#[ but i'm still keeping my goal of finishing my drafts + asks before the new year ]

[despairforme]

He's (not so slowly) turning into the sort of person who REALLY dislikes Christmas.

#[ happy december 1st !! ] #[ november really was a catastrophe writing-wise xDD ] #[ i was so busy and tired and i ended up only writing like 6k fjfjfjf ] #[ it's not my poorest month EVER but it's... it's up there xD ] #[ my hope of writing 300k for the year.. it's just a dream at this point LOL ] #[ december is usually quite busy for me ] #[ i'm inspired for some personal projects so will probably focus on those >-< ] #[ but i'm still keeping my goal of finishing my drafts + asks before the new year ] #[ hope you're all doing good guys! ] #despair for me. ╱ in character. #burn the city. ╱ main verse.

[zeenimf]

Phei of the Wind | Update

Hej everyone! As promised earlier this week I wanted to post a general update regarding my darling dearest Phei of the Wind. As noted I recently passed the 50% mark of the story in this draft! I've separated the story into four acts, and the first and second one have been completed. So far it's 55359 words spread out over fifteen chapters, which feels fitting for the 100k goal I set out to reach.

The third draft is very different from the previous one. The first thing is that the second draft ended at an important plot point where a sequel would tell the rest of the story. That has been changed, however, as I added a whole lot to the end of the story in order to tell it in just one book. The other bigger change is that Phei is a lot more knowledgeable about her role as a Sage, even if she has only been trained while she was a child. This allows the spirit / sage part of the story to roll out more quickly. This new dynamic, especially with Aspen's general anti-magic stance are interesting to write, and it allows Phei to connect more quickly with spirits like Selia. Generally I'm feeling optimistic about this version of the story.

That said, having written so much of the story also feeds a lot into my insecurities. Once you have written something it is truly out there. A story in your head isn't a finished one, and thus isn't good or bad. But a written story? That is out there, and you are very tempted to attach some sort of value onto it. So then the regular evil thoughts pop in, thoughts that the story is terrible, that my writing is terrible, and that it will never convey the emotions I need it to. It doesn't help with the loneliness that writing can bring, but I'll keep writing, don't worry about that! This story is going to be told, kicking and screaming if I have to. You can decide if I am talking about me or the story with that one~

There are still a lot of things I am changing even though I've made a proper outline. I have like twenty different things scribbled at the bottom of the doc that I will have to include later. I've also moved around some scenes near the middle part just to pace everything a bit better, which sadly comes at the cost of delaying Phei's meeting with [redacted], but since they technically are a character that has been introduced in chapter four already, it will have to do. That said, I am on pace to reach 75k words before I go back home to the Netherlands, so I'll keep working hard! I'll leave you with a little snippet from the last part of chapter fifteen, where Lyra offer Phei a choice: Help her out and receive passage east, or leave with no method of crossing the ocean that separates Phei and her destination.

Much love Katrielle~

-x-

“If you do manage to seal those rifts as you call them we would be most grateful. Having our villages back would be a lifesaver, even if only for the resources we could gather and to give everyone a spark of hope. Which brings me to my next point, what do you want? Why are you here? What are you looking for?” “I am only travelling through Dalen to go further east.” Lyra’s eyes narrow, the wasteland east beyond Dalen just that, a wasteland. “And how do you intend to cross the water separating those two?” That is not something Phei has paid attention to. She has seen the water on the map, but it had been so far away it didn’t seem necessary to plan for. “I can arrange passage, if that is what you want. If you promise to help us.” “I don’t have time to go around Dalen closing rifts, if that is what you are asking of me. I just can't.” Lyra shrugs, the issue of time not something she concerns herself with. “If you can clear the rift, we can continue to discuss things. Or if you wish to leave to try your luck at the coast you are free to do so, although I’ve heard the ferry services in Sundrop have closed down due to a lack of tourists these days.” Phei bites her lip, feeling her muscles tensing, her spirit growing wild. The sound of nails scraping into wood catches her attention, as she finds her own claws digging into the chair she's sitting on. She jumps up, the chair falling back onto the ground with a loud thump causing her to flinch.

-x-

Taglist for Phei of the Wind :

@ink-fireplace-coffee | @write-the-stars-and-shadows | @henrike-does-writing-sometimes | @ladywithalamp | @chazzawrites | @writingonesdreams | @generalblizzarddreamer | @peepos-prose | @writing-is-a-martial-art | @dahliaornelas | @ofbloodandflowers | @magic-is-something-we-create | @ettawritesnstudies | @47crayons | @writing-with-l | @strangerays | @snowinks | @the-orangeauthor | @waysofink | @houndmouthed | @midnights-call | @phantomnations | @teriwrites

#fantasy #fiction #writeblr #writing #update #gust

[achubbydumpling]

I'm not sure if you ever finished the fat camp Bucky AU, but I'm curious as to what he and Steve are up to when the next summer rolls around?

Like it's summer again and this would be about the time Bucky would be getting signed up for camp, but… he's certainly outgrown the camp by now, considering how close he was the previous summer. But just how much has he outgrown it? He has def passed 600lbs, ofc, but by how much? Now that he and Steve (assumedly) live together, are they actively fattening Bucky up? If so, he's almost certainly passed 700lbs by now, possibly more

And considering how out of shape he already was, he's only gotten worse, and heavier on top of that, so is he immobile yet? Close to it? How close, close enough that a big part of their dirty talk and foreplay is talking about how fucking fat Bucky got, how just over, what, 3 years? He gained somewhere around 300lbs, how immobility is fast approaching especially since he's so sedantary and only getting bigger?

I'm just curious as to where you were picturing them that following summer and maybe even further ahead than that! Apart of the most recent part of the AU you have posted that's one of my absolute favorite parts of the AU is the shock everyone has when they see just how fat Bucky got over quarantine, so I wonder if that would be a thing after Steve and Bucky move in together?

Oh also! Just had an idea (sorry for the long ask lmao), but what if Steve has to go back this one last summer, but Bucky can't go since he's too big, so he stays home. What if he has a new goal to get as huge as possible and surprise Steve when he gets home? So he starts making weight gain shakes and chugging heavy cream, and with how sedentary he is and all the calories he's consuming, he's hitting somewhere between 25 to 30 lbs per month, and after 3 months of this… there's a noticeable difference. After all, Bucky has gained between 70 and 90 lbs since Steve last saw him!! If he thought he struggled getting around before, he and Steve will be surprised at how much he struggles once Steve gets home!

DID YOU HACK MY TUMBLR DRAFTS?!

haha I'm joking, but that's basically what I imagined for them, we're on the same wave length, nonny

I definitely think they'd move in together, I do think Steve would still work at the camp but I imagine this is the last summer he does. Just so he can focus on his degree fully in the last semesters.

While it's tempting to say Bucky would just keep gaining, I do think 700lbs is probably the upper bounds he gets to. (Which you know is still freaking huge! even if he's what? 6' in (movie) canon)

Also like everyone's weight naturally fluctuates, but Bucky's maybe a bit more? Especially after writing that Greased Watermelon Wrestling prompt, this Bucky has been cemented in my mind as loving summer and that he loves spending time outside during the summer--in a park, on the beach, maybe little walks in the woods. Nothing too far or strenuous, it's about enjoying nature, the outside.

Meeting with friends! He's a social butterfly, he loves to hang out with people. Just chatting over a cool drink and something to snack on :D haha I lowkey have this entire idea of him and why he might've struggled particularly over lockdown and self-soothed/medicated through food?

but anyway let's actually get to that idea at the end, because I love it! him and Steve apart and Bucky decides to gain as much weight as he possibly can, it's a fun challenge, he wants to see how much he can push himself but also what Steve's reaction will be (I mean obv positive haha)

they still talk every day, maybe they have video calls too? imagine Steve going crazy because he's sure Bucky's face is looking rounder, his cheeks look so plump and his double chin has gotten bigger, hasn't it?

but Bucky is super non-commital, says "oh, maybe, I mean I haven't changed anything and I usually drop a few pounds during the summer, so don't be disappointed when you come back" while he can literally feel that he's heavier, his belly feels even more vast, reaching all of it in the shower even with a reach extender (is that the right word?) is a chore and a half but he wants to surprise Steve and it's not like the added struggle isn't hot, but sometimes he just wants to take a damn shower, you know?

anywayyy, I hope you'll enjoy Part 5 of the Fat Camp AU!

#asks #Anonymous #fat camp AU

[dangerously-human]

8, 9, and 18 for the new/end of year fanfic asks

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

I guess my best answer is the great Fringe fix-it AU, which definitely feels like too much to tackle right now, so I've just been adding tiny pieces as I feel like it. Instead of a proper long-form fic, I may end up just writing snippets that connect over a given timeline - sort of like Restore the Years, I suppose - but the downside to that is that for a work that's entirely founded on the goal to force the post-S3 plot actually make sense and resonate with what came before it, I don't think skipping around and skimping on plot would actually accomplish my goal. Anyway, my idea is basically "Olivia and Peter and Olivia and Lincoln coparent across the bridge between universes," because I think Henry deserved to stay in existence and everyone should have had to actually deal with all the emotional fallout. Also because we were robbed of red!verse Lincoln and Liv falling in love while raising a baby and I'm still mad about it. This is probably not the year, but maybe I'll make some progress on it.

9. Short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in January?

Mostly the goal is to just keep chugging along on my WIPs. Ideally I'd like to post the next chapter of Here's a Safe Place to Lay Your Heart Down by the end of the month, but I generally try not to get my heart set on the specifics so as not to take the fun out of it. Planning to participate in at least one January Lockwood & Co flash fiction challenge, I've been really enjoying those. Also thinking of doing a WIP amnesty sort of thing to reevaluate my long-term backlog; for example, there's at least one Community fic that I think I'd be happier completing as a oneshot instead of trying to craft a plot arc around what I already have.

18. Do you typically post multi-chapters as you write, or finish it all and then start posting? Would you like to change your posting method? 

I always have the whole thing outlined (loosely) and at least a solid start at drafting all chapters before I start posting. It inhibits my creativity if I don't know where I'm going and I'm constantly stressing about making a decision I can't undo later. I used to be way more of a pantser, even as recently as my Continuum days, and it was nice for keeping motivation high but that meant plots that didn't always fit together neatly or pacing that felt clunky. Those Binary Stars was probably my first experiment with the loose outlining method - mm, I suppose I tried pieces of it with Just Once, but that was supposed to be a oneshot that wouldn't shut up and thus pacing issues were a given - and the three-act structure is probably a huge part of why I was suddenly able to bang out high-quality longfic (for me, anyway) like never before.

#personal #writer probs: fanfic edition

[holofoiltowercard]

The Journey of The Tarot Haiku

VII: The Chariot - Embarking on the Journey

Next to the Fool, the Chariot speaks most clearly about the start of a journey, with the added connotation of needing discipline and determination to stay on the path. The road is smooth and the goal is clear, you just need to keep to it is how I see it...

...so when it appeared in my Tarot readings about the book, I listened every single time.

But before that, it might be nice to talk about exactly how I got to actually finish the book, because again, I needed discipline and determination. It wasn't exactly hard, but it took effort. So after those first two poems, with Eight of Swords now fully covered (I am still in awe that it was the Eight of Swords, you don't often see that card as the start of anything good, do you?) and a few more poems coming along, I made that progress page I showed off in a previous post, and I set myself a goal of twenty poems. I'm sure that at one point, I adjusted just so I would have a total of X8 poems, in order for the new batches of twenty poems to seamlessly land me at 188. And from there, the writing process began.

I didn't write every day. I didn't get a burst of divine inspiration each time. But I did, whenever I had the time, take out my cards and a notebook and looked the cards over, to see if any caught my eye and turned the gears - if they did, good, if they didn't, at least I tried. I also remember one time having to travel to another city, finding some time on my hands, and scribbling into a notebook as I waited for others to do business. I didn't have the cards out since we were constantly moving about, but the notebook I could manage. Sometimes I could only do a single poem or a draft of one, and other times I got inspiration for several at once. Sometimes I focused my attention and only studied the Suit of Cups or the Suit of Swords, and other times I was glad to grasp at anything. Those two suits were the first to be finished back in the day - they came much more easily than the other two or the Major Arcana. Indeed, my last card, the last poem I had to write was for the reversed Knight of Wands, which to me speaks of your progress stuttering because your energies are scattered...

And then the readings came. I finished all the poems sometime in early September - I can't even tell you what day because my bullet journaling has been very scanty. But I did thankfully jot down the big reading I did on September 17th, when I started asking the Tarot questions about publishing:

What might I experience if I...

...published under my real name / a pseudonym?

...published in October / November / December?

I found the real name and October the most favorable answers - December also had promise so I gave it a shot, but when I did a reading about it and asked if I should aim for so and so dates, the answers didn't feel encouraging, so I returned to October, which I had been drawn to from the start.

With Tarot having so many ties and attractions to mysticism, I thought of October and saw three possible dates to aim for: the new moon, the full moon, and Halloween. Accordingly, I drew a card for each, and the full moon got the Ten of Cups, which was lovely, but the new moon got The Chariot.

I love the Ten of Cups as much as the next person, but when I saw that Major Arcana, suggesting I could embark on a whole new journey after so much stagnation (the pandemic not only affected me personally as a source of isolation, stress and grief, but also destroyed my previous sources of income), I said to myself, it has to be the new moon. This is it. I deserve to step onto a new, better path and I'm going to do it.

Mind you, I was struggling. Not so much with discipline or determination as with mental illness, so progress was sometimes slow and anxious. But I gently pushed myself along - "do it scared" is a phrase that described me well, because I knew so little about self-publishing, and even when you read up on it, actually doing it is a totally different experience of doing and waiting. And when at last I was there, and had to price the ebook... I input 7 dollars, 7 standing for The Chariot. The paperback was then priced 28 dollars to account for printing costs, 7 being multiplied by four. The hardcover would have also followed this pattern and be 35 dollars, but when I did a reading just to check in, I kept getting reversed cards for 30 dollars, 33 dollars, etc., until 34 dollars landed me an approving Six of Cups. I later realized that 3 + 4 = 7.

Thank you, Chariot. Because of you, the book is now out, and with luck and support, it might just reach those who will appreciate and love it, and give me a new chance at life.

Buy the ebook

Buy the paperback

Buy the hardcover

#tarot #tarot cards #the chariot #poetry #haiku #the tarot haiku journey

[iamstartraveller776]

Fanfic Asks for the New Year

I snagged these questions from @jackiebelle73. Thought it would be fun to play.

1. Do you have a word-count goal for the upcoming year?

I have fanfic goals, but not any that have to do with word counts.

2. Will you participate in any fandom exchanges or fic challenges, etc? 

Not this year, sadly. Real life is a beast that rears its head at the most inconvenient times lately.

3. Do you anticipate writing for a new fandom this year? Which one?

Not this year.

4. Do you think you’ll stop writing for a fandom this year? Which one?

Yes. Two, in fact: Shadow and Bone and The Rings of Power. I didn't write much for either of these fandoms to begin with and lurked at best. I still will read fic by my fandom friends and reblog all the cool things, but I won't be writing anything new for either (after I finish my SAB fic exchange story).

5. Which WIP is first on your list to complete this year? Will you post a snippet?

The aforementioned SAB fic exchange story, The Truth in Our Hearts.

“General Kirigan,” the Apparat says, “I worry that the king will be most displeased to be excluded. Perhaps we can postpone until the royal family can attend. A week, maybe two at most. Surely a man of your standing should have a proper ceremony.” Alina looks up, a germ of hope taking root in her chest. “There have been festivities enough,” the Darkling bites out. “I will not delay any longer.” “And if I would delay?” She tries to infuse the question with as much backbone as she can muster, but her trembling voice gives away the truth. She’s afraid. Angry, but terrified. The Darkling looks at her, and she wishes he would take off that abominable mask, bare whatever savage face he’s hidden beneath so she can read his expression. “Begin,” is all he says.

6. Which yet-to-be-started fic is first on your list?

None. 2024 is the year of completing several of my already-posted wips.

7. Will you change anything about the way you interact with other writers?

Nope. I will still happily read fandom friends' stories and squee and rave and give all the love.

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

Not for fanfic. All of the daunting project ideas I have are for original fiction. (And the answer for that would be an idea for a sci-fi epic that spans several worlds. I'm not sure I have the skill set yet to tackle it the way I want to.)

9. Short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in January?

Finish The Truth in Our Hearts. It was meant to be a oneshot and it got rudely plotty. My goal is to finish outlining the rest of it this week (nearly done) and finish both the rough and final drafts before the end of the month.

10. Will you keep a record of all the fics you write and/or post this year?

AO3 does that for me already, lol! But yes, I have a couple writing trackers that I use to help keep me motivated. There's enough of a numbers girl in me that I love seeing charts and spreadsheets.

11. Would you like to try any new fanfic genres or tropes this year?

After 20 years in fandom, there really isn't much I've wanted to try that I haven't already.

12. Will you change anything about the way you edit or rewrite this year?

Yes. I started it in November with Nanowrimo. I used to solely be a discovery writer as well as someone who edits as they write the first draft—which is fantastic for short stories (my bread and butter), but hell for writing longfic. I've left readers hanging for 17 multi-chapters (some of them for years) over 5 fandoms, and it's eating at me. That and the fact that I've lost a significant amount of free time in recent years has forced me to change the way I write/edit/etc. As a long time pantser, I never thought I'd be a planner, but the new methods (complete rough outline -> complete first draft -> rewrite for final draft) are working fantastically!

13. Aside from fanfic, are there any other fan works you’d like to try creating? Fanart, or fanvids, gifsets, or podfic? 

Probably not.

14. Have you ever lost large chunks of your work in the past, due to not backing up your work? Will you change your methods this year?

Not recently, but yes I have lost work before and it was devastating. I back up my work all over the place now. I also plan to eventually print out and bind my stories, but that's not this year's project.

15. Do you foresee any personal or professional obstacles this year, that would keep you from creating fanworks? 

Yes. 100%. I have some crazy stuff going on in real life. Writing is part of my self-care program, but I can only do as much as I have time for (which isn't much).

16. Do you have that one fanfic that you wrote a ton for, ages ago, but never posted? Will this be the year, come hell or high water, that it WILL get finished and posted?

Nope. I am weak. If I've written enough for a chapter, I've posted it. This is a habit I'm hoping to change!

17. Do you typically answer all comments/reviews individually? Do you plan to change the way you interact with your readers this year?

I do! Sometimes it takes me a while to reply (thanks to that stupid real life I've talked about). I love interacting with my readers. I have no plans to change that.

18. Do you typically post multi-chapters as you write, or finish it all and then start posting? Would you like to change your posting method? 

Previously, I've posted as I write, but I'm changing that. This year, I'm only posting (or updating, as I'm not posting anything completely new this year) once the story is finished.

19. Would you consider non-fandom writing events, like NaNoWriMo or writing contests? 

Nanowrimo, probably.

20. Any plans to work on original fiction this year?

Yes. My goal for this year is the first draft of an original fiction novel for my firstborn. It's currently in the nebulous world-building stage, missing characters and plot.

21. Will you try writing software, like Scrivener or those programs that won’t let you stop writing?

I will keep using what I've always used: Microsoft Word and Scrivener.

22. Do you plan to take writing classes this year?

Not this year. I've done several before over the years (and even helped teach an online one).

23. Would you like to go on a writing retreat?

I would love to! But I don't think I have either the time or the budget for it this year.

24. By the end of this year, you want your fandom to think of you as “that author who _______.”

F I N I S H E S. That's my sole fic goal for 2024: finishing wips. As many as I can.

25. If you answered questions from this list last year, find your answers and compare your goals to your results. How’d you do?

N/A

#fanfic asks for the new year #about me

[qqchurch]

I'm coming over from questionable questing, and wanted to ask whether you would get back into writng on there any time soon? Not to seem presumptuous or anything, I was just curious because I really enjoy your stories.

ah...

it really has been a while since i've posted there, huh

while I don't have anything in Postable states atm (which is funny given the state of the stuff I've pushed out before), I've mostly been circling around a bunch of WIPs in the last few months on top of revisiting my older stuff...

it's, uh, just a bit rough to keep focused on them on top of IRL stuff and other hobbies

if you're curious, my current docket looks like this

A monstrosity of an NSFWCYOA started 9 months ago because i got pissed at a Netflix adaptation (currently 40k words in and projected to be 100k+ once I'm done)

A "one-shot" smut about a detective-exorcist self-aware-egg femboy getting forcefemmed by tentacles during an investigation of a spooky abandoned school (currently 11k, projected to finish at 20k)

A space-opera mecha fic involving an egg MC getting into a forcefem ancient mech and the consequences of it in the galactic stage (still in the worldbuilding stage but I have start and end points for it)

revisiting Unwanted Blessings and shuffling around the plot for pacing reasons and frontloading the "hook" and actually moving forward with the plot

...on top of revisiting all my old stuff because I still have the urge to touch them up even after they're out there already on QQ (they are, technically, first drafts)

one of my eventual goals is to get them up in other sites like AO3 or Scribblehub (or even out there in Neocities), but atm... posting new stuff won't be on the table for a while or in any predictable manner, alas...

#qq is asked #it has been 11 months huh......

[yerbamansa]

Got tagged by @epersonae! Thanks! So I will tag other writer mutuals if you wanna have a go and/or didn't already get tagged (i keep losing track of tumblr scroll tbh): @thetragicallynerdy @alfalfairy @whose-modern-au-is-this @dragonmuse @sassygwaine @keriocabinet

Do you write in order? Generally, yes. Every once in awhile I'll have a scene or a little piece of something that gets written as it comes to mind, but it's often outline->write. The outlining/brainstorming process (as much as it is a process) is where the order happens.

This is notably not the case with Ask Me Anything, though, which is a collab and timey-wimey to boot, so lots of stuff needed to get figured out of order. We still haven't finished writing the chapter we're in the middle of posting, but the next one is finished and the rest are kinda 50/50 or 60/40.

How fully formed does your writing come out the first try? Gonna say a good 85-95%?? Depends on the story and whether I'm getting other eyes on it before posting. Most of Revenge Ranch got written and posted with a cursory read-through for glaring errors. Kitchen Mistakes & How To Avoid Them, though, tends to have its word count/phrasing fluctuate like 10-15% every chapter thanks to a delightfully nitpicky beta reader.

How many drafts do you go through? I don't really draft, per se? I spit it out, I review it, I get feedback (sometimes), I make changes, annnnd I'm done. Well, I guess that's technically drafting phases, but it tends to be less thorough than what I'm picturing.

Tell me about your process. I get an idea. It takes hold of my entire goddamn brain. I am compelled to start writing it down in some loose structure, usually bulleted lists, just to get it out of my brain. Sometimes the idea keeps growing, almost self-propelled (All That I Need Is You And The Sea). Sometimes it incubates a bit before it comes together, and needs to keep being formed and re-formed as it goes (Kitchen Mistakes), but the idea is still kind of in charge, if that makes sense.

Other times, I really need to work at it, like, I know I want to do something with X character, but I need to do some background research, think about what my goals are for the thing, make notes on the POV character, etc. I put a lot of time into breaking down Revenge Ranch Roach for his POV story last fall, and that was kind of like pulling teeth, though I'm happy with the result. I think this version of the process might end up with more of "me" in it. Maybe because I have to work at connecting to it.

While I'm actually writing, I typically try to keep some VERY simple/high-level notes handy--like the key plot points/character notes to hit--but abandon the rest. Exception: if the background research includes some specific entity (object, video, song, etc.) I need to describe/reference in the story itself. Even if I don't feel like I'm in a 'flow' state or whatever, often I'll just sit there and try to start pecking out some dialog or description of wherever I'm at, and it starts to move along, or doesn't.

Sometimes I have to flit through a lot of background noise to find the right vibe for my brain at a given moment. The nicest, though, is finding one of those "8hr ambient aesthetic vibes" videos on YouTube that is kinda close to the setting I'm writing. There's a road trip Revenge Ranch story that I wrote while watching someone's dashcam video of a drive through New Mexico. I watched a TON of thunderstorm videos for a couple other entries. A chapter of Kitchen Mistakes that took place in Stede's study was helped along by one of those "evening fireplace and rain sounds" ambient videos. Fuckin' love those videos. It hits a sweet spot of noise (without lyrics or too much rhythm) and background imagery like watching TV, but without all the distraction.

In terms of technical settings: I like writing in LibreOffice when I can, but if I'm collaborating at all, it has to be GDocs. And I am a heavy user of headings/outlines in that case. I have a half-assed AO3 post template in LibreOffice with places for notes etc. to copy and paste in order. I've been known to make a spreadsheet when shit gets very complicated. My brain loves little boxes. I don't write on my phone except maybe some notes to self in Signal for ideas that come up when I'm not at my laptop. Love a physical keyboard and multiple windows, mmm, room to spread out and see lots of shit at once.

#my stuff #am writing #tag meme #good lord this is long #scroll scroll scroll #archem finish writing chapter 8 challenge

[suttttton]

helllllloooooo, hope all is well sutton! popping in to ask about the Groundhog Day fic 😌❤️

groundhog day fic,,,, love of my life, bane of my wip pile

(for those of y'all that are new here, Groundhog Day fic is about our dearly detested Elias getting stuck in a timeloop between the unknowing and the apocalypse and becoming a better person via the power of love/agressively shaking him like a snowglobe)

my first draft is still sitting at 60k words,,,, mocking me. tragically, i haven't made any progress since the last time i gave y'all an update, BUT i do have serious plans to make it my front-burner story after my RQBB stuff is finished and posted

i tend to write in a sort of cyclical fashion where i will chip away at a draft until i have a decent idea of what i want to change for the next draft, at which point i make a new outline and start on my second draft (cannibalizing the first draft as i go; i do not throw away all of the work i've already done that would be crazy), and repeat until i finally have a complete draft, at which point it only needs some light edits for me to consider it 'finished and ready for posting.’ i’ve reached the point in groundhog day where i’m shifting from draft #1 to draft #2, which means i have most of the structure of the story pretty well in hand. awesome!

the problem is. the story is just so goddamn long. and it turns out time loops are really complicated to write because you have to keep track of SO MANY DETAILS. i'm trying to make my new outline but first i have to write out everyone's character progressions for every single fucking time around and what everyone (and i do mean everyone) else is doing while Elias is focused on Elias World. i've had to make like. lists of Ways Elias Has Suffered and Must Suffer before he can be redeemed. i’m having to give him memories so he can have flashbacks because he’s the POV character and he’s been alive for 200 fucking years and some of that is probably relevant to him. i even have a fucking jonelias map tracking their relationship over the course of the story (which is 100 percent necessary for pacing purposes but COME ON I JUST WANT TO WRITE WEIRD CREEPY RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS). and even putting all that aside, 60k words is a lot to cannibalize. even just reading through my current draft is a days-long endeavor???????

no worries though! groundhog day is far from dead! my goal rn is for the final chapter to be posted next August 5 (because that's approximately the day in canon that Elias called the crew in for his pre-Unknowing meeting, which also makes it Time Loop day!) i know that's still a year away, but this fic is going to be like 15 chapters minimum, updating on a weekly schedule (which means the first chapter would go up in april), and i am going to need. quite a lot of time to finish it lol

anyway here’s a little preview of Tim and Elias bonding(??) road trip:

Tim looks at his phone, and his look of cruel, satisfied elation fades. His eyebrows furrow. There are fourteen missed calls. Four from Martin, seven from Melanie, three from Basira. He turns away from Elias, holding the phone to his ear, waiting with concern as Martin’s phone rings and rings.

Then, “Martin, what’s going on? Is everything okay?” Tim’s other hand hand is scratching over the fabric of his jeans, a nervous tic. “Martin, I can’t—slow down, just tell me what happened.”

Tim stiffens, his hand curling into a fist. “Are you sure?” he says, his voice quiet.

Elias can see Martin curled on the floor, holding tight to what remains of Jon. He hears Martin’s panting breaths, struggling to get enough control of his emotions to snap, “Jared Hopworth attacked him. I’m pretty fucking sure.”

It wasn’t a peaceful death. Elias knows exactly how unpeaceful it was, can practically hear Jon screaming as Jared Hopworth took and took and took from him. He is missing vertebrae, a kneecap, several small bones in both of his hands, his left tibia, the bones of his right eardrums, three teeth, his left ankle, and many, many ribs.

Tim stays on the phone for a few more moments, then hangs up and casts tired, dull eyes to Elias. “Did you know this would happen,” he says, his voice a low growl.

“I can’t see the future, Tim,” Elias says.

“Did you know they were coming?”

“Would it change anything, if I did? Would you have given up your chance to hunt down the Circus?”

With a snarl, Tim punches the door of the car, then slams it behind him as he slumps into his seat. Rolling his eyes, Elias gets in beside him.

#i hope i haven't posted this snippet before #if i have let me know and i'll let you exchange it for a different snippet of equal value #also! if you're excited for groundhog day you'll probably also be interested in my RQBB fic #it features elias facing Consequences for his actions #and it will be up on September 14! #asks #groundhog day fic #elias vs time loop

[horizon-forbidden-sheesh]

Writing Process: Google > Scrivener

When I began writing, I already had plenty of material to work from! For more details on this, read the Preamble. 💋

⚙️ When I began work on the fic, I was working in Scrivener, adapting first-person journal entries I'd drafted in my phone's Notes app. I wanted the full fic to be third-person in order to develop the background motivations for multiple characters. Scrivener gave me plenty of space to hold all the journal entries, timeline notes, and dialogue scraps I didn't know what to do with yet.

I originally planned for 10 Chapters, at ~10k words each. My initial outline looked like this:

I The Bulwark II The Kulrut III Returning IV Rest V What Was Lost VI Waiting VII The Scorcher (👈🏻 After 26 chapters and 90k words, we are currently here.) VIII Rebellion IX Endgame X Finale, or Returning, Reprise

However, I was quickly burning out due to the length of each chapter, and after asking around in Discord, I had a sinking feeling readers would be overwhelmed.

What I Did Instead:

At a certain point in April, after about ~6 months of on-again off-again drafting, I got fed up, a little drunk, and chopped up my enormous existing chapters into smaller chapters: five, to be exact. That night I posted the first one, ironically called 'The Last One.'

While I have been very selective about chapter titles, at the time, I didn't have a title for the whole shebang. But I was wine-drunk and flippant, and said "Oh just fuggin pick something u bish." So I called it 'The Marshal,' because it was just vague enough, y'know?

(I absolutely would have called it 'What I Choose,' if it didn't already exist.)

I told myself I'd post weekly. Just the first 10, ending in that bittersweet conversation Aloy has with Varl about Rost. It gave me 5 weeks to figure out how to write 5 more chapters. And I was off to a great start with 6 & 7 drafted in advance.

But then I got this comment on Chapter 6: "Looking forward to the Kulrut Hopefully we get some more of our power duo fighting together 😁"

I was... absolutely planning on skipping directly to the dialogue scene after the battle. And based on what I'd already plotted, I would need to squeeze in an extra chapter to get'er done, pushing out my 10 chapter outline. But I REALLY didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially if they were LOOKING FORWARD TO IT?!? 🥹

I was also traveling at this time, away from my computer and my stupid, bulky Scrivener file. So I whipped open a Google Doc and started firing on all cylinders to write a new Chapter 8 complete with Kulrut battle scene. And lo, I discovered:

⚙️ Writing in Google Docs gave me SO MUCH MORE FREEDOM. I could access my drafts from my desktop, my tablet, and my phone. These days, I write mostly in bed on my tablet, which is a FAR cry from the early days staying up till 2am at my desk.

It was extra comfy, because Google Docs is where I do all my client work. As I've mentioned: IRL, I'm a copywriter/project manager for print & digital design work. Mostly, I build websites, but as a freelancer, I work on a wide range of projects and the tools I use need to be flexible & accessible to a wide range of audiences.

The Google Suite is perfect for that, and I have a simple filing system for all my projects to keep things nice and neat. My writing work fit perfectly into that system, and the same flexibility & accessibility really supported my writing process.

Here's what my file folder looks like these days:

Which frankly, is a lot easier to navigate than this dumb Scrivener sidebar:

I finished chapters 8, 9, & 10 in Google Docs. I'm still really proud of myself for taking the leap and posting. Sharing your work is scary! Or at least, it was for me.

I'd never written ANYTHING on this scale before, and it felt like a huge accomplishment. I'll be honest, impulsively posting that first chapter with a short runway and a clear end-goal made it a LOT easier to be accountable. I would recommend this strategy to ANYONE!

Tips & Takeaways:

🖤 Consistency is key, but I've found it comes at a price. Trying to post once a week in perpetuity will slowly bleed you out. Wait to post until you have at least half your content under your belt, and set a clear end date—if only for your own sanity.

🖤 Be flexible in your outline!! In both Part 1 and Part 2 I ended up with an extra chapter that pushed my intended finale into the next season. I'm still glad I had an outline, but I'm grateful I left room for it to change. (This is something I would have had a LOT of trouble with 5 years ago! Personal growth FTW!)

🖤 When you start to feel like writing is just biting concrete, find the most fun way out. Is it writing the most exciting scene you can think of? Or is it looking at what you already have and finding a new way forward within your existing structure?

🖤 You're gonna be stuck with your title for the long haul, so make sure you like it. Or at least that it's something you can tolerate.

🖤 Do what feels natural. Everyone is different. If you're like 'okay yeah, but I really like writing by hand and then editing as I transcribe it' do that. Go bananas. Have a ball! Find your own way up the mountain. These tools may work for you, or they may send you into the pit of despair. And you should always avoid the pit of despair.

🖤 Write sober, edit drunk.

xo, Sheesh

#hfw #horizon forbidden west #kotaloy #The Marshal #the making of #writing process #writing tools #writing advice

[em-dashes]

If you're looking for questions -- are there any WIP ideas you've had that you haven't started working on yet? What was your favourite/least favourite part of working on Suddence so far? Do you have any goals (writing or otherwise!) for the new year?

i just realized if i wanted to do a Suddence Q&A for reals, i should probably wait until after the whole book is out so people can ask more specific questions lol. BUT!! i'm gonna answer these now and if i end up actually doing a Q&A for Suddence, i'll keep these questions in mind :3

ARE THERE ANY WIP IDEAS YOU'VE HAD THAT YOU HAVEN'T STARTED WORKING ON YET?

woof. there are quite a few projects that i started but never got past more than the preliminary planning stage.

a music video idea i have, CRAQUELURE (soon to be renamed), has been on my mind for a loooong time. it's an animated music video with a mini story that would take a lot of time and effort to do. i did recently find a song that would be perfect for it, so when i have the time i reaaaaalllllyyyy want to start character design for real (i have a few designs but i'm not really happy with them).

a book idea i have, GENTLE AS THE WOODS, was supposed to be my nanowrimo project this year, but it's been really hard to get started on it even though i have quite clear ideas of how the story goes. it's a sci-fi fantasy romance, but i just can never get the romance aspect down. it's a constant problem i have: every time i write two characters with the intention of making them fall in love, they just have the worst chemistry ever, and every romantic scene feels forced and unnatural. the protag always ends up having more chemistry with some other character. that's something i'll have to work out before i feel confident enough to start writing this story.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE / LEAST FAVOURITE PART OF WORKING ON SUDDENCE SO FAR?

i just finished formatting most of the book and i gotta say, formatting SUCKS. the end result is amazing and makes it look like a real book, but the process of getting there? terrible. so in that sense, that's my favourite AND least favourite part of working on Suddence.

DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR?

i want!!! to finish!!! a good draft!!! of APHELION!!!!! i've had Aphelion in my pocket since high school, and after quite literally a decade or futzing around with it and being annoyed with it, i finally got around to making some massive overhauls this year that got the story a fresh new start, so i goshdarn HOPE that means i'll be able to get a nice complete (note: does not have to be clean, just complete) draft out of it.

i also want to publish Suddence! i've said before, i'm going to publish it online first, and then have physical copies. one major goal for this is to have the physical copies for sale at a local comic art convention (i'd have to get accepted into the con first, BUT STILL) so i'm super looking forward to doing that, and having my book be all printed and pretty.

#em dashes #ask and you shall receive

[tryingtimi]

If you're doing worldbuilding wednesday:

What's the religion and mythology in your WIP like? How does it affect the culture, characters, theme, and plot? If your WIP has prominent mythology and or religion in it, what are the main deities and what are some popular myths? How to the people in your WIP feel about the deities they believe in? If there's a popular religion, how widespread is it and are there any well known leaders? Any common practices and or teachings? What about people who don't follow the most common religion, what's it like for them in your WIP? etc etc etc.... (you don't have to answer all of the questions, they're just ideas for what you can share)

Happy WBW! ❤️ This was sitting in my drafts for SO long now, I'm SORRY!! I'll finish it this time! Thank you for your ask, I love all of your questions! So, I've wrote a little bit about the religions in the intro of Metalsea which I finally posted. But I'll copy them here too! Also tagging @bloodlessheirbyjacques for this because we’ve talked about it, so here some more deets! ❤️

FAITH OF VEILNIEVE

Supreme Goddess of vision and perception. The one and only deity the driadlin worship. They live by the idea of valuing things they can see, so they try to keep their vision clear by forging a society that is worth looking at. Devotee of Veilnieve are wearing veils before their eyes so they can keep their vision pure to see truth, and truth only. Priests and Priestess of Veilnieve can never take off their veils – in contrary with avarage citizens who must need to wear it only in religious gatherings –, except in the temple which also serves as their home from the moment they join the chruch.

This faith was spread among all the driadlin, so whichever city or area you're in, you'll most definitely find Veilnieve's church there.

POPULAR MYTH – LEGEND

There's one core legend among the driadlin (besides some fairytale and stuff). The legend of The First King of Nohrinal, the previous capital of Illathia.

It's the tale of a man named Theoden, whom was a nobody without goals in his life and with colorouless eyes. But, then once he followed a lonely old lady beyond the borders of his village, and through many hardships, he found his way in life and gained the truest colour of an eye that a draidlin could bear. He'd found the path of a King, and so King he became. The church's tenet is that, this old lady was their Goddess, Veilnieve and she helped Theoden see truth and with that, find his own true path. This is why they invented a tradition, which called Theoden's Walk. It's a pilgrim's journey through the path where Theoden walked and found his epiphany. The Walk is a sacred concept, so if someone decides to take it, they can't be stopped by anyone or anything, even by laws or the King or Queen herself. The thing is, however, that people don't return from The Walk. But they still do it, because the driadlin either think that those people englightened and joined the Goddess in her realm or that they wasn't worthy to return and now it's their chance to prove someone can to do it. Since Theoden, there was not a single report of a returning.

FAITH OF UD'RAQ

Supreme God of expression and speech. The one and only deity the draar worhip. The way they speak is the aspect which they value the most. The resonance, the tone, the rhythm of their words gives the true meaning of what they say. A change in resonance and the same sentence's meaning changing with it.

POPULAR MYTH – LEGEND

The draar has many tales and myths which expand as new generations start, but the most important is probably about their sacred animal.

The draar has these animals they've found on their area. They call them Ud'ronak. Its a type of creature that became their sacred animal, because the way the Ud'ronak communicate is through some kind of noise that sounds more as if they hum a song. It's very melodic. So, the draar thinks this creature is from their god, who sent them to be able to call his subjects to their realm if they want to. For what reason, that's only their god can know. This is how and why they have this tradition, when the Ud'ronak chooses riders (draar whom the creature hums a specific melody to) and then wander away from the community. The only thing that is slightly concerning is that, the draar whom rode away on an Ud'ronak, rarely returned. The draar feed the Ud'ronak, groom them, take care all of their needs, so when the times comes, they're in a good shape to take a rider.

#worldbuilding wednesday #i needed some details to figure out and it's still not the full thing #Project Metalsea #Metalsea worldbuilding #Metalsea religion #draar #driadlin #i've tried to gather all my thoughts on it #and i hope it's understandable

[limonium-anemos]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

thanks for the ask @bluesundaycake !!! 💖 also thank you @cauldroncake for the tag!! i gib u smooches

i'm not much of a writer lmao but here they are in random order:

as flowers bloom (hidden wip) / hp, tomarry, same age au

There was something quite ethereal in that moment.

And he thinks, oh.

- started writing this wip back in june 2020; was supposed to be a hanahaki au, managed to write a draft until chapter 4 but i got so lost with it. it's a fave because this was the first work i've tried writing in a linear manner, with an outline and a plan (i'm more of a pantser) and went all out with descriptive writing. i was so happy with the feedback when i posted it. hopefully i can get back to it and rewrite 🌟

they will burn (oneshot) / hp, tomarry, soulmate au, fem!harry 

(Fire. A blaze steadily rising, a fervent whisper of—)

(–I know you.)

Harry suspected it within the week of keeping the diary. This Tom Riddle, Slytherin Prefect and Head Boy, too smart and too charming—

“You’re my soulmate.” she says.

And he is.

And you are mine, he knows.

- my first tomarry fic lmao; the amount of hits and kudos christ sdgasd i did not expect it at all??? i always reread this and try to remember like, wow there's something in here people like??? so whenever i end up with a new wip/idea i look at this fic and remind myself “you did great before!!! you’ll do well!!” while also lowkey suffering from too many ideas he he ehhe

we rattle this town, we rattle this scene (oneshot) / snk, ereri, modern setting

“You might’ve said no.” Levi says.

Eren scoffs.

“We’ve been dating, like, since high school Levi.”

- this fic was probably my first fluff??? fic?? idk i dont remember anymore. i wrote this back in 2017 while i was (procrastinating) studying for board exams lmao. this was practice for dialogue and i’m pretty happy about it?? my goal was to practice transition from one character to another and idk i think it kinda worked ashgdhasd

i remember printing out fic chapters from a couple of other snk fics, highlighting sections and lines of dialogue i really admire and loved!! and said i should try that

cam u kiss me (wip) / hp, tomarry, gamer au

"I'd say it was a pleasure, but—" TM started to say.

aintnosnitch Today at 1:28AM

get rekt u grimy peanut we won so fuck off

*

Online games, boys and hopefully, a goddamn kiss.

- writing this fic was...something...an experience...this was the first fic i ever had a beta? ??? (actually seagate didnt need to look this over but she did) and let me tell u like, i learned a lot ashdgasj i’ve never had someone look over my writing while im still writing it, and giving suggestions and pointing things out. this wouldnt come out as it is without help lmao. i would write a sentence and seagate would make it flow better; i translate my thoughts and seagate made sure it isnt whack (english is not my first language), checked that my tenses isn’t all over the place, that i dont get lost with characterization etc

would i get a beta again? probably. i’ll make sure to finish a draft first before letting them look it over 😄

dizzy on the comedown (oneshot) / hp, tomarry, same age au, fluff

Tom and Harry visit Hogwarts after the war.

- this is all my fluff powers!!! all of it!!!! i love the comments in this fic!!! instant smile on my face!! im just assuming the people who read this just went uwu and somft and squish 🤣

but also lmao, this fic was stressful to write! i remember struggling to finish this since this fic was pure “pantser“ fic. there is so much to improve on this one; i don’t think it’s my best writing but also not the worst??? idk it’s a so-so for me but im happy that people like it, so thank you!!!

again thank you for the tag and ask (pahn and dia)! tagging these lovely writers too!! (no pressure!)

@riddleandpottersittinginatree @cardio-vore @mishqua @phoenixmaiden-writing @literaryavalanche @hikarimeroperiddle @vestiges-of-light @penmanner @azuredreammira @exarite @vanillaghost @immxrtalbi @circleofplanets @marvolord @greenbriars @isleoffanfiction @childotkw

#tomarry #harrymort #tag meme #hp #replies

[seventhrounder]

I went thru my folder with old hockey magazines I had saved from around 2011 to 2015 and came across this one and thought it could be a fun to make a post about now in hindsight.

This is Jääkiekko magazine from May 2012, they always have a section of "99 questions with ..." and in this issue they interviewed Teräväinen.

I’ve translated the questions I found interesting under the cut! It ended up being about half of the interview. (*) are my additions.

On the cover "seuraava superjokeri" means the next super joker, he played for Helsingin Jokerit so it's a word play from that. Under, on the blue print it says: "The 17-year-old forward will become a first round draft pick in the summer. The natural goal scorer can dominate in SM-Liiga as soon as next season."

In the 2nd photo the headline and lead paragraph goes:

"A post with dents* - A year ago Teuvo Teräväinen was known only within a small number of hockey insiders. Few passers-by recognize him now either but after a flashy rookie season the Jokerit sensation is on the radar of every NHL team and is a strong contender to become a first round draft pick. Next season with Jokerit the talented second line center will be one of the main talking points in the SM-Liiga."

(*references the net Teräväinen had in his backyard and into which he practiced his shooting)

3. You've been described as a magician, top scorer, wunderkind and a prodigy. What do you think of these descriptions?

TT: Heh, those are some descriptions yeah. What can I really say? Don't really wanna comment on them much.

4. How nervous are you about the Draft?

TT: I try not to be nervous as best as I can. In a way I don't have anything to be nervous about since I don't care which team picks me or at what number I go.

6. Which is stressing you more, English interviews or physical tests?

TT: Maybe both. Bench press (laughs) and English interviews can be tough.

12. How far along have you planned your career with, for example, your parents or your agent?

TT: Haven't really planned things with others but I've thought about them myself. I try to go step by step and not jump too far ahead.

14. How does it feel to be so young with all the star players in Jokerit?

TT: How to say it? I haven't felt like I was young but a part of the team instead. The team's been very good with me and they haven't been looking down at me like: "oh he's young". It's been fun to play in an experienced team.

15. Is there a generational gap between players?

TT: You can see the age difference, older players look older but we're all childish, at least with our topics.

17. What does a 17-year-old do in the sauna nights of the team?

TT: I actually haven't been in any yet. I've always been at national team's camps or something.

19. Did you get the number you wanted?

TT: I did, yeah. I could've taken #18 but Semir (Ben-Amor) has it. But i'm happy with #86, it's good.

23. What are your strengths as a player?

TT: Offensive play and with that playing with the puck, passing, IQ, power play and skill, just the usual skill - skill with hands.

24. And weaknesses?

TT: They are to do with defensive play, strength and physicality. Battles and such but I think I took a step forward last season. That's a good thing.

25. Have you ever been "pressed into a mold" or has your playing style gotten to develop naturally?

TT: As a kid the play was mostly offensive/attacking, I didn't have to think about playing defence. Up until 15 years old, I got to attack pretty freely. Playing defence became more important when I started to play in A-juniors a couple seasons ago.

26. On a scale from 1 to 10 how determined are you?

TT: Maybe 8, feels like an 8.

32. What kind of role are you planning to take with Jokerit next season?

TT: I think a pretty big one. I try to be a top player and not just take others' example but give others example myself too. So that someone in the team can take something out of the way I do things on the ice and off the ice.

35. If you could pick anyone, who would be your car driver?

TT: Nico Manelius for sure. He's been my driver this season. I've had others too, like Riku Hahl but he's not nearly at the same level. Nico’s clearly the best.

36. What are the most important qualifications to be a good driver?

TT: The car is obviously important. Hahl's car is totally awful, he takes a lot of heat for it from the guys too. I wouldn't dare driving with him. Manelius is a steady performer, never lets you down.

38. What sports did you play as a 10-year-old?

TT: Hockey and floorball, probably football (soccer) during the summers at the time too.

42. When did you decide to focus only on hockey?

TT: So when I stopped playing other sports? Three years ago, before that floorball was kind of a side thing, I played a couple of games in the regular season and playoffs.

45. Do you follow floorball or other sports? Go to games?

TT: I don't go to games but I like to watch floorball on TV, it's an interesting sport. Sometimes I watch football too but I don't follow it much. Feels like they never score there.

47. Have you ever played with a wooden stick?

TT: As a kid I did play with a wooden stick.

49. You won the hockey players' golf tournament last summer even though there were more experienced players too. Are you good with all stick games?

TT: Well, I've been pretty good in all of them. I've played golf for a long time and still play it.

50. How is your swing?

TT: Pretty bold, kind of a hockey swing. I don't really care where the ball goes - as long as it goes far.

52. What do you think of off-ice training?

TT: Let's just say it's more stupid than being on the ice but you still gotta do it to be better on the ice.

56. Which word describes your professional relationship (with his coach, Tomek Valtonen), tranquil or colorful?

TT: Colorful of course. At times we're joking around, other times it's more serious but the relationship is really good.

57. Coaching you has been described in many words: good, bad, worse. What are they?

TT: Heh, well... I won't tell them here. He (Tomek) keeps the discipline during practices but sometimes when things haven't gone to a plan I've had to jump on an exercise bike in the middle of a practice.

58. What have been the reasons?

TT: I'll quote Tomek: "when I haven't been present".

59. Have you ever tried to turn the resistance of the bike to zero?

TT: (Laughs) Of course I have and sometimes I've even succeeded.

60. Describe your diet in three words?

TT: Greasy, healthy and good!

64. Your first name is not common for people your age. How did your parents come up with it?

TT: I actually don't even know. Maybe they didn't want a usual Ville*....

(*very common name for men of all ages in Finland)

66. Which of these is the most important: skill, unexpectedness or courage?

TT: Skill!

68. Your longest video game stint?

TT: Six hours, at least. I've played a lot of War of Duty lately.

72. The dumbest thing that has made you upset in hockey?

TT: Probably if I didn't get an assist on a goal even though I should have. Or even worse is if I score and they mark it down for someone else.

79. Have you had any concussions?

TT: I haven't had any, I've managed to always dodge them.*

(*ouch, tho it's good the recent one is his only as far as i remember)

84. In 2011 Team Finland finished in the 5th place at the U-18 tournament. Why only as 5th?

TT: Because we lost to Team Russia in the quarter final, just as well we could have won that game too.

89. You didn't get to be on the ice to accept the SM-Liiga bronze medal (because of the U-18's). When and where did you get it?

TT: I actually still haven't received it, I don't know where it is.

93. What is the population of Helsinki?

TT: There's like 5 million people in Finland so maybe around 500k in Helsinki? (to be exact 596k) Did i really get it right...?

94. Who's the mayor of Helsinki?

TT: I don't know, I barely know the president.

95. Do you think the municipalities in the capital city area should merge?

TT: Luckily I don't have to decide but they probably shouldn't.

96. What do you check first in the news paper?

TT: The sports section.

97. Your favorite tv show?

TT: Putous* was pretty good, I liked a lot of the characters. The grandma was pretty good.

(*Finnish live improvisation comedy/sketch show (there are still new seasons, the latest just finished). Every actor comes up with a humor character with a catchy phrase and one of them wins. "The grandma" is Marja Tyrni and I just got such flashbacks from typing this sentence.)

98. Last book you read?

TT: I don't read many books. The last book was a study book, a Finnish book. I wrote an essay on Tiki (Esa) Tikkanen's biography. An eventful book, great career and a lot of chirps.

99. Who should we ask the 99 questions next?

TT: Riku Hahl could have good stories, he's also seen a lot of the world.

#teuvo teräväinen #teuvo teravainen #carolina hurricanes #canes #hockey #nhl #mp #i knew i had this mag but i thought it was from 2014 and post draft #i really didn't rmbr i've been following turbo for this many years??? #good on 16yo me for spending 8 euros on this tho that was excellent thinking

[dallonm-archive]

[image description: a cropped image of a pink sky. on the right hand side is a bunch of darker pink clouds. Just left of the centre is a full moon. In the centre, in a white serif font reads "writing update" /end id]

july writing update

Hi friends! This writing update is me pretending I did Camp Nano and didn't kinda give up a week in! I had a proper goal and everything, but a lot of things got in the way that I'm not gonna talk about here because I already ranted about it in another update I'm drafting rn. Lets just say it's Disability Pride Month and being not neurotypical or able bodied in writing communities and their inherent focus on productivity is Hard.

But I did get some writing done and wanted to do a little Camp wrap up post regardless. And I'm doing it now because I'm cancelling the last week of July for some rest/self care and I do not want to think about writing for that time and if I write a tumblr post about July Nano being over my brain will think it's actually over <3 I will probably do updates like these for most months tho! Depends on how much I write lol! This one is not too long (by my standards) and has some Revelations, Revelations, Life Cycle of Massive Stars, Nocturne for the Holy and a new wip idea 👁️

excerpts under the cut!

general taglist ; ask to be + or - ; i only have one! ; @childhoodlovers @svpphicwrites @abiandwriting @kowlazovdi @avi-why @ryns-ramblings @kitblogsthings @bijouxs @bookphobe @moonhungers @alicewestwater @bookpacking @shaelinwrites @onlyganymede @theelectricfactory @write-like-babs @oceancold @sidhewrites @wolf-oak @oasis-of-you @coffeeandcalligraphy @cecilsstorycorner @howdywrites @keira-is-writing @flip-phones @piyawrites @avakrahn @goose-books @finch-goes-write @ziyin @aphaimaniis @isherwoodj @laughtracksonata

I'm also editing this in to say I only just realised that July is my writeblr birthday month and that is very weird to me! A year and a couple days ago I impulsively turned an old blog into a place to document writing for me and ended up meeting people who now mean the world to me and my writing blossoming in a way I never thought it would. And the funny part is it doesn't feel like it's been a year, ever since I joined it's just felt like life has Always been this way and I cannot fathom that it hasn't. I'm sappy bc it's 4am lol but ultimately the friends I made (you know who you are) and the community I found is what retaught me the value of writing and helped me unlearn toxic ideas and whilst the last year was tough I wish I could tell July 2020 Dallon (who did not realise he was Dallon yet </3) what July 2021 would look like.

revelations, revelations ;

Oh the absolute state of affairs with this book rn. Nothing bad but I don't know when I'm gonna update y'all because sometimes I do not know where to start when talking about this wip lol! Currently on a break with it (but also my thesis work is on late 20th century queer lit/history rn so am ever really free of RR? <3) but had a lot of fun with it at the end of June/start of July. Anyway here's Dorothy finally revealing more of herself to me after a year. Dorothy as a character is like, I truly believe she is capable of killing a man but the story she is in just does not allow that so I am trying to grow her unhinged side a little bit in other ways bc I know she has it in her but I also really cannot deal with the plot repercussions of her actually killing a man! I'm sorry Dotty but this'll have to do!

(cw for groping/a man being creepy as hell, death/funeral mention, drug mention, drowning imagery kinda)

There’s too much to tell Felix. That his sister lives on the fringe of Castro and has attended three funerals since September; that it’s January 11th and she’s already attended one this year. That his sister drives through sunsets and imagines parties: the amber dusk, warm mosaic tiles, platters of Greek salad skewers and shrimp tostadas, and sometimes Jolie joins her and they share a blunt on the hill. That his sister bought an aquamarine body-length dress for six bucks in a thrift store sale bin, so when her and Jolie broke up for the second time, she waltzed into a sunset party, locked arms with a CEO’s son and gave him a fake number and plucked strawberries out of champagne and blended so well nobody noticed when she left. That during the summer of ’83, his sister walked a neighbour’s Golden Retriever on Wednesdays, and on the sixth Wednesday he gave her a wad of tens with one hand and palmed the back of her neck with the other, so she walked his dog to the beach and stole another hundred from his wallet. That his sister bombed an interview for a Nursing school and didn’t get home until night and missed their monthly call, and Jolie heard the phone ring and didn’t take a message, so his sister snuck into the CEO’s son’s villa and floated in the centre of their heated pool like a cloud. A pause, a breath, an Opheliean threat.

life cycle of massive stars ;

Switched to LCOMS this month because I was burnt out with RR and it made such the difference! I really love working on two novels at once because it keeps me consistently creative but also both of these books are so different so its always refreshing to bounce back into one from another. I have a whole update in the drafts rn for this so keeping this part brief but still love this book, still the best thing that has ever happened to me, me and this book will have a glorious summer wedding etc etc. These excerpts are from chapters that summarise the first semester of each character's first year and have to say it. has been Very Fun to get into the mindset of Freshers Melodrama. Here's Junie having a crisis and an unhealthy relationship with her hetero flatmate :( (alcohol cw for both excerpts)

In October you are drinking double espresso and trying to breathe normally in lectures and you are trying to figure out your favourite colour because Fleur asked and you stumbled out an answer (Purple, I think. Violet? Lavender? Indigo?) and it didn’t match hers (I like yellow. I like sunlight). You buy mugs from IKEA to paint you paint cats and fireworks and constellations and moon phases and daisies. You try to scratch paint stains off your desk. You do laundry at 2am. In October you colour code your notes with pastel highlighters. You go to the library at 3am. You paint your nails sunlight and hate it. You finish an essay that’s due in December. You knock on Fleur’s door at 8am so she makes her 9am. You wear off the shoulder tops and you let a girl dab glitter on your collarbones and you are watching Fleur kiss a boy from the neighbouring hall. You bite your sunlight nails. You break the handle off your IKEA constellation mug. You leave your keys in a lecture hall and stand at the reception for forty minutes waiting for them to realise that the keys on the desk have the moon chain you mentioned - or, you are waiting to say it yourself. You are watching the rain trail down your window. In October you get a halo headband tangled in your hair you are sipping a vampire themed cocktail that tastes like acetone you rip your heels off and you go home early and do laundry at 2am and you are waiting for the courage to tell Fleur you don’t like clubbing - or, you are waiting for her to ask where you are. In October you are many things / a good student a dancer a painter an angel a big sister an alarm clock you are nocturnal and a lucid dreamer and confused about your sexuality / and it’s still October but it’s not because it’s November now and you are still Junie but not because you don’t know who Junie is. It’s November, it’s September October November December. It’s 2016 2017 2018 2019. You are fragments and you don’t know if you are a kaleidoscope or shattered glass.

And here's first year Tomas being like I Moved Countries For University And All I Got Was Homesickness And A Crush On My Flatmate And Resurging Autistic Symptoms And This Lousy T Shirt (cw: vomit mention, injection mention, parental death mention)

Kristen is seven months younger and five inches taller than you. He’s the last flatmate you met and the only one you talk to beyond kitchen greetings and passive aggressive texts about dirty dishes. He is too quiet and too loud and not the type of person you befriend. The first night, he lost Ring of Fire and downed the concoction of Echo Falls, Dark Fruits, Jack Daniels and coke, vodka and lemonade alongside a cigarette and said he’d let God figure out the rest. He held your hair back when you threw up amaretto and held onto your knee when you first self-injected testosterone. He taught you Yorkshire dialect and you pretended to understand the Yorkshire dialect. He told you he got diagnosed at four and you told him you didn’t get past the first assessment but sometimes you flick the bathroom light on and it’s fire: the orange on the orange towel is louder, the white on the white tiles are louder, the colours and light and sink and showerhead are prickly and all you can do is blink and breathe until it fizzles out. You reminded him to take his meds and asked if you were weak for wanting to drop out and hop on the first Eurostar to Rotterdam. He reminded you to take off your binder and asked if he was robotic for not grieving his mother. You spent inky nights on the kitchen floor, counting the dead flies in the lights and scooping crumbly coconut ice cream out of a maker you got for half price in TK Maxx. You spent dusk-dusted afternoons at the global street food markets, at the vegan markets. Spent student loans on raspberry lemonade in recycled cups, veggie burgers in beetroot buns, got him hooked on poffertjes and advocaat and could’ve cried when the vendor spoke to you in Dutch. Sometimes you didn’t buy anything. Just liked hovering at stalls ambered with fairy lights, writing down Etsy stores on your notes app; just liked Kristen’s impulse to trek forty minutes into the city for a market he didn’t know existed until five minutes before; just liked how he always invited only you, cancelling your other plans last minute, the feeling of being ambushed; just liked how he stopped to take photos of dogs and the sunset; just liked how he looked haloed under lampposts waiting for Ubers, golden on golden.

This is also nearing creative nonfiction because Sheffield truly is a haven for just. vegan markets and cafes lol! I experimented with veganism there and never struggled to find something and at this point I call myself a fake vegan because it's too easy to be vegan in Sheffield and too difficult to be vegan in my actual hometown. And the global street food markets!!! SO GOOD! I miss pre pandemic days

nocturne for the holy ;

Giving her a little shout out because she does exist actually! I've figured out a really good system for working on two novels at a time, so my plan is maybe to start properly on this after I finish either RR or LCOMS. Idk I got 3 novels to pick from haha oops! I did do some free drafting back in April though and found it recently and I Like It! And I edited it so it counts as Something I Did This Month :) Also have decided that I loathe this working title <3 Okay see you with an update for this novel in like a year, sorry for the absolute zero context for this excerpt hehe

The morning I was due back, I hadn’t yet decided that this would be my last visit. I wandered between rooms like an overstayed guest, like I didn’t know which crockery lived in which cabinet and which bedroom had the best view of the overlapped hills. Dad would wake for his run in an hour, plastered to his twenty-year-old routine. Mum would pretend to be asleep until breakfast. Until then, it was myself and the house, hazed by sleepy sunrise. Downstairs. The peeling paisley wallpaper in the lounge, the lilies in the middle of the kitchen table, the vases of candy floss pink peonies wilting on every windowsill, the desolate double swing-set in the garden. The mist-clogged mornings. I stood outside in my dressing-gown until my fingertips felt numb. Upstairs. The sage coloured bathroom. The bathtub I’d laze in with my clothes on and no water because it was the quietest room in the house. The dusty dance trophies on the top of my wardrobe. Wine-flushed Jeanette in my teenage bedroom. The stale grey mum painted my teenage bedroom after I moved out. Minus their room, I stalked the layout of the house three times before settling back into bed - teenage Nora’s bed. Nora who cared for peonies and pushed her brother on the swing set and flung her ceramic ballerina at the wall and jogged with her father and collected wine bottles and acorns and kisses from girls who were supposed to visit for dance practice. Before I left, I’d have cycled each room another three times. And in every room he was there, hovered in the corner like black mould.

love this update bc it's like i've got my third person, my second person, my first person! collecting all the POVs like chaos emeralds :)

eulogy for our burnings ;

-looks away-

girl help I did it AGAIN!!!! Apparently Camp Nano is just the perfect time for me to get novel ideas. I made this post specifically to talk a bit about this because I have no idea when I'll draft it but it's certainly not soon. This is not me trying to doubt my own skill but I feel like I am not in the place I'd like to be as a writer to tackle this project with the zest it needs, however I am v excited by the prospect of it! Don't know how I feel about the working title bc I'm like "that doesn't sound right but I don't know enough about this wip to dispute it" but the only purpose my working titles serve is to sound pretty lol! But here's the tea:

1991, UK.

2nd person present + past. Very flexible form. I can't decipher how yet but I'm feeling interviews, newspaper articles, receipts, grocery store lists weaved with actual narrative, that kinda vibe.

Best summary is we follow our nameless narrator, a stealth trans man, as he becomes unhealthily obsessed with a man who "hires" him to photograph the buildings he burns

Very,,, isolated? Minimal settings, minimal characters, minimal prose etc. Almost claustrophobic

There's basically only two characters and they are probably the most morally deplorable, indefensible characters I've created which just means most of you are gonna LOVE this /lh I do too I do too

Only comp title I can give is it has the vibes/tone of Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (just with none of the nsfw content lol if you've read the book you know what I'm talking about) (also that book is great for morally deplorable women protagonists but omg look up the content warnings because it caught me off guard! enjoyed it tho gave it 4 stars)

The pinterest board is the best visualisation of the Vibes also follow me on pinterest lol

And that's all I've got today! A bigger Life Cycle of Massive Stars update coming in the next few weeks. Might do a proper intro post for Eulogy For Our Burnings but idk!!! It's a surprise :) Thank you for reading this far!

#also i have LOTS to catch up on so if u tagged me in anything im gonna do a big queue of rb's soon! #promise im not ignoring anybody! #just barely functioning <3 #atlastracking #writing update #revelations revelations #life cycle of massive stars #nocturne for the holy #eulogy for our burnings

[nolansnose]

To my moots: I did A THING. Wrote a lil something. A Nolpat imagine *gasps*

This is unfinished and I will only be updating this everytime Patty gets a point or better yet, score a goal!

Edited and rb'd because this has been updated!

(With added steam 🙈)

Summary: Surprise!

Nolan Patrick x whoever you wanna pair him with in your head

UNTITLED

They hadn't exchanged any kind of communication in three weeks. That kind of radio silence from both their ends wasn't normal. It has been a month since they saw each other last, they were both busy --- she with the endless demands and responsibilities of being the new executive assistant to the director of medical services while Nolan was training in preparation for the incoming season.

It amazes her how they were able to give each other attention in the past year and how they haven't given up on each other. It wasn't easy, it's daunting at times, at least for her.

For someone with such a demanding job and schedule, she truly couldn't figure out how she was able to give time to Nolan.

She didn't understand how someone like her was able to pique his interest or that he continued to give her attention, well, not until these past few weeks. She may be busy but during moments that she wasn't thinking about work, Nolan makes sudden, sometimes unwelcome appearances in her thoughts.

Unwelcome because she shouldn't be thinking about him. They're not... Argh! She sighed and put down the book she's trying so hard to understand in her lap. She's in an old cottage by the beach, alone for this long weekend, her first non work related trip after a long while since being appointed and she's alone. She should be relaxing, resting, eating sumptuous meals and reading this... Shit it was Nolan who gave her this book. Why did she pick this one to bring? She sighed again and tried for the nth time to relax in the couch she was perched on. She put her feet up in the arm rest and reached for the tea in the side table to drink but grimaced as its already cold.

As cold as the weather that wasnt apt for the place she was in. Beaches are made for warm, summery weather, not rain and cold drafts. She looked out the window and shook her head because it was still raining. The rain peltering the roof was loud and... what was that?

She heard something beside the raindrops. Footsteps. Rustling. Knocking? Was someone knocking?

But she wasn't expecting anyone.

Still, she stood up and headed for the kitchen which was near the parking area of the resort she was in. She clutched her chest when she saw another shadow beside the plants outside. Shit! A thief? But this was an exclusive resort!

She grabbed the fruit bowl in the counter and headed for the kitchen door. There was that sound again. Footsteps. And knocking.

She took a deep breath and raised the bowl above her head, ready to whack whoever was on the other side of that door. She unfastened the locks and opened the door.

"Fuck!", the 'intruder' called out and caught the bowl before it made contact with his face.

"Nolan?", she blinked.

The newcomer put down the bowl and raised the hood of his jacket. "Hi,"

"I thought you were a thief!"

Nolan looked at her with amusement. " I knocked but there was no answer."

"When was that? I didn't hear anything."

"Uh, five minutes ago?", he asked as he grabbed a clean towel out of the basket on the washing machine near the door. "May I?"

She exhaled loudly while moving away from the door so Nolan could dry his shoes in the mat and removed his jacket which was also wet.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. How did he even know she was here? Oh. Right. She remembered telling him about this weekend trip the last time they were together.

"I missed you," he said. "You didn't text or call."

"You never did, too," she pointed out.

"Hey, I called," he said with a bit of pain in his voice.

"When did you call?"

"Are you going to let me come in or do I have to defend myself by your kitchen door?"

2

"What's that for?", she asked having glanced at his backpack.

"Change of clothes. I've been in town for a few days, actually ", he replied honestly.

She gave him another quick look before going back to retrieve the cup of tea in the living room and brought it up in the kitchen to heat in the microwave. She felt his eyes on her while she set the timer.

"Chamomile?", Nolan asked just as he put down his already opened backpack in the kitchen counter and took out a clean pair of socks.

She didn't know whether to be irritated or happy that he remembered her preference. Normally, she'd appreciate it but now she felt cornered. Vulnerable. She came here to unwind, rest and think, -- to escape from all that's troubling her -- that included Nolan.

Yep, trouble. That's Nolan, alright. What else would you call the man who chose to entangle himself with someone like her? Even for a weekend, she wanted a break. She wanted him out of her head, her body and her bed.

"You still haven't answered why you're here," she took the mug out of the oven and set it on the counter. She caught the smirk on his face. "What?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nolan took a step towards her and tenderly caressed her arm."Didn't you miss me?"

She looked up into his eyes to see a worry there she didn't normally see.

They've talked about their situation a handful of times before, where they're headed eventually. Together they've decided that its better if no one else knew whatever kind of relationship they were to have.

She can't remember exactly how that topic came about, but they wound up in bed together before defined lines were ever set.

This, whatever this was, has gone on for a year, a short time compared to others. She knew she shouldn't keep her hopes or expectations up, but sometimes, she gets tired of her feelings being hurt from a misunderstanding because nothing was solid or made public. Sometimes the feelings were his. Sometimes he acted jealous or frustrated because she behaved in a way that made him question the exclusivity they had agreed on a year ago.

"Not at all?" His low, lazy voice pulled her back from her thoughts.

She shook her head. "No."

He leaned into her some more, their closeness made her feel like she's drowning. "Liar."

Then his mouth met hers and she instinctively opened her mouth to allow his tongue to enter. He tasted sweet and salty like caramel popcorn. He satisfied every urge and each craving.

A whimper escaped her throat and he had her pushed against the counter with one hand in her hair as the other lifted her leg and grabbed her ass. He knew how to completely envelop her into a whirlwind of sex. It started out with a kiss as it always did.

And this kiss grew more fervent and she felt a familiar hardness push against her in just the right place. He made her feel sexy and desirable in a way that she revelled in. His kisses were addictive.

Its hard to reclaim her sanity everytime they ended up like this, like he drained whatever courage she had left. But before she could totally gave in, she held Nolan's arm firmly and pushed him away from her. He moaned a little as a protest but moved away and let her right herself.

The desire for her was evident in his eyes, in his jeans and she tried not to look but his scent, his kiss lingered. She was still dazed and her heart was beating wildly.

"What?" He asked as he touched the edge of his mouth.

"We can't continue this, Nolan", she insisted.

He shook his head. "We're not doing anything we haven't done bef----"

"No", she cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "This as in hiding. We thought it wont get this complicated given our work and who we are, we thought it'd be easy. None of this is easy, Nolan."

"Thank you for saying we, instead of you," he nodded as he answered. "Seriously. We both said this unofficial exclusive thing would be easy and a breeze and I'm glad you didn't pile the blame for your feelings just on me."

She looked at him carefully. Sometimes, his prankness still startled and overwhelmed her. She hoped and tried hard for its effect to not register on her face.

"Whoa," he said with one eyebrow raised when her gaze turned squinty. "Why are you looking at me like I just told you I'm getting married or something?"

"Let's end this, Nolan," she said in a faint voice, then grabbed the mug of tea again.

She felt him observing her eventhough her attention was on the tea she's drinking.

"You already said that four months ago."

"This time I meant it." She said in a voice lacking of conviction.

#nolan please shoot the pucks more #nolan patrick #nolan patrick fic #nolan patrick imagine #nhl imagine #this fic is a one time thingy