#sumomomochi

[aeor-is-for-reccing]

Check below the cut for 12 great long fics! And also! Don't forget to leave comments and kudos if you liked the fics!

The Fullness of Time by Cers (162788,Teen) Warnings: Canon Typical Violence and some dark themes around fatalism and death

The battle with Lucien is going badly, and Essek accidentally takes him and Caleb back in time several years in an attempt to escape. Now they have to find a way to get back so they can save their friends and stop Lucien

Reccer says: This fic has everything! It's got angst and pining and a heist and some twists. Just amazing!

Gravity, and all that's born within by SkyScribbles (132455,Teen) Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, none

On the Aeor trip from the epilogue, Caleb and Essek grow closer and discover a threat lurking within the ruins.

Reccer says: (wip) This fic gripped me from its first understated, sensitive, *real* portrait of the moment Essek learns that his time as Shadowhand is up. Aeor is a strange and imaginative place. And the Dynasty characters who are important in Essek's life, ones we only got a peek at or never saw at all, are fully realized and compelling in their own right as well as illuminating so much of who Essek is as a person.

The Upward Arc of Sun and Moon by marsastronomica (marswithghosts) (255854,Explicit) Warnings: None

Shadowhand Essek Thelyss takes a guest lecturing position at the Soltryce Academy, not knowing that the man he had a misunderstanding with three years ago is the Archmage of Civil Influence, Caleb Widogast.

Reccer says: There's mystery, a lot of coziness, courtly love, a little bit of enemies to lovers, and a really adorable familiar

heir to the devil's fortune by essektheylyss (midnightindigo) (348340,Mature) Warnings: None

Essek uses the Transmogrification spell to disappear, and finds a tentative home in hiding as the long lost son of the Ruby of the Sea.

Reccer says: This is an incredible fic full of intrigue, detailed character moments, slow burn build, and a mystery that has you guessing right up to how it's solved. It's long, but it's worth the commitment!

the breath before the phrase by KmacKatie (kmackatie) (171513,Explicit) Warnings: None

Caleb and Essek are professional violinists who get off on the wrong foot before finding common ground between them.

Reccer says: Another highly-specific au by an author that clearly knows the subject matter and material! It's an orchestra au, but it's full of rich character moments, detail and believable world-building, and both Caleb and Essek discovering what brings them joy.

coping skills by sumomomochi (133680,Explicit) Warnings: Needle play

WIP — BDSM au with disabled, high-social-anxiety Essek trying to navigate his very sudden and very strong feelings for Caleb, a new Dom in the Rosohna scene.

Reccer says: Beautifully written and incredibly soft while still being full of anxiety and messiness. Caregiver kink, chronic pain/disability representation, somehow both slowburn and not? Demonstrates both healthy and unhealthy behaviors and boundary setting in BDSM in a way that is realistic but doesn't take you out of the fic. And Essek's self-sabotage is... painfully real, so getting to read Caleb helping him work through that is an absolute gift.

Whistle Song by Chekhov (115412,Mature) Warnings: None

Caleb and Essek have settled down and then two pre-teen would-be assassins crash into the middle of the Soltryce Academy demanding Essek be surrendered.

Reccer says: Chekhov writes comedy in a delightful way, and this fic is full of it. There's emotional moments of both Essek and Caleb grappling with parts of the past not yet seen, characters full of life, and some twists that keep coming.

destructive interference by atlasarcana (141219,Mature) Warnings: Graphic violence, hallucinations, scene of accidental harm to a child

Essek and the Nein succeed in defeating the Somnovem, but their return to the Material Plane is a backwards trip out of Aeor. He is haunted by his memories, his guilt, the monsters around every corner, the threat of Trent Ikithon — and a shadow in his periphery that looks remarkably like himself.

Reccer says: Terror! Romance! Childhood trauma! The mortifying ordeal of being known! Essek reconciles with his perception of himself and the pieces of his past he is too ashamed to even think of, he has to do so *in front of Caleb,* and it is PAINFUL and magnificent. This fic is terrifying, brilliant, and occasionally adorable, and the ending is chefs-kiss-perfect.

the golden thread around your neck whispered visions of my undoing by MarsBar2019 (105565,Explicit) Warnings: None

A modern with magic AU where Essek is a CEO and Caleb is his assistant

Reccer says: It has incredible slow burn tension with some interesting world building

And Two recs each for:

Hard Mouth by road_rhythm (216257,Explicit) Warnings: CNTW - this is a heavy fic which touches on themes of SA, rape, and suicide.

There's something in Caleb's dreams. It wants him to know that he's not alone. It wants him to know that he'll never be alone again. Elves don't dream, so all Essek can do is watch.

Reccer 1 says: A canon-divergent fic at 2x138 with an alternate ending for C2 that is utterly gripping and believable. You thought you hated Ikithon? You're gonna hate him more at the end. Very real and high stakes with great character moments, this fic is an intense ride but worth it. Reccer 2 says: When I read a longfic. I want the slowburn to be s l o w. This delivers so well that it actually manages to deliver on it twice (for Shadowgast both times), and meanwhile the plot is gripping and all of TM9 get their chance to shine, especially Jester and Beau.

The worlds between us by Nellaplanet (159392,Mature) Warnings: Graphic discriptions of violence, the typical Caleb and Yasha stuff. Mind manipulation/control, torture, non-consensual body modification

Caleb and Beau have to rapidly reexamine their worldview upon discovering that magic is not only real, but exists in a world all of its own (and that the people wielding it are unfairly attractive and very, very dangerous).

Reccer 1 says: It's a wonderful ensemble fic, with a compelling story and one of my favorite Verins. Reccer 2 says: It focuses on both Beauyasha and Shadowgast, but it has some delicious enemies to friends and difficult relationship shadowgast parts, and a satisfying ending

And three for

I’ve been lost before (and I’m lost again, I guess) by toneofjoy (165080,Explicit) Warnings: Panic Attacks and discussions of disordered eating

Caleb is a competitive rock climber. Essek is his coach

Reccer 1 says: There's such good yearning in this fic, and I love highly specific AUs - this fic legitimately got me interested in climbing Reccer 2 says: The slow burn is very well done, and the ace representation is immaculate Reccer 3 says: Incredible world building from an author that loves climbing, it fits so well with the personalities of the Nein. There's emotional beats with some wonderful discussions of sexuality, a slow build that feels earned, and a richness that shines through.

Aeor is for Lovers is an 18+ Shadowgast Discord server. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. All fics, unless otherwise specified, will primarily feature Shadowgast. And hey! Don't forget to leave comments and kudos for the lovely authors!

Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week’s theme is our recurring theme: Caleb and Essek's Cats!

#critical role fan fiction #fan fiction rec list #aeor is for lovers #shadowgast #cr fic recs #long fic #fics over 100000 words

[noxarcanaart]

this was an absolute delight to work on—a commission for a scene from reaching the starlight by sumomomochi and cherrymilkshake on ao3 🧡 (which i recommend checking out if ur an adult)

#critical role #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #shadowgast #critrole #critical role fanart #critical role art #cherrymilkshake #sumomomochi

[unapologeticallydorky]

I’ve been getting so many nice comments about my fic, it still blows my mind that people other than my friends enjoy my writing??? And even then, my friends are so kind about giving me specific things they like about it. 

every time someone says anything nice about it im just

#thank u all for ur support #i wish id started writing sooner because this is the exact kind of validation ive always wanted #theunearthlyfool #sumomomochi #keycchan #flannelshirtandjeans #thank u so much #writing #fic

[heyktula]

@sumomomochi replied to your post “For 105... just... more dollars to doughnuts... please....”

i never read fics as theyre updating this is tORTUROUS

.... “oops”

(I don’t even feel a little bit bad about this tbh.)

#sumomomochi #fic: dollars to donuts #ktula writes

[kdazrael]

sumomomochi replied to your photo: So yesterday I woke up to a SIX PARAGRAPH...

this is incredible. i HAVE to go watch this anime now so i have context for this fic because u bet ur ass im gonna be one of the first to read it

Woo! I’m glad to have lured you in to tamb. It’s actually a very sweet and emotional anime which I have horribly corrupted with my lust for monster dong. 

#sumomomochi

[starcrossed-sky]

for the fanfic asks : 1, 5, 14,

1. If you’re an author, how many WIPs do you currently have? (Be honest!)

Counting only the ones I actually intend to work on in anything like the near future... Four? Riposte, an FFXV fic outline, a Homestuck AU Fray/Sid, and a fanfic-of-a-fanfic Daemorphing bit.

5. What’s a crackship you love?

[SLAMS HANDS ON TABLE] give me every Asch rarepair

(this includes the ridiculous crossover ones. @seer0ftime‘s Ardyn gives my Asch the most ridiculously dokis. It’s terrible. I hate RP.)

14. (For authors) Post a line of dialogue from one of your WIPs without context.

[drags open Riposte document]

"It's not my fault you're weak," he sneers back at you.

"And it's not my fault you can't use the Seventh Fonon," you say, quite reasonably.

#meme #nai writes #bladework au #sumomomochi

[cherrymilkshake]

for the character writing meme, tell me about ur trans princess, the one you had me draw. also tell me about your horned dragon age character whos name i also dont remember

Oh man, Wynn! I love her. When I was writing her, I had these things in mind.

Impulsive Wynn is incredibly optimistic and someone who absolutely barrels through situations without much thinking. She’s blessed at birth to be well-spoken, so she doesn’t suffer much consequence from charging forward without a lot of contemplation. 

Brave Wynn is absolutely a Gryffindor. She wants to be a hero, and the thought of being a real one is incredibly exciting to her. But of course, part of being a hero is making decisions that may make her own life worse.

Petty She’s the type to hold a grudge and needle someone about it. She can temper this urge with more reasonable thoughts, but petty revenge fantasies are definitely an indulgence. 

And you must mean Bern. Some main concepts with him are:

Kind Above all, he is a genuinely kind person. He wants to prevent pain, in any capacity, from affecting innocent people. Even if that means lying to them. He is definitely a white lie teller. 

Stubborn Once his mind is set, he’s very hard to sway. If you can appeal to his kindness, that’s your best bet. Otherwise, you better be prepared with a well-written essay with sources he trusts, because he’s probably not moving.

Emotional He was raised by two very reserved people, so he often doesn’t know how to express what he’s feeling, but he does feel very deeply. He’s quick to empathize with and help others, and lets his emotions carry him a long way before someone wielding Reason has to smack him back from an extreme. 

#writing #bern adaar #cherry writes stuff #and gets paid for it #sumomomochi #reply post

[gothiccharmschool]

auntie jillie! im doing a fem beetlejuice cosplay and all i have left to get is a wig, but i have no idea what sort of style i should go for. the obvious choice is big teased hair but that doesn't look very good on me :T do you have any suggestions?

I’ve seen some wonderful fem Beetlejuice cosplay done with very glamorous hairstyles, such as long waves or sharply bobs. 

#beetlejuice #cosplay #sumomomochi

[eldritchmochi]

okay so, to have a place for consolidated information for the next little bit, since i'm sure folks have QUESTIONS given my incredibly aggressive gallows humour

MOCHI, WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THAT?? (guts edition)

if you got here via a link, follow this link instead for the latest update here's updates 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 !

tldr ive been getting a number of recurrent small bowel obstructions located in my duodenum (first part of the small intestine, connecting the stomach to the rest of the bowel) due to external pressure on the duodenum around the 3rd to 4th (of 4) section. what's causing the pressure?? no clue actually ive done a bazillion scans and none of them have been quite clear enough for a real confident dx so i get to have surgery about it at some point in the near future

current theory is the pressure is from some sort of non-cancerous tumor mass and the plan is to cut me open nice and big, look about, and remove both this mass and the affected section of the duodenum (.5 of an organ) at a minimum, but may involve fully bipassing the duodenum when my guts get hooked back up to my stomach which could (would???) also require removing my gallbladder (1 and 2 organs respectively) (i'm having so much yanked out of my abdomen this summer jfc)

atm i'm still waiting for scheduling to give me a call to set things up. surgeon's estimate was 4-5 weeks from now (8/17 when he called). from that point i'll spend a week-ish in the hospital to make sure all hoses are firmly affixed, and then i'll have a month at a minimum before i'm reasonably healed and can go back to normal life

i have good insurance and the luck (????) of being incredibly ill at the best of times, so i've already hit my out of pocket max and thus this WHOLE THING even back dating to my first er visit end of june will cost a whopping 189$ that i've already paid. i also should qualify for my states paid medical leave and my wife will get a hefty chunk of change for living expenses via student loans. however, both those things won't hit until late september at the earliest

long term, im not expecting much of a financial burden, but short term we could use a hand with groceries and similar while we wait for my backpay and my wife's student loans

for venmo and paypal: i am @/sumomomochi for both and either is fine, though pp is labeled as a business account so pls mark f&f if you can

i also have this amazon wishlist ( https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/N1NSTH3JPCX2?ref_=wl_share ) that is like 90% meal replacement shakes and bulk shelf stable snacks, but also has a couple of other useful things like bathing wipes since i am unlikely to be able to shower well post surgery, pj pants for when it cools down (i went up a size with t because my ass and thighs got just so beefy and thus have one pair that fits rn lmao), and cat food for the penni (gotta keep my nurse well paid)

uuuh what else

like i said, i'm incredibly ill at the best of times so i am a champ at weathering this sort of stuff its nbd. "i'm sorry"s are not helpful, i'd much rather have people ask direct specific questions, either about my health status or things i'm doing to keep busy (ie "any new and fun things causing tummy issues?" or "hows your battle vest coming?" or "whats your fav line youve written this week?"). engagement and entertainment is Important to keep me from climbing the walls but i swear i will bite at straight sympathy

things ive been doing to keep me out of the er include: laying on my left side or stomach (The Digestion Position; helps get food past the squished part); eating a semi-liquid diet (hence ensure, jello, pudding, the like, though its important that i also eat solid food as much as is tolerated, which is such a delicate balance. this is why i cannot currently work); going on stupid little walks for my stupid digestive health (honestly the most important thing i can do, which im mad about, because it requires pants, but not only encourages guts to digest but also will help me not decondition, which i have already done a lot of :I)

things YOU can do to help (because i know *i* am a helper but also what is actually helpful??): financially with the above deets (no pressure); asks, comments, and other conversational interactions (i am absolutely chill with basically any kind of question and i dont mind dms if youd prefer privacy, just dont pedestal me i promise i am just A Dude); fanart for my fics (i do not care if you "cant draw" i will still love it); prompts for fandom but not necessarily fic projects (wardrobe moodboards/meta for characters, playlists/songs, smut writing how to questions, cosplay progress/plans qs, those "what was x's pov in this scene/what specifically happened between x and y in this fic?" qs andor other ask meme things idk dude i haven't been able to do shit for almost three months im booooored)

in conclusion

nurse penni says do not worry about herb patient, he is in good hands, just be sure to offer regular enrichment

#mochi rambles #mochi's medical mischief #pennicore

[aeor-is-for-reccing]

Xenobiology: A Rec List

This week, we feature eleven fics with inhuman sexual characteristics - whether that's heats, eggfic, weird dicks, particularily sensitive ears on elves, or whatever else you might be interested in. Check them out under the cut, and if you like them, please kudos or comment!

the seahorse's mate by Capitola (5143, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: Male Pregnancy, Oviposition/Eggpreg

In a world where drow's reproduction works much like seahorses does, Caleb and Essek decide to expand their family.

Reccer says: It's a fascinating mix of alternate gender dynamics, where a trans male character is impregnating a cisgender male character (who has chosen the bodily modifications), and is also shockingly sweet and domestic. A+ Xenokink

put your sweet lips on my lips by LadyOrpheus (15750, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek wants to experience a heat with Caleb. When it hits him Essek gets insatiable.

Reccer says: A lovely sappy consensual heat-fic! The wizards love each other so much

stay soft (get eaten) by 2manyboys (5472, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Drow have different physiology than humans and Caleb loves coaxing Essek’s dick out and making him cum multiple times.

Reccer says: It is so hot while still being sweet and funny at the same time!

breathe me in, exhale slow by MarsBar2019 (18344, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: None

Essek blows off some steam by selling sex and the mighty nein (who doesn't know him yet) arranges for him to meet Caleb.

Reccer says: It's freaking hot! Essek is still demi and his hookups makes sense, even with that in mind. Also - Amazing dirty talk!

go ahead, decipher me by lakisrot (2854, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek and Caleb are kissing when Caleb realizes how sensitive Essek's drow ears are.

Reccer says: First fic I ever read that entertained the idea of sexy drow ears. I'm also a sucker for the coming untouched trope, and Essek getting off on something absurd. And the writing is gorgeous of course!!!!!

The Thumping in My Chest by GayAssWizard (5309, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb buys Essek a vibrator and edges him with it.

Reccer says: I liked it!

Indulgence by sumomomochi (5762, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: Choose Not to Warn

Essek has an oviposition fantasy and shares it with Caleb.

Reccer says: It’s just really good egg porn. Love how Essek feels embarrassed but Caleb is such a loving partner and is ready to have Hot Weird sex

like the love that discovered the sin by bloodredribbon (4960, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

When the wizards meet up in Aeor, Essek is woefully underdressed for the weather. Out of concern for his Kryn-friend's extremities, Caleb offers to help, with unforeseen (horny) consequences.

Reccer says: It's a very fun, steamy, and surprisingly tender read

In Our Bed, Where Peace Is Whole And Quiet by Interrobang (1800, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Drow have more sensitive ears than most humans, and Caleb likes to exploit that in bed.

Reccer says: It's just very intimate, and you really get a sense of how it's just a quiet moment in the middle of the night, one of many.

it's easy, dear by lakisrot (2552, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: None

Essek's ears hurt and Caleb massages them, but drow ears are special and sensitive and they both get off on it.

Reccer says: Absurdly and sublimely sexy. Understands exactly what my brain loves about fleshy and organic xenobiological novelty. They're also very sweet to each other! And the writing is gorgeous!!!

And two recs for the following:

you can have my absence of faith by Anonymous (87745, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: Dubcon/Consensual Non Consent, Male Pregnancy, Oviposition

Caleb helps Essek play out a fantasy of being chased by a Drider and carrying it's clutch

Reccer 1 says: I love the dual role that Caleb plays of both the Drider and the helpful stranger! The unusual domesticity is super interesting. Essek bratting drider!Caleb is both funny and hot Reccer 2 says: The brutal, ugly, sometimes over-the-top fantastical monsterfucking scenes for Essek/demon!Caleb and the sweet cottage domesticity of scenes for Essek/farmer!Caleb work together to create an odyssey of kink that ebbs and flows in intensity. IMO it's just the right amount of weird, with a surprising amount of feels for nearly 90k of porn w/o too much plot. Even some character arcs get resolved.

Aeor is for Lovers is an 18+ Shadowgast Discord server. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. All fics, unless otherwise specified, will primarily feature Shadowgast. Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week, we’ll be back with fics featuring Caleb or Essek being touch starved! Also hey, if you missed it, you've got a couple more days to fill out a survey!

#shadowgast #caleb widogast #essek thelyss #cr fic recs #critical role #fan fiction rec list #Xenobiology #heats #eggpreg

[japanne]

Chapter 7 of Reaching the Starlight by CherryMilkshake, sumomomochi

The wingback is, thankfully, taller than the footstool, but the two of them are spaced tighter than Caleb would like, obviously set in place for someone far shorter than him. He’s too nervous to rearrange someone else’s furniture, instead resting the calf of one leg across the stool, his other foot off to the side, knee bent. Thelyss looks at him oddly when he turns back from dropping off his handful of products, freezing for half a heartbeat as he looks Caleb over. Warmth flares in the drow’s face, cheeks tinging faintly purple before he sets about fussing with the placement of all his equipment, back turned to Caleb once more.

----

Man, that leg leaning on the footstool has just enough foreshortening going on that I hate it and it makes me regret wanting to draw this moment.  But Essek being surprised by how hot Caleb is, is something I really enjoy.

Re-reading this I think Caleb’s foot is supposed to be on the floor instead of the footstool, my bad!

Whatever, the boys are hot, Merry Christmas.

#shadowgast #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #critical role fanart #fanfiction #my art

[mllekurtz]

shadowgast wip recs - part 3

(part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 3.5 - part 4 - part 4.5)

every once in a while i make rec lists of my favourite ongoing shadowgast fics, because everyone needs some happiness in their inbox from time to time (or some angst, too! or both!)

as usual, if you're an author and i haven't tagged you or you want a tag removed, feel free to reach out!

~

1) Graviturgy (E, 10/?) by Twistmalchik an aeor fic with great dialogues and some lovely bits of character building. (mind the tags for the implied/referenced homophobia, but it makes sense in context, and as someone who is usually put off by that i found it interesting and justified)

2) the pink in the night series (E, 1 completed work and one with 7/8 chapters) by queenbeetle/@saint-cicada aka the kryn courting fic: if you're looking for some good old established/secret relationship fun + courting rituals + great smut, this is the fic you want to read.

3) reaching the starlight (E, 14/22) by CherryMilkshake, sumomomochi aka the camming au. the authors are really good at turning the premise into a well rounded, believable, captivating character study, and it's also extremely sexy.

4) The Ruins that Remain (M, 7/18) by TesseractTown/ @narwhalish , @kurosmind aka the last of us au. if you're familiar with the game, you've already guessed the vibe of this. if you enjoy whump, this is the one for you (and i love, love, love this verin ♥)

5) as if through a prism (M, 8/10) by wanderinghooves another aeor fic, hurt/comfort with emphasis on the hurt. the wizards are nerds, and the angst is heavy but written so beautifully.

6) the burned house horizon series (E/T, 4 fics, ongoing) by principessa/@bittcrblue a brilliant 'what if?' set in the last part of campaign 2. i remember losing my mind over the first fic in this series so vividly, and the sequels did not disappoint. this caleb (who has been lovingly dubbed 'meanleb' for a reason) is so unique and compelling. mind the tags for some dub-con!

7) To Have Owned the Sun (T, 4/11) by Dragonslaeyr aka the pen-pals au... with a twist. i can't even begin to describe the eerie, haunting atmosphere of this fic, it's like twin peaks meets the lake house (2006), and the revelations and the plot twists are dosed so well.

8) the ties that bind series (M/T, 3 fics, ongoing) by wytch-lyghts (flight_on_broken_wings)/@wytch-lyghts this series combines a few of my favourite things, namely evil aus and 'they sleep together to avoid talking about feelings' (or politics, i guess, in this one). as with all the fics by the same author, the writing is flawless, the imagery perfect, the enemies-to-lovers well balanced, and it's all very sexy despite not being properly explicit.

#critical role #shadowgast #fic recs #rec list #shadowgast wip recs #we have so much talent in this corner of the fandom #it's really astounding #also hi to the authors in this list who are also my friends! ilu! ♥ #mlle's fic recs

[heyktula]

get to know your author asks : 1, 9, 19

1: is there a story you’re holding off writing for some reason? Oh, yes, completely. I have a canon-verse/canon-compliant Kylo-POV fic drafted out where Kylo is fucking thrilled to get assigned to the Finalizer because General Hux is so young, and General Hux is so smart, and General Hux is going to be such a great role model and such a phenomenal guide for Kylo to have, and Kylo is going to thrive while he’s there and he’s going to get better, he’s actually finally going to get better and then maybe Snoke won’t be so disappointed in him all the time--and then Kylo shows up at the Finalizer, and Hux hates his guts, finds him a waste of skin, and wants literally nothing to do with him. It depresses me every time I think about it, so I haven’t written it yet. I know things will change for them after Starkiller--but there’s a lot of backstory pre-Starkiller that I need to lay down, and it’s all fucking ugly.

9: what, if anything, do you do for inspiration? I try my best to keep my brain working--I find the more that I write and think about stories, the more that I can write and think about stories--so I do my best to consume all the media that I can, whether it’s fanfic or other movies the actors have done, or fanart, or whatever. My actual time that I have to write is pretty limited (the fact that I’m even answering these q’s on a Saturday morning is pretty much a miracle), so I do my best to keep my brain primed so that when I have the time, I can get some damn words out.

19: when it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.? Not nearly as well as I should, I can tell you that much. I write in Scrivener, so I keep research files attached with relevant info in them. (For example, Foxtrot has files named background info, unused text, prior to publishing, text message history, plot, resistance members, etc.) I also back up my text messages to my gmail, so I do keyword searches of my texts a lot since I work out a lot of plot issues with @deadsy-art (who also kindly betas my life). I tend to wing it for the first 10k of any project, and then I stop, make some notes of things that I need to keep track of, write down the general arc of the plot, and then make notes on all the balls that I have up in the air at any given time so that I can make sure that I land them all. It’s a pretty fair assumption that for every bigger piece I post somewhere, I probably have another 25% of the final wordcount in additional background info, scenes that happened that couldn’t get written about due to POV, etc.

(I’m very near to getting started on writing Aphelion, the Foxtrot sequel--so I’ve set aside time to read Foxtrot from start to finish and take notes on all the bits and pieces I left hanging, and every interaction between Ben/Hux so that everything lines up in the sequel.)

get to know your author!

#ktula writes #writing about writing #wow that's a lot of words #sumomomochi #answered asks

[flappingduster]

Is this still considered fanart or already a shitpost

Essek from ✨reaching the starlight✨ by CherryMilkshake & sumomomochi , inspired by my friend lounging in a fuzzy starry robe some Christmases ago like she's that bitch™

so

naturally... 

is he watching one of Caleb’s videos? mayhaps.

is it embarrassingly a BFE one he’s watched several times? shhhh shut up don’t embarrass him, that’s purely Essek’s business 👀

#essek thelyss #fic art #fic: reaching the starlight #my scribbles

[starcrossed-sky]

for the get to know your author qs : 17, 18, 19

17) if you could give your fledgling author self any advice, what would it be?

STOP TRYING TO WRITE SHIT THAT BORES YOU YOU’LL NEVER BE HAPPY WITH IT AND IT’S DRAINING AS FUQ.

18) were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? what were they?

aaaaah god a lot? lemme bulletpoint;

Umineko - it’s Umineko. not so much changed my writing style directly as it utterly changed the way I think about fiction.

Daemorphing - I know I rec this to everyone and their mother, but it really helped me nail down a pacing style, if that makes sense. The “longer chunks with occasional shorter chunks, varied POV” I use isn’t exactly the same as Daemorphing’s format (which tends towards chaptered fic arcs with occasional oneshots thrown in), but it’s definitely an “inspired by” for my format.

Weapon of the Times - This is a Red vs Blue fic that hasn’t gotten much attention outside that fandom (as far as I know) but it’s mostly noteworthy because… Well, it’s second person prose. :3 And as much as Homestuck has been a big influence on most of the second-personers of us, WotT I think has more of an influence on my style than HS does. It’s outright and pure prose, after all, not narration accompanying a comic in an adventure game style. There’s a distinct difference there, I think.

YA lit in general - I’m a genre writer and this is my genre, and I am so glad of it. Now that I’ve read a metaphorical bucketful of it - not just headliners like the Hunger Games (which I actually didn’t finish!) or Harry Potter, but some shit obscure enough that it doesn’t even have a section on AO3 - I appreciate it a lot more. A lot more. Why? Because compared to ~adult~ fiction, the prose is simple, straightforward, and unpretentious. It’s accessible. I can and still occasionally do read “adult” fiction - mostly fantasy because, again, genre readers become genre writers - but I often find it tooth-grindingly slow and artificially inflated with. Well. Pretentiousness. It’s trying really hard to not be accessible to teens and I don’t like it.

19) when it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

Blood, sweat, and tears. That is to say, I actually have pretty much all of it in my head, I don’t take any notes, and I review by rereading my own writing. (I reread my own writing a lot, and not just because I’m the most prolific author of one of my ships and the sole author of the other. I would advise that anyone looking to write seriously do the same.)

Typically, I only plan in any detail to ~20K ahead of where I am, then have vague ideas for scenes I want to do beyond that, and then only the barest idea of the overall plot. For example, on Bladework right now I have Riposte planned pretty much in full (and a little over 3K written), Smelt and Flux planned in broad strokes but not superfine scene-by-scene detail, a sidestory in scene-by-scene detail (these are easier to plan, they usually only have a handful of major scenes), and then the fic after Smelt in such blurry strokes it doesn’t yet have a title. Beyond that, I have one more fic planned (and this one does have a tentative title, Blood from the Fullers, though that might wind up being the title of the one preceding it in final drafts) and then only the very haziest of outlines as to what happens beyond that. 

My original fiction project is much the same, just minus the title aspect. I still have no idea what I’m going to title it or what the final format of the story will look like beyond a similar POV-changing-in-chunks thing to what I’m doing with Bladework, but I have a Vague Outline for the whole thing, a slightly tighter outline for what I think will probably be “Book One,” and then the current section in a much tighter, scene-by-scene style.

#nai writes #tldr with nai #sumomomochi #how do you plan your narratives nai? #I don't

[cherrymilkshake]

for the fanfic questions : 4 and 5 for both your fic and ofic, 6, 7, 8, 12

4: what was the first fic you wrote?

oh man, it’s lost to time, but i remember writing a self-insert pokemon fic when i was 9 or 10. it might have been that?

5: what is your favorite fic you have written?

mostly it’s whatever i’m working on at the time, but from what i have on AO3... I’m torn between You Would Never Be That and Dragons Measure Time in Scores. I like the mood of them and they both I feel captured what I was trying to with them.

6: which character of yours has been your favorite to write?

haha, I guess i can’t say “whichever i’m writing at the time” again. fic-wise, definitely bern. he’s my son and i love him. my second favorite is definitely andrin, but they are much harder to get into the head of, so they end up getting drawn more often than written

ofic-wise... I enjoyed writing Yufitri a lot, because i got to imagine the fantasy alps through the eyes of someone from fantasy libya. he’s also very sweet and genuine and just a Good Egg. But I also really liked writing Veni, because well, they’re an alien on fairy tale Earth. that’s just a good time

7: which character of yours do you most identify with (if any)?

I feel like this question is kind of backwards. it should be more like “which characters did you put more of yourself into” or something. in which case, fic-wise, bern again, since he was my first PC in Inquisition, so his decisions and rationales are basically mine. 

re: ofic though... hmm. probably oswin, who’s the protag for the novella currently in the pipeline. he’s adrift and lonely and i Feel

8: which character of yours do you find the hardest to write?

characters that are the least like me are hardest, especially ones that are cleverer than i am :’) so andrin and eloni fall into that category, as they are both cunning and manipulative which... i am very not. 

as i recall, calixtus (yufitri’s love interest) gave me a decent amount of trouble, because he’s very reserved but with this little, unexpected streak of mischief that meant it was hard to make him jive with himself without seeming ooc

12: which do you prefer writing most, description, dialogue, or actions?

definitely dialogue. one of the problems i have in the first draft is just long strings of dialogue with little action interspersed. it’s led me to consider trying my hand at screenplays and/or plays once or twice

#meme #sumomomochi #writing #cherry writes stuff