#like it’s so. much. work. but so is writing a 100k fic and those amazing writers deserve some fanart for their stories

[mediawhorefics]

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#just hit 50k on my fic :))) #god i haven’t had fun writing like this in SO long it feels amazing #and also a little worrying knowing that i wanted to finish it by the end of the month and there’s SO much left to write dfjngkdfgn #on the plus side tho…. its gonna be a beast #which is kind of fun #I don’t think it’ll quite hit 100k but who knows #anyways #tsn fic #tia #about me #markwardo #yes I’m working social network fan fiction to those who missed the memo #don’t judge me !!!! #lmao

[amethystamaranth]

Sasunaru Fic Recs

1. Before Today is Over by oshit, T-rated, 12k

Given summary: Above him, Sasuke leans over the edge of the pier to watch. Naruto hears him laugh and even with his face draped in shadow, he can imagine Sasuke’s cheshire grin, eyes crinkling with mirth. He feels Sasuke smiling at him. Naruto would pluck every star from the heavens to keep that feeling.

My summary: post-war fic with getting together, ft. letter writing and a day spent in a seaside town

2. Homesick for a Mountain’s Song by kintou, M-rated, 51k

Given Summary: Sasuke tries to get away from the world by buying an abandoned house on a mountain. Naruto, tired from his long days in Konoha, gets a little too excited about growing vegetables in Sasuke's garden. 

Notes Summary: This story will mainly be Fluff or Hurt/Comfort. Just boys being soft on top of a mountain. There will probably be some dealing with trauma going on, since living on top of a mountain gives a man a lot of time to think. Anyway, I'm just a sucker for farmfics, and I think stoic Sasuke would fit in very well with all of these rough farmers.

3. Two Moons by iluxia, M-rated, 11k 

Given summary: Paths diverge after the Fourth War, in this new world Naruto works hard to build. He holds his highest dreams within his hands, but is he happy? [ Picks up post-Kaguya, some elements of Boruto & post-700 but not entirely adherent.] 

My summary: post-canon fic where Naruto at long last discovers what (who) truly makes him happy, and consequently has a midlife crisis over it, fix-it fic

4. Syzygy by glassedplanets, T-rated, 31k 

Given summary: In which Sasuke comes home, an errand needs to be run, several people tell him things, and he realizes just what home really is, for him. 

Tags for my summary: Reunions, Homecoming, Canon Divergence, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Chapter 699 (Naruto), Fluff, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending

5. Kizuna Hikari by YoungAndOverIntelligent, M-rated, 204k 

Given Summary: The only reason Sasuke keeps coming back to Konoha is because of that mattress. The bed is his only respite. And perhaps the dumbass who owns said bed might be worth it, too. 

Or, another canon divergence 699 that showers Sasuke with too much (deserved) love and attention that we all need for these unprecedented times. Title means "Bonded Light". It'll make sense when you're about 100K in 

My summary: There was only one bed, chakra sharing, adopted cat, so much happens it’s 200k long but it flies by it’s so good

6. Rebuilding by KinomiAkai, E-rated, 25k (and anything and everything by them!! Seriously binge read all of their Naruto fics they are all amazing I had such trouble just picking one!!) 

Given Summary: Sasuke has spent every day since the war’s end trying to rebuild. It's a good thing Naruto has been doing the same, isn't it? 

My summary: Naruto’s been working himself to the bone trying to make Kohona into a place Sasuke would like to call home, when Sasuke notices and decides to help him in his endeavor--cue a developing relationship get together!

7. Everybody Knows That You Cradle the Sun by Kyxxie, 17k, E-rated 

Given summary: “Y’know—before mom passed—she used to tell me about my dad. She'd tell me the kind of person you wanted to end up with, someone you kept around. She'd tell me about opposites, about calming the other one down and bringing them back up, about how they'd do the same for you. She'd say that you wanted someone who remembered things about you, not just the big stuff. Mundane shit that doesn't need to be remembered, but they do anyway. She'd say 'keep those who chronicle your life because it's theirs, too'." 

OR 

Naruto challenges Sasuke to a game of “who knows the other person better”. Sasuke panics when he realizes that he might be the winner because what in the actual fuck does that mean? He doesn’t know. Naruto tells him.

8. The Moon Will Sing (I Loved You Like the Sun) by FlowerCitti, E-rated, 18k

Given Summary: Sasuke comes back to the village after a few months away. (Or, Sasuke realizes that Naruto is more of a home to him than Konoha ever was.) 

My Summary: Post-canon, Naruto trying to make Kohona a home for Sasuke, in the process he overworks himself, getting together

9. Armistice by surveycorpsjean, M-rated, 15k 

Given summary: Sasuke is still here. Or maybe; love hasn't passed them yet. 

My Summary: Post-Boruto movie fix-it fic, getting together, AU where Naruto gets married (then divorced) but Sasuke never does, lovely conversations

10. Komorebi by saltedpotato, M-rated, 68k

Given Summary: Komorebi: A Japanese word for the way sunlight filters through the leaves of a tree canopy His responsibilities to the world fulfilled, Naruto Uzumaki takes Sasuke Uchiha and disappears from the public eye, letting the world readjust by itself in the aftermath of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Follow along with a series of windows into the lives of two boys as they relearn what they mean to the world and what they mean to each other.

Enjoy <3

#sasunaru fic recs #sns fic recs #narusasu fic recs #sasunaru #narusasu #also apologies for not linking authors tumblr wouldn't let me alas

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

Okay I stumbled upon your blog and took the time to read your responses to those asks about interaction and comments and overall feedback and I get what you mean but also I think as writers we shouldn’t expect much from readers (much as in the comments you say you’d like to get) If you want those kind of comments very detailed about something on your story you could try beta readers (multiple). That way you’ll satisfy that need of comment and detailed feedback from more than just one person.

Fanfiction is not that serious for readers, unless it’s another writer who read your story and knows what it’s like to craft a story. Even then, not many writers read fanfiction (from what I’ve noticed) so you won’t get very detailed comments from someone who’s here for fun and not to study a story.

If you write just for the feedback I fear you’re posting on the wrong platform

"Fanfiction is not that serious for readers"

That is the problem. That is the problem.

Like I totally get if you read fics casually, it's a once and a while thing for you - then don't feel obligated to leave a comment. Cool. If you read fanfiction before you go to sleep and you are sleepy-eyed at 3am - you don't have to leave a comment. Go the fuck to sleep.

But if fanfiction is your main source of entertainment and you read 5 fics a day, 10 fics a day, 20 fics a day (or if you read 100k fics often) - if you go back and re-read fics, if you download fics - that is a serious hobby. Even if you don't write, even if you don't think that take it 'seriously' - that is a serious hobby. And don't you think that you should forge a relationship with the person or people who have provided you with all these amazing stories - find some way to thank them and especially - fuel their creative process?

Like this isn't a fucking trick. If you discuss fics with writers, it will fuel their creative process and make them wanna write more fics. IT'S NOT A TRAP. IT B E N E F I T S YOU AS A FIC READER.

But also, a huge chunk of the problem is that I get very passive-aggressive comments or comments that feel like the person talking to themselves (like they are writing a personal meme blog text post in my comments section) - and people don't realize that writing a comment on a fic means that it comes up in my notifications. And then I am forced to read it with my eyes.

People saying that they are going to hell for reading my fic, or that my fanfiction is 'gross and horrible' (morally), or complaining that it's incomplete when I have a clearly outlined post schedule, people bashing the entire x reader genre right in front of my very eyes, people calling my main character stupid - the list goes on.

The minute you act like fanfiction is a product to be consumed is the minute you let yourself forget that there is a real human being reading all of your comments - it's not a fucking robot that your comments are being sent to, it's not some big account that receives 1000s of comments a day and will never see what you wrote. A person is behind that fic.

Also, just in general, I am not begging for comments or an increase in (quality) comments on fanfiction for me specifically. I am trying to improve the environment for all fanfiction writers because readers don't take it seriously. (I am not asking people to treat this like a fucking courtroom or something, I am just asking people to realize that fanfic writers are human beings. Please.) Readers do not acknowledge that fanfiction is a labor of love that the writer has worked hard on - and more people need to fucking acknowledge that, flat out.

I have made this comparison before, but people act like fanfiction is a mass produced candy like M&Ms - something that is made by the millions in a factory that should be gobbled up quickly because it's so easy to make. When fanfiction is a hand-pulled taffy - an art that takes years to perfect, and should be appreciated - the final product, and the process.

Yeah, I could get what I want or need out of a beta reader (though, imo, beta readers exist to critique fanfiction while it is still in the process of being written, and I am asking for a bit of feedback and interaction on fics that are already finished and polished as a little mental crumb of a treat for all the work I have done) - but that is like saying that if I want comments to change, I should just stop posting my fics and only send them to 3 or 4 people privately in DMs instead. Which is something I could do. But when I do that, it's when I have truly given up on the fanfiction community as a whole.

(And I'm not asking for 'detailed' feedback. I am just asking for one sentence that isn't passive aggressive and is about the plot of the fic. One sentence <3)

#do I need to bring up tiktok again #because it's the fucking tiktok behavior #we never had these problems before fandom was on tiktok #anonymous #fandom #fanfiction #discussion #sundrop answers

[violetsdaisy]

Hey all! I hope you’re doing well and are enjoying February to its fullest, and if not, you’re taking time for yourself to do something you enjoy.

I wanted to let you know that I am taking a tiny break. Unsurprisingly, writing a 100k+ fic in three months and nearly writing nonstop since May 2023 has given me a small case of burnout.

Because of this, I will not be writing my fae oneshot for Faebruary. It disappoints me, but I have to take care of myself first. I still have the outline and I’m still excited about it, so hopefully one day in the future I can write it and share it with you all.

In the meantime, I am working through my burnout by polishing and revamping Opal Eyes. I’m not changing much, but there will be some rewording, cleaning up errors, and adding a couple minuscule things.

Once I am all finished with it, I will let you all know, so if you’d like, you can reread it!

(I am already on chapter 7/13 so I am hoping it won’t take me long, but these are super long chapters 😆)

ALSO! OE just hit 200 kudos this morning! 😭 You guys are so amazing. I just had no idea that this fic would gain so much interest and love. You have no idea how nervous I was to post a fic about DD/lb and Daddy Kink ☠️ It truly blows me away every single day when I see those counts go up and I receive more comments.

So just… thank you guys so much. 🥹🩵 Stay tuned for the revamped version!

#daisy says #Opal Eyes #thank you for enabling my puzzle fixation

[mooifyourecows]

Your commissions vary in price, yes?

How much for Gunmetal Blue? I’m not talking about chapter or two, but the complete work finished. ategt is amazing, as is open tab, but i guess i’m a fan of the classics.

While we’re on the topic of oldies, i’d like to also ask the price for Summer Rain, Cat Scratch Fever, and Fire It Up. I know you probably haven’t thought about those in a while though, so my main focus is on getting Gunmetal Blue going again.

Your work is amazing, as are you. I eagerly await your response.

Hey there, sorry for the late reply!

Commissioning the rest of GMB would be pretty difficult, honestly, because it's not really all that close to its end. I can see it going for about another 100k words, possibly more. So to commission that amount of writing would be well over 1,000$. (I would have to do some outlining and math in order to come up with an exact number.) And it would take a long time for me to write it all, especially if I'm also writing my other stories at the same time. For long fics like that, I'd prefer to take it one chapter at a time. It's less pressure on me to have these smaller goals where I can focus on something a little shorter term. Same goes for Summer Rain, which may be closer to an end than GMB but still has several big chapters left before that happens

Cat Scratch Fever and Fire it Up would be much easier since I never intended those to be incredibly long in the first place. I would probably just charge around 200$ for Fire it Up and 300$ for Cat Scratch Fever (mainly because it's less developed in my brain and would take a bit of extra planning)

[lostfracturess]

Heyyy!!!

Your fics are seriously AMAZING so I wanted to ask you for some advice!!

Do you have any tips for getting into writing fanfics?

I desperately want to but I have no idea where to start and I don’t feel like my writing is that good 😭

Also, thanks sm for writing your fics they are always so entertaining and I rly enjoy reading them ❤️

hi dear! thank you for your sweet message! ♡

my best advice for getting into writing is just to start writing. sounds rather simple, but you'll learn the most by just doing it. and don't be afraid to just start; you already have everything you need—motivation and some device to write on!

also don't be afraid that the first story will probably not be your best, but let's be honest—everyone's first writing is rather crappy, mine included!

but you'll see you'll improve from story to story and learn while writing what works for you and what does not. i started writing over 10 years ago and write nowadays basically every day for university and work. but writing longer fan fictions is also new to me!

also, you don't have to write a 100k fanfic at first. start slow with one-shots or with certain scenes you have in mind or just a dialogue and then go from there and build a story around :)

i also do this, when i have a writers block or don't know where to start. i just start somewhere and then build around it. you don't have to start with the first scene or sentences.

following a few things i try to follow, but i fail to incorporate this as well. maybe this works for you as well, but don't be pressured to follow those:

show, don't tell: use descriptive language to show characters' emotions and reactions, rather than telling the reader how they feel. that's really something that you learn over time and i also have still a hart time to do this consistently. furthermore i try to also incorporate this in the literal way i write. for example, when the mc is supposed to be confused, i write rather short, ragged sentences to not only convey the feelings but also in the way the sentence is structured, if that makes sense.

structure: short sentences > long sentences; short paragraphs for easier reading but also reading flow, especially when it's an action scene. there, i try to write very short main sentences and short paragraphs to keep the pace up.

dialogue: use dialogue to reveal character traits, conflicts, and plot details. i think it's more interesting to the reader that way instead of writing it in a narrative.

pacing I: maybe it's just me, but i'd rather have a lot happening than a lot of introspective description. so i try to give as much description of the scene as necessary for the reader to get the idea but then move right into the scene with dialogue to make it interesting, or start with dialogue right away and then piece by piece incorporate descriptive narrative. but other authors really like writing descriptive narrative, so just try what works for you!

pacing II: this may be due to my academic writing background, but you don't actually need so many words. it's much more difficult to accurately convey the same feelings in one sentence than if you write ten somewhat blurry sentences to convey the same feeling. try to keep it short and pronounced. i normally delete around 10–20% of my writing while proofreading again to make it more compact.

and also, don't forget to have fun while writing! write what you like and don't let yourself be dragged down if someone doesn't like your writing. you don't have to be liked by everyone :)

i hope this will help you a bit! also, would love to read your first writing! sending you love & have a great day or night ♡

#inbox

[deanwinchesterpregnant]

Omg you’re so close to finishing. Last season! How are you feeling?

I’m so close!! I can’t believe it!! Lol icb it took me 10 months…

But omg, lots of things. If you’ve been reading my liveblogs you know I’ve been fairly critical of the later seasons. They go so up and down, right; for me there’s been some really good fillers but I’ve felt a little ehhhh about the overall plots. I’ve used this phrase a bunch but it really feels past its expiration date at this point, you know?

Not to say I haven’t enjoyed it! Or I wouldn’t have continued. There’s been some high highs to counteract the low lows, but I do feel like it’s at a good place to end so I’m not…sad? In fact I’m really looking forward to being able to read and write transformative work about post-canon. I’ve always felt stories should end when they’re over and those lost moments should be left to transformative work; it’s what keeps a fandoms thriving 😌

I’m so glad I watched it honestly. I didn’t while it was airing and in its heyday because I was so scared of everything back then so first all I’m proud of my personal growth in the types of horror I can handle haha.

But the reason I finally watched it was because of fandom anthropological reasons almost? As an incest shipper and omegaverse enjoyer — almost since its conception — I felt the need to understand where it all began. And man, do I. There’s a reason this show has so much staying power. There’s a reason that there’s spn cons in 2023, that there’s 100k+ fics on ao3, that there’s an active fandom on tumblr that’s more than a handful of people.

What an amazing world and characters that’s been created and what amazing stuff has come out of it, you know? And like god. WHAT A SHIP WINCEST IS, HUH?

So sorry for the long-winded answer, but yeah, it’s been special! Not to sound too corny but it really has been and I’m so glad I came back to tumblr for it because it’s been so great to meet y’all and thanks to everyone who has come along for the #23 spn liveblog ride ❤️🙏🏼

#spike’s box

[anaxandria-writes]

20 questions for fic writers!

Thanks for the tag @lumosatnight [see here]!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Technically 50 (I think) because one of them is in an anonymous collection so AO3 is telling me 49. I’m considering putting some more earlier works as anonymous so that number might change soon.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

245,593… but I haven’t written at least 100k of that because they’re collabs where I did art (such as WLW Big Bang 2022).

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling (44)

Teen Wolf (3)

Marvel (3)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Three Days, Three Perspectives [Drarry, E, 6.5k]

An Expensive Courtship [Drarry, E, 10.9k]

Petrichor [Steter, T, 2.5k]

Snapshots of a Pregnancy [Drarry, T, 3.8k]

🙀 ➡ 😻 ➡ 😽 [Stony, T, 5.2k]

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

I’m terrible about doing this, so I’m very sporadic about it, but every comment means so much to me! I just see it and if I don’t respond immediately, they just pile up and then I never get to it? 100% getting better at replying with my ongoing WIP, What Large Hands You Have (The Better to Embrace You With) [Steter, M, 14.7k so far], since I’m posting as I write and the encouragement means SO much!

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

Half Past One [Drarry, M, 2.5k] which was a horror fic (my one and only one) that I wrote for a Wheel of Drarry mini exchange. There’s MCD. And gore.

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

I almost never not write happy endings, BUT I’m going to go with Pinocchio [Neville/Harry, E, 3.9k] because it’s crack-y, fun, and Harry gets off a ton of times. (Mostly unintentionally).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I’ve had a couple rude-ish comments? Someone said that it would be better if it were longer, which was kind of ??? It was one of my first works and the mods reached out to me about it and they were super supportive and kind. (This is also the fic that is now anonymous, for unrelated reasons.)

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

I’ve written some PWPs. A little of everything, really… and a fair number of my longer works include some sex scenes. I probably read more kinky content than I write (beyond the watersports fics because apparently I have multiple?), but yeah. Pro-smut here.

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

Nope. I’ve read a few, but it’s mostly not my thing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes! And I only found out because the person didn’t realize that it was stealing to repost on Wattpad and then apologized and asked how I felt about it…

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

My tango fic, The Cabeceo [Drarry, E, 1.9k], was translated into Spanish by @stargazing-enby last year for HD Owl Post. Which was such an amazing and wonderful gift to receive, especially because *tango*. I definitely feel like I’ve grown a lot as a writer since I first wrote it, but it’s very near and dear to me and having a translation (which I can read!) even more so. If it gives anyone any ideas… I can read Portuguese and Spanish!

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

Co-written? No. I’ve done art for various people before and participated in several big bangs/reverse big bangs as both an author and an artist. (ETA: 100% have co-written multiple fics no idea how I forgot those when I first answered)

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Flintwood. (And yes, I’ve had full on spreads in my journal dedicated to Flintwood.) Don’t ask me why, but those are my athletic rivals to lovers absolute hands down favorite. For Teen Wolf, I started in Steter (so it remains my #1) and one of my all-time top comfort reads is a Steter fic, This Time Around by Green (and someone else who no longer is associated with the work), which I received a bound copy of last year as part of the Renegade Bookbinding Exchange.

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

“Green Glows and Ginger Greens” is a Flintwood WIP that I have 20k written of, edited and posted chapter one and it’s been… 2 years. I hope to get back to it (and my other unposted Flintwood hanahaki I’ve been talking about for about as long), but it’s just… not happened.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Idea generation, maybe? I think I tend to be really good at coming up with ideas and starting writing projects that have the potential to be really interesting. I love kind of crack-y ideas, and I’ve been trying to be better at actually delving into those instead of going “this is too weird, no one will read it.” (Example: I wrote a fic from a bathroom’s POV and it still makes me laugh.)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I tend to come up with ideas that spiral out of control, but I’m terrible at finishing things so I procrastinate and then it gets rushed and not as strong as it could be. Also not using betas that often because of said procrastination. And feeling awkward about it because I never leave enough time for editing.

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

I love it, especially when it’s a language I speak and am like “Yes! This adds some cultural context”, etc. But also, such an important thing to get people to double check that before just throwing it in.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Back when I was a wee bb in high school? Either Protector of the Small or Harry Potter. As an adult? Also Harry Potter.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Completed on AO3? Herbology_Neville and DragonKeeperCW [Neville/Charlie, E, 11k] which was the fic I worked on whenever I was procrastinating on other fics. I’ve always wanted to go back to that universe and just haven’t had a chance, but… Neville and Charlie are adorable and I love them. I’m also loving the fic I’m posting now, as mentioned it’s What Large Hands You Have (The Better To Embrace You With), which was for Steter Bang because it really is reflective a lot of me as a person. Otherwise, I really loved the Green Glows/Snuggling, Smoothies, and Sons-in-Law universe (just need to finish both of those…)

Tagging (i never know who to tag!): @sugareey-makes-stuff (again, even though I know you were already tagged), @drwhoisginnyholmes, @makeitp1nk

#Tag game #asked and answered #ok I’m going to go hide out again because I feel weird talking about my own writing #I’m just an anxious and self-conscious bean

[kasienda]

Fanfiction Year in Review 2022

I fill this out every year. It’s become a bit of a tradition for me. Allows me to reflect on everything that I’ve written and kinda think about where I want to go next. And I like it better from the ask games because I don’t have to wait for asks to come in. ^_^

1 List of fics completed this year in the order they were finished:

Don’t You Know People Care? (Adrino oneshot)

When You Love Someone (Love Square oneshot Reveal)

Rite of Passage (Love Square multichapter)

Meddlesome Friends (Love Square + Meddling Nino oneshot)

I Needed You and You Weren’t There (Love Square onshot)

Restorative Justice (Core Five - Chloé POV - multichapter -features love square and friendship fairly prominently)

2 Number of words written: 

Written: 99,297

Published: 64,582

This number irritates me. It’s SO CLOSE to 100k and I just didn’t have time in the last few days to throw myself over the edge. And there’s a one shot that I think only needs about an hour of focused work. But I guess that’ll have to be a 2023 fic! Haha! BUT it’s also way higher than I thought it would be even if it’s less than half I what I wrote last year (and I published about a third of what I what I published last year). And that comparison is probably why it felt like I wasn’t writing much this year. But my 2019 numbers were almost exactly the same and I was SO EXCITED about how much I wrote that year. Which just goes to show comparison is bad! And when it comes to comparing myself to others I think I’ve internalized that years ago, but apparently I shouldn’t compare myself to myself either. Because I KNOW why I wasn’t able to write as much this year, and yet, I still wrote! And that’s amazing!! 

Those published numbers include four one shots, two multi chapters. And four multi chapter WIPs saw at least one update.

3 Your most popular fic:

Restorative Justice, which is bizarre. I started writing this one closer to the fandom peak three years ago. And at the time, this fic was my LEAST popular. Chapter 4 took me almost a year to get out. And then Chapter 5 did take more than a year, but when I posted chapter five I got a lot more attention here than on anything else I’ve written this year. It wasn’t a whole lot more than Ch 3 got when it was posted though.

4 Your personal fav:

It’s Still Right Behind You and I imagine it will keep being this one until I finish it. My goal was to finish it this year, but that didn’t even come close to happening. Last year, I managed to update this one pretty consistently each month. If I had maintained that pace THIS year, it would have been almost complete I think, but I don’t think I would have made it. It has about 14-16 updates left. So another year and some change? *crossing my fingers* But Restorative Justice is a close second because it is also deeply personal - just from a different aspect of my life, and I do have a few unpublished WIPs that I’m also super in love with that I hope I will get to share before too much time has passed. 

5 Your fav scene:

It’s so hard to pick a favorite!!

Okay, I loved the way Chapter four of Yin and Yang extended the same scene at the end of chapter three. The way Marinette’s and Adrien’s individual revelations dovetailed together at that moment was just so neat!

I’m also really really really proud of the When You Love Someone reveal oneshot (which wasn’t ACTUALLY a oneshot - this scene is from Right Behind You chapters 6 and 9). This oneshot was essentially a love square break up chapter, but what I love about it is how much love there is in it from beginning to end. How much they care for each other shines through every part of it. I made myself cry multiple times writing this scene, and I can sometimes still cry when I reread it.

6 A fic or scene that challenged you:

It’s all challenging right now, but let’s go with Restorative Justice. As mentioned already, it took me more than a year to update chapter five of this fic, but we did it 50 words at a time! 

7 A line of writing you’re proud of: 

“I’m right here” - from chapter 3 of Rite of Passage. Here it is with a tiny bit of context: 

“But that’s not the hard part.” 

“What’s the hard part?”

“He was my best friend, and I miss him so much.” Her voice broke on the last word and her face crumpled into wracking sobs. 

Adrien or not, he instantly pulled her into his shoulder, and held her while she cried herself out. He didn’t say anything. He knew that if he said anything at all, he’d tell her everything.

And he wasn’t sure how bad that would be. He couldn’t talk to Fu or even to Plagg for all that the kwami was six inches away as evidenced by the fact that the wedge of cheese had disappeared even though he had never laid eyes on the black kwami. 

“I just wish I knew what happened to him,” she said, her voice cracking.

The pain in her voice broke him.

“I’m right here,” he said softly, placing a kiss on the side of her head.

This scene also has fanart! - by @botherkupo (I’ve been reading that as brother kupo forever... oops!)

8 A comment that touched you: 

Look, I can never answer this question. There are too many. There are my regulars who have literally taken care of me this year as I struggled with moderate depression and then repeated illness (myself and my children). And there are the comments that let me know that something I wrote has an impact on them and that’s really neat.

An example from Rosalind2013 this past week on Restorative Justice:

This is one of my favorite stories now! Thank you so much for sharing!

I feel like I learned a lot. And I really enjoyed Chloe’s characterization here!

Really and truly, I think it’s often hard for us (or at least me) to think of “mean” people as being victims too. The things I learned are things that are going to alter how I interact with people going forward, and I really appreciate you taking the time to explain everything in your notes!

Like woah!! I’m floored and squealing!

9 Something that inspired your writing:

Honestly? Spite. Haha! I keep encountering takes or reading things that irritate me and that often inspires me to write a fic that does it the way I would want it to be in the world to counter that perspective. But most of the spite writing I’ve done this year has yet to come out. So hopefully, ya’ll get to benefit from that in 2023! :)

10 Your proudest accomplishment (that one scene; finally finishing that one fic; posting your first fic; etc):

Honestly, the fact that I wrote anything is kinda amazing. 2020 and 2021 were really good writing years for me (like insanely good), and it’s been frustrating to not be able to maintain that flow. I spent the first half of 2022 in a barely functional level of depression and the second half taking care of sick children. People keep telling me that I don’t have to feel pressured to write - that we all need to take breaks, and I don’t disagree. But writing for me has always been one of my biggest coping tools, and this year, it felt like I couldn’t rely on it and it always seemed like a bad sign to me when I wanted to write and had time, but couldn’t do it mentally or emotionally. Every time I think I’m back in my writing groove, my life explodes again. So here’s me wishing and hoping that things actually stay calm for like the whole next 12 months! (It’s likely a pipe dream, but one can hope).

11 Do you have any writing goals for the next year?

I want to start making progress on Right Behind You again. I had a setback where I wrote a chapter and found it narratively redundant and scrapped the whole thing which was discouraging and made it hard to start again. And I really want to update each of my current unfinished WIPs at least once (hopefully more than once!), and get out some of these unpublished love square WIPs that I’ve been sitting on. (And maybe an Adrino one as well!!) Basically, I want to do all the writing! Haha!

But my main goal is really just to find my writing groove again to be able to use writing as a more reliable mental health support and creative outlet. Wish me luck!!

Happy New Year Everyone!! 

#Year in Review #fanfic year in review #2022 #my own content #life of a writer #reflection #I wrote a lot #I wish I wrote more #maybe next year #still proud of myself #happy new year

[tightjeansjavi]

🍭& 🎈 for the asks <3

Ahh Mari, thank u for sending these in! 🩷

fic writer asks :

🎈 describe your style as a writer; is it fixed? does it change?

I think I would definitely describe my style of writing as being super descriptive. My goal is for my readers to be able to picture the scene they are reading in their mind. So I’m really big on facial expressions, body language, and I’m a whore for internal thoughts. I also unintentionally but in a way intentionally throw in my own little Easter eggs into my fics. Blue jeans has a lot of references to TLOU despite it being a fic where outbreak day never happens, but I still like to throw in references from the show where I see them to be fit. Another great example of this is in the last chapter of slow hands I used a few lines from the show and incorporated them into the dialogue. It’s little things like those that I mentioned that I want my readers to point out and be like OH! I see what gi did there! 👀 in way it makes the reader experience interactive for me if that makes any sense?

I would say that this style is pretty fixed for all of my writing, but I think my style has changed depending on the theme of the story that I’m writing. Darker themed fics I tend to rely heavy on emotions and vivid detail, but slow hands is just a story where I don’t really have to think, I just write whatever comes to mind and somehow it just ends up flowing together

🍭 why did you start writing?

So there’s honestly a few reasons why I started writing. The first was back in February when I was just starting to get involved in TLOU fanfom particularly, I had discovered that there was so much fanfic out there and I wanted to rip the bandaid off and dive in head first. I have written fanfic in the past before, but nothing to what I have been writing now. I think the main reason I started writing was to heal my inner child. I got made fun of in highschool non-stop for being the ‘pizza faced’ horse girl booknerd. I was reading all kinds of fics on Wattpad, ao3,fanfiction.net, tumblr, etc to escape from present reality. I spent my weekends reading and I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it (there isn’t. Reading/writing is something that should be nourished) I turned to fanfiction when I was dealing with trauma and I found that it was really helping me out, fast-forward a few years and I’m at my first big girl job in the corporate world and shit is hitting the fan. I turned to writing as my escape from work, and I haven’t turned back since.

I’m genuinely amazed with myself on just how much writing I have accomplished since February. blue jeans is currently at 84,737 words and I imagine it’ll definitely be well over 100k by the time I finish it.

BIAHD, my first ever Joel Miller series is currently at 94,433 words and it absolutely blows my mind on how much time and effort I have put into that series 🤎

-Gi

#ask games #writing ask game #writing asks #thank u for sending this in!

[anthonyjlockwood]

You spam me a bit on the last one of these, so now I spam you! *Evil laugh*

😊🥰📚😂😭💖✨🔁

aaaaaaaaaa okay fine maybe i deserve this 😂

😊 A fic that made you smile on a bad day

answered here!

🥰 A fic that gives you warm fuzzy feelings

answered here!

I'm... going to put the rest of this under a read more I think, there are too many questions 😂

📚 A fic you wish you could display on your bookshelf

Ugh, i love everything about this fic. the plot, pacing, concept, characterization, setting..... EVERYTHING. the readability (is that a word? i'm making it a word) is great and I remember reading it towards the beginning of my JATP journey, so there's an undertone of nostalgia involved with this one, too!

Fic summary:

“Oh! Apparently, there are 36 questions that are designed to make anyone fall in love with anyone,” Reggie says, eyes wandering over the page. “That sounds easy.” Luke peers at the article and snorts. “Yeah, right. You mean to tell me that if I do these with Bobby’s dad, I will fall in love with him? Sounds likely.” Reggie shrugs, a grin tugging at his lips when he meets Luke’s eyes. “We could try it. Scared to actually fall in love with me, Patterson?”

or, Luke takes Reggie on a camping trip to the woods in an attempt to cure his writer's block and gets a little more than he bargained for.

by @sunsetcurveofficial / goodluckgettingtosleep on ao3

😂 A fic that made you laugh out loud

This one makes me laugh because, while it does have some funny moments, I also actually just laugh that there’s angst in it at all, and that it’s my fault 😂

Fic Summary: Luke hears a rumor about Julie, and decides to confront her. Silliness ensues.

by @valiantlyweepingdreamer / BoyMom on ao3

😭 A fic that ripped your heart out (but it hurt so good)

OH MY GODDDD, this fic 😭😭😭

Any fic that deals with Luke running away/Luke's feelings in general, I tend to gravitate towards, because those are also the kinds of fics I like to write. But THIS ONE... definitely one of my favorites, and it's one that I don't think I've talked about too much. The whole journey this fic goes through, of Luke navigating his feelings about running away and letting his friends be there for him, is AMAZING.

Fic Summary:

Reggie studies him for a moment; Luke can practically hear the cogs turning in his head. He squints his eyes and tilts his head a few degrees before asking: “Do you think you made a mistake, Luke?”

There’s no judgement in his voice, no expectation for a certain answer, just pure curiosity, and maybe a hint of friendly concern. Luke lets out a frustrated groan before throwing his hands up.

“I don’t know! There are, like, wanted posters out for me, Reg!” he exclaims, voice pitched embarrassingly high. “Doesn’t that mean the police are involved? There’s probably a huge investigation going on or something. Fuck.” - or, being a teenage runaway is harder than it looks. luke would tell you that he’s handling it pretty well, given the circumstances. his friends would tell you that’s a blatant, bold-faced lie. but don’t worry—they’re working on it.

by @cassiopeiakaleidoscope / cassiopeiakaleidoscope on ao3

💖 A drabble that made you want 100K more words

i don’t think this qualifies as a drabble but i absolutely would read a 100,000 word version of THIS ONE

Fic Summary: Bobby has some Thoughts, and Luke won’t leave him alone until they’re gone.

by @tillstarscollided / tillstarscollided on ao3

(seriously emi WHERE'S THE LUKEBOBBY FIC OP 👀😂)

and!! i actually have two answers to this!

THIS ONE THIS ONE THIS ONE

Fic Summary: Bobby is a winter sunrise, and Luke is happy to revolve around him.

Ughhh @valiantlyweepingdreamer I need several thousand more words of this one too, please 😂

✨ A fic you wish you could read again for the first time

this one……… one of my favorites ever <3

Fic Summary:

“It’s three in the morning, Luke!” The phone on her nightstand glows brightly, a sharp contrast to the rest of the room. It takes the blue light boring into her brain, forcibly waking it up, for the situation to sink in. When Julie turns back to Luke, her outrage has faded into alarm. “What’s going on?”

Thunder rumbles in the distance; a lightning flash illuminates Luke’s face. Ice water floods Julie’s stomach, drenching her like the storm outside. She‘s never seen Luke so frightened before — not about the jolts, not about crossing over, not even when he remembers dying. Luke isn’t afraid of things, usually. Tonight, he looks terrified.

“It’s Reggie,” Luke says, shaking his head. “You gotta come. Something’s wrong.”

( side effects of coming back from the dead may include... 4. you can get sick. really sick. )

by @julies-butterflies / thessalonike (starblessed) on ao3

and finally...

🔁 A fic you’ve re-read several times

The Luke and Ray dynamic is so beloved to me… I don’t even know why, I just love them 😂

Fic Summary:

Luke doesn’t know when his mom yelling at him became preferable to the quiet conversations, the ones where she’d squeeze his knee and remind him that she wasn’t mad, that she loved him, that she just didn’t understand why he kept putting his music before her and their relationship. All he knows is that when he was younger, her approval meant everything, and when she’d choose soft words and a softer tone over harsh tellings off, it would dig deep, but it was a relief, not to be yelled at.

Please pay heed to the trigger warnings

by @a-tomb-with-a-view / A_Tomb_With_A_View on ao3

#ask games #answered asks #fic rec

[ufuckingpastry]

I've been feeling in a rough patch lately and most of it's manifested in insecurities and a general lack of motivation to work on any writing projects. I haven't touched PB since I put it on hiatus. I came up with a really fun writing series that just petered off into nothing. I've barely progressed and done anything, even though I'm having all these cool story ideas!

If you've been here for a while, you might've noticed that I stopped writing a couple years back, right around when Homestuck ended. Homestuck was the first major fandom I was in and the first one I posted fanfic for. My AO3 has 50 works just for Homestuck. And, when it ended, it felt like so did my desire to create.

Of course, this was right around my last year of college and ohhhhh fuck that was stressful. Plus I got really into WoW too. I didn’t really have much time to write in general.

I struggled for 3 years feeling like I could barely write anything at all. I was in such a depressive funk at the time, and the feeling like I couldn't create only worsened it. It took me 3 months to write 1000 words.

And then, one day, something amazing happened. I got into dsmp, I got into these characters, and on a whim, I sat down and wrote my first fic for it. In the span of 3 days, I wrote 3000 words! And I was happy! And I posted it and people seemed to love it!

My AO3 now has at least 30 fics just for dsmp, and I've got folders upon folders of other projects and ideas springing up every day for new fics for other smp series!

And yet, I'm starting to see myself falter. With the dsmp ending, and especially ending like it did, it reminds me so much of Homestuck. And I see myself doing the same things and behaving the same way I did 6 years ago. Struggling to write. A lack of focus and motivation to work on any of my projects. An external source of immense stress that makes me feel like I don’t have much time to write anymore.

And it's frustrating on a personal level to see that. Therapy opened my eyes to recognizing my patterns of behavior. I can prevent myself from spiraling. I can recognize when I need a break and I can take that break and barely feel guilty for it. And yet, here I am again. Will it soon take me a month to write 1000 words?

Have I even written 1000 words this very month?

... so I've written 5000.

In 2022, I decided that I wanted to track my yearly word count. I wrote so MUCH in 2021 that I broke 100k words posted on AO3 for that year. But that was just finished works! None of my wips, which I knew I had a lot more of! So I tracked my word count in 2022 and I think I hit around 150k? And that's impressive! That's cool!

So I did it again for 2023. But it's been harder to keep up with that over the last few months. I've been in a limbo of not knowing how many words I've written. Based on the fact that I haven't made any progress on my fics, that number must be very low, I thought.

And then I updated my word count yesterday. And I realized something:

I've written over 5000 words this month. Which isn't a lot, sure, but it's a lot for me. And, you know what? That's on track for January and February. March was fucking wild cuz I broke 14k words in March. And I know from tracking it last year, whenever I get a huge spike of words in one month, it takes maybe another month to recover. So my next month won't be as big or grand, but that's okay.

And that made me sit back and really look at what that means. I've been rping a lot, which is where the majority of those words come from. I wrote 1.5k words in a single DAY and I'm over here wondering why I don't have any words left in me! When I was in my last writing slump, I was still rping. All I did was rp.

I'm still writing, even when I don't think I am. I'm still expressing myself in these creative outlets even when I don't think it's "real writing". And why does it matter what's real writing anyways? Isn't it enough that I'm still doing it?

It is. It is enough. Therapy helped me recognize my patterns of behavior, and sometimes the answer really is to just. Take a break.

It'll still be here when you get back.

#pastry noises #that's a lot of noises huh #long post

[ronanception]

or do at least 10 of your choice of the fic asks

21.) If you wrote a “missing scene” in Architect, what would it be? I have a few missing scenes that didn't make it in, the one that I'm saddest about is Nancy shaving her head. It might still be worked in, or I'll post it as a single chapter in the universe/series, but I just haven't been able to fit it in. I feel like every queer goes through a hair journey after realizing themselves and I feel like Nancy would go full-shave.

22.) Who is your favorite character in Architect and why? Jada, Cynthia and Frank hands down. Frank especially has my heart right now. I'm pretty shocked at the reception of non-canon characters in my fic and also happy that they have been well received.

37.) Promote one of your own “deep cut” fics (an underrated one, or one that never got as much traction as you think it deserves!). What do you like about it? So I didn't realize that I was literally the only comment on this fic until I checked my bookmarks which is literally a crime. As the Evening Loses Color is a FANTASTIC little one shot that I wish was 100k chaptered. Dustin calls Robin and Steve back to Hawkins because of upside-down shenanigans of the Stepford Wives variety. Very well written, fantastic and intriguing concept, and wonderful ronance angst. Cannot believe it's only gotten 37 kudos and less than 1k hits.

42.) Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason? Yes! Anytime someone leaves me their own small novel to read I pass out because I'm so overcome by a combination of amazement, gratitude and the horrors of being perceived. Those comments make me go 'oh god other people are reading this!' but in a good way.

46.) Do you prefer writing on your phone or on a computer (or something else)? Do you think where you write affects the way you write? I didn't realize that people wrote fic on their phones until recently. That's incredible and horrifying to me. I think I require the tactile feeling of keys beneath my fingers in order to write. I am old, after all.

Alright, you gremlin, I think 5 answers is plenty! Seriously, go check out that fic. It's fantastic.

#answers #ask game #phew #I literally can't shut up

[not-close-to-straight]

You finished BAB finally, congrats and thank you so much for completing it!! The last scene when Peter's eyes swirled gold for Wade touched my heart. They survived and made their dream come true. Such a good happy ending for them after everything.

Little bit of my pov, you have worked hard on BAB and I'm so appreciated. Somehow I still feel something missing about BAB, or maybe there is still not enough for both Wade and Petey (13 chapters kinda long but the plot is bit of rush, I think...). Really there is no offense I mean, I'm a fan of your writting about spideypool. It's just, I miss when you write these whole long fics as ORW, NMW, DAD,... For me, those are brilliant masterpieces and I cannot stop reading them over and over without feeling bored. I understand that it's not right to ask more from you when you are so busy with your daily life. Thank you for spending your precious time to write those beautiful Spideypool stories for fans like us. You are really the best.

Hopefully the enthusiasm inside you for Spideypool always burns bright and really can't wait for more new amazing stories of Wade and Peter from you.

Thank you with love! :)

I FINALLY FINISHED IT haha! And it ended so great right! That little bit of gold after Peter's told multiple people he 'didn't have any gold left in him', I just love it.

So! About the length! Originally the commission was supposed to be the 18-20 chapter length at pushing more of 110k words, but when I sat down and did an outline I realized that for the story we wanted to tell (Spideypool finding their freedom together) there just wasn't really 100k+ words there, not unless we really really stretched out the angst or the reunion or added in extra like... traveling days?

And that's mostly because the usual "building up" part of my fics--especially the Omegaverse fics-- where the couple has their first meeting, that first moment of claiming, the fuss while their biologies line up, emotions and all that sort of stuff-- that's what's missing in BAB because it already happened. We're meeting Spideypool four years into their weird relationship so all that was left for them was that super honest love confession and that's what these thirteen chapters were about!

I've recently been working on scaling down my commission fics so they come close to actually matching the stated word count. More Than Words was supposed to only be 100k words and it ended up at 240k so like... I gotta scale it back some lolol

Are you reading "Codependent"? it's a little different spin on my usual Spideypool but its is SUPER FUN and I'll be updating it this week!

Thanks for reading!

[caelumsnuff]

ah you changed your user and i could not find you! how could you lol! glad you're still here <3 i'm gonna add to the filler spree convo we're mostly in rn and idk idk i don't know if it's mostly fandom. i feel like it's money?? why would a dude who makes six figures on patreon alone care about youtube's adsense?? idk idk greed?? but since it takes more effort to routinely make a cohesive and engaging plot and the views for lore drop videos (which i wish erik would stop those even tho i like lore and incorporate the info into videos with relevant plot lines like how in books and movies they don't recommend those writers info dump) and plot-heavy works that aren't inversion don't get views.

the only 100k view videos the past 3/4 months are sleep audios cause of those casual listeners (and not even the gavin one which at least had some v v v slight character development in it). if all you had to do was stick a mic near your chest for your heartbeat and breathe to get 140k+ views lmao and your (albeit poorly done) final episode of a villain's plot doesn't crack 50k then you'll prob heed to those casual listeners. he used to make celebratory discord posts when characters got their first 100k views on a video, he made a big deal when that now-moved lasko in the movie theater audio reached a million views, and he had a patreon livestream around when he made the mario tournament audio where he lightly mentioned it being a bummer when videos didn't do well (he made light of it but still).

he mentioned in an old q&a about doing this to tell stories the way he wanted, but i feel like the views and money are what's steering him away from it??

HELLO!!! Yes im still here! Not leaving now and dont plan on it anytime soon lol. Im happy you found me again 😊

I feel like money is literally the only other option aside from the possibility that hes simply lost interest in the stories he was telling. Maybe he still cares about telling good stories deep down, but i think even if thats true the views and money is winning out. Which is just sad, this started out as a hobby and it should stay as such. Especially with him having so many patrons on top of his IRL job. Patrons don’t just…. Leave easily. He might lose casual viewership, but patrons and dedicated fans would stick around if he started valuing quality>quantity again. Do you know how happy i would be if he started uploading less often in favor of releasing better written, plot-centric videos??? You would Not believe it. And youtubers who do that literally garner a dedicated fanbase, there are artists out there who have a trove of patrons supporting them through several months without releasing art because they love it and its of high quality. Erik is more than capable of doing that.

I really do just think the man has so much potential, and i feel its not being executed to its peak right now. If he sat down and gave himself even like…. Idk one upload a week or one every two weeks, he could be writing better thought out videos.

Anyways, i definitely agree with you that its the money and views steering him away. Which is a damn shame, bc once again… 6 figures on patreon + a day job. He does not need to kneel for The Algorithm™️.

Views/hits/likes dont determine the value or quality of your art. Ignore the views, write a good story because its something you wish to make FUCK what other people think! Create from your heart knowing its the best you could put out in that moment, not just something you think will garner views. You know how amazing some videos with 1k views are on youtube??? Fics with 100 hits??? Art with 6 likes???? Just Create with all you are, others will find your passion and feel blessed to have been able to do so.

#ask #anon

[confetti-cupcake]

Do you have any updates on your reality show AUs? I love your descriptions and the shows you chose. Patient waiting for when you drop updates or even the whole fics.

Hi there! 😊 First of all, it makes me so happy that you're interested and asking about my fics. It means more than you know to know that someone is actually interested in the reality TV premises and are excited to read something that I wrote.

To get a little personal, I haven't written much lately, or been very active on here for a while. We had a death in my family about a month ago, and then a friend of mine suddenly passed away at the beginning of October. So essentially I've spent this month in various states of grief, which as you can imagine, is not the best for fic writing, or engaging in 9-1-1 content in general. I have been slowly getting back into it though, trying to write a little at a time until I get my motivation back.

For more specific updates about each of the fics I'm working on:

🔪 Whodunnit — I'm taking a break from this one until death becomes a little less... topical in my life lol. I'm definitely going to come back to it at some point (I've actually been thinking up ways to change it so I don't have to make it include deaths of characters we all love), but I'm turning my focus toward other fics for now.

✈ Amazing Race — I don't want to promise anything since I don't know what my workload is going to be for the next few months, but I'm fairly certain that I will have this done by the end of the year, or end of January at the latest. This fic is either going to be a one-shot or a two-chapter fic, so much shorter than the others. I already have a lot of the meat drafted out, so most of what's left is writing up the last few legs and building out the connections between the "big" scenes. (I'm really, really excited about this one)

💖 Are You The One? — This one is a little tricky. I'm almost halfway done with this one (7 chapters written out of a projected 15). Problem is, I'm not super happy with chapter 7 and I've kind of been putting off editing it for that reason. I think I'll feel better once I just sit down and confront the issues I've been having with it head-on, but just finding the motivation to do it has been tough. I've been writing it in strict sequential order up until this point, but I have a really detailed outline for the rest, so I might just jump around to the scenes I've been wanting to write to get the creativity flowing and worry about the rest later.

🌴 Survivor — Ah, my beloved that also simultaneously makes me want to bang my head against the wall. I wrote about this in another ask, but there are a few reasons why this one has been taking a while and they pretty much just stem from the fact that I just want it to be really, really good. The first being that I've slowly kind of fallen out of love with Lone Star over time — I still plan on watching it and I don't think it's bad or anything, but it was getting really hard to find the motivation to write from the POV of those characters. So I changed the cast to all OG characters, which has been really exciting for me. It just feels better and it helps the story a LOT that not everyone in the cast is a character we're supposed to like. However, the downside to this change is I had 100k words worth of the fic with the old cast drafted out, so now I have to completely re-write a lot of the scenes and change storylines to get them to fit with the new cast.

Also, unlike my other fics, the Survivor one isn't completely focused on Buddie. It has scenes from everyone's POV, and each person in the cast has their own story arc throughout the game. Buddie will definitely be a big part of it, but there's also a fair amount that has nothing to do with them. I just love all the OG 9-1-1 characters and wanted to write something that gave everyone their time to shine — I also thought the actual Survivor game would be more fun and interesting if we hear what everyone's thinking along the way, rather than from just two people.

Full disclosure, I am in the middle of editing chapter 2 of this fic, so still a ways to go on that, but as the number of characters voted out increases, the chapters will become faster to write and edit. Also as I start finishing up stuff on my other fics, it'll open up more time for me to work on this 😄 I'm very committed to getting it done, regardless of how long it takes!

And now, off to work on some of these! 😉

#ask box #anon ask #fic update