#people chatting to me about fanfiction is my favourite thing in the world

[imsiriuslyreading]

i love you and your blog Lana, but jegulus doesn’t make sense. they just don’t, sorry, pretending otherwise is ooc for everyone involved. James had only one true love in his life and it was Lily, replacing her with Sirius’s death eater brother, whom he hated, by the way, takes away huge part of his canon personality. this man died for his wife and his son, he wouldn’t move on from her or divorce Lily, he wouldn’t co-parent with her, he’s a full-time parent, in a marriage, with his wife.

and why there’s a need to replace the most important woman of the group with a man? give him Lily’s personality and use jily tropes? there’s no originality in this ship, it’s recycled drarry with jily’s story….

hiya!

thanks for saying hi, i hope youre havin' a nice day :)

lemme start by saying, i LOVE JILY. i adore them. hard enemies to lovers tends to not be my vibe so that's why i usually go with them over jegulus, but sometimes, the need arises, y'know?

that being said. If you know me at all or see me talking shit on tiktok as i do so (too) often, you'll know my main squeeze is a good old muggle au. and honestly, for me, my favourite thing about them is that these characters that fandom stole from an unworthy author who, frankly, didn't do any of them justice, can be anyone we want them to be.

i think there's something so clever in taking, let's say, sirius black, and turning him into a pro footballer or hockey player or barista or actor or presenter or an artist or a violin player or whatever, and making me really believe that shit, do you know what I mean? I'm so in awe of the writers in this fandom who take something so flat and bring so much life and colour and texture to it.

and often, i think what happens is that people write what they want to see in the world. and james potter is a comfort character for SO MANY of us. but maybe they want to see him in a relationship that looks more like their own, in terms of gender, sexuality, personality, whatever. and the beauty of writing is that they can do that. and the beauty of fandom (i think) is that there's really something for e v e r y o n e. often the people who get left out of most main stream stories are the ones who most need to see and feel representation somewhere, so this sort of feels a bit like a win for them, don't you think?

all that to say, i think there's room for all of it, all of them. 'if you like it i love it' is my motto.

also, have you read shelf awareness by ghostofbambi? its one of my favourite Jily fics ever, i adore james in that, he's just everything to me in this <3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14461776/chapters/33409590

thanks again for coming to say hi and being so nice about it!

lana xo

#someone said hi #i love it here #people chatting to me about fanfiction is my favourite thing in the world #im a jily apologist to my core #i love them #but wolfstar forever #with a lil jeggy on the side

[trans-cuchulainn]

hello and welcome to the niche corner

hello i'm néide and this is my blog, which mostly consists of me being grumpy about niche things. i have multiple degrees in medieval irish literature and while sometimes i use these to be vaguely educational, more often i use them to write incredibly specific fic about characters nobody else cares about, and this fic can be found on ao3 (for logged-in users)

so this is a guide to my incredibly specific fanfiction, which i feel also gives a reasonably good introduction to the kind of thing i'm likely to be yelling about on this blog

i am reliably informed that you don't actually need to know anything about the source material to have fun with these fics (or suffer from the angst), but also they can be more fun if you do. some have bibliographies/refs/explanations so i also know a few people have used them as a way to get started with medieval Irish lit which will never not be extremely funny to me

current WIP: chasing someone else's dream (16k, WIP): a cú chulainn/láeg reincarnation fic. they have been reincarnated, not for the first time. they've also been cursed, and thus, unlike in every life before this one, they've never met. ngl this fic contains some of the best prose i ever wrote, please read it

group chats of the ulster cycle, or, the in loco parentis series

a modern AU of the ulster cycle. sort of a college AU, turned into a ballet AU halfway through. consists of:

in loco parentis (135k, complete): my magnum opus. cú chulainn and láeg are university flatmates; group chats featuring all your favourite ulster cycle characters and also some you probably never gave a shit about; cú chulainn as a tiny trans ballet dancer and ferdia as his pas de deux partner; baking; everybody hating on conchobar; nobody dies; way more feelings about both ballet and shostakovich than anybody was expecting, including me; and much more. comes with explanatory notes / bibliography because i'm just Like That

getting the dee (9k, in progress/abandoned): a prequel to ILP, sort of a longes mac nuislenn fic except nobody dies and there are more sex toys. naoise/deirdre with guest appearances from conall. one day i'll go back to this but also i'm a coward

valentáin's day (4k oneshot, complete): a prequel to ILP, featuring láeg and cormac in the pub on valentine's day making fun of all their friends in relationships. they make out, fortunately their friendship survives the experience.

and when you move, i move (2.5k oneshot, complete): a sequel to ILP. just a horny lil cú chulainn/ferdia oneshot set a few months after ILP wraps up.

miscellaneous ulster cycle oneshots

i will be honest, most of these are sad fics of oidheadh con culainn ("the death of cú chulainn") because i just love writing angst, but there's a couple of others in there

a moment's silence (3k): smutty cú/láeg fic set during táin bó cúailnge, inspired by this picture. the most explicit fic i've written

to walk this world alone (6k): extremely niche fic featuring láeg after cú chulainn's death. some otherworldly happenings. sad but not as sad as it was originally going to be.

counterweight (3k): cú chulainn/láeg during oidheadh con culainn, anticipating cú chulainn's death. this one's pretty sad too.

dindsenchas (3.5k): missing scenes between cú chulainn and láeg during táin bó cúailnge. narrated by the landscape of ulster and addressed in second person to cú chulainn himself because the best sex scenes are the ones narrated by a tree.

in one dwelling place (2k): láeg/cú chulainn/emer. vaguely smutty, vaguely fluffy.

we'll say goodbye, today (2k): cú chulainn and láeg during oidheadh con culainn, anticipating cú chulainn's death. big sad hours.

glorious as the sunrise (3k): this is just angst. cú chulainn/láeg during oidheadh con culainn again. not particularly shippy but they love each other very much.

a marriage of inconvenience (3k): modern AU. cú chulainn wants to marry emer but unfortunately never bothered to get divorced after he married láeg for househunting purposes. a very silly fic.

of grief and glory (1.7k): cú chulainn deals with the aftermath of táin bó cúailnge, especially fer diad's death. more sad times lol.

flight risk (2.3k): teenage cú chulainn and láeg steal a spaceship. they get caught. fun scifi AU.

other medieval lit fics (non ulster cycle)

patron saint of toasties (2.5k): finn cycle fic. oisín took time out of uni to travel and now all his friends have graduated and he's lonely enough to text the christian union's "text a toastie" hotline. which is how he meets patrick. very silly modern AU gen fic mostly taking the piss out of st patrick

two birds of a feather (2.8k): yonec (marie de france) | togail bruidne da derga crossover fic. bird dad support group. conaire and yonec hang out and bond over their dads having maybe been birds. stupidest thing i ever wrote and i adore it.

quiver and shake (1.8k): fourth branch of the mabinogi fic. gwydion and gilfaethwy's special brotherly bonding time. canon typical content warnings apply.

other

absent thee from felicity (11k, WIP): hamlet | romeo & juliet crossover modern AU in which horatio and benvolio attempt to deal with the aftermath of their respective tragedies. sad at first, will gradually get sillier. haven't updated in a couple of years but that doesn't mean it's permanently abandoned, i'm just busy

a guild doctor and an abolitionist walk into a bar (5.5k, complete): mortimer sark/daragh vernant (the butterfly assassin by finn longman). in which they become friends while coparenting their fucked up assassin child and pretending they're not doing that. blatant pro-mortimer propaganda tbh and i'm not sorry

if you've never read any of my fics before and are wondering where to start, i firmly believe the reincarnation fic (current WIP) is a good one because it has a solid mix of angst, shenanigans, and weird fuckery, so you can experience the tonal whiplash of the rest of my fics all in one place! but it is a WIP and i make zero promises about upload schedule, it happens when it happens, so not so good if you're impatient haha. plenty of others to get you started though

#my fic #medieval irish #ulster cycle

[dark--whisperings]

✨✨✨✨🫱Care to share🫲✨✨✨✨

The message was sent to you because someone loved your writing and stories. ❤️

▪️What are your writing suggestions for newcomers, or what would you have liked to know when you first started?

▪️How do you write different personalities and perspectives? Could you explain how you came up with the manner you written your favorite or any character?

▪️What do you do when you have writer's block?

▪️How do you come up with new ideas and develop them?

▪️Any messages for your readers or fellow writers?

You are welcome to answer if you have the time and desire, or you can simply respond to the questions that come to mind.

💐Thank you for your work as a writer and as a member of this fandom!💐

OMG anon, what a sweet message! Absolutely made my day! I'm so glad that you liked my fics. ✨💖🥹✨💖🥹✨💖🥹 And wow, these are some great questions!

Extremely long response under the cut because I simply... have no chill LMAO.

What are your writing suggestions for newcomers, or what would you have liked to know when you first started?

It's so daunting to post your first fic for so many reasons, but just... go for it. Write what you want and fuck what anyone else thinks. Writing should be something that you do because it gives you joy, and you shouldn't cater the things you write to align with popular tropes (unless those are things you actually feel inspired to write). Guarantee that somewhere out there, you made someone's day with your fic, even if they didn't comment. Fanfiction and writing are about creativity and giving yourself permission to meet yourself where you are, whether that's being silly, escaping the shittiness of the world for a few hours, exploring something deeper and more vulnerable, revolting against canon, or whatever else.

Also on that vein, leave kudos, comments, and asks for your favourite authors! As much as we like to say that we write for ourselves, it also is immensely helpful to receive positive feedback. It doesn't need to be a hugely detailed comment... keyboard mashing and emoji flailing are just as important. As a writer (and reader!), support your fellow writers! Don't be afraid to interact with people you recognize on your socials... we're just seven monkeys in a trench coat on a good day, and typically love flailing about fandom with others. Being able to chat and create with other creators and fans online has been an incredible experience for me. (I'M STARING AT YOU MY MUTUALS 👀👀👀)

How do you write different personalities and perspectives? Could you explain how you came up with the manner you written your favorite or any character?

Oooh this is a fun one! I actually prefer to switch POVs in my writing, because I like to play with the concept of an unreliable narrator on both sides, and then switch abruptly give the reader insight into other characters perspective. I think it's a fun experience as a reader.

As far as characterizations, I think about the differences in how they might act, how they speak, their mannerisms, and right down to the differences in their vocabulary. For example, Anakin is more likely to be blunt and say exactly what's on his mind, whereas Obi-Wan is more likely to use more interesting words and gilded speech. Adding these pieces is usually part of my editing process to! I'll typically start by getting the plot and words on the page, and then edit the characterizations in later.

... and then, you know, sprinkle in some of my own head canon for the characters. Because 😇✨creative license✨😇.

What do you do when you have writer's block?

Writing sprints in a fandom server! Honestly, sometimes I'm stuck simply on principal, and sprinting gives me the motivation (because I'm the type of person who works better under pressure). If that doesn't work, I try switching to a different WIP or chatting with a friend about it (you'd be surprised how effective a simple conversation with your beta can be). And barring that... look for a beta project. I actually started out in fandom as a beta, and I find that a brief switch between writing and editing can kickstart the creative juices!

How do you come up with new ideas and develop them?

Music. Sometimes lyrics give me ideas for new project. But a lot of the time, it's the feel of certain songs that inspire ideas for new fic. Sometimes, I write from experience, or write about things I'd like to experience. In a lot of cases, writing is a very personal experience for me. I also very much enjoy participating in the fandom prompt festivals. There's just something about being inspired by a random prompt from a stranger and potentially making their day. 💟💟💟

Any messages for your readers or fellow writers?

Just that I love you all, adore the obikin fandom, and am incredibly grateful for the experience I've had so far. This has been the best fandom experience I've ever had (and I've been kicking around online for 15 years now). I wouldn't change it for anything, and it wouldn't be possible without the dedicated creators and lovely readers to cheer us on! 💗💗💗💗💗💗

Also if you feel inclined... drop me an anon ask with links to your favourite fics if you would like! Bonus points if it's a fic you wrote and are proud of. I want to read all the things, and maybe have a party in your comments!🫂🫂🫂

#ask answered #ask #asks for darkwhisperings #obikin #anakin skywaker #obi wan kenobi #star wars #fanfiction #fanfic #fandom

[captainjamster]

I couldn't get your inclusivity post out of my head, I've been churning that thought in my little brain for hoursss now.

aromanticism is something that's definitely underrepresented.

and nobody can tell me that Kate Laswell or Simon Riley wouldn't be down for a true fwb situation. like come on.

That is such a fantastic shout, you are SO right Berry omfg!! Gosh, if asexuality is underrepresented, I don't even know how to describe aromanticism. My best friend and another close friend are aroace to varying degrees, and I've heard their first-hand accounts of how challenging it can be to understand what they're experiencing with the lack of awareness - especially because you need to know the terms to actually research them further!

Thank you so much for your ask, ahhhhh!! I'm so glad my little brainworm has infected someone else, I've been thinking about this shit for years! It started when I was much younger and unhappy with every damn fanfiction writing the reader as a petite, pretty little thing. And then I thought damn dude, if it's hard for me to find content that validates and represents my fat ass, imagine what it's like for individuals even further outside of conventional norms.

Now, how I think Simon and Kate would react to an aromantic!reader FWB under the cut ;)

Simon? Oh, I think Simon would go so hard for that. Maybe he'd be a little hesitant in the beginning, mistrusting that your confession of aromanticism is a cover to ease him into being vulnerable around you - maybe hoping that once you slept together enough, he'd fall in love with you.

It's not like he thinks people need to love each other to have sex, or that he doesn't believe in aromanticism - it's because as an emotionally reserved man, he's found himself in the position of unexpected (and unwanted) romantic complications with his FWBs too many times for his liking. Some of them end up wanting more than just sex, others get mad when he's not available during deployments, and a couple go so far as to be angry when he sleeps with another FWB.

Once he realises you're truthfully not here to tie him down, you just want to have a good time mutually relieving sexual needs, I think it becomes his favourite FWB situation. It helps that he genuinely likes you as a person, too. For a while during the beginning, he treated you like an on-call service - you came when he requested and he let you out when you were done. He didn't even want you to stick around and chat, minimising any contact that he sees as a potential romantic chance for you.

Yet true to your word, you never share any indication of wanting something more, something romantic with him. You never fought to stay longer, never begged him for more aftercare than he was comfortable providing, never tried to pull his mask off or kiss him. Each time, you thank him for his company with a warm smile and wish him well on his next deployment, if you don't catch him before he leaves. Sometimes on your way over, you'll bring a container of leftovers (or two, or three, as he becomes more comfortable), and when he initially refuses them in suspicion, you just tell him that it's a thank you for offering up his house every time. Although later on, you confess it's also because one time after a long session of post-deployment activities, you opened his fridge for cold water and found it empty, and you didn't want the poor man starving during sex.

Slowly and surely, you defrost the stand-offish, icy and unattractive front he puts up to deter people. He becomes more interested in experimenting during sex with you, even letting go of his instinctual need for control if you ask to take charge. The F of FWB begins to seep into the relationship, and not only does he take interest in you as a person, he begins to share bits of himself. You bond over the frustration of navigating a world where romance is so highly valued, and how taboo it seems to desire a life without the constraints of what society expects. Sharing the unfortunate mishaps of your FWBs is something he particularly enjoys - Simon thought he had it bad until he learnt someone proposed to you after sex, thinking THAT was the thing 'secretly' keeping you back from loving them.

It isn't until maybe over a year, sweaty and pleasantly sore as he watches your head rise and fall against his chest with each breath he takes, that Simon realises he can't quite remember the last time he slept with anyone else. Not only that, but he doesn't really want to sleep with anyone else, either. It's not because he's in love with you - even if he was, he'd never make it your problem. He's just never felt so understood by someone else, let alone a FWB. All he wants is to maintain your friendship (and the benefits it brings) until the relationship runs its course.

----

Now, bringing up KATE? Berry, you're after my own heart, I love that woman to the ends of the earth and you are SO right.

Before Kate meets her wife, you can IMAGINE how stressed that lady is. Her life is work, work, work. As she was climbing the CIA ranks, it's said that Kate desired a female mentor to show her the ropes of retaining her personal life while maintaining respect for her operational judgment, but never found one. I imagine she paved her own road, learnt what works for her (because obviously she meets her wife <3), but she ended up sacrificing a significant amount of her romantic/sexual life.

It's not for a lack of trying, either. Though she certainly tables the idea of romance, she's open to (and sometimes looks explicitly for) FWB arrangements. The problem for Kate is that she wants a long-term situation without it devolving into romance, and unfortunately, all the people she sleeps with end up wanting more. I mean, I'm not blaming them - if it's something open to you, how could you NOT fall in love with her, especially after you've experienced what it's like being the centre of her affection and attention? But for Laswell, it's the biggest thorn in her side. It leaves her frustrated, both sexually and generally - another issue on her plate that she really just doesn't have time for.

When she meets you during another late night drinking, she thinks that it's too good to be true. She's slumped over a bar, nursing a beverage as she watches the soccer football playing in grainy quality behind the bartender, when you take a seat next to her. Unbeknownst to you, she's at her limit with just about everything. Work sucks particularly right now, her last FWB fell through because she refused to let them stay the night, and she's given up on finding another one. She ignores your presence at first, uninterested in entertaining strangers. It doesn't deter you - you don't even disrupt her game to introduce yourself, just order a drink and sit back, entertaining yourself.

By half-time, she can't deny that she's curious – you’ve sat patiently for almost the whole first two quarters, enjoying Kate’s unreturned company as the occasional customer comes or goes. When the bartender slides another drink over to Kate, she takes it with a nod and jerks her head at you, and a drink is slid your way too. The surprise on your face is endearing as you look up, giving her a friendly smile and a thanks. When Kate asks why you’ve been so generous with your company, you just shrug, telling her that she seemed like she could use a friend.

She can’t tell if it’s the alcohol or her frustrations driving her to impulsion, but she takes the bait, falling into a friendly conversation with you that she enjoys far more than expected. It turns out that unlike Kate, you don’t often frequent bars this late, but a hook-up went sour kicked you out and you didn’t quite feel like going home yet. She can’t help but complain about her own struggles in turn, and you quickly bond over unreliable FWBs, the pressures of work, and how hard it is to destress. Time peaks into the early morning hours, football long finished as it’s replaced by the early bird news, and Kate can’t spend any more time away from base so she leaves you with a number to a burner.

Only a week or two passes when you off-handedly mention your aromanticism, and Kate is flooded with ideas that feel selfish, but won’t stop nagging at the back of her mind. If anything, Kate is an opportunist, and she knows a good deal when she sees one. It takes another week, but she finally propositions you – you scratch my itch, I’ll scratch yours. She’s so relieved when you agree, being up front about the conditions of your FWBs, but hesitant to admit it’s the lack of romantic reception that makes the idea so appealing. She hates how your sexuality sounds so convenient for her, but when you tell her that the situation she’s in is equally convenient for you, the guilt lessens a bit.

Unlike Simon, the F comes first in FWB for Kate. She’s emotionally mature, unafraid to vocalise her needs and boundaries and develop a platonic connection with you, nonplussed by the vulnerability that’s inherent to those actions. Sex with her is nothing short of amazing, and it quickly becomes something Kate values sincerely. I’d go as far as to say she falls into a similar place that Simon does, finding herself so content in what the situation can offer her that she doesn’t seek out anyone but you until she meets and falls in love with her wife.

#pls look im australian so football means something ENTIRELY different here than it does globally #i just assume all team sports have four quarters and a half time sue me #kate laswell x reader #kate laswell x aro!reader #ghost x reader #ghost x aro!reader #simon riley x reader #simon riley x aro!reader #jams asks #jams shorts #rep!reader writings

[mayo-in-the-morning]

Hey hey hey mayo mavens, it's the moment you've all been dreaming of, it's time for episode three of our little podcast! We are so happy to be back chatting to y'all, and as an aside, apparently only 10% of podcasts made get to a third episode before they run out of steam, so this is a little milestone for us! Thank you all for being here with us and showing us your enthusiasm and sending us asks for our guests and letting us know you're listening, it means the world to us, truly.

If you're new here, welcome, there are two whole other episodes that you can listen to if you like this one! Or listen to them first if you are a sequencialist. OR. chaotic option, play all three at the same time and just listen to the bits that you can hear in the gaps of the others...

We are joined this time by the glorious @metalheadmickey to discuss spicy fictions and the business of writing smut and it was such a treat, Jessie thank you so much for joining us!

Next time we are talking to everyone's adopted mom @squidyyy23 about crossovers, incredible outlines, and where my adoption papers are because it's been, like, months...so be sure to join us for that!

Until next time <3

Notes and warnings for episode 3 under the cut.

Episode Warnings

Explicit discussions of sexual content

Hosts

Leigh / she/her / @thisdivorce / vitalspark

Howl / she/her / @howlinchickhowl / howlinchickhowl

Jessie / they/them / @metalheadmickey / catgrassplantdad

Mayo In The Morning / asks

Current Fandom Events

Gallavich Trope Event / @its-a-queer-thing

Spicy Gallavich Collab / @spicygallavichcollab

Fandom History

Supernatural - obviously. Maybe one day we will get through an episode without discussing supernatural, but given our guest this time, it was never going tot be this one.

E.L. James - don't be E.L. James, guys. And by that we don't mean 'don't try and get your smut fic published and become a multi-millionaire author' because we would love that for you, we truly would. We mainly mean don't do that with a fic that heavily features kinks that you don't fully understand the consequences of practicing and export your poor understanding to millions of people around the world who decide to try it out without doing any research and put themselves in danger and put members of the community who do practice safely under intense scrutiny from the morality police. Don't do that.

The origins of Horny Gay Thug

Fanfictions mentioned

Watching / Cinematic with art by @heymrspatel / Ligature - all by Jessie

The Echo I Created by keepgoing/@23milestogo - Leigh's recommendation that doesn't quite fit into the smut category, but is worth a read nonetheless!

Our Favourite Smut Fics

Jessie

The Menagerie (WIP) by @crossmydna / You Like Me by anythingbutgrief / Spice Up Your Life by @squidyyy23/ Kinktober 2022 by @whatthebodygraspsnot

Howl

@ hornygaythug by @whatthebodygraspsnot / (g)loved up by @gallawitchxx / Let The Bodies Do The Talkin' (WIP) by @captainjowl / Size Matters by bravado

Leigh

Penile Enhancement by @captainjowl / The Switch-up by whatthebodygraspsnot / Africa (WIP) by @ian-galagher

#mayo in the morning #gallavich fic #ian x mickey #gallavich #ian gallagher #mickey milkovich #gallavich fanfic #mitm episodes #gallavich fandom #it's not NOT kinktober...

[verstappen-cult]

F1 ASKS !

i should be sleeping but this was more fun, and couldn’t wait to answer it. thank you @arieslost for the tag! i’m not tagging anyone but if you see this and want to answer it you definitely should do it! <333

who is your favourite driver?

max verstappen, if you couldn’t tell. from the moment i knew of his existence until the day that i die. everything about him is just so interesting and amazing. he’s such a talented and nice and just awesome person! you may not like him and that it’s totally okay, everyone has their own preferences, but no one can’t deny how talented and dedicated he is.

do you have other favourite drivers?

oh yes, definitely! charles leclerc is at the top of my list along with max, obviously. and i also like lando, probably not gonna call him one of my fav drivers but i like him a lot.

who is your least favourite driver?

uh, carlos sainz. there’s just something about him that i don’t like and feel uncomfortable with. i’ve tried so! hard! to like him but i just can’t & it is very annoying for me. i won’t deny that he has done a pretty good job. but i’m gonna leave it at that.

do you pull for drivers or do you like teams as well?

mostly for drivers. for me it’s basically where max and charles wanna go, i’m going with them. but i’ve come to love ferrari because really who doesn’t love ferrari?

if you like teams, what team do you pull for?

just ferrari. because i’ve come to realize that i was cheering for red bull just because max is there, so that doesn’t count bc i would not care about them if it weren’t for him lol.

how long have you been into F1?

since sept/oct 2023. i watched the japan gp with a friend and then i slowly began getting into f1. but i think it was qatar that made me a fan. and when i start liking something i become obsessed, so, here i am!

what got you into F1?

it was thanks to my only and only @18ls because she literally texted me to watch the japan gp and i said yes and the boom! the rest is history. it was pretty cool because we’re basically glued together and we both became obsessed with f1. ari te amo eris la mejor de toda la vida. TE AMOOOOO.

do you enjoy fanfic/RPF?

oh yes, absolutely. girl, i’m here writing fanfiction and feeding into my delusions because it’s the only way i can be happy.

how do you view new fans?

i love new fans. i’m still pretty new to the world of formula one too and i love that more and more people are getting into this amazing sport. i also love that most of them are females! it is such a nice and awesome thing to see.

if you could take over as team principal for any team, who would it be and why?

i think if fred vasseur and i joined our brains we could make a good pair and bring ferrari back to life. or red bull because we don’t want that man there, we actually don’t want him on this planet but we can’t do much about it.

are your friends and family into F1 as well?

i have friends that are into f1 but not my family. my nephews like to ask me things about it but that’s as far as they go. but i’m pretty happy with my friends because we can be happy and upset together, & i don’t have to suffer alone.

are you open to talking to other fans/making friends?

yes, i love making new friends! even more so if we get to talk about our fav things and don’t feel judged at all because we are basically as unhinged as the other. so please feel free to pop in my inbox or ask box if you want to chat! <333

#gwen’s chit chat ! #please tag me in these things because i’m having so much fun!

[echo-bleu]

Intro post

Welcome to the new people who found me through the radar! I've been meaning to do an intro post forever so this is a good time.

Hi, I'm Echo! I mostly use they/them but any pronoun is fine, I'm queer and autistic and I draw and I write fanfiction (and original things occasionally). This post will be pinned and is subject to change.

Links: My AO3 is EchoBleu. I'm also on Instagram as florilegeart.

Fandom: My main current fandom is the Silmarillion, and by extension everything Tolkien. You'll find things on my blog from my previous fandoms as well (Witcher, Shadowhunters, Hamilton, etc) and from fandoms I occasionally dabble in (Leverage, Discworld, etc).

All Tolkien things are tagged with #tolkien as a meta tag. I have far too many WIPs but my niche in this fandom appears to be drawing and writing disabled characters, so you can check the tag #disabled tolkien characters for that (and also #queer tolkien characters).

My fics are all on AO3, though I post most one-shots and some longer fics here as well under #echo's fanfiction. I like posting snippets here too (same tag) and sometimes meta under #echo's writing thoughts. Longer fics and series are also tagged by title, currently you can check out #the bark of our bones, #those towers we built, #on that tree i'll carve your name, #elrond vs the valar, #shine still brighter, #silm xmen au, #the imperfect, #werewolf finrod, #queen nerdanel au (all Silmarillion).

My art: I mostly draw digitally. The tag is #echo's drawings. My commissions are currently closed but I'll open them some slots as soon as I get some things sorted out. Here are some recent pieces!

Please feel free to send me random (nice) asks about my fics or my art or anything else, I love chatting about what I do and the fandoms I'm in.

Blog navigation under the cut.

The quote of my blog title is from @chthonion's The Harrowing because it deeply amused me and because their fic is my current favourite thing.

#beautiful art and #fic rec are for other people's wonderful creations. I don't always have the spoons to leave gushing comment tags but if I reblogged it, I loved it.

I tag most other things as #[something] things. The most used are probably #autism things, #neurodivergent things, #aro things, #ace things, #nonbinary things, #queer things. And not following the tag rule, #linguistics, #tall ships. All fandom things are tagged with the fandom, plus the characters if it's a fandom I'm in. #echo's ramblings is my tag for random things about IRL or rants (which is why I'm not linking it, but you can mute it) and #real world things for reblogs of current events (that you can also mute).

I try to tag CWs and TWs to the best of my ability, usually with #cw [thing] but please warn me if I miss something. I'm unlikely to post or reblog anything explicit but if I do it will be warned. My own images have IDs in alt text, or in plain text for older posts. I don't have the energy to add IDs to other people's post very often, and I do reblog undescribed images, but I try to make my posts as accessible as possible.

#intro post #echo's drawings #echo's fanfiction

[carriedo-vargas]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers ♡ (no obligation or rush ofc!)

(I know we know each other irl but shhh this is fun)

Hello there my cutie patootie 🤭

Kinda surprised to see an ask but excited nonetheless.

So, you wanna know me 😏😏. Let's get into it.

No. 1 My friends

*insert that audio from tiktok that goes "that's such a basic fucking answer" *😆

But yeah, I love my friends and I'm happy to be surrounded by such lovely, encouraging and supportive people (I do tend to close off to myself sometimes but they help me express myself more) and I am extremely glad I got the opportunity to have such a special bond with them. I love you all! @ilicon @wingsofhcpe (I would tag more people but they don't have tumblr)

Fun Fact: I apparently have a 'plan', a pattern to make friends and that is "throwing bait" 😂.

And it is random because I don't do so deliberately. For example, with @ilicon, he heard me during a lesson back in high-school saying "are you sure about that?" - John cena meme. With @wingsofhcpe, I happened to be talking about anime and a comiccon with my friends at uni and they came over to talk to us (brave, I would remain in my spot stalking). With another friend from uni and these last days with a new girl- I happened to write in the uni's group chat that I was reading a fanfiction and have watched pitbabe respectively.

No. 2 Writing

I once again have to thank @ilicon for introducing me and getting me to the writing world. I have been writing ever since second grade of high school - so like 6 (damn👀) years.

I usually write about my anime ships, I'm currently writing about pitbabe the series but I have also written a story of my own!

If anyone is interested, I'm active on AO3 as ArceeGeorgia✌️

No. 3 Watching anime/series.

Also includes reading their manga/novel

Wasn't it obvious by now?😂

I have seen/read lots of stuff so let me list my most favourite ones.

Haikyuu!!, Hetalia, Moriarty the patriot, mo dao zu shi, hitorijime my hero, silent voice, Number24, Tower of god, sk8, thousand autumns, Legend of exorcism, sasaki to miyano, D. gray man, My happy marriage, Play it cool guys, Hypnosis Mic

And regarding some live action series

The untamed, Sherlock, Kinnporsche and Pitbabe (at this point I feel like you play a drinking game with every pitbabe mention but cheers😂-I fucking love that show)

NO. 4 LISTENING TO MUSIC AND DANCING

They are a package, do not separate.

It is inevitable cause everytime I'm listening to music, I always move one way or another even if I'm sitting down. Dancing in either my room or in the living room when no one is home, making/learning choreos as if I'm a singer/idol.

I was part of dancing teams, the majority being traditional Greek dances at my schools but the last two years I did Latin and tango. I'm sad I had to stop but oh well.

No. 5

I honselty don't know what else to write so I will say Genshin Impact.

That game is freaking incredible.

Mihoyo do something about the storage, I swear, I don't want to lose another laptop.

And that sums 5 things that I love and make me happy😋

#getting to know me

[braxiatel]

Writer’s Round-Up 2022

I made a post following this writer’s meme on New Year’s Eve last year, so I thought I would repeat it for comparison. It isn’t one you need to be tagged in to do, nor do you need to tag others if you do it.

Total Word Count:

I have published a total of 68,570 words! Compared to 2021’s 31,021 that’s 2.2x as much!

New Things This Year:

There’s three main things that come to mind.

I started writing Hermitcraft/Life series fic!

I made some new writing friends I think deserve a shoutout. First @stitchthesewords and @atherix, and more recently @sparksnevadas and @mochiwrites. I love their works and admire each of them for their craft and their style of writing, so making their acquaintance has been lovely.

Finally I have rediscovered the joy in writing. Last year is struggled so much with anxiety about writing and publishing fic, to the point that it was preventing me from writing. I think I am a lot more confident in my own ability now, and more importantly I’ve become more comfortable with my own shortcomings. All writers have room to improve, and the best way to do that is by writing. If it is too frustrating I stop, and if not I write it as well as I can and accept that my writing is best when I am enjoying the process.

Fic I spent the most time on:

Could I Be The Sky for sure. I spent about four months working on it, and I am so proud of how far I came through the process of writing it. As such I think the story gets stronger the further you read, and the third chapter + the epilogue are by far my favourites.

Favourite thing I wrote:

Hmm. See, the thing is, I like a lot of what I wrote.

Other than CIBTS, which means a lot to me for a lot of reasons, I think the answer has to be one of the Equinox AU fics. However, because they are all part of one story I struggle to pick one. Possibly the latest, In the Darkness You Reap, or maybe the one before that Harbour Me, Guide Me Home

I also really enjoyed writing "We Double as a Drama Troupe" not least for the excuse to use a little bit of the 0.5 theatre degree I earned before dropping out of university. I think it’s funny, and that I got the characters pretty spot on.

Favourite thing I read:

Oh there’s so many. Genuinely.

I read less Warcraft fanfiction now than I did last year, but I still just want to give a shoutout to that fandom for the amazingly high level of writing quality. I specifically want to list @khadgarfield’s Convergence. I love the language it uses, especially for descriptions. In fact I think of it often while writing myself.

Another favourite was @milo-hypno’s Aftershocks of Divinity. This fic… wow, this fic. I don’t think I will ever read another romance/slowburn fic and not compare it to this. The way Aftershocks of Divinity treats the subject of love, of recovery, is genuine and poetic enough that it brought my to tears even as I was reading it for the third time - and it is one of those where rereading it adds to the story.

And lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the Midnight series by @atherix. Oh Midnight. I don’t even know where to start listing all the things I love about it. Atherix, friend, you are the master of world building and foreshadowing. Midnight is fun to read because it rewards paying attention to details. Oh, and then there’s the characterisation, of course. It has that perfect mix of accurate to canon and sensible in the context of the AU it is set within. This one is a masterclass in slowburn as well, and were it a little less late I would dig out a screenshot of me messaging the group chat full of people who do not read Hermitcraft fic, letting them know that the OT3 from the fic series I keep talking about finally got together.

Writing goals for next year:

There’s projects I want to start working on and ones I want to keep working on. Equinox and Kingdom of Boatem AU are the main two, but they aren’t necessarily a goal.

I think most of all I just want to keep working towards writing being something that brings me joy and creative satisfaction. I’ve come so far in 2022, I want to keep up that good work.

-

Finally, something I couldn’t fit in anywhere else. I have to give a massive shoutout to @loombarrow for all of your help with writing through the year. Love you, friend!

#writing #there’s so many other writers and fics I wanted to mention #but this post is already long enough 😅 #hermitshipping #long post

[coffeedrgn87]

On Gender And All Things Non-Binary

Note: Indirect mention of gender dysphoria and the struggle of living in a binary world.

During my recent (and still ongoing) recovery from gender-affirming surgery, that’s given me so much joy, and the feeling of wholeness, I’ve lived in this perfect bubble of blissful ignorance. Sorely lacking energy, I spent most of the time at home, making only small trips into the outside world. These were carefully planned trips; a coffee from the coffee place next door, Kombucha from the corner store, a few rolls of toilet paper, a sweet. None of these required much human interaction. So, for the most part my bubble of non-binary bliss stayed intact.

I devoted my recovery time to a carefully curated queer-AF TikTok feed, queer literature, art, queer movies and series, and queer fanfiction. Some five weeks into my recovery, I met a friend here and there for coffee, for brunch, for a chat. But all these friends had something very important in common. They saw me, the real me. They used my pronouns, supported my choice to have gender-affirming surgery, and were genuinely excited about all the progress I made with having my gender marker and legal name changed (by the way, that’s all done! 🥳)

So, over the past month and a half I didn’t have my normal experience. I lived in this utopia-like world where nobody misgendered me, used the wrong pronouns, or had any negative impact on my non-binary experience. Sure, I kept up-to-date on developments within the LGBTQIA+ community, especially surrounding rights, trans rights, and more. And yes, some of my favourite TikTok creators reacted to transphobic/homophobic comments, but they did so calmly and with the intention to educate. But my world still consisted of respect, for my person, for my pronouns, for me. A few weeks have passed since a friend sent me a voice message to tell me about a dream, yet I remember it as vividly as though it happened five minutes ago. Why, you wonder? Because throughout the message my friend used my pronouns, and it gave me so much joy that I’m still riding high now, several weeks later.

However, my recovery is at the stage where I am able to return to work, and this means venturing out of the house for several hours at a time. It means frequent and longer interactions with other humans, more exposure to this blasted world that still insists gender is binary, and thus too many opportunities for all those little moments where I am (unfortunately) reminded that I could have my pronouns along with the sentence: ‘I’m not a woman’ tattooed on my head, and some folx would still get it wrong.

For instance, where I live pet names for strangers are common. This means I regularly get subjected to the following: pet, babes, darling, honey, hun, love etc. While these are all cute in their own right and have a time and a place, they aren’t for strangers. They are for people you are familiar with, people who want you to use these names. I don’t want a cashier to refer to me as ‘love’ or ‘darling’. Especially, because in this world that still stupidly sees gender as a binary thing when it’s nothing more but a social construct, these types of nicknames are usually given to those people this world presumes identify as female. If I go to my local corner store to get a breakfast roll, the person behind the deli counter chooses to direct those words at me. Why? Because my features are more feminine, which I, personally, I am fine with but having a more feminine appearance doesn’t mean I identify as female. The construction worker in the queue behind me, in muddied work clothes and with a masculine appearance doesn’t get any of those nicknames. They don’t even get called ‘handsome’.

And the above is not the only example, it’s just one of many. In my personal experience, it’s generally cis men who are exceptionally thoughtless when it comes to these absolutely stupid and outdated notions that a feminine-presenting individual should be given priority swiping their public transport card, or should enter a building or a room first. And the list goes on and on. Personally, I utterly dislike it when someone opens a door for me. Mind you, if I am carrying a bunch of things, I am all for it, but otherwise, no, thank you.

I know that these gestures don’t generally come from a malicious place. They are reactions that have become innate, that folx perform without thinking too much about what they are doing. Yet, that’s exactly the problem. This outdated and not at all inclusive social construct of gender being binary has let so many people to walk through the world with blinders on. While I’m almost always happy to answer questions and to educate people (often unprompted), living in a world where I have to fight to be seen (not just once but on multiple occasions throughout a single day) is emotionally and mentally draining. It zaps my energy, forcing me to withdraw for longer periods of time just to recharge my batteries. And I shouldn’t have to do that. I shouldn’t have to come home in the evening and require a solid hour of some mindless activity or other before I am able to function on some semi-normal level.

I am lucky. People who know me through my writing and friends I’ve made online and offline respect me and my pronouns. My video blurbs on TikTok don’t get bombarded with hate. I work in a company that tries very hard to respect me and works to better itself, to improve and change. I have some family that accept me for who I am and very dear friends who support me fiercely. I have a therapist I regularly yell at (not literally!), and while I desperately want a cat in my life, I have friends who share their purring fluffballs with me. I have so many things I feared I’d never have, and I am beyond grateful, but those daily reminders that too many people are so very blind when it comes to seeing that gender is most definitely not binary hurt. I still brave this world, day in and day out, but often, it’s with a heavy sigh and with a desperate wish that things were different.

I have most definitely reached the toughest part of my recovery.

#non binary #nonbinary #gender stuff #gender identity #gender is a social construct #gender dysphoria #gender diversity #gender affirming care #gender affirming surgery #recovery #mental health #real life #this world is not binary #gender is not binary #the struggles of not being seen #coffeedragon muses #coffeedragon thoughts #nonfiction

[pebblysand]

Hi there, I’m extremely new to fic writing and I have trouble making the characters thoughts and speech feel natural, everything I write feels very mechanical.

I can’t describe actions in a way which feels realistic. I have no idea how to proceed with my fic right now because I don’t like how I write.

Do you know how to improve my writing?

hi anon! my apologies for the delay here! welcome to fanfiction writing!

your question is very broad. you're not only asking how to improve your dialogue, but also writing character thoughts and actions, which are all very different things. i will try to give you advice that applies to everything.

1. read things out loud

this is particularly applicable if you are writing in your first language, but i find it really helpful to read out sentences when i want to assess whether a line of dialogue sounds natural, or whether a line of narration is readable/sounds the way i want it to. ask yourself: would myself or someone i know say this? am i having trouble articulating certain words when I read this out? maybe then, you should rephrase. i know a lot of people feel self-conscious about reading their own writing out loud (and that sometimes, it's not possible) but i think it can really help get your writing flow better. i read everything i put out at least once before publishing.

2. study people you like and/or get a beta

if there's a writer you really like, either fanfic and original fiction, try and notice the way they do certain things. what kind of dialogue tags do they use? how do they create rhythm in their sentences? how do they do transitions? if there's anything, writing-wise, that is giving me grief, i always find looking at how other people do it.

and, if you want to take things further, you can of course try and get a beta. i personally think that when you're starting out, getting any extra set of eyes on your work can be helpful, even if it's from someone you don't know. that said, as you grow as a writer, you might find it helpful to get beta-ed by someone whose writing you vibe with, as they might be more likely to give you advice you find valuable. getting beta-ed by someone whose writing i truly admired and whose advice i, thus, really valued was essential to me growing as a writer in my late teens.

3. own your "filler" words

in order to improve your flow and sentences, you will find that a lot of writing advice tell you to cut down on "filler" words. these are words like "in fact," "well", "actually", "really", etc. that allegedly damage the rhythm of your sentences and weaken your prose.

i - personally - think this advice is terribly misguided and comes from people who don't understand that these "filler" words actually create rhythm in our sentences, and relay the personality of our narrators (assuming the narration is a restricted POV of some kind). everyone in the world has a favourite "filler" word they use all the time without realising, it's a very human trait, and everyone has a very specific way they formulate thoughts and sentences in their heads that may need all the "actually-s" and the "well-s" and the "really-s". i think you should definitely use "filler" words, especially if you're trying to give your narration personality, and want to make your writing less "mechanical". filler words, pauses, and hesitations make your narrator feel like a person, rather than a robot telling a story. chat gpt never uses filler words, and you can tell, you know? that's why the prose it writes is so dry.

that said, it doesn't mean that you should litter your work with filler words and never edit anything out. that's dumb and will make your reader roll their eyes. it means that you should use them intentionally. know what they are, where they are, and why they are there. what is your "really" or your "actually" accomplishing, there?

for example: if your narrator is a valley girl in the 00s, have her use all the "like"s she wants in narration, that's fantastic! if your narrator is a pompous lawyer? have him "thus" and "notwithstanding the fact" all the time. and, you can not only use filler words to add grit and personality to your narrator, but also a rhythm to your sentences. because, often, people will read over "filler" words without realising, but their brain will still pause to skim over them, in a way that almost mimics a comma or a pause to think. use that to your advantage.

4. cut (cut, cut, cut)

now, this is particularly true when it comes to dialogue (at least for me), but i find that i often tend to write dialogue that is too verbose. in my first drafts, my characters always explain things in long sentences where it takes them two paragraphs to get to the point, etc. this is a) boring for the reader and b) actually makes your dialogue more stilted and unnatural because most people don't actually usually speak in paragraphs. that's not how human conversation happens.

so, remember to cut. chances are, if you're like me, about 70% of the dialogue you write on first draft can be cut out without it changing the meaning of the scene. also, let your characters say the wrong thing. be imperfect, or unclear. that's how human conversation really occurs and that's how you make your characters sound less like robots who just need to say Everything All Of The Time.

5. tell it like it is

finally, with regard to you not being able to "describe actions in a way that feels realistic", remember that honesty is always the best policy. by which i mean, realism is mostly rooted in just letting things stand and exist the way they are. if your character is getting themselves a glass of water, just say "they got themselves a glass of water." write the way you would say it, and as simply as you would say it, if you were telling this story to a friend. you do not need to tell your reader that the "sun glittered in the flow of liquid as Amanda pulled the shiny piece of metal above the sink and a fountain erupted..." -that's the kind of trying-too-hard sentence that makes me say "fuck off!" and close the tab. if you want your actions to feel realistic, make them sound realistic by narrating as close as you can to the way your character would actually talk.

-

i hope this helps, anon, and sorry again for the delay in answering. let me know if you have any questions :)

#asked and answered #writing #writing advice

[electricea-archive]

@knightshonour​ sent -

Favourite thing about roleplaying?

Least favourite thing about roleplaying?

( RP Questions for the Mun - Accepting! )

1. Favourite thing about roleplaying?

The whole collaborative process in general - what’s always drawn me to writing is not wanting to be an author or a writer personally, but the idea of getting to share ideas and craft a unique world with another person who felt as passionately about it as I did.  Back when I was a kid, before I even knew what roleplaying was, I’d have these little back and forth MSN stories with people - like I’d write something, they’d add onto it.  I found that so much more interesting than just the chatting and social media element to MSN and to this day, I still feel excited at the thought.

The reason I eventually found Tumblr was because I thought that Tumblr was a platform for a lot of different writers from many different fandoms who were able to come together and write together - whether that was collaborating on stories or fanfiction or RP, the environment on here has always felt very collaborative to me and I’ve always felt that Tumblr is full of passionate, amazing writers and it’s been so so fun to meet and to write with so many of them.

2. Least favourite thing about roleplaying?

I’d probably say just how fickle it is - like for example, it can be difficult to get into a good groove of things if you have a consistently busy schedule, like maybe shifts at a job or school to deal with - likewise, it can also be hard when you have partners who are in the midst of a busy period of their lives.  I don’t blame them in the least of course - people have school, people have work, life just happens - that’s part of adulting, but it can be a little sad when you’re all excited about a ship or a plot and the other person isn’t around quite so much to share your excitement with.

There’s also writers block and just the loss of interest - I know for me personally, all of the muses who I stopped writing for in the past, I did mainly for one reason - I’d lost passion for them and their fandom.  That doesn’t make them any less special to me and those blogs and interactions will always be very special to me but I find that trying to force yourself to write when the passion or drive just isn’t there anymore is a futile gesture.  So many times I’ve felt like - and I know others do too - that they need to catch up on all of their replies, on their drafts - it starts feeling more like an obligation or a job than something you enjoy.  I’ve had moments of crushing guilt when I realize just how behind I am or how many times I promised to plot with someone before life got in the way - it’s a difficult thing and it’s not because my mutuals are people who would blame me or make me feel guilty, it’s just an internal problem and one that I think a lot of people struggle with too.  Best thing you can do is to just try not to blame yourself and don’t force yourself.  If you have writers block, don’t be ashamed to maybe take a week off or explore another muse - hell, take a hiatus from Tumblr if you really feel it’ll help you.

#knightshonour #( ooc. )

[mayo-in-the-morning]

What's up Mayo fans? It is officially time for episode 2 - A Beautiful Mess!

Can you believe it has been almost two months since we released episode 1?

The reception for our maiden voyage was so warm and wonderful and we loved hearing from all of you, so thank you for listening, we appreciate you all so much, and we hope that this second outing will prove just as entertaining.

We are joined this time by the delightful and multi-talented @gallawitchxx and what a treat it was to get to talk to her about her life in the fandom and all things a/b/o.

If you have anything to say or you want to get in touch, our Askbox is always open, do drop us a line! Feedback, thoughts, questions for the next episode, we love it all.

Next time we will be welcoming special guest @metalheadmickey into the mayo jar to talk about being CEO of sub!mickey and other smutty concerns, so we hope you will join us again soon!

Notes and warnings for episode 2 under the cut

Episode Warnings:

Explicit discussions of sexual content

Discussions of all aspects omegaverse fanfiction including mpreg

Reminder that alpha/beta/omega dynamics when shortened should be written including the / as without the / it is a real word that is used as a slur for aboriginal people in Australia.

Hosts:

Leigh / she/her / @thisdivorce/ vitalspark

Howl / she/her / @howlinchickhowl / howlinchickhowl

With Special Guest:

Bee / she/her / @gallawitchxx / gallawitch

Mayo In The Morning

Fandom History:

The Omegaverse fanlore page, the history section is a particularly wild ride, read with caution.

mpreg fanlore page

An explanation of why the wolf study discussed is defunct by the man who conducted it

Also, we didn't touch on it in the episode but there has been a very intense legal battle in straight published fiction over ownership of the omegaverse, and if you want to know more about that this video is a really good place to start. It's not short, but it is bonkers. Thank you to @messedwithmandy for first sharing it with me.

Also mentioned:

@gallacrafts

Kinktober hosted by @gallavichthings

@ianandmickeygallavich the queen of incredible prompts and co-creator of @gallavichprompts

@galladrabbles

Fanfictions mentioned:

show me how you do it / where I end and you begin / M8te (now with additional chapters!) all by @gallawitchxx

Roleplaying by @ianandmickeygallavich

Our favourite Omegaverse fics:

Bee

You Can’t Always Get What You Want by @chat-noir12 / drip, drip (so slick) and Half of a King both by @breedxblemickey / Hiding in Plain Sight by tehrbear

Leigh

Alpha (alpha) series @traenawrites / Beneath the Surface by @sunoficarus / My World Has Teeth by @notherenewjersey

Howl

No one wanted this (nor was it asked for) by Personalized_Radio

Fic Recs:

Bee

Ball Kings - youllneverrecme

Leigh

Can I? / The Sun Himself / You will always fall in love, and it will always be like having your throat cut, just that fast all by Anythingbutgrief

Howl

The Casanova Catering Conflict by horror_business

#mayo in the morning #gallavich fic #ian x mickey #gallavich #ian gallagher #mickey milkovich #gallavich fanfic #mitm episodes #gallavich fandom #it's not NOT kinktober...

[sam-the-friendly-ghost]

Sam's Chats with the Void: What do I like in stories. (Mostly I talk about angsty stories I like, and Don't Like)

Since I want to create better stories I'm analyzing stories to learn. First I really need to take a better look at what I enjoy, and my biases when it comes to stories I like.

I have a few kinds stories I like depending on my mood. Angst, World, and Fun.

Fun stories are like the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show, or One Piece. They are often more episodic in format, but not always, and also for some reason are really easy to make angsty in fanfiction. These are the things i read, and or watch when I am mentally hyper active, or feeling really crappy. If I'm sick I will start watching My Little Pony cause I know it's going to have a happy ending. That's basically the one criteria I have for this type of show, always happy by the end.

World stories are the ones I read/watch because they get my creative juices flowing. I watched the first few season of voltron so many times because it got me thinking about sci fi world building. More often than not these stories tend to be specific episodes, or chapters instead of the entire story. I read the first few chapters of Wings of Fire, Moon Rising for this reason. They are often not intended to be world building episodes, but if it gets my creative juices flowing I put it into this category.

The last category is my favourite for anytime, but also where I'm the pickiest. Angst is fun for me to read/watch because I have childhood trauma, and I like hurting myself for some reason. I think it's because I don't feel so alone, (and it usually has hurt/comfort vibes in it). This category has two sub categories in it, general angst, and mental angst.

For general angst look at the 2003 TMNT because while they hardly adress the long term mental ramifications the episodes that get angsty are very good. Same with avatar the last airbender. They have shorter story's that don't go very deep into the angst but can fill someone up. I would add in disability examples but most of those fall into the same trap as mental illness angst, sooooo... My clear line here is that they never intend to address long term mental ramifications, they don't want to, and they dont pretend they do either. If they try to address mental angst it falls into that category, if they just want the audience to move on but give a taste of mental health ramifications the character usually has injuries they heal from too. This method can become very ableist very easily though so tread carefully. (The more time you put into a character having mental health problems the more time you should spend having them heal from those problems. Looking at you 2012 TMNT)

If it is mental angst I am SO PICKY because this is the stuff I deal with everyday. I know what panic attacks are like, I know what having deppression is like, and I know what having trauma is like. I only enjoy mental angst when it comes from trauma, and/or being different, and it HAS to be addressed. This is where fanfiction feeds my craving for this kind of angst because there are very few stories that do both these things. If the mental angst comes from trauma, or being different it's usually not addressed (or meant for people without mental illness so they can feel good). If it is addressed it's usually 'fixed' becuase it isnt cemented in the character, and while you can see that the character has mental trauma it's only when the story finds it convenient before it dissapears. The sticking with it is what I mean when I say address the mental illness. Example: Shiro in Voltron is shown to have PTSD like 2-3 times in the entire show, and usually his flashbacks give him vital information. While it isnt a bad portrayel it makes his PTSD almost seem helpful which is kinda infuriating. If you want a good example wtach violet evergarden, or read some fanfiction because writing without a corporate overlord means you can write mental illness accuratly. Note: It doesnt need to be 100% accurate, just please dont cure it with a hug.

Know what do I not like?

Easy, romance, ableism, and stories about an audience for a different audience. Romance because I don't get it, I try my best to understand though when it shows up. Ableist stories because they suck, plain and simple. And stories about an audience meant for a different audience because it is so often a bad representation of that audience.

For those of you who are "normal", it's kind of like having someone say you must like going to the gym since you are a cis heterosexual white male. You might like going to the gym, but it isn't because you are a cis heterosexual white male, it's because you like being healthy, fit, or you like the community, or you simply like it. That's how we feel whenever we see these stories, yes some people who have ADHD are physically hyper active, some aren't. Yes some people with depression cry, some of us don't because we feel numb, and yes we can feel happy, but it doesn't mean we aren't depressed. Yes some people have a hard time masking their mental illness, but most of us are pretty good at it after a lifetime's worth of practice.

To sum up my thoughts on angst, the more effort you put into showing a character is hurt, the more time should be put into letting them heal. If you put half a season into showing someone is hurt, but fix it with 1 episode it comes off at best like a waste of time, and more commonly at worst ableist.

Anyways this went way off my original topic, but that's okay. See ya next time.

#sam the friendly ghost #Sam's Chats with the Void #story telling #angst

[assortedseaglass]

O, P, T for the fanfic ask game? :) loved the newest TSATS chapter btw!!

Hello hello! Thanks for the kind words, I'm hoping I can keep everyone entertained!

O: How do you begin a story—with the plot, or the characters?

Every single one of my stories begins with characters. And I don't think 'oh, I want to write a Tom Bennett story' or whatever, but the characters just wander into my head, usually fully formed and they find their way into a world that suits them best. My writing outside of fanfic is also character driven.

I find exploring people's inner thoughts and their relationships to those around them fascinating. It's fairly obvious that all my stories are quiet plot light, and thank God for the two I have down, the bulk of the plot has been written by the original writers! All my favourite films are either ones that have a massive cast of ensemble characters, or just a few who we really get to spend time with.

P: Are you what George R. R. Martin would call an "architect" or a "gardener"? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

I'm definitely a gardener hehe. That's not to say that I don't make a plan, but it is always very loose. There are a couple of points that I want to hit, but otherwise I just see where it takes me. That's one plus of not writing anything too plot heavy! If I get stuck anywhere, it's with dialogue, which I love writing. I want it to feel true to the characters.

T: Any fandom tropes you can't stand?

I don't know whether to take this as fandom or fanfic, so I'll do both. In terms of fandom, I utterly hate the gatekeeping of certain opinions about characters or even celebrities. As though there is no room for interpretation - that should be the joy of fandom and fanfiction. I also find the projection of ideas and beliefs onto people that we do not know extremely uncomfortable, something that unfortunately there seems to be a fair amount of amongst Ewan Mitchell/HOTD fans.

That said, I BLOODY LOVE THE COMMUNITY of fandom and fanfiction. Getting to chat to so many people, and it be 100% positive, can only be a wonderful gift for all involved. Fanfiction is a great way for people to express creativity in ways that feel easy and accessibly.

In terms of tropes...I'm not a huge fan of incredibly dark sexual stuff. That makes me uncomfortable to read, but I don't in anyway begrudge those who write or read it! It's just not for me! Also, the classic Mary Sue is a bit grating. I obviously love my OCs, but I want them to feel real, and I hope they come across that way.

I hope those answer things for you?

#answered

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

Life is beautiful and life is cruel. This is a window into the souls of the victorious and the vanquished. In a way, football did come home during the summer of 2021. Follow along Amelia’s journey, navigating the football world as a tactical analyst for the Italian football team, with a brother and father part of the three lions. Will Amelia leave Italy and come back to England? Will she leave the Serie A for the Prem? Will she set aside the bianconeri stripes for new colours, leaving behind friendship for love? Maybe she can have both...

hey girlypops! here is part 5!!! thanks for the feedback on the last part - i've gone back through and edited slight bits to make it more straightforward who her brother is and who it isn't. Nothing has been changed to the story line so no need to go back and re-read (unless you want to lol love yas). Part 5 is a whole lot of fun! As the warning suggests, you can expect a few too many drinks, some heavy flirty & a very smug italian.

Love always, Steph xx

Part 5. | parte quinta

warnings; a few too many drinks, heavy flirting and a smug italian.

word count; 1704

writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter.

next update; Wed 04/08 5pm AEST. Updates are three times/week (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)!

Tags (as requested by users); @footballffbarbiex @obsesseds-world @abysshaven

link to fic masterlist here

Day rolls into night, which rolls into the next day and before she knew it Amelia had been under the Mykonos sun for 5 days. Her brother and his teammates, who she should now probably refer to as her friends as well, did nothing but welcome her into their group with open arms and tried to include her in every activity they were doing. Most times she declined their invitation, opting to just relax on her own. She was very comfortable with her own company, she never felt like she needed another person to be able to exist. It was something she was proud of.

No doubt there were times she often missed companionship. She had her fair share of flings that gave her what kind of satisfaction she needed at the time, but she never felt like she needed someone else’s air to be able to breathe. This Mykonos trip, however, reminded her of how much she was beginning to miss her players. They had a group chat, La Cosa Nostra, which was probably a pretty poor group chat name but she was inducted into the already established group when she became close with some of the players & besides it was just Our Thing.

She missed the gentle bullying that she received on the daily from the serie a superstars, and also missed dishing it out to them so that they could keep their feet on the ground and their heads out of the clouds. Laying on her bed in a towel, after a nice shower, she contemplated taking up her brother’s offer from earlier in the evening. Does she go out and meet him and their mates at the club? Why not?

Getting up off her bed, she put on some makeup for the first time in a few days, making her feel somewhat human again, blow dried her freshly washed hair and put on her favourite Camilla bikini, covered up by a white slightly-sheer and flowy mini dress. Putting on her white sneakers and grabbing her cross body bag, comfort was the theme of tonight, and also because she wasn't in the mood to break her ankle on the grecian cobblestones.

Walking to the club that her brother had messaged her the name of, she noticed a ridiculously long line to get in which was honestly long enough for her to consider just going home, but she had committed to the plans & her brother was already expecting her - plus she had already put on her mascara and she was not wasting it. Approaching the line she went to join the back when her arm caught that of someone else walking past her.

_____________________________________________________________

“Sembra che tu non riesca a starmi lontano, vero?” (you can't seem to stay away from me, can you?) Looking up, I had linked arms with my midfield maestro, Jorginho. Who was smiling down at me with the cheeky grin that told me he saw me coming and couldn't help himself.

“Ciao! Come sei stato? Che sorpresa incontrati qui!” (Hi! How have you been? What a surprise running into you here!) I begin to say to him as I kiss both his cheeks in greeting.

“I’ve been good, enjoying time off as a double champion” He joked with me. He was right, he was a double champion and no one could take that away from him.

“Bella Amelia, this is Thiago. I play with him at Chelsea, which I'm sure you already knew. Thiago, this is the brains behind the organisation, Amelia” Jorginho introduced me to his Chelsea counterpart, which he was correct about - i did already know exactly who he was.

“Are you guys coming into Tropicana? I’m meeting up with my brother and his mates - some of them play with you guys at Chelsea. You should join us!” It took very little convincing for the two footballers, who looked like they were a couple hours into their long night, to join me in the club.

Unsurprisingly, we got let into Tropicana quite quickly. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the two mega famous and ridiculously good looking footballers I had looped around each of my arms. Walking through the club, the smell of cigarette smoke and vodka wafting around me, I managed to find the british players.

“Now now boys, no bad blood here! I know you all managed to get over my Italian affiliation so don’t hold it against my boy Jorgi here!” I address the group jokingly, as I wrap my right arm around his neck and he wraps his left around my waist.

Of course the Chelsea boys welcome him with open arms, they’ve known both Thiago and Jorgi longer than they’ve known me. The other boys offer their hellos before continuing to dance and drink with their mates. I say hi to everyone, give a big hug to my brother and Kyle (my chosen brother) before I'm wrapped into another hug I wasn't expecting.

“I’ve got to admit, you give a good hug” I say as I whisper into his ear.

“You’re a pretty easy person to hug, Mils”

“Always a smooth talker you are, Jack”

We parted and I grabbed myself a drink before spending the night dancing on top of the table with the girlfriends of the boys that I had only just been introduced to. Bonding over the fact that I was desperate for some female companionship, and also that I was the only single girl in the group, leading to the conclusion that they needed to be my wingwoman...all of them.

The night thereafter was spent finding suitable prospects for my whirlwind night of fun and romance, which I insisted wasn't necessary but also couldn't help but admit that it excited me just a little. It had been a while since I was close with a guy in that sense, and to be honest, the tequila shots that the girls had me doing was loosening me up in more ways than one.

Feeling the need for a break and some fresh air, I grabbed my purse and walked outside to sit along the retaining wall. We had reached that part of the evening where there was no chance I wasn't going to be allowed back into the club - the bouncers and security guards becoming more relaxed and carefree as it neared the time that the sun would reappear. Without thinking twice, I asked for a cigarette from some guys standing outside and a quick light, before returning to my little spot on the wall.

“They’re right bad for you, ya know” A voice to my right startled me.

“Jesus! You need to stop scaring me like that!” I shrieked.

“Nah not Jesus, just Chilly. However the beard has me thinking I do look a little bit God-like these days..no?” He says as he runs his fingers through the barely-there beard. Sure I could agree with stubble, maybe even a little bit more than stubble, but a beard? Not yet. However, I wasn't about to dim his sparkle.

“I like the beard, Chilly.” I confirmed.

“I like you, Mils” Wow ok. Straight to the point then.

“Well thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.” I tried to play it off, it was obvious we had both consumed far too much alcohol this evening and the cigarette was currently working wonders in its purpose of sobering me up.

“Ya know, the girls were out there tonight looking for your Greek Adonis to come and sweep you off your feet. They were looking a bit too hard though, if you know what i mean” he sweet talks me, and its working.

“Wow Ben, you’re really out here laying it on thick tonight - factor 50 i would say. I’m sure you’re just looking through rose coloured glasses right now” I joked back with him. I can’t say I didn't notice all of his longing looks, extra attention to me, constant protection when we would be out in public, but I knew at the end of the week that I would be going back to Turin, so there wasn’t any point.

Finishing up our little chat (read: heavy flirting session), we headed back inside together to join the group. Before long, Jorgi comes up to me with a drink and a smug smile on his face.

“Che cosa?” (what?) I questioned him in Italian, trying to limit as many people understanding our conversation as possible.

“Cosa succede a mykonos, rimane a mykonos, no?” (what happens in mykonos, stays in mykonos, no?) He says as he leans into my ear. To anyone else it would just look like two friends trying to have a conversation in a loud club, but I understood his message loud and clear.

“non sto facendo niente di male, né l'ho mai fatto. non voleva etichette, quindi è quello che ha ottenuto” (i'm not doing anything wrong, nor have i ever. he wanted no labels so that’s what he got.) I say back firmly. Jorgi let go of my shoulders and moved to stand in front of me.

“It’s ok tesoro (darling), I’m sure Federico would agree with you” He said back to me in English, it was obvious that he wanted someone around to understand the premise of our conversation. He smiled cheekily at me, before taking a swig of his drink and dancing backwards into the crowd as I shook my head at him.

Jorgi and I developed the kind of friendship that would last through time. We were equals. We listened to each other's problems, offered the advice that we needed to hear & not necessarily wanted to hear. We promoted each other's happiness and tried to get each other to not take life too seriously. This was his way of bringing me back down to earth, reminding me of what I have waiting for me back in Turin, but also making sure I knew what was right in front of me. He left the decision up to me to make, but he played his part to make sure I knew all of my options. He really was a good friend, which would make my next career decision a little bit more challenging than anticipated.

Part 6. | parte sesta

#football imagine #football fic #jadon sancho #ben chilwell #mason mount #declan rice #kalvin phillips #ben white #jack grealish #connor coady #kyle walker #jordan henderson #ben chilwell imagine #jack grealish imagine #mason mount imagine #football one shot #tyrone mings imagine #x reader #a family affair fic #steph writes #stephspurs #italian national team #jorginho #federico bernardeshci #federico chiesa #jorginho imagine #bernardeschi imagine #chiesa imagine #juventus fic #juventus imagine