have that little time in the light sharing your work with others, being able to engage and connect with others over that is really nice and always motivating. I think that's essential to a writer's motivation, I know people say WRITE FOR YOURSELF and yes, absolutely you should, but being able to LET GO of that piece of writing you've held close to yourself for weeks can be immensely emotional in the best way. Now the story you've shared is bigger than just you, it's about other people too.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Diligent - that no matter what, I did my best.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Ahh....I always feel weird answering questions like this about myself. But I'd say that giving characters, whether major or minor, a strong presence in the story is probably it.

How do you feel about your own writing?

I'm working on building more confidence around my writing. But I feel that it's special to me at least. Even though it'll be shared with many others, there's still so many things that occur within that process that no one else will ever know or understand. Not to be dramatic, but damn, writing IS dramatic - like, I know so many things about Effy that no one else ever will. I'm the one who knows exactly what she looks like when she gives Astarion goo goo eyes. I'm the one that knows exactly what those horrible moments with her ex Blake looked like too. The attachment you can feel to your own characters as a writer is immense. A part of me feels sad when I think about the eventual ending of UY. Like one day I have to say goodbye to someone who feels like a friend to me now.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I write for myself in the sense that I refuse to compromise on how I want UY to go. BUT I did have a moment where I'd faltered and wondered whether I should skip scenes or whole chapters in fear that those moments wouldn't matter to people reading it. So when I worked on the new chapter (Chp18) it felt so wrong and that made me really unexcited to write and that is certainly not the energy I want to put into my work. Writing for myself is the ONLY way I can do this - and damn that first draft came out quick once I was reminded of this. <3

No pressure tag for: @thedreamlessnights @socialinadequacybeingsuchamust

#tag game

[nyoomerr]

How do you always pop out banger fics? I feel like everyone and their mothers in the fandom adore your fics and not one of your stuff has ever been a flop! Seriously, what's your secret??

djkhfg but more seriously, there have definitely been fics i've posted that i personally wasn't happy with at the time i posted them, or that i was really proud of but have indeed "flopped" when i posted them**

**recognizing that all success is relative, and considering a "flop" to be a lack in response compared to my other svsss fics from a similar time period

overall though, i have indeed been extremely lucky with how kindly this fandom has treated me and how much support my work gets... but mostly i do think that really is just luck 😅

if you just meant for this to be a very sweet compliment about how you like my stuff a lot, thank you so much, and feel free to stop reading here!! if you were genuine in asking "seriously, what's your secret," though, i do have some tips for fic writing!

first thing is for me to say that it is 100% the most important for you to personally be the #1 fan of your own stuff.

it's super fun that so many people like my fics! but it's mostly fun because it feels like i'm holding up a rock and screaming and everyone screams along with me - it would be a lot less exciting if i was holding up a rock and watching in silent indifference as everyone screamed at it, lol. writing stuff just because it's interesting to you will also help you avoid writing + fandom burnout, and people who read it will always be able to tell when you love what you're writing about.

i also personally think it's really important to see the things you like to completion, which includes either posting it somewhere or saving it alongside your finished works, whatever you personally do to metaphorically put a finished piece "on the fridge."

it is a wildly common experience for creatives to begin disliking their own work partway through the creative process, or to dislike it after it's done. but if you're creating something because you're personally excited about some aspect of it, then you theoretically enjoyed something about that work at some point in time. and, with enough time and distance from it, you'll probably end up liking it again in the future!

if you've made sure to put that work "on the fridge" somewhere it's safe and marked as 'done' in your own mind, then you'll get the chance to create that time and distance. it's not sitting in some guilt-ridden folder of abandoned wips, or discarded because you were never able to write or edit it to your satisfaction - it's just 'done.' i can't count how many times i've come back to a piece i disliked at the time of finishing it and, months later, decided it was actually pretty good.

so - put your work on the fridge, even if you're not satisfied with it! and when your brain is able to let it go, reread it. find the parts that made you write it in the first place, the stuff that got you really excited, and let them excite you again, and inspire you to write even more!!

okok so that's a) write what you like and b) don't give up on your hard work. now i'll address the last bit that touches on fandom reception of your work... 💦💦

... i really do think it's mostly luck 😅

the very first fic i posted on this ao3 account is, without doubt, still my most popular one. i could talk about how i feel about that for a whole separate essay post lmao, but it is a good example of how fic "popularity" often works.

i was still on twitter at the time that i made it, which was where most of the mxtx fans were at. a promo post i made got retweeted by a handful of people with big followings, and that combined with the fact that there were way less binggeyuan fics at the time meant that it kinda hit it big. and since so many people sort by kudos or bookmarks, fics that are already popular just end up more popular...

i think a lot of popular fics are like this to some degree. they use the right tags and post at the right time to get seen by just the right audience, or there's a promo tweet/post somewhere that lands on just the right number of dashes, and their popularity snowballs. of course, these popular fics are also often absolutely fucking incredible and worthy of their popularity, but i've also read fics with very very little "popularity" that are just as good or better than some of the top kudosed or bookmarked fics in the tag.

the only thing i have ever (personally) noticed as something you can control that affects popularity is fic length - from what i've seen in both my fics and those others write, multichaptered fics that update semi regularly and stretch on for multiple months have a tendency to drum up more excitement the longer they go. people start to get more excited for each update + they talk about that on socmed, and that combined with consistently bumping the fic to the top of the tag when sorted by recently updated gives it more and more chances for it to hit that lucky combo of "seen by the right people."

so, that's all to say, actually my advice for this section is also "just write what you like," because you can't control whether or not the people who will also like it will see it when you post it, so make sure there's at least one reader enjoying the ride (you).

...and then of course for more generic "how do you write """well""" advice, just keep practicing, and take note of the things you like in other people's writing and how they accomplish it!

sorry if that was like. way more than what you were really expecting as an answer for this 🙈🙈 i really am truly very grateful for all the super kind feedback i get on my work, but i'm really out here just writing whatever i want in whatever ways i want and then throwing it up "on the fridge" before i can chicken out dkfjh

i hope you (or whoever else bothered to read this far) can also be really satisfied and excited about what you're making, and my fingers are crossed for your luck in the "everyone in the fandom likes this thing" lottery 🤞🤞

[galactikburzt]

Oh yeah remember that one post i made about that forbidden testing tracks mod before it came out a while ago

I have decided that I am gonna be this mod's strongest soldier because some people out there are being mean about this mod when there was clearly a lot of passion behind it and it really seems to be someone's first mod ever and like, i do really hope that we get to see new things from the creator in the future because i do see a lot of potential in the mod

Putting my thoughts over the mod in detail under the cut

Personally, I do think that this mod's main issue was that it tried to be way too much at the same time

Which, as someone who likes writing for myself from time to time, I get it. Sometimes you kind of just write something so ambitious that you later realize that its so big for you that you wont be able to manage to get yourself to complete it

The mod has A LOT of mechanics, and I mean A LOT. While I have never had the chance to learn how to build puzzles in portal since my pc is currently not working, I do know a little bit about level design since I am interested in the topic, and also because I do also like messing around on custom level editors whenever I can which was the thing that made me feel interested on level design lol (i really love seeing video essays about gameplay mechanics whenever i can because i do find that very fascinating but that's not the point i am trying to make right now)

Forbidden testing tracks does have lots of mechanics, several multiple types of guns, a dimensional traveling portal sort of, i think, sparks you can jump on, explosive cubes, hell it even has a test room that rotates itself

When you put it out in paper like that it sounds amazing

But the thing is, I can't get myself to mention all of these mechanics, and that's the thing

The mod has so many mechanics, that it is difficult for the player to process all of these new things at the same time

Some of these mechanics appear only once or twice only to not be used ever again

I do think, that whenever you add a new mechanic to a game of any genre, you need to let the player have the chance to process it, learn it, and mess around with it until they get the hang out of it

Let's take a look at the first portal game for example

Im not gonna go into detail about all of the mechanics and how the entire game is constructed because that would be exhausting and too long to write, but I do want to point out the introduction of the portal mechanics

At the very start of the game, we do see the first portal in the game, which we need to use to get out of chell's relaxation vault

We don't have the portal gun in our hands yet, and for a person trying to play for the first time it would be overwhelming to get the gun with both the orange and blue portals at the same time, so the game lets the player get through one portal to walk through to get to the outside of the relaxation vault

And then the player is able to process the main mechanic of the game in that way, you get through one portal and you come out to the other one

There are other tests that do a similar thing to get the player to be used to the portal mechanics and the portal gun

like the test we get after the first one and the test we use to learn how to use the portals to reach higher places, so we can get to learn about stuff like learning where to place portals, how to move around and how do portals work in general, all before we get the two portal gun thing so it can be easier to process for a regular player

(sorry if i am not explaining myself correctly 😭😭😭)

I do think that the mod could benefit itself by focusing on one or two mechanics, like some other mods out there like Aperture tag and Portal Reloaded, who do focus on the gel gun and the time travel mechanics respectively

And speaking of adding way too much, I do think the writing does also suffer from this in a way

So there's this core called SAIC (which is honestly the best part out of the entire mod in my opinion)

I think that the voice acting for him is very good, and I personally Do love his animations as well

When I first saw the trailer I was very excited to see this core in particular, because his lines were delivered very well and I was excited to see more of him in general

but unfortunately, he didn't really get too much dialogue

Yeah, there is this section at the second chapter where we grab him for a bit, but he really just says two small dialogues at the start and at the end

After we meet him, we kind of just hold him for a bit and he doesn't say anything while we walk until we get at his management rail

The game does have a couple walking sections which can feel empty sometimes

I think the game would have benefited from small dialogues through the way while walking these long ways, along with solving some small puzzles outside of the main test chambers, something like the start of portal stories mel with the old aperture which had the player exploring the place without it feeling too lonely thanks to the recordings and later also virgil along the way so the player doesn't feel too lost

There are many things that come off as out of context, we don't really know about SAIC's motivations as far as I can remember and the first half of the game feels very empty, because there's nothing to guide you or give you context

Maybe someone could think that the creator didn't leave too many recordings so the player could feel lonely, but sincerely it is very possible to have a game full of dialogue along the way which also makes you feel isolated, and Portal 1's atmosphere along with GLaDOS having lots of dialogue through every chamber proves it

So while we have the first part of the game being completely empty and out of context, then we have the second half of the game which is overwhelming.

So, let me try to describe it

A lot of nothing happened, i THINK that SAIC was trying to get us to escape, and then GLaDOS catches the player or something and then SAIC apparently dies. And then Wheatley takes over the facility because TURNS OUT that the whole thing is happening at the same time of portal 2

Then things happen i guess and the player just keeps testing because i forgot why, then something happens and we are at the moon and apparently cave johnson is alive and then turns out SAIC's death was a fakeout, and then there's something about Rachel Johnson twin sister of chell because of a something failure???? And then i think everyone just decides to destroy aperture at the end

Just like some of these mechanics out there, there are so many things in the story coming out of nowhere (along with some of these way too into the headcannon territory) that feel out of context, and overwhelming, and then there are some elements which are not used enough or just appear once or twice to not be seen ever again, like SAIC, for example

His voice feels nice to listen to, and I feel like the mod would have benefited itself by having more dialogue and exploring his character with small stuff like him peeping in to say a couple things and adding random comments even if it's just something like a "so... What's your name?" "Hey hey, over here!" Or anything like that

He genuinely should have gotten more screen time, the way his lines were delivered was very nice to hear even if his dialogue was short and the writing could get nonsensical

I think SAIC has the potential to be just impactful as Wheatley if handled correctly, but unfortunately he was set aside even if he was supposed to be one of the main characters because the mod itself was trying to add way too much at the same time, which didn't allow the player to get attached to the story

I think the creator just. Added so much that they couldn't focus on the details of the story

which is understandable because I myself had a couple original stories that never saw the light of the day for the same reason

I realized on the hard way that I was biting off way more than I can chew, because i kept adding more and more, to the point i either had so many characters with no purpose or i couldn't get to work on details because there was too much to work on

So yeah, I do think that sometimes less is more in creative projects, you don't need to be the next super big project immediately, just focus on the essentials and then add the final details later. Try to know the size of your project and keep it in mind, because even short things can be very enjoyable and memorable to experience

With that aside, there's only one question left that I do want to answer

Why

Why do I like this mod so much? What do I see in it for me to call myself the #1 fan of PFTT despite everyone disliking it? Why am I taking the time to write a long essay about a mod that probably no one else aside from me might even like?

Well, I'm pretty sure you have noticed me repeating this one specific word through the whole essay so far:

Potential.

Yeah, the mod is messy both story and gameplay wise, but I think that the mod does have a lot of effort and passion put behind it

I seriously hope that the creator is not gonna end up stopping with doing more content after feeling discouraged by the reactions of all these people

Because I do think that this developer could create for example, the next portal stories mel, or the next aperture tag in the future

Because even if it is very flawed, I think the mod does have it's charm regardless

Yes, it was surreal to watch, it made no sense sometimes, it had lots of things coming out of nowhere, and some other couple things

But I had a good time watching it

I absolutely love SAIC, and when I saw the trailer I KNEW that he would be one of my favourite characters once the mod came out, and I was right

Even if the mod was nothing like what I have expected

I had lots of fun while watching this mod, and sincerely I do wish I was able to play it despite everything

Because it seems like something you could get on a call with a couple friends and talk about it

And ironically even if I can't remember the story, waiting for the mod once the trailer came out, and later watching this mod on a stream through one sitting was one of the most memorable things i could have experienced

I can't stop thinking about SAIC, even if he didn't appear as much as I hoped he would, and even if he didn't have that much time to shine, he has left an impact on me despite everything

When i saw this line in the ending screen while seeing other people's reactions it absolutely broke my heart

I do want to wish lots of luck to the creator, and I genuinely hope to see what they create in the future

And I hope people are gonna be kind to this new creator, because I can tell that this mod clearly had a lot of passion and love behind it

Now, Lastly I do want to apologize if there's anything i have not worded correctly, since English is not my first language

And with that aside, I am gonna end this essay right here (unless there's anything i forgot to mention that i want to edit in the future aha)

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day

[epiphanytear]

Favorite k-pop group tag game!

Thanks to @cosmicdreamgrl , @cordiallyfuturedwight, and @aprylynnfor the tag 🫶

Who is your favorite k-pop group?

B 🕺 T 🕺S goes without saying lol

Which member sparked your interest first?

Taehyung! I kept seeing things from Jump on insta and his voice really drew me in

Who was your first bias?

Yoongi, my beloved

What makes them your current bias?

Ok, where do I begin. First of all, Yoongi is my first bias and I suppose I could say he is my ultimate bias, but just barely. It’s a very minuscule amount which is why I say I have a bias line, and for me that is the hyung line, and no I don't consider them bias wreckers. They are my actual biases. I’ll try to keep my love for them brief:

Yoongi: He is so inspirational. I’m kinda tearing up as I write about this, but he makes me believe in myself, that it’s possible to get through my trials. His way of showing affection is similar to my own, and I can see myself in him, especially creatively.

Jin: ngl, I'm very protective of Jin. Any time I see someone talk bad about him, or downplay how hard he works I bristle. And he is such a hard worker. I see someone who loves what they do and loves being with the people they love. He is such a breath of fresh air, and also, as others have mentioned, a bit of a mystery and I love that.

Hobi: Hobi has so many characteristics that I want to embody, and maybe I already do. I admire him greatly, and his passion and drive. I also love how down to earth he is. He's a ray of sunshine, yes, but he's also not afraid to show his grit. He's similar to me in that we light up talking about what we love.

Namjoon: Namjoon and I are kindred spirits in that we are both Virgos lol. I like to call him my overseas twin, since by the time it's Sept 11th (my birthday) where I live, it's already Sept 12th in SK. Different dates/different time zones, but still the same moment, ya know? In all seriousness though, I love the way he thinks and analyzes things. I love when he breaks down his creative process for us, and just his overall demeanor.

For all of them, they each embody something that I see in myself, creatively and personally. But they also embody characteristics that I admire, and that I hope I can one day see in myself. And, if you want to get read, check out this insta. She gives deeper meaning additions on bts biases and it was spot on for me for all for the four of them lol.

Who is your bias wrecker?

Jimin! all by his lonesome lol. No but seriously, I'm always awestruck by him, especially when he dances. It's so graceful, and he's also just so so sweet.

Which members are you currently obsessing over that aren't your bias/bias wrecker?

Thanks to all of the incredible gifs on my dash, probably Jungkook. Looking at you, Steph lol. Anyways, he's a real cutie so it's only fair.

When did you first discover the group?

During the Butter era, but like I said before, it was because of their song Jump that I went 👀lol

Have you ever been to one of their concerts?

I had the absolute privilege of being able to see Yoongi during his D-Day tour. Tbh, I'm still shocked that I got that opportunity? It felt like a fever dream. Still does. One of the most amazing experiences I'll probably ever have. I haven't seen them as a group, but maybe the opportunity will come. 🤞

What are some of your favorite songs by the group?

Well I have my unchangeable top 5: EPIPHANY my love and my soul song, also my queen Tear, First Love, Dionysus, and Run BTS. But they have such an incredible discography so some honorable mentions are: UGH, Black Swan, Pied Piper, Airplane pt. 2, Not Today, and Love Maze. I could go on, but we'd be here a while 💜

Tagging (If you wanna): @jiminsproof @fireworksgalaxy @kimtaegis @miss-bruja @serendipetite and @thisfuckingdeadlife

[shirogane-oushirou]

OMG RENNIVERSAY???? HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AGAIN YAYYYY GUSH PASS IF U WANT HEHE 🎫🎫🎫

😭💕💕💕 THANK YOU NIIICK!!!!!!! for both the oushiversary and the renniversary (and honestly all of the time), your tags on rbs make me so giddy and emotional and i'm always so thankful ;w; wah.

i have a hard time expressing just how much ren has done for me this past year so... it's rambling time ksjdnfjk...

[pet death mention] my baby boy cyrus had lost his battle with cancer just a week prior to The Dream. i won't ramble about him here, but he was my biggest support when home life got fuck-y; losing him was like losing a part of myself. [/pet death mention end]

unfortunately i didn't have much to focus on afterward... i was trying to keep busy, but the art parties i'd been attending went on a long hiatus shortly after this, and while i TRIED vrc for a bit i found The Social Anxiety meant it wasn't the best choice for me ;;

and then i had this long, cinematic dream, about befriending and getting flirty with a dorky, fruity scientist from the c.dc (lol. lmao. i would NEVER!!!!! that's the very first thing i changed about him KJASNDKJN) who was fun and goofy and was so so loving to his niece who followed him around everywhere ;w;

and then he did a little villain heel-turn after being infected by a sentient parasite (also lol. lmao. my brain trying to bully me and make me feel bad... but it does it in the form of a cute bisexual man? 🥴). and of COURSE when his niece and i acted afraid of him he did the whole "i'll destroy everyone powerful in this city. and i won't let anyone or anything harm you." thing and i just OOUGHHHH. there's more to it than that, and i don't want to ramble TOO much, but he was so clearly twisted-justice-but-loves-people-so-hard core. that's the good shit ughhh.

and so! according to the document timestamp, i woke up at 5:45am, opened my ipad, went into procreate, and went to town scribbling down a vague idea of his face and mannerisms before passing out again. i KNEW i didn't want to forget this guy; i immediately felt he was special. most of my ocs come from dreams in some form, but he was already almost fully formed. The Ideal. To Me...

and when i woke up for real, i spent the day nailing down his design. and i was Officially Doomed from then on u_u

he's changed SO MUCH in the past year (just the fact that i had to revive his supernatural villain form as a separate AU a few months ago is proof of that KJANSDKJN)... as have i. he gave me someone to focus on as i healed, a reason to continue drawing in spite of the aforementioned art party hiatus, pushed me to join the selfship community For Real, lead to me meeting so many people and making so many friends outside of my teeny tiny a-couple of-friends-from-college circle, helped me appreciate the oc creation process and AUs so much more, pushed me to do monthly art challenges that i haven't done since before i fell ill...

and just... made me love myself more. made me appreciate the things i didn't like about myself. helped me realize the potential of selfshipping in general, to be a tool to see oneself as deserving of love, even if it takes making a fictional character play messenger between the self-doubt and self-acceptance bits of your brain.

i likely would have just stayed in my own little corner -- my quiet little oushirou blog that i didn't have linked anywhere, chatting in stream chats but not talking to any chatters outside of that -- if not for ren. i've met so many people who have similar struggles! different struggles! similar and completely different interests! gone completely outside of my comfort zone and found such a good circle of people who uplift each other!! HELL, my art blog has multiple times the followers as i have here, but they only ever interacted with my umi.neko art LMAO -- here it feels like we all want to support each others' art and writing and other creations and rambles and and and.

and it's because ren gave me a reason to make that step. start tagging things, start following people and reaching out, chatting with people who reached out to me... he's genuinely changed my life for the better. ;w; i don't think i'll ever be able to express just how thankful i am that he came to me at the exact moment i needed him most. i love him so so much rghhhrgh. gripping him in my fist and kissing him all over his face forever and ever. 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[thegreatwicked]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you for the tag @pickleprickle!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? Currently seven but there will be more oe shots soon...

2. What's your total A03 word count? 149,505

3. What fandoms do you write for? Currently Star Wars and the DC verse are my top two, but I also write for Assassins Creed, the Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, and some Marvel.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Bet You Wish You Had Me Back (Shane Walsh x FOC) SMUT one shot

Unbreakable Bonds (Obi-Wan x FOC) Slow burn, eventual smut/romance

Shadows of Deception (Roman Sionis x FOC) SMUT. SMUT. SMUT.

After the Storm (Hux x FOC) One shot; smut, sex polle troupe... kinda.

1001 Lonely Nights (Dean Winchester x FOC) Smut, one shot

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes! I love talking to you guys, your comments make my day and make me want to write more!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I suppose it would have to be 1001 Lonely Nights, I don't currently have much angsty stuff right now but trust me thats about to change very soon as i'm dipping my toes into the murky Sith Obi-wan waters...

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I think it would have to be Bet You Wish You Had Me Back, and only because as of right now that story is complete.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I haven't but I'm sure theres someone out there with something shitty to say...

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? YES. All the smut. All the time. Give me more of that sweet and spicy capsaicin.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I haven't but there cold be a good one out there I haven't gottent o or discoveed. Truthfully I'm not a huge fan and I much prefer leaving fandom easter eggs for you guys to find.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but that could be fun!

14. What's your all-time favourite ship? Oooh... Thats tough, I love my OCs... But If i had to choose I'd say Bruce Wayne/Batman x Selina Kyle/Catwoman. The Bat and the Cat.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I don't really know, I have lots of WIPs and I think I'm doing an ok job on all of them writing fairly frequently, for me its simple matter of 'It''ll be done when it's done' but lovely comments do tend to speed up the process. ;)

16. What are your writing strengths? I've been told my smut is very poetic and emotionally evocative and you can get a sense of more than just the physical interactions between the characters adn you have a feel for what they're going through and thinking. I've also been told I write very good first person. I like to write first person POV from established canon characters like Jason Todd, Obi-wan Kenobi, Darth Maul, etc because we don't often get a look into their minds and it's fun to wear their boots.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I really don't know, I know I tend to bite off more than I can chew...

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? It depends, I have a story I'm writing from the POV of a British character and thats similar, but I feel like, if I can't do it right and believably then best not to do it at all.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Probably Lord of the Rings. MANY moons ago.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written? It's a tie between Unbreakable Bonds and Shadows of Deception. I love them both because both OCs are different and both male leads; Obi-wan Kenobi and Roman Sionis are VERY different, despite being played by the same actor. That wasn't planed, I swear...

No pressure tags! @heyhawtdawgs, @split-spectrum. @firstofficerwiggles, @ladyinwriting18. @blueeyedheizer, @thenightmarketofdathomir @acciotwinz, @221bshrlocked. @littleredwing89. @murdockussy. @kittyofalltrades. @jedianjakenobi. @eloquentmoon. @amhrosina. @rebelbluerobin @anatee, @wickedscribbles on AO3 @thefamilybruno (you too, you fantastic writer you!)

If I tagged you then I've read your stuff and its amazing, have a lovely day you fantastic people you!

[lover-of-mine]

20 Questions for fic Writers!

tagged by @wikiangela thank you <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

9 askaoksoaskoaks

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

166,674

3. What fandoms do you write for?

911 and 5sos.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

i won't let nobody hurt you (Buck picking up a sick Chris from school) what if one of these days i go and change your name (Buck is wearing Eddie's turnout and Eddie REALLY wants to marry him) for everything we are (everything we’ve been) (aka the trauma fic, buddie talking it all out) in case you don't live forever (buddie trapped in a collapsed building) this surprise ending i’m depending on (could be the story of another us) (Eddie pinning for 3k words)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to. But it usually takes me a minute because I'm a very awkward human and it's worse when it's about something I made, so I need to think answers through.

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

this surprise ending i’m depending on (could be the story of another us) she doesn't have a happy ending at all, it's just unrequited love, Buck is dating and Eddie has feelings about it. I wrote it trying to process my own feelings about the cemetery, it has no dialogue, it's quite angsty I think.

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

probably what if one of these days i go and change your name but I'm bad at doing happy stuff oskaoskoaksoaksas

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not really

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do not. I mean, I don't publish it, there's a wip that I kinda needed the context around the sex and I tried my hand on it, but I don't think that's ever seeing the light of day.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I don't.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Probably not, I don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

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

Nope.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

my brain said percabeth so im gonna go with that aoskoaskasok but buddie and stydia are up there too.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

the Buck gets struck by lightning but Eddie is still working dispatch fic. I love that concept but I can't make my vision work.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Emotionally heavy angst oskaoksaskoas I think I'm really good at digging in where it hurts and making you feel the emotional tension around a situation

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I think I overuse the name of the characters sometimes, and I recently caught the same sentence in a similar context in like, 4 of my fics and I was like, not happy about it oaskoaksoakss and I don't write linearly, so that usually bites me in the ass later when I'm trying to connect the dots, because usually when I have an idea I have no idea where it starts, I just type things out and pray for the best, sometimes I need to compromise on stuff I wish I didn't or extend the context to make it better, but it's not always that I can make the context work, so that's a problem that leaves me editing a fic a bit too much. Oh, I'm also terrible at writing a relationship once it's established. No matter the couple, they get together I blank, the turnout fic is legitimately a miracle sokasokoskaosk

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

honestly, right now I think it's awkward, at least for me in my own writing, I tried to make Eddie speak some Spanish and I was cringing the whole way through. I do have a Brazilian oc in a wip that's never gonna see the light of that and she speaks some Portuguese but that's because I had to over the plot.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

the 100 I think, it might've been a stranger thing fic no one ever read, but I wrote it in a notebook and I don't remember when I did it, I didn't even remember writing it until I found it a few months ago, so I don't really know if it was before or after the 100 ones.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

it's between the trauma fic and the soau fic. The trauma fic just because of the way I really tried to make it as close to the show as possible and I'm really proud of the way I did that and the feedback I got on it is really insane, and she's just my baby. And the soau fic even if she doesn't have a happy ending, I really like the way I did the whole no dialogue thing, before writing that I would never say I could just write a fic that's all around the feelings in a situation, and I really like what I did there.

I don't know who's been tagged but I'm gonna tag my usual crowd, no pressure: @eddiebabygirldiaz @housewifebuck @honestlydarkprincess @try-set-me-on-fire @cowboy-buck @watchyourbuck @disasterbuckdiaz @captain-hen

[fezwearingjellybananas]

Multiples of four for the fic writers ask 🌼🌼

4. How many WIPs do you have right now?

Only 4! And one is almost done, it just needs a last check and a title so hopefully I can do that within the next hour or so. I do have lots of notes for future things to write but they're all in my notes document instead of their own documents being written so they don't count as WIPs yet. I tell myself so it looks like I have a manageable amount of things to write

8. What project(s) are you currently working on?

The one that's almost done is a prompt fill, but my main project right now is the Flashvibe Ghost AU which is a DCTV fic where Cisco's just started work at S.T.A.R. Labs and offered to help the (cute) ghost haunting the place fulfil his unfinished business and move on (so it's probably not going to be his best idea to go fall in love with said ghost while doing that). That's at 26k right now and I've just hit the start of the climax so hopefully it should be done by the end of the month at least?

I'm also crocheting a shawl which is completely irrelevant to fic writing but the pattern is available for free on Ravelry here and it's so beautiful and I love it. It uses US terminology instead of UK so there's been a couple of points where I've got my stitches confused but it's just so pretty

12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it!

The Wally Fic is the only one with a playlist and I'm not actually sure if this is going to work or not because I have never done this but there is a link here maybe

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

Usually last probably when I've had a fic maybe finished for a few hours to a few days and have been staring at that little box as it taunts me into forgetting every word in the English language. There is a reason I accidentally gave two fics published near each other very similar names and didn't realise until like six weeks later.

20. What’s a favourite title for a fic you’ve written?

I'm quite fond of Ghosting (it's a haunted house fic, but Ghosting is actually a plastering term I found on a forum about asking builders for help with DIY. The plastering was relevant to the fic)

24. Share a moodboard for (one of) your current WIP(s).

Here's a very rough one for the Flashvibe Ghost AU. Despite the picture there is actually only one ghost in it (it's Barry, he's the ghost)

28. Have you ever tagged a fic “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat”?

I don't think so

Thank you!

[Fic Writer Asks]