#Amethystina Does Memes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

amethystina · 1 year

Text

WIP Word Search

I got tagged by @miss-ingno! Thank you, dear <3

My words to search for are: run, brush, freeze

____

Run: (from Until Death Do Us Unite, Strangers From Hell, MJJW, Zombie AU)

Jong Woo made no effort to silence the jingling of his bracelet as he climbed the stairs, knowing the sound would draw exactly the kind of attention he was looking for. Intentionally drawing zombies to you when out on a supply run with others was foolish, but doing so when you were alone — hunting for one in particular — was simply a matter of good strategy.

____

Brush: (from Treachery and Deception, The Losers, Cougar/Jensen, Regency AU)

"No..." He swallowed and shook his head, if only slightly.

Warm, careful fingers were still cradling his face, and Jacob's gaze turned towards Lieutenant Alvarez. Another brush against Jacob's cheek — and a flash of red on the lieutenant's hand — made him realise that Lieutenant Alvarez was wiping blood from his face. The intruder's blood, no doubt, from when the knife had lodged into his chest.

____

Freeze: (from Providence, The Hobbit, Barduil, “Second Chance” AU)

Thranduil could see the twitch of confusion on Istril's face, but she was too loyal to question his orders.

"Yes, my lord." She bowed her head before turning on her heel, ready to leave.

"Also," Thranduil continued, making Istril freeze in place before she had taken so much as a step, "find my son and order him to come home."

____

I didn’t think I would actually find something for each word. I mean, usually it’s “brushed” or similiar (though I assume that would also be acceptable?). I guess it pays off to have a bunch of WIPs lying around, huh?

ANYHOW. I’m not sure who to tag, but if you’re a writer and think this sounds fun, consider yourself tagged.

Your words are: Happy, Black, See

#Amethystina Does Memes #Dang #I still want to finish Providence #That's probably THE MOST self-indulgent fic I've ever written #And I have 30k on it already #And know exactly where I'm going #But other things keep getting in the way #So little time so many fanfics

3 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Text

First Lines Meme

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favourite authors!

@miss-ingno did this (a VERY long time ago) and tagged anyone who wanted to do it, so here I am! It sounded like a fun way to look at how I start my fanfics. I will be skipping over ficlet collections and sequels in a series, since I want the FIRST first line of the fanfic. A different POV for the same story will be seen as its own fic. I won't limit it to any specific fandom, though (honestly, there's only one I've even written more than 20 fics for x'D ) and they will be listed newest to oldest.

It’s long, though, so I’ll put the actual results under the cut! :D

1. Until Death Do Us Unite, Strangers From Hell The day after Jong Woo was released from the hospital, the dead rose from their graves.

2. Who Holds the Devil, The Devil Judge Ga On was tired.

3. Gravitational Pull, The Devil Judge Ga On's heart wouldn't stop racing.

4. Talk to Me, The Losers Jensen had always known that he was, on average, more talkative than most people.

5. Twice Is Enough, The Avengers The first time Bucky saw Anthony Stark, the man's brilliance left him breathless.

6. Say You Love Me, Teen Wolf The thing Stiles probably hated the most about Derek was his ability to leave him speechless.

7. Siren Song, The Losers Carlos stepped inside the dimly lit pub and tried not to wrinkle his nose in distaste.

8. And Time Again, The Avengers On average, Tony would consider himself a pretty observant person.

9. Jigsaw, The Losers It might sound like a terrible cliché, but Jess knew long before Jake, himself, figured it out.

10. Trust Is Earned (And Sometimes Given), The Losers Cougar knew he only had himself to blame.

11. Plus One, The Avengers Bucky took a deep breath and pushed open the door to his favorite bar, instinctively relaxing when the familiar smells and sounds washed over him.

12. Nethermost, The Avengers "If you're going to be blowing bubbles for the rest of the night, can I at least get a gum too?"

13. Five Times Cougar Thought Jensen Was Bad at Flirting and One Time He Didn't, The Losers "Oh no, here we go again." Pooch shook his head and, with a grimace, looked away in secondhand embarrassment.

14. Let's Build a Happy Ending (For You and Me), The Avengers Bucky would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried when Steve brought him to the Tower to meet the rest of the Avengers.

15. Let It Grow, The Avengers Tony stepped inside the flower shop on pure impulse.

16. Where You Belong, The Losers Jensen knew from experience that being transferred to a new team could be jarring at best and traumatic at worst.

17. A Future With You (Is My Happy Ending), The Losers "You look really tired."

18. Tech Support, The Avengers "Sir, another call on line eight," JARVIS announced.

19. There Be Dragons, The Losers Cougar, like every other living human being, was aware of the existence of dragons.

20. Losing You (Is My Supervillain Origin Story), The Avengers Of all the terrible things Bucky had done, this might actually be the worst. _____

As for my reflections, I'd say that I usually try to keep my first lines relatively short and to the point. Often a statement or action of some kind that can usually be followed up with a question of "why?" or at least spark a desire for some further explaining. I try my best to hook a reader from the first line, I guess? And give them a reason to keep reading because they want to find out what that first line was referring to.

Since these fics span five years (the newest a WIP I started in 2022, the last written back in 2017) you can also see that I don't use dialogue as the first line all that much anymore. To be honest, I think that's mainly because of the length of the fics, though. It's an easy way to start the shorter ones and I was a lot more prolific back in the day, though most fics were also a bit shorter.

I also have a tendency (with some exceptions) to mention the POV character in the first line, since it's a good way to establish who we're following.

My favourite first line out of these is probably:

Cougar, like every other living human being, was aware of the existence of dragons.

Because it establishes:

A) The POV character

B) Dragons exist in this world

C) Humanity is aware of them existing

D) And Cougar appears to be rather blasé about the whole thing

This one is a very close second, though:

The day after Jong Woo was released from the hospital, the dead rose from their graves.

Because it establishes:

A) The POV character

B) The specific time it's set in relation to the canon timeline (if you know, you know)

C) Oh fuck, there are zombies

D) Yoon Jong Woo just cannot catch a fucking break

I very much enjoy the challenge of forming a first line that conveys as much as possible, though it obviously depends on the story if that's possible or not. Still, it's very fun to try and come up with one :D

And, finally: if you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!

#Amethystina Does Memes #First Lines Meme #Amethystina Writes #It was fun!#Though I admit I was already kind of aware of these habits of mine #Because I've been paying attention to my first lines for roughly the last five years or so #First lines are important!

4 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

42, 49

42. Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason?

Yes, many. Too many to mention, to be honest. I've been writing fanfics for over ten years now and I'm continuously amazed by how kind and loving my readers are.

Though I would like to highlight a certain type of comment that I've been getting more and more lately, more specifically since I started writing Who Holds the Devil. Because that fic, more than any of my others, seems to evoke a lot of emotions, reflection, and self-discovery in my readers. Never have I gotten so many comments telling me that reading a fic has fundamentally changed something within them.

It's been everything from realising how abusive their relationships have been to when to stand up for themselves to finally having a name for the panic attacks they've been experiencing.

Who Holds the Devil has made it completely impossible for me to ever doubt the impact my writing can have on people. Because, not going to lie, sometimes I do. Sometimes I feel like an introverted little weirdo, just sitting here, writing about people I want to see kiss. But it's so, so much more than that and nothing has made that more clear to me than the comments I get on Who Holds the Devil.

I'm both humbled and grateful every time I'm told that my writing has made someone realise something about themselves, especially when it involves their mental health, trauma, or just overall well-being. I'm not a therapist and I obviously can't offer any concrete help as such, but to help someone realise or admit to themselves that Something Is Wrong? That's still a very, very big thing. And the fact that I can? It will never not blow my mind.

So that's definitely a kind of comment that stands out to me and probably always will. The fact that I'm able to change people's lives with my fics is beyond astounding to me (and also a little bit intimidating, not going to lie, but not necessarily in a bad way?). And I'm truly grateful to every single one of you who has sent me comments like these. Not only is your bravery and willingness to share inspiring, but it gives me so much joy to know I've been able to help or make a difference. Thank you 💜

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

Here's an excerpt from chapter 34 of Who Holds the Devil (though I might edit it slightly before it's posted xD):

Ga On looked down at the tumbler cradled between his hands, his thumb sliding along the smooth, curved edge. He could see his reflection, slightly distorted, in the surface of its content.

"Don't ever do that to me again."

A beat passed, tense and loaded, before Ga On looked up at Yo Han. The silence within the study was deafening — unwieldy — and Ga On could see the slight hint of hesitation on Yo Han's face. It was subtle, barely there, mingled with something that could be regret.

Ga On realized why Yo Han didn't answer right away.

"Intentionally," he added. "Don't intentionally do something like that to me again."

It would be just like Yo Han to make a difference between the two which, in all honesty, was beyond tragic. Yo Han didn't trust himself to not accidentally manipulate the people around him, to the point where an agreement had to be formulated with that in mind. He didn't want to give anyone false hope or make promises he couldn't keep.

It was moments like these that made it obvious that, somewhere deep down, Yo Han still saw himself as a monster. Someone who couldn't be trusted to be around people. Someone who might end up hurting those he cared about, without even meaning to.

Someone dangerous, vicious, and hurtful.

And for the first time in a long while, as much as he hated himself for it, Ga On almost agreed.

Yo Han didn't hesitate this time.

"I promise."

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #Who Holds the Devil #I do genuinely mean it about the comments #It blows me away just how important Who Holds the Devil has become to people #I never expected that #I don't feel qualified for this x'D #But I am happy to help #And I'm glad that fic can give so many people hope and comfort #I love you all 💜

14 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

Hello, for the questions for fic writers :

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

50. Answer any question of your choice, or talk about anything you want to talk about!

<3 <3 <3

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

Since this question was listed twice I'll just go ahead and give two concepts/AUs!

The first is a Soulmate AU. I've always liked the concept but haven't really found an idea that I like enough to actually want to write it. I'm so busy and have so many other projects going on that I don't really have time to go searching for fic ideas. Instead, my brain has to present a fully formed idea and basically pitch it to me before I'm willing to even consider writing it. And since Soulmate AUs haven't really been high on my list of priorities, that hasn't happened yet. I guess my brain has been busy plotting other fics instead?

(Well, aside from that The Devil Judge Soulmate AU I suddenly came up with and am very intrigued by. So maybe? Who knows?)

The second is a Vampire AU. I cannot believe I've never written a Vampire AU. That's not to say that I'm necessarily obsessed with vampires (I like them a normal amount) it just surprises me that I've never written one. So that I definitely want to do at some point!

(And, unlike the Soulmate AU, my brain has actually tried to present me with a number of ideas for Vampire AUs (the latest one being a The Devil Judge fic, predictably) but I've kept myself at bay for now because I already have too many fics to write. Woe is me.)

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

The sequel to Gravitational Pull? Though "currently working on" might be slightly misleading in this case. I wrote 840 words two months back and have been staring blankly at the document ever since x'D I think I just need to sit down and force myself past that first hurdle because I know exactly what's going to happen, I just need to write it down. But yeah, here's an excerpt:

Ga On tried his best not to look at Yo Han.

The tension lay thick inside the car, the silence pushing against Ga On's eardrums. Judge Oh, who sat in the back, probably assumed it was because of the crisis at hand — apprehension at the thought of what lay ahead of them — but that was only partially true. Ga On was also struggling with an insistent, nerve-wracking hum of concern, making his spine stiff and throat tight.

Yo Han shouldn't be here. He was still injured — only just over a day had passed since he got shot.

No matter how grave the situation was, Yo Han should be at home, resting, not driving them to an area of Seoul that was quickly becoming as chaotic as an active war zone.

Ga On gritted his teeth — until his jaw began hurting from the strain — and looked down at his hands. They were tightly clenched in his lap, his thumb rubbing restlessly over the other. Perhaps Ga On was being too selfish, but he didn't want Yo Han to put himself in danger like this — not when he wasn't at his best. Ga On could admit that Yo Han hid it well but, since Ga On knew where to look, he could see the subtle delay in Yo Han's movements and how he held himself slightly more rigidly than usual.

Yo Han was still in pain.

He still had a hole in his stomach but pretended that he didn't.

And Ga On had to play along, since Kang Yo Han couldn't show any weakness. The people around them could know that the chief judge was injured. The fact that their opponents did was already bad enough — and was probably why they chose now to try and overthrow him. They didn't think Yo Han would be able to fight back as fiercely — with as much precision — as he normally would.

They were expecting an easy victory.

But, even injured, Yo Han was a force to be reckoned with and, as always, would do whatever it took to win.

50. Answer any question of your choice, or talk about anything you want to talk about!

Possibly TMI incoming and TW for bullying and verbal abuse.

I think I'll take this opportunity to say how happy I am that I started writing fanfics. Which is extra hilarious when you consider the fact that it started with a thought as basic as: "I want to write at least one before I die." And then, ten years later, here we are. And I'm in no way exaggerating when I say that it changed my life.

One concrete example is that had I never written Autonomy, I would never have met the people who finally told me I was a good person — after hearing the exact opposite for over two years. To make a very long story short, there were several people in my life at the time who, when in pain, took it out on me, often by projecting. They told me how selfish, self-centred, and unsupportive I was. That I lacked empathy and always put myself first. That I was arrogant and a bully, who belittled everyone I spoke to and thought way too highly of myself, my intelligence, and my worth. And, well, I believed them.

Because I can be very firm and dominant, especially in person. So it's very likely that I might (unknowingly) assert myself too much. And since this abuse only happened in private, none of my other friends or family knew about it. This narrative of me being a terrible person was, for about two years, the only thing I heard. Because, to all my other friends, I was so stable and confident — how could I possibly be doubting myself? And why should they remind me that I was a good person since, surely, I knew that?

Except no — I didn't. Because I only heard the opposite. For years.

Until, suddenly one day, I got a DM on Tumblr asking me if I wanted to join a Discord server because they'd read one of my Winteriron fics and loved it. And so I did. Despite being scared to death because oh no, now these people who really like my fic are going to find out I'm a terrible person and they're never going to want to read anything I've written ever again.

But, to my absolute surprise, the opposite happened.

The people on this server LOVED me. They genuinely seemed to enjoy my company. And I quickly earned the nickname Steve (it was a Marvel server — I promise it made complete sense to us at the time) because I kept everyone in line and, apparently, was always ready to throw hands for a good cause.

I even had my own gif! The command was !amy and was used when someone was misbehaving to signal "You're on thin fucking ice, buddy."

Sometimes, I'd even wake up to find that the gif had been used in my absence, when other members on the server had basically gone: "Oh man, Amy's going to be soooo disappointed in you when she gets back RIP it was nice knowing you."

And rarely have I been so confused. Or felt so much like a liar.

Because that's what I thought I was doing. I thought I was lying to these people about who I actually was. That I was somehow able to masquerade as a Good Person all while actually being a despicable, selfish monster behind the scenes who hurt every single person I came into contact with.

And, eventually, I cracked. Not in a very visible way to most people, but enough to ask my most trusted friends on that server if I was a bad person. And I was unanimously met with a VERY confused: "What? Why do you ask? You, of all people?"

Because, according to them, not only was I the one who kept everyone in line, but also one of the kindest, most considerate people on that server. I was the conscience. The voice of reason. The one who always listened. The one who always knew exactly what to say when people were hurting. The one who made sure to de-escalate a situation before it could turn into something dangerous or hurtful.

And that changed my life.

Because, all of a sudden, I had a completely different narrative that competed with the one I'd heard for two years. In a matter of days, my world was turned upside down. We're talking a full-blown existential crisis. Because everything I thought I knew about myself was suddenly called into question and I had to figure out where I ended and the lies I had been told by other people began. It was a painful, gruelling, and utterly exhausting process but well worth it for how much it helped my mental health and self-image.

All because of a fanfic. Kind of amazing, isn't it?

The point I'm trying to make is that you'll never know in what place or what shape you might find the support and stability you need to have the kind of epiphany that I did. Perhaps it starts with a gigantic Space AU you wrote because it sounded fun, followed by an invitation to a whacky Discord server? Who knows?

And that's why I still write. And why I still post. And why I try to reply to every comment and ask if I can.

Because I know there are people like the old me out there. People who aren't seen or heard in the way they deserve. And maybe I won't be able to give them that with my limited reach, but I can at least try. I can write stories they relate to, stories that give them solace, stories that make them realise things about themselves, that make them question the abuse they've been submitted to, without even knowing it. That makes them see. That makes them want to forgive themselves and love themselves. That can help them find community and like-minded people.

If my writing can offer comfort, safety, and a feeling of belonging, then it's all worth it.

If I can help one person in the way those people on that server helped me, then it's worth it.

And that's why I'll always be grateful for deciding to write fanfics. Not just because of how it's helped me, but because it's given me the opportunity to help and bring people together.

It's never "just" a fanfic.

So, if you've ever read one of my works, I'm so grateful for your time and attention. And I hope I was able to make you smile or, perhaps, made you feel a little less lonely, even just for a short while.

I appreciate you and wish you all the best. Take care 💜

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #Well #That went to places I didn't plan #I guess I'm a little sentimental or something xD #But genuinely #Find your people #Find your support #It doesn't matter if it's through fanfics #Or music #Or knitting #Just whatever #Find the people who will help and treasure you #It will do wonders #Also brief sidenote:#No my name is not actually Amy xD #It's just the shortened form of Amethystina and it caught on #So to many I'm known as Amy

12 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

Hi !!! :)

4. What detail in "The Devil's Due" are you really proud of?

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "The Devil's Due"? Answer it now!

6. What’s one fact about the universe of "The Devil's Due" that you didn’t get a chance to mention in the fic itself?

I'm sorry for being this obssessed :/

No need to apologise! I'm glad my writing can make you this excited! 💜

4. What detail in "The Devil's Due" are you really proud of?

I think the tension and power balance? Specifically the one that comes from seeing Yo Han from Ga On's POV in this setting, when he's a defendant rather than a young judge sent to spy on him. It shifts the power balance and while that is a delicate thing that can easily be abused, I had a lot of fun portraying it in this first chapter. And it'll even out in the rest of the story which, in turn, will give me new opportunities and situations to play around with.

Because, well, Yo Han will be older, sure, and therefore someone Ga On should respect according to the rules of Korean society. He'll also have helped Ga On avoid getting a record, which means that Ga On is indebted to him, but he won't be Ga On's boss. So, when they meet again later, Yo Han will actually have less power over Ga On in that regard. Ga On can do whatever the fuck he wants and he'll be called disrespectful, sure, but there are fewer stakes. And this will give Ga On more room to be reckless and blunt which, in case you haven't noticed, is something I love (as does Yo Han, tbh).

One detail I didn't like, however — and is something I'll probably go back and change once I continue working on the story — is Ga On's vocabulary in this first chapter. He's supposed to be a teenager so I should probably go back and simplify it a little. But that's for later.

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "The Devil's Due"? Answer it now!

I wish someone would ask me about the research I did because, oh man, was that a ride.

Basically, I wanted to figure out just how long it takes to become a judge in South Korea, partly because the rest of the fic will take place during the time Ga On is studying to do just that and I needed to get my timeline straight. But also because I wanted to maybe figure out when Yo Han might have become one in canon. Like, was he a judge before Isaac died? Or was that a career path he chose specifically to get revenge? (which I still haven't found an answer to, by the way, but it was worth a try)

In The Devil's Due, I clearly went with the former, with him being one even before Isaac died. Perhaps Yo Han thought it would make Isaac proud if he worked in the law field? Or maybe it was a fuck you to his father? Who knows?

ANYWAY. The point is that, during this research, I realised that canon gives fewer shits about this than I do x'D The drama is inaccurate in its depiction of how long it takes to become a judge. Ga On cannot possibly have become one at his age with the system South Korea currently uses unless he started practising law at 19 and completely skipped military service (which I'm going to assume he didn't).

Instead, they seem to be using the old system that was revised back in 2008. Which honestly isn't a big deal because they can just say that this is a dystopian, fictional version of South Korea so maybe that's just one of the things that never happened and helped bring about the society they now live in? Because, let me tell you, they must have gotten quite a lot of questionable judges with that old system (the education was, uh, worryingly short).

The real reason, however, I think is as simple as Moon Yoo Seok deciding to go with the system that (based on his age) was used when he became a judge. Either because of that whole "write what you know" thing or simply because it made the story more exciting. Because, honestly, it wouldn't have been as fun if Ga On wasn't the young and idealistic man that he is in canon. With the new system, he'd have to have practised law for at least 10 years before ever ending up on the Live Court Show. Which would definitely not have created as fun of a dynamic between him and Yo Han. Like, Ga On wouldn't even be a sugar baby twink at that point, would he? And we definitely can't have that!

Anyway, in The Devil's Due, I'll honour the canon and just go with whatever the hell I want. Probably a combination of the old and new system, where you at least have to become a lawyer first (which, uh, didn't seem to be a requirement with the old system?) and THEN become a judge. But I'll remove the "has to have worked as a lawyer for at least 10 years" part.

So yeah. The more you know? xD

6. What’s one fact about the universe of "The Devil's Due" that you didn’t get a chance to mention in the fic itself?

I honestly mentioned the majority of them in my short notes on the actual post and the rest will (hopefully) become apparent as the story continues. But I think one thing I'd like to emphasise is the fact that their first meeting is the ONLY thing I'll knowingly change from canon.

That's not to say that other things won't be different — because they sure as hell will be — but I'll try to keep my intentional influence limited to that one detail. And then see just how much that will change the characters' choices going forward and, consequentially, their lives and the unfolding story.

So, for example, Komi unfortunately won't be in this fic since she seems to have been a relatively new addition once the drama starts. Jin Joo also won't appear, as sad as that makes me, because I don't think there will be a chance for them to run into each other. But Ga On has his gay/sub/sugar baby awakening a LOT sooner because he just happened to come across a suitable sugar daddy (which I assume he didn't in canon) and, because of that, figures out his feelings for Soo Hyun long before he meets Yo Han again, years later.

Basically, what I want to explore with this fic is how that one meeting will change everything that happens between Yo Han and Ga On. And the hilarious part is that Ga On is going to be responsible for the majority of those changes. He is the one who will seek Yo Han out. He is the one who'll get a little bit obsessed. He is the one who won't be able to let Yo Han go.

And that alone is such a fun change that I can't wait to explore it. Let's watch Ga On be the instigator and pursuer for once! (though, obviously, Yo Han is still the one mostly in charge because, well, Yo Han x'D)

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #The Devil's Due #Like #You have NO IDEA how much I'd love to write on The Devil's Due #Or any of my fics tbh #But the problem is that I've got so many at this point #And don't know which one to focus on #So I end up just flitting back and forth #Accomplishing very little #I'm a little overwhelmed I guess?#Maybe I just need to let myself focus on one and finish it #But that means it can't be Who Holds the Devil #Because chances of me finishing that anytime soon are low x'D #So yeah #Writer's Problems

14 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

For the ask thingy

9. How do you find new fic to read?

I have one of the most uninspired yet organised methods for finding new fics that I know of.

Because I will basically go to AO3, find the fandom I'm interested in, pick all my filters, sort by word count, and start from the highest and just work my way through them methodically, reading the tags, summaries etc. and open the ones I like in a new tab.

I'll do that for a couple of pages, stop, download all the tabs as PDFs to my Dropbox, and then keep going. Rinse and repeat. Either until I reach the final page or my enthusiasm for that particular fandom/pairing starts waning. If I reach the end before my enthusiasm has waned, I usually go back for a second round but with lower standards x'D

Quite often, if I find a fic that piques my interest, I'll stop and spend some time reading instead (which usually snowballs into me reading more of those I've already downloaded), before eventually getting back to the culling. So this can take everything from days to months depending on the size of the fandom and the intensity of my interest.

This is why I don't have favourite fanfic authors because I just don't pay attention to that at all when I find my fics. I base my picks entirely on summaries, tags, and warnings. Though there have been times when I've read a fic in a fandom and it's good enough for me to go to the author's page and download the fics I thought sounded interesting. That's rare, though. For the most part, I go story by story and each is judged on their own merit.

And, yes, this means that kudos, views, comments etc. are entirely useless to me when I search for fics x'D Which I guess makes it a little more fair? Everyone has a chance to convince me to read their fics, no matter if they're popular or not. It's the content that matters to me.

I can also read fics if I get a rec, either from a friend I trust or a rec list, but it's kind of rare. And the former is definitely more likely than the latter.

I'm picky, I guess you could say, and prefer to just browse on my own over having someone else tell me what to read.

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #Like #I'm not even kidding #I'm so structured it's kind of hilarious #But that also means I sometimes find INCREDIBLE gems #And yes #I'm clearly as structured and thorough with my reading as I am with my writing #Being methodical comes naturally to me x'D

7 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Note

For the Weird Questions I'd love to hear about 1 and 35, please :D

OMG! A wild wife appears! Hi! 💜

1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting?

I used to care more than I do now, when everything HAD to be Times New Roman. And that is still my go-to font, but every now and then I end up with Calibri or Arial instead, for no discernible reason. I've also used Garamond a couple of times, when I want to be fancy ;D

So I don't think it's all that important to me exactly which one I write in, but there are also ones I would NEVER use.

35. What’s your favorite writing rule to smash into smithereens?

Maybe the adverb thing? I LOVE adverbs (as anyone who's read my fanfics can attest to). But I also do quite a few intentional sentence fragments. And choppy paragraph breaks.

Or perhaps I should go with "repetition." I repeat things A LOT in my writing, sometimes saying almost the exact same thing for no other reason than rhythm or emphasis. Which some argue makes the text wordy (they're not wrong) and pretentious (not wrong there, either xD). But I like how it reads.

Oh! I also do a LOT of telling instead of showing. I mean, not all the time, but, if you think about it, since I write in such detail, I DO tell the reader what to feel quite often, as opposed to showing it through the character's emotions. Or I do both, rather. And it's kind of funny to me that people love my writing so much since it does, in fact, go against the "show, don't tell" rule quite often.

I also don't give a shit about supposedly "forbidden" words and phrases. People will chuckle in my fics, they'll toe their shoes off, and, by god, if I can make it fit, they will be releasing a breath they didn't even know they were holding. Because no one can tell me what to do. It all depends on what fits the narrative and the story. Which is also why I sometimes avoid more common expressions if I feel they don't fit the character or setting (you have no idea the amount of Britcisms and American slang I've had to erase from Who Holds the Devil that might be in MY vocabulary, but probably wouldn't be in Ga On or Yo Han's x'D)

Long story short: It might be easier to list the rules I actually follow.

I think the only rules I'm pretty adamant about are formatting ones. But that's where my compliance ends. The actual writing, sentences, and word choices are a chaotic free-for-all based solely on what I think sounds and feels good.

Weird Questions for Writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #wayofthewarrior #What can I say?#I'm a rebel #I do what I want #Mostly because I just do it for fun #I don't have TIME for rules #Also #English isn't even my first language #So let's pretend I just don't know better

10 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Note

61 (WHTD), 53, 72 💖

61. In Who Holds the Devil, what’s your favorite scene that you wrote?

Okay, first: RUDE.

The fic is 260k and I'm expected to pick ONE? x'D There are so many to choose from! And it's difficult to pick an overall favourite since the mood is so different and it's almost impossible to rank one over the other. So I'm making my own rules:

Favourite cute scene: Ga On calling Yo Han while he's drunk (Chapter 20)

Favourite angry scene: Ga On arguing with Professor Min — it was SO cathartic AND fun to write. Also, the whole "my devil" thing? Of course that's a favourite (Chapter 17)

Favourite angsty scene: Yo Han's surprise visit and the talk that follows on Ga On's terrace (Chapter 7)

Favourite happy scene: Ga On and Elijah ganging up on Yo Han and being little shits by not giving him what he expects — it's a happy AND funny scene (Chapter 23)

Favourite flirty scene: Ga On and Yo Han being flirty and domestic while doing the dishes — but the one in the kitchen the morning after is a close second (Chapter 23 and 24)

Favourite Ga On scene: Ga On verbally sparring with Chairwoman Moon. I like it when Ga On gets to show just how competent AND quick-witted he can be. So a lot of his scenes with Yo Han could also apply tbh, but I have a special fondness for this one since he gets to be more vicious than usual (Chapter 16)

Favourite Yo Han scene: ... all of them (shut up, it's my post — I make the rules)

Favourite Elijah scene: Ga On sitting on Elijah's bedside and comforting her when she's tired (Chapter 27)

Favourite Jin Joo scene: Ga On cooking her food when she's sick and he calls her Jin Joo the first time (Chapter 16)

Favourite Komi scene: Ga On finding her when he needs comfort and she offers it without question (Chapter 26)

Favourite nightmare: When Ga On kills Yo Han in the study (Chapter 8)

Honourable mentions: Every single time Ga On's inner sub/brat rears its head — with varying results. Prime examples: Chapter 13 ("Behave." "I am."), Chapter 23 ("no, try harder"), and Chapter 26 (Ga On bluescreening from Yo Han's hand on his neck)

53. What is the most-used tag on your AO3?

I actually knew this one without even looking it up: Fluff

Closely followed by: Happy Ending

I have a niche, I guess you could say. And even if a lot of my longer fics contain more than just fluff, you know you'll always get both that and a happy ending eventually. It's just how I roll. I want to make people happy 💜

72. What’s your favorite writing compliment you’ve gotten?

Oh gosh. That's really difficult actually? Because there are so many that warm my heart and make me so very proud of my writing. But, in the end, I think my favourite — or the ones that impact me the most — are the ones telling me what my fics have given my readers.

Everything from "this fic helped me through a rough time" to "I saw myself in this fic and it made such a difference to me" to "this fic helped me work through my trauma" and "I'm rereading this again since it makes me feel so warm and happy." I am honestly stunned to hear just how big of a difference my writing has made to some of my readers. I don't set out to do that because I don't really think I have the qualifications, but if my readers gain emotional stability, strength, or just joy from my fics, that's the biggest compliment I can receive.

And, quite honestly, it's also the biggest reason why I insist on posting my fanfics and why I didn't lock them after the whole AI scare. Because I KNOW how important they are to people and didn't want to take them away from those who might need them.

I don't feel obligated to post, but I choose to do so because if I can offer just one single person some relief and reprieve, it's worth it. I mean, the attention and lovely comments are ALSO super nice, but they don't motivate me half as much as knowing that I can help people.

Which I know sounds terribly cliché, but yeah. I guess I'm just a huge sap x'D

Fanfiction Writing Asks

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Fanfiction Writing Asks #Anonymous #Thank you for playing!#The first one was HELLA difficult x'D #Which is probably why I completely ignored it and did whatever the hell I wanted #You can't tell me what to do!#And all that

9 notes · View notes

amethystina · 9 months

Text

WIP Folder Tag Game

I was tagged by @miss-ingno! Thank you, darling 💜

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPs

___

Since it says "files in your WIP folder" there are a couple ideas for fics that didn't make it onto this list, simply because I don't have a file for them yet. But, in all honesty, if I don't have a file for them, I'm currently less likely to write them anyway. So I guess this list is more accurate.

I will be listing them in order of fandom, just because.

A New Dawn (Begins With Us) — Black Knight (TV, 2023)

The Devil's Due — The Devil Judge (TV)

Gravitational Pull 2 — The Devil Judge (TV)

Who Holds the Devil — The Devil Judge (TV)

Providence — The Hobbit (Movie)

Fucked If I Know — Iron Man/Venom Crossover (Movie)

Computers and Crosshairs — The Losers (Movie)

Hyperborean 2.0 — The Losers (Movie, rewrite of old fic)

Treachery and Deception — The Losers (Movie)

Will You Tell (If They Ask About Me) — The Losers (Movie)

Support System — Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Witch Next Door — Marvel Cinematic Universe

Until Death Do Us Unite — Strangers From Hell (TV)

Fenrir — Teen Wolf (TV)

Those with links are those currently being posted or ones that have at least one part posted somewhere.

As for tagging, I really am terrible at it so just do it if you want to!

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #I cleared out my WIPs about four years ago #And wasn't really getting a lot of new ideas at the time #So my list is pretty short #It used to be a lot longer #One of the unposted fics has 56k written already #And another has 30k #Then there are three that have 20k #I have a lot of words written that practically no one has seen #Is what I'm saying #Man #I wish I could finish some of these...

5 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

4 for Who Holds The Devil, 26 and 45!

Hi there! 💜

4. What detail in Who Holds the Devil are you really proud of?

Quite a lot of them? xD But if I have to pick one I'd say the characterisation. Both Yo Han and Ga On are very complex characters and there's a lot to take into consideration when writing them. But it's a fun challenge and I'm very proud of how well I'm able to portray them.

Granted, at this point, they've evolved so far from the canon that they're quite different from how they appear in the drama, but that's a part of writing a fic as long as Who Holds the Devil. The characters are bound to change and grow as the story progresses.

Yo Han, in particular, is someone I enjoy writing since he's so delightfully specific in how he behaves. And he's got such control over his own thoughts and emotions that everything is calculated. Nothing is done on a whim or without an underlying reason. Which means I have to know that reason, even if it's not his POV.

He keeps me on my toes, that one xD

26. Would you rather write a fic that had no dialogue or one that was only dialogue?

No dialogue, for sure. I've actually already written one of those, years ago! It's called Jukebox (The Losers) and is 6k without a single line of spoken dialogue. I have another called Skin on Skin (also The Losers) that's 5k and only has, like, seven lines of dialogue at the very end.

My writing is of the kind that as long as I can describe things, I can tell a story. So to limit it to only dialogue would be extremely difficult. But the other way around? With no dialogue? No problem.

45. What’s something you’ve improved on since you started writing fic?

I would have to say the writing itself. Not just grammar, vocabulary, and technical stuff like that, but also how much I dare to play around with my wording, my sentence structure etc. I was so nervous when I first started, wanting everything to be perfect (especially since English isn't my first language) that I didn't really allow myself to explore just how creative I can be with my writing. The rules held me back.

But nowadays I have no such qualms. I'll write whatever I want, even if it's not a proper sentence or if the word choice is unconventional. I've let go of a lot of the perfectionism that hampered my writing and am now able to take more risks and be a lot more brave. And I quite like that, not only because of the new style I've developed because of it, but also because it's just more fun and freeing. Writing itself feels more joyful now. And I just feel more confident overall.

So yeah. I like that I've improved my use of the English language so much that I no longer give any fucks about the rules xD

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #miss-ingno #Who Holds the Devil #Thank you for playing!#This is the last one for now!#But everyone can feel free to send in more if you want #You all got very excited this time #I'm very flattered!#It's been so much fun answering all these #Thank you!

2 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

Hi <3

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "Gravitational Pull"? Answer it now!

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "Who Holds the Devil"? Answer it now!

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

I hope you are okay and have a lovely day/night <3

Hi! 💜

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "Gravitational Pull"? Answer it now!

I honestly have no idea. But to avoid this being the most boring answer to a question ever, I guess I can explain that Gravitational Pull was only meant to be a stand-alone fic at first but, as time passed, I realised how tempting it was to keep going with a series of connected "What if" fics where I basically wreck the canon.

Apparently, making Yo Han and Ga On kiss in episode 13 can throw everything out of whack if you want it to.

There will be five fics in total if my plan holds up (fingers crossed?) and will basically feature the rest of episodes 13-16 of the drama. Except each fic will have one, big "What if" scenario slapped onto it which will change the events considerably. And, obviously, also change the events that will take place in the coming instalments.

I'll basically be pushing a bigger and bigger snowball of canon divergences as I move along until I eventually reach the end. And who knows what that ending will entail?

(Why am I doing this again?)

Anyway, in the next one, the "What if" scenario is: "What if Ga On gets shot instead of Soo Hyun?" and the one after that is: "What if Ga On can derail Kim Choong Sik's execution without telling everyone that the Live Court Show is fake?" and so on and so forth.

And they will be posted as separate fics, not additional chapters to Gravitational Pull, since they will all have slightly different themes and focus. It just felt more reasonable from a narrative and storytelling standpoint to post them separately.

And, naturally, the one I look forward to writing the most is the fifth one — because fuck my life x'D

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about "Who Holds the Devil"? Answer it now!

This is just as difficult as the first one, if not more so because, uh, there's a lot to talk about when it comes to Who Holds the Devil. But a lot of it I say in my author's notes already so it's kind of hard to pinpoint something I haven't already said xD

But here's a fun fact: The most difficult chapter to write so far was Chapter 1. There have been difficult chapters since then, especially those that are emotionally heavy or, more recently, demand a certain level of suspense, but none were as difficult as that first one. Partly because I had to restructure it three times before I got it right. The very first draft actually jumped straight to Ga On getting the text from Elijah but I realised that didn't give it enough impact, so I basically rewrote the entire thing two times until I was satisfied.

And, admittedly, it also took me a while to get Ga On's voice right. Or, rather, to let myself write him the way I instinctively tried to do but my brain kept second-guessing. Partly because he was a new character to me (which is always daunting) but also because the style is a little different from how I usually write. My writing is always pretty descriptive, but Ga On takes it to a whole new level x'D Especially where emotions and impressions are concerned. It's all very visceral and that threw me for a second. Not to mention that a lot of it seems to rely on repetition, which most people are taught is a bad way to write. So there was a lot to get used to.

And, quite honestly, I almost stopped writing the DAY after I had started x'D I felt so out of depth and everything was new and strange and I was so nervous about writing a story set in a country and culture I don't actually know (that still makes me panic every now and then) and... yeah. Just a lot of anxiety there at the beginning.

Thankfully, a lot of it has settled by now and I feel a lot more confident about both the writing itself and my characterisation. And that's no doubt why the first chapter will always be the most difficult one I had to write, since it was the one that gave me the most anxiety.

The second most difficult chapter to write was Chapter 23, because I was injured and also couldn't decide on what I was actually writing so the chapter became an unstructured, unstable mess and I almost had to completely rewrite it. And the third most difficult was Chapter 25 because of the sheer level of pain, anxiety, and grief Ga On goes through. The fact that my grandad died while I was working on it definitely didn't help, either.

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

I'm so bad at this question that soon I'm going to have to start picking obscure Swedish songs that the majority of you won't understand and just hope you don't call me out on the weird choice xD

Anyway, jokes aside. I answered this question in this ask but, if I have to pick another song, I'll go with There's a Rock by Brolle (or Brolle Jr as he was going by at the time). It's a duet he sings with Frida Snell and I was reminded of how much I love it two weeks ago.

So I'm picking that, not necessarily because it has the most spot-on lyrics, but because it's a song I genuinely love.

(Fun fact: My big sister went to the same high school (-ish, the school system is different in Sweden) as Brolle but he graduated the year before she got there. So her only claim to fame is that she stole his chair when she visited the school for an open house/school tour before actually applying for it)

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #Who Holds the Devil #Gravitational Pull #I swear #I had to think for two days just to be able to answer those first two #I often find it difficult to just blurt out stuff like that unprovoked #Because I have no idea if it's actually interesting #Make no mistake #I love answering questions #But that's because I've gotten it confirmed that this is information someone actually wants #It's a lot harder for me to just ASSUME someone might want to know what I'm about to say #And then I prefer to just say nothing

4 notes · View notes

amethystina · 11 months

Note

1. What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?)

I won't lie: as a librarian, this question is HARD x'D Mostly because I can't ask follow-up questions. Because, to a certain degree, it depends on the person. Not just what fandom they might enjoy, but also what themes, what length, what type of characters etc. And, of course, if they have any triggers or things they dislike.

But, in the end, I think I have to go with Hyperborean (The Losers). Which is a bold choice seeing as it's, like, nine years old x'D So let's just say that the writing is far from my best (so many clumsy sentences!) BUT it does show what I can do in terms of world-building, storytelling, plot, and characters in a longer format. It's also a story that can be read without any knowledge of the canon and the person will probably still have a fairly good time.

(I'm actually working on an updated version of this story with my new style of writing but the same plot, events etc. Because I just love it so much and I think it deserves to be the best it can be. We'll see when I finish x'D)

But, not going to lie, a part of me wishes I could have said Who Holds the Devil because if there's one story that shows what I REALLY can do, it's that one. The overarching pacing might be just short of a disaster, but in terms of language, tone, character portrayals, emotions, themes, etc.? Probably the best thing I've ever written. But it's not finished. And is also over 320k. So there's that x'D

Questions for fic writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #You have no idea how difficult this was #And I won't lie #A part of me cringes a little at picking such an old story #Because the writing truly isn't the best #According to my current standards #But MAN do I love it #So that's what we're going with

5 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Note

14. Do you lend your books to people? Are people scared to borrow books from you? Do you know exactly where all your “lost” books are and which specific friend from school you haven’t seen in twelve years still possesses them? Will you ever get them back?

I do lend people books! But it was honestly a long time ago now, because most people I know either own the same books I do or just buy/borrow them from their local library on my recommendation instead.

But yes, some people are definitely afraid of borrowing books from me. Mostly because I'm a very organised person who's very careful with my things and that makes people a bit uncomfortable. They're afraid to ruin my pristine books, basically. But I wouldn't be lending them if I didn't expect there to be some wear and tear.

And yes, I would know exactly where my lost books were, if I had any. I don't, though, because I always made sure to get them back before we went our separate ways xD

In the same manner, I know exactly what books I've borrowed from other people. One I was able to send back after literally eleven years when I suddenly came in contact with the friend again and she could give me her new address (it was the rule book for Vampire Masquerade: The Dark Ages). And there's another I've had for... around fifteen years? (The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (still haven't read it x'D)) I should maybe try to return it, but that friend and I live on literally different sides of the country, so yeah. I guess I can mail it to her?

Point being, I know exactly where all of my books are as well as all the books I've borrowed from other people. I'm just organised like that xD

Weird Questions for Writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Anonymous #I know I might sound slightly unhinged #But I assure you #It's not like I'm putting effort into this #I just know #Because I have a very good memory #And am very organised

3 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Note

For the writing ask: 2 & 3

Thank you, darling! 💜

2. If you had to give up your keyboard and write your stories exclusively by hand, could you do it? If you already write everything by hand, a) are you a wizard and b) pen or pencil?

I probably could, but I'd write a lot less and be a lot more frustrated while doing it xD Because everything would go a lot slower and I think I'd lose track of what I intended to write before I managed to finish the sentence. Even now I'm kind of frustrated that my typing isn't as fast as my brain and I'm a pretty fast typer.

I also do a lot of revisions, sometimes changing my mind about a sentence as I'm writing it, so the ability to quickly erase things is VITAL.

But, like, if I had to? Of course I could, because when it comes to accomplishing things I want to get done, I'm the kind of stubborn that flips over into blatant stupidity.

Fun fact: I actually wrote a couple of passages for my first fanfic with pen and paper, like on the bus while I was travelling for work and couldn't bring my laptop. So the concept isn't entirely foreign, just not very appealing.

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed?

I'm not sure if I have much of a ritual when it comes to writing? At least not if it refers to, like, where I have to be, the mood I have to be in etc. Because as long as I have a laptop and some relative quiet (or headphones so I can block out noise) I'm good to go. I prefer to know I can devote a significant amount of time to it before I start writing since I work best if I don't have to interrupt myself all the time, but it's not a requirement.

I think the closest I come to a "cursed" fact about my writing is that I HAVE to write everything in chronological order. Like, from start to finish, no jumping around, no shortcuts, no detours. Ever. And if there's something that doesn't work, I have to fix it before I can move on, because otherwise everything that comes after it will feel wrong or might have to be revised later because it doesn't fit the tone or emotion I'm going for.

So I'm always very careful when I write since I don't want to have to go back and add or remove big chunks, since that messes up the flow and means I'll have to possibly change everything. Which is hella annoying.

This makes for some pretty tedious writing sessions sometimes, but is also the reason why I reckon that my writing feels so cohesive. It's written in the same order as it's meant to be read, so all the emotions, events, and details never divert from the path I've set for them or get dropped in the unintentional gaps that might happen if you write several shorter segments and then glue them all together.

But that also means I have to wait for AGES before I can write scenes I'm excited about, which SUCKS.

You win some, you lose some x'D

Weird Questions for Writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #chocoholicannanymous #Thank you for playing!#Also #To be honest #I think I'm a pretty boring writer?#Like #My process isn't all that interesting #Nor are my habits #I just write

2 notes · View notes

amethystina · 1 year

Note

For the weird questions for Writers ask

13. What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy?

I'm almost tempted to say sex scenes because, man, do they exhaust me sometimes x'D But the truth is I just find them tedious, not difficult. And not tedious as in that I hate writing them or anything. Just that, during sex scenes, the timing and build-up has to be just right and that takes a lot of time and effort. Which is kind of annoying

(also, I'm pretty ace so I spend most of my time squinting at the screen going "... is this sexy? How to sexy? What IS sexy? I am so confused.")

I think, in the end, the most difficult subject matters for me to write about are things I have truly no experience of that are also incredibly sensitive or important. Like, I would find it incredibly difficult to write a story focusing on contemporary racism because I'm a blonde, blue-eyed white girl. What the fuck do I know about being subjected to racism? I would be SO uncomfortable writing about it because it's not my story to tell and I would, no doubt, offend a lot of people when I inevitably got something wrong.

I would rather write a story about things that outright trigger me than a subject I have no right to be talking about where my insensitivity and lack of experience might harm or offend people. So the "difficult" part wouldn't be my lacking skill level or that it hurts me, personally, but that I would feel so uncomfortable and afraid of hurting other people that I just wouldn't be able to do it.

That's not to say I only ever write things I have personally experienced (the stories would be kind of one-note if that was the case) but there are certain subjects I would definitely think twice about writing about without doing A LOT of research and interviews with people who could teach me more about it first.

And what's easy?

People.

How they behave, their emotions, their quirks and habits — even the dark, unruly parts. I like being able to write characters who feel human, with both good and bad sides. Which comes naturally to me in a way that's difficult to really describe. I rarely, if ever, have to plan the characters' reactions during a scene before I write it — everything usually just flows on its own as I write it, intuitively and with ease.

And, apparently, I get it right pretty much on the first try?

So yeah. People. They're incredibly easy, even when they're being assholes or little shits.

Weird Questions for Writers

#Amethystina Does Ask Memes #Weird Questions for Writers #I kinda went for something I would also choose NOT to write on this question #I could also have said incredibly painful or depressing scenes #The ones where emotions are really intense #Or dark #Which might come as a surprise to those of you who read Who Holds the Devil #But the truth is that I don't really enjoy writing those kinds of scenes #I still choose to because they fit the story and they don't hurt me or anything #But I don't enjoy it either #Because I have to dig pretty deep in order to be able to write them #And that's emotionally tiring for me

2 notes · View notes